No Choice But You // Ominis Gaunt x Reader

Chapter 26

A quidditch game was to take place between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor that afternoon, and Anne expected me to go with her to watch. 

It was customary to wear the colors of the team you'd be supporting at the match, or to wear plum if you didn't want to pick between the two, and that's how I ended up in a set of Anne's plum-colored hat and scarf. I hadn't heard if Ominis would be joining us, but I knew that Poppy and Sebastian would be there, along with Natty. Garreth was on the Gryffindor team, but I didn't know anyone who would be playing for Hufflepuff. 

I would have worn red to support Garreth, but Imelda would've had my head if she caught me supporting our biggest rival. 

When we got out to the stands, Imelda was already pacing the length of them with her hands behind her back. Even when it wasn't a Slytherin game, you could always find her at the quidditch games, trying to analyze our opponent's strengths and weaknesses. She lived and breathed the sport, and I was surprised that she ever had time for anything else. 

Sebastian and Poppy were already in the stands, so we took a seat next to them. 

"It's good to see you y/n!" Poppy said upon our arrival. 

"Good to see you too," I responded with a smile. 

Ominis arrived shortly after--with a girl. They stood at the other end of the risers chatting, and I couldn't see her face. She was wearing plum, so I didn't even know what house she was in. 

It irked me to see him with someone else. 

"Who is that?" I asked Anne. She frowned when she looked over at Ominis. 

"I haven't the foggiest," she said. "Wait--she's turning around. And they're coming over here." Her last words were dipped in disgust, and I realized why when I saw who he was with. 

Cressida Blume. 

The bushy-headed freak who never had anything nice to say about anyone. One of the most two-faced girls I'd ever had the displeasure of meeting. I remember doing a few favors for her back in fifth year, and I'd 'accidentally' read her diary after collecting her flying books from the library. She didn't have a single nice thing to say. 

She approached us at Ominis's side with her stupid scrunched-up face, her expression already filling with distaste--though I could say that my face was probably saying all the same things. 

"Well hello, there, Ominis," Sebastian said, breaking through the awkwardness that had been thrown over everything like a wet blanket. I folded my arms over my chest and crossed my legs, refusing to look in his direction. "Who's this you've got with you?"

I knew what Ominis was doing. He was trying to get me back for what happened with Garreth the other day, but showing any kind of annoyance wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't get any sort of reaction out of me. 

"Cressida Blume," she greeted, introducing herself. She plopped herself down on the bench and adjusted her glasses on her nose, nearly elbowing me; I bet that she did that on purpose like the bloody git she was. 

She clung to Ominis's arm like an ugly and out-of-place handbag, and he didn't say a word. If he was trying to act like he liked her, he was doing a right awful job at it. 

"We know who you are," Anne stated sharply. At least she was on my side with this. I wouldn't say anything about it, but she was free to do or say whatever she wanted, and I'd enjoy the outcome. 

"So who are you supporting, then?" Cressida asked Anne, leaning over me, practically in my lap. She was acting like I wasn't even here. I'd never wanted to turn someone into a chicken more in my life. I could feel my magic stirring inside me with frustration, and I did my best not to let it show. I didn't want to cause a scene and give Ominis whatever satisfaction he was looking for. 

Anne motioned to the plum-colored knit headband she was wearing with a sharp gesture, not saying anything else. She gave Cressidea a plastered-on smile before turning away. Cressida only turned and grabbed Ominis's arm again and started to chat his ear off about something--I couldn't tell what, seeing as my brain automatically tuned out her shrill and lightning speed voice. 

I tuned into the game and tried my best to ignore her. Whatever Ominis was doing, it wasn't working, not when he looked just as annoyed at her presence as everyone else was. Even he couldn't pretend that he liked her. 

I looked at the scoreboard, and it appeared that Gryffindor was winning the match, which wasn't too much of a surprise. As one of our biggest rivals, they were really good. That means that Gryffindor would most likely be hosting the afterparty. While I was happy for Garreth's team, I partially wished for the party to be held in the Hufflepuff commons. I loved the vibes in there and sometimes wished that the Slytherin common room felt like that, granted our commons were wonderful as well. I still remember the feeling I had the first time I stepped foot down there. 

"You'll be accompanying me to the party tonight, right Cressida?" Ominis said, finally breaking his silent streak. 

"Of course!" she said, nuzzling into him. I wanted to gag. "I'm so glad I'm finally getting to spend some time with you." Gag, again. 

Anne gave a similar impression to me. "That's just wrong," she whispered in my ear. "I think he's doing it to make you mad." 

"I know, and that's why I don't care," I chuckled. "He's suffering because he thinks it bothers me, but really, he's worse off than any of us are." Anne laughed and turned her head back toward the game. 

I considered skipping the party to avoid Cressida altogether, but I didn't want him to think I was backing down. I didn't want him to think he'd won. 

So, that night, after Gryffindor's win against Hufflepuff, Anne readied me in a beautiful dress and styled my hair in an elegant updo, and I even put on a pair of heeled shoes to show off my legs. He was going to wish he'd gone with me instead by the end of the night.