In The Middle Of The Night

Chained

Eva recognised the familiar clicks approaching. His wand filled the room with light
"Eva..." standing she strode right up to him ready to unleash a torrent of verbal lashings, halting when Ominis kneeled, dropping his wand to the floor. His head bowed, hands on his thighs. What in Merlin's name was he doing?
"What are you doing Ominis?" He didn't speak, staying in that position. It was one she recognised all too well when she would be waiting for Ominis to tie her and have control over the situation. Gripping him under a shoulder Eva tried to lift him up, and failed. She forgot how much heavier he was compared to her.
"Ominis get up" he rose slowly, his head down like a scolded puppy.
His heart was pounding at doing this; his wand to the floor and relying once more on his senses. He knew she was there by her voice telling him to stand, yet nothing else.
"Ominis tell me what you are doing" her voice panicked
"Giving you the control in this situation" she didn't like it, she had never desired the power over him, she preferred when he was the lion protecting her from whatever needs. Yet why couldn't she stop herself reaching to his tie, loosening it from around his neck to makeshift binds. Pulling him over to the chair he obediently followed.
"Why did you read them papers?" A part of her was growing to the sight of him sat there like this, it was thrilling
"I wanted to know what they was. Then when Poppy began to read them we realised and agreed to burn them. I didn't go to do it deliberately" yet she had, she had found that book and could have stopped, yet she read it and kept it hidden in her bag since.
"I don't pity you Eva. Granted your story is sad- but you are still Eva. The woman who stopped a Goblin Uprising, fought trolls and took 2 of the darkest curses out there and is still standing. You may be delicate to me, but to everyone else you are strong. You didn't pity my story so I won't with yours"
"Ominis my mind is damaged, how the fuck do I fix that? It's cracks that run deep. And I kept them from shattering by keeping all that shit about myself before this place hidden. Yet you both found out, I didn't want you to find out, I didn't want anyone to find out about it" gripping her hair as she paced back and forth, her brain was begging her to scream at the top of her lungs, to just let it all out
"We are all damaged in some way" his tie sat on his lap "its what we do with ourselves that heals it" Ominis followed her footsteps, flinching slightly at the sound of glass shattering. He had forgotten his wand still lay on the floor, yet he didn't want to move and cut himself
"Eva be a dear and get my wand, it seems to be on the floor" she scurried back to place it in his hand, raising from the chair.
"You go back to the dorm Ominis. I want to be here a few more moments by myself" giving her a quick bow he left. Listening in on the other side he heard her finally let it all out and scream.

Eva didn't know how long she kept screaming, by now so many if they heard it would have thought there was a murder or a ghost had chosen today to pierce eardrums. Her chest felt slightly lifted from carrying the anguish and betrayal it had stamped to her. Opting to leave the Undercroft she went up stairs that felt never ending, round and round the spiral point until she saw the stars, the limitless night sky. Trees swayed to and fro with the gentle breeze, owls hooted in the distance and silhouettes of jaberknolls weaving. From here she could see in the distance lights that led to Hogsmeade, how comforting of a place it could be. And just there was where she would call home, she had never thought years ago this would be her life. Sat in an astronomy tower watching mystical creatures or the friends she now had.
"Hi Eva.." she damn near had a heart attack. But she should have known Amit would be here.
"Oh hey Amit. Sorry did I bother you up here?" He really hadn't changed, maybe he'd gotten taller but that was about it.
"No no it's okay. Sometimes I come here to think too. If you'd pass me that book I can at least get us a sneaky drink of brandy whilst you tell me what brought you up here. I haven't seen you in a while and Samantha hasn't been forward with information on why you both fell out" one thing he had at least changed was his style of clothing, going for a more refined gentleman look, however his colours were more blues and blacks as opposed to blacks and whites. Gratefully taking the glass from him they clinked them together and sipped.
"Samantha was upset because I started sleeping in Ominis Gaunts room a few months ago. She thought I was insane for doing so because of all the rumours on the Gaunt family and that I would be putting myself in danger. However I felt he would understand the reasons I had nightmares since he had been there through a lot of that year" Amit nodded, sharply inhaling at the brandy hitting the back of his throat wrong
"I mean if he hasn't shown any signs of being dangerous to you I don't see a problem with it. It's pretty hypocritical when she sneaks into my dorm room some nights and sneaks out in the morning. I like Ominis, I haven't spoken to him much but I was there when he took that spell for you. I don't think just anyone would do that if they was such a threat too" adjusting to lay on his side to face her. He had such kind eyes as he spoke; it's why she had thought of him being Samantha's voice of reason and she wasn't wrong. Resting against the pillar she nodded in agreement.
"I think it just rubbed her the wrong way Amit. I miss her as a friend, but I don't think she will overlook that I'm now dating Ominis because of his last name. Which sucks as she was one of my closest friends I made here too" taking another sip of her drink, briefly looking over to spot what looked like an eagle with another next to it
"Do you want me to talk to her? I'm not one to take sides in these. I understand her point and yours. Personally I think everyone deserves that chance of finding someone special they hold dear to their heart. I mean she would be screaming at you if you had dated Sebastian Sallow with how he's sadly turned out. Poor guys mind is so fractured that he's at St Mungos being treated. It's better than Azkaban" shaking their heads in unison at his outcome. They never would have pictured it being that way for Sebastian.
"I know. It suck's. Can I ask you something unrelated? I need someone else's perspective than my own" he nodded for her to go on "if you had kept something hidden about yourself and people found out, it isn't exactly bad. Would you tell them the full extent of it or would you just leave it with what they already know?" Amit tapped his finger on his chin, thinking for a moment, pouring more brandy for them both
"Personally; I'd answer whatever questions they have on the matter. But I'd do it as a one off session then it's done. That way it doesn't need to keep being brought up. That way everyone can move forward from it with the truth" grinning into her glass she knew it was right to talk to Amit, ruffling his hair they laughed
"Thanks. And thanks for offering to talk to Samantha for me. It means a lot Amit, now tell me  what you've been up to I want to hear all about it"

She hadn't realised they had polished off the bottle until they was linked arms stumbling down the once easy to trudge up steps, Amit skimming his hand on the wall, Eva squinting intensely to make it spin less, the sun had risen and they hadn't yet slept. Amit had excitedly gone on about his plans for his store, Eva had in turn described her enthusiasm for teaching next year. They had seen who could spot a planet after so many glasses and who could levitate a pebble the longest. At the bottom of the stairs stood Poppy, Samantha and Ominis. Arms folded and faces from anger, relief and well the usual stone face
"Oh no Eva" giggling "I think we're in trouble" erupting into fits of laughter together
"Come on loosen up, it's a Saturday. Free day! Oh my gosh Amit should we go find that castle you can see awesome constellations from like we did 5th year?! Guys it is amazing there, last time we went there was the cutest nifflers there too" oh she had definitely had too much, swaying together and giggling
"Amit I went to find you last night but you wasn't there. Instead you associate and drink with HER" Samantha snapped, she had clearly been up worrying for the most part with her puffy eyes and hair still tied in its nighttime style
"Why what's wrong with hanging out with Eva? We had a few sneaky brandies, she'd gone up there to be alone but I was there too getting some stuff for the maps and it was fun"
"Because she chose her path, and it's under HIM" Ominis feigned insult, dramatically gasping
"Oh no, lock me away for indulging in dating. Don't be ridiculous now Samantha" Poppy scooted out of the middle, shoving water in cups at Amit and Eva
"You know what I mean Gaunt. Your whole family are sadistic and twisted, and I know you are just the same as them. And you'll do the same with Eva!" Smirking and rolling his eyes at her statement, Amit hiccuped
"Samantha stop being a bloody hypocrite. You sleep in my dorm in the nights, we have literally messed around together and you want to be mad at them for dating and probably doing the same? When we aren't even dating like they are" Eva dropped open her mouth as she had always assumed they was an item, Poppy awkwardly looked around for something...anything, she'd even take Peeves crashing through right about now. Samantha's face had reddened in anger, pointing her finger at Eva
"You! You stay away from Amit! You picked what you picked, you can't change your mind and go for other men" once more in unison Amit and Eva let out a long ew at that statement
"No offence to Amit he's a lovely guy, but I don't go for the typical nice men if you haven't caught on by now Samantha. I prefer them mysterious. I had actually asked Amit last night to talk to you so we could sort out this train wreck of friendship because I missed you, you absolute dope!" Ominis grabbed Eva's hand to pull her to his chest. He couldn't do much but he wanted to feel like he could provide some comfort
"Samantha you are absolutely ridiculous some times. You can make assumptions on my name all you wish. And that doesn't bother me; I'm used to it by now. But to make such a big deal over who she dates is childish. I suggest you grow up and look in a mirror. Poppy if you would grab one arm I'll grab the other. I fear I may drop her if I try to carry her back" the further they got Ominis could hear Samantha ranting at Amit over it all.

Sighing he wrapped her up in bed, Poppy had let out gasps and awes of finally seeing inside the Slytherin common room, whilst it wasn't forbidden it was certainly something that would cause eyebrows rising. However it was the furthest she went- opting to leave as she knew Ominis could handle it from there. Stroking Eva's softened face, he could tell in that moment she needed that comfort of a friend, one who didn't know fully and who wouldn't judge her harshly. Searching for his quill and parchment he found himself being urged to write a letter home. He hadn't spoken to them for years; he had always gone to Sebastian's over the holidays, or stayed at The Three Broomsticks in a room Sirona was happy to rent to him over the summer. The quill scrawled what he asked of it:
Mother and Father,
Whilst I have not been home for years, nor do I desire to. I ask of you to send to me the Gaunt ring once used to propose to those we seek to wed. I intend to use it to ask for my partners hand. Before you furiously write asking of her blood status she is a pure blood, I wouldn't give a damn even if she wasn't. She has made me happier than I thought I deserved, than what you led me to believe. You always told me no one would love me for being blind, or for being so soft. Yet I have that, she doesn't care that I can't see, or that I detest Dark Arts. I heard most of my siblings have either died or you've disowned them for frolicking with muggleborns. Who would think it would be me who would surprisingly keep to your views by accident.
Ominis