Chapter 5. It is still December 27, 1890

Ominis couldn't feel anything. Not Sebastian's warm, gentle hands stroking his hair, not the cold stone floor beneath his lower back, nor the trembling stagnant air of the underground chamber around him. The pain inflicted by Sebastian's spell had vanished without a trace. That pain was insignificant compared to the distant agony of his childhood. Before his inner vision stood the face of that unfortunate Muggle, the last face he saw in his life. Uninvited tears streamed down his cheeks as he recalled the memory. Sebastian immediately leaned closer to him, wiping them away with his fingers and whispering something soothing. Ominis couldn't make out the words, but for the first time, he felt warmth. He attempted to raise his hand to touch Sebastian, but he was so weak that it would have fallen back limply if Sebastian hadn't caught it and clasped it in his own. When Sebastian pressed it to his lips, Ominis felt their trembling and sensed the uneven breaths escaping between them.

"Sebastian..." Ominis croaked.

"I'm here, Ominis, I'm right here. Forgive me," whispered Sebastian, pulling his friend closer to him. His voice trembled, something Ominis had never heard before.

"The door... Did it open?" Ominis asked, attempting to rise but failing. Sebastian gently lifted him and helped him sit. He cradled Ominis, resting his head against his chest, continuing to stroke his hair. Soundless sobs shook Sebastian, and the thoughts of the injustice of what had happened tore through his heart. He should have insisted that Ominis use the spell on him instead, not the other way around. God, how he regretted everything that had happened! The screams of Ominis still echoed in his ears, pleading with his brother not to do it, trying to convince someone invisible that he didn't want to kill that Muggle. Those screams were filled with agonies that physical pain could not inflict. It seemed that only now did Sebastian truly realize what Ominis had gone through. Yes, he knew about this episode in his life, but Ominis spoke of it very dryly and even irritably, always steering the conversation toward the moral lesson that forbidden spells should never be used. And Sebastian hadn't listened to him. But now, he finally heard.

***

In the boys' dormitory, when they finally arrived, Ominis collapsed weakly onto the bed, burying his face into the pillows. It was as if all his energy and strength had been drained from him. He couldn't get angry, couldn't feel hurt, couldn't think. His consciousness was gradually fading, sinking into the world of dreams, when he felt the bed gently rocking and Sebastian's touch on his shoulder. Ominis mumbled something incoherent, not even attempting to turn over, desiring only one thing: to be left alone and given a chance to rest. He had never felt such profound exhaustion, perhaps never in his life. Through the hazy mist of sleep, he sensed Sebastian taking off his shoes and cloak, covering him with a blanket from the nearby bed, and touching his face. He could still hear Sebastian softly speaking, but the words were no longer distinguishable. The cottony veil of sleep enveloped him completely.

When they entered the dormitory, Sebastian tossed Salazar Slytherin's manuscripts onto his bed, paying them no attention. For a while, he sat beside Ominis on his bed, gazing at his calm and impassive face. He observed the chiseled cheekbones, the freckles scattered across his face, the long, thick eyelashes, and the strand of hair falling over his forehead. Ominis' breathing was so steady and peaceful, as if nothing had happened. Sebastian bit his lip until it bled, closed his eyes with his palm, and let out a quiet whimper. "What am I doing? What the hell am I doing?" he thought. Sebastian didn't deserve a friend like Ominis. Ominis was the brightest, purest soul he knew, despite how many times his family members had tried to drag him into darkness. Sebastian wanted to protect Ominis from everyone, to take him to the safest and happiest place on earth, where he would never experience pain again. He smiled, imagining Ominis' expression if he were to say something like that. Ominis would probably think he had lost his mind, spouting such sentimental nonsense.

Sebastian quickly removed his clothes and slipped under the covers with Ominis, wrapping his arms around him and burying his nose in his hair. He heard a soft, protesting mumble, but then Ominis slowly shifted and turned to face him, resting his forehead against Sebastian's chest while continuing to softly hum. Sebastian tightened his embrace slightly, relishing the tenderness and warmth of Ominis' relaxed body. He inhaled the intoxicating sweet scent of Ominis, listened to the gentle, rhythmic heartbeat, barely daring to breathe himself. His fingers gently explored Ominis' back hidden under the shirt, inch by inch. The thumping of the heart was so loud and heavy that Sebastian feared it might wake Ominis. Eventually, the exhaustion of this night and the sleepless nights before overwhelmed Sebastian as well. Holding Ominis closer to him, he closed his eyes and dove into the dark waters of slumber.

***

"God, why is it so hot and cramped?" Ominis thought sleepily, tossing in bed. He attempted to pull his leg out from under the covers, but instead of fresh air, his foot encountered something soft and warm. Ominis instantly woke up, nearly falling out of bed from the surprise. He reached out towards the uninvited guest and immediately recognized Sebastian. "What are you doing here?" he thought, blushing with embarrassment, as he touched Sebastian's hair, shoulders, and back. His hand trembled, and he quickly withdrew it, rolling over to the other side and finally sticking his leg out from under the covers. It felt very awkward to have such unexpected proximity, but at the same time, he felt warmth inside, knowing that Sebastian wanted to be closer to him. Ominis tried not to dwell on the previous night; he wanted to focus on the pleasant sensations he was experiencing now. They would still have many discussions with Sebastian, so why not take a break from it at least for one morning? He felt Sebastian turning around, moving closer to him, taking a deep breath, and placing his hand on Ominis' thigh. Ominis froze, listening to his own feelings, to the sweet excitement swirling inside. His eyes were closed, and a barely noticeable smile touched his lips. Gradually, he drifted back into a peaceful slumber.

***

Today, the boys decided to spend the day in Hogsmeade because it was essential to distract themselves from what had happened, recharge their energy, and simply enjoy the remaining days of the holiday, which were quickly coming to an end. They gathered as quickly as possible and hurried to the passage near the One-Eyed Witch, as there was a blizzard outside, and a walk through the secret passage promised more enjoyment than freezing all their limbs. In the corridors of Hogwarts, it was still quite empty, although some students, not getting along well with their families and considering that they had had enough of the Christmas dinner, had already started returning.

When they were just a couple of flights of stairs away from the witch's passage, an owl slowly and dignifiedly flew towards Sebastian, holding a small note in its claw.

"It's uncle Solomon's owl! Probably, Anne sent something," he said, opened the note, and began reading aloud, "Sebastian, I miss you and Ominis so much! Being stuck with uncle all day without the possibility of seeing you is just unbearable. Uncle said he'll be going to the Ministry for some business in the next few days. When I find out the exact time, I'll send you an owl, and I'll be waiting for you and Ominis at Feldcroft. Miss you terribly. Give my regards to Ominis. Anne. P.S. Merry Christmas!"

"Well, it's good that she wrote. I was starting to worry that she couldn't even send us an owl. Poor Anne suffers from your antics more than you do," Ominis sighed and continued walking towards the passage.

"I suffer too, you know," Sebastian protested. Devilish sparks gleamed in his eyes, his lips spread into a smirk, and he approached Ominis, pulling him close, saying, "Although, I must admit, your presence greatly alleviates my suffering."

"What are you doing? We're in a public corridor, Sebastian!" Ominis began pushing his friend away, and Sebastian easily let go, laughing.

They approached the One-Eyed Witch, and Sebastian said, "Dissendium!" The statue shifted, allowing the Slytherins inside the passage. Ominis hesitantly and delicately took Sebastian's hand, and he willingly entwined his fingers with his friend's as they moved forward through the corridor. The underground passage was dark and dirty, but in its own way, cozy, as there were no unpleasant surprises here, and they had thoroughly explored every turn and descent. They often used this corridor when they wanted to make an unplanned trip to Hogsmeade and the surrounding areas of Hogwarts. The secret passage led to the basement of the best shop according to everyone who had been to Hogsmeade - Honeydukes. It was surprising why its owners hadn't closed the passage or moved all the supplies to another place yet, as it couldn't be that they didn't notice the regular disappearance of sweets from their store. Perhaps, deep down, they were mischief-makers themselves and didn't want to deprive the students of Hogwarts of the opportunity to be just like them.

The door to the basement of Honeydukes creaked open, and two students in Slytherin robes stumbled out, laughing and discussing various nonsense.

"Then he says, 'Eye of rabbit, harp string hum, turn this water into rum,' and boom! Everything around him turns to soot, he's covered in soot, and there's something unimaginably stinky in his glass. Too bad you already left and didn't hear it. It was horribly hilarious!" Sebastian wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and looked at Ominis, who wasn't bursting with laughter but seemed quite joyful. What an incredible smile he had. Sebastian paused, observing Ominis, and his heartbeat accelerated more and more.

"You have cobwebs in your hair," he said, stepping a bit closer than he should and gently removing them.

Ominis froze, feeling Sebastian's uneven breath on his face. From his movements, he understood that Sebastian had already removed the cobweb and was now simply standing next to him, evidently looking straight at his face. Ominis involuntarily bit his lip and turned his head to the side. He began to suspect what Sebastian expected from him. But he was so scared, so awkward; he couldn't yet embrace this new level of intimacy as easily as Sebastian did. And yet, he slowly and cautiously leaned towards Sebastian's lips, pausing just a couple of millimeters away from them, yearning for the warmth and desire emanating from them. He covered them with a gentle, lingering, sweet kiss. Sebastian moaned with pleasure but didn't rush to take the lead, allowing Ominis to set the pace and depth. He wanted to make sure that Ominis wasn't merely accepting what was happening but desiring it as much as Sebastian himself. Ominis, still slow and hesitant, touched his friend's face, pulling him slightly closer. His tongue slipped between Sebastian's lips, but immediately retreated in fear. At that moment, Sebastian couldn't hold back any longer; with a soft growl, he took a step forward, pressing Ominis against the wall. His lips moved quickly and eagerly to the delicate, graceful neck, leaving vivid, pulsating marks. Sebastian loosened the tie around Ominis' neck, unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt, exposing the marble-like collarbones, hungrily grazing them. He gently spread Ominis' legs with his knee, positioning himself so that his thigh pressed against his friend's groin. Ominis couldn't hold back and let out a loud moan, tilting his head back and breathing heavily. He felt like he was burning, as if in fever, and sweat formed on his forehead, and the wall against which he leaned appear to waver. He unconsciously rubbed against Sebastian's warm and pleasant thigh. Sebastian grinned predatorily, glancing down at what was happening, and slowly trailed his tongue from Ominis' collarbones to his chin, leaving a moist trail. He returned to his swollen and reddened lips once again. He placed his hand on Ominis' throat, feeling it vibrate with each moan that escaped his lips. "So, in the nearly empty corridors of Hogwarts, you're concerned about someone seeing me embrace you, but here, under all the visitors of Honeyduke, you no longer care?" thought Sebastian, mentally smirking, well aware that people in the shop were the last thing on his friend's mind at the moment. If he was capable of thinking about anything at all in such a moment. Sebastian pulled back from Ominis' lips, admiring his parted lips, rosy cheeks, and half-lidded eyes with long, thick lashes. Within him, an intense desire grew to pounce on Ominis, to reach his naked body beneath the clothes, to touch him endlessly, driving them both to ecstasy. However, he didn't want to ruin everything, to be too hasty, so he slowly began to withdraw.

When he removed his burning thigh from Ominis, he heard a quiet, pleading whisper from him, "Sebastian... No... Please..." Ominis stretched out his whole body towards him.

"Did you like it?" Sebastian asked slyly, not rushing to fulfill his friend's request.

"Yes... Please..." Ominis blushed even more but was willing to push his embarrassment aside if it meant that Sebastian would embrace him again.

Sebastian slipped his thigh between Ominis' legs again, now pressing him even tighter. He noted, not without pleasure, how this sensitive area had noticeably increased and become firmer. Barely noticeable, he moved in time with the movements of Ominis, which were almost imperceptible and shy just a few minutes ago, but now became deep and passionate. Sebastian took hold of Ominis' hair, tilted his head back and begins covering the reddish-purple marks on his neck with tiny kisses. Then he heard Ominis' groan choked and abruptly subsided, and after a couple of movements escaped with renewed vigor, drawn out, loud, filled with inexpressible pleasure. Ominis' body began to contract with the sweet convulsions of orgasm, he unconsciously squeezed Sebastian's shoulders almost to a crunch. Sebastian pulled him close, enjoying the trembling, writhing body in his arms, the sounding in his ears, gradually fading, delicious moans.

They slowly sank to the floor without breaking their embrace. Sebastian impulsively kissed Ominis' lips and pulled away, looking with pleasure at his confused, breathing heavily, gradually coming to his senses friend. "What are you doing to me, Ominis?" he thought, realizing that now he wouldn't be able to think about anything else but this damn basement, about what had just happened here, and when it would happen again.

"Are you ready to go?" Sebastian asked in a casual tone, getting up from the floor and extending his hand to Ominis.

"Huh? Where?" Ominis mumbled, feeling embarrassed and overwhelmed. He had never felt like this before. It was as if he had disconnected from the outside world, unable to hear or feel anything beyond his own physical sensations and Sebastian's body touching his. Now, it was difficult for him to switch back and remember what they were doing before this passionate encounter, where they were heading, and why.

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks first, and then we'll see. I want to thank you a little for the scriptorium today," Sebastian said, taking Ominis by the hands, pulling him up, and drawing him closer, "Though by the look on your face, I can guess you've had enough fun for today."

Ominis blushed again, stepping back a bit and adjusting his clothes and hair. Sebastian continued to watch him, capturing every movement.

"Tergeo," he whispered quietly, pointing his wand at Ominis' slightly dirtied trousers.

"Huh? Did you say something?" Ominis headed up at the sound of the voice.

"Nothing. Just returning your virgin purity," Sebastian replied with a satisfied grin, making a clever pun, and then turned towards the exit.

The boys quietly made their way to the basement exit to the shop and quickly slipped through the door, pretending to be engrossed in examining the chocolate cauldrons standing nearby. Walking through the store, Sebastian piled up a whole mountain of sweets, which, he said, he planned to share with Ominis during the long cold evenings. Ominis just rolled his eyes because he rarely ate sweets himself, but Sebastian could gather tons of them. After paying, they headed straight to the Three Broomsticks. Sirona was preparing the most delicious and hearty Scottish breakfast, and missing it would be unthinkable.

"Please, tell us that we made it in time and will be able to taste your divine bacon and egg breakfast," Sebastian implored as he and Ominis rushed through the door of the pub, trying to catch their breath.

"You're in luck, there are two portions left," Sirona greeted them with a friendly smile, tossing the towel she used to wipe the glasses over her shoulder.

"Thank the gods," Sebastian sighed and led Ominis to the farthest table in the corner.

The day that started with breakfast at the Three Broomsticks (well, not exactly from there, but never mind) couldn't go wrong. After filling their stomachs with huge portions of delicious food and washing it down with creamy butterbeer, the Slytherin boys stepped out onto the sunlit, snow-covered street. The blizzard had calmed down during that time, and the whole of Hogsmeade looked like it came straight out of the coziest Christmas postcards. Sebastian took in a deep breath of fresh, frosty air and exhaled a cloud of steam. He took Ominis' hand, interlocking their fingers. With the holidays still far from over, they had all the time in the world at their disposal.