#sebastian sallow fluff
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5sospenguinqueen · 11 months ago
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Sebastian: I hear you like bad boys.
MC: Yeah, I suppose so.
Sebastian: (to Ominis) Tell her.
Ominis: He's literally the worst.
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jmliebert · 2 months ago
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How to Win Over Sebastian Sallow
beat him in a duel (bonus points if you smirk as he lies wandless on the floor)
or generally, be better than him at something he take pride in, whether it's duelling, or charming your way out of detention
wink at him, no explanations. just do it and see what happens :)
be confident darling, walk like you own the room. he can't resist someone who knows their worth
indulge him with witty remarks or sarcastic comebacks
stick together even if it's straight to some serious troubles. ride or die sort of situation (Sebastian is the real one)
share some secret with him and watch as he straightens up, eager to prove he’s trustworthy, his eyes lighting up at the idea of being the one you chose to share it with (he’ll guard it like a dragon guards treasure)
whether it’s sneaking into the restricted section or investigating cursed relics, always say “yes” to his wild ideas, be up for an adventure, he lives for it
out of nowhere, pull Sebastian by the tie and kiss him hard
punch Leander in the face
keep s friendly competition between the two of you
offer him a hug or a kind word when he's feeling low, show him you care beyond all the chaos and banter
visit Anne, cheer her up a little (he'll be deeply touched when Ann'll tell him you came by)
show (and teach) him some impressive spell. the more dangerous and not on the curriculum the spell is the better
sneak, plot and get into trouble together basically
tease him about his hair, lightly poke fun at how perfect his hair always looks, and watch him get adorably defensive
complement his freckles
hand him a treat during a study session (food is love)
leave him a mysterious message that leads to a hidden spot in the castle. he’ll be dying to find out what you’re up to
rest your head on his shoulder and watch him freeze for a moment, his breath catching, before he leans ever so slightly into you, trying to act nonchalant while his heart races
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
 hi, you can find more of my works about sebastian ♡here♡
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magical-reid · 3 months ago
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Through the Frost
Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x GN!Reader (Implied Slytherin!Reader)
Warnings: None
Word Count: 2.1 K
Prompt #36: "Take my jacket, I don't want you catching a cold."
Summary: In the biting cold of the Scottish Highlands, you and Sebastian venture into the Forbidden Forest to collect Fanged Geraniums for a Herbology project, braving both the elements and an Acromantula encounter. Amid the adventure, Sebastian’s protective gestures and the warmth of his jacket lead to a tender moment between the two of you, culminating in a soft, unexpected kiss that changes everything.
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The chill of the Scottish Highlands was biting, even in late autumn. You clutched your scarf tighter around your neck, your breath visible in the crisp air as you and Sebastian trudged through the Forbidden Forest. The trees around you creaked in the wind, their gnarled branches clawing at the sky like ancient hands.
“Remind me again why we’re out here when it’s practically freezing?” you asked, casting a wary glance at the darkening woods.
Sebastian shot you his signature grin, his amber eyes glinting with mischief. “Because you’re too stubborn to admit you’d need my help with your Herbology project. Or was it the lure of adventure you couldn’t resist?”
You rolled your eyes but didn’t respond. The truth was a mix of both—there was no denying Sebastian’s knack for getting himself into trouble, and you’d rather tag along than let him wander off into danger alone.
As you pressed on, the temperature dropped even further. The wind howled, and the light snowfall turned into a steady flurry. Your hands were practically numb despite the thick gloves, and you could feel the cold seeping into your bones.
Sebastian must have noticed, because he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to you. Without a word, he shrugged off his dark, woolen jacket, the Slytherin-green lining standing out against the monochrome backdrop of snow.
“Take my jacket,” he said, holding it out to you. His tone was firm, but there was a softness in his gaze. “I don’t want you catching a cold.”
Your first instinct was to protest. “Sebastian, you’ll freeze—”
“Don’t argue with me,” he interrupted, stepping closer and draping the jacket over your shoulders before you could refuse. His hands lingered for a moment, adjusting it so it fit snugly. “You’re shivering. And don’t try to act like you’re not.”
The warmth of his jacket, faintly carrying the scent of pine and something unmistakably him, was a stark contrast to the icy wind whipping around you. You pulled it tighter, feeling an unexpected flush of heat creep into your cheeks.
“Thanks,” you mumbled, avoiding his eyes.
Sebastian gave a nonchalant shrug, though the faint smirk tugging at his lips suggested he’d noticed your reaction. “What kind of dueling partner would I be if I let you turn into an icicle? Besides, I’ll survive. I’m tougher than I look.”
“Sure you are,” you teased, the corners of your lips curving into a smile despite the cold.
The two of you continued walking, his jacket keeping you warm and his presence comforting in the eerie quiet of the forest. Somewhere in the distance, a branch snapped, and Sebastian instinctively stepped in front of you, his wand at the ready.
It was in these moments that you were reminded of the duality of Sebastian Sallow—the charming troublemaker who always had a clever retort, and the fiercely protective friend who would do anything to keep you safe.
“Next time, though,” he said after a beat, his voice lightening again, “maybe we should pick a less hazardous way to spend our evening. Like raiding the kitchens for pumpkin pasties.”
“Only if you don’t get us caught this time,” you replied with a laugh.
“Deal,” he said, his grin returning as he looked over his shoulder at you. “Now come on. Let’s find your stupid Fanged Geranium before we both freeze to death.”
And with that, the two of you pressed deeper into the forest, the snow falling gently around you. The jacket, and the boy who had offered it, warmed you more than you cared to admit.
The Forbidden Forest grew darker as the two of you ventured further in, the snow now a thick blanket underfoot. Each step crunched loudly, the sound eerily amplified in the silence of the forest. Though the jacket Sebastian had given you kept the chill at bay, you couldn’t shake the creeping unease of the woods.
“Are you sure the Fanged Geraniums grow this deep?” you asked, glancing at the looming shadows cast by the skeletal trees.
Sebastian hesitated, his wand tip glowing faintly in the gloom. “Pretty sure.”
“Pretty sure,” you repeated flatly.
He shot you a sheepish smile. “Well, I heard Garlick mention it during class. Something about preferring the deeper, more secluded areas of the forest. Don’t worry. We’ll find it.”
You raised a skeptical eyebrow but kept walking. Sebastian’s confidence had a way of pulling you along, even when logic told you it might be a terrible idea.
A sudden rustle in the underbrush had both of you freezing in place. Your heart leapt into your throat as you instinctively gripped your wand, pointing it toward the noise.
“Did you hear that?” you whispered.
Sebastian moved closer, positioning himself slightly in front of you again. His shoulders were tense, and his eyes darted around the shadows. “Stay close,” he murmured.
The rustling grew louder, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged from the darkness. Your breath hitched as a hulking Acromantula crawled into view, its mandibles clicking ominously.
Sebastian reacted immediately, raising his wand. “Confringo!”
The explosion of fire startled the spider, sending it skittering backward, but it wasn’t deterred for long. It lunged, and you barely had time to shout a spell of your own.
“Stupefy!”
The jet of red light struck its leg, slowing it but not stopping it. Sebastian grabbed your arm, pulling you behind a tree as the Acromantula recovered and began to advance again.
“Got any brilliant ideas, or should we start running?” you asked, your voice shaking slightly.
Sebastian’s smirk, even under the pressure, was maddeningly confident. “Running’s an option. But I’d hate to let it think it could beat us.”
“Of course you would,” you muttered.
He peeked out from behind the tree, his wand at the ready. “On my signal, aim for its eyes. Ready?”
You nodded, gripping your wand tightly. “Ready.”
“Now!”
The two of you burst out from cover, shouting spells in unison.
“Incendio!”
“Confringo!”
The combined spells hit their mark, engulfing the Acromantula in flames. It let out a high-pitched screech, retreating into the shadows as smoke curled around its massive frame.
Sebastian watched it disappear, his wand still raised. When the forest finally fell silent again, he exhaled and turned to you, his grin returning. “See? No problem.”
You glared at him, your heart still racing. “No problem? That thing could have eaten us!”
“But it didn’t,” he pointed out, his tone annoyingly casual. He reached out and gently tugged his jacket tighter around your shoulders. “Thanks to me, you’re still here to complain about it.”
You huffed, though the warmth of his touch and his playful smirk made it hard to stay annoyed. “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet you keep following me into danger.”
Before you could retort, a faint glow caught your eye. Just a few feet away, nestled among a patch of frost-covered ferns, was a cluster of Fanged Geraniums. Their serrated leaves snapped at the air, illuminated by the soft luminescence of their buds.
“There they are,” you said, pointing.
Sebastian followed your gaze and let out a triumphant laugh. “Told you we’d find them.”
He crouched beside the plants, careful to avoid their snapping leaves, and began to harvest a few blooms. You knelt beside him, your earlier frustration fading as the two of you worked together.
As you stood up, cradling the blooms in your gloved hands, Sebastian brushed the snow off his knees and turned to you with a smile. “See? Adventure, teamwork, and no serious injuries. I’d say tonight’s a success.”
“Speak for yourself,” you said, though you couldn’t help but smile back. “I’ll probably be having nightmares about Acromantulas for a week.”
Sebastian shrugged. “Then I’ll sit with you in the Common Room until you fall asleep. You know, for moral support.”
You rolled your eyes, but the warmth in your chest was impossible to ignore. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re welcome,” he said with a wink, falling into step beside you as the two of you made your way back toward Hogwarts.
By the time you and Sebastian emerged from the Forbidden Forest, the snow was falling thickly, transforming the grounds into a glistening winter wonderland. Hogwarts loomed in the distance, its windows glowing with warm light, promising refuge from the biting cold.
The trek back to the castle was quieter, your steps synchronized as you trudged up the hill. Sebastian’s jacket still hung around your shoulders, its warmth and his faint scent grounding you in the aftermath of your encounter with the Acromantula.
“Not bad for an evening’s work,” Sebastian said as you approached the castle doors, cradling the bundle of Fanged Geraniums you’d managed to collect. “And not a single detention. That’s got to be a record.”
“Yet,” you corrected, raising a brow. “We’re not in the clear until Professor Weasley sees us sneaking in.”
He chuckled, holding the heavy door open for you. The rush of warm air from the Entrance Hall was a welcome relief. You stepped inside, snowflakes melting instantly in the castle’s glow.
The walk back to the Slytherin Common Room was uneventful, the quiet halls amplifying the soft crackle of distant fireplaces and the murmur of students preparing for bed. When you finally reached the Common Room, the emerald flames in the hearth illuminated the green and silver decor, casting dancing shadows across the stone walls.
Sebastian flopped onto one of the plush armchairs, his usual swagger returning as he stretched out lazily. “If that’s not the most heroic flower-picking mission anyone’s ever attempted, I don’t know what is.”
“Heroic?” you echoed, placing the bundle of Geraniums on a nearby table. “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet, here we are,” he quipped, motioning to the jacket still draped around you. “Cozy in my jacket, enjoying my company.”
You gave him a pointed look, but the corners of your lips twitched into a smile. You slid the jacket off and held it out to him. “Thank you, by the way. For this. And for everything else tonight.”
Sebastian didn’t take the jacket right away. Instead, he stood and stepped closer, his usual smirk softening into something quieter, more sincere. “You don’t have to thank me,” he said, his voice low. “You know I’d do anything for you.”
Your breath caught, the playful banter fading into an unfamiliar tension. He was close now, his amber eyes locking onto yours, and for once, he didn’t seem to have another clever remark ready.
“You’ve got snow in your hair,” he murmured, reaching up to brush a stray flake from your temple. His fingers lingered a moment too long, warm against your skin.
You opened your mouth to respond, but the words never came. Instead, you felt yourself leaning in, drawn by the quiet intensity in his gaze.
Sebastian didn’t move away. If anything, he stepped closer, his hand falling to your shoulder as his other fingers lightly tilted your chin. The world seemed to shrink to just the two of you, the warmth of the Common Room forgotten in the heat of the moment.
“You’re staring,” you whispered, your voice barely audible.
He smiled softly, his usual confidence tempered by something gentler. “Can you blame me?”
Before you could respond, he closed the distance, his lips brushing against yours in a kiss that was both tentative and full of unspoken feelings. It was soft and slow, a moment stolen from the chaos of your usual adventures.
When he finally pulled back, his hand still resting lightly on your shoulder, his smirk returned—but it was softer now, almost shy.
“Well,” he said, his voice a touch unsteady, “that was… unexpected.”
“Was it?” you asked, your own smile breaking through.
Sebastian chuckled, running a hand through his tousled hair. “Maybe not entirely. I’ve been meaning to do that for a while now.”
You rolled your eyes, but the warmth in your chest betrayed how much the admission meant to you. “Took you long enough.”
“Patience is a virtue,” he teased, reaching out to take his jacket from your hands. But before you could let it go, he slipped it back around your shoulders.
“Keep it for the night,” he said, his grin returning. “I don’t want you catching a cold.”
Your cheeks flushed, but you didn’t argue. “Goodnight, Sebastian.”
“Goodnight,” he replied, his voice softer now. As you turned to head to your dormitory, you felt his gaze lingering, and you couldn’t help but smile to yourself.
It had been a night full of danger, snow, and sharp-toothed flowers, but as you curled up under your blankets with his jacket still draped over you, all you could think about was the warmth of his touch and the way his kiss had chased away the cold.
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princessconsuela120 · 1 year ago
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✰ ALL MY LOVE ✰
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—✰
Summary: after the amortentia lesson, you avoid Sebastian, afraid of what you smelt in your potion.
Warnings: Cursing, nothing it’s so cute and fluffy
Authors Note: I love Sebastian so much. Be ready for Seb content guys!
—✰
SINCE DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ART CLASS, almost three classes ago now, Sebastian had been following you around like a lost puppy. To every class you had together, he’d watch as you squeezed yourself into a seat next to someone, so he wouldn’t be able to sit beside you. After DADA class, usually you and Sebastian would be inseparable, seeing as you shared the rest of your schedule, but not today. Or yesterday, or all of this week now that Sebastian thought of it. Every since last Wednesday actually, it seemed you just didn’t speak to him the same as you usually did. So now that you were taking your usual midday stroll into the room of requirements to feed your beasts, Sebastian had decided to catch you off guard.
You weren’t even entirely sure how he had managed to sneak into the room of requirements, seeing as it was an exclusive room Professor Weasley had sectioned it off just for your spell practice and vivariums. And now Sebastian had you cornered in the room, causing you to grow angrily.
“Sebastian please…” you whispered, pushing him away to no avail. He was set in place like a statue, unmoveable.
“Then why have you been ignoring me!” He shouted angrily, making you sigh, shaking your head as you looked to the ground.
“I haven’t been ignoring you!” You replied shortly, finally meeting Sebastian’s eyes to see the hint of fear on his expression.
“Oh, I’m sorry, is there a new word for not speaking to someone and avoiding them for weeks!?” He replied sarcastically, making you roll your eyes.
“You know you’re starting to get really annoying.” You said, pushing him back as you begin walking out the room.
“I’m getting annoying?” He took a step back, shaking his head with shock. “I’m getting annoying?! Why the bloody hell have you been avoiding me y/n!?” He shouted, making you clench your fists as you whip you’re hair around to look at him.
“You wanna know why I’m avoiding you Sebastian, fine.” You shook you head, holding your hands out before letting them fall angrily at your sides. “I smelt you in my amortentia potion. Yeah. I smelt, honey dukes chocolate, peaches, and wet pavement.” You explained, sighing as you continued, now avoiding Sebastians eyes. “And you know what else I smelt? I smelt, old books, and the dust from old rocks, and slight smoke, the kind that wafts off clothes.” You explained.
Now that one took you a second to realize it was Sebastian. Until you realized, the dust was the undercroft, and the books and fire was Sebastian. He was always finding new books in the library, books that usually smelt of old parchment. And the fire, from confringo, the spell Sebastian had taught you last year. The one spell that you see him use on every mission you’ve ever gone on together.
“And I smelt teakwood, and Bergamot.” You said, now meeting his eyes, you heart breaking at the thought that now your friendship was fractured. “Smells I know you smell like, because i only know what those are because Anne had explained to me when she forced you to start wearing cologne.” You said, pointing a finger hard on Sebastian’s chest. It was quiet for a moment, as the two of you looked at each other. Sharing empty soft glances of worry, until you finally had enough
“Well, say something!” You shouted, making Sebastian stutter in response.
“I-I um.”
“You forced me to say it, didn’t you? Isn’t it what you wanted me to say?” You yelled, shaking your head with an eye roll. You met his expression again to see him smirking evilly, making you scoff. “Why are you smirking? Stop that.” You said, pointing at him.
“Stop what?” He asked, his smirk growing wider.
“Stop smirking.”
“So you smelt me huh?”
“You’re such a dog Sebastian.” You said with an eye roll, pushing him.
“Last I checked I was a man. A rather handsome one at that.” He teased, looking down his body as you rolled your eyes again.
“Oh please, I’ve fought prettier trolls.” You teased, as Sebastian stepped closer to you.
“They must have been very good looking trolls then.” He wiggled his eyebrows at you.
“Look, Sebastian, I don’t want this to be awkward between us now. You’re my best friend, there’s no reason why things should be weird…” you explained, pinching your forehead with worry.
“Do you know what I smelt in my amortentia?” He whispered, making you shake your head.
“I don’t know, gasoline probably.”
His nose scrunched up with disgust.
“Ew, gasoline?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at you.
“I don’t know Sebastian, every man in that class smelt gasoline.”
“Well I didn’t. I smelt quill ink, and butter beer. And the smell of old dusty rocks.” He explained, making you sigh as you stared at the ground.
“Cause of the undercroft I’m sure.”
“And you know what else?” He asked, interrupting you before you could continue.
“You don’t have to do this Sebastian..” you whispered. You felt Sebastian lift your chin gently, causing you to look up at him.
“Fire. I smelt fire. The kind of fire that you smell the second you light a candle opera.”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me?” You asked, your heart beating faster every moment his hand held your chin.
“You really don’t understand?” He asked, raising an eyebrow as he smiled softly.
“You smelt fire, what’s there to understand?”
“Do you not remember, when I had taught you spells in the undercroft? Freshly lit candle operas, and old rocks.” He explained, smiling happily as he remembered.
“That doesn’t mean anything..” you said, but Sebastian shook his head, holding your hands.
“Right, it doesn’t. Until I realized that I also smelt vanilla, and lilacs. And a hint of strawberry mango.”
He smiled wider, chuckling to himself.
“Now, I know that smell couldn’t be anyone else. Because I also know that you are the only girl in all of Hogwarts who buys strawberry mango chapstick.”
“How do you…”
“I know that, because everytime I’m looking at your lips thinking about kissing you, you put that exact chapstick on.”
The room felt heavy, you smiled at him in response. Your cheeks were now a dark red hue, and you couldn’t help but let out a small huff of air as you felt your chest start closing in.
“And the smell drives me mad, y/n.” He said, getting closer. He grabbed your cheeks.
“Sebastian…” you mumbled, holding his wrists with your hands as he looked at you adoringly.
“I’ve loved you, since you walked into defense against the dark arts two years ago, and wiped the floor with my arse in front of everyone. The only reason I even realized you had been avoiding me, is because I spent every second of every day anticipating your presence. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this strongly about anyone before, at all. Never in a million years would I have dreamt that you would smell even a hint of me in your potion.” He explained, causing you to smile as your heart melted.
“Who said I smelt you?” You asked teasingly, raising an eyebrow at him as he laughed.
“Only the most beautiful girl in the world.”
You blushed even deeper, before he pulled you into a kiss, his hands holding both your cheeks to pull you in.
“Hand them over Gaunt.” You heard Anne mumble from behind you both, as Ominis grunted.
“Blasted.” He said, though it came out muffled since you could barely hear them from where they stood. You also had been too enamored in Sebastian’s kiss.
“You may know your friends, but I know my brother. He wouldn’t let love get away from him.”
“He let it get away for two years.” Ominous teased, the sound of clanging money being heard as Sebastian pulled away.
“Would you two please be quiet? I’m trying to make out here.” He teased, pulling you back in with a smirk.
“We have to deal with that now?” Ominis said, scoffing loudly as Anne chuckled.
“It’s better than the two of them mindlessly pining for each other.”
“Is it?” Ominis asked, causing you to pull away, leaning your forehead against Sebastian’s as you both erupted into giggles. All your love, he owned all your love, and your life. You owed this boy your whole years at Hogwarts. You couldn’t be happier that finally you could call him yours.
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diamjem · 1 month ago
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braver than me
pairing: sebastian sallow x f!mc
summary: sebastian is a coward. lucky for him, she’s not.
word count: 3.3k
warnings: fluff, friends to lovers, kissing, pining, no use of y/n, sebastian is a coward
a/n: there’s just something about writing sebastian being hopelessly in love. like yes yes pls brain more!! i think it’s all the angst i’ve piled up as wips in my gdocs. enjoy n have a good day my loves!
[ao3] [wattpad]
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sebastian was by no means a bashful man.
he’s been called many things in his time, but bashful had never made the list—not like confident, brazen, or his favorite, audacious. better yet: arrogance with legs, as ominis often put it, though in his typically snide way. sebastian, for his part, didn't mind it. matter of fact, he wore it like a badge of honor, shiny and dazzling. to him, there was a certain satisfaction in standing out. if everyone else was scrambling to find their place, sebastian had already claimed his. carved it out of sheer determination.
so why—why in merlin’s name—was he suddenly so timid when she was near? why, when it came to her, did he suddenly lose all sense of the man he thought he was?
it wasn’t as if he hadn’t spent every waking moment in her company. their time together had become so familiar, so entwined in the fabric of his daily life, that he'd stopped counting the hours they'd spent laughing, bickering, teasing—just being. she had become a constant, more than a friend, really. though "friend" was probably the closest word, but now? it felt wide off the mark. especially since a friend didn’t become tongue-tied when talking to her. a friend didn’t feel his pulse race when her fingers brushed his in the corridors. and a friend certainly didn’t blush like a fool at the sound of her laugh.
and it’s not like sebastian wasn’t aware of it, of course. he wasn’t blind to his own shifting thoughts and feelings. he had enough sense to recognize the telltale signs: the quickened heartbeat, the constant wandering of his thoughts back to her, the way his chest felt too tight when she was near. schoolboy feelings—childish, ridiculous, and entirely beneath someone like him. yet here he was, drowning in them. but knowing didn’t make it any easier to deal with.
there were moments when he thought about just telling her outright. dropping the weight of his feelings at her feet and dealing with whatever came after. it seemed so simple in theory. but in practice? all that mettle goes flying out the window.
instead, he became an embarrassing, bumbling mess. words tumbled out of him awkwardly, half-formed and nonsensical, or worse, he’d overcorrect and lean too hard into teasing, only to feel an immediate sting of regret when her expression faltered ever so slightly. she deserved better than his idiocy, but merlin help him, he didn’t know how to be anything else when it came to her.
for someone who prided himself on his charm and quick wit, sebastian had never felt so completely, hopelessly out of his depth.
in fact, it had gotten so bad that he’d taken to actively avoiding her. hiding. the idea was absurd, really. he was sebastian sallow, for merlin's sake. avoiding her was something someone with far less nerve would do. but there he was, sneaking through corridors, ducking into alcoves. he’d even locked himself in his dorm on more than one occasion, feigning a headache or some other excuse when ominis inevitably called him out on it.
but eluding her was becoming a cruel joke—one hogwarts itself seemed eager to play along with. the castle, grand and labyrinthine, conspired against him in ways he couldn’t quite explain. it was as if every hallway, every twisting corridor, every hidden nook was designed to lead him straight to her.
sebastian was on his way to a secluded spot he'd claimed for himself—quiet, tucked away, the perfect refuge for the pages of a book that promised to keep his mind distracted. that was the plan, at least, but luck—his luck, at least—was as cruel as ever.
he turned the corner and, there she was. she sat on the wide sill of a stained-glass window, knees drawn to her chest, her chin resting on them as she stared out toward the lake. her hair caught the light just so, the golden afternoon sun casting a soft glow around her that made her look almost ethereal.
as if on instinct, his heart skipped in giddy betrayal at the sight of her. but even as his chest swelled, his mind betrayed him, blanking entirely—completely and utterly useless, as it always seemed to be when she was anywhere in his line of sight. if he didn’t move soon, she’d surely find him staring ridiculously at her. but he was rooted to the spot, staring like a fool. it's not too late to keep walking. he could just move past her, pretend he hadn’t seen her. it wasn’t like she’d spotted him yet…
“i know you’re there, sebastian. i can see your reflection in the glass.”
her voice shattered his internal debate, soft but laced with unmistakable amusement. she turned her head toward him, her lips quirking into the faintest curve, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
every plan of escape evaporated in an instant at the sight of her smile.
“where were you headed to?” she asked, tilting her head as if daring him to lie.
he swallowed hard, clearing his throat in an attempt to appear nonchalant, but his voice came out in a stammer. “i… uh, y’know, j-just around,” he mumbled, immediately cursing himself for how he sounded because not one single syllable of that had been nonchalant.
“by around, you mean away from me?” she accused, her tone light but sharp enough to cut through his feigned indifference. “you think i haven’t noticed how you’ve been avoiding me like the plague?”
his stomach dropped, panic bubbling to the surface. “w-what? no,” he blurted, far too quickly and far too loudly to even be remotely convincing. “why would i be avoiding you?”
she shrugged, one of her brow quirking upwards. “you tell me.”
“well, i’m not.” he insisted, gripping the leather-bound book in his hand like it was some kind of lifeline. he waved it slightly for emphasis. “i’m only… looking for a nice, quiet place to read my book.”
her eyes narrowed playfully, but there was something curious lingering in her gaze. “okay, prove it.”
“prove it?” he repeated, blinking at her as if she’d just asked him to duel her right there in the hallway.
“sit with me,” she said simply, shifting slightly to make room on the windowsill beside her. her smile widened puckishly as she patted the empty space next to her. “you know, i find this spot quite serene, nice for reading. there's even a great view of the lake, and the added bonus of my presence. isn’t that just what you're looking for? unless, of course, you really are running from me.”
sebastian froze, his mind racing as every excuse he could possibly muster flitted through his head. he could still walk away, couldn’t he? he could laugh it off, make some joke, anything to escape the situation before he made an even bigger fool of himself.
but the look in her eyes held him there, rooted in place, and something in him knew—she knew exactly what she was doing. she was testing him, waiting to see if he’d take the bait. and if he ran now, she’d never let him live it down. worse, he wasn’t sure he would.
gathering every ounce of composure he could muster (which, to be honest, wasn’t much), he crossed the short distance between them, his legs feeling like lead. slowly, he perched on the windowsill beside her, keeping just enough distance to keep himself from spiraling further but close enough that her warmth brushed faintly against him.
“there,” he muttered, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on the lake outside. “happy?”
her smile softened, though he couldn’t bring himself to look directly at her to see it. “very,” she said, her tone softer now, less teasing.
sbastian tried—really tried—to focus on his book, but it was pointless. her presence beside him was unbearable in the best and worst ways, every tiny shift she made pulling his attention away like a magnetic force. the soft brush of her shoulder against his, the faint scent of her perfume, the way her hair caught the light—it was maddening.
and just when he thought he couldn’t handle more, she scooted closer to him.
“sebastian, have i done something to upset you?” she asked, her voice gentle but tinged with an earnestness that made his chest tighten.
his fingers toyed with the edges of his book. “what makes you think that?” he asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.
“oh, really?” she dragged the word, sarcasm biting in her tone. “you hide from me, you don’t talk to me, and when you do, you can barely look at me. it’s… quite unsettling.”
that sounded like a challenge, and if anything, sebastian never backed down from a challenge. so with a sharp exhale, he forced himself to look at her directly. his dark eyes locked onto hers, and though his intention had been to put her at ease, his intensity clearly had the opposite effect.
she blinked, recoiling slightly as a blush spread on her cheeks. “nevermind, that’s even more unsettling. merlin.”
her words threw him, his brow furrowing as his mouth twitched into something between a scowl and a smirk. “i-i thought you wanted me to look at you,” he replied, his voice coming out higher than intended.
“yes, look at me—n-not bore holes into my soul.” she argued, crossing her arms defensively.
sebastian let out a frustrated laugh, dragging a hand through his already disheveled hair. “i don’t understand what you want from me.”
“just—be normal!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “merlin knows you haven't been in a while!"
she huffed, turning her face toward the window, as if the act could somehow hide the deep crimson spreading across her cheeks.
sebastian, on the other hand, rather than feel chastised, found himself even more endeared. it only proved her right—he hadn’t been normal (whatever normal meant) in a long while. a normal sebastian would’ve jumped at any opportunity to tease her, to throw a cheeky remark her way that would’ve left her rolling her eyes or swatting at him playfully. he would’ve poked at her for being so flustered, delighted in the way she tried to mask it with her sharp wit. but now? now he felt utterly and hopelessly unarmed.
was it possible to be both terrified and thrilled at the same time? because that was what she did to him—tied him in knots while making him feel like he could take on the world. and yet, every time he tried to find the words to express even a fraction of what was going on inside him, they tangled in his throat, leaving him helpless and, frankly, hysterical.
she bit her lip as she traced invisible lines on the frosted panes. “i can't believe it’s come to a point where i have to say this,” she muttered. “but i miss you, sebastian. i miss my friend.”
that would have made his heart stop, if only she hadn’t said the word “friend.” it seems that word haunted him more than it should. reminded him of his place—of his cowardice.
he could feel the way his chest subtly deflated, the way his shoulders drooped just a fraction, as though the weight of her words had suddenly doubled. had she noticed? he hoped not. it was humiliating enough to feel the sting of disappointment so fiercely; he couldn’t imagine how much worse it would be if she saw it, too. because then she’d ask. and if she asked, he’d have to tell her everything because, merlin help him, he wasn't sure he had the fortitude to resist her charms.
he opened his mouth, determined to say something—anything to reclaim a shred of normalcy—but all that came out was a pitiful, incoherent, “i…”
she turned to look at him then. “what is wrong with you lately?” she asked, her voice softer now, though still tinged with a hint of frustration. “you're not… you. you’re quiet and… iffy. you're driving me insane, sebastian.”
you’re driving me insane, too. he wanted to scream, but, of course, he didn’t say that. instead, he swallowed hard, his hands fidgeting awkwardly at the pages of the book on his lap, as though they could somehow express the things his mouth refused to.
“i—i don’t know what you’re talking about,” he finally managed, though it sounded weak, even to him.
her eyes narrowed, locking onto his as though she was trying to see straight through him. for a long beat, she didn’t say anything, and sebastian swore she’d hit him with a petrificus totalus. he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think—he could only wait as she weighed whatever thoughts were swirling in her head.
she opened her mouth, hesitated, then closed it again. when she finally spoke, her voice was steadier. firmer. “oh, to hell with it.”
sebastian didn’t know she could scoot any closer, but she did. the small distance that had remained between them disappeared, and now their noses were practically touching. his pulse quickened, the heat from her proximity fraying every last one of his nerves. her gaze bore into his, and he could do nothing but sit frozen, utterly at her mercy.
“since you don’t have the courage to acknowledge it,” she began, her voice quieter but no less pointed, “i will.”
she gulped. "something’s changed between us, sebastian. don’t try to deny it—i know you feel it too. otherwise, you wouldn't be acting like this."
feel it? of course he felt it. it was all he did these days—feel everything where she was concerned. every stolen glance, every unspoken word, every lingering moment that left his heart racing long after it ended. it consumed him to a pathetic degree. and yet, despite the storm in his chest, he couldn’t seem to find his voice. his hands clenched the edges of his book, knuckles white, as he stared at her in wide-eyed silence.
she took his lack of response as an invitation to continue. “the lingering stares,” she pressed, her tone softening as her cheeks flushed deeper. “the buzz when our hands accidentally touch… it’s unnerving for me too, but that doesn’t make it right to run from me.”
the words pierced straight through him, guilt and longing twisting like a knife in his chest. she deserved better—better than his awkward, stilted avoidance. better than his cowardice.
“what are you saying?” he managed to croak, though his voice was hoarse, and his heart felt as though it might burst from his ribcage.
her cheeks burned brighter—adorable, if only the situation wasn't so utterly terrifying—and for a moment, she hesitated. but then she squared her shoulders, inhaled deeply, and met his gaze with unwavering determination.
“i’m saying, sebastian, that i like you, and i reckon you like me too,” she said, her words coming out in a single breath, as if rushing to get them out before her courage faltered. she exhaled sharply, as though trying to steady herself, and added, “and it’s about bloody time we talked about it.”
sebastian stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. the confession was so unexpected, so raw and vulnerable, that for a moment, he didn’t know if he’d imagined it.
she liked him? she liked him.
the words echoed in his mind, each repetition making his chest swell just a little more. for a fleeting second, he was over the moon. but then, just as quickly, he came crashing back down to earth.
this wasn’t how he’d imagined this conversation going. not even close.
in his head (where he’d been stuck too often lately), he’d planned it all out—he’d bring her a bouquet of wildflowers he’d picked himself, maybe something with those little blue ones she seemed to love so much. he would give a heartfelt speech, every word meticulously practiced, rehearsed so many times in his mind that it could rival a monologue from shakespeare’s plays. not to mention, he would be the one to confess, not the other way around.
but no. his backbone—if one could even call it that—had failed him time and time again, and now here he was, caught off guard and utterly useless in the moment he’d dreamed of for weeks.
her voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. “well, say something, damn it!” she huffed, nudging him hard enough in the shoulder to make him sway.
he exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing as the reality of her words sank in. His lips twitched into a small, almost disbelieving smile. “you’re right,” he admitted softly. “something has changed.”
her breath hitched slightly, her expression a mixture of hope and uncertainty. “and?”
“and… merlin’s beard, i’m terrible at this,” he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his face in frustration. he took a deep breath, forcing himself to meet her gaze, even though it felt like his heart was doing somersaults in his chest.
“i do like you,” he admitted finally, his voice quieter now, more vulnerable. “i like you more than i can even put into words. that’s probably why i've been such a wreck lately. i kept telling myself i’d tell you eventually, but every time i got close, i just panic and ruin it.” he gestured vaguely at the space—or lack thereof—between them. “and now… now you’ve gone and done it for me.”
a smile twitched at her lips, though she tried to suppress it. “so, what you’re saying is, this is my fault?”
“well, if you’d just waited a little longer—”
“oh, shut it, sebastian,” she interrupted, rolling her eyes but stepping closer nonetheless. “i don’t think either of us would’ve survived waiting any longer.”
“still,” he said, his tone softening, “you deserved something better than my stammering and sweating and… all this.”
“i don’t need much,” she said, her voice gentler now, her gaze softening. “i just need you. preferably not running from me next time, though.”
"yes, well," sebastian let out a shaky breath, his lips quirking into the faintest of smiles. “i think i’m done running.”
and for the first time in what felt like forever, his infamous brashness finally roared back to life. without overthinking it, without letting his nerves take hold, he lunged forward. his hands found her face, warm and soft beneath his fingers, and he kissed her. the book on his lap tumbled to the floor with a dull thud, but he didn’t care. it was clumsy, a little too eager, but he didn't care. he didn't care because he was kissing her.
the world tilted, narrowed, and then disappeared altogether. there was only the gentle press of her lips against his, the faint intake of her breath, and the way her hands instinctively gripped the front of his robes to steady herself. it was messy, impulsive, and absolutely him—no, them.
when the kiss broke only slightly, her breathless giggle sent a pleasant shiver down his spine. she leaned just far enough back to meet his gaze, her eyes dancing with amusement. “i suppose this makes us friends again?”
sebastian groaned, resting his forehead against hers. “please, gods, no,” he muttered against her lips, his voice dripping with mock horror.
her laughter bubbled up, light and free, and she tilted her head slightly, her smile almost mischievous. “what, you don’t want to be my friend, sebastian?”
“not even a little,” he said, grinning despite himself. his thumb brushed over the curve of her jaw, his gaze flickering between her lips and her eyes. “no, i’d much rather be whatever this is.”
her grin softened into something more tender, her hands sliding from his robes to rest lightly against his chest. “i think i’d rather like that too,” she admitted softly.
sebastian chuckled, a deep, relieved sound, and leaned in again, pressing his lips to hers once more. this time, it was slower, deliberate, like he was memorizing every second. then again, and again, each kiss growing lazier, sweeter, as if he had all the time in the world to be here, with her, like this.
between the kisses, he muttered softly, his voice thick with emotion. “thank you…” a kiss. “thank you…” another kiss. “for being braver than me.”
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ravenelyx · 1 year ago
Text
I need you. - Sebastian Sallow
Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x GN!Reader
Words: 1.1k
Chapter Warnings: tooth-rotting fluff, kissing, angst and comfort, Sebastian needs to be snuggled, Sebastian is also sad, and Sebastian needs love, neck kissing, cuddling and snuggling, Soft!Sebastian Supremacy, House or gender is not specified, (implied) established relationship, use of 2nd person for the reader
Summary: Sebastian has different ways of dealing with being hurt. One of them is burying his face in your chest while you cuddle him
A/N: IT'S SALLOW SUNDAY and since people seem to like my soft!seb heacanons, I wrote a whole fic instead <3 I woke up feeling snuggly, sooo...
Masterlist
you can find the whole fic on ao3 as well <3
Ominis' version
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You didn't even hear his steps, yet when you saw a grimace creep up on Leander's face as he spoke to you, and strong arms wrap around your torso, you knew.
Sebastian left a soft kiss on the top of your head, looking at Leander with a small frown. You thought it must be one of those things only boys understood, because Leander sighed and nodded, without saying a word. Sebastian relaxed against you.
Pair of eyes looked between the two boys, as if expecting a fight to come out of it, but Leander just smiled in acknowledgement. "Sallow." Then his eyes met yours. "I'll see you in class. Don't forget your Leechjuice again."
You rolled your eyes. "It was one time."
Many people mistook it for possessiveness. You knew the real reason for it.
Leander walked away, waving you a goodbye, and Sebastian leaned his head against yours.
"Hi," you whispered with a small smile. He nuzzled your cheek, leaning his weight on your back.
While you never reproached him for showing his touchy side in public, you were starting to feel a little self-conscious of all the curious eyes piercing the two of you, so you turned around in his arms — albeit with great difficulty as his iron grip on you seemed unmovable — and cupped his cheeks.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
You swore you saw a few tears collect in his eyes as you spoke, so you walked him backwards to a more secluded bench. He sat down and immediately pulled you onto his lap.
After two years of dating, Sebastian had no more qualms about showing you his need for affection. You were there through it all: when Anne was cursed, when Sebastian desperately tried to find a cure, and even now, when he was diving into a dangerous path with his new friend. He had begun to rely on you, and on something only you could give him.
Security.
You threaded your fingers through his hair, affectionately scratching his scalp, and he let out a soft whine – a whine of pleasure, and a whine of something else. Something sad and guilty and that made him tighten his grip against you and bury his face in your chest.
"He has sent another letter!" he began, running his hands along your back and hips. You learned it was a way for him to reassure himself and calm down. "He told me the if I don't stop, he'll never let me see Anne again!"
Your face softened, hand now cupping the back of his head and pulling him closer. Usually, when Sebastian had a fight with Solomon, he'd retreat in the Undercroft, angry and incensed and ready to burn his own rage to the sound of very loud Confringo's. But there were times when his uncle's words got to him, made his heart sink with the need of a love that was stripped from him. A love he tried to silence by hugging his pillow tight at night when he was young. A love he found in you.
"He won't actually do it. Anne will always be your sister," you reassured him softly. "She'll want to see you, and he can't stop her from that."
He breathed heavily in your chest, pressed his palm under your thighs to pull you further in.
"She doesn't agree with what I'm doing…" He muffled his broken voice in your shirt.
"I know…"
"And she might stop loving me…" he said tearfully.
"She won't." You said earnestly. "She's your twin. In her heart, she knows she'd do the same for you."
He trembled a little, emotions threatening to explode.
"You don't trust Solomon," you began, stroking his hair, "but you can trust me. And you can trust Anne."
He stopped quivering, and you could almost feel the gears turn in his brain at your words. He began to kiss you through your shirt in gratitude.
You thought the position must have been uncomfortable to him, even if he didn't show it, so you slightly pushed his torso back, his face leaving your chest with a displeased frown, and leaned him on the seatback a little, then nestled in his arms, face nuzzling his neck. He sighed in relief as you cuddled against him.
"I know I'm too much sometimes…" he said in a small voice, hiding his face in your hair.
"You're not," you answered immediately. You could see his insecurities start to creep up on him, and you wouldn't have that.
"I annoy you."
"You don't," you protested, looking up at him in concern.
"I always come to you—"
"I'm glad you do."
"—and I'm always too needy."
"I don't see a problem with that."
You sighed and cupped his cheek again, drawing him down to press your mouth to his. It took a small touch for him to ignite, leaning his whole torso over you to deepen the kiss, desperately tugging at your lips. He pulled back with a grimace again when he noticed, and turned away, almost guilty.
"Don't refuse my affection," you whispered.
"I will consume you."
"I'm yours anyway."
He looked back at you, eyes fleeting over the gentle smile on your lips.
"Now come and kiss me a little more."
The battle in his mind seemed to settle immediately, and he lunged forward, placing one hand on the back of your head to keep you in place as his lips feasted on yours. His other arm circled your waist, holding you impossibly tight against him. And he was everywhere — his body caging yours, lips hungrily pulling and biting and bruising, hands desperately kneading your flesh, prising your shirt open to touch your bare skin. You felt dizzy at the force of his affection, and you knew he was right. He would consume you, like a wildfire, an eruption, a cataclysm about to blow your heart in a pulp of blood and passion as his tongue claimed yours. And you'd stop feeling like a person at his touch, so overcome by him you'd lose yourself. And then he'd settle it all right, kissing the blood off your lips with reverence, caressing your bruises gently, putting order into your feelings and reminding you once again that you would do anything for him.
"I need you," he breathed out, dipping his head in the crook of your neck. "Every day…"
You didn't stop him when he sucked a love bite into your skin.
"It's a good thing I feel the same," you chuckled.
"Even if you don't need me as much as I need you—"
"I need you more than you can imagine."
He looked up at you, and you kissed his lips again. This time he was gentle as well.
"Don't stop coming to me. Ever."
He nodded and kissed you again. And again. And again. And again, until Professor Weasley reproached the both of you for inappropriate behaviour and sent you to detention for a week.
And he'd kiss you there, too.
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ppomumgranatum · 10 months ago
Text
the dance of love's sweet potion.
also available on Ao3
pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!MC
tags: fluff, one shot, you POV, house-neutral reader, jealousy, protective
word count: 5.3k
Warnings: MAJOR HEADCANNON, the books and the potions are all in my head just for the sake of this story, characters are in their 7th year, I finally caved and wrote the cliche protective and jealous seb and i fucking love it
Summary: When a potion meant to repel backfired, it became a mishap that turned your world upside down.
Notes: I was craving some fluff, so a fluff was created ❤️
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Revulsaroma is a powerful potion that demands careful handling and discretion. Designed for specific situations where deterring unwanted advances or repelling individuals is necessary, its potency requires utmost caution. Ingredients: • 3 drops of essence of skunk cabbage • 2 crushed doxy wings • 1 teaspoon of powdered Boomslang skin • 4 ounces of extract from a Devil's Snare vine • 1 pinch of powdered Basilisk fang • Hair from the person brewing the potion
You carefully traced your finger along the intricate words laid out in the book you had kept from your parents’ dusty collection on potion making and meticulously followed the instructions. Taking advantage of the quiet after hours, you used the station at potion class to get on with your mission.
You’re not a pro in potion making per se, but the way you precisely measure out ingredients, stirring the potion with such poise, you feel as skilled as Professor Sharp– if he was plagued with a horrible disease of a red-haired boy goes by the name of Leander Prewett. 
For weeks, Leander had been following you around so relentlessly and constantly asking you out. It was cute at first but now it was starting to feel like pure harassment. Despite numerous rejection, it didn't seem like he’s the type of guy who understood the concept of boundaries and your patience was wearing extremely thin. 
You remembered an old potion you once came across when you were younger– Revulsaroma, a repelling potion. You figured it was time to revisit those pages since you’re in a dire need for a solution. 
You stirred the components inside of your cauldron with a pinch of determination, distress, and a lot of rage. The earthy and putrid notes filled the air and it was probably going to stick with you for a while but you surely hoped this was going to be worth it.
When the potion finally came to completion, you carefully transferred it to a pumpkin juice bottle to trick Leander into drinking it.
“Alright, that looks good.” You sighed in relief as you put the bottle down and stared at the securely stored dark liquid with pride, knowing that soon you’d be able to take a break from the unwanted attention. At least for a while just until you could figure out a permanent way to stop him, 
You proceeded to clean up your station and returned some tools that you took from the inventory room, making sure that everything was back in its rightful spot. Because Merlin knew that you couldn’t take another chide from Professor Sharp about the importance of being responsible and organised.
Just when everything was about to be restored to its pristine state, you heard a loud retching coming from the other room. When you rushed outside, you saw your bestfriend, hands desperately grasping the edge of your station, body racked with violent gagging, and breath ragged in a grave attempt to gasp for air.
“Sebastian?” You exclaimed while rushing to his side, “Are you alright?”
“Came to—bleughh—look for you,” Sebastian managed to say in between his guttural heaves.
“What’s wrong?” Your voice trailed off when you saw your pumpkin juice bottle collapsed and empty. Right at that moment, your eyes widened at the realisation that Sebastian just drank your Revulsaroma. “No, no, no. You bloody, bloody idiot!” 
Quickly, you summoned water from an empty jar that you found nearby and gave it to Sebastian who was still fighting the disgusting taste stuck in his throat.
Gulping down the entire water in a matter of milliseconds, Sebastian attempted to catch his breath, “Your pumpkin juice— is expired, by the way.”
“Oh my God, oh my God, Sebastian!” You ran your fingers through your hair in distress. What was already a pretty stressful situation just got a whole lot worse. 
“What?” He was truly not getting your frustration. He gagged once more, recoiling whatever last bit of that disgusting liquid he's tasting.
“That’s not pumpkin juice!” You scowled and gestured abruptly.
“What is it, then? Poison?” Every muscle on his face seemed to tensed up, still.
“Why would you fucking drink that? It was meant for Leander.” You grunted.
His grimace was then taken over by disbelief for a moment, “Gods, killing Leander is a bit extreme, don’t you think? Even for me.”
“No—ugh,” You sighed heavily, feeling totally overwhelmed. Slumping on your station, you rested your head on it "This is bad. It's really bad."
“You're freaking me out. What is it?”
You lifted your head from the table, meeting his concerned gaze with a weary expression.
“It’s a potion called Revulsaroma. It is supposed to repel whoever drinks it.” You admitted.
Sebastian was still focused on getting the foul taste out of his tongue, but his eyes were quickly narrowed in the scrutiny of your last sentence, “And why exactly are you trying to repel Leander?”
Catching Sebastian's look, a twinge of guilt pricked at you. You winced inwardly, realising you'd never really spilled the beans to Sebastian about the whole Leander debacle. Partly because you didn’t want to give him the wrong idea and thinking that there was anything romantic going on between you and the Gryffindor boy. 
The line on your relationship with Sebastian had always been blurry, if you could be honest. You’re obviously friends—best friends—but at the same time, the chemistry between the two of you would be such a waste to stay as friends.
You’d occasionally exchange innocent flirting, teasing each other and bantering in a way that felt more than platonic. You couldn't deny the butterflies in your stomach that fluttered every time he smiled at you and the way you felt when he complimented you.
Things had been going very well lately, and you'd like to think you had a shot to turn it into something more.
But now, he’s consumed the one thing that was going to seal the chance you have with him. Because whatever feeling he was going to feel, the potion was supposed to make him feel it so strongly. 
The thought of losing Sebastian terrified you.
“That’s not what we’re supposed to be focusing on.” You diverted the topic and reached out to your book, checking for things to look out for. Your eyes trailed the ink that explains the detail of the potion.
You noticed Sebastian had shifted his weight from the corner of your eye, moving somewhat uncomfortable in his feet.
"But what does that mean for me?" he asked.
You sighed, trying to collect your thoughts. "According to the potion's effects, you're supposed to start feeling aversions towards me," you explained, gesturing towards the brewing cauldron with a frustrated gesture. "and I have no idea how to reverse it.”
Your voice was heavy with disappointment. The same emotion was written all over Sebastian's face. There was silence as you both processed the fact that there was no quick fix to this mess.
“So, I’m supposed to hate you? Just like that?”
“That’s kind of the whole point of the potion.”
Sebastian's eyes scanned the cluttered laboratory, a look of resignation settling over his features. "Well, this is just great," he muttered under his breath. Sebastian's complexion turned paler, a nauseous expression crossing his features, "I think I'm gonna be sick."
Sebastian stood there, his hand pressed against his stomach, unsure if the wave of nausea washing over him was solely due to the potion's effects or the unsettling thought of hating you.
But then he felt his body teetering on the brink of collapse. You grappled his arm to provide support but his condition worsened in an instant and he started to fall backwards. Using every ounce of your strength, you were struggling to keep him upright because damn this boy was heavy. And when his weight eventually bore you down, you lowered him down gently.
There was no response even after you called out his name and shook his body. His breathing was laboured and you were panicking. You didn’t know the potion would be this strong.
Spotting a group of students who were passing by outside of the classroom, you called out to them for assistance. Sebastian was then taken to the infirmary and was given proper treatment by Nurse Blainey.
You had to awkwardly explain what caused the brunette to lose his consciousness. Given the fact that you were practising and using potions for non-study purposes, disciplinary action was necessary and you were required to attend detention tomorrow.
When you returned to your room that night, all you did was shift around in your bed. Spending the entire night thinking about Sebastian and how he will wake up in the morning hating you.
But for now, all you could do was wait.
 - 
When the sun rose, you were quick to get back on your feet and head towards the infirmary to check on Sebastian before breakfast started. But to your surprise, he was no longer there. Nurse Blainey said he woke up all energetic and there were no signs of any disturbance so she allowed him to get on with school.
You were slightly relieved to know that Sebastian was feeling better. Although the question of his feelings towards you remained unknown.
So you ventured on, heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. Moving along with a crowd of students who were also making their way to the venue you suddenly bumped into someone.
“Oh, sorry.” You glanced up to see it was no other than Sebastian, “Hey, I was looking for you.”
You’ve caused some traffic considering you abruptly stopped in the middle of a walkaway crowd. Some were bumping into you and muttered under their breaths in annoyance. It was a horrible time to be upsetting people—hungry and grumpy people.
So Sebastian dragged you away from the crowd. You were caught a little bit off guard at the sudden tug on your elbow. Your feet were almost stumbling around trying to catch up to Sebastian’s pace.
“Are you insane?” Was the first thing he said when you found a quiet little corner away from the bustling people.
Your stomach clenched. 
This was it. 
The memories you shared for the past two years dramatically flashed before your eyes— the adventures, the late night studies, the stupid unfunny jokes he made but you laughed at them anyway— fuck. 
This was it.. he hated you.
“Why would you tell Nurse Blainey the truth about everything?” He sounded quite aggravated. Unexpectedly, it was not for the reason you thought it would be— albeit he should be angry towards you for no reason at all considering the potion.
Your mouth gaped open but you were struggling to find the words. 
"You could've just said it was a bad batch for our assignment," He explained. "You didn't have to get detention for it."
“What?” You finally managed to sputter out.
“Blainey said she gave you detention.” He added, “I feel bad.”
You can’t feel bad for someone you hate unless they fall into lava and viciously die or something. Because to feel bad meant having empathy, and to feel empathy meant he cared, which meant he didn’t hate you and the potion never worked.
Right?
“So you don’t hate me?” You asked carefully.
His tensed brows gradually softened as realisation dawned on him. He was so focused on you that he never really thought of what the potion was supposed to make him feel.
“I don’t, actually.” He sounded relieved and as were you upon hearing his confirmation, “I guess the potion never worked after all.”
Relief washed over you like a cool breeze on a hot day. Though you started wondering if the potion didn’t work on Sebastian, it might’ve not worked on Leander either. Which meant you were back to square one, trying to figure out how to deal with his annoying arse. 
But it was a problem you didn’t want to think about too much at the moment. You were just glad your friendship with Sebastian remained intact despite the unfortunate mishap.
“So what did Blainey assign you to do?”
“She said Scribner has been fussing over some organising issues.” You grumbled, “She told me to give her some assistance after classes.”
“Yikes.” Sebastian said, “I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry.” You retorted, “Are you really feeling alright?”
“As normal as I can be.” He smiled reassuringly, “Though, you still haven’t told me why you were trying to repel Leander.”
“He just..” You hesitated for a moment,  annoys me.” 
Technically, you didn’t lie. Leander’s entire antics had been nothing but annoying to you. Sebastian only pursed his lips and nodded. Be that as it may, his eyes were looking at you rather dubiously. But he didn’t pry further.
After breakfast, you had some time to kill before class started. You found yourself seeking solace in the quiet lounge area near the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. With a book on Revulsaroma in hand, you sought answers in its pages that you might have missed. It explained further about its history and the past research on this potion. As you delved deeper, a particular section caught your eye that described a crucial detail—
The Revulsaroma potion's effectiveness in repelling a drinker is contingent upon the absence of strong positive emotions towards the potion-maker. If the drinker harbours genuine affection for the potion-maker, the potion's repelling properties may be nullified or significantly weakened. This phenomenon is attributed to the potent influence of positive emotions, which can act as a counterforce against the potion's intended repulsion.
Before you could dwell on it further, Leander plopped beside you out of nowhere and casually draped his arm around your shoulder, interrupting your thoughts.
“Good morning, beautiful.” He greeted you with a smile so charming if he wasn’t so pushy about it you could see yourself giving in to his cheesy escapades. You subtly shifted away from the sudden proximity, hoping he would take the hint some time.
“Good morning, Leander.” You replied politely.
He seemed to be undeterred by your subtle attempt because he leaned in closer, “So, I was thinking, with the weather getting nicer and all, let’s take a trip around the highlands.” He sounded so enthusiastic for a suggestion that’s so inappropriate, “We could explore the beautiful scenery. My family has this cosy little cottage just outside of Keenbridge that we can use. What do you think?”
You scrunched up your nose because it sounded bloody ridiculous, “A bit intimate, don’t you think?”
“What’s wrong with a little bit of intimacy?”
“Nothing wrong with it, of course. If you’re a couple.”
“Oh, come on. You’ll love it.” Leander’s enthusiasm didn’t waver, if anything he sounded even more excited. 
“It’s too much—”
He interrupted you with a tone so persuasive, “Okay fine, how about just a simple Hogsmeade date, then?”
You sighed at his persistence. It’s really getting too much. 
“Leander, it’s really sweet but—”
Suddenly, your conversation was interrupted by a looming shadow casted over the both of you. Glancing up, you saw Sebastian standing there with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
“I’m going to count to three, Prewett, and you are going to stand up and get your arse the fuck out of here.”  He demanded.
“What are you going to do about it if I don’t?” He was annoyed  by Sebastian's sudden intervention.
The brunette’s gaze was focused on the way Leander had his arms wrapped around your shoulder and the way his hand was caressing your arm at the same time. Then he stared dead into Leander's eyes, “You don’t want to find out.”
Somehow you found yourself caught in the middle of the sudden hostility. 
“Sebastian.” You warned him softly.
“Ignore him.” Leander didn't care for the threat. But Sebastian wasn’t having it and when Leander was ready to ignore him and continue his conversation with you, Sebastian grabbed him by his collar that it forced Leander to stand up, and he dragged the red haired boy away and slammed his back into a nearby pillar.
“I told you to fucking stand up and get out of here.” Sebastian scowled.
“Get your filthy hands off of me.” Leander attempted to shrug off Sebastian’s grip but it only grew tighter.
“Then you better get yours away from her.” His voice was so low and menacing. You had no idea what possessed him, because as aggressive as Sebastian could get he wouldn’t be so quick to resort to anything so recklessly physical unless it’s necessary— at least not anymore.
“Are you both out of your minds?” You stood beside the conflicting boys, “Stop being children or you will get into trouble.” The confrontation was drawing more attention from onlookers, and you could sense the tension rising. 
A crowd started gathering around to see what the fuss was about. Students nearby paused and turned their heads, curious about the commotion. Whispers and side conversations began to buzz through the group as they watched the confrontation unfold.
You felt a bit awkward with the sudden attention. The whole thing was getting more dramatic than you'd anticipated, and you just wanted to find a way to sort it out before it got worse.
“What is your problem, Sallow?” 
“You are the problem, Prewett. Can’t you take the hint?”
“It’s none of your business.” The Gryffindor boy was defensive— as anyone would be if someone just randomly shoved you into the wall and told you what to do. 
“It becomes my business when you decide to harass her.”
“You are making a scene. Stop it.” You warned them, hoping they would steer away from the conflict. But they were still too busy with each other.
“Trying to be a big hero, aren’t you? Protecting her?” Leander was clearly taunting him. Sebastian wouldn’t usually allow himself to be bothered by whatever nonsense Leander would do. But this time was different,  “She doesn’t need you. She can make her own decision.”
“And she did, when she said no.” Sebastian retorted sharply, “So back off.”
“If you are so worried about me taking her out then you should’ve asked her first. Don’t come here and act all heroic because you missed your chance.” Leander fired back, “If you weren’t such a coward—-”
There went the last cell of Sebastian’s brain that allowed him to think rationally when he decided to punch Leander in the face, sending the red-haired boy stumbling and his nose bleeding. 
“Sebastian!” You stepped in between them, trying to push Sebastian back behind the line he just crossed. His eyes were glaring and breaths were rather ragged from the anger, “What the fuck are you doing?”
After being punched unexpectedly, Leander's pride and dignity were hurt. He wouldn't tolerate being attacked without retaliating. He mustered all of his anger and frustration to punch Sebastian with all of his force. 
But before he could, Sebastian struck again, landing a second punch on his face. Leander stumbled backwards again, but this time he was quicker to get back on his feet and lunged forward, swinging his fists wildly. 
Sebastian was able to dodge a few of his blows, but Leander managed to land a couple of powerful punches on Sebastian's cheek. 
Sebastian stepped back, his face red from pain and anger. Now the two of them had no choice but to fight, and you had no choice but to look for some help. Luckily, it wasn’t long for you to reach Professor Hecat, because when you returned to the brawl, Leander was already pinned to the floor with Sebastian on top of him, landing more punches.
Professor Hecat swiftly casted a spell that immediately shoved both of them away from each other. 
The two boys stood there with battered faces and were later sent to the same detention as you.
You had no desire in conversing with idiots, so when the three of you shared the space on one of the library aisle, organising books, you gave all your might to ignore them, especially Sebastian.
You thought he’d left his impetuous behaviour back in the catacombs two years ago, but clearly you were wrong. The way you aggressively shoved books into places allowed Sebastian to notice that you were furious.
“I know you’re angry at me.” He said, breaking the silence.
“Oh really? Didn’t think you’d notice. I was being subtle.” You replied sarcastically.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what had gotten into me.” His voice was soft but outright, “You know I don't fight muggle-style.”
You remained cold. There was nothing about his apology that made you feel better. So you continued to ignore him and he tried to speak up again.
“Can we talk?” He pleaded but you ignored him. You picked up a stack of books and moved to the next aisle to shelve them in their proper places.
Sebastian followed you behind, not backing down, “I’m really, really, sorry.”
He seemed genuinely apologetic, but you were reluctant to give in. After all, his actions had caused this entire mess and resulted in the two boys getting detention.
You didn’t want to argue with him, but you couldn’t resist making a point.
“Tell that to Leander and his broken nose.”
Sebastian let out a scoff, “I’m not sorry about that.”
“Seriously Sebastian? You hit him first. He just reacted.” You turned to face him this time.
"He was harassing you," Sebastian defended himself, "I had to do something."
"Did you have to punch him in the face? Repeatedly?”
“Why are you defending him?” His tone was rising, "What do you expect me to do? Just stand by and let him flirt with you?"
“What is so wrong with that?”
“Because—” Then he stopped himself. Eyes flustered and flicked between yours like he was trying to gather his own thoughts. Then he let out a frustrated sigh,  “Leander is a self-oriented, self-indulgent, arrogant, selfish, insufferable jerk.”
You shook your head in disbelief and stared dead at him in the eye, “Well, right now it sounds like you were just describing yourself, Sebastian.”
Before you could say anything else, you left him alone in the aisle and this time he didn’t follow you.
It was Saturday morning, and while you had no classes to attend, you were still stuck with detention for a portion of the day. Not only did this eat into your weekend leisure time, but you also had to spend it without talking to Sebastian.
You sighed as you placed books somewhere in the corner of the library right where they belonged. 
Couldn’t help but think that spending your weekend somewhere in the castle, perhaps the undercroft, reading books and being alone together with Sebastian was where you belonged. 
Time sure felt lonely without his presence.
Then as if he could read your mind from miles away he showed up, “Do you like Leander?”
Shocked and confused by the sudden question you turned to find Sebastian standing at the end of the aisle.
His face was a patchwork of bruises and cuts, a visible reminder of the fight he had gotten into with Leander. A purplish bruise marred his cheek, and a small cut above his eyebrow was still fresh. Despite his battered appearance, his eyes were focused intently on you, filled with an intensity that made your heart skip a beat.
“What?” You asked.
“I spent the entire night thinking about you. I thought maybe you like Leander, because why did you defend him so much yesterday?” He rambled.
You opened your mouth to say something but Sebastian wasn’t finished.
“But then I thought, if you liked him, why did you want to repel him with the potion?” He continued, “And why did you reject him when he asked you out? Five times, over the past month.”
You opened your mouth again, but this time every single word you have learned seemed to have fallen over your head because not a single thing came to your mind.
There were two things that surprised you.
One, Sebastian spent the entire night thinking about you.
Two, Sebastian knew that Leander had been asking you out.
And your brain did not know which one to stress about first.
“You knew about Leander?” You finally said.
“We share every class everyday. You don’t think I’d notice?” He replied with another question, “He wasn’t subtle about it either. Was I not supposed to know?”
You fell quiet, unsure of what to say next. The more you opened your mouth, the more you found yourself with nothing to say. 
Sebastian waited for your response, but when it did not come, he continued, “Why did you keep rejecting him?”
You shrugged, slightly flustered, “Simply because I don’t want to go out with him.”
“Why did you not tell me about him, then?”
“It wasn’t worth mentioning,” you replied, avoiding his gaze.
“You’re kidding me, right?” Sebastian stared at you, as if he couldn’t believe your answer.
“It was pointless,” Your tone was rising slightly, “It’s not like I would ever date Leander. I wasn’t even giving him a second thought. So It doesn’t matter.”
Sebastian was silent for a beat before he spoke again. “It matters to me.”
Your pulse raced, and the air suddenly felt tighter.
Sebastian was staring at you, his eyes intent and penetrating. The silence stretched on, and you had to force yourself to look him in the eye
“Everything about you matters to me. You’re my best friend. We’re supposed to share everything, right?” He added, “Isn’t that what best friends do?”
As you stood there, guilt was eating you inside out. Your decision to leave him in the dark unexpectedly hurt him more than you thought. The look in his eyes was so unfamiliar you couldn’t pinpoint his emotion.
He took a step closer.
“Why do you care so much? It’s just Leander.”
“Don’t you get it?” He said softly, “It’s not about Leander. It’s about the fact that he’s been asking you out, flirting with you relentlessly, being so close with you.. in a way that is supposed to be only for me.”
You stood there, stunned. His words hit you like a bolt of lightning, and you felt a mix of shock and confusion wash over you.
Sebastian took another step towards you, his gaze steady and unbreaking, and it was piercing through your soul.
“It’s supposed to be just for me” He repeated the phrase as if he was talking to himself. The look in his eyes was intense, and you could feel how important this was to him.
A moment passed until you realised that you should respond. The longer you stayed silent, the worse it felt. So you spoke up, “Are you jealous?”
“Yes.” He simply replied.
His response set your body ablaze. You could feel your heart pounding in your throat.
“I was supposed to hate you, but instead I woke up that morning in the infirmary and I couldn’t be more sure that I am utterly and completely in love with you.” His voice dropped, “And when I saw you with Leander and hearing all the things that he said, I meant it when I told you I had no idea what had gotten into me but all I knew was every single cell in my body was on fire.”
You thought for sure your heart would explode as all of this sunk in. You had expected anything but a confession. Your heart was beating so fast and hard that you had to concentrate on breathing, or else it felt like you couldn't breathe.
“I spent the entire night thinking about all of the time we've spent.” He added, “I can't stop thinking about the sound of your laughter. The way you'd still genuinely laugh at the most unfunny joke I would tell. Or how your usual bright eyes would fall into a deep immersion when you read. And the way your delicate finger hovers over the edge of a page, turning it over.”
A smile tugged on the corner of Sebastian's lips as he recalled every little detail about you that only he would care about. The beat of your heart went faster with each syllable that came out of his mouth and every nerve in your body was shaking.
“I always wonder how the touch of those fingertips would feel on my skin,” There were so many things he wanted to say to you. Every detail of you that made him so desperately in love, “and how perfect your fingers would be intertwining with mine.”
For a moment, you were one-hundred percent sure this was all a dream. Because everything around you seemed so blurry and all of the sudden everything felt surreal. But when Sebastian took another step closer, and another until he was close enough to grab your hands and intertwine your fingers together, the haze dissipated. The way his touch alerted every single nerve in your body, you knew that this was real— he was real and he was in love with you.
The two of you stood there, inches apart, staring at each other with your emotions overflowing.
“We belong together.” You could see that his intensity and raw emotion was getting the better of him. His words were coming out quick and sudden, “I should’ve asked you out long before Leander did. Just another stupid mistake I made.”
He inched closer and closer until you felt Sebastian's breath on your lips, and your body trembled in anticipation. You took a deep breath and let yourself fall into the moment.
“You could’ve been too late, you know?” You whispered.
“Am I?”
You shook your head and smiled against his lips, “No, you’re not. I’ve been stupidly waiting for you.”
Sebastian's voice was soft and tender as he spoke again, “I’m glad we’re both stupid enough, then. And for many other things that make me glad you're finally mine."
“Even the potion?” You smirked.
“Especially the damn potion.” A smile spread across Sebastian's face.
Your breaths were laced with desire, and your thoughts went to the first kiss between the two of you were going to share. It felt surreal to have arrived at this moment that you had both anticipated for so long.
Your lips were close enough to touch. Your hearts were beating so loudly. And in this moment, it felt like a moment out of time.
When his lips met yours, the world seemed to melt away and everything else faded into the background. It was everything it had built up to be—hot and passionate and exciting.
You kissed him deeply and all was right with the world. Sebastian's hands wrapped around your back, and yours around his neck. 
Your senses were all focused on Sebastian, on the kiss and the way he made you feel. This was what you had been waiting for, and it was everything you dreamed of and more.
When you pulled away, your eyes were locked and you found yourselves smiling uncontrollably. There was nothing left to feel awkward or unsure of, and it felt as if a weight had been lifted.
Sebastian brushed his fingers through your hair. You were finally getting your happiness.
"I love you," He whispered against your lips.
“I love you, too.” you replied softly, brushing your noses together.
You spent the rest of the day making out in the deepest corner of the library, neglecting your detention. And when Madam Scribner found the two of you some time later, all dishevelled, you were granted another detention time.
But neither of you cared. Because it was all worth it.
In an extremely rare case, the Revulsaroma potion could have an unprecedented effect, completely opposite to its intended repelling nature. Rather than nullifying or weakening, the potion might paradoxically amplify and reinforce any existing strong positive feelings that the drinker harboured towards the potion-maker. Due to genuine and deep-seated love for the maker, the drinker might experience a surge of intense emotions that can be both overwhelming and consuming, such as, jealousy, protectiveness, and overwhelming affection.
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anancientlegacy · 2 months ago
Text
you'll never guess -- s. sallow
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Pairing: sebastian sallow x reader
Genre: fluff, some angst with reader's father, but that's all
Note: I use “MC” to refer to the reader, but I also explain why in the fic itself! This is still in fifth year even before the player meets Anne, so they don’t do anything crazy. Merely mentions of kissing. Sassy Sebastian and sassier Imelda.
Trope: Instead of fake dating, everyone is convinced that you aren’t actually dating.
Word count: 2.2k
Crossposted to ao3!
“Hey, Garreth, Ominis, the lot of you that have only grown up in the wizarding world, I’ve got a question.” 
It’s the first words you’ve spoken to everyone around you, your entire friend group sprawled or stretched out on one side of the summoner’s court. All of you have been watching Samantha and Leander make a go of it, over and over and over again — you don’t always have positive things to say about Prewett, but you can’t help but acknowledge his tenacity. Samantha’s final Accio resounds all around you, cutting through the air as she pulls her ball in for another 50 points, blowing her opponent out of the water despite having won the game by her second ball.
“You can say purebloods, MC, it won’t hurt any feelings.” You know Leander doesn’t mean anything by this — you’ve heard Zenobia call him a “no-talent moonmind” in passing — but you can feel Ominis bristle beside you at the mere implication of an impending blood status discussion. You’re quick to shake your head, muttering a ‘no, not exactly what I meant’ while rummaging through your newly-sewn bag (one made up entirely of garments you’d found no use for, because really, what use is a fedora to anyone) for something. Professor Weasley had helpfully enchanted it to be almost endlessly deep, but you find yourself cursing this now. The fact that everyone pauses to watch you is not lost on you at all, and you can’t help but feel some sort of embarrassment.
“All I was asking, well, really, all I’m curious about, is what wizarding world courtship is like. Do you have calling hours, or daily tea, or anything of the sort? Ah, here it is.” You brandish a marriage manual with much gusto, having received it in the mail from your otherwise heavily detached father a few days ago. You’d offhandedly mentioned accompanying Sebastian to the Three Broomsticks to him in a letter, mostly assuming he wouldn’t read it — too busy with overseeing shoddy police work in Whitechapel, and ignoring the realities of magic and whatnot — but he had, to your surprise, replied. The first response all term.
My daughter,
Do not allow yourself to be charmed by young men with no prospects. Surely I raised you better than this. I have given this infernal creature a young ladies’ guide for you to peruse. Certainly letter vi. There are girls dropping like flies here, and I would greatly dislike to find you in a similar situation. 
Read it and report back. If you can send regular post rather than an owl I’d rather you that. Can’t have the neighbours asking too many questions. 
You’d left the letter upstairs under your bed to gather dust, not even bothering to take it with you to the room of requirement. The idea of Sebastian having no prospects is practically laughable to you, considering he’s one of the brightest wizards in your year… even if he is, simultaneously, one of the most troublesome. Your father has been pretending as if magic is pointless at best and a silly trick at worst ever since your magical mother left him with a toddler. 
You dislike him, but you suppose you’d despise her if you knew her. 
Summoner’s court is all but entirely forgotten as even Samantha steps down to join the other fifth years as they fully form a gaggle around you. Amit, to everyone’s surprise, grabs the manual right out of your hands, his nosiness — which he would and does tell you is simply Ravenclaw curiosity, despite you being in the same house — overcoming all societal norms. Poppy, ever one for any sort of gossip, reads the title aloud: “Letters to Young Ladies on their Entrance into the World, to which are added sketches from real life… quite a mouthful, isn’t it?”
“Are you asking if we have these preposterous things?” For once, you can agree with Prewett’s assessment of something. Judging by the slow, rising murmur of consensus around you, everyone else is surprised by themselves for the very same reason. 
“I’ve never seen something like that in my life.” Garreth tacks on to his housemate, and Ominis, never one to miss a prompting, says a swift “me neither” that brings forth a laugh from you and uneasy chuckles from those that don’t know him as well. 
“My father told me to read the sixth letter about unequal marriages because I went on a date, something that seemed to single handedly convince him that my destiny is to become another Whitechapel murder victim, as if those poor girls were the reasons for their untimely demises.” You’re prattling on, you know this, but the insult of receiving the book in the first place still smarts. Natty places a hand on your shoulder, one of the few to know the true extent of your parental issues.
“That’s sort of hilarious, isn’t it?” Imelda pops up out of nowhere, sly as always, and you surmise her arduous, somewhat pointless three-hour self-inflicted flying practice must be over for the day. There really is quite a crowd gathering around you — in fact, there’s basically only one person missing.
“Hold on.” It’s Leander this time, eyes squinting as if he’s having a difficult time puzzling something out. “A date? Who’d you go on a date with?” 
“She was never going to say yes to you, mate, give it up.” Imelda is quick to start fires that she knows she won’t put out herself, and the case of Prewett pursuing you, something both you and him like to pretend doesn’t exist for very different reasons, is one such thing. 
“Come off it, screw off.” He fires back, the best he can come up with as everyone watches, and you so badly want to laugh but settle for turning away and taking the manual back from Amit and Poppy. As long as they’re occupied, nobody will think to follow up —
“Honestly, MC, I want to know too.” Natty breaks your overly-optimistic train of thought, and the glance you send her way is withering. You and Sebastian are still feeling things out, after all: Not too casual, not too serious. Perhaps this is the best time to let everyone know. 
“Well…” You draw the word out, pulling it out into several syllables. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to tell you all without him being here. He should get a say in the reveal, too.” 
The resulting group groan is pure cacophony. Poppy dreamily wonders aloud if it’s an older man, while Imelda scrunches up her face as she relays the idea of it being someone younger. Amit whines about never being in on the secret, and you suspect Natty is gearing up to silently jinx you. Even Ominis breaks his kind aloofness by shoving your shoulder in a way that makes you wonder if he really can’t see anything at all, and Garreth furrows his brows, surely wondering if he can slip veritaserum into your drink at supper. Samantha, one of your roommates, murmurs something about putting a hex on your pillow tonight.
“I see.” Leander says, too smug for your liking. “MC won’t tell us who because she isn’t actually dating anyone.”
“That’s worse for you, you git,” Imelda snaps. “Means she dislikes you so much she’ll lie about a boyfriend.”
“Goodness!” You speak again, finally incensed by everything that’s happening. Prewett never fails to put you in some sort of mood. You don’t really have room for one more secret as it is, what with everything Professor Fig and the Keepers have entrust to you, and Ranrok’s brewing rebellion. “If you really must know, really and truly, it’s Sebastian. Happy?”
Silence. Sudden and significant silence. 
“Sallow?!” For once, Leander and Imelda are on the same page, their voices surprisingly harmonious together as they break the sound barrier. Garreth and Ominis both look unsurprised, though they may just be stoicists at this point. Even Poppy, who’s literally seen the two of you out at Hogsmeade together, seems taken aback. 
“What have I done now?” 
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. 
“My dad sent me a ladies’ manual about propriety and sorts because I told him I’d gone on a date, and this lot couldn’t handle me not saying who with.” Your shoulders untense themselves naturally,as he walks up beside you, and you swipe a spot of grease off of his nose with an index finger before wiping it back on his own robe. 
“How was detention? Midday is a terrible time to serve one.”
“Sharp just had me manually cleaning cauldrons, it wasn’t the absolute worst. Incorrectly prepared Ashwinder eggs smell positively noxious, though.”
“Serves you right, frankly –”
“You’ve got to be fooling us.” It’s Amit this time, eyes wide as saucers as he interrupts you. “The two of you bicker constantly.” 
“More than.” Ominis supplies, and you stick your tongue out at him, eliciting an “I felt that!” from your decreasingly dear friend. 
“They fight like brother and sister.” Leander seems to be holding on to his belief in the idea that your budding relationship is merely a ruse. “Worse — they’re completely opposite each other. MC is witty and charming, and Sallow is, well… Sallow.”
“I think they’re good for each other.” Garreth shrugs. “She’s a bit of a kleptomaniac and he’s somewhat addicted to getting caught doing stupid things.”
“MC is -” Leander tries one more time at pulling something over Sebastian, or you, or both of you, but your sort-of-boyfriend decides he’s had enough and doesn’t let him finish.
“The whole lot of you only call her MC because of me, you know. I doubt you even know that it starts for ‘my charge,’ because I was put in charge of her when she first went to Hogsmeade. 
“Where a troll attacked her?” 
“Opposites can attract!” Poppy, ever the believer in love, chimes in before you can defend Sebastian from Leander’s latest barb. “And friends fall in love all the time. They’re both quite lovely to us and to each other when you aren’t around.” Her sweet tone is even more devastating as she aims her cutting words at Prewett.
“It’s just been a few dates.” You interject, reeling from how quickly everyone is quipping at each other, cheeks heating up at the idea of love. The school year has really only just begun — you and Sebastian just happen to get along.
“Well, a few official dates.” Sebastian knocks your shoulder with his bicep, and you look up at his teasing smile knowing full and well that it’ll just warm your face further. “Ask me why I had detention.” Your cheeks cannot physically get any hotter, and you stop yourself from self-incriminatingly scowling at Sebastian. The story is embarrassing for him but you know he doesn’t care because it’s sure to embarrass you, too. His words are aimed at Prewett because he really wants to twist the knife, but he has everyone else’s rapt attention too. The two boys engage in a bit of a staring match, reminiscent of your very first Defense Against the Dark Arts class when you’d walked in on them, both aggravated, dueling each other. 
“Why?” Leander spits out, curiosity finally getting the best of him.
“Sharp heard some, er, snogging noises in his private potions store at night. We’d gone in to nab some fluxweed but realized that we rarely get time to just be alone together. This one was smart enough to disillusion herself the moment we heard the door unlock, but I was so taken aback that I couldn’t do the same in time. He walked in and I, unable to think of anything else, told him that I’d found myself increasingly attracted to leaping toadstools. Of course, he assumed I was fulfilling some sort of bet, but I ended up with detention and she got off scot free.” 
“Go on, tell them the details of my astrological chart too, won’t you.” You hiss, but Sebastian only laughs, reaching an arm out to toss over your shoulder and pull you in. “And it wasn’t snogging exactly. We were just… lightly kissing. Very chastely, I might add.” You know nobody believes you even as you’re telling the truth — Sebastian is more respectful than he lets on. 
“Chaste kissing?” Garreth whistles as Ominis says this, and you prepare yourself for sarcasm from the latter. “Maybe your father was right to send you a marriage manual.” 
Now it’s Sebastian’s turn to become beet red. 
“M-marriage manual? I thought it was just a thing for young ladies to read. Your father sent you a what?” 
Before you can say anything in response, Imelda breaks her uncharacteristic silence to begin humming a tune popularly played at wedding ceremonies, and you forget everything in the moment as you lunge at her. She calls her broom to her with ease before jumping on and, before you can think, you do the same, leaving your bag and the manual on the grass to chase after your friend. 
All Sebastian can do is gaze up at you hopelessly and totally smitten as he, still red-faced, gathers your things up and closes your bag. Perhaps it’s time for another Three Broomsticks date. By the looks of it, you and Imelda are on your way there via air travel anyways.
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yinemw · 2 months ago
Text
𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞
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context: asking sebastian what exactly the two of you are, leading to detention and answers to your question (gender neutral reader)
warnings: none
character: Sebastian Sallow from Hogwarts Legacy
m.list
Sneaking around Hogwarts wasn’t new to you, often did you wander around the halls and plenty of secret rooms the school held. It had almost become a talent of yours, and your dear friend Sebastian’s. Not getting caught by teachers or prefects as the two of you were out of bed late at night. You didn’t always have a purpose for it, not like you needed to visit the library at 1am, it was the adrenaline, and of course the very boy who had influenced you to be so rebellious in the first place.
Sebastian Sallow, although you called him Seb. He taught you various things, a few spells he found interesting, how to sneak around the school, how to get better with potions, how to kiss. It wasn’t like it was planned, your confusing relationship with the boy, it kind of just happened.
Not sure if the feelings were real or caused by the adrenaline, it had all happened so fast that one day when the two of you snuck to the astronomy tower. Sebastian pulling you close and kissing you as the cold breeze of the night chilled your burning bodies. The rest was a blur, but that wasn’t the last time an incident like that had happened. Though you did wonder why Sebastian only touched and kissed you whenever the two of you snuck around during late at night.
Tonight was no different. Sebastian’s hand held yours as he pulled you behind a bookshelf in the restricted section of the library. The disillusionment charm fading away, you could see just how close Sebastian was now. His body pressing against yours, chest to chest, pushing you against the bookshelf. “Seb” you breathe, looking up into his eyes, his damn eyes. “I was actually meaning to ask you something—” the words die in your throat, his lips on your neck catching you off guard. It always went like this, you never got any answers from the boy, too addicted to his lips, his body, his scent, to him. “Seb please, let me just…ask you something, we need to talk”
He groaned, pulling away from your neck to look into your eyes. “Talk? Is that really how you want to be spending your time here?” He sounded almost offended, one of his hands had already snuck underneath your shirt, and you could feel the way he squeezed your waist.
“Well, no—”
“Great” he wasted no time, grabbing your chin with his other hand and kissing your lips. You couldn’t resist, like usual, kissing him back. Feeling his soft lips against your own as his tongue quickly entered your mouth, the kiss turning into something much more passionate in seconds.
It took much willpower, but you end up pulling away from the kiss, hands on his shoulders to prevent him from catching you off guard once again. “Dude, seriously”
He smirked at that, finding your way of addressing him amusing. “Dude? Alright darling, what is it you want to tell me?”
“Well, it’s more of a question” you swallow hard, suddenly nervous now that he was actually listening and paying attention. And with his stupid smirk it only made it harder to concentrate. “You started this, the kissing, hooking up and sneaking around. I guess I just…want a label on us”
His smirk fell, a more serious expression replaced on his face. “A label? That is what’s so great about us, about this, we have no label. Do we need one?”
“We don’t need one, but I want one” you explain, hands moving from his shoulders to his neck. Your fingers tangling into the hair by the nape of his neck, pulling him a little closer when you see the change in his demeanor. “Is this just casual hooking up? Friends with benefits? Or do you want something more with me? Because as much as I absolutely love sneaking around with you and doing this, I can’t continue it without knowing what we are”
“…Y/n”
Judging by the tone of his voice, you knew you wouldn’t get the answer you wanted. It was ridiculous, thinking Sebastian Sallow would date you, he didn’t date. Everyone knew this, so why would you be an exception. “Right…gotcha”
A slight panic crosses his face when he feels you start to pull away, tightening his embrace around you to prevent you from leaving. “This doesn’t have to end”
“And what exactly is ‘this’?”
Sebastian stayed quiet, looking between your eyes to try and come up with an excuse, to say anything to please you. But his mouth remained shut and his arms loosened around you. “So this is it? No more hooking up? No more sneaking around? We go back to friends?” Question after question left his lips, he started to realize just what he was losing.
“Were we ever even friends, Sallow?”
Sallow. Hearing you call him by his last name was like a slap to the face. How did he manage to mess up so bad so fast, only a few minutes ago he had you pinned against the bookshelf, kissing you, touching you.
Sebastian doesn’t answer, swallowing hard as he thinks over everything. But his train of thought was quickly interrupted when you hear the all too familiar voice of Peeves.
“Students! In the restricted section!!”
That’s how you and Sebastian ended up in detention the next day, it wasn’t the first time, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last, but safe to say it was the most uncomfortable one by far.
The two of you were tasked to reorganize jars and the countless of ingredients in the potions classroom. No magic allowed, everything had to be done by hand.
Sebastian groans loudly, stretching his arms in the air, feeling the ache in his back after having been hunched over for so long. “Is this how the muggles clean?” He mumbles to himself, though steals a glance your way. You hadn’t talked to him the whole day, sitting with Poppy during class instead of him. You even talked with Ominis, but not him. And he missed it, your presence, your jokes, just hearing your voice.
“I think I’m gonna throw up”
An amused smile appears on his lips, he hadn’t expected that to be the first thing you said to him today, but he’ll take it. “What?” And then it hit him, the smell. He made his way to you, looking over your shoulder to see the open jar on the table in front of you. It smelled like death itself, and looked like a slimy black substance.
“What the bloody hell is that?” Sebastian gags, his arm instinctively wrapping around your waist and pulling you away from the table. Taking several steps backwards until his back hits one of the potion tables.
You cough a few times, covering your nose and mouth with your hand. “I don’t even know how to pronounce it, but we’re supposed transfer into a bigger jar” you explain, handing him the note that Professor Sharp had given you, explaining in detail what you and Sebastian had to do for your detention.
“Why?! It looks completely fine in that jar” he gags again, burying his face into your neck. “Mmm you smell nice, much better”
“Seb!” You can’t help but laugh, pushing him off. “If I have to suffer, so do you!”
Seb. That was a name he was used to, always sounded so sweet and perfect when you spoke it. For a second he completely forgot about your little ‘disagreement’ yesterday. It was as if things went back to normal.
“You’re transferring it”
“Me?! I will actually throw up”
“You’re so dramatic” rolling your eyes and lifting your shirt over your nose, you walk back over to the table. Placing the bigger jar beside the one with the slime in it. “At least help me”
He follows you, dragging his shirt over his nose as well as he reluctantly walks over to you. The shirt doing little to cover up the bad smell.
“Now pour the slime into the bigger jar”
“You need help with that?! You can do it alone!”
“I’ll hold the jar, you pour!”
“Hold the jar?! It’s already on the table why do you need to hold it?!”
“Sebastian Sallow, do as you’re told!”
He groans loudly, wanting you to see just how upset he was, yet he still listened to you. Whatever it took to get the smell away as fast as possible. Sebastian lifts the smaller jar and starts to pour the slimy substance into the bigger one, gagging as he watches the thick consistency drip over the rim.
“Ew why is it bubbling” you take a step back, watching how small bubbles start to pop from the surface of the slime when moved, as if it was expanding when moved to the bigger space.
“Bubbling?!”
As the last of the slime was in the new jar, you quickly shut it and place it at the back of the shelf. Sebastian was gagging again, and you could see the beads of sweat trailing down his forehead. “You are so extra”
He glares, lifting his finger at you to say something, but his expression quickly turns into disgust. “It’s on my hand!” He yells, shaking his in panic. “It’s on my hand!! Help!”
Laughing first, you quickly find paper and grab his wrist, cleaning his fingers. “You’re a toddler, I swear. It amazes me how you’re two completely different people sometimes”
He lets out a relived breath when his hands were clean of the substance, but he can’t help but think over your words. “What do you mean, two different people?”
“Oh uhm” suddenly you were back to the awkwardness between the two of you, no more laughing or joking around. “Doesn’t matter” you say quickly, picking up the notes from Professor Sharp and starting to sort out the other things he had written down.
Sebastian followed after you, placing his hands on the table as he stood behind you. Trapping you between the table and him. “You know I won’t let it go”
You did know, perhaps you knew him too well. Having spent so much time with him outside of class. It wasn’t only hooking up you and Sebastian did when you snuck out, you often just talked about everything and anything. At this point you might know Sebastian even better than Ominis. “It doesn’t matter anymore since, well, we stopped our arrangement or whatever…but I just always found it interesting how you could be so funny and dramatic one minute, and then so intense and intimate the next moment… but that doesn’t matter now. It’s nothing really, just, something I found…funny” you close your eyes, mentally cursing yourself for the way you babble. Not knowing Sebastian found it adoring.
“Turn around”
“No…” you mumble, clutching the notes in your hand. Sebastian’s chest was now pressed against your back, but not in a sensual way, rather in a softer and vulnerable way. His forehead resting at the back of your head, breathing in your shampoo.
“Please”
Who were you to say no to him when he sounded so pleading and soft, it was Sebastian Sallow after all, the boy who had you wrapped around his finger without even knowing it. As you turn around to face him, you regret it immediately. His puppy eyes looking into yours, face so close.
“I’m sorry, for yesterday” his voice was gentle, almost a whisper, a sign that he was being genuine. “I was up all night, thinking about it over and over again. I should have spoken up, should have said how I really feel instead of staying quiet and making you think I don’t want something more”
You stay silent, listening intently to his words, letting him speak his mind. Heart racing in your chest, was this finally the confession you had been waiting for?
“You’ve been a distraction in my life- a good one. I needed someone who I could just, ‘be’ with. To just exist with you. It took my mind off of Anne…and just everything going on in my life. It was so easy, to just be with you. When you asked me what we are, to label it, I panicked”
Your gaze softens, hand going up to cup his soft freckles cheek. Realizing that behind all those walls Sebastian had built, was still just a boy trying to save his sister. “I didn’t realize you felt like that…why did you panic?”
He closed his eyes and leaned into your touch, placing his hand on top of yours. “Because if we start dating, and I mess it up, I would lose you. Turns out I messed up anyways…” he mumbles into your palm, placing a tender kiss to it.
“Seb” a soft giggle passes your lips and you lean forwards. Pressing your forehead to his and pulling him closer. His arms instinctively wrapping around your frame and squeezing you into his embrace. “You didn’t mess up Sebby, it was just a…let’s call it a bump, okay? And we can start fresh now, especially since I know now that you feel the same”
He hums, breathing in your scent. The feeling of your warm body pressed against his felt so right to him. Like two puzzle pieces fitting together. Unfortunately the moment didn’t last long, you both hear the door to the classroom open, knowing it was Professor Sharp coming to check how far you’ve come with the tasks.
You quickly pull away from one another, finding the closest jar or box and pretending to sort it somewhere else.
Thankfully the professor only did a quick scan of the shelves before going into his office, leaving you and Sebastian alone once again.
“Merlins beard, is there nowhere at this school we can have a moment alone?” Sebastian whispers annoyed, though he couldn’t suppress his smile when he heard you laugh.
“Keep working Seb, the faster we get done with the tasks, the faster we can go and have dinner”
“Okay babe”
“Babe?” You ask wide eyed, looking down at Sebastian crouching by the bottom shelf. He looked back up at you with his damn puppy eyes, he knew exactly what he was doing.
“Oh, are we not dating now?”
“I uhm, yeah, whatever, I guess. Shut up!”
“You’re blushing!”
“Am not!”
“You so are!”
“Shut up before I open the jar with black slime again!”
“Anything but that!”
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slytherinzz · 3 months ago
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Breaking point
Summary: Two years after the turmoil of her fifth year at Hogwarts, MC returns for her seventh year, haunted by past trauma and the ghosts of broken friendships. Reconnecting with Ominis and Sebastian, her once closest friends, is no easy feat. As she drowns her pain in reckless parties, endless boys and destructive behavior, both boys watch helplessly, knowing she’s spiraling. When a night takes a dark turn, they intervene, and MC is forced to face the pain she’s been hiding. But Sebastian, with his own regrets, is determined to help her heal—and to prove that he’s not letting her go.
Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x F!reader (fluff at the end/protective Seb)
Warnings: mentions of alcohol abuse and slutshaming. Characters aged up to 7th year!
a/n: is this fandom still alive? Maybe I'm to late to the party ;) But I'm really enjoying myself haha. Plan to do more in the future: preparing some prompts and headcanons en requests are open. Give me a follow for more.
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It had been two years since their fateful fifth year, and though the dust had settled, the wounds had not. Life at Hogwarts carried on, but for MC, every hallway, every classroom, and every face served as a reminder of what she had endured. She returned to Hogwarts for her seventh year, her path winding her back to the two people who had once been her closest friends: Ominis Gaunt and Sebastian Sallow.
It wasn’t immediate, this reconnection. Time had a way of healing and, at the same time, pushing people apart. Their sixth year had been quiet—MC had needed space to deal with everything, to step back from the chaos that had consumed her life. But now, in their final year, they had found each other again, tentatively rebuilding their friendship.
And yet, something was different.
Sebastian had never stopped loving her. That much was obvious to Ominis, even if Sebastian refused to admit it outright. The way his eyes softened when she entered the room, the protective edge in his tone whenever someone so much as teased her—it was clear to anyone paying attention. But MC, though she cared deeply for him, was terrified of letting herself feel the same.
She couldn’t.
If she allowed herself to feel for Sebastian, she risked everything. What if he didn’t feel the same? What if it ruined their fragile friendship? She couldn’t afford to lose anyone else. Not again. And so, she buried her feelings and found other ways to cope.
At first, it had been small things. A few late nights at parties, a glass of Firewhisky here and there. But as the year wore on, her coping mechanisms became destructive. She was at every party, taking shot after shot until the world blurred around her. She laughed too loudly, danced too wildly, and left with boys who didn’t know her name and didn’t care to.
It wasn’t long before Ominis and Sebastian noticed.
“She’s not herself,” Ominis said one night, pacing the floor of their shared dormitory. “She’s drinking too much. She is searching for validation in other people arms. She’s… reckless.”
Sebastian sat on his bed, his jaw tight, his hands clenched into fists. He didn’t need Ominis to tell him what he already knew.
“I’ve seen her,” he muttered. “I’ve seen her, throw herself to others, going way behond her own limits, Ominis. She doesn’t even look like herself anymore.”
Ominis stopped pacing, his expression grim. “She’s hurting, Sebastian. She’s been hurting for years, and we didn’t help. She needed us, and we weren’t there. After everything she has done for us”
Sebastian flinched at the words. He couldn’t deny it. In their fifth year, he had hurt her—his obsession with saving Anne, the lies, the dark magic. He had driven a wedge between them, and the guilt of it still weighed heavily on him.
“But what do we do now?” Sebastian asked, his voice low. “She won’t listen to us. She doesn’t even look at me anymore.”
Ominis sighed. “We keep an eye on her. We make sure she’s safe, even if she doesn’t want us to. And when the time is right, we talk to her. Really talk to her.”
The Slytherin common room was packed, the air thick with the smell of Firewhisky and the sound of laughter. It was one of the biggest parties of the year, and MC was right in the center of it.
She looked radiant, her cheeks flushed, her laughter ringing out above the noise. But to Sebastian and Ominis, who watched from the corner of the room, there was a sadness in her eyes that no one else seemed to notice.
“She’s already drunk,” Ominis said quietly, his gaze fixed on her as she stumbled slightly, leaning on a nearby table for support.
Sebastian’s fists clenched. “I’m not letting her leave with anyone tonight.”
They continued to watch as she floated from group to group, her laughter louder, her movements more erratic. And then Weasley approached her.
It started innocently enough. Garreth poured her another drink, cracking jokes that made her laugh. But as the night wore on, his intentions became clearer. He moved closer to her, his hand brushing against her arm, then her waist. MC, too drunk to notice—or too drunk to care—didn’t push him away.
Sebastian’s blood boiled.
“She’s too far gone for this,” he growled, stepping forward, but Ominis grabbed his arm.
“Not yet. Let’s see if she pushes him off.”
But she didn’t. Garreth led her to a quieter corner of the room, away from the crowd. She swayed on her feet, barely able to keep her balance, but Garreth steadied her.
And then he kissed her.
It wasn’t soft or gentle. It was rough, his hands gripping her waist, pulling her against him. MC stiffened, her hands pressing weakly against his chest, but she was too drunk to fight back. His hands began to wander, slipping down to her thighs, and that was when Sebastian snapped.
“Get your hands off her!”
He was across the room in seconds, shoving Garreth away with a force that sent him stumbling. Garreth glared, his face red with anger and embarrassment.
“She wanted it” Garreth spat, but Sebastian didn’t let him finish.
“She’s drunk,” Sebastian snarled, his voice low and dangerous. “She couldn’t consent even if she did want it. You’re pathetic.”
Ominis stepped in, his hand on Sebastian’s arm. “Enough. Let’s get her out of here.”
MC was barely coherent, her head lolling against Sebastian’s chest as he scooped her into his arms.
The Room of Requirement was quiet, the chaos of the party far behind them. Sebastian laid MC gently on a plush sofa, pulling a blanket over her as Ominis conjured a glass of water.
“She’s going to hate us for this,” Ominis said softly.
“I don’t care,” Sebastian replied, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m not letting her destroy herself.”
They stayed by her side through the night, refusing to leave her alone. When she finally stirred, the early morning light filtering through the room, she groaned softly, her head pounding.
“Where… where am I?” she mumbled.
“The Room of Requirement,” Sebastian said, his voice gentle. “You drank too much. We brought you here.”
She sat up slowly, her eyes darting between the two boys. “Did I… did something happen?”
Sebastian hesitated, his jaw tightening. “Garreth crossed a line. We stopped him.”
Her face crumpled, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Stop,” Ominis said firmly. “You don’t need to apologize to us. But you do need to stop doing this to yourself.”
Sebastian knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. “Why, MC? Why are you doing this? Drinking, partying… pushing us away?”
She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. “I don’t know how to feel anymore. I can’t… I can’t risk losing you. Either of you. If I let myself feel anything, it’ll destroy me.”
“You’re not going to lose us,” he said again, his voice steadier this time. “But you have to stop hurting yourself. You have to let someone in, MC.”
Her lips quivered, and she shook her head. “I can’t. What if I mess it up? What if I ruin everything? You don’t understand, Sebastian. You… you mean everything to me. You both do. If I lose you, I don’t know how to keep going.”
Sebastian felt his heart crack open. Every word she spoke was another piece of armor he hadn’t realized he’d been wearing, falling away. “And you think I don’t feel the same?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
She blinked at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “You… what?”
“I love you,” he said, firmer now. “I’ve been in love with you since Fifth Year. And seeing you like this—seeing you with Garreth, seeing you destroy yourself—it’s killing me. I can’t stand it anymore, MC. I can’t.”
Her breath hitched, her hands tightening around his as though he might disappear if she let go. “But why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t think I deserved you,” he admitted, his voice breaking. “Not after everything I did. Not after how much I hurt you back then.”
“You didn’t hurt me, Sebastian,” she said, her voice trembling. “You were trying to save Anne. You were trying to save your family. I could never hate you for that.”
Sebastian let out a shaky laugh, his forehead falling to hers. “And I could never hate you for what you’ve done this year. But you have to stop punishing yourself. You’re not alone. You never were.”
The words hit her like a tidal wave. For years, she had carried the weight of her guilt, her grief, her fear—alone. And now, here was Sebastian, promising to share it with her. To stay by her side no matter what.
She let out a choked sob and pulled him into a fierce hug. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, over and over again.
“You don’t have to apologize,” he murmured, his arms wrapping tightly around her. “Just let me be here for you. Please.”
For the first time in years, she let herself believe that she wasn’t alone.
When the three of them returned to the Great Hall the next morning, the whispers began almost immediately.
“Look at her. The hero of Hogwarts, brought home by her two protectors again.”
“Bet she’s gone through half the boys in Slytherin by now.”
“She’ll probably ditch Sebastian and take Ominis next. What’s another name on the list?”
MC’s face burned as the whispers reached her ears. She felt every judgmental gaze, every smirk. It was suffocating. She tried to retreat into herself, but Sebastian caught her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.
“Don’t listen to them,” he said quietly. “They don’t know you.”
But the words lingered.
Over the next week, the rumors only grew worse. Despite the clear shift in MC’s behavior—she avoided parties, stopped behaving recklessly, and spent most of her time with Sebastian and Ominis—the whispers followed her wherever she went. And it didn’t take long for people to start turning their attention to Sebastian.
“She’s just using him. He’s the next notch on her wand.”
“Poor Sebastian. He’s in over his head with her.”
It boiled under his skin, every cruel word igniting his frustration. But he knew MC was the one who was truly suffering.
“You don’t believe them, do you?” he asked her one night as they sat by the fire in the Room of Requirement.
“No,” she said quietly, but her voice betrayed her doubt. “But it’s hard not to. After everything I’ve done… maybe they’re right.”
Sebastian cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. “They are not right. You’re more than their stupid gossip, MC. You’re more than your mistakes.” He leaned closer, his voice softening. “You’re mine.”
Her eyes widened, her lips parting as his words settled over her.
“I mean it,” he continued. “I don’t care what they say. I don’t care what they think. You’re mine, and I’m not letting anyone take you away from me.”
The breaking point came a week later during a Potions class. Garreth Weasley had taken to making sly comments under his breath whenever MC or Sebastian walked by. Most of the time, Sebastian ignored him, but today, something snapped.
“Well, well,” Garreth said, loud enough for the whole class to hear. “Looks like Sallow finally got his turn. Tell me, MC, how does he compare to the others?”
The room fell silent.
Sebastian shot out of his seat, his wand already drawn. “Take that back,” he snarled, his voice deadly calm.
Garreth smirked. “What? I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking.”
“Take. It. Back.”
“Sebastian!” MC’s voice cut through the tension, pulling him back. He turned to her, his face twisted in anger and pain.
“Let them say what they want,” she said softly, her hand brushing against his. “They don’t matter. You do.”
For a moment, the room was frozen. And then, without hesitation, Sebastian cupped her face and kissed her.
It wasn’t a soft, tentative kiss. It was fierce and full of fire, a declaration for everyone in the room to see. When he pulled away, he turned back to Garreth, his hand still on MC’s cheek.
“She’s not some name on a list,” he said coldly. “She’s mine. And if I hear you—or anyone else—talk about her like that again, you’ll regret it.”
The class erupted into murmurs as the professor returned, breaking the moment. But the damage was done. The rumors didn’t stop entirely, but they shifted.
In the days that followed, MC felt something she hadn’t felt in years: peace. Sebastian was by her side at every turn, his presence a constant reminder that she wasn’t alone anymore.
They spent their days together in quiet moments—reading by the fire, sneaking out to the Forbidden Forest for walks, or simply sitting in the Great Hall, their fingers brushing under the table.
And when the whispers started up again, Sebastian was quick to silence them with a sharp glare or a cutting remark. Ominis, ever loyal, had even taken to redirecting conversations when he overheard anything cruel.
For the first time in years, MC felt like she could breathe again.
One evening, as they sat together in the Room of Requirement, Sebastian turned to her, his expression serious.
“Promise me something,” he said.
“Anything,” she replied.
“Promise me you won’t shut me out again. No matter how bad things get, no matter how scared you are, you come to me. Always.”
She smiled, her eyes shining with tears. “I promise.”
And when she kissed him this time, it wasn’t about proving anything to anyone. It was just for them.
For once, she was finally home.
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5sospenguinqueen · 10 months ago
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Sebastian: Yeah, we're just friends but I would shag you if you asked.
MC: (looking up from her essay) Pardon?
Sebastian: (blushing) What?
Ominis: He said he'd shag you if you asked.
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jmliebert · 3 months ago
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Sebastian Sallow as Your Husband ♡
cries when he sees you at the aisle on your wedding day
*all the guests are shocked*
always up for the kiss from you
“my wife this,” “my wife that” — he simply can’t stop talking about you
big arguments ending up with heated make-outs (always)
dangerously jealous
but when you ask, "what's wrong?" he huffs, "nothing," but his sulking say it all
when he's buried in a project, he forgets food, sleep—everything and you’re the only one who can pull him away
he’d spend his very last knut just to see his wife smile :')
when you’re away, the world feels weird. he counts the seconds until you return (ever since you met at Hogwarts, you've been inseparable, and now each moment apart feels somehow wrong for him)
confident to everyone else, but sometimes, in the quiet of night, he still whispers, “do you still love me?” just to hear you say “yes.”
if anyone crosses a line, Sebastian doesn’t hesitate. he's protective and won't let any disrespect towards you pass
unconsciously positions himself between you and any potential danger (or man), whether in crowded rooms or on the streets
always up for some spontaneous adventures, just like the ones you had at Hogwarts
to others, he’s sharp-tongued and reckless. but to you? he’s tender, vulnerable, and endlessly devoted
Sebastian declares it so often, you’d think it would lose meaning, but it never does — you changed his life
passionately devoted to you despite the years that pass—the kind of husband your female friends can’t help but envy...
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
 hi, you can find more of my works about sebastian ♡here♡
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magical-reid · 2 months ago
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The Weight of a Handheld Promise
Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x Reader
Word Count: 1.1K
Prompts 7: “Go with me?” “Only if you hold my hand.”
31: “You said you wouldn’t fall in love with me.” “I lied.” 
Summary: In the midst of growing tensions at Hogwarts, Sebastian Sallow and the reader navigate the complexities of dark magic, friendship, and unspoken feelings. As their connection deepens, a simple promise to hold hands becomes a pivotal moment that marks the beginning of something that could change everything.
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Reader’s Perspective
The late autumn air was crisp as you made your way down the Hogwarts courtyard, your scarf pulled snugly around your neck. The leaves were swirling in a flurry of reds and golds, and while you adored the changing seasons, today you felt restless.
It wasn’t until you heard Sebastian Sallow’s familiar voice calling your name that the restlessness lifted, replaced by a mix of warmth and anticipation.
“There you are!” he said, a grin spreading across his face as he jogged up to you. His hair was slightly windswept, and his wand was tucked haphazardly into his robes. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Really?” you asked, feigning nonchalance. “What for?”
He rolled his eyes, though his grin didn’t falter. “Well, the thing is, there’s this little gathering in Hogsmeade this weekend. Music, food, you know the deal. And I was thinking…” He trailed off, scratching the back of his neck—a rare sign of nervousness from the ever-confident Sebastian.
“Thinking what?” you pressed, though your heart was already racing.
“Go with me?” he asked, his words quick and almost casual, but his brown eyes betrayed him. They were filled with something much deeper than casual interest.
You tilted your head, considering him. “Only if you hold my hand,” you said, teasingly, but you meant it too. You’d had enough of stolen glances and lingering moments. If this was going somewhere, you needed it to be clear.
Sebastian smirked, though there was a faint blush creeping up his neck. “Deal,” he said.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Sebastian’s Perspective
He’d been planning to ask you to Hogsmeade for days now, but as usual, he found it much harder to keep his cool when he was actually standing in front of you.
The way you looked at him when you said, “Only if you hold my hand,” had nearly undone him on the spot. How were you so effortlessly charming and bold?
He’d grinned through his nerves, but as he walked away from the courtyard, he couldn’t stop thinking about your answer. Did you know how long he’d been waiting to have an excuse to hold your hand? Probably not, but he planned to make the most of it.
When the weekend finally arrived, he met you at the castle gates, dressed in his best robes and carrying a confidence that felt just a bit exaggerated. The moment he saw you, though, everything else faded.
“You look… amazing,” he blurted, before he could stop himself.
“Thanks,” you said, a small smile tugging at your lips. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
He offered his arm, but you raised an eyebrow and extended your hand instead. “You promised,” you reminded him.
Sebastian chuckled, his cheeks warming as he took your hand in his. “I did, didn’t I?”
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Reader’s Perspective
The day in Hogsmeade felt like a dream. Sebastian was at his absolute best—charming, witty, and surprisingly attentive. He kept your hand in his the entire time, as if he was afraid to let go.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, the two of you found yourselves wandering away from the main street. The air was cool and filled with the scent of wood smoke, and the quiet felt almost intimate.
Sebastian led you to a secluded bench near the edge of the village, where you could see the lights of Hogwarts twinkling in the distance. You sat together, the silence stretching between you in a way that felt both comfortable and charged.
“You said you wouldn’t fall in love with me,” you said suddenly, breaking the quiet.
He stiffened beside you, but when you turned to look at him, he was smiling—a soft, almost self-deprecating smile.
“I lied,” he admitted, his voice low. His eyes searched yours, as if waiting for your reaction.
Your heart skipped a beat, but you kept your voice steady. “You did, huh?”
“I did,” he said, turning to face you fully. “I told myself I wouldn’t, that it was too risky. But the truth is, I think I’ve been in love with you since the first time you called me out for being a show-off in Defense Against the Dark Arts.”
You couldn’t help but laugh at that. “You were a show-off.”
“I still am,” he said, grinning now. “But only because I like impressing you.”
His words hung in the air between you, and for a moment, all you could do was stare at him—at his messy hair, his earnest expression, and the way he was looking at you like you were the only person in the world.
“I think I might be in love with you too,” you admitted softly.
Sebastian’s grin widened, and before you could say anything else, he squeezed your hand. “Good. That’s good. Because I’ve got no intention of letting go of this hand now.”
You smiled, your heart full. “You’d better not.”
And as the two of you sat there, watching the lights of Hogwarts flicker in the distance, you knew this was the beginning of something that would change everything.
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witchyafterdark · 11 months ago
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—Sebastian Sallow Headcanons; pt. 2
• The Pros and Cons of being with him •
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These are just some of the headcanons that might manifest if you ever think about dating this one of a kind man, Sebastian Sallow. Once again, these are my personal thoughts, so take them with a grain of salt. None of these screenshots belong to me. All credits to their respective creators and owners! 💚
・❥・ PROS
Being with Sebastian is like a breath of fresh air every single day.
Even in the most mundane of moments, he won't be short of new things and experiences to enjoy with you. He makes sure that you're always happy in his presence that every time you have to spend some time apart, you can't wait to see and be with him again.
Your safety and security is top-priority to him, in more ways than one.
He has no qualms in joining you break the curfew to go adventuring in the highlands. Whenever he gets the chance, he slips a vial (or five) of Wiggenweld Potions into your robes in case you go fighting spiders, trolls, and Ashwinders without him. And when you come back to the castle with scratches or marks on you, best believe he will fuss over you regardless if you're in public.
But it's the little things that really matter to him.
Whenever you spend the night in his dorm, he ensures you're comfortable in his bed; grabbing extra pillows, giving you an extra blanket so you don't end up struggling with him over it, and casting a warming charm over the foot of the bed to keep your feet cozy.
He might even start to buy ribbons or hair ties for when you need them but don't have any on you at the moment. You're thirsty? He has another water canteen for you. Your seasonal allergies bothering you? He's got another set of handkerchiefs just for you. Your neck hurts from being hunched over while reading? He won't even hesitate to massage the back of your neck in soothing motions. You missed breakfast? Don't worry, he pocketed and kept warm a bunch of fresh muffins just for you.
When you get sick, you can only imagine the things he would do to nurse you back to health.
Sebastian is actually an expert in time management. It doesn't matter if he has classes in fifteen-minutes. He would have asked the house elves to prepare you a hearty bowl of vegetable soup, personally brought it to your bed in the Hospital Wing, and he would truly spoon feed you without hesitation. He would also do all your missed homework for you, and duplicate all his notes for you to go through once you're well. And he will see to it that you're nursed back to health by hook or by crook. He will sneak up to the Hospital Wing in the middle of the night just to check if you're sleeping well, or if you're awake and you need anything from him. He's very, very caring.
Of course, not everyone is a fan of the Hero of Hogwarts.
So, when he hears some students spreading nasty rumors about you, or badmouthing you, he will see to it that this kind of defamation ends within the span of a day. He will not allow anyone to talk bad about you, and would protect your reputation to the best of his abilities; even if he has to... dirty his hands a lot.
You will always feel loved by him, in all the sense of the word.
Even though he would be mindful of his public displays of affection—he actually likes to keep more intimate moments with you a bit more private and "for his eyes only"—he doesn't shy away from holding your hand in public. One of the simple things he enjoys doing is to guide you around with his hand on the small of your back, always keeping physical contact with you. Sweet kisses, hugs, comforting words, unexpected and unprompted gifts, catching him staring at you lovingly (and him denying this cutely), and being at your beck and call are just some of the things he loves to give you.
Beyond the surface, he is actually very in-tune with you and how you fair in the relationship.
Sebastian can perfectly read a person within a given time period. He managed to become Ominis' best friend, who is quite aloof and very guarded. This is because Sebastian has a way of appealing to people in a genuine way. This quality of his definitely extends to your relationship with him. He already senses when you had a bad morning, or when you're not in the mood for anything. He also doesn't push you to explain yourself if you don't want to. He will, however, do whatever to make you feel seen and heard in the moment, and won't invalidate your feelings... as long as you see eye to eye.
→ His romantic and compassionate gestures would grow even further once you've both graduated from Hogwarts, and are free to explore the full extent of your relationship.
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・❥・ CONS
He is aware of the weight of his baggage in life, and is quite stubborn about it.
(This one's not so much of a disadvantage but just something to keep an eye on).
Dealing with a lot of traumatic events and death of family members since childhood is bound to change anybody, and Sebastian is no exception. And since things just kept piling up on top of the other as he grows older, he is surprisingly stubborn and immovable about the things that has happened to him. The devastation of Anne's curse and the subsequent death of Solomon had left an indelible mark on his own perception of himself.
If there's one thing about him that you should know, it is that he refuses to be treated as a helpless victim of circumstances. Even if you're coming from a place of good intentions and wanting to help him overcome his trauma, he doesn't like to be helped unless he asks for it. And more often than not, he prefers to bury his emotional torment under a cool and controlled façade.
Talking about wanting to help him heal from his past is one way to push him into becoming emotionally detached from you. He'd rather swallow all the hurt than trying to heal from them; because dealing with them, no matter how beneficial it can be for him, will make him face his perceived weaknesses and supposed failures in life. And if you really push him to talk to you about these things, he will end up projecting all that trauma onto you and the relationship to "give you a taste" of what you're asking for.
With that said, he won't allow you to sway him from things he set his mind into—even if those things are deadly for him and the people around him.
To understand Sebastian, you only need to observe why he does the things he do. He doesn't do things without a purpose, without reason. But when his reasoning becomes severely clouded by his need to succeed, no amount of effort to persuade him otherwise will help your cause. In his mind, you're either with him, or against him. This laser-sharp focus and tunnel-vision can be viewed in a positive light. But too much of something can lead to the worst outcomes. And in his oldest friend's words, "he doesn't know when to stop." He doesn't go to sleep when he's tired, he goes to sleep when he's done. And while that is an attractive quality to a certain point, he doesn't know his limitations. That means he won't stop unless he gets what he sought out to achieve, even with the risk of life and limb.
In the same vein, he will do absolutely anything to get what he wants; and won't take no for an answer.
The ends justify the means for Sebastian. While he can be the type to think before he acts, what usually happens is that he thinks at the same time he acts. And if you ruminate about it, that kind of behavior can be quite alarming due to the notion that he thought about the repercussions or the moral standing of a certain action, yet still acting upon it. He knows what he's doing is wrong but have no problem justifying what he does without hesitation. In a life or death situation, this kind of attitude is beneficial because he can think quick on his feet. But you're not faced with life-threatening situations every single day. This makes you wonder... what kind of moral standards does he have on a regular basis? And what would happen to you if you get in the way of his plans?
On top of it, since he knows how to appeal to people's feelings, he doesn't hesitate to use that to his advantage very well.
Simply put, he knows which buttons to push in order to get you in his side. He will try to make you see that he's doing very questionable—or even downright heinous—things for the greater good. And he can do it in the most genuine, convincing way. He knows that you're attached to him, and he will monopolize on it for the other reason that he doesn't want to go against the person he loves.
But if you try to stand up against him, and try to persuade him into dropping what he's doing, his demeanor will immediately change. He will perceive your lack of cooperation as an act of betrayal, and will resort to other methods of manipulation.
And while he is also hurting from your direct disapproval, Sebastian can find ways to slowly but surely twist the nature of your relationship with him to get you to become co-dependent upon him to break down your defenses. This kind of tactic can eventually degrade the quality of your bond with him, and by extension, the way you behave with him over time.
If you decided to put your feet down and stand your ground against his decisions, best believe you're dead to him.
Sebastian can grieve the loss of his relationship with you, his beloved, but he won't ever let it show in public. It's as if he doesn't know you to begin with. In his mind, if you can betray him like that, then he shouldn't associate with you at all. No matter how painful it is to swallow the bitter pill of his new reality, he'll stiffen that upper lip and act as if it doesn't bother him at all. He is very, very stubborn.
(And yes, this is quite reflective of how he is with us post-credits because let's face it, him not speaking to us anymore was like a slap to the face. Even Duncan talks to us!)
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So, do the pros outweigh the cons for you?
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morelikeravenbore · 11 months ago
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✨Sebastian Sallow fluff alphabet
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My personal headcanons based on the way I imagine and write Sebastian in How to Make a Villain.
This template is from this post by snowluvs and is definitely worth a read and a reblog! I loooove reading Sebastian headcanons so feel free to write your own, too!
🌶️ Find my Sebastian Sallow spicy alphabet here.
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A - Attractive - what do they find attractive about their partner?
We all know that Sebastian has a bit of a savior complex, so he's attracted to a partner who trusts him with their vulnerability by letting him protect them, care for them and fuss over them. However, he also likes a challenge, so someone with a bit of backbone to go with their vulnerability would really pique his interest. It doesn't matter what form that backbone takes, be it academically-focused, impressive duelling prowess, or just someone whose not afraid to call him out when he's acting out of line, Sebastian is undeniably attracted to that spark.
Read on 👇
B - Body - what is their favourite part of their partner’s body?
Given that he craves deep and genuine emotional connection with a partner, he's very drawn to the face: stroking your cheeks, kissing the corners of your mouth, your eyelids, your brows. He finds any excuse to touch your face, whether it be brushing your hair back behind your ear or tenderly wiping food or smudges from your chin with his thumbs. When being intimate, he holds your face between his hands, pressing his forehead to yours, never breaking eye contact.
C - Cuddle - how do they like to cuddle?
Sebastian is a squasher. He needs to feel physically close to you and will often forget this own size and strength in his desperation to hold you closer, closer, closer. He hugs you so tightly you can't breathe, or else lays his entire body weight on top of you when you're lying down together or sharing a bed. You often have to remind him to back up a little lest he squeeze the life outta you with his love.
D - Dates - what does their ideal date look like?
Sebastian is spontaneous and impulsive, but beneath all that bravado and charm, he is also quite afraid of rejection, so he might not always straight out "ask" you on a date. Rather, you might find yourself accidentally having dinner together at the Three Broomsticks, or huddled for hours in a cozy bookshop he "stumbled upon" at random. Sebastian considers any time spent alone with you a date, and would later tease you about how many "dates" you've already been on without ever being asked.
E - Equal - are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?
Generally speaking, Sebastian has a hard time relinquishing control to another. Given his history, he is used to taking charge, solving problems on his own and shouldering the burdens of everyone he cares about — and it goes without saying that he can be incredibly stubborn about accepting help or support, even when he genuinely needs it. However, this does tend to lead to mental and physical overwhelm; decisions become impossible, his body aches with exhaustion, and sometimes the boy just needs you to baby him — while still giving him the illusion that he has everything under control ;)
F - Fight - would they find it easy to forgive their partner? how are they fighting?
My personal headcanon that Sebastian is a Virgo sun, Aries rising. His Aries means he's reactive and oftentimes at the mercy of his more intense emotions (such as anger, jealousy — being ruled by Mars). He doesn't always communicate in a healthy way, he lashes out, snaps, or jumps to wild conclusions that don't make any sense. However, being a Virgo sun means he's ultimately a caregiver with a deep need to fix things and look after you, so he's very quick to apologise and make things right again.
G - Gifts - how do they feel about gift giving? what are their habits when it comes to this?
His gifts are either very practical (something you'll use every day), or something very sentimental (something that once belonged to his mother).
When it comes to receiving gifts, he doesn't believe he deserves them, so giving him something uselful like an interesting book, a set of quills, or a planner is the best way to spoil him without making him uncomfortable. However, if you gift him something sentimental, or something you made especially for him, he'll treasure it for the rest of his life.
H - Holding Hands - when / how do they like to hold hands?
If this boy can hold your hand, he will hold your hand, and if he can't hold your hand, he'll play with your fingers, trace the lines of your palms, brush his pinky against yours. You're his anchor, and your hands are the easiest part to hold on to.
I - Injury - how would they act if their partner got hurt?
Given his history with his parents and his twin, he is completely overbearing any time you're sick or injured. He'll fuss, worry, devise a strict recovery regime, won't allow you to lift and finger, and make you stay in bed long after you're well again. He'll research cures, studies, information about whatever it is that ails you, and will likely tell you all about it in great detail. This is where that lovely backbone of yours will come in handy, because you'll definitely have to sit him down and tell him to relax.
J - Jealousy - do they get jealous easily? how do they deal with it?
For all his wonderful strengths, Sebastian suffers from insecurities born from a lifetime of losing those he loves. His jealousy stems not from your actions, but from a deep-seated fear that you're eventually going to realise that he's as rotten as he believes himself to be and leave him. He can be a bit much, but communication is key.
K - Kisses - how do they like to kiss their partner?
Sebastian loves to kiss your face aaaall over, but once he gets started, he finds it hard to stop. Boy is a kisser, and he can get messy.
L - Love Language - what’s their love language?
Acts of Service and physical affection. Being useful gives him a sense of purpose, and touching gives him a sense of peace, so expect to be well looked after and loved. When receiving love, he responds just as strongly to physical affection, as well as words of affirmation. Tell him he's appreciated and that he's done a good job, and he'll be yours forever.
M - Mornings - how are mornings spent with them?
If you manage to get him into bed before he falls asleep where ever he's been reading or studying, it's a hard job rousing him again. He likes to cuddle, and you'll usually wake up half squashed under his body or tangled up in his arms and legs. He speaks in grunts and groans rather than words, and has super adorable bed hair. He's also usually very hungry in the mornings, so the promise of breakfast will be the motivation for finally getting him up.
N - Nights - how are nights spent with them?
Sebastian loves staying up late and doesn't need much sleep to function. His brain is always running a million miles a minute, so winding down takes him quite a while. He tells you he does his best work at night when the rest of the world is asleep.
O - Open - when would they start revealing things about themselves? how would they do it?
Typically Slytherin, he's evasive about himself and prefers to know everything about you before he opens up. Further to that, theres a lot of pain in Sebastian's heart that he won't share with anyone unless he trusts them completely. But, as Slytherins go, once he does trust you, he'll trust you unconditionally; his secrets will become yours, and yours his, and nothing short of death or betrayal will ever break that bond.
P - PDA - how comfortable are they with pda?
He's a real cheeky little smart arse about it. He loves you so much that he wants everyone to know about. He'll pick you up and spin you around as a standard greeting, sit you in his lap, kiss you midway through a sentence. Sebastian doesn't do things by halves, and the same goes for being in love.
Q - Quirk - what is a random ability that helps the relationship?
His optimism, his adventurous spirit and unquenchable thirst for knowledge means there's never a dull moment in your relationship. Above all else, Sebastian likes to have fun, and your life together will be full of it.
R - Romance - how romantic are they? cliche or creative?
There is nothing conventional or cliche about Sebastian Sallow. In fact, he thrives on being just the opposite. He probably courted you by acting like he was your boyfriend until suddenly he just was, there was likely never any conversation about being official, and the first time he said he loved you was probably in the middle of a heated argument or else said in a way that implied it was already common knowledge to you. But despite his quirks, Sebastian is hopelessly, singularly and passionately devoted to you — just don't expect any grand or sappy gestures of love.
S - Security - how protective are they?
Sebastian is so overprotective that it borders on being overbearing. Truth is, he's terrified of losing you, the one person he loves more than any other, and is prone to bouts of severe anxiety about your health, your commitment to him, and your general safety. His inability to relax is a point of contention in your relationship, and one that you both need to continually work on overcoming together. Communication is key, even when Sebastian jumps to conclusions and assumes the worst. He's not perfect, but he's trying.
T - Talking - what do they like to talk about?
Being a highly intelligent Slytherin means Sebastian loves getting deep. Nothing excites him more than discussing magical ethics, or taboo subjects like the Dark Arts or the use of the Dementors kiss against prisoners. He's unafraid to argue his point and loves a lively debate, but he has mental capacity to respect all viewpoints — even if they conflict with his own. He yearns to understand the inner workings of the mind and takes great pleasure in trying to understand opinions and perspectives that differ to his own. Any subject that expands or challenges his understanding of the world is taken on with great enthusiasm.
U - Understanding - how well do they know their partner?
He's a fast learner, very observant, and madly in love with you (obviously), so he knows basically everything about you. But sometimes he likes to think he knows you better than you know yourself. He needs to be reminded every so often that you are capable of looking after yourself, and that he doesn't need to solve every little problem on his own without being asked.
V - Vaunt - what are they proud of? do they like to show their partner off?
Aside from his intelligence, his quick wit and his sense of humour, he is most proud of his innate optimism, which (thanks to your help) has remained in tact despite all the tragedies and hardships he's endured in his comparatively short life. But more than that, he's proud to have you by his side: the embodiment of goodness and love that he never believed he deserved.
His egotistical side enjoys showing you off — you are, after all, the most attractive person he's ever seen, and having you by his side gives his confidence a little boost — but he can become a bit possessive or jealous if he's feeling insecure.
W - Whole - would they feel incomplete without their partner?
Abandonment issues and childhood trauma means Sebastian holds his loved ones very, very dear to his heart. Without you, he'd still be the driven, intelligent and ambitious Sallow he was born to be, but he'd likely lose the motivation to reach his full potential. Having lost every important person in his life, his desire to better himself after all his past mistakes is soley inspired by you.
X - XOXO - are they affectionate?
Physical affection is both how he expresses love and how he feels love; physical touch grounds him in reality and reminds him that you are safe and near. Smooth back his hair, tenderly touch his face, or play with his fingers and watch how fast he melts.
Y - Yearning - how well do they cope when they’re separated from their partner?
Since you are his home, he feels incomplete and off-kilter when he's away from you. And though he tries to honour your individuality, if you're apart for too long, he'll start to have intrusive thoughts about every bad thing that might happen if he's not there to protect you. Needless to say, when you are finally reunited, he greets as you if several decades have kept you apart — like a big, needy puppy.
Z - Zzz - what are some sleeping habits of theirs?
This boys sleeping habits are a nightmare, precisely because he has a lot of them. In fact, he actively avoids sleep, preferring to stay up reading or researching until he's tired enough to fall into an immediate slumber. Usually, you'll find him slumped over on a table or still snoring on the couch, still fully clothed, but if you do happen to get him into bed, he can't sleep without some part of his body touching yours.
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awkwardauthorwrites · 2 years ago
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I Think He Knows
Word Count: 5.2k
Themes: fluff, pining
Summary: Sebastian helps Y/N with an interesting request
Warnings: Potential spoilers for HL. All characters 18+ and in seventh year. I’m not an expert at flirting please don’t take any of this advice on board 
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Y/N found Sebastian in the Slytherin common room, tucked into a quiet corner next to the large windows with a book in hand. She smoothed her skirt down as she made her way over to him, thankful that the common room was almost deserted. It was a rare, sunny day and it looked like most of their house mates had taken the opportunity to sit outside, leaving only one or two stragglers to sit indoors.
“Hey, you,” Y/N smiled sweetly at him as she neared and took a seat next to him on the couch, leaving a considerable gap between them.
“Hey, yourself.” Sebastian offered Y/N a charming grin and sat up straighter, his book held loosely in his hands. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“I need a favour.”
“Are you about to ask me to go out and battle trolls with you again for potions ingredients?”
“No,” Y/N shook her head with a quiet laugh. “Nothing like that, I promise.”
“Good,” Sebastian set his book to the side and crossed one leg over the other. “How can I help then?”
“It…it’s a bit of an unusual request.”
“Oh?”
“I was wondering if you could teach me how to flirt.” Y/N shuffled in her seat nervously, tucking her legs beneath her so she had an excuse to avoid Sebastian’s surprised expression. She was eternally grateful that he liked being secluded and the other people in the room were too far away to hear her embarrassing request.
“You want me to teach you to flirt?” he repeated. He wasn’t quite sure what he thought she was going to ask him, but it certainly wasn’t that. “Why?”
“Why else?” Y/N feigned a laugh to mask her anxiety and fiddled with her hair. “There’s this guy. He’s quite charming, but every time he flirts with me I freeze up. I want to be able to flirt back and show him I like him.” She could feel her heart in her throat as she said the words and prayed that Sebastian would mistake her red cheeks for the sheer awkwardness of the request.
“So you’ve come to the expert.”
“Don’t start.” Y/N rolled her eyes at him. “If you’re going to make me regret coming to you for help I’ll go to Ominis instead.”
“Ominis?” Sebastian gave her an incredulous look. “Ominis can’t flirt.”
“He’s quite poetic when he wants to be,” Y/N shrugged one shoulder. “Some people like that.”
“I refuse to let you go to Ominis for this,” Sebastian sat up a little straighter and turned his body to face her. “Let me help you.”
“Do you promise to not be a pain?” she asked, one eyebrow raised. Sebastian sighed wearily and nodded his head, acting as if it pained him, when in reality he was trying his hardest not to grin.
“I promise.” He raised one hand and a rare serious expression crossed his face before he was smiling again. “Do I get to know who it is?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“Because I won’t have you teasing me for it.”
“Well, do I at least get to ask if I know him?”
“You can ask, it doesn’t mean I’ll answer.” Y/N couldn’t help but to laugh at his mock affronted expression.
“So I’m meant to help and give you all my secrets without anything in return?”
“I did offer to go to Ominis instead.”
“Not a chance.” Sebastian rolled his eyes at her. “Can I know if he’s a student here?”
“He is.”
“Well, if that’s all you’re going to give me,” Sebastian muttered. He didn’t need to worry about upsetting her with his grumpy behaviour - he knew she could see through his act and that he was just curious as to who this mystery man was. “The key to flirting is to be subtle. You need to be able to get across to him that you’re interested, but you don’t want him to think you’re needy or desperate. Can you tell me a little about him? I can give you some tips based on what he’s like, but just know it’s down to you to make all the pieces fall into place. Not everyone can be a natural charmer like me.” Y/N rolled her eyes and flicked the back of Sebastian’s hand (which was stretched out across the back of the couch in her direction) and thought about how to describe the man in question without actually saying too much about him.
“He’s good looking - unfairly so - and charming, and smart, and funny and flawed but deep down he’s got this heart of gold that he keeps hidden from everyone who isn’t close to him.”
“But you’re close to him?” Sebastian asked, watching as Y/N nodded. “Do you think he likes you back?”
“I don’t know,” Y/N sighed as she admitted it out loud, a pale flush coming to her cheeks. “Poppy and Imelda both reckon he does, but I’m not sure. I told you he’s a charmer, he’s nice to everyone but sometimes he looks at me and it’s…it feels different.”
“You sound like you have it bad.”
“I do,” Y/N groaned and covered her face so Sebastian couldn’t see her burning cheeks. “That’s why I need your help. Please, Seb?”
“I already agreed to help you,” he chuckled. “It just so happens I know the type of person you mean and I can help. You need to start with subtle hints to gauge his reaction - a wink here, a cheeky comment there. If he catches on and looks like he’s enjoying the attention he should do the same back.” Sebastian watched as Y/N nodded thoughtfully, her head tilted to one side slightly as she took the information in. “I know that look. That means trouble.”
“No, it doesn’t,” she laughed and shook her head. “I just…can you help me practise? Pretty please?”
“Trouble.” Sebastian pointed at the expression on her face, but still smiled and patted the space next to him on the couch. “Come here. You need to get used to the proximity that comes with flirting and you can’t do that from all the way over there.” Y/N pretended to grumble, but slid over so that she was sat right next to Sebastian, their legs not quite touching. “What do you think you need help with the most?”
“I think I need help with my confidence.” She twisted her fingers as she spoke and Sebastian couldn’t help but smile softly at the endearing action. “He could literally just tell me my hair looks nice that day and I struggle to reply.”
“So you need to get used to him complimenting you?”
“Yes - but when you say it with that grin I have a feeling I’m not going to like where this is going.”
“Have a little faith, Y/L/N,” Sebastian chuckled quietly as he nudged her, silently asking her if she was ready. She nodded hesitantly and he cleared his throat before a sly smile slowly graced his features. “You know, I heard from a few people that you were beautiful, but I didn’t realise you would be Aphrodite incarnate.” He gauged Y/N’s reaction to his words and was delighted to see a pretty pink blush cross her cheeks. “Oh, you’re adorable.”
“Stop teasing me.” Y/N covered her face and looked away from Sebastian. 
“How can I when you’re so endearing?” He grasped her wrists gently and pulled them away from her face. “If you blush with him like you are now then I’m sure you’ve already won him over.”
“Well then why won’t he say anything?”
“Maybe he’s waiting for you to make the first move,” Sebastian shrugged casually and leant back in his seat again. “Would you like me to try again so you can respond?”
“No, because I’m going to blush again and you’re going to make fun of me.”
“Tease, Y/N. I would never make fun of you. You said you wanted to work on your confidence.”
“How am I ever going to be able to flirt back when I can’t even take a simple compliment?”
“I mean, you don’t necessarily have to. Some guys love leaving a woman speechless.”
“I’m always flustered and speechless with him when he flirts, I just want to be able to do it back and leave him blushing for once.”
“Catch him off guard then. All those things you want him to do - the compliments, the actions, the looks - you do them.” Sebastian was giving away most of his tricks at this point, but he found he didn’t particularly care as he taught Y/N what to do.
“So if I wished he would touch my hand I should just…?” Y/N casually brushed the back of Sebastian’s hand with hers, making it look completely natural as she shifted in her seat. 
“Exactly. Just like that.” Sebastian nodded with a large smile on his face. “You can’t let him have too much control, you need to keep him on his toes. Tell him how good he looks before he can tell you how pretty you are.”
“You think I’m pretty?”
“Shut up, you’re gorgeous and you know it,” Sebastian rolled his eyes at her and ran his hand through his hair. “Some men don’t tend to get too many compliments, so when they get one from someone special like you it’ll stick. And you don’t just have to tell him he looks handsome that day - you can focus on his talents too. Don’t force it, a genuine compliment will earn you his favour far faster.”
“Why are you complimenting me?” Y/N narrowed her eyes at him. 
“Isn’t that the point?” Sebastian asked, “to get you used to him complimenting you.”
“Oh, so you just called me gorgeous and special because you’re trying to build my confidence, not because you mean it,” Y/N gave him a teasing smile and raised an eyebrow. Sebastian couldn’t help but chuckle (but not unkindly) as her obvious flirting and shot her a disarming wink. 
“I mean, the fact that you are gorgeous helps. What talents does your guy have? Do you know if he’s good at anything? Does he care about his grades?”
“He’s incredible at duelling. He’s really smart as well, but doesn’t really focus on school work too much. He could easily be at the top of the class if he wanted to.”
“Is he in Crossed Wands?” The words slipped out of Sebastian’s mouth before he could process them, followed by a quiet chuckle when Y/N shot him a playful glare. “Compliment his duelling then, make sure he knows he’s good at what he’s doing. He’s not the top of the class but that doesn’t mean you can’t comment on his potential or intelligence. The goal is to let him know he impresses you.”
“So if I were to…” Y/N took a moment to think before a coy smile fell on her lips. “You were brilliant at the Crossed Wands tournament the other day, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone duel as well as you or look so good while doing so.”
“So he is in Crossed Wands. Wait, please tell me it’s not Prewett.”
“Prewett? No!” Y/N grimaced. “In what world is Leander Prewett charming?” 
“Good. I was starting to question your taste,” Sebastian wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Your admiration for his duelling skills was good, and you told him you find him attractive. That’s two birds with one stone.” Sebastian looked at her from the corner of his eye and a mischievous grin appeared as he turned his head to face her properly. “On that note, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you look absolutely stunning tonight.”
“Not at all.” Y/N managed to tamper down the blush this time, and eyed Sebastian appreciatively with a soft smile. “You look pretty handsome yourself. Green is a good colour on you.” 
“Why, thank you. I do my best to dress well, although no one can look better than you do.” Sebastian winked at her, feeling slightly proud that she hadn’t gotten flustered at his words and had even managed to flirt back. “You’re getting better at this.”
“Practice helps. I can’t thank you enough for this.”
“Yes, well, I’m sure you remember how much I like having friends in my debt.” He gave her a smirk before looking out of the window they were next to and out into the lake. “Do you have anything else you want to ask me? Anything I haven’t mentioned or you think I’ve missed?”
“What haven’t you mentioned?”
“A lot,” Sebastian chuckled. “Mostly simple things. You’ve already got down how to respond if he flatters you without me even mentioning it. Give him that smile of yours when you say something nice to him and you should get him all worked up and right where you want him.”
“What smile?”
“That one.” Sebastian pointed at her lips. “Merlin, you really don’t know what effect you have on people, do you?” Sebastian didn’t give her the time to respond before he continued giving her advice. “You should make him work for it if he asks you something more personal - but know your limits.”
“What do you mean?”
“How well does he know you? Does he know your favourite colour, favourite flower, favourite animal? If he doesn’t then make him work for the answer and ask him to guess. Just don’t do it for every question or it’ll get annoying fast.”
“Do people still ask things like that? Do you even know my favourite animal?”
“It could be literally anything but for the sake of it…a horse?”
“Not quite.”
“You’re going to make me guess, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” Sebastian groaned as she toyed with him but couldn’t help but grin with pride at how fast she was picking all of this up. “Give me a hint.”
“It’s small and cute.” 
“Is it magical or normal?”
“Magical.”
“A puffskein?”
“Almost,” Y/N laughed quietly and readjusted in her seat, her arm brushing Sebastian’s as she did so. “It has a penchant for shiny objects.”
“If it’s a niffler I might revolt.” He looked at Y/N from the corner of his eye and watched as she grinned widely and nodded. “A bloody niffler?”
“They’re adorable!” 
“Nifflers are greedy little shits that dig through the trash of the wizarding world. Why am I not surprised you like the one creature that was never intended to be appreciated.”
“Alright, what’s your favourite magical creature then?”
“Probably a hippogriff. Or a phoenix.”
“Phoenix’s are probably my second favourite. There’s something poetic about them rising and being reborn from their ashes.”
“Hm,” Sebastian nodded thoughtfully. “I think that’s why they might be my favourite. The idea of death resulting in a cycle of rebirth is strangely comforting when compared to the alternative. It’s nice to be reminded sometimes that life moves on without you, even if it means your own passing.”
“That was…really insightful, Seb. I’ve never thought about it like that before.” Y/N tilted her head at him with a soft smile before looking away with a sudden blush. 
“I do try.” He couldn’t help but be intrigued by the flush to her cheeks and wondered why it had appeared so abruptly. “It’s important to remain genuine even when it’s difficult or may not benefit you.”
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re about to ask me something that I’m not going to like.” Sebastian laughed quietly at this and his arm that was still stretched out along the back of the couch brushed Y/N’s shoulder gently.
“Well, in the spirit of being authentic…why are you blushing?” She pulled a face at the question and the flush on her cheeks deepened.
“The light from the lake was on your face when you were talking and I realised how handsome you look.”
“Oh.” Sebastian blinked once and felt his cheeks start to burn. The compliment had caught him off guard and now that she wasn’t simply responding to one of his own advances he realised how much he liked it.
“Do you want me to spare you the teasing?”
“Please.”
“Only because I’m a bigger person than you.” She watched the smirk appear on his face and gently flicked his arm. “Not one comment about my height.” Sebastian raised his hands in surrender and mimed zipping his lips.
“You said it, not me.”
“Alright you.” Y/N gently hit him with one of the throw pillows on the couch and let him grab it from her hands. “I have more questions.”
“Of course you do.”
“How do I know if he’s flirting with me because he likes me and not because he’s a flirt?”
“Ah, that old conundrum.” Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck while he thought about his answer. “To be fully honest with you, it depends on the guy. You can usually tell by how he acts around you. Is he quick to offer to help you with something? Does he smile and laugh a lot around you? You need to look at the whole picture to find the answer. Does he flirt with a lot of girls or just you?”
“He’s kind of charming with everyone. I don’t think it’s malicious or that he’s a player, he’s just naturally a charming person.”
“From the sounds of it I’d say he’s interested at the very least. Do you like spending time with him?”
“I could sit and talk to him all day.”
“That’s definitely a good sign, especially if he feels the same. Being able to stand a person’s company for hours without getting bored is something to note.” Sebastian placed his arms behind his head and turned to look at Y/N. “What kind of things does he talk to you about?”
“When he’s not flirting, you mean?” she asked. “Just normal things; life, family, school.”
“He doesn’t sound like a player, but you would know better than I do about his motives considering you won’t tell me who he is.”
“Maybe later.”
“Really?”
“I said maybe. I need to be sure of a few other things first.”
“Well, if it’s whether or not he likes you it sounds like he likes you plenty.”
“How do you know that without knowing who he is?”
“I don’t know many guys - let alone players - who would sit and talk about their family with a girl they had ulterior motives for. I can’t guarantee anything, obviously, but make sure he makes you happy before anything else.” Sebastian paused and raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you happy with him? Despite being a flustered mess, do you find yourself wanting to tell him everything?”
“Yes.”
“And he does the same back? Does he share his life and hobbies?”
“Yes,” Y/N smiles and crosses her legs, her knee brushing Sebastian’s thigh gently. "He’s told me a lot about his family. He adores his sister and would do anything for her.”
“Hm.” Sebastian has a small smirk on his face, but didn’t voice his thoughts out loud, instead he turned to her with another question. “Are you always nervous around him, or is that just when he flirts? It sounds like you’re pretty comfortable most of the time.”
“It’s just when he flirts. When we’re just talking I’m fine.”
“That’s completely natural. I’ll let you in on a secret; men get nervous around women we like, too.” He saw the query in her eyes and continued on before she could ask. “Again, this changes from person to person, but if he’s the charming type he’ll probably maintain eye-contact up until you flirt back. If you catch him off guard he’ll more than likely blush and look away. He might become fidgety and scratch the back of his head or rub his neck. Everyone has different tells, but most people tend to have these. Have you noticed any of them?”
“A few.”
“I think you should take the plunge and ask him what he likes about you - you can always play that question off as being platonic. I think he’s flirting with you because he likes you.” There was a look in Sebastian’s eye that Y/N couldn’t quite read, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared as he turned to stretch his arms and legs out. 
“Am I bothering you with all these questions? Do you have somewhere you need to be?”
“No, nowhere I need to be - nowhere I’d rather be, either. Asking questions has never bothered me - how else are you meant to learn without them? Besides, I’m enjoying your company.”
“Well I’m glad, because I’m enjoying talking to you too.” Y/N brushed the arm that was resting on the back of the couch more confidently this time, and even Sebastian couldn’t play it off as an accident. He felt his mouth go dry and felt his face heat up slowly and tried to turn his head so that Y/N wouldn’t catch his blush, but of course, he wasn’t that lucky.
“Are you blushing again?”
“Shut up.” The words came out slightly harsher than he expected, but luckily for him, Y/N only laughed in response and tucked her legs back underneath her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean…is it obvious?”
“Not really, it’s only because I’m sitting so close. It’s kind of sweet, you’re cute when you blush.”
“Alright, enough of that. I have a reputation to maintain - I can’t have people thinking I’m a blusher.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” Y/N mimed zipping her lips shut and winked at him. 
“Give me a secret in exchange instead. What’s your biggest fear?”
“Spiders.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I know you’re probably looking for an answer like ‘being alone’, but spiders creep me out.”
“I was looking for an honest answer and you gave it to me. I don’t blame you, to be honest. Remember all the spiders we fought in that cave in fifth year?”
“Don’t remind me,” Y/N shuddered. “Worst day of my life. What’s your biggest fear?”
“Being forgotten.”
“I don’t think anyone who’s met you could ever forget you, Sebastian. I certainly won’t.”
“I’m not that impressive,” he disagreed with a shake of his head. “You, on the other hand, are. You aren’t afraid to show who you really are, or step out of your comfort zone and be challenged. Don’t ever stop being you, Y/N, you’re one of a kind.”
“As sweet as that is of you to say, I’m not all that great at stepping out of my comfort zone. Battling trolls and Ashwinders is one thing but I can’t even tell the guy I like that I like him.”
“You’ve already made it past the first hurdle - admitting to yourself you like him. Sometimes that can be the scariest step. Now you just need a leap of faith and tell him how you feel.”
“I don’t know if I’m brave enough for that, yet.”
“That’s fine.” Sebastian’s fingers brushed her shoulder again as he shrugged. “Start slow and work your way up. Talk to him about something he’s passionate about and listen to him. He might be a guy but he’s still human at the end of the day.” Y/N’s knee bounced nervously as he spoke and tried to push out the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Instead, she was entirely distracted by the light from the lake shifting again to land on Sebastian’s face and lighting up his eyes. She couldn’t say what she really wanted to, but she could always express her admiration in other ways. 
“You have lovely eyes, Seb. They’re really pretty.” Sebastian swallowed heavily and silently cursed himself as he felt his cheeks start to burn again. This woman will be the death of me, he thought to himself as he stared down at the floor with a small smile on his face. He felt something shift between them and knew he couldn’t miss the opportunity to return the compliment - it felt too important to pass by. 
“You’re one to talk, Y/N. You have incredibly beautiful eyes. I love how they light up when you smile.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. Your eyes are a kaleidoscope of golds and browns. I’ve never seen such a nice colour.” She leaned forward slightly as she spoke, her body shifting closer to him. Sebastian couldn’t help but to sit up so that he could be closer to her, their shoulders brushing gently with every breath. Her breathing had stilled and he could feel the energy radiating from her. Y/N blushed and looked away as his hand skimmed her knee gently.
“Can I ask you something?” he asked her, his voice low. “What do you think about me? Not as a friend, or a classmate just…me.” That look was back in Sebastian’s eye - the one she couldn’t quite put her finger on - and she couldn’t help but wonder if he was flirting with her. Of course, they had been this whole time while she ‘practised’, but something about his low tone made this seem different. It made it seem real.
“You are the kindest soul I have ever met, Seb. You’re funny, charming, ridiculously handsome…” she trailed off as she realised what she had said, her face flushing once more. Meanwhile, Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck nervously, his face a matching shade of pink as he thought over her answer.
“You’re the most wonderful person I have ever met in my life.”
“Look who’s talking,” she pointed at him briefly, “you’re one of the best people I know.”
“Well now I know you’re lying to me,” he narrowed his eyes playfully. 
“I would never.”
“Never, hm?”
“Nope.”
“Tell me this then, are you flirting with me?” There was a knowing smile on his face, but he wanted to watch her squirm just a little bit. He was enjoying her flirting immensely but a part of him wanted the girl back who got flustered when he so much as winked at her.
“I’ve been trying to for the past hour, but thanks for finally noticing,” Y/N laughed quietly and nudged his shoulder gently.
“As part of your ‘practise’ or…?”
“What do you think?” She gave him a levelled look and Sebastian placed a hand on his sternum dramatically. 
“I knew it, this whole time you were only using me for my knowledge. Shame on you for toying with me like this.” Y/N laughed again and shook her head at his theatrics, her hand coming to rest on his knee. She didn’t pull away this time, didn’t pretend she was only brushing past and so Sebastian covered her hand with his and laced their fingers together. His stomach flipped pleasantly at the contact, and he was absolutely enthralled by the colour that was blooming on her face.
“How ever will I make it up to you?” Y/N asked, hoping he didn’t notice how breathless she had gotten. 
“I guess I can forgive you if you try your best to win me over.”
“And how do I do that?”
“Well, I’d say you’ve made some decent progress by holding my hand.” He gave her a mischievous smile as he gently squeezed her fingers and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I’ll leave you to decide what to do for the second half, lest I make a suggestion you hit me for.” He didn’t think Y/N could blush any deeper, but he was delighted to be proven wrong as her face turned the most enticing shade of red as she looked down at his lips briefly. Sebastian felt his eyes slip close in anticipation as she began to close the gap between them, only for them to fly open again as she pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.
“I’ll take the final step to win you over on one condition.” She still hadn’t pulled away from him, her face was so close Sebastian could count the different colours in her eyes.
“Is the condition more questions?”
“A couple.”
“Make them good ones.” He gave her a lazy grin and reached up to brush some hair away from her face. 
“How do I know if he wants to kiss me? Not to say that he did, but because he wants to?”
“He’ll probably be holding your hand,” Sebastian squeezed her fingers again, “look into your eyes, look down at your lips.” His gaze drifted lower to watch as that maddeningly gorgeous smile slowly appeared on her lips. “You’ll feel it in the air too - the energy between your bodies.”
“Should I let him make the first move or do you think he’ll like it if I do it?”
“He would be thrilled if you made the first move.”
“Sebastian?”
“Yes?” 
“Can I kiss you?”
“I would love nothing more,” he said, a knowing smile on his face. He looked into her eyes as Y/N traced his jawline gently before slowly leaning in and giving him a feather-light kiss.
“I have a confession before I do that again.” 
“Darling, you have to give me more credit than that - I worked it out a while ago.”
“Would you just let me tell you I have feelings for you?”
“Well, if it helps, I’m a little fond of you myself.”
“Only a little fond?” Y/N asked, a teasing smile on her face. She covered it well, but Sebastian could see the insecurity in her eyes. He could see how unsure she was about how he felt after she had all but put her heart on the line. 
“Fine, you caught me, I’m completely fond of you.” Y/N rolled her eyes and tried to pull away, but Sebastian slid both arms around her waist and held on to her. “You are gorgeous beyond belief, and I’m utterly smitten with you, Y/N. Do you believe me, or do I need to prove it to you?”
“Prove it,” her answering grin was nothing short of wicked and Sebastian adored it.
“How would you like me to prove it to you?” He was playing into her game now, but he didn’t care. He watched as she faltered slightly, the same beautiful blush coming to her cheeks. He loved leaving her flustered and speechless. He never thought she would have the guts to approach him today and attempt to play him like a violin (because, of course he knew as soon as she mentioned him being the best duellist in the school) but he was ecstatic she had because he was crazy about her. “Well?” After all the progress they had made today he wasn’t about to let her struggle to find the words, but he was patient. 
“I…” She swallowed hard and he could feel her hands shaking very slightly. “I don’t just want pretty words and some kisses. I want you to prove it to me by giving me all of you. I want your heart Sebastian.” He paused, taking in her words - Y/N had just put everything on the table. What she wanted was exactly what he did - a bond that went beyond mere interest and was grounded in both physical and emotional commitment.
“Darling, it was already yours.”
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