#ominis gaunt x rose blackthorn

[theladyofshalott1989]

"Every Rose Has Its Thorn" 🌹

An Ominis Gaunt & Rose Blackthorn Valentine's Day One Shot

For my Secret Valentine, @lilredcamaro14!!! <3

It was such a joy getting to know you and your MC this month! Here's a sketch and one-shot, just for you. Enjoy!

Rose wasn’t herself today; Ominis could tell. 

She’d been quieter than usual, which was always the first sign. Then, she’d skipped lunch, which had confirmed his suspicions. But what really unsettled him was when she didn’t stand next to him in Care of Magical Creatures class. That had never happened before.

“Did you see Rose in class today?” Ominis asked Sebastian as they walked back to the castle.

“I don’t think so,” Sebastian replied, sounding far too nonchalant. “Maybe she’s feeling under the weather.” 

Ominis’s jaw clenched.

“You’re cross with me,” Sebastian said, misreading Ominis’s expression entirely.

“I’m always a little bit cross with you.” Ominis held back a laugh. “But no. I’m just worried about her. That’s all.”

“Rose is a big girl. I’m sure she’s fine.”

“Right.” Ominis knew better than to argue. Sebastian could be oblivious, especially about girls, and by now, their seventh year at Hogwarts, Ominis had made his peace with it. Mostly. It was better than nothing at all, he supposed.

“Well, see you around,” Sebastian said. “If you need me, I’ll be in the library.”

“Not the Restricted Section, I hope?” 

Sebastian merely let out a wry chuckle, then darted away.

Ominis rolled his eyes, then resumed his steady stroll toward the castle, his wand extended before him, guiding his steps. He navigated with ease, relying on the familiar cadence of his schoolmates’ voices to orient himself.

Where to? Rose, of course. And Ominis always knew where to go. 

Rose stood in one of the four vivariums in the Room of Requirement, scattering food for her Nifflers. 

She always sought solace here when her spirits were low. 

“Jean, please leave some pellets for the others,” she murmured, watching as her most mischievous Niffler, Jean, once infamous as the Irondale Pilferer, crammed a pawful of pellets into his mouth. His puffed-up cheeks made him look utterly ridiculous. 

Rose might have found it amusing on a better day, but today was not one of those. A knot of frustration tightened in her chest, because today, she was upset. 

Valentine’s Day was fast approaching. She had never been particularly fond of the holiday. But this year in particular was especially nerve-wracking. Why? Well…

The go-to gift among her friends was always sweets, which she couldn’t enjoy due to her mallowsweet allergy. She could never be sure if it was added to the treats, and more often than not, it was used as a sweetener in the very things that were popular.

And this year, unlike the others, she was being courted. As much as she enjoyed that fact, there was the matter of Ominis. She hadn’t yet told him about her allergy.  

Her mallowsweet allergy was so unusual that it was embarrassing, at least to her. But she realized now she hadn’t quite thought her silence about it through. Ominis would likely give her something she couldn’t enjoy, something she couldn’t consume, and it was too late to explain it to him now. The thought of doing just that, and so close to Valentine’s Day, made her palms sweat. 

Rose sighed. On second thought, if he did give her something she was allergic to, she supposed she could always thank him for it and then claim she ate it in the privacy of her room. Or, better yet, she could simply never mention it again.

“Rose?” 

Rose’s troubled thoughts came to an abrupt halt at the sound of Ominis’s voice. 

“I’m here, Ominis! Just a moment, I’ll be right with you.” She finished feeding her Nifflers, shooting Jean one last stern look, before jogging over to Ominis’s side. 

Rose still found it wondrous whenever Ominis visited her in her vivariums, ever since she had introduced him to the Room of Requirement last year. Ominis and Poppy were the only two of her friends she’d confided in about the secret room, though she was considering telling Sebastian… eventually. She was starting to tire of their meetings in the Undercroft, with its irritating dust, sticky cobwebs, and stale air. 

Ominis had settled on the grass, waiting for her, his wand resting beside him as he lounged on his back, his hands behind his head. At the sound of Rose’s footsteps, he quickly scrambled upright. 

“What’s Jean been up to today? His usual shenanigans?” he asked, a delightful smirk curling his lips.

Rose plopped down on the grass beside him. “Always.” 

They sat in a comfortable silence for a minute or two before Ominis hummed thoughtfully. He cleared his throat and said, “Rose, is everything okay?” 

Rose blinked. “Erm—”

He quickly cut back in: “Because, if so, you know you can always tell me.”

Rose’s eyes began to sting. “I know,” she whispered. As short as her reply was, she had to muster all her strength to get the words out. 

“And?” Ominis said, turning his head to face the sound of her voice. He waggled his eyebrows. Rose nearly laughed. Nearly.

“And,” she said through a sigh, her gaze drifting off, just past Ominis’s perfectly coiffed head of dark blond hair, “it’s almost Valentine’s Day.”

“You don’t like Valentine’s Day?”

“It’s not that, exactly. It’s more just…” She hesitated. Should she tell him after all? She really didn’t like keeping things from Ominis. Perhaps she should just get it over with. 

Ominis answered for her. “You’re allergic to some sweets.”

Rose’s eyes went wide. “How did you—?”

“I’d like to think I’m more observant than most of our schoolmates.” He chuckled. 

Rose’s cheeks warmed. “How did you figure it out?” she said, genuinely curious. Yes, Ominis was more perceptive than most, but she’d always been so careful, so cautious when it came to keeping her vexing allergy a secret. 

“Well,” he said, “I’ve noticed you always find an excuse to leave when Sebastian is chomping on his Every Flavor Beans. At first, I thought it was because he chews with his mouth open—annoying, to say the least—but then, a few months ago, just before Christmas, I believe, I was eating them, and you did the same thing.” 

Rose’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t realized Ominis had been so aware of her habits.

“So, I asked around, and did some more sleuthing of my own, and that’s the conclusion I came to. Mind you, I don’t know the specifics of your allergy—”

“I’m allergic to mallowsweet,” Rose said quickly, before she could convince herself otherwise.

“Mallowsweet!” Understanding dawned on Ominis’s face. His mouth formed a straight line, until he said, “I’m sorry. That must be hard.”

“I’m used to it by now.”

“Well, I have some good news for you.”

“I’d like some good news right now,” Rose replied, a hopeful spark in her eyes.

“Sweets are far too commonplace a gift for Valentine’s Day, at least in my humble opinion.”

Rose laughed. “Oh? Celebrated a lot of Valentine’s Days, have you?” 

It was a light tease, but she knew it would hit the mark. This was her first holiday with Ominis since they started courting, and she was aware he hadn’t been with anyone before her. Over the past two years, Rose had noticed how much Ominis enjoyed banter, particularly with Sebastian. So, while it was something she wasn’t particularly skilled at, she’d throw him a bone every so often, always making sure her words remained playful, careful not to overstep.

"Not quite," he said, "but I do enjoy going against the grain every now and then." A mischievous smile crossed his handsome face. 

“I love that about you,” Rose replied, surprising herself.

“Oh, do you now?” Ominis leaned in closer, his voice a soft murmur near Rose’s ear. He raised his hand, fingers outstretched, and gently reached toward her. Rose, caught up in the moment, instinctively followed his lead; the grass tickled her face as they lay down, together. He then brought her into his chest, delicately, as if he were asking permission. She allowed it, even guiding Ominis's hand to the crown of her head and her long hair, currently cascading in loose waves across her shoulders. He sighed contentedly as he began to stroke. 

Rose summoned all her courage and said, “So, what did you get me?” 

“It’s a surprise, my dear,” Ominis replied. “I won’t ruin it. But I hope it helps to know that it’s not sweets.”

Rose smiled. “It does. Very much. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” 

Silence fell once more. Rose reveled in the soft touch of Ominis’s long, slender fingers in her hair, his warmth grounding her. But, eventually, as he was so often wont to do, his gentle stroking stuttered, then stopped. His breathing deepened and slowed, signaling that he was drifting off to sleep. 

Before he was lost to her entirely, Rose added, her voice a soft murmur, “I don’t need anything extravagant, by the way. Just being here, with you, is more than enough.”

A quiet, sleepy sound escaped Ominis’s lips, something between a sigh and a hum, but he didn’t give a verbal reply. And he didn’t need to. While it was a relief that her secret was now revealed, when it came to her feelings for him and Ominis's feelings for her, sometimes, words weren’t necessary. In Ominis’s arms, Rose felt safe and more content than she’d been in a long, long while. And who knew? Perhaps this year’s Valentine’s Day would be… fun. At the very least, she’d keep an open mind.