Chapter 9
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Ominis POV
I woke up feeling groggy, stretching my body only to stop half way when I heard soft breathing.
'Wait a minute!. last night....' I let my mind wander to yesterday's event. as I came to the realization, that I had fell asleep in the undercroft on the sofa waiting on the prefects to finish their patrol.
This means the person sleeping here is Taia.
I focused my hearing trying to wake up my senses from a rare peaceful sleep. She must have fallen asleep next to me.
I let my hands move slightly, only to feel her holding onto my palm slightly probably unconsciously.
I could feel her sleeping against the sofa without covers. matter of fact the covers were on me somehow!
I wanted to wake her up and cover her up. but thought that this was a once in a life time chance, and refrained from doing so to enjoy whatever I could from this moment.
As improper as that was to leave a lady sleeping on the floor, I just wanted to hear her breathing next to me. I wanted to feel her warmth engulf my side, keeping the fire inside me alive. No matter what ideologies I had for her and me at one point! I still wanted to be selfish and savor this moment.
My free hand made an attempt to feel for her head. my fingers tangling in her hair strands ever so gently. caressing the softness that cascaded tenderly on my skin.
'Her hair is soft...I wonder what she is dreaming about?' I thought as I moved my hand towards her cheek. feeling the warm skin under my touch as I dragged it slowly trying not to wake her up.
'She has such a smooth silky skin!' the thoughts in my head spiraling gradually, but surly out of control. as the heat started moving to the pit of my stomach from the essence of her tender skin. my body started to get electrified from the touch that her skin left burning on my hand. with unchaste desires that tainted my judgment at this moment.
Shaking my head. I removed my hand from her touch, involuntarily feeling bashful at my own thoughts. I wondered why she didn't wake me up to go the common room after she was done.
Recalling last night's events once more and feeling heavy-hearted.
"I'm always serious with you Ominis, whether you chose to hear that or not is up to you!" She said with a hint of sadness that stung her voice. The sentence replaying in my head over and over, at the underlined meanings that were not said but understood.
She was more than a good friend to me by now. she has done so much for me in the little time that I have come to know her than anyone else. She even went out of her way to upgrade her broom for me. And here I was pushing her away because of my own apprehension.
"Achoo..." a cute sneeze sounded in the undercroft. bouncing off the walls that surrounded us loudly. a gentle reminder of our position now on the sofa and on the floor.
'I hope she didn't catch a cold!' I wondered now. disappointed with my self for realizing too late, what I had been doing instead of taking care of her. I was selfishly indulging my own inclinations.
"Ominis you are up?" her sleepy voice sounded so low and raspy. What a bless was it to experience this feeling, first thing in the morning. to hear her so close and vulnerable next to me.
'It would be nice to wake up to her sleepy voice every day!' Here goes my thoughts being unreasonable yet again!. I sighed at my own uncertainties.
"I'm awake Taia. How are you feeling? You must have fallen asleep on the cold floor...why didn't you wake me up?" I asked as I felt her pull her hand so fast from my touch the moment she realized it. And stumbling in her spot if that was even possible!
Taia's POV
you watched in horror as your hand laid on top of his holding it hostage in place. You didn't want to startle him, considering the line he drew between the two of you yesterday.
You pulled your hand back fast, startling yourself and falling back in the process. watching the ceiling come into view as you laid on the floor head facing upwards.
"Taia?" he sounded worried as he got up and crouched next to you..."are you good?" he extended his hand out only to stop midway and retract it. your eyes narrowed at the unnecessary, dramatic theatrics. feeling irritated with every movement he attempted to make only to stop himself.
You furrowed your eyebrows, getting up and moving away from the sofa. leaving him crouched on the floor. A heavy uncomfortable silence fell on you both, as you shook your head with confusion at his weird behaviors.
"Sorry I was sleeping and didn't know what I was doing" you sighed as he nodded in understanding to why you were holding his hand no more words were spared on the matter.
"You looked peaceful so I didn't want to wake you up. and It didn't feel right to leave you here alone, I guess I fell asleep before I knew it" you sneezed again.
'I must have caught a cold!' you thought as you shivered covering your hands over your arms and rubbing them harshly trying to warm up.
"I see, I'm sorry I didn't mean to get you sick" He apologized getting up as well, moving forward towards you seemingly with worry.
"It is not your fault Ominis. I chose to stay!" you said sternly as the uncomfortable silence fell on you again.
you watched him shift and pull his hand behind his head scratching his neck as his lips were drawn in a thin line. caging the words in not letting them escape.
you could not bare the silence no longer, so you started walking towards the exit with every intention to leave alone and go back to the dorm.
"I'm going to take a warm bath before heading to class" you said marching forward not glancing back at him.
"What about breakfast?" He asked panicking at your cold tone that dripped from your lips unnaturally and unfamiliarly.
"I'm not hungry..." Was all you said before opening the door and closing it, not waiting to hear his reply. Leaving him in the cold undercroft to reflect on his actions.
While you walked back to the common room, you though of reasons to his sudden changes, but couldn't come up with one that was justifiable. Pondering about the last couple of days, but not finding anything that stood out to you.
'Whatever!! I need to focus on my task at hand first! I need to ask professor Fig about the plan, to get into the restricted section. and see where the map is leading to! I have been putting this off for far too long' You thought trying to divert your attention from the Ominis situation that consumed your being.
Potions class [time 10 am]
you were paired up with Garreth Weasley to work on a new potion.
Regardless of his flirtatious nature he was very kind. and adventurous with his potions fanatics. Getting to know him more over the week had brought you guys closer as friends.
All morning you felt that Ominis was very curt in his responses to you, from asking him how was breakfast? to who he was paired up with for the assignment. leaving you with the decision that maybe he needed some space and you were going to provide it for him.
"Taia what do you say we add a dittany leaf to this mixture?" Garreth pulled you out of your thoughts as you saw him eyeing the bubbling liquid in front of you with a mischievous grin.
His hand reached into his pocket, pulling out the leaf. and you looked in horror as he tried to add it before waiting for your answer. Your hand shot up fast holding his wrist before he could dump the leaf into the mix.
"Garreth NO! do not do it!" you warned as he stared at you holding his wrist and smirked lowly. yanking you with the his wrist forward making you tumble into him. but in contrast to his devious plan, your head knocked his chin hard causing him to stumble back and drag you to the floor with him.
You grunted and started laughing hearing him laugh next to you while you laid on the floor.
"I think this is the most excitement I had in potions class ever!!" He exasperated between hearty laughs. getting up and pulling you up with him.
"Oh merlin! Garreth you almost caused an accident though!! if you had added that leaf, the potion would have exploded. and we would have had to redo it!" you lectured him, while he smiled with a cheeky grin.
"Really? Come on what is the harm in a little explosion?!" he laughed once more when you swatted his arm softly.
"Uph!... I'm already on Sharp's black list, and I know you are at the top of it!!!" you continued to joke and laugh with Garreth as you finished up the potion.
Unaware of a certain Slytherin student who had an angry look adorning his face. or the subtle grunts or growls he let out in front of his potion partner Sebastian. Who witnessed the varies emotions that kept changing on his best friend's face, with each action or sentence that Garreth seemed to withdraw from you.
The best reaction he had witnessed was the anger that fumed almost visibly from his ears as Garreth pulled you to the floor with him. granted he couldn't see but he could hear how much fun you were having with the Gryffindor. making his foul mood more prominent.
"You know sitting here glaring into space wont really do much!. Don't forget that she is extremely popular, thanks to her overall looks and personality! I wouldn't be surprised if guys started to court her even now!" Sebastian fueled Ominis's wrath with his teasing remarks making him bang his fist into the table in front of him.
"Shut up Sebastian, that is not concerning to me!" he replied to him through gritted teeth. making his friend eye him again shaking his head at his new found resolve.
"I hope not! I wouldn't want to see you get hurt. but if you say it doesn't concern you then all is good Ominis!. maybe she will end with Garreth, he seems to fancy her quite a lot!" Sebastian retorted again not fully realizing the situation he was putting his best friend at.
Ominis grumbled cursing insults at Sebastian and Garreth under his breath. while he kept hearing your little interactions that did not involve him for once.
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Short chapter today long one tomorrow :)