Always || Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Chapter 10

You take a deep look at yourself in the mirror, practicing your smile and introduction to Anne.
"Ahem," you clear your throat for the thousandth time. You adjust your tie, "Good evening, I– ugh that is awful" you reel to yourself, cinching your eyebrows together in frustration. You wipe the sweat off of your palms on your wool sweater. As the autumn started to welcome winter, you were provided with a house sweater by Professor Weasley. Although the first snowfall has not occurred, you still appreciated her thoughtfulness. The idea of your robe getting caught on everything in sight on the way to Feldcroft haunted you.

You sigh, rolling up your sleeves, and reach for the faucet. The knobs of the sink were worn completely smooth, like a rock at the shoreline. You turn one of them. Water comes out of the parabolic pipe with a sputter, then it flows smoothly down into the drain. You cup water in your hands precariously and then splash it on your face, completely hurled over the sink in order to keep your clothing dry. The cooling sensation spreads across your cheeks. You wipe your eyes with your hands and look back up in the mirror, a single bead of water sliding down the side of your head.

You reach for a towel and pat your face dry, then your hands as well. You place the towel back and peer into your reflection when you notice a small amount of movement to your right. You whip around curiously to see Imelda Reyes with an everlasting smirk plastered on her face.

"Getting ready for a date now, are ya?" She drawls as she walks toward you.

"It's not a date," you reply, rolling your sleeves down, pulling the cuffs of your dress shirt out from underneath your gray wool sweater. Imelda's shoes clack against the bathroom floor.

"If you hadn't hoped it would be, youd've only said no," she giggles to herself. A small fire pit of annoyance burns at the bottom of your chest.

"What do you want Imelda," you sigh, crossing your arms against your chest as you lean against the sink behind you.

"Nothing... I just wanted to see if it was true or not for myself."

You run a hand behind your neck, waiting for her to start talking again.

She begins washing her hands. "I've known Sebastian longer than you,"

Here she goes, you think.

"I've never heard of him inviting someone back home during the school year. Not even Ominis, and that boy practically lives with the Sallow's." You swallow heavily. Imelda dries her hands with a towel and turns to you, the cloth enclosed in her right hand.

"Just... be nice to him." She says.

You can't help but laugh in her face.

"Just be nice to him?" you ask. "Imelda, I don't know what you think is going on between Sebastian and I, but it's definitely not that, and it is also quite frankly none of your business" you snicker.

A flash of irritation shoots through her eyes.

"I don't understand what he sees in you," she grumbles, tossing the towel on the ground as she storms out of the bathroom. You shake your head at the confrontation. Oh Imelda, you laugh to yourself at the thought.

You walk down the stairs to the undercroft and enter Sebastian pacing back and forth.

"Sebastian," you call out.

His head turns and he drops his hands down to his sides, relief flooding his face.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up" he says sheepishly as he makes his way over to you.

Confusion crosses your face. "I said that I would be here Sebastian, you had my word," you smile.

"I know, I know, I was just– ah, you know what? Nevermind me," he waves a dismissive hand through the air. "Anne will be excited to meet you," he starts. "She misses Hogwarts. She's been stuck at home with our guardian, Uncle Solomon. Unfortunately, you'll have to meet him too," he rolls his eyes, "But meeting a new student is precisely what she needs." An optimistic smile spreads across his face.