Chapter Text
August 1883
"As Ominis is coming round on Sunday, I’m thinking of doing a roast," she said putting some carrots from the greengrocers boxes into her cloth bag.
"That's quite ambitious seeing as neither of us can cook," Sebastian raised an eyebrow at her.
"We can't live on eating at the Pegasus forever, we'll go bankrupt," she smiled putting some knuts into the shop keeper’s hand.
"Better bankrupt than poisoned,” he laughed as he took the now full bag from her hands and slipped his free hand into hers.
A couple of older witches, pointed at them whispered in hushed tones as they passed them on the cobbled streets.
Sebastian was used to it by now. The staring.
He wasn’t sure whether they stared because of her or because of them. As they walked the streets of the little village hand in hand some people would always stare. At the way he touched her so lovingly, at the way he kissed her like they were the only two people in the world. How they made their way up to the house every night and appeared every morning together. Was it because she was famous or because their situation was so unusual? Sebastian assumed it could be both.
He knew it wasn't the done thing. Not the proper thing, to be eighteen, unmarried and living together. But he loved her, and they had no one to tell them they couldn't.
And he would marry her. One day. There was no question about it. But for now, he just wanted to give her peace.
Carve out their place in the world where they could finally belong. Give them a home.
They'd built their home together in that house on the hill. The one that had once belonged to his parents. She'd painted the walls a pistachio colour the muggle way, fingers crusted in paint. They’d swept out the dust and Sebastian had filled the basement with enough books to even rival Scribner’s personal collections.
His parents smiled at her as she dusted their portrait. They never spoke, still so secretive even in death but he knew they’d be happy to see their once proud house a place of secrets, life and love once more.
That evening, his arms laden with a thick blanket to sit on they made their way to the top of the hill just behind their home. She clutched a brass telescope as they endeavoured to map the stars. The warm summer wind mussed her hair as she stretched out on the blanket.
As he sat beside her, he slowly traced his a fingers up the inside of her thigh, and crept up under her dress. He kissed her savouring the little gasp into his mouth when his fingers traced her folds through the fabric of her knickers. He pulled back, raising his eyebrows at her. He wished he could photograph the look on her face the mix between shock and arousal.
"What if someone sees," she hissed, but he could see how her pupils had blown wide and he could feel the dampness growing through the cotton of her knickers. His little witch was always a thrill seeker, he wasn’t surprised the risk of being caught would be no different.
"Then let them watch," he kissed down her neck. Sebastian slowly pulled the cotton to the side he traced soft circles with the pad of his finger on her button. She kissed him back greedily, legs parting a little further, all apprehension of their location disappeared with the way he rhythmically stroked her most sensitive part.
She wrestled with the button on his shirt, desperate to feel his skin. She'd once spent an entire day counting every freckle on his body so she could commit it to memory.
He pulled his arms out of his shirt and she moaned at the loss of his fingers. He tucked his fingers into the band of her knickers she raised up her hips to allow him to slide them over her backside and down her legs. She pulled her dress over her head leaving her fully exposed to him. He growled low in his throat. With the wind whipping her hair, her body ever so slightly illuminated by the dusky light of the moon, all he could do for a moment was drink her in.
They never had the luxury of this before.
All this time they'd been blessed with since they moved into their home on the hill. Sebastian didn't think he'd ever get sick of taking his time with her. Enjoying her. He thinks by now he’s mapped every inch of her body and he would be eager to do it all again an infinite number of times.
He needed her always.
He kissed over her collarbones, over her breasts, nipples pebbled from the night air, down her stomach as she rested on her elbows so she could watch his torturous progression downwards through hooded eyes.
He angled himself on his stomach pulling her hips towards his face so he could bring her to his mouth. He traced her folds with his tongue before he flicked it over the most sensitive spot and she whined needily. He chased the moans and pleas that escaped her lips until she stuttered his name at a feverish pace. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and he ground her hips forward instinctively to chase her release on the flat part of his tongue. He dug his fingers into her thighs as he felt her legs spasm her head thrown back as she crested her peak. He always marvelled at how fast she came when he used his tongue.
He kissed back up her body enjoying the way her skin still shivered, before nestling his head in the crook of her neck. She sighed and rubbed her nose into his hair affectionately.
He kicked off his trousers now equally exposed to the night air as she was. He took his hard length in his hands and he pushed inside of her with a groan. With how sensitive he was, he already felt so close his own release. So built up from how he'd made her quake.
Sebastian rested on one arm for support the other kneaded the soft skin of her hip as he thrust into her. Her nails tracked across his shoulders, and she moaned louder with every buck of his hips.
"It's almost like you want somebody to find us out here, pet," he chuckled into her ear.
He felt her shiver, her mind still clearly dizzy from her first orgasm and with the second one building so quickly her hips bucked towards him demandingly, he groaned lowly at the change of angle. Any more teasing words died on his lips as he felt her body begin to tighten around him. He knew neither of them had far to go. He picked up his pace and he felt the swell of her chest rise to meet his own as she arched her back, craving a deeper angle. It was too much for Sebastian and he chased her into his own release. His forehead pressed into hers, their breath mixed together as they both spluttered out throaty moans as they climaxed.
He kissed her lazily and she hummed into him. She was slightly limp and dazed from finishing twice so he helped pull her knickers back up her legs and slipped her dress over her head to keep her from the chill night air before he shrugged on his own clothes. She curled into his side and stared up at the sky awash with stars. The telescope they’d brought lay abandoned.
“Merlin, I’m glad we don’t have neighbours,” she laughed. Her hand rested on his chest to slow the thunder of his heart.
***
"Careful or you're going to lose a finger!" he chided at the way she held the chopping knife. "I don't know why you don't use magic at least for the chopping."
"Do you know the spell?" She said hands on her hips huffling away a stray piece of loose hair.
"Unfortunately, there wasn’t much on ‘forbidden cookery’ in the Restricted section."
"Exactly," she said "so we do this my way."
"For the most powerful witch I've ever known you certainly like to make things more difficult” he grumbled as he pushed the carrots off the board with the edge of his knife into the boiling water on the hob. A chicken and potatoes roasted in the small oven.
He wiped his hands dramatically on the front of her apron and she flicked him playfully in the forehead.
“When does Ominis get here?”
“Not for another hour. Hm, how to fill the time?” she mused a devilish glint in her eye, her hands came up to rest on his chest.
He rested his hands on the countertop and trapped her between his body and the kitchen island. He claimed her lips with his own, she wrapped her arms around his neck, Sebastian felt her fingers entwine in his hair. He nipped at her bottom lip requesting access to flick his tongue to meet her own.
She dragged her hands down from his neck along his chest and began to undo the buckle of his belt. She slid her fingers into his underwear to grasp his hardened length. He groaned slightly and pushed his hips forward into her hand as she stroked him.
She smiled at him wickedly before she sank slowly to her knees in front of him. He pulled his trousers down eagerly as she smirked up at him. She stroked him torturously for a moment before she took him into her mouth.
Merlin, she would be the death of him.
It took everything in his willpower to not jerk his hips forward and let her work him slowly. But with the way the flat part of her tongue laved at his sensitive skin he couldn’t help but let his fingers tangle into her hair. Wrapping the stands around his fingers he fisted it possessively. Her head bobbed and her eyes flicked up to meet his own and he almost came completely undone just from the lusty look in her eyes.
After she took him particularly deep, feeling the back of her throat on his tip in a way that was maddening, he felt his release building fast.
"I need you," he groaned. Fortunately she knew what he meant. She gave him one final tantalising suck that made his head spin before she rose to her feet.
He was quickly upon her. He tore into her clothes ripped past the buttons for her blouse, he pulled open the clasps of her brassiere. He threw the offending garments aside. He licked and nipped down her neck and kneaded the soft flesh of her breasts with his hands, as she panted lightly.
He slid his hands up her skirt and hooked his fingers into the waistband of her knickers to pull them down.
He flipped her around, so her front was pressed against the kitchen counter. He bunched her skirt over her waist to admire the smooth skin of her backside as he slid and finger between her folds to check she was ready for him. She was silky and keen with arousal. It seemed while she'd worked on him it had brought her own wetness between her legs. He almost purred with approval to know having him in her mouth was enough to excite her this much.
He angled his hips and pushed inside of her. With how feverish he felt, he knew he wouldn’t last long but he needed to feel her release around him. He kneaded the soft flesh of her breast with one hand the other snaked round her front to trace soft circles on her clit. He listened to her moan; her knuckles turned white with the grip she had on the smooth countertops of their kitchen island. He rocked his hips into her savouring every whimper that escaped her lips.
Sebastian bit playfully into her neck and he felt the mix of sensations overwhelm her, the feel of his hands, his teeth, his tongue, and his cock. She threw her head back as he rhythmically thrust into her, he felt her collapse with a throaty cry, her knees almost buckled as she struggled to stay upright. Just the feel of her quiver around him was enough to send him over the edge, so with a few desperate thrusts he followed her into his own release.
He pressed his forehead into the back of her neck and felt the thin sheen of sweat he knew coated them both. When his mind at last un-fogged from the bliss he looked at the destruction they had left in their wake. Ripped clothes hung over the dining room furniture and spare vegetables had been knocked from the kitchen counter and left stains on the partially tiled floor.
"We should clean up before Ominis comes over or he'll have a fit" she laughed.
"You'd be surprised. I shared a room with him for seven years remember, he can be a right slob."
“I’m going for a quick bath, while dinner finishes up” she said, as she gathered up the tattered remains of her clothes.
“Mmm, can I come?”
“You’re insatiable!” she chuckled and rolled her eyes.
“Only with you, pet,” he grinned at her wickedly.
***
"Ominis!" she beamed as she opened the door to welcome their old friend into their home.
Sebastian smiled, as his friend stepped through the threshold. This was the first time Ominis had been to their new home, it hadn't been presentable for guests in the earlier days of summer. They hadn’t even touched the spare rooms, but they'd been holed up here together for so long they'd began to feel a bit guilty for neglecting their friend. So when the kitchen and dining room had been finished he'd sent an owl to invite their friend round.
His heart dropped a little when he confirmed his friend had come alone. He'd not really expected to see Anne but a little part of him always hoped she may come just because this had been her home once too.
Sebastian guided Ominis into the open space of their kitchen dining room. Sebastian was met with her brassiere from earlier hung over the back of one of the chairs they must have overlooked.
Thank Merlin their friend was blind, Sebastian quickly grabbed the lacy fabric from where it had been draped over the back of the chair and stuffed it into his trouser pocket. Sebastian shot her a sly look knowing she'd seen it to, a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. They pulled out a chair around the dining table.
"So, any news?" asked Ominis, as he crossed one leg over the other. As poised as ever like he were a Lord among his subjects.
They looked at each other and shrugged. For the first time since he'd met her and probably long before that, there was no news. The fact was, since they’d moved in here, life was peaceful for once.
Everyone expected them to have news, it was in their nature. Sebastian with his years of scheming and her dealings with Ranrok, it made sense to expect dramatics from them. But the fact of the matter was other than moving in together, which he knew had caused quite the stir among their Hogwarts peers there was nothing more to say.
She looked at Ominis and shrugged.
"Did you know Seb has 8,673 freckles?"
"You two clearly have too much time on your hands," Ominis said with a shake of his head. Sebastian thought he saw a ghost of a smile tug at the corner of Ominis’ mouth. For the first time in years there was no talk of dark magic or plots. Sebastian didn’t see the point in mentioning to his friend about some of the artifacts and objects he’d acquired recently they kept in their basement. His continued interest in dark magic and how it may help his sister would only worry Ominis and he wasn’t being reckless this time. She made sure he wouldn’t get out of hand again, he had something to lose this time.
"How's the job hunt going?" Ominis asked.
"Ministry won't leave this one alone. Aurors office have been round here every other day," Sebastian rolled his eyes.
The Ministry had been rather annoying actually, they had a habit of showing up just as he'd slipped his hands into her knickers. He didn't suppose he minded it too much, with how much he enjoyed seeing her so flustered and flushed answering the door to them. They probably couldn't fathom how this blushing young woman stumbling over her words single handedly brought down the goblin rebellion. Last time he'd seen them coming up the hill and made a conscious effort to rile her up just a little before they knocked.
"But between us we have enough money saved to last until the end of the year. I think for now we just want to fix up the house. It's uh, been a tough year... I think we both need a break."
"You can say that again," she grumbled. He winked at her and took her hand to press his lips to the inside of her wrist sending a little heat to her cheeks.
He was bolder with her now that they didn't have to hide anymore. Not that Sebastian thought they were ever successful at hiding their affections from Ominis in the first place. Most people seemed more aware of their feelings than even they had been. But now he kissed her and touched her in public with abandon, finally able to show the world that she was his and he was hers.
He always had been.
She coughed slightly flushed, he didn’t think that he'd ever tire of how he got her flustered. If these small acts ever stopped working he didn't know how far he'd go in order to see the heat creep up her neck. Knowing himself he'd probably be willing to do something rather extreme just to see her blush.
"So, what about you Ominis?" she asked.
"A few rather interesting investment opportunities have presented themselves...I can't say much more but Poppy has started working at the Brood & Peck with this chap called Joe...Scamander or something. Got an idea for a magic menagerie rehoming rare and endangered beasts. He needs some early rounds investors for startup capital."
"Since when were you so pally with Sweeting, Ominis?" Sebastian jerked an eyebrow.
"Since we realised having reckless friends and terrible parents is actually a surprisingly solid foundation for a friendship."
The witch hummed sagely as she did from time to time. Sebastian couldn't fault the logic. It was nice to be understood by someone. One of the factors in developing his own friendship with the woman beside him had been their mutual lack of any parental guidance.
He was happy his friend had someone to sympathise with his plight with an understanding neither of them couldn’t provide for him.
***
They had tried their best and the dinner they’d managed to put together was...edible. Their culinary abilities could definitely improve but considering how distracted they’d gotten with their earlier activities it could have been a lot worse.
After they’d finished their meal, they'd settled in the living room. Ominis sat in their russet-coloured wingback chair, across from their plush velvet settee. She had her legs stretched out over Sebastian’s lap and he traced patterns onto her skin.
Sebastian had been nervous to ask. He knew he’d put his days of scheming behind him, but he couldn’t lie and say there wasn't an ulterior motive than just to invite their friend round for dinner. She put a hand reassuringly on his shoulder and gave him a nod. He relaxed a little into her touch.
"Have you got any news about...Anne?" Sebastian cringed slightly even saying her name aloud now. Ominis stiffened slightly, his milky eyes averted slightly before sighing.
"I've seen her if that's what you’re asking."
"Oh and-?"
"She still doesn't want to see you...either of you."
"Ah-"
"But she's fine. Well as fine as she can be, considering the circumstances...I'll look after her Sebastian. I promise."
"I know, mate," he sighed and rubbed his hands through his hair.
He had kept Anne’s room in the house the same. It felt wrong to change it, because no matter how much they tried to live for themselves these days, they still lived in a shadow of the past.
It existed in the way her hands shook with nerves the first time she'd had to set foot in Gringotts after everything that had happened.
In the way he woke up in their bed from a fitful sleep haunted by bone chilling nightmares. Ones were he swore he could see himself in another life, rotting in Azkaban. Cold and alone.
He would hold her calloused fingers in his own until the shaking stopped, and she would run her fingers through Sebastian’s hair soothingly until he at last found sleep again.
He nodded sadly; he knew his oldest friend would take care of his sister. Sebastian still spent much of his free time pouring over books and strange artifacts he horded in their basement. No matter how much his sister may hate him, he wouldn't give up on her. Even if she never spoke to him again, he could live peacefully knowing he'd done everything it took to save her.
***
They chattered idly about other things long into the night. Ominis was excited to escape the stifled environment of the Gaunt estate. He’d horded every last knut his family had sent him since he’d gone to Hogwarts and just last week, he’d secretly put a small deposit down on a home not a twenty-minute broom ride away from their own.
“I don’t plan on telling my family before I move. I’m going to make off like some sort of bandit and disappear into the night as soon as I collect the keys. They’ll only send their procession of potential brides to my new address and that is the last thing I want,” Ominis bristled just at the mention of his family. “May even cause more of a stir in certain circles as your own…living arrangements.”
Apparently, their own living situation had caused quite the stir among the gossip mongers at Hogwarts. Even with their last months of Hogwarts being so openly attached. Between a goblin rebellion and the death of his uncle they’d developed a closeness many students would never really understand. Despite this, he still found it odd that the most shocking thing to many of them was that they’d broken a conventional period of courting and simply started their life together.
When the wine was finished and Ominis looked a bit bleary with sleep, Sebastian had offered him to stay the night. But with none of the spare rooms ready for guests, Sebastian only had the settee to offer him, but his old friend grimaced at the thought.
“Time for me to call it a night, I think. Leave you both to it.”
“Now the house is ready Ominis, please come back anytime,” she smiled.
“It’s probably wise to give us a little warning though,” Sebastian grinned at her wickedly and she smacked his arm. Ominis groaned a little with a shake of his head at his two friends.
“As nice as it is to see you two together, I really don’t need to know the details.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t offend your delicate sensibilities Ominis,” Sebastian chortled “I’ll see you out.”
As he accompanied his oldest friend to the porch Sebastian savoured the lightness he felt. He knew his friend may still hold some resentment towards him, after everything that had happened. But he was just glad he was here he couldn’t remember the last time his life had felt so easy. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was her but a tenseness he’d carried for years seemed to have left him. He was happy that at last and now they could begin closing the distance between he and his friend.
Ominis turned to him one last time before he stepped into the night air.
"I think as angry as Anne still is with the both of you, and she may always be, she will be glad to know you're allowing yourself to be happy. That you’ve started living your life again."
"I’m trying to honour what she wanted for me. I- I’ll never give up hope that she'll forgive me one day but I’d do anything in my power to make it up to her. I want Anne to be happy too."
"I think that's a noble pursuit. You’re making more sense than you have done in years."
Sebastian smiled at his friend, claped him on the shoulder. The blonde wizard began his decent down the path that wound down his lawn to where the wards eased, and he could apparate home.
Sebastian listened to the hum of music that still played gently in the living room from the gramophone. It was a confusing muggle object, but when she'd seen it in the shop she'd lit up and he’d known he had to get it for her. He’d snuck out early one morning to purchase it and since then she played it every morning and night. Their world always full of music.
He leaned against the doorframe of the living room just to admire her and the life they had for a moment as her hips swayed.
Her back to him he wrapped his arms around her waist pressed a light kiss into her neck. He hummed the tune into her and breathed her in. No matter that she barely carried it with her anymore, her pockets no longer stuffed with leaves, she still smelled faintly of mallowsweet.
He spun her round and she laughed; a wide smile graced her pretty features. She was still a terrible dancer almost as if she was too much of a wild thing to ever be able to keep strictly to a beat. But she loved it none the less, so he held her to him and danced with her regardless of how she stepped on his toes because it makes her laugh and shriek each time, he spun her round.
Her eyes met his own through her lashes, that familiar fire he knew was reflected in his own. She pressed her lips to his softly and he truly believed he would love her until this world was nothing but ash and memories. If there was anything beyond this life, he thought he’d probably love her into the next one too.
"I love you" she smiled; her fingers stroked over his freckled cheeks.
"And I burn for you, my darling."