#ive had this drafted for a year lolll

[jackalope-patronus]

An un-promised dance.

summary :: when faced with an unexpected rival leading up to the Yule Ball, Sebastian’s anger boils over. Part one!

note :: the reader is implied to be bisexual, although it is not explicitly stated. Parallels to the goblet of fire movie.

“A butter beer?”

“Yes, if you’re not too busy.��� Poppy smiled, swaying from her heels to toe, a light pink colouring her face and nose.

The shorter girl had pulled you aside with a tug of your sleeve from your journey to crossed wands. “I’d love that Poppy,” you nodded, the kindness of her invite tugging at your lips, “when should I meet you?”

“When are you free?” She returned.

“Well, I have duelling practise with Sebastian soon, perhaps after then. I can meet you in Hogsmeade at sundown?”

Poppy nodded, beaming. “Perfect. I'll see you then.”

With a small wave, Poppy had skipped off leaving you warm from her sweetness. Being close to Poppy was much like earning an animal’s trust; specifically an animal that’s known not to like people, such as a cat or skittish rabbit. You treasured her friendship deeply.

“Fond of you, isn’t she?” Being the snake-like Slytherin he was, Sebastian had slunk to your side without detection whilst your mind lingered on the Hufflepuff.

“Sebastian.” You greeted, sighing away the surprise his presence brought you. “Oh, Poppy? Yes, I suppose so.” You nodded. The thought that others could see the softness Poppy held for you brought an undeniable brightness to your face.

“By your smile it seems you’re quite fond of her yourself.” Sebastian commented, a brow lifting at your bashfulness.

“Yes, well, Poppy is a good friend.” You waved his inference away and sighed. “Shall we get to crossed wands then?”

“Sure.” He shrugged, arms falling from crossing over his chest. “I was thinking— after duelling— would you suppose a visit to the forbidden forest? I’ve a—”

“Sorry, Poppy’s asked me for a drink. Perhaps another time?”

A hesitation irked his steps, but he continued forward. “Right then. Another time.”

The brunette’s casting could only be described as quick but distracted, as it had lately been. The two of you won, of course, but the lag in Sebastian’s attention had been obvious. It had been for some time. You had been duelling with Sebastian long enough to recognise when his spells lacked. His mind was always elsewhere.

I need to check in on him soon, you thought, but later. Poppy’s waiting on me.

From a distance, you’d seen Poppy waiting just outside Hogsmeade for your arrival, hands behind her back with a subtle pep in her stillness. Dipping the tip of your broom, you landed swiftly and tripped towards her.

“Every time I see you on that broom, you’ve gotten better and better.” She smiled.

“Imelda has been keeping me on my toes— or broom, I should say.”

“Don’t let her overwork you. Just because you’re the only good competition she’s got doesn’t mean you always need to be racing her.” Poppy stated, her brows furrowing cutely.

“Don’t worry Poppy, I rather enjoy it.” You smiled at her sternness.

“Alright,” She looped her hand through your arm. “Shall we go?”

“Of course.”

After asking Sirona for two butter beers to go, you and Poppy had ventured to a nearby garden to sit and watch the sun set, accompanied by idle chatter.

“So, how are you faring with extra assignments?” Poppy asked.

“Well.” You answered. “I can’t say it hasn’t been keeping me busy, I feel I’ve no time to explore anymore.” You'd been completing extra assignments since your fifth year, one would think you'd be used to them by now.

“You mean you’ve no time to get up to mischief?” She politely jabbed.

You hummed a laugh. “That, too.”

A silence permeated as you sipped from your beer. Poppy opened her mouth, inhaled with hesitation and then spoke. “Have you found a Yule Ball partner yet?”

You swallowed sorely at the reminder. “I had almost forgotten. No. Honestly I haven’t been thinking about the ball at all.”

“Right, of course. I wouldn’t worry. I haven’t one either.”

Who would you go with? The sudden question stung you, filling your head with possible candidates suddenly. Sebastian, perhaps Ominis, Gareth had always been playful towards you, perhaps even Amit if he got the courage. You ignored Sebastian coming to your mind again.

The choices were all well and nice, but the real question to consider was why hadn’t you been asked by any of them?

In all honesty, you somewhat expected Poppy to struggle to find a partner. Her head was always buried in the scruff of some magical creature and her closest friend was easily you. You decided perhaps remaining without a Yule date wouldn’t be so bad if you were with her.

“If that’s the case, we’ll have to go with one another.” You jested.

“Actually…” Poppy trailed, her gaze shifting away from you. “I was hoping to go with you.”

Your head titled to her in questioning. “Poppy?”

“I know it’s rather uncommon… but I couldn’t imagine going with anyone else.” Poppy’s pink cheeks caught your eye and you melted at her rays of blurted sincerity. “I don’t think I’d enjoy myself half as much if I wasn’t with you.”

“Oh, Poppy.” Her sweetness had soon overwhelmed you and you dropped your head to hide your bursting smile.

“Will you?” She asked.

“Of course Poppy, of course I will.” You nodded. Poppy had gasped in delight and leapt to hug you.

“Oh we’re going to have so much fun! I promise.”

“And then she asked me.”

The room smelt of burnt dittany and melting billy-wig sting slime.

Ominus’s eyebrow twitched up. “Sweeting? She asked you?”

“Yes.” You sighed, tone looped with softness for the Hufflepuff.

“And you?”

“I said yes, of course.”

His face scrunched, a kind of cringeworthy melancholy seeping in. The expression made your heart twang defensively.

“Have you an issue with Poppy attending the ball with me?” You asked, politely adding some dittany to your wiggenweld potion.

His expression dropped quickly, like he suddenly realised you could perceive him. “No, of course not. I just wouldn’t have expected her to be so bold.”

You readjusted in your seat.

“Who’s so bold?” Sebastian had taken his seat beside Ominis whose scrunched face had returned.

As you took a breath to answer, Ominis beat you to it. “Nobody.” He quickly uttered. Sebastian lingered on Ominis’s quick shut-down for a moment, but ultimately moved on with a sigh.

“Well, speaking of boldness, I believe I’ve lost my edge.” He murmured, exasperated.

“Have you?” You enquired.

“Half our year is full of girls, yet I’ve still no date to the ball.” His ink-less quill tapped his desk, his potion stand empty with no brew.

“That’s because you’ve yet to ask anyone.” Ominis said.

“It’s harder than it looks. I don’t see you with a partner.” The brunette returned.

“I do have a partner.” Ominis countered, very matter-of-factly.

“You do? And how’d you manage that?” Sebastian’s brow raised, giving you an incredulous look. You raised your shoulders as if to say I don’t know anything about this.

“I got the courage and asked, Sebastian.” He stated, clearly annoyed.

Ominis’s attitude placed Sebastian back in his seat and he thought on the blonde’s words for a moment, his brow furrowed.

You shook your head, amused, and continued to tend to your potion. Although, it might’ve been careless on your part to move, as Sebastian caught you in his gaze, like a predator spotting the ears of a rabbit move in tall grass.

“You’re a girl.” He stated. Ominis’s head was already in his hands.

“Oh well spotted.” You cautiously replied.

“Care to come with—” His blasé, although interrupted, was already putting you off.

“I hope you lot are making plenty of potions over all that chatter.” Professor Sharp’s voice cut through the room, calming the chatter but Sebastian continued, voice lower yet still managing to keep his indifferent tone.

“It’s one thing for a bloke to show up alone, for a girl it’s just sad.” He said.

An offended noise left your throat. “I won’t be going alone, because believe it or not someone’s asked me.”

That statement seemed to have taken him aback, because he stumbled to ask, “Well, who?” His tone now as offended as your own.

“Poppy.” You answered, returning to your cauldron as though you couldn’t care less.

“Sweeting? So she’s the bold one?” He looked between you and Ominis. Neither of you answered.

“She asked me just yesterday.” You proudly stated.

“So you’ve said yes?” He asked.

“She did.” Ominis muttered, his words laced in misery.

“I did.” You nodded.

Safe to say, the rest of the class was only filled with the bubbling of potions and entirely absent of chatter.

“He’s mad.” You uttered, index tapping the base of your wand aggressively. “Won’t so much as speak to me. Does he dislike Poppy?”

“I doubt he’s cared to even think of Sweeting until now.” Ominis had a creased, guilty look on his face, one that always appeared whenever he sat in the middle of an altercation between you two. Fights (or merely disagreements, as you would prefer to call them) with Sebastian were so uncommon that you’d only ever seen Ominis wear it one other time, back in fifth year. “I’m sure the way he sees it, it’s been yourself and him. Always.”

“If he really thought that, surely he’d have asked me right away. And what about you? It’s always been the three of us.” Ominis did, however, have some merit to what he said. Without Sebastian you two likely wouldn't have bonded and become as close as you had. Still, you were friends now, with or without Sebastian. You lingered on that assurance before your stomach fluttered grossly. Perhaps out of a moment of insecurity, you quietly asked; “Why hadn’t you asked me?” You flushed, embarrassed.

Ominis frowned regretfully. “Sebastian would be just as mad as he is now if I’d asked you, maybe more so.” He muttered.

“Possessive boy.” You stated.

Ominis’ hand brushed against your leg, his fingers gently lying on your thigh. It was a rare gesture, to have Ominis comfort you with a touch, but it was welcome nonetheless. “It’ll pass. It Usually does.” He assured.

“I hope so.”

Pass, it didn't. Sebastian had managed to remain stiff towards you in the coming weeks of the Yule ball. It pulled you further into Poppy's friendship, and further away from Sebastian and Ominis. Only greeting Ominis rarely, and Sebastian much less so. Truthfully, before the 'disagreement', your time spent with Sebastian and Ominis was already feigning. If it weren't for Sebastian's constant cold shoulder, this time spent apart would've felt like a natural progression of busy schedules, classes apart and no more adventures togethers allowing distance to drive the friendship apart.

Although, you hadn't considered that reality.

And soon snow fell on the night of the Yule ball as you dressed yourself in your common room, only leaving once you'd adjusted the corset correctly and added a few pins to keep your hair remaining how you wanted it to the whole night.

At the bottom of the stairs on your way to the great hall, stood Ominis and Sebastian, both layered with suitable coats and button-ups. Sebastian was fumbling with Ominis' tie, pulling it straight and tight, although it bounced back to a wonky position. The first step you took had your heel clicking against the marble stairs, and like Sebastian could sense it was you, his eye-line swiftly lifted to take you in.

You felt hot slowly walking down towards them, especially when Sebastian’s face was so emotive. He’d never stared at you like that, and for a moment, you wondered if perhaps that would be the face he’d make watching his bride walk down the aisle. Certainly all the animosity he'd been holding these past few weeks had vanished.

“She’s here.” Sebastian uttered to Ominis, slack jawed.

“Describe her to me.” Ominis asked, and through the crowded voices, Sebastian only heard it as a mumble.

“She’s…” The words drawled from him like he’d been hexed. “Utterly stunning.. ‘fits her like a glove.” He murmured, his usually witty dialect failing him.

You reached the floor, well flushed with insecurity. “Hello, you two.” You cleared your throat, looking anywhere but at Sallow’s brown eyes or Ominis’ unreadable face.

“You look—”

“You look beautiful!” The compliment cut right through Sebastian’s words, then Poppy herself cut past him, enveloping you in a sturdy hug.

“Hello Poppy.” You smiled, wrapping your laced arms around her.

You blinked a glance at Sebastian, whose head hung low and eyes longed for you intensely. It made your body burn to see him so obvious in his attraction to you. Attraction, and regret.

“Let’s go, the dancing shall start soon.” She ushered, pulling you away.

Bless Poppy and her sweet dancing, her kind hold of your hand and the way she smiled up at you with such delight. But God, you could hardly be swept away by her when two burning eyes were watching you. Sebastian, sat on the sidelines, simmering. The magic of your beauty seemed to dissipate the moment Poppy had pulled you away. Ominis had seemed to abandon him and the loathsome aura he was creating.

At first it made you nervous. Truthfully this whole battle with Sebastian made you nervous, but as Poppy stepped with you to the sweet music, chest to chest you fell away from Sebastian and landed on the conclusion that if he couldn’t get over himself, you wouldn’t dwell on it. Of course, he still plagued the back of your mind.

You had decided, when the floor was emptied of most of the students, that it was time you took a dance with one of your friends and as Sebastian was still in too foul of a mood, you asked Ominis.

“You aren’t trying to make him jealous, are you?” Ominis’ hand tickled your side, his grip of your hand was insecure and fretting.

“Truely Ominis, not everything I do is because of Sebastian. You’re my friend too. I care for you too.” You peered over at the chair Sebastian had occupied for most of the night, it was now empty. Perhaps he’d finally retreated to the dorms. “Besides, I’d dance with him if he wasn’t so stubborn.”

Ominis’s furrowed expression returned, guilty and sad. “I should’ve asked you. It wasn’t right to allow you to go so long without a partner.”

“Oh truely, don’t pity me so much. Poppy has been a wonderful date.” You squeezed his shoulder, noticing it elevated his torn expression.

"I'm glad."

Your hand slid across his chest to fix the bowtie Sebastian had clearly done a bad job at tying. "Don't misunderstand me, I still would've love to come with you. I'm sure many would've liked to see us pair up, I know Professor Wesley thinks you're good for me."

"More like the lesser of two evils." The other being Sebastian, of course. You laughed and he seemed to be lightened by the sound. "Truthfully, the reason I didn't ask you first was—”

Before you could get a glance of their face, a body was now standing between you and Ominis. The smell of oak and flames told you it was Sebastian before you met his eyes.

“I think I’m owed a dance now, don’t you?” His tone held a surprise charm that gave you hope he’d dropped the foul attitude.

You glanced over Sebastian’s burly shoulder, to see Ominis already stepping back and allowing the two of you some much needed time. You hadn’t time to protest, Sebastian had already swooped you up, taking your hand and waist with a sure, tight grip that you’d be unable to escape with just your strength.

A silence fell, you waiting for Sebastian’s deserved apology and him likely waiting for yours. You decided you’d be lenient (as you often found yourself being with Sebastian) and speak first.

“No date?” You asked. His face became hard and you hoped he hadn’t taken offence to your inquiry.

“No, not really.”

“Not really?” You pushed.

“Not at all.” He finished. “Has Sweeting been treating you well? She’s a bit short for the waltz, no?”

You sighed, content. “She’s been wonderful. I’ve never seen her glow like this, unless of course she's surrounded by beasts.”

“Hm.” The hum seemed dismissive and it fuelled your suppressed annoyance with him. Sebastian could feel your hand twitch in his own.

“She’s been a true friend. I’d gone weeks without a partner to the ball, if it weren’t for her I would very well have ended up coming alone.” Sebastian hadn’t dignified your statement with an answer, clearly thinking otherwise. He looked over your head, eyes tight with angst.

“Perhaps if you’d not have spent so much time with Sweeting, you’d have been asked sooner.” He murmured.

“What?” You returned, pausing in your steps.

“If you weren’t off with your other ‘friends’ perhaps Ominis or I would’ve asked you sooner.” He repeated, tone low and annoyed.

“Sebastian—” but he hadn’t finished releasing his thoughts.

“You’ve got no time for us now. I remember when it was just the two of us, now you’re always off with Sweeting or Onai.” Sebastian snapped. You felt the air escape your lungs and dread sit in your stomach.

“Sebastian I don’t understand—”

“Of course you don’t, because you’re never here to know what’s going on with Ominis or I. When’s the last time you’ve truely spent time with Ominis? Uninterrupted.”

“Ominis and I’s relationship is fine. Don’t speak on behalf of him.” You asserted.

Sebastian groaned, unable to return with another argument, but he held you tighter and closer not releasing you from the stance. "She's using you. Sweeting only asked you because she didn't have a date."

"How dare you?" You gasp, utterly floored.

"I'm sure she loves to be prancing around with the hero of Hogwarts on her arm." He muttered, looking to the dance floor as if his mind was reliving watching you two dance together, dresses pressed together, hands holding and all.

"What? What? That's what you think?"

"Yeah, that is what I think."

“You know what the solution to all this is then don’t you?” You took a step back, attempting to tug yourself free.

“What?” He sneered, tightening around your hand.

“Next time there’s a ball, pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does!” You snapped your hands away, escaping his grip and the dance floor.

He didn’t respond but reached for you again. You continued to walk, utterly ruined by the fight and having no desire to speak more to him. He followed close behind, sputtering some kind of deter.

You two had come to a quick halt, when Ominis rounded a corner.

"Ominis." Sebastian uttered his name as though he'd come to rescue him from the fight.

"Where did you go?" You demanded, now bearing wet tears. Ominis open his mouth to speak, but you continued. "Never mind! Off to bed, both of you."

Ominis passed you, a new look of anger arranging his face as he walked with Sebastian up the stairs you had come down only hours ago.

"Suppose she thinks she's too good for us." Sebastian muttered, words like venom, dedicated to hurting you.

"Sebastian you've spoiled everything!" You called after him, the emotion in your throat cracking your words. They jogged up the steps, Ominis muttering something to him while you let a sob free and retired your sore legs to sit on the cold, stone steps.

Part two