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“Guess who!” Ominis felt familiar small, cold hands clasp uselessly over his eyes from behind, clearly in jest. But he instantly recognised the voice.
“Anne!” He quickly turned and grabbed her shoulders, trying to confirm she was real – really standing here, in the middle of the Slytherin common room. “What are you doing here?”
A worried frown creeped between his brows. She shouldn't be out, the strain that dreadful curse put on her had always been too exhausting. But her voice had sounded very different from the tone he gotten used to over the last couple of months. Her voice wasn’t weak and raw from supressing screams of pain.
His hands wandered to her face on their own accord, feeling her features. His frown lessened as he felt her warm cheeks, fuller than they had been when he last felt them a few days ago. The circles under her eyes were gone, the skin there soft and supple. But the most tell-tale sign of her improvement was the small grin he felt beneath his fingertips.
Anne leaned into his touch and watched him as he subconsciously leaned closer. She was a bit worried about Ominis forgetting where they were – and who was with them, but just then the voice of the new fifth-year rang out behind her.
“Sebastian is here, too.” She announced, and it was clearly only for Ominis’ benefit. He was standing dangerously close to his best friend’s twin, hands still on her face, leaning so close... But hearing Sebastian's name made him stop dead in his tracks.
He felt unable to pull back completely, but he stopped leaning closer and simply closed his arms around Anne.
“You’re better?” He asked her, whispering quietly into her ear.
“Yes.” She breathed in reply, sneaking her arms around him and hugging him back.
Ominis tightened his grip around her, his hands running up and down her back, feeling her form. Even her posture was different now.
“I think we should give them a minute.” The new fifth-year said, but Sebastian wasn’t having any of it.
“Ominis, isn’t your hand slipping a bit low?” He asked his friend in an annoyed tone.
Anne rolled her eyes, squeezing Ominis slightly, who, in turn, froze again.
He was, indeed, letting his hand wander a bit low. Feeling the delicious curve of her hip. He shouldn’t be doing this. Holding her. Wanting more. But he didn’t want to let go. Still, he snatched his hand back quickly at Sebastian's words. He couldn’t believe he had let himself slip so far. He blushed.
“Sebastian, I’m hungry, can we sneak into the kitchens?” The new fifth-year was trying her mightiest to give them a moment, and Ominis silently thanked the stars for her presence.
“I’m not leaving this scoundrel alone with my sister! Apparently, he doesn’t know where to keep his hands.” Sebastian was audibly ticked, suspicion in his voice. But Anne was starting to get just as annoyed at him.
“I’ll decide where his hands go, thank you.” Her voice was muffled against Ominis’ robes. Ominis felt himself blush hotter as he thought about the places Anne could dictate his hands to. His grip tightened on her waist, pulling her just a fraction closer against him.
He heard the new fifth-year babbling about the library to Sebastian as she more or less forcefully dragged him off. He felt eternally grateful.
When they were finally alone, he turned his head to Anne's air, smelling the sweet fragrance of roses emanating from her.
“She’s a gem, isn’t she?” Anne whispered into Ominis' shoulder. He nodded in agreement, and leaned closer, nuzzling his face into her hair and breathing her smell in.
“She really is.” He mumbled into her hair. He knew Sebastian would be furious with him if he saw them like this, but in this moment, it didn't matter. He craved holding her too much. Being close to her like this, after she had been sick for so long. He couldn’t let go yet. She was so small in his arms.
“She’s the one that cured me.” Anne said, pulling back slightly to look at him. Ominis didn't like when she did that – for him, the loss of touch ranked far below the one-sided eye contact.
“Listen, I’m sorry for what I said a few days ago.” She was clearly referring to a certain conversation they had earlier this week. It had been a particularly bad day, and Anne had felt rather hopeless. Back then she felt like none of this was worth the pain she had been enduring and she wanted to give up.
It was not a conversation he enjoyed remembering.
But his mind went to that dreadful evening regardless.
***
“ Ominis.” Anne’s weak voice shook him from his thoughts.
They had been sitting on the small sofa in her uncle’s home, Anne buried in Ominis’ arms, the fire crackling quietly in the fireplace in front of them.
“Mh?” He asked, petting her hair gently. She was still clinging to her own abdomen, her bouts of pain never ceasing.
“I’m so tired.” Her voice broke , and Ominis’ hand ceased its movement for a moment.
He winced, as if her admission had been a physical blow. He suspected she wasn’t talking about being sleepy, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say.
“I know love.” He drew her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist, trying to lessen any pain he could. But he knew it was useless. The curse was eating her alive.
“I want it to stop...” He could hear tears in her desperate whisper.
He shut his eyes tightly. He had to stay strong for her.
But on the inside, he felt like he was breaking. He loved her, and knowing she was in pain was killing him.
He kept stroking her hair tenderly and held her frail body even tighter against his chest. He wished the curse would stop too. He didn't want her to suffer like this, ever. He was just as desperate as Sebastian to find a cure. He just knew that the Dark Arts wouldn’t pay off. They never did.
A sob tore itself from her throat, as she tried to supress another scream of pain and he drew her even closer, almost cradling her in his lap.
“I’m here, love. I’m here with you...”
His own voice broke too, and he bit his lip fiercely. He wanted to cry so badly. But he didn’t. He couldn’t. He had to be strong for her. No matter how powerless he felt against that damned curse.
“Ominis.” Her whisper was so quiet he barely heard it. He stroked her hair from her face, brushing his fingertips against her chin. Her voice alarmed him. It sounded so weak... so faint.
“Yes, love?” He asked just as quietly.
“I want to make it stop...” She emphasized brokenly.
His heart clenched painfully as he realised what she meant. He froze, dread pooling into his chest. His eyes widened, and he grabbed her shoulders. He could feel her shaking, fragile body tremble against his.
“Anne... No.” He tried to keep his voice strong. “No, Darling. You can’t be thinking about-”
“I can’t live like this.” She whispered through her tears. “Every minute is agony. I want to keep trying – for you, for Sebastian... But I’m so tired...” Her voice gave out as her tears overwhelmed her.
“No... no, no, no, please-” He felt like he was drowning. This was so wrong. Anne had always been his source of joy. The sun in his darkness of a world. He held onto her with all he had.
His hands began to shake when grasping her face to turn it towards him.
“Anne, you can’t... you can’t give up.” He begged.
“Why? Why can’t I just give up?” She tiredly asked through a sob and Ominis felt himself grow more agitated at her hopeless words.
He grabbed her shoulders more tightly. Desperately.
“Because you can’t! You can’t give up, I won’t let you!” He snapped at her, as if this all was her decision, as if he could actually stop her if she planned to do it. This was a nightmare.
“So you want to force me to endure this pain?” She knew she shouldn’t have said it. It was a low blow, given Ominis’ history – being forced to use and endure the Cruciatus curse at the hand of his family. She knew he regretted ever casting that spell, and to insinuate he’d want to cause her pain, was cruel of her.
Ominis felt like she had stabbed him physically – a sharp pain shooting through his heart. He recoiled at her words, as that one single sentence echoed through his body in a horrible way. His breath hitched, caught in his throat as he frowned at her, not in anger, but with shock and hurt.
“How-… How can you say that…” He was speechless for a moment, as the realization of her words sunk in. He felt like the air had been kicked out of his lungs. No, he’d never want to cause her pain, of course not. But… was he? Was he causing her pain by keeping her here with him? Was he responsible for her screams of agony, like he had been in the past? He’d wanted it to hurt then. He didn’t now. But he also didn’t want to just… let her go.
His mind was spiralling. It was too much.
“I’m sorry Ominis-” She was still crying.
He didn’t respond, his hands dropping limply from her shoulders.
Too much. His shoulders were shaking as he struggled to collect himself in some way, as he fought against his tears.
But he was breaking.
“Ominis, no, please, I’m sorry!” She cried harder as she saw the tears pool in his eyes.
At her sobs his resolve shattered completely. He couldn’t hold back his tears anymore. He blindly, desperately reached for her, grabbing and pulling her into a tight, and somewhat clumsy embrace to cling onto her, his head resting on hers as he tightly held her to his chest.
“Why would you say that…” His voice was strained and shook, barely audible, as the tears began to fall, and he choked on his own words.
“I’m sorry!” She whined again, her body shaking with sobs.
He held onto her tightly, as his body began to shake too, both of them holding each other as they cried. But after a while, Anne mumbled another apology into his shoulder.
“I didn’t want to make you cry, I’m so sorry…” She repeated in a frenzy. “Hurting you hurts more than the curse.” She whispered into his neck.
He squeezed his eyes shut, as the tears continued to run down his cheeks and into her hair. But he tried to keep his words firm, and clear, for both their sakes.
“No… No, I’m okay, love. Don’t cry, please.” He wiped her cheeks gently, as if he wanted to get rid of the tears. He hated hearing her cry. Hated hearing her in pain. But he refused to lose her. To let her give up, and leave him…
“I don’t want to hurt you.” She repeated in a whisper.
“I know…” He grabbed her chin, to turn her face towards him so he could cup one of her tear-streaked cheeks. “But you can’t… you can’t give up, love. I can’t lose you.”
“You…” She swallowed, he felt it under his hands. “You’d be sad if I died, right?”
He inhaled sharply at her words. She already knew the answer to that, he was sure of it. But maybe… Maybe she was searching for a reason to stay. A reason to hang on.
“Of course I would. It would break me.” He told her honestly and took her hand, pressing it urgently against his chest, so she could feel the frantic beating of his heart. So she would understand the panic that thought alone induced.
“I… okay.” She inhaled sharply and her hand balled into a fist on his shirt. “Okay, I won’t… I'll stay. For you.”
He exhaled in profound relief, and pulled her tight against his chest, burying his face into her hair. He held her so close to himself, as if he wanted to merge with her.
His hand stroked her hair, in an almost unconscious, desperate gesture. She wouldn’t leave him. He breathed in the scent of her hair, as a few, stray tears still rolled down his cheeks.
“Thank you.” He managed to say between ragged breaths.
She pulled back and kissed the tear that rolled down his cheek away. But then she tensed and stopped breathing for a moment – she was enduring another bout of pain from the curse. He tensed as well.
Of course she wasn’t spared another moment of pain. He held her tight against his chest again.
“Just hold onto me, love.” He ran his fingers through her hair, trying his hardest to remain as calm as possible for her sake.
And she did.
***
Ominis frowned as he thought back to that evening, tightening his grip even more. He didn’t want her to bring it up. Not now. Not when he was so happy to hold her and know she was here, alive and well in his arms. He felt dread in his gut every time he thought back to the conversation they had that terrible night. The memories of her voice in tears. Of her words.
He shook his head, unable to speak for the lump in his throat.
“But I’m here now. And I take all that back.” Her lips gently brushed against Ominis’ cheek in apology.
His skin tingled where her lips touched him, and his breath hitched. Every single part of his body focused on the place where her skin touched his. He closed his eyes, relishing the simple touch. He lifted a hand to caress her cheek, gently, savouring the feeling of her soft skin, her warmth.
“I was afraid I’d lose you.” He blurted out, a tight feeling in his chest.
“Me too.” She hugged him close again, but steps closely behind her told her a student had walked by. Clearly the common room wasn't the best place for this reunion.
Ominis huffed in annoyance and pulled Anne closer.
“Can we go somewhere more... private? Please?” He lowered his voice, whispering just for her to hear.
“Of course.” She easily agreed and pulled him towards his own dorm.
Ominis gave a small, thankful smile and let her lead him. Away from the common room, and further from Sebastian. Once they were inside, Ominis closed the door firmly and instantly pulled her close again, into his arms and chest. He buried his face into her hair, smelling her sweet fragrance again.
“Are you okay?” Anne asked eventually, after he showed no signs of letting her go anytime soon.
He let out a small huff at the question. He wanted to say ‘yes’, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to, knowing he was too obvious in showing how much he wasn’t okay. How much he had missed her. He was holding on to her with all the strength he had. He didn’t say it aloud but ‘I missed you’ was written all over his body language.
But he was conflicted. Sebastian clearly did not approve of this, or he wouldn't have called out Ominis earlier. And Sebastian was his best friend, he valued his opinion.
Anne’s hands ran up his chest to his shoulder and over the back of his neck, until they securely dug into his hair.
Ominis’ breath caught in his throat as Anne’s hands started wandering. Feeling the gentle touch of her fingers on his skin. And when she started playing with his hair, he all but lost the ability to string any coherent thought together. He let out a shuddering breath, pulling her closer against him. His one hand wandered up to her face, caressing her features with his fingertips again.
He knew Sebastian wouldn’t like it. He knew his best friend wasn’t pleased whenever he got too close to Anne. He frowned in thought, but it was quickly broken.
Anne turned her head upwards and pressed a small kiss to his chin, the highest part she could reach as he was trying not lean in.
Ominis shivered at the brush of her lips. The feeling was so innocent but made his heart pound and his skin tingle.
“Anne…” He breathed, closing his eyes for a moment, savouring the feeling of her small body pressed against his, her hands in his hair. But at the same time so worried about what Sebastian would say. His friend would be furious…
“Yes?” She asked innocently, and pressed another kiss to his skin, this time on his jaw.
A small moan escaped from his mouth at the intimate contact. His breath came in shorter, more uneven puffs, his heart beating out of his chest. He knew they shouldn’t be doing this.
“Anne, we can’t…” He protested weakly in a whisper, as her kisses trailed down on his neck.
“Why? You act like we’ve never kissed before.” Anne whispered into the flushed skin of his neck.
What she was referring to had been innocent little kisses they had stolen from each other in the house of her uncle, never really alone. But this didn’t really feel the same way…
He tilted his head to give her better access to his sensitive neck. She was right, in theory. But he had never felt her so close, her body pressed against his, her arms around him.
He swallowed hard, trying to focus. To regain some shred of coherent thought for the sake of his best friend…
Anne’s hands in Ominis’ hair gently tugged and tilted his head to the side, her lips wandering over his exposed neck. He couldn’t supress another small moan, his hands grabbing her waist a little too tightly. Almost desperately, holding her against him, holding her as close as possible.
He should protest.
Stop her.
But her gentle touch made it impossible to even think of pulling away. He couldn’t…
But she pulled back slightly, when he didn’t reciprocate. Sure, he wasn’t pulling away, but he wasn't initiating, either.
“What’s wrong?” She asked in a whisper, her breath fanning over the wet trail her mouth had left on Ominis’ neck.
Ominis shivered again at the feeling of her breath on his neck. He bit his lip, his hands grabbing her hips a little firmer. The sensations she sent through his body made his head spin, and it was almost unbearable how badly he wanted more.
“What we’re doing… is wrong. Sebastian-” he protested, his voice shaking. He was trying to sound firm, but he could hear how his words were missing their edge, his voice raspy and breathless.
“Sebastian can go mind his own business.” Anne interrupted him, an edge to her voice. “Is that why you’re like this? Sebastian?” She asked to clarify.
“He would be angry – he-” His protest was too weak, too unconvincing. Anne scoffed quietly.
“Not as angry as I will be, if you don’t kiss me.” She threatened.
A quiet whine escaped his lips. He should do the right thing – he had to do the right thing – and surely Sebastian wouldn’t want his sister to be angry?
So, the right thing would be…
And then he felt Anne lick his neck, and every shred of willpower and restraint within him snapped. He surged forward, his mouth finding hers in a hungry, passionate kiss.
She hummed against his lips, standing on the tip of her toes to meet him.
One of his hands moved to her lower back, pulling her flush against him. The other hand moved to her face, cupping her cheek gently. Ominis groaned softly against her lips, the sound quiet, almost desperate. The kiss was nothing like the few, small pecks he had shared with her before – it was filled with desire, with need, and he couldn’t get enough of her.
Without breaking the kiss, she gently pushed him backwards until the back of his legs hit the edge of his bed. He stumbled slightly, his knees buckling, and he fell onto the bed, his hands grabbing onto her instinctively. He pulled her with him with more force than he had intended.
“Oh!” She yelped as she fell on top of him. But she didn't complain, and quickly moved to straddle him and pressed her lips back to his.
A sharp exhale escaped his lips as she fell on top of him, and Ominis groaned again, feeling her straddling him. His hands moved urgently, grabbing her hips, and he pulled her even closer. His body burned with desire for her, his heart racing in his chest. He deepened the kiss, his tongue gently slipping into her mouth.
She eagerly opened her lips to press her tongue against his and moved her hips under his grip.
A shaky moan escaped his lips as she pushed her tongue against his. His hands, which had already been grabbing her hips, only tightened at the movement of her hips. The feeling of her on top of him, her body on his, her hands clutching his shirt…
The kiss got sloppy, messier, as his control was starting to slip.
Anne was feeling impatient. She had wanted to kiss him like this for so long, but life had never allowed her to. Until now – finally.
“Anne…” He breathed, voice hoarse and raspy, eyes squeezed shut. It was almost too much, her body on his…
“Yes?” She asked, her tone teasingly innocent. She moved her hips again.
Ominis let out a low, guttural whine, bucking his hips against hers. He desperately needed her.
“Please, Anne…” He pleaded, voice desperate and breathless. Sebastian’s voice was still ghosting through his mind. ‘Apparently he doesn’t know where to put his hands.’ His grip on her hips tightened, holding her in place, trying to still their movement.
She sat up and ground her hips against his deliberately.
“I-if you keep doing that- I won’t be able to-”
She repeated her movement, deliberately cutting him off.
He threw his head back, gasping, a strangled moan escaping his lips and he could feel himself grow hard under her.
He couldn’t hold back anymore, couldn't deny himself any longer. He needed her, right now.
Screw Sebastian.
He pushed against one of her shoulders, turning her to lay on the bed and pinned her under him.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling her skin, kissing and nipping at it. His hands ran over her curves, mapping out her body with a desperate, feverish need.
Her head fell back under his ministrations. She felt his hands dig underneath her clothing and shifted to give him easier access.
He groaned as his fingers traced over her soft, smooth skin. He moved down, his mouth kissing and nipping at her collarbone now, his hands running over her sides, her stomach…
“Ominis…” She sighed as she felt his mouth wander lower. It made a desperate heat pool between her legs, and she squirmed.
He heard the yearning in her voice, the desperation, the need. He could feel her squirming underneath him, and the thought alone made the heat in his stomach coil tighter and tighter. His lips went lower, pressing hot kisses to her chest, her stomach.
She gasped as his fingers slipped underneath the waistband of her skirt. She lifted her hips to let him pull her clothes down.
Ominis quickly pulled her skirt down, revealing more of her skin to him, leaving her bare.
His mouth was on her stomach now, still pressing kisses to her skin. Her skin felt so beautiful under his fingertips. So beautiful, so exposed. His hand ran over her skin gently, his fingers moving lower and lower…
“Can I… see?” He asked his fingertips hovering over her sensitive skin.
“Yes, please… Take a good look.” She whispered suggestively.
He obeyed and ran his palms over her legs, his hands gently pushing them open to give himself room. He would look at all of her, map her out with his hands, his lips, his tongue. He would remember every inch, every spot that would make her gasp, make her moan…
She squirmed as his hand reached the spot between her legs. His fingers gently touched her mound, making her gasp. He ran his fingertips over her folds, exploring her. Ominis was breathing heavily, his mouth now on her inner thigh, pressing hot kisses to her skin.
Anne gasped. His light touch was so careful, and yet so deliberate.
His fingers moved lower, gently brushing over her entrance. He groaned against her skin as he felt how wet she was for him.
She moaned.
“And? How do I look?” She asked breathlessly.
He groaned again, feeling his self-control slip even more. He wanted to tease her, but this question was too much.
“Beautiful… So beautiful. So soft… I want to taste you…” His tongue gently ran over her inner thigh, and she could feel his warm, heavy breath against her skin.
“Please do.” Anne moaned.
He didn't need to be told twice. Ominis’ lips latched onto her core gently, his tongue running over her wet heat. He groaned softly, the taste of her filling his senses.
He wanted more, he needed more.
He held her legs open, his fingers digging into her skin, his tongue slowly starting to explore, to tease, to taste.
“Ah!” Anne moaned loudly, her senses overwhelmed.
Ominis groaned against her at the sound of her moan. He was drowning in her, the taste and the smell and the sounds overwhelming him, driving him wild. His tongue found her sensitive bundle of nerves and gently ran over it, his fingers holding her hips.
A strangled moan fought its way from her lips and her hands moved to grab his head between her legs.
Her fingers fisted strands of his hair, pressing him closer into her core.
Ominis groaned loudly as she grabbed his hair, the sound muffled against her core. He lapped at her, his tongue moving and exploring every part of her. He wanted to taste all of her, devour her whole. One of his hands moved from her hip to her core.
He needed to feel more.
“Fuck!” Anne cursed as she felt one of his slender fingers push into her.
Ominis moaned against her at her, her sounds making his head spin. He pumped his slender finger into her slowly, his tongue still moving against her, tasting her, drinking her in.
She moaned as he felt his finger move inside her, trying to feel everything – trying to see her from the inside.
She cursed again when he added a second finger, his long fingers plunging into her core deeper than she ever managed to push her own.
His tongue kept pressing against the spot that had given him the most reaction, right above her entrance.
When his fingers curled up inside her, she loudly moaned again, her voice broken.
His tongue continued to move against her, desperate for all of those beautiful sounds coming from her. He wanted to make her come, to hear her moan his name.
“Oh… O-Om-mh” She stuttered, only managing to moan parts of his name.
He breathed against her core his tongue still moving relentlessly, his fingers curling inside her, pressing that sweet spot.
“Ominis-” She gasped.
He thought she might be close. He could feel her pulse in the bundle of nerves pressed against his tongue. He wanted to feel her come, he needed her to say his name again and again when she reached that peak.
“Oh-Ominis-” And she did. Her walls clenched around him, squeezing his fingers and he felt her pulse stutter in the bundle of nerves against his tongue as she came undone.
He groaned loudly into her as she came around him. The taste and feel of her was overwhelming, driving him mad with need, with desire.
She let out another strangled moan, her voice broken. She couldn't breathe for a second as every muscle in her body tensed.
He pressed his fingers against her sweet spot deep inside her core, prolonging her release, wanting to hear more of her gasps and moans and sounds.
He would have been more than happy to stay like that for hours, drown in her taste, her sounds, her touch, her everything.
But he needed air eventually.
He gently pulled away from her, panting heavily, releasing his fingers, too. The taste of her was still on his tongue, the sounds of her gasps and moans still in his ears, his body burning with a desperate, primal need for her. He ran his tongue over his lips, trying to regain his breath.
Anne moaned as he saw his face, his nose, mouth, and chin wet from her juices, his usually flawlessly styled hair tousled by her hands, and his skin flushed bright red.
“Ominis… You look divine…”
His cheeks reddened further at her words, the sound of her voice, breathless and rough, making the heat in his stomach coil tighter. He was a mess, he knew that, his face covered in her and his hair ruined. He would have been embarrassed at being so unkempt, but there were other feelings dominating his thoughts.
“I highly doubt that.” He whispered with a breathless smile and raised himself to lay down next to Anne. He gently ran his tongue over his lips again, trying to capture every last drop of her taste.
“You have no idea…” Anne’s eyes followed the movement of his tongue intently. But she couldn't act on it the renewed desire shooting straight to her core, she felt boneless and satisfied.
He reached over and gently ran his fingers over her flushed skin, tracing invisible lines up and down her body, his touch gentle, his own body still burning with desire for her.
She leaned closer as best she could and wound her arms around him.
“Give me a second, I’ll take care of you, too.” She whispered breathlessly.
“You don’t have to.” He whispered back, his voice a little hoarse. He wanted her to rest – he could handle his own desires.
“I know I don't have to... But I want to.” There was a grin in her voice.
His breath hitched at her words, her admission. He could feel his self-control slipping, but another thought fought its way into the front of his mind.
“Shit, Sebastian is going to kill me.” He mumbled.
“Eeww, way to ruin to mood.” She complained at the mention of her brother. “New rule: You're not allowed to mention his name within a ten-foot radius of any bed.”
“Noted.” He said, a grin tugging at his lips.