Chapter Text
The cottage wasn’t much to look at. It was stooped over in the shadow of a craggy cliff, storm-weathered and befouled in slimy-looking lichen. Its shores were laden with jagged stones and infested with dugbogs and Dorothy loved it from the second she signed the deed. Every spare second she wasn’t studying for her OWLs, she flooed from the Room of Requirement to the South Clagmar Coast and painstakingly transformed the haphazard collection of rocks, which felt hewn from the rough sea-floor itself, to a place she could call home for the summer months.
Fortunately, her magic was a tool she’d spent the past year honing. The most annoying part of the whole process was clearing out the dugbogs. Honestly, those ugly, miry beasts! Dorothy would rather fight ten trolls at once than deal with even a single more dugbog. Trolls, at least, had the good manners to keep their tongues to themselves. Still, she persisted, and came away with quite the surplus of dugbog tongue. She preserved half of her stock to be used in future potions and sold the rest to J. Pippins. He paid her handsomely and asked no further questions, just how she preferred her business with Hogsmeade’s vendors.
By the end of year feast, the cottage was habitable; it was clean, and populated with furniture thrifted from the Room of Requirement. She was no interior decorator, but Dorothy was quite pleased with her efforts. The only thing that could possibly be missing was a roommate, which led her to Ominis Gaunt.
Ominis sat alone at the Slytherin table; his other half had been mysteriously absent from the feast, though it did not take a genius to figure where he was holed up, nor why he was taking a pass on the festivities. She’d spoken to the freckled boy once since his uncle’s death and it had been just as painful as getting clobbered by a troll’s club.
Her heart ached as she attempted to reconcile the sweet boy who had taken her to Hogsmeade for the first time and the wraith that had consumed him as he dabbled with unforgivables and dark magic. If she closed her eyes she could so clearly see him, bathed in the green light of the killing curse, not an ounce of regret reflected in his features–just cold fury stoked by delusions of righteousness.
She’d hardly spoken to Ominis either, busy as she was, which might have been why it felt so hard to approach him. Dorothy could not help the guilt that writhed in her stomach, as though she’d swallowed a jar of flobber worms, every time she looked in his direction. They wiggled and squirmed inside her as she got closer to him until finally, as she sat down at the Slytherin table, she thought she might open her mouth and vomit instead of speak.
“Hello, Dorothy,” he said. His tone was not warm, but it was also not entirely unwelcoming. What gave her pause was the use of her full name, and the fact that he had not turned his head in her direction to speak.
While blind, Ominis did typically make an effort, when he was in a sociable mood, to turn his unseeing gaze in the direction of whomever he was speaking to. Dorothy found herself suddenly missing the blue of his foggy eyes. She swallowed hard. “Hello, Ominis.” Finding her courage (on loan from Natty she suspected), she said, “I’ve missed you.”
It was true. She missed Ominis’s stalwart presence. His razor sharp wit. The comforting red hue of his wand in the corner of her eye as she walked to class. The way he’d steal her shoulder as his pillow during History of Magic.
The tension bled from Ominis’s shoulders. “And I you,” he murmured, head finally tilting towards her. “Dotty… I–”
“What are your plans for the summer?” she blurted out before she could lose her gumption, or her dinner for that matter.
“I–” Ominis blinked at her in surprise, before his pale cheeks flushed red. “I still have a week to figure that out.”
It was as she suspected. While she had never asked for explicit details about Ominis’s living situation, she had known he spent his breaks with the Sallows rather than return to his ancestral home. With Solomon gone, Anne in the wind, and Sebastian…
“I–I have a place,” she said haltingly. “On the South Clagmar Coast. I was thinking… I've gotten rather used to having roommates. I thought, perhaps you might–I mean, I don’t want to be presumptuous–”
“Dotty.” Ominis’s voice was laced with amusement. His lip quirked up, revealing his dimple in all its glory. “If you’re inviting me to spend the summer with you–”
“I am,” she cut in. Heat suddenly pooled in her cheeks, almost leaving her dizzy from the blood rush as she realized she’d interrupted him a second time. She ducked her head.
Cool fingers pressed under her chin until she was looking into breath-takingly soft eyes. Ominis’s thumb stroked along her jaw once, and then he cradled her cheek in his palm. “Dotty,” he said slowly, as if testing the waters to make sure she wouldn't trample his words again. “I graciously accept your invitation.”
“Oh,” she murmured. A weight lifted from her shoulders, and Dorothy broke out into a beaming smile. Ominis must have felt her change in expression beneath his fingertips, because he returned the gesture. “That’s settled then. You’ll love it! It’s right on the water so you’ll be able to hear the waves. And I drove all the dugbogs off, I’m mostly certain.”
“Only mostly?” Ominis mused. “Well, what would life be with you as a friend if there wasn’t a bit of danger every now and again?” He hadn’t meant it in any particular way, but Dorothy couldn’t help but wince. Ominis’s hand had not moved, and he frowned. “Dotty, you needn’t feel responsible for every bad thing to happen in the world.”
He couldn’t see, but Dorothy felt as though he was staring into her soul anyway. Their eyes were locked, his warm touch an anchor against the tidal wave of her own guilt.
“Hey, Hufflepuff, if you’re going to sit at our table would you at least pass the pitcher of pumpkin juice?”
Dorothy jolted. Ominis dropped his hand, and turned an annoyed look in the direction of the younger student who had interrupted their moment. “Yes, of course. Apologies,” she murmured as she grabbed the aforementioned pitcher and passed it along.
He took it without even saying thanks and Ominis made a sound in the back of his throat. “Hardly the way to speak to the savior of the wizarding world,” he commented.
“Oh, shut it,” Dorothy hissed back, lightly shoving his shoulder.
Ominis laughed. It wasn’t his typical, polite chuckle, or even the sarcastic huff Sebastian could tease from him with his dry, witty commentary during class. It was a belly-deep expression of mirth, the kind shared only between close friends, and Dorothy’s blood sang upon hearing it. She’d spend the rest of her summer, the rest of her life if he’d let her, attempting to draw that sound from Ominis again and again.
~
Dorothy said goodbye to her friends at different points throughout the day. In the early morning, she waved Poppy and Imelda off at the castle doors as they started their trek to Hogsmeade Station to catch the very first train.
“Don’t you dare let your flying skills stagnate this summer,” Imedla threatened. “Mark my words. Quidditch will be back next year, and I’d better see you in yellow on the pitch. You’re the only opponent worth flying against.”
Dorothy had treated that as the high compliment it was, and nodded seriously. She’d miss Imelda’s aggressive form of friendship.
Poppy, for her part, had jumped to get her arms around Dorothy’s shoulders and rocked her from side to side when it was their turn to say their parting remarks. “You’d best write! I’ll be all over the country with Gran, but I’ll keep a sharp eye out for your owl!”
“Of course,” she’d replied. “ And I’ll take good care of Highwing!”
Natty and her mother were not leaving until the next day, when the castle was cleared out of all students, so she said goodbye to her Gryffindor friend at the North Exit Floo as she and Ominis prepared to depart in the early afternoon.
“I hope you will stay in the proper amount of trouble this summer,” Natty teased as they drew back from a long hug.
“And what amount is that again?” she asked with a sunny smile.
Ominis bumped his shoulder against hers. “Hopefully none.”
“Yes, of course that is what I meant.” Natty laughed. “Perhaps we can find some time to see each other before school starts again in the fall. If my mother ever ungrounds me, that is.”
“Just let me know,” Dorothy said. She squeezed Natty’s shoulder, and then turned back to Ominis. “Ready?”
His blue eyes seemed more unfocused than usual, straying back towards the castle as if waiting for something, or someone, to appear. Dorothy understood. She felt Sebastian’s absence keenly too. She’d scoured the castle, hoping to be able to say goodbye to him before leaving, and had not found him. A brief conversation with Professor Weasley revealed Sebastian had departed using the floo before breakfast was even on the table.
“Yes,” Ominis replied after a long moment. “After you.”
Dorothy took a handful of powder and cleared her throat. “Clagmar Coast Cottage!” she intoned, before throwing the powder in the green flame. The world was swept away beneath her feet, and when everything came back into focus, she was at the cottage. She quickly stepped out of the fireplace, making way for Ominis, who appeared not a moment later.
A bubble of nervousness made itself known in her stomach as Ominis raised his wand and began to take stock of his surroundings. It wasn’t much. In fact, it was hardly more than a single room, with the kitchen and living space being entirely entwined. Tucked away behind a thin divider was a single bed. There was another bed up the stairs, along with the one bathroom. It would hardly compare to Gaunt Manner she was sure, and was even smaller than the Sallow’s home in Feldcroft, but it was all hers. And Ominis’s too, she supposed.
“You’re right. I can hear the ocean,” Ominis said, a faint smile on his lips.
Dorothy smiled too. The soothing sound of waves crashing against the rocky shore made its way to her less sensitive ears as well. She’d always loved to be near the water. The beachy vivarium in the Room of Requirement had quickly made itself her favorite place in the whole castle when it had appeared.
“Can you swim, Ominis?”
“I can,” he replied. “Though, I only swim in open water with someone nearby. Too easy to get disoriented when I can’t have my wand out reliably.”
“Shall we put our things away and make use of our private stretch of beach then, Mr. Gaunt?” she offered in a teasingly formal tone.
“Miss Astor, I was afraid you’d never ask.”
The water was cool and salty. It was a pleasant break from the midday heat, but Dorothy still squealed from the chill as she dove into the sea. Ominis was much more reserved as he got into the water, letting the foamy waves lap at his ankles as he adjusted to the temperature, before slowly submerging himself.
Finally, he ducked his head beneath the surface and when he emerged, Dorothy could not stop a blush from forming on her face. It hadn’t occurred to her that she’d have to worry about what seeing Ominis wet from a dip in the ocean would do to her insides. She knew her friend was attractive, just as she knew the sky was blue, but there was something about seeing his usually neat hair become disheveled, something about watching a drop of water trace a path down his sharp cheekbones…
“Dotty!” Ominis exclaimed when she suddenly splashed him. His blue eyes narrowed, and her heart fluttered in anticipation. “You shouldn’t start a fight you cannot hope to finish,” he said, voice pitched low.
“I never start a fight I cannot finish,” she retorted.
His wand appeared in a flash, and Dorothy didn’t even hear him cast a spell before a small tidal wave crashed over the top of her head, leaving her spluttering, but laughing nonetheless. “That’s cheating! Not all of us have permission to use our wands during the summer, you know.”
“I did warn you,” he said
The next several minutes were spent locked in watery combat until both of them were laughing too hard to continue. “Enough! Enough! I yield,” Dorothy shouted. She kicked off the sand and floated onto her back, breathing hard. The sun tickled her nose, and she knew she’d acquire a whole new platoon of freckles by the end of the day.
Ominis was grinning, his joy unburdened. “Is this the first time you’ve ever spoken those words?” he teased.
“Hmm, perhaps. Don’t get used to it.”
“I’ll try not to.”
They lapsed into a comfortable silence. Sunlight glittered on the green water, casting the world in a shimmery haze. Now that she was accustomed to the temperature, the water felt warm against her skin. It tasted of salt on her lips, and she imagined, briefly, Ominis’s would be just the same. She glanced in his direction. He’d joined her in floating. His chin was tilted back, giving her an unimpeded view of the hollow of his throat. The beauty marks on his cheek were perfect islands in the pink sea of an exerted blush and she smiled automatically, when, feeling the weight of her gaze, he turned in her direction. She noticed, for the first time, that Ominis’s eyelashes were blonde.
“What is it?” he asked quietly.
“Nothing. I’m just marveling at how lucky I am to have you as a friend.”
The blush deepened until he was red as a leaping toadstool. He was flushed all the way down to the skin that disappeared into his swimming shirt. “Hardly,” he muttered. “It is I who is the lucky one.”
She rolled her eyes fondly, but was not about to get into a contest of self-deprecation with her friend. “Well, let’s just agree to disagree.” Dorothy turned over and began paddling back toward shore. “Come. I wish to lie in the sun.”
Sand clung to her toes as she stepped onto the beach and the wind coming off the water raised goosebumps on her skin. She dragged herself atop a large, flat rock; it was sun-warm and smooth to the touch. She held out her hand, guiding Ominis to lay down beside her. He murmured the incantation to the cushioning charm.
“I knew there was a reason I invited you,” she said as she got comfortable.
“I live to serve.”
The distance between their bodies was practically nonexistent. She could feel the warmth from his skin and it was maddening. If either of them so much as twitched a finger, they’d brush hands. The very prospect had her holding her breath. It was almost dizzying to think about. She’d spent the entire school year dancing on a knife’s edge, but lying on the beach next to Ominis was what would do her in, surely.
“Dorothy,” Ominis said softly. He’d raised himself up so he was resting sideways on his forearm and looking down on her from above. Her breath caught. He was haloed in golden sunlight, looking for all the world like an angel.
“Yes?”
“Might I…?” His words trailed off, but the position of his free hand left little doubt what he wanted to ask. It hovered a centimeter over her cheek, and electricity surged through her blood like she’d just downed a Thunderbrew potion.
Instead of responding, Dorothy cupped his hand and guided it down to rest on her skin. His hands, unlike her own, were soft. They hadn’t seen conflict in the same way hers had, but she had no doubt they were very capable of great feats, if he were so inclined. Still, his touch was gentle, and she melted into it.
He traced the line of her jaw with his thumb. “Dorothy,” he said, using her full name again. His tone was serious. “Do you have any freckles?”
Caught off guard, she couldn’t help but giggle. “Yes. I’m positively covered in them. And if the sun has its way, I’ll be consumed by nightfall.”
His lips twitched. “I suspected as much.”
“Don’t tell me your magic can discern skin pigmentation.”
He chuckled. “Hardly. You just seem like the type of person to have freckles. I wanted to know if my intuition was correct.”
She hummed. “I forget, sometimes, that you have no idea what my face looks like.”
“No, but I could pick you out of any crowd despite this limitation.”
Dorothy was not sure why this statement sent her heart fluttering more so than the intimate touch, but it did. “Have you always been so charming?” She couldn’t help the breathless quality to her voice as she spoke, and Ominis, of course, picked up on it in an instant.
“Why do you ask? Are you feeling charmed?”
“Positively bewitched,” she admitted, trying to inject some humor into her tone.
Lightning quick, his tongue darted out to wet his lips. “Good,” he muttered. Then he was leaning down, and Dorothy’s eyes fluttered shut. She’d been right. His lips tasted of the salty ocean where they touched hers.
The kiss was gentle, hardly more than a chaste press, but Dorothy knew she was gone on him instantly. “Ominis,” she whispered against his lips.
“Yes, love?” he murmured back.
The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting the sky in luminous pink and orange. The golden light was soporific, and Dorothy wanted to lie down in the cradle of Ominis’s arms and never wake from this dream. On the distant shores of her rational thinking, she was aware that something was missing. A pair of mischievous brown eyes flashed across her mind, but, for right now, Ominis was more than enough.
“I love you.”
It should be too soon to say those words, but the last year had taught Dorothy the value of living in the moment. ‘Too soon’ was a luxury she had not been afforded. Besides, the feel of Ominis’s lips as he smiled against her skin assured her he felt the same way. She was not making a mistake with her affections, of that she was certain.
“And I you.”