No Choice But You // Ominis Gaunt x Reader

Chatper 15

I ended up back by the fireplace with everybody a while later, after I was able to find Anne again.

Poppy was back in Sebastian's lap again. He whispered something in her ear, and she turned bright red, burying her face in his neck. I looked away and set my eyes on my feet. I took another drink, emptying the cup of its contents, then set the empty container on the little end table by the couch I sat on. They were cute, but part of me was a bit jealous. I'd never been that close to someone before, and I kind of wished that someone wanted me like that. 

I crossed one of my legs over the other and leaned back into the couch fully extending my neck over the top of the backrest to stare at the ceiling. Everything started to spin a bit with the sudden motion, so I closed my eyes, trying to re-center myself.

"Everything alright?" someone asked behind me. I flicked my eyes open, and it was Ominis behind me; I looked at him at an odd angle for a moment before leaning forward and kneeling on the couch. Everything was still swirling, and I braced myself on the back of the couch, trying not to fall over.

I giggled and covered my mouth with my hand. "Come sit next to me," I told him. My mind was a blur as the last bit of alcohol I'd just drunk started to kick in.

"You're very drunk," he stated. He leaned on the back of the couch beside me, resting his head on his arms. His foggy blue eyes were distant as always, but I could see a hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth.

"How can you tell?" I asked, slurring my words just a bit. I frowned at myself. "I haven't had that much to drink."

"Then you must have a poor tolerance for it." He ran his fingers through his hair, tousling it up a bit more than usual. Ominis seemed more calm than he normally did as he talked to me. I wasn't sure of the last time we'd had a conversation--even if it was only about how much I supposedly drank. I could smell alcohol on his breath, so I knew he'd been drinking too. That must be why he was being so nonchalant.

"My tolerance is just fine, thank you very much," I retorted. "Though my tolerance over the fact that you haven't seated yourself beside me is beginning to thin." I cocked my eyebrow at him, giving him a dumb look that I knew he wouldn't be able to see.

"You don't want me to sit next to you," he stated. "You're not a fan of me when you're sober."

"I don't know what you mean." I slid down the couch and seated myself back in the proper couch-sitting position. Ominis leaned himself further down the backrest until his face was right next to mine.

"You're impossible," he said before backing away. I whipped my head around, but he was already gone when I did. I slumped back down and pouted at the empty seat next to me.

He'd had no problems seating himself next to me other times, but it was too much to ask for now.

And I didn't know why I wanted that in the first place. My mind was nothing but fog and tornadoes and I couldn't figure out why I'd said the things I said. Oh well.

I leaned over to Anne, interjecting myself in the middle of her conversation with Garreth. "I'm going on a mission," I told her. She raised an eyebrow at my statement.

"And what sort of mission is this?"

"I have to find Ominis." I stood up from my seat, grabbing her shoulder for stability as I did so. Anne chuckled at me.

"Whatever for?" she questioned.

"I dunno." I really wasn't sure. But he should have sat next to me when I asked him to; that much, I did know. 

"Well good luck," Anne called as I walked away. 

I weaved through the crowd, humming the Hogwarts fight song as I pushed my way to wherever Ominis went. I didn't see him anywhere in the common room, and I even checked the guy's dorms, but he was nowhere to be seen. I had great plans to annoy him when I found him, so the search was not over yet. 

I hobbled my way up the stairs and out of the common room, gripping the railing to keep from falling. I knew it was dumb to wander the halls at night, but if Ominis was out here, I'd find him. I knew how to be sneaky. I'd had plenty of practice in doing so. I reached down under my skirt and pulled my wand out of the holster on my leg, ready to use a disillusionment charm if need be. I wasn't sure how adequate my wand work would be after drinking, but it was better to have half a plan, than no plan at all. 

I made my way through the hallways, seeing no sign of him as I went, but I kept going. I lightly hummed a tune as I went, taking large steps that crossed over one another as I went, almost making myself giggle. 

"...Hoggy Hoggy Hoooogwaaarts," I sang aloud. 

"Will you quiet down? Some of us are trying to sleep, here!" said a rude painting to my left. His voice woke up a few other paintings. I looked at the painting and shushed him loudly, pressing my finger to my lips. 

"Careful, or you might wake someone," I giggled. Other paintings groaned and shushed me in return. I shot them a glare before continuing on my way. This time, I cast the disillusionment charm over myself to keep the painting from talking to me. Some of them were tattle-tales, so it was best to be sneaky. 

I continued, haphazardly making my way down the halls. 

What was it I was looking for again? I thought to myself. 

Ominis. That's right. Where could he be?

I soon reached the DADA wing and found myself outside the entrance of The Undercroft. There was a good chance I might find him in there.