Sallow's Soft Side-10 Years Later

Chapter 15 - Something Old, Something New

*Ominus POV*

Oh, good Merlin. What did I just get myself into. How am I going to pull this off? I just asked somebody out for the first time in my 26 years of living. I had to just blurt it out like a fool before I chickened out. I will be taking her to Hogsmeade to the Three Broomsticks, so I don't need to be too formal but...I don't want to look too casual, either. Yes, I know what different styles of clothes are regardless of my inability to see in real time.

It's "see in real time" as I've gained the ability to "see" the future. Only bits and pieces of it, but typically enough information to be useful. Once I started to get these visions, I gained a better knowledge of what the people in my life actually look like. I've been able to put a face to a voice. I always had somewhat of an idea of what I look like, but not until recently did I know for sure. I'm sure Sebastian is known to be more conventionally attractive based on the number of girls that tried (and failed due to him holding out for his now fiancé) to get him to notice them. It makes sense to me how I paled in comparison to him, but I also can't help but think that it's my blindness that kept them away as well. They probably don't realize that I'm completely capable of caring for myself.

One thing that comes up fairly frequently upon getting to know me is the question of how I use my wand to get around. I think it's pretty simple, but many others don't when I try to explain it. I simply point my wand at whatever it is I'm trying to identify, and I then know what it is. I don't "hear" it per say, yet the wand still "tells" me what something in front of me is. Whatever. They don't need to understand it precisely, just enough to understand that I'm not helpless. I feel that I'm oftentimes underestimated because of this. 

I don't know what Phoenix looks like, as I haven't had the galls to even touch her hand. I'm sure that will change tonight, though, as I'll at the very least take her hand on our walk to Hogsmeade. I settle on some clothes to wear, feel my hair to make sure it isn't sticking out all over the place, and step out into the hall to wait for my date. I've been wearing some thin gloves more often lately in an attempt to quit getting a vision every time I brush against someone, but for now, I slip them off and tuck them into the inner pocket of my jacket. I hear Phoenix step out of her room, and as she nears closer to me, I offer my arm as if to say "shall we?" and we make our way out the door. 

The walk to Hogsmeade isn't long, but it's enough time to fill the air with pleasant conversation. When I finally decide to grab her hand, to my surprise, there's no vision. Odd. Not bad, but odd. Perhaps I've gotten able to control the visions a little better. She laces her fingers with mine as we stroll, and she kindly slows down her walking pace once we get to the short flight of stairs leading to the village. I can do stairs just fine, but these ones are made of kind of a rough surface of stone, and I do take a bit of extra care in navigating those. I lift my wand to "look" at my location to ensure I'm leading her in the right direction. We are just steps away from my beloved Three Broomsticks. "This is it!" I say with a shy smile and open the door for her. Once I'm sure she's made it in, I step inside the pub behind her. A familiar voice greets us excitedly.

"Ominus! I can't believe it, old friend. How exciting it is to see you! I hoped you would stop in sometime this week once I found out you lot were nearby. I received an owl to invite me to the wedding this weekend. I was shocked to see the invitation, as I didn't even know the two of them had reconnected." Sirona Ryan fills us in. "Here, you and this lovely lady will have the best seat in the house." 

"Thank you, Sirona. The wedding is a lot to explain, but I'm sure there will be time soon enough to get you caught up." I tell her as she walks us to a corner booth. 

"Of course, hun. I'll have two butterbeers on the table in a quick moment. First round is on me!"

I smile and scoot towards the corner of the booth and I feel Phoenix do the same.

"I take it you and your friends were regulars here back in the day! No surprise, the place has a wonderful vibe to it. I could see myself spending hours in a place like this." Phoenix tells me, clearly admiring the wholesome environment this pub is known for.

Sirona brings us our beverages and we begin talking away. I startle when I feel Phoenix's thumb graze my upper lip. Bloody hell, I must have looked like a child with that foam on my lip. I find it best to crack a little joke to hide my embarrassment.

"I'd do the same for you, but I can assure you I wouldn't be of much help."

She laughs an adorable knowing laugh, "No worries, I've already found myself checking multiple times if I had the same problem. I suppose you wouldn't notice or mind either way." I appreciate her ability to poke a little fun at me instead of walking around it as if it's a taboo topic.

We spend what feels like hours talking about everything and more. Our similarities, or differences, our upbringings, our schooling...it was interesting to learn that she, too, was estranged from her family. Perhaps not quite for the same reasons as I am from mine, but she did confess that she hasn't spoken to her own mother in years. Neither have I. Not once did my mother come down to that cellar to speak to me. She never even asked for an attempt at seeing her future. I felt like an orphan growing up, especially once my aunt passed away. 

"As much as I don't want to leave, it's getting late. We're nearly the last two people here right now." she says to me after a few moments of pleasant silence, my hands wrapped around her small hands.

"I suppose you're right, very well then. Let's begin our journey to the castle." I reply, and we both leave the booth. I make sure to leave Sirona a generous tip on the table before leaving. We are just on the outside of the village when I decide to make one last bold move.

"Phoenix," I say, stopping and grabbing her arm to face her in my direction.

"What is it, dear?" she asks me fondly. "If you're wondering, I had a wonderful time tonight. You are truly one of a kind."

"There's just one thing I want while it's just the two of us," I say softly as I slowly reach to feel her face. I caress her cheek and smooth my thumb across her plush, full bottom lip. Now that I've got an idea for where her mouth is, I lean down to kiss her. I amaze myself with what feels like the perfect landing. Electricity feels like it's coursing through my veins as she kisses me back, wrapping her hands around the back of my head. I move my hands to be around her waist and pull her closer to me. I can tell she's smiling as she kisses me, opening her mouth slightly as I instinctively do the same. Our mouths are toying with each other now, and after what I consider not nearly enough time, we separate our faces and she rests her head on my chest. I feel her lift her head up after a moment, probably looking at my face or my eyes.

"I'd make eye contact with you, but I'm not sure where they are," I joke, and probably have the goofiest grin as I hear her adorable laugh at my self-deprecating humor.

"I could never grow tired of looking at your eyes anyway. Even if you don't know when I'm doing so." she says back with a giggle. She leans up for one more absolutely heavenly kiss, and we travel back to the castle arm in arm, talking the night away.

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(Author's note: How did we feel about a cute little Ominus POV thrown in there? I felt it was the best way to play out his adorable date with Phoenix instead of just having him tell Sebastian all about it. Perhaps Ominus would like to keep some of it for himself!)

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