Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Fourty-Five: Ask and Answer

"Why the dramatics, Ominis?" Sebastian sniggered, slipping the book from my hands gingerly and tucking it deeply into the depths of his bag. I couldn't help the heat that crept up my neck and displayed over my cheeks as he slipped his hand between mine, lacing our fingers together.

"Miss Sweeting can be rather aggravating," he sighed. "Not as easy as being with- well- that's not the point. She's simply angry at me for earlier and has refused my offer to attend the ball until I apologize to the both of you."

I smirked, as Sebastian roared with laughter, his genuine laugh ringing through the quiet stone common room. Ominis simply pressed his hands to his eyes in sheer frustration. "I told her! I told her it would be fine!"

"You were being a prat," I said, glowering at him slightly as he slunk even further into his chair, his usual posh attitude seeming to have crumpled entirely.

"Ominis, you really didn't expect someone like Poppy to be friends with Abbi and not drive you mad sometimes?" Sebastian laughed, wiping tears from his eyes as his laughter died away.

I smacked his arm, and he simply shot me a grin and faced his friend again.

"I suppose not," Ominis sighed. "I just forget how new she is to our relationship. She doesn't understand the way we are."

Sebastian laughed again, and I followed in. Chuckling his way through the words, he spoke to his best friend, "Ominis, we all do have a rather complex friendship. You can't blame her for being startled."

"Would you please just tell her that tomorrow at breakfast? I would appreciate if she went to the ball with me, and I'd hate to lose out because she thinks you two are angry with me."

"I'll do you one better," I said, standing up and walking over to him, a grin across my cheeks. I took his hand in mine and pulled him with me to the stairs of the common room, Sebastian trailing along shaking his head as he laughed.

"Where- Abbi, what are you doing?"

"You, my dear sir, are getting your date tonight. We are going to the Hufflepuff common room."

~

We returned to the Slytherin common room, Ominis trailing dreamily next to Sebastian and I, blushing rather profusely, and a small smile pulling the corners of his lips. Our arms all linked as we clambered noisily down the stone stairs into the dungeon. A small fire lay still dying in the grand fireplace, our bags where we had left them.

Ominis bade us goodnight softly as we approached the couches, slipping his arm from mine and giving my hand a fleeting squeeze. We watched him walk away, his hair disheveled, his ears pink at the tips. I turned to Sebastian as Ominis climbed the stairs.

"They are quite cute, you know," I said, giggling at the memory of the scene we had witnessed.

"Eh, they're alright," Sebastian said, a smirk on his face, as he pulled me back to our spot on the sofa. He didn't reach for his bag, or the copy of Slytherin's book as I had expected, but simply pulled me so he was sitting practically behind me. I giggled as his lips tickled my neck.

"I know a better match," Sebastian said in his smuggest voice.

"Imelda and Quidditch?" I said, which made him chuckle. I could feel the vibrations of his chest against my back, the way his breath came out in a sharp burst as he fought back his laugh.

"Very funny," Sebastian quipped. I snuggled back against him as I wrapped his arms around myself, staring at the freckles that dotted his arms. I was sure if I took the time, I could map all the freckles on his body and find the constellations hidden amongst them.

"It was sweet, seeing Poppy so happy," I murmured. "After everything."

"I didn't know-"

"I don't blame you. Neither does she. That wasn't what I meant."

"Then what?"

"Her Gran is all she's had for a long time. She always wanted someone to expand her family. I like to think that we did."

He sat quiet with me for a while, his fingers trailing down my arms as my eyelids became increasingly heavy. Images of Poppy and Ominis twirling happily at the upcoming ball filled my head, while flashes of my own beautiful gown danced along the sides of my thoughts.

Sebastian's voice was shaky when he spoke next, nervous and small. "Abbi, love?"

"Hmm?" I answered, not opening my eyes, but still snuggling deeper into his chest.

"Abbi, I'd love to take you to the ball," he whispered in my ear. "If you'd have me."

I giggled sleepily, but opened my eyes and looked up into his face. He was smiling, shy and boyish, as though this was the most nerve wracking thing he had ever done in his life. Looking at him now, you'd never have thought that this face, the face of an innocent young man, had ever done anything as vicious as murder. 

Right now, he was simply a boy, asking a girl to a dance, and his heart was pounding uncomfortably in his chest as he stared at me and waited for my answer to his ask. 

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my lips. 

"I'd love to go with you, Sebastian Sallow." 

I kissed his cheek, beaming as he hugged me tightly into his chest. I could hear the light in his voice, the warmth and pure simply happiness that my answer had given him. I giggled at the idea that he thought I'd have said anything else.

"Then it's a date."