I rolled out of the bed and walked over to the kitchen, grabbing an apple. I noticed the fire was starting to go out, so I walked over and put in a log to keep it going. The door swung open and Sebastian walked in carrying more firewood.
"Good morning (Y/n). Did you sleep well last night?"
"I did, thank you." He stacked the firewood neatly in a pile, then wiped his hand on his pants. "Is Ominus not with you?"
"I just checked on him actually, decided to grab some more firewood before coming back inside. Seems he fell asleep last night while writing. He was still asleep when I found him just now. Didn't want to bother him, so I left."
"I wonder what he's doing over there all by himself?"
"Ominus has always been one to need some private time to himself. Gives himself time to think and collect his thoughts."
"Quiet time is nice every once in a while." I sat down and took a bite of my apple. Sebastian sat next to me and we returned to our normal routine of watching the fire crackle.
It wasn't boring or awkward being in silence. In fact we have both become quite comfortable just being next to each other in the silence. I finished off my apple and went to throw the core away. When I started to head back to the couch, I had noticed a single piece of parchment sitting out with a quill dripping ink from its tip. At the top, all it read was 'dear (Y/n)'. Other than that, it was completely blank.
"Sebastian? What is this?" I had my finger on the parchment and was still looking at it while Sebastian turned around.
"Oh, that's just um... uh a letter I was going to write to my sister." He hurriedly stood up and walked over. He grabbed the parchment from under my finger, folded it and then quickly shoved it in his pocket.
"Why had you written my name instead of Anne's then?"
"Oh, did I? My mistake. I guess I'll just have to start over then."
"Sebastian, what's the matter."
"There's nothing wrong." His cheeks flushed red rather quickly and it was hard not to stare at him.
"Really?"
"Truly."
The window blew open and a black owl flew through the room, dropping an envelope on the table. The owl flew back out the window and it shut behind it. I walked to the couch and sat down, holding the letter in my hands.
"Who's it from?" I picked up the envelope and read the front.
"It's from Deek. He's watching the beasts in my absence." I opened the letter and began reading.
My hand covered my mouth as tears started to stream down my face. I dropped the letter and covered my face.
"What's wrong?"
"I rescued an elderly thestral last year and Deek discovered him unresponsive this morning." Sebastian pulled me in close and I cried into his chest, holding onto his shirt in fear he would let go.
"I'm so sorry (Y/n). Is there anything I can do?"
"Just keep doing this." The tears seemed like they wouldn't stop and I felt Sebastian's grip around me tighten. It felt nice being held like this with the state I'm in.
I opened my eyes to the fire crackling once again. A blanket was over me and Sebastians arm laid over me. I was still holding onto his shirt and my head was laid on his chest. I sat up and Sebastian removed his arm. He put down the book he was reading on the floor and looked at me.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you. You didn't have to stay like that."
"You asked me to keep holding you. I don't mind. Really, I don't."
"How long was I asleep?"
"Maybe two hours, give or take really. I wasn't keeping track of time."
"Has Ominus returned?"
"He came in while you were sleeping. We talked for a few minutes, then he returned to the neighboring house. He said he needed to finish the letter he was writing last night to Imelda."
"Oh, alright." I was still sad about my thestral who had passed during the night, but remembered the newborn that Sebastian and I met not to long after he was born. I lifted the necklace that was tucked in my shirt and held the pendant in my hand. I looked over it and held the gem up to my eye, watching the thestrals fly off into the sunset. I lowered it back down and let it rest around my neck.
"I'm truly sorry about your thestral. If there is anything I can help you with, I will. I know you love the thestrals dearly."
"I don't know what you could do, unless you have knowledge of a place I can raise them. They are better suited being raised in the natural world, not the room of requirement." I folded my hands on my lap and looked to Sebastian. He looked like he was thinking about my comment, but soon perked up.
"Why not Feldcroft?"
"Feldcroft? What do you mean?"
"I only have two other residents that live here. One is a potions master who sells in the next town, he owns a mooncalf. The woman who lives here is an old woman who has a pet niffler. She lives out her days baking and often brings me baked goods. Nobody is moving back here and we are pretty remote. So why not raise beasts here? We can set up pens in the fields around here and keep them safe... together."
"You'd want to help raise the beasts?"
"Well, yes. I mostly want to write, so couldn't I do that and help you in raising the beasts and building a sanctuary here?"
"Are you certain the other two residents would want that?"
"Let the old woman pet the nifflers any time she wants and make sure the mooncalf's are well taken care of for the potion master and they will not mind at all. They would probably love to have a little life back in this town."
"It is a tempting proposition, I can't lie."
"So do it."
"And what live in this house with you?"
"If you wanted. I would gladly have you here. Otherwise, you could have the neighboring house that Ominus is at right now. We could be neighbors."
"I'll have to think about it Sebastian. Thank you. You are giving me an opportunity that I don't think I could deny." He gabbed my hands that were still folded and squeezed them. He then stood up and walked to the kitchen. He started to shuffle some pans around and began to cook.
"Would you like some breakfast?"
"That would be lovely thank you."
I picked up the book Sebastian was reading off the floor and grazed my fingers over the cover. I looked at the spine to read the title, Spiritual Connections in the Living. It was old and was barely put together. It looked like just touching it, it would disintegrate in my hands. I opened the cover and turned to the first page. The first few pages were an introduction that I skimmed through. It talked about connections in the living to the spirit realm. My first thought was divination class. I got to the first official chapter of the book and it talked about prophecy orbs. I flipped to the next which was the topic of poltergeists. Flipping to the third chapter I stopped at the title which is where Sebastian's bookmark was. It read about the spiritual connections between people. Soulmates was another word the book used. Before I could finish the page, Sebastian walked over to me and sat down. I put the book back down on the floor and grabbed the plate he was handing to me.
"That was delicious, thank you Sebastian."
"What did you think of the book?"
"Do you believe everything in it?"
"The prophecy orbs, maybe. Poltergeists? Well that one is hard not to believe since I see Peeves every other minute at the school. And..."
"And?"
"Uh, nothing, that is as far as I got so far." I smirked at him and placed my plate on the floor. "What's the smirk for?"
"Well, the next chapter is about soulmates. You'll enjoy it."
"And what makes you say that?"
"Well you're a romantic. Always flirting with girls before and after class."
"That's me just being nice. They want to talk so I oblige."
"Oh come on Sebastian!" I rolled my eyes at him. "You seriously believe that they just want to talk to you?"
"Are you saying that they are flirting with me?"
"Men truly are blind aren't they?"
"I don't know anything about this stuff. I've never even had my first kiss."
"Now that's actually surprising. I'm surprised none of the girls have stolen that from you yet."
"Well have you? I see some of the guys in our class looking at you all the time."
"Well, Garreth was the first person to ask me out, so does that answer your question?"
"I guess I can take that as an answer." I smile at him and he looks down at his now empty plate. He seems to be in a relaxed state of mind, and I feel like I could ask him anything and he would be completely truthful with me.
"Sebastian?"
"Yes?" I lean forward and tug on his collar. He does the same leaning towards me and our faces are extremely close. I could feel his breath on my bottom lip. I could take it and he could take mine. Both our first kiss could be shared with each other. As soon as we both leaned in further, but before our lips met the door swung open and Ominus walked through. We both quickly jolted back into our original positions and stared at each other.
"Merlin's beard it is frigid out there." He brushed the snow off of his shoulders and stomped his feet. He walked over to the table and set his belongings down. He sat down and took his shoes off as well. "Well, I finished my letter and it is off to Imelda as we speak. What have you two been up to in here?" Sebastian was trying to hide his smile, but he couldn't resist.
"Oh, just loosing for the hundredth time at wizards chest."
"You should stop challenging her before your ego gets wounded."
"Oh, I think it already has been. My ego was buried behind the house probably fifty games ago." I laughed and got up to go sit next to Ominus.
"How is Imelda doing at her parents?"
"She's having fun. She wants me to go there and meet them."
"Why don't you?"
"I told her I would meet them after we graduate. I wanted to stay close to Hogwarts until we graduate. It's been my home for the past seven years." He smiles and I can tell he's thinking about her.
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes, when I stopped by earlier, you were sleeping, I grabbed some of the bread that was on the counter."
"Well that's good."
Later that night I decided to write to my parents. I was about halfway through when Sebastian walked out of the room that him and Ominus were sharing.
"He's asleep now. He didn't sleep very well last night. He was using just a blanket on the floor."
"You're a great friend Sebastian. I don't know what Ominus would do without you sometimes." He walked over and sat next to me at the table. I put my quill down as I no longer knew what else I wanted to write for my parents.
"Writing to home?"
"Yes, I promised I would write them at least once over Holiday and I haven't done that yet."
He put his hand under my chin and raised it so that our eyes could meet. We leaned forward and our lips met. We held them there and the kiss grew stronger, neither of us wanting to let go of the other. I held on to the collar of his shirt and he placed his hand on the back of my neck, while the other was placed gently on my knee.
The both of us desperate for air, we pulled away from each other slowly. Our eyes met again and I believe we were both trying to collect our thoughts about what had just happened.
"There, now you don't have to worry about your first kiss being stolen by any of those girls you force yourself to talk to. We shared this first with each other." I stood up and and started to walk towards my room, but Sebastian's strong hand grabbed mine. I looked and he was standing now. "What is it?" He locked our lips together again for a moment and then stepped back.
"And now we share the second." He turned around and walked into his room. I walked into mine and got ready for bed.