Pining for Evergreen | Sebastian Sallow x MC |

9 - Firelight Finale

We stepped over the threshold of front door and the familiar sweet scent of Hogsmead hit me. Relief washed over me like a hot shower, helping to release the ridged muscles I hadn't noticed I was tensing.

"You can open your eyes now." Sebastian assured me and I slowly squinted one eye open and then the other. The sun had started to set in the short time we were inside, and though it felt like forever I came to learn it had only been about 8 minutes.

Leaning against one of the neighboring buildings Anne, Poppy, Samantha, and William had been happily chatting while they waited for us. Once we emerged, the tinkling bell from the shop door alerted them, and Anne was the first to spot us.

"Well, how was it?" She asked happily as the turned her attention towards us. She had starting out excited, but once she saw my tear-stained cheeks, the smile slid off her face.

"What happened?" Poppy asked, jogging up to meet me as we made our way towards the waiting group.

"That scared of her own haunted house?" Samantha laughed.

"Hey!" Sebastian barked back at her. His sudden shift to anger made his hand tighten around mine and it was only then that I realized we were still holding hands. 

"It's okay," I said quickly pulling my hand from his to raise them up in an open palmed defense, waving off her accusation. "She's right. It was just a silly haunted house. I just got myself worked up."

I shot him a pleading look, asking him not to say anything, and he reluctantly accepted my plea. 

"Lets go get some tea. We can say hello to Natty while we're there." Poppy said, as if she was soothing one of her beasts, and put a concerned hand on my shoulder.

As much as I had tried to brush it off, I had no doubt the redness of my eyes was giving me away, but I didn't care right now. I just needed to get as far away from that place as possible.

"Yeah, I'm hungry. Lets go see Natty." I said, grateful for the excuse to leave, and without another word I turned to hurriedly walked away. I had to actively work to convince my feet not to run, but compromised with a swift jog as I headed in the direction of Madam Puddifoot's.

"Hey wait!" Sebastian called after, but I didn't stop. I didn't want to be anywhere near my shop right now, and if I had to see the look in Sebastian's eyes for much longer I wasnt sure I could hold back the tears.

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I wasn't actually all that hungry but Poppy had brought over some biscuits to go with our tea as we sat at a small table in Madam Puddifoot's. Natty sat with us, her mother relieving her of her duties for the rest of the night.

One of the nice things about Poppy was that she never pressed me. Natty on the other hand would have had questions, had she known to have them.

When I started talking about potions class over our cups of tea, clearly avoiding the elephant in the room, Poppy let me. She even chimed in at the appropriate times during the conversation, and I was thankful for her benevolence. Why I had come out in tears, why I had been holding Sebastian's hand as we left, why I took off so quickly. All questions I'm sure Poppy had, but she never asked.

We didn't stay for long. Reason one being that Natty was eager to get out of the stuffy shop, and for another the end of night bonfire would be starting soon. 

In the town square where there had once been people running about playing games, there stood a large wood pyer meant to be a closing ceremony of sorts.

It was a major highlight of the whole event here in Hogsmeade. Hogwarts even allowed for a later curfew so students could witness it. Not only was it quite large, but all the materials used for the fire were provided by Zonko's. They had somehow managed to charm the wood so that the smoke, embers, and flames took on a variety of shapes and colours. They weren't too dissimilar to the muggle fireworks I had seen once or twice before, the difference being that these were far more detailed and not as loud.

Natty, Poppy, and I made our way towards the bonfire amongst the crowd of other observers as they set it alight. The spoke swirled and danced in the wind, and slowly but surely formed in to miraculous shapes and colours.

As the crowd exclaimed sounds of amazement, a heavy arm dropping onto my shoulders. Having not been expecting it, my legs buckle a little under the weight, but I caught myself.

"Well if it isn't my favourite ladies!" Garreth said from behind us as he hung a heavy arm over both Natty and my shoulders, a half eaten caramel apple in the hand draped around Natty.

"Aren't you supposed to be in detention?" Poppy asked sounding excited to see him.

"I was, but I managed to talk Professor Sharpe into letting me leave early." He said confidently.

"Really?" I asked confused as the fire popped and another swirl of smoke wafted into the sky. 

I never thought I'd live to see the day Professor Sharpe let Garreth of easy.

"Naah, I'm kidding, I ditched." He confessed and both Poppy and I laughed. Natty on the other hand was less impressed, seeing as Garreths apple had just dribbled juice down her lapel. 

"Garreth! You're getting it all over me." She said tossing his arm off, causing him to shift his weight on to me.

"Oops. Sorry 'bout that." he said brushing the liquid off with the back of his hand as if they were crumbs. 

That was when I spotted Sebastian to the distant right of the bonfire. For a moment I thought I caught his eyes on me before they shot forward towards the fire light.

It looked like Anne wasn't with him, and neither was William. Samantha on the other had was very much there, and very close to him. Sebastian had his arm around her shoulder, and I watched as Samantha's eyes light up brighter than the bonfire.