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Professor Ronen hadn’t made today's class easy by any means. That's not to say any class here is something anyone can manage without studying. However, the aspiring student Kathryn Kalepsy enjoyed more “practical” classes such as potions with Professor Sharp. Practicality along with Gareth's random explosion of positions had made the class that much more enjoyable. Although, her eyes were usually fixated on her good friend Sebastion. Of course, they would be though, they shared a potion station, and that was it.
The frigid winter morning had consisted of freezing to death on her track to class, casting countless warming charms with no avail. And reviewing Accio, a spell Kathryn had learned many, many months before, but was somehow already getting an in-depth review on by Ronen.
Class couldn't have been any more boring, Sebastian was clearly feeling it too, almost asleep in his ginormous charms book. Sitting directly across from her, she couldn't help but stare at her friend. Just out of sheer boredom though, nothing more. Not his cute freckles that lit up on his face whenever she would duel with him, and win. Or the fact that his hair was clearly messier than on other mornings. Slytherins had pride in keeping up a well-groomed look around the clock. Just the thought of it made Kat exhausted. Sure, she spent a little bit of extra time in the morning doing her makeup and getting ready, but every single morning sounded like such a bore.
Being pulled out of her own thoughts, Professor Ronen was standing directly by the table across from her. Peering over at a now snoring Sebastian. Ominis sat left of his friend making a disgusted look. He probably couldn't even begin to focus on charms with his friends distracting gasps of air in the crinkled pages poured out beneath him.
“Sebastian,” Professor Ronen exclaimed, sliding the book off his table with Leviosa. That was the only item keeping the boy afloat in his slumber. Slamming his head onto the cold desk he reared his face up to look at the professor. “What is it now,” he said in a groggy tone, one that made Kathryn's stomach pool with an unknown warmth.
His eyes widen when he realized it wasn't Ominis waking him up, but instead the professor herself. She made a noise of acknowledgment before saying, “If you're so determined to sleep through my class, then you must be even more determined to have extra assignments?”
Sitting quietly to avoid further punishment, such as detention, Professor Ronen went back over to her podium and gathered a large stack of papers.
“Now class, I hope you all learned some valuable information, except for you Sebastion.” The boy across from Kat sighed, it was hard to contain her laughter just seeing his expression of defeat.
She had always enjoyed defeating Sebastian at Cross Wands. The first time she dueled him it was an absolute obliteration. Everything Professor Fig had taught her came in handy, not to mention a little secret use of ancient magic. It definitely wasn’t considered cheating, it was just magic nothing more. Sure, she probably sounded like a Slytherin making excuses to pride herself, but who wouldn’t.
Gathering her supplies and textbooks she headed over to Ominis and Sebastion. Two of her closest companions since coming to Hogwarts. Odd for a Hufflepuff to have such “different” friends, but they meant the world to her. It had been a lot of pressure saving the world months before, Anne cutting ties with Sebastion, and Ominis learning how to forgive a dear friend. Things were pretty much back to normal, well, almost.
There was this weird tension whenever Kat was with Sebastion alone, she thought maybe it was just her. Although, her friends such as Poppy loved to tease and remind her that Sebastian lights up when he's around her, and no one else for that matter.
It could be a coincidence, I mean they were pretty close. Close enough to cast an unforgivable curse on one another close.
Kathryn could still remember the fiery pain shooting through her nerve ending in the scriptorium, how Sebastian was in anguish with worry for many weeks later, constantly apologizing to her.
Sliding into a half standing half leaning position by the boy's table, Kat smirked. “Oh, you’re gonna have so much fun with all that,” she exclaimed with a laugh before Professor Ronen dropped a comically large stack of papers in front of him.
Catching her off guard, the professor stated, “If you want to make such statements Kathryn, I suppose you wouldn't mind doing a few extra assignments too.” Oh, come on. Sebastions once gloomy face was now creased with extravagant smile lines, busting out in a roar of laughter. Ominis too couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that the both of you now had extra work. He didn’t want to join you though, so he kept his laughter and enjoyment at a minimum.
Kathryn sighed before yanking a few yellow-toned papers from the pile laid out in front of her on the wooden desk.
The three students finished grabbing the rest of their supplies and headed into the hallway. Stretching across the corridors were large displays of garland decorated with hues of green and red in the spirit of Christmas. The magnificent Yule Ball was fast approaching, along with finals. Love was certainly in the air around this place, students practically being caught left in right in sketchy corridors and carriages.
Walking towards the Undercroft, the usual after-class hangout now, Sebastian couldn't help but let his frustration escape his mouth. “I can't believe that old hag, assigning this much extra material during mid-terms.” He sighed, rolling his eyes while keeping pace between Kat and Ominis.
“Shut it, if it weren't for you I wouldn't have this either,” Kat hissed while shoving the papers in the brunette's face. A slight grin appeared on the boy's face, swatting the papers away.
“It's your fault for making such a comment against a defenseless little boy like me,” he said while sticking his tongue out at her. So mature Sebastian, really.
“I feel like I’m babysitting first years,” Ominis breathed out while holding his wand steady in front of him. “We are not first years,” Kat and Sebastian exclaimed at the same time. Which sounded awfully like something a first-year would say.
The three laughed to themselves as they finally made it to the Undercrofts entrance. Sebastian still pestering Kat with every chance he could get along the way. The cold stone floor clacked beneath them as they lifted themselves up and through the secret entrance. Not even the professors knew about this place. Kat didn't even know of the existence of this place before Sebastian and it took some time to convince Ominis she wasn't a threat. For some reason Ominis thought she might tell Garreth Weasley out of all people, this statement made Sebastian oddly defensive at the time. She could never figure out why he hated the dude so much. Imelda, sure she understood that, having the personality of a wet mop on most days. However, she had been a lot more outgoing this semester, so much as to call Kat her good friend. Well, only once and it was probably just to get a rise out of Sebastian.
Ominis was the first to go take a seat in the room, pulling out a brail textbook. He was determined to stay top of the class, his family's reputation depended on it. Although, this was an aligned value of his. He enjoyed academic praise and sought out its value in it. It came in handy whenever he found himself in a sticky situation, like the scriptorium.
Kathryn and Seb were busy trying out charms on a dummy in the corner, a part of the long list they had to complete thanks to Ronen.
“Leviosa,” Kathryn cast onto the dummy, causing it to fluctuate into the air, whirling around.
“No, no, you’re doing it all wrong dear,” Sebastian grinned. Flicking his wand towards Kat, causing her to immediately roll her eyes. “Am not, you see the dummy, dummy .” She snarked back in retaliation. Her words met with a sigh from Ominis buried in his book on the other side of the room. Smiling, she turned towards Sebastion, the dummy slamming back onto the ground. “Teach me how it's done then,” Kathryn raised her wand at the boy, her feet now standing in a stance fit for dueling.
The brunette boy matched her stance with a fiery twinkle in his eyes, her stomach now turning in on itself with butterflies. Focusing on the man in front of her, she took a small step back. Sebastian took this as an advantage, shouting, “Bombarda.”
Deflecting the malicious spell with a flick of her wand, she smiled as the purple shield engulfed her. “Is that the best you can do snake boy?” She asked before inching forward and shouting, “Depulso,” Sebastian shouted “Protego” in response, also casting a shield of similar hues around him. “Not bad, maybe you're finally learning since our first duel,” Kat shot off at him like a spell.
A different type of smirk painted across Sebastians face, Kathryn braced for an alarmingly powerful spell but was met with something completely else, something she did not expect. “Leviosa– Accio!” A combo spell that shot right through her spell, as it didn’t last as long as she originally thought. She wasn't distracted by Sebastian's face at all, who would be?
Kathryn levitated up towards the low grounded ceilings, a few feet off the ground, before flying towards Sebastion, his wand gleaming a magnificent hue of yellow.
Reaching out his non-dominant arm, he grabbed her by the waist as she came barreling into his side with such force. Putting the Slytherin off balance, he stumbled back. By reflex he grabbed onto Kat’s waist even tighter, pulling her that much closer to him. Kathryn could feel the warmth protruding from his body, prompted by such a duel.
Meeting his eyes, Kathryn inhaled sharply as the boy smirked. His eyes glinted with a fiery spirit, “I won,” he stated cocking his head to the side. Lost in the moment Kathryn couldn't respond, this prompted Sebastion to look down upon her with a curious gaze, until the dimwit finally noticed how achingly close they were. He could practically hear his heart begin to beat out of his chest. And yet, he couldn't seem to let her go.
Interrupted, Ominis groaned, “You two are way too loud, I can't even hear my own thoughts,” He said waving his wand and marching out the gated rod iron door of the Undercroft. Of course, he didn’t know the situation the two were facing, just that they were being too loud in a duel.
Kathryn looked back up at Sebastian, the two of them now alone. The silence was deafening, besides the thrumming of their heartbeats singing together.
“I don't know if I want to let you go,” Sebastian says, catching the younger girl off guard. Shaking his head a little, he tried clearing up what he just said, “you— might try and use that overpowered ancient magic on me if I do.” It was too late to clear that up, a plum shade of rogue had already spread across Kathryn's face, along with a newfound warmth pooling in her stomach.
“I might just curse you, if you do,” Kat smirked laughing hastily, hopefully buying some more time in his warm arms that were placed snuggly around her waist.
The air stood still, both of them gleaming into each other's eyes. Clearly reading the tension in the room, Sebastian hastened the grip he had on her, before speaking in a whisper, “are you enjoying this, Kathryn?”
The hot breath of his voice tickled her ear almost causing her to jump. She had to respond quickly before she exploded with the hot feeling eating at her gut. The way he said her name was enough to make her melt. “Maybe I am.” She drew off with a little bit of confidence in her voice.
Taking this as an opportunity, Sebastian removed one of the arms placed on her waist and snaked it up to cup her cheek with ease. Smoothing his thumb out on her cheekbone, he leaned in closer to her face. “Is this, alright?” He asked, pausing just millimeters away from her lips.
The only thing Kathryn could muster up was a barely audible, “mmm.” Her lips creased as her eyelids fluttered shut, awaiting the sensation of his lips on hers.
A feeling of pure warmth engulfed her as his lips clashed against hers, it was soft and sloppy. This was Kathryn's first kiss, although, she had read plenty about it in cheesy romance novels in the very much open part of the library. It was meeting her expectations so far and it had only been one second.
Her skin felt hot at the touch, almost like she was on fire. The dynamic of the cold Undercroft juxtaposed the feelings inside of her with stocking contrast. It was a feeling she knew she would crave from here on out.
Sebastian’s hand glided from cupping her cheek into the loose hanging locks draped behind the Hufflepuff. They moved around in her hair as he deepened the kiss, practically demanding more and more.
The brunette man pulled back for a second to grab a single breath before going back in. His wandering hand snaking down to the girls chest. Laying a top all those blasted layers of clothing. Sebastion praised Merlin she wasn’t wear a robe right now, as they both removed those before practicing. His mind was racing a million miles an hour.
Noticing the more frantic kissing from his partner, he made note of her now wandering hands.
Kathryn clumsily pulls at Sebastians tie, eagerly trying to loosen it from around his neck. She swear she could feel him grinning against her face. Taking his free hand, he tugs the clothing item down, allowing it to now hang loosely around his neck. With the newfound free space, Kat unbuttons his collar allowing his upper chest to be freer to touch. She slides her hands along his collarbone and around his neck, not breaking the kiss but instead leaning into it, deeper.
Now twirling the brown locks of hair hanging onto his nape, she tests out something she had always secretly wanted to try on him. Snaking her hand through his hand and tugging it slightly by the root, he let out a moan into her mouth. The sensation almost caused Kathryn to moan too.
It felt as if her skin was burning with each touch, sliding his hands down her back and closer to her waist. Using this position to pull her in closer, as if they weren't already pressed up against each other's chest. He wanted to be as close as possible to her, savoring every second.
Her breath was rapid, Sebastian noticed Kat struggling for air and pulled back for a moment.
“Merlin- ” he whispered in shock at the sight before him. There Kat stood still clumsily wrapped in his arms by the waist. Her face flushed in colors he had only seen in his dreams, and her ashy-blonde hair was now a bird's nest from his consistent movements of delving into a deeper kiss. He couldn't stand himself before pulling her back in for me, barely regaining any sort of air she desperately needed.
Whatever gentleness Sebastian had been using to hold himself back was gone, he picked Kathryn up by the waist and carried her over to Ominis’s studying table. The swift act startled Kat slightly until she realized what was happening. Pulling Sebastion in closer by his hair she gasped for air in his mouth.
Taking this as a sign, Sebastian reeled back a moment, remember the low neck-line Kat was out sporting today.
His lips trailed lower on her face until he reached her neck. Nipping at the Hufflepuffs skin, he couldn’t care less about bruising her. Hopefully that snot nosed Gryffindor would take notice.
Using a bit more force he sucked at the girls pale skin, digging his hand deeper into her side. This cause a soft whisper of a moan to escape the girl. The sound was worse than any curse Sebastian had ever felt, what a wreck he had succumbed to being all over this Hufflepuff.
That's when the pair heard the iron gate beside them yank up, right when things were getting good.
Sebastian couldn't stop kissing the girl (just slower) underneath him until Ominis groaned, “Can you not shag on top of the books I left behind.” Pulling himself from Kat, he looked at his friend and exclaimed, “We weren't-” Cut off by Ominis, “I don't care what you two love birds were getting up to just give me my stuff.”
Kathryn hopped off the table, her face stained red with embarrassment. At a time like this she was glad Ominis couldn't see the two of them, she thought she might die if he could.
Grabbing his papers and heading out the door, Ominis said, “finally,” almost under his breath before leaving.
Sebastian looked over at Kat before asking, “So,” his eyes danced away from hers, propping himself up against the pillar by the desk. “The Yule balls coming up isn't it?”
Way to break the ice Sebastian, Kathryn thought.
“Is this your way of asking me out on a date?” She said throwing her hands out in front of her.
“Yes—?” Sebastian said with a weary tone, almost as if he was asking the question to himself.
Kathryn marched up to the boy trying to act nonchalant and pulled him back into another quick kiss by his unbuttoned collar. Leaving the boy absolutely star-struck before following in Ominis’s footsteps out the door, mostly out of sheer embarrassment not knowing what else to say.
Hopefully that was an answer in itself, and oh Merlin she can’t walk out in the hallways looking like this. Sebastian that bastard, she thought turning around to go back into the Undercroft.