Venomous

Ominis

Ominis hated the weekends where he was forced to return to his family's manor. Marvolo always made the visit incredibly unbearable, taunting and mercilessly beating on him if he didn't answer in just the right way. Corvin was of no help, the older boy seemingly too busy burying himself in the headmaster's niece anytime he could. And then there was Petronia, poor child. Even though Ominis wasn't the kindest to his sister at times, he always made an effort to shield the eleven-year-old, choosing to take her torture for himself so as to spare her.

This weekend had been one of those, leaving Ominis sore and bruised where he'd been beaten senseless for daring to stand up for the small girl. But he was all too eager to return to the school, to his friends. In the weeks since he'd run into Laurel out on the flying lawn, she had been coming around the Undercroft more and more, the two of them finally beginning to form a friendship.

He had to admit, being around her made something in his stomach twist pleasantly, and she seemed to radiate this internal warmth, as if she were the sun itself. He found himself longing to be in her presence after only a month around her, a smile tugging at his lips at the thought of hearing her voice after the weekend he'd had. Oh, how he wished he’d been allowed to go to Feldcroft instead, to visit Anne alongside them rather than having another discussion about the marriage his parents were so desperately trying to force between him and Corina Black. His mind revolted at the thought of being with her, especially given that his older brother had a penchant for finding himself between her legs.

Ominis knew he need only wait just over two years more before he could even consider severing himself from his family. Despite their penchant for pushing the importance of blood-purity and pureblood marriage, with their being the last direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin, they were willing to look the other way if their sons courted or bedded anyone of lesser status. They would not, however, tolerate marriage to a muggle-born, or even a half-blooded witch. He smiled, knowing that the possibility of finding himself a love outside of their preferred blood status during the last of his years as a student had become just a little bit higher upon his befriending the new fifth year. Perhaps, if he played his cards right and secured a possible marriage with the muggle-born girl he was slowly becoming so fond of, the issue of his family and their insistence on being involved in every single moment of his life would fix itself.

The carriage that had brought him from Hogsmeade station to Hogwarts finally came to a stop, the rocks that made up the circular pathway at the front of the school crunching under the wheels. He carefully stepped out, wand aloft and suitcase in hand, before crossing the threshold of the castle and taking in a deep breath. The relief of finally being home washed over him in waves. He didn’t know whether he should feel ashamed or elated that his heart began to race at the thought of being near Laurel again. The last time he had been this excited to see someone had been when he first befriended the Sallow twins, and even then his heart had never fluttered in his chest this much.

His mind continued to wander in circles as he passed through the Transfiguration Courtyard, attempting to avoid rolling his eyes at how loud it was with the sounds of chatter echoing around him. His wand had already told him that no less than four different groups of his peers had stepped out of his way to allow him to pass. While he usually attempted to appear indifferent, he knew that the simple fact that he was from such a prestigious and feared family that no one wanted to be caught in his path. It allowed him the freedom to move where he pleased and remain unbothered, and yet he desperately wanted to be able to be approachable.

The minute he passed into the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower, he let out a sigh of relief at the lack of voices. It was much easier to think when one was not surrounded by a plethora of gossiping teenagers, and he had rather enjoyed his thoughts of hearing her laughter again, the musical lilt of her voice a soothing balm to his tortured soul. He made sure his wand detected no other persons near the staircase leading up to Hecat's classroom before making his way to the grandfather clock at its base, tapping the conduit of magic against it. His heartbeat increased in speed again when the mechanical whirring he'd come to know and love signaled the door opening, hoping that she would be down there as he stepped into the lift.

As soon as the gate to the other side creaked open and he stepped into the cold, damp stone room, the sound of a grunt and quick footsteps echoed across the space. Two sets of heavy breaths and a sudden tension in the air caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up, and he moved to set his suitcase down on a desk he knew was nearby. It was obvious they were both in the room, and something had just transpired for one of them to push the other away.

"O-Ominis. You're back." Laurel's voice was small, nothing like the brazen, outspoken girl he'd come to know.

"Welcome home, Om. How was the trip?" Sebastian sounded far too casual for the mounting tension, and it set him on edge.

"It went about as well as usual, attempted marriage arrangements and all that. I'm sorry." He turned quickly, facing the direction he assumed his friends to be in. "Am I missing something here?"

The two of them remained silent for a long moment, and he could hear Laurel's feet shuffling. Was she against the wall? His stomach suddenly dropped, and he almost swore it had hit the floor.

"Oh yes, please continue to avoid answering my question. I do so enjoy being ignored." He moved toward them. "Sebastian, you're far too lackadaisical about my return from my family. What exactly have you two been doing in here for the tension to be thick enough to cut through with a steak knife?"

"He-"

"Nothing you need to worry about, Gaunt." Sebastian cut Laurel off, his voice suddenly cold and distant. "I was just leaving anyhow. I'll see you at supper, yeah?"

The other boy left, taking a good portion of the heaviness of the atmosphere with him. Ominis tilted his head towards the girl when she let out an audible exhale, her breath shaking heavily when she inhaled another lung full of air. So he hadn't just been imagining things. Something had happened between them.

"Laurel." He felt the shift when she tensed. "Is everything alright? He didn't…" He trailed off, furrowing his brow in concern.

"It… was just a kiss, Omi." His heart lurched painfully in his chest. Sebastian had kissed her. "But… I don't know if I feel that way towards him. It didn't feel… right? I'm not sure that's the correct term for how it felt." 

He could hear her fingers toying with the end of her braid. She always seemed to do that when she was nervous. He felt guilty at the relief that flooded him that she didn't enjoy the affections of his oldest friend. And yet. If she held no pleasure for the attention of the school playboy, how would she feel knowing he himself harboured feelings for her? Would she even be willing to give him the time of day?

Ominis decided to follow his gut for once, his hand shooting out and wrapping around her wrist, pulling the appendage from her braid. The warmth of her skin beneath his fingers felt like velvet, and he could feel how her heartbeat sped up at his touch. He couldn't resist running his thumb gently over her pulse point, and the air around them thickened. It was different from the heaviness that had been there when he'd arrived, this tension far more of a nervous energy.

"Laurel, I…" He had to swallow down a lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. He'd never touched her out of sheer impulse before, most contact arriving as a natural consequence of clumsiness. "I have what may seem like an odd request."

"You've never requested anything of me before." She still sounded so quiet, so small. He couldn't decide if he found it endearing or insulting to her character.

"May I… may I touch you?" He felt his face warm, fighting his normally eloquent brain for the right words when she giggled softly. "What I mean is, I would very much like to map your features. I want to know what you look like."

"Of course, Omi." He was pulled forward gently, her small hands pushing him into a chair. "Here, so you're not towering over me."

He heard her shuffle around, presumably to acquire a second seat, before her fingers wrapped around his own, raising his hands to her face. Her cheeks were just as warm as her wrist had been, so soft beneath his touch. He moved his hands over her skin, his fingertips brushing softly up to her forehead. Her fringe swept over the backs of his hands before he moved lower, running his thumbs as gently as he could over her brown bone and her eyes.

Her lashes were so long, hanging over onto her cheeks, and he wondered what they would feel like against his own should he be inclined to get that close to her. He shifted to her nose, running the pads of his fingers along the bridge and taking in how much smaller each of her features were compared to his own. When he reached her lips, the soft flesh parted with a small gasp. Her breath was hot against his skin, and hints of mint and vanilla floated up to him. As his hands finally trailed over her jawline, chin and back up to her cheeks, he found himself longing to lean in and taste her.

But just as he felt his own desires pop up, the reminder that Sebastian had just pressed his own eager mouth to hers reared its ugly head. He would much rather attempt to shoot his shot after the other boy was thoroughly cleansed from her. And yet, the moment felt so perfect, and she was already right there within his reach. Just as he finally began to lean in towards her, the bells alerting dinner sounded, causing her to jump from his grasp.

"Ah, erm, perhaps we should-" She was stammering, and he could almost hear how quickly her heart was pounding.

"Yes, well…" He smoothed his hands over his vest before standing. "I imagine he'll be awaiting us after stewing in his rage for a bit. Best get a move on."