At the Beginning | Ominis Gaunt Love Story

Chapter Ten

He knelt down. "Let it out."

Blair didn't think, wrapping her arms around his neck, causing him to fall back on his behind in surprise. He had frozen for a moment, but hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist, and brought her closer into his lap. She heart hurt and it almost hurt just as much to breathe as she cried.

She sniffed, too emotional to add embarrassed into the mix. "It's not fair. We should have grown old all together. We should have—"

Ominis cut her off, not unkindly as he gently whispered over the sound of the rain hitting the leaves, "Just cry Blair. Hate the fates. Hate the stars tonight. Tomorrow we have a new set of challenges to face together. I'm not going to leave you alone in this."

Blair nodded and felt his face nuzzle against her hair as he held her tighter, and she continued to mourn. She wept for the life she could have had. She wept for her dear friend whom she missed. And she wept for her current circumstances. All she wanted was to live a quiet life with her new friends and Ominis. He wasn't exactly a friend, but she wasn't sure what to call him. 

All she knew now was that she couldn't bear the thought of losing him too.

The North Star

Hagrid found them on his way back from the celebration. At first he'd thought it was another sort of situation and yelled out they'd better have clothes on. The rain had let up to a light sprinkle as Hagrid took in their appearance from the warm light of the lantern.

Ominis' slacks were caked in dirt and soaked from the rain along with his white dress shirt that clung to his shoulders and biceps. Blair was straddled on his lap with a tearful expression and a Slytherin robe that was keeping her mostly dry now. Her black hair was drenched and pressed against her head and shoulders, dripping everywhere. Her eyes around the rim were red along with her cheeks. Ominis was faintly flushed around his face, but not enough to say whether he let a tear or two slip.

"Some people question my cookin, but I don't think it's half bad. There's hot tea an' bun cakes if you two wan' get out of this rain." He offered, gesturing to the small cottage nearby.

She felt him squeeze her side lightly, indicating that it was up to her. She nodded, wiping her cheeks, "That sounds lovely. Thank you Hagrid."

Blair got off Ominis, feeling almost shy which was new. She grabbed her wand that had fallen off to the side as he stood up, wiping the dirt off of his trousers the best he could. They followed Hagrid in as Ominis then casted the hot air charm and dried themselves off. She tried to hand him back his robe, but he refused telling her to hold onto it until she had warmed up enough.

"I see you found Sallow's grave. Dumbledore told me he was a frien' of yers." The groundskeeper was careful to take the cast-iron lid off a boiling pot, and proceeded to use a ladle to scoop the hot liquid into three ceramic mugs. She could smell ginger and clove in the air, wondering if it was an autumn blend he'd brewed. Already on the table was a plate full of lumpy looking cakes with what she thought were raisins sticking out.

Ominis raised his eyebrows, thanking him briefly for the tea. "You knew Sebastian?"

"Tords' the end. When he'd heard 'bout me bein' expelled——he notified Dumbledore an' got him to step in as much as possible. Helped to keep me here at Hogwarts as a grounds keeper." He sighed, taking a bite out of one of the cakes. Blair flinched inwardly, hearing the crack. She's break her teeth trying to eat one. "He ne'er did like Tom that much."