Cursed (Hogwarts Legacy fanfiction - original in German)

Chapter 58 - Control your feelings

[Banner: PS5-Screenshot and AI art made by me, Gaunt-ring taken from harrypotter.fandom.com]

Damn... Sebastian smelled so intoxicatingly good as he walked into the common room, freshly showered, that Phina cursed her reliance on breathing, realizing she had no chance of escaping this allure. Sebastian's hair was still slightly damp, sticking out wildly in all directions as if he had carelessly rubbed it dry with a towel. He hadn't even bothered to tie a tie or put on a vest over his shirt. My goodness, he hadn't even bothered to button it completely. 

Phina's gaze wandered uncontrollably from his shoes, up his long trouser legs, to the beginnings of his collarbones peeking out from under his shirt collar, and finally to his smile, which formed small dimples on his face.

"Sorry, it took a bit longer," he said as he reached her, casually dropping onto the sofa beside her in a way that immediately dispelled Phina's fears of him mistaking the evening for a date. She relaxed instantly next to him, even though his unmistakable scent now filled her nose even more than before. Mint, tarragon, and sandalwood. That combination drove Phina absolutely crazy.

"Did Imelda torture you much?" she asked, then settled back into the soft cushions of the sofa, just as Sebastian had already done. He was more lying down than sitting, but that cozy atmosphere was exactly what Phina needed right now. With a loud rustle, Sebastian rolled up the edge of the paper bag containing his candies and then held the opening out toward Phina, offering her some.
"I'm sure I'll feel the training in every bone tomorrow, but since it's fun, I don't mind," he said as Phina took one of the liquorice wands from the bag and bit off a small piece.

"Haha, you know liquorice is my least favourite," Sebastian immediately commented, grinning at her, which immediately infected Phina.
"Caught me, that's the only reason I took the wand," she said, still half chewing, causing Sebastian to help himself to some of his candies and throw a Jelly Slug into his mouth.

"That's the only reason you even put liquorice in there in the first place. Because you wanted me to share with you, you rascal," he joked, poking Phina's ribs from the side. She immediately flinched with a quiet laugh and slid a little lower on the sofa to avoid his tickling attack. Her head now leaned slightly against Sebastian's arm, but he didn't seem to mind much.

"Hey, that's a nasty accusation, Sallow!" Phina exclaimed, still grinning broadly, looking up at Sebastian and returning his mischievous gaze with a glint in her eyes. "And also absolutely correct."

While Sebastian laughed, she took another bite of the liquorice wand and only noticed a few seconds later that he was still looking at her, as if he just wanted to watch her eat. Somehow, that felt oddly charged with tension, making Phina quickly catch his gaze again. But that didn't make it any better, rather a bit more uncomfortable.

"What?" she asked, to break the strange silence that felt almost threatening. Sebastian then lifted his arm and placed it around her, so that Phina's head rested against his chest.
"I just think it's nice to spend a little time alone with you again," he said, gently squeezing her. His train of thought continued almost automatically, and he had to quickly rein himself in to keep from just blurting it out.
And I still hope you might fall in love with me again.

Silently, Sebastian nestled his head against Phina's, and as inconspicuously as possible, he left his free hand on his thigh, theoretically within her reach if she wanted it. Because of their physical closeness, Phina suddenly felt more nervous and briefly considered whether she should wriggle out of his embrace. On the other hand, it was just a simple hug, on a sofa in the common room, where they weren't even alone. So nothing reprehensible or fateful. Just best friends enjoying each other's company. Nevertheless, Phina was again overcome by this ominous feeling that she might be sending him the wrong signals if she allowed herself to get too comfortable with him.