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The first time Sebastian Sallow had seen the new fifth year, he couldn't stop staring.
Not for the reasons one would expect — sure, she was easy on the eyes, the shiny new toy everyone wanted to learn more about. Unusual, extraordinary, atypical. The student body had been buzzing for weeks, wondering who she was and where she had come from.
Arriving late to the sorting ceremony certainly didn't help remove any unwanted attention, but she walked in, aloof and holding her head high. A dusting of soot on her neck peeked out from her uniform, her hair tied back in a delicate plait, unmussed despite rumors of a dragon attack.
Which, as it turned out, were true.
No, Sebastian wasn't eager to make friends with or woo the girl. But he was curious.
It was as if she had a rod as a spinal cord with how unyieldingly she sat on the stool as the hat sorted her into Ravenclaw. He wasn't surprised — the house that seemed to collect an exceeding number of 'stick-in-the-mud' characters was the perfect fit for her.
Not that he had anything against Ravenclaws, but each house had its archetypes for a reason.
That was why, when she asked for his help—
"The Restricted Section?" He mused, rubbing his chin as he tried to decipher her long-winded explanation about a 'portkey' and 'Gringotts.' "Well, princess, you've come to the right place."
The nickname had just slipped out.
She held the same indignation as when she had bested him in their Defense Against the Dark Arts duel. "Don't ever call me that."
Yes, your Highness, he resisted the urge to say, though he admittedly found her scrunched nose and narrowed eyes endearing. She had been kind, albeit defensive, in their few encounters, but he had a hunch that over time, he could soften her. After all, Ominis was his best friend — the man's mental walls were a fortress in comparison. It only took a bit of charm and persistence to get him to open up.
Sebastian was an expert on charm.
And he knew how to be persistent.
────•⋅⊰༻♥༺⊱⋅•────
An optimistic start to his fifth year had soured, and it was no one's fault but his own. His uncle was dead, his twin sister, as far as he knew, was still dying from an unknown curse, refusing to contact him, and his best friend had determinedly shunned him.
Still, he'd hoped that his sixth year would be a new start. Until Elsie Corvin decided she wanted to become the bane of his existence.
Whatever journey she was on now was the center of her focus, and though he tried to mend their relationship, she seemed adamant to push him away at all costs.
One moment, she was keeping him informed; the next, she would go days without speaking to him.
He supposed he deserved it.
Today, thankfully, was a speaking day.
"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong," she said, pouting at yet another withered plant in front of her. Herbology had never been her strong suit, but he was certain this had been the fastest she had killed one of her plants. "I followed Professor Garlick's instructions perfectly."
He patted her on the shoulder, hoping she wouldn't flinch from his touch. When she didn't, he said, "Not all of us have green thumbs."
He spoke with a teasing lilt, but she frowned. "Maybe I just…need to try harder."
Try harder. As if saving Hogwarts and the entire Wizarding world wasn't enough. As if running errands for a load of haughty portraits and making up for the Ministry's slacking wasn't enough.
As if Elsie wasn't daily performing a dangerous balancing act on the thread that hung between her Muggle life and her magical one. All the while trying to force Sebastian to stand to the side and watch.
He clenched his jaw and forced a smile. "I can help you, if you want—"
"No." Just like every other time, she shut him down. "I'm fine. I can…figure it out."
He wasn't in the mood to argue. Not after what had happened last time.
So, he sighed and muttered, "Whatever you say, sweetheart."
────•⋅⊰༻♥༺⊱⋅•────
The morning sun leaked in through the window, the light dripping into the room like honey pouring from a bottle. Sebastian blinked the sleep from his eyes, basking in the pleasant warmth of the bed and wondering for a moment if he had died and gone to whatever blissful place awaited in the afterlife.
For once, his mind was quiet.
His arm tightened around the woman next to him, and she offered a content hum in her sleep. Her dark hair spilled onto the pillows, and he gingerly brushed it away from her face to plant a soft kiss on her neck. She smelled of vanilla, sweet and soft and familiar.
Home.
He hadn't intended to wake her, but she stirred, curling against him. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye.
"'Morning," Elsie mumbled, voice thick with sleep. "You're up early."
He tucked his chin into the crook of her neck. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
"S'alright," she yawned, and he smiled, relieved that he'd evaded any consequences for waking her up prematurely. "Lydia probably would have come banging on the door in half an hour anyway. This is preferable."
"Mm," he agreed. "Well, we can enjoy it until then."
It seemed neither of them could go an entire year without an event that threatened to separate them. But after all they had been through, by the end of their sixth year, Elsie had finally decided to forge her own path.
She'd purchased a small cottage, a space to call her own, with just enough room to house her and her sister, Lydia. While at Hogwarts, they hadn't had much use for it, aside from the occasional escape from the castle — a haven from everyday student life, aside from the Room of Requirement. Now that it was summertime, Sebastian made an effort to visit on occasion.
Often, if he was honest.
Penny the house elf, who cared for Elsie's shop in Hogsmeade, offered to keep the cottage safe while she was at Hogwarts.
Initially, Elsie had refused. Penny was a free elf, after all, and was able to do as she pleased. But as always, with a little persuasion and Penny's insistence on helping, Elsie was convinced, if only to give her a cozy place to live when she wasn't worrying about the upkeep of the shop. And though Penny assured her it was a favor, Elsie left a payment (and then some) for her every time.
Always thinking of others, that girl.
She laced her fingers with his, her eyes catching the stream of light and tracing it down to the floorboards. "I promised to take her to Hogsmeade. She has a whole plan set out for how we're to spend the day."
"Oh? And what's that?"
"One, see Ernie Lark perform. Two, buy a new dress from Gladrags. And three, stop at Honeydukes for some treats."
"Ah." He laughed softly as he ran his hand up her bare arm, eliciting a shiver from her. "Big day."
"Mhm."
"So," he lazily kissed a path up her neck, his lips hovering just behind her ear, "I suppose that means there's no time for—"
A loud bang on the door stopped him before he could even begin, causing them both to jump. Sebastian groaned as Elsie pulled away from him, leaving the space beside him cold and empty.
"How is it possible you two are still in bed!?" Lydia knew better than to barge in by now, but it didn't stop her from scolding them for taking their time. "We're wasting precious daylight! Hurry up!"
He groaned again to express his displeasure at being rudely interrupted, but he forced himself out of bed nonetheless. To his disappointment, Elsie was already dressed by the time he managed to tear himself from the toasty sheets.
"Alright," Elsie hissed through the door. "We'll be out in a moment."
An irritated huff followed, and the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall before fading away. She cast him a wary look.
Despite the groggy morning and the interruption, all was well — no goblin rebellions, no ancient magic escapades — a normal family outing on a bright summer day. For now, it didn't matter what troubles tomorrow brought him, or the dangers of his past catching up to him.
He was here, now, and he was happy.
"Ready to get up and face the day, darling?"
She sighed, but a smile played on her lips. "Ready when you are."
Sebastian wasn't going to question whether or not he deserved this. He was going to enjoy every moment.
────•⋅⊰༻♥༺⊱⋅•────
Sebastian would like to believe he doesn't get jealous.
He wanted to convince himself that his seventh year would be no different than the last two years with Elsie. Whether they admitted it aloud or not, there had always been something more between them that couldn't be described simply as "friends."
Not wanting to be away from her for too long, he had worked out his schedule to make almost all of his classes coincide with hers, even going as far as signing up for a few extra courses, including Astronomy. Sebastian hadn't particularly cared for the subject, but every relationship book he'd scoured mentioned supporting one's lover's interests. And what better way to do that and spend time with Elsie than to participate in a class she enjoyed?
Two birds with one stone.
He hadn't anticipated what he would stumble upon when entering the classroom.
It shouldn't have surprised him to see her already there, likely sitting at the seat she'd had since fifth year. But it wasn't where she was sitting that had bothered him, but who she was sitting next to.
Truthfully, he didn't have any issues with Amit Thakkar himself. In his mind, Amit was a typical bookworm Ravenclaw with a special interest in the stars and preferred the cautionary path of life. Not a way Sebastian preferred to live, but to each his own.
But seeing Elsie, with an animated expression in her eyes, a wide smile on her face as she spoke with Amit, made something in his stomach twist.
And then, she laughed.
He didn't remember her laughing like that for him.
His thoughts began to spiral. She had taken Amit on adventures before — relied on him for advice, asked him questions about their schoolwork, even shared a House.
What went on in the Ravenclaw dormitory was beyond him. On the nights they weren't together, Sebastian would walk her to the eagle and bid her goodnight. What if there was something more going on between them in the common room that she hadn't told him about?
No. That was irrational.
Was it irrational?
Logic was lost on him, jealousy rearing its ugly head. All he knew was that in this moment, Elsie was sitting next to Amit, and she was laughing and smiling and not paying attention to him standing at the doorway of the Astronomy classroom, looking like a fool.
Another student shouldered past him, snapping his mind back into his body. He straightened his shoulders and marched toward her.
Elsie's eyes met his, finally directing her smile at him, and his heart fluttered. "Hello, Sebastian."
At the same time, Amit turned around. "Oh! I didn't know you were taking Astronomy this year, too, Sebastian."
"I am." He ground his teeth. Why was this boy so damn happy?
"Excellent! Professor Shah is a wonderful teacher. I'm sure you'll enjoy—"
"Not really in the mood for chatting, thanks." Sebastian towered over him.
Amit jolted, taken aback. He spotted Elsie frowning at him from the corner of his eye but ignored her. "I, um—"
"If you don't mind, I'd prefer to sit next to my girlfriend." As if he didn't know she was the only reason he was taking this class.
Gaping, Amit blinked. "Girlfr—I was—sorry—" He stumbled out of his seat, grabbing his school books and tripping to avoid Sebastian as he cast a panicked glance around the room for an empty chair. "I'll, uh…talk later, I suppose."
No, you won't, Sebastian thought as he plopped down in the seat, eyes locked on Amit as he slipped to the opposite side of the room.
When he looked back at Elsie, she was glaring at him. "You didn't need to do that."
He feigned innocence. "Do what?"
Her glare hardened.
"I only asked him to move!"
"Bullied him out of his seat, more like. He would have moved if you asked nicely," she countered. "Do you hate Astronomy that badly, or do you have a personal issue with Amit?"
"No! I—" Suddenly sheepish, he scrubbed at his chin. "I wanted to sit next to you is all."
Her brows furrowed, not accepting his explanation. "You could have sat on my other side."
He blinked, realizing that there was an empty seat on Elsie's opposite side. In his haste, he hadn't even noticed. To Amit, he probably looked even more foolish than he had initially believed.
Regardless, even if he sat there, there still would have been a chance for her to turn her back on him and talk with Amit instead. And while he could have gotten her attention back, he would have had to fight for it.
That was a problem.
"So, what? You have an attachment to that seat or something?"
"Merlin." He rubbed his temples. "No."
"Then why—"
"Because," he hissed. "I was—"
"What, jealous?"
He answered with a grumble, reluctant to even look at her. But when he finally did, she was grinning.
An amused, wide, shit-eating grin.
He wanted nothing more than to hide in the Undercroft for the remainder of the day.
Elsie, to his surprise, was soaking it in. "I'm not sure if I should still be angry with you, but right now, I think I'm going to take this as you inflating my ego." He rolled his eyes, and she made a show of looking at her hands. "Girlfriend, eh? Is that the term we're going with now?"
"Shut it," he muttered, but a smile tugged at his lips.
"Come on, you know I'd never replace you." She placed her hand on top of his, and although it soothed the ache, he still felt like a complete arse. "It's okay to feel insecure."
"I'm not." He might have been a little bit.
"But you still have to apologize to Amit later."
Of course. He knew she wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily.
And as Professor Shah took her place at the front of the classroom, preparing to begin, Elsie squeezed his hand one last time in reassurance.
"Sebastian?" She whispered as the professor began to speak.
"Hm?"
"You're an idiot."
────•⋅⊰༻♥༺⊱⋅•────
Sebastian never thought this day would come.
Hand in his pocket, he fiddled with a small box, its contents picked out for the occasion. Between both his and Elsie's busy schedules, today was their first free moment in what seemed like months, and Sebastian was determined to make it a memorable one.
He had planned an elaborate date to give them time alone. Staying at Elsie's cottage was fine, except for the few moments they were interrupted by Lydia's boisterous announcements or Penny's insistence on choosing 'now of all times' to clean. None of those interruptions would do for what he had in mind.
Seclusion by the coast, a romantic picnic, and a beautiful sunset.
It was simple, private, like she always wanted.
Everything he needed was packed and ready for their departure. He only had to wait for her to return home.
But, as always, the plan went awry before it had even begun.
"Do we really have to go today? Can't it wait?" He tried not to sound rattled as Elsie shoved items into the Nab-sack that dangled off her keyring. "We were both supposed to be off."
While he was in the process of studying to become a Healer, Elsie was typically researching ancient magic, tracking traces of it in local hot spots. As long as he was available, they would travel together.
"I got a tip from someone in Aranshire that their cousin had sent them a letter about a location locals tend to stay away from." She was frantic, the type of energy he would see from her when she was determined. "But it fluctuates. I need to see it for myself and contain its magic before it disappears, or the wrong person finds out about it."
He held back a groan. "But our date—"
"Can wait, Sebastian." She gave him a pointed look, and he knew there was no talking her out of it.
He sighed. "Where is it?"
"The coast. Outside of Marunweem in some ruins."
The coast. At least it was close to where he had planned. They would complete this job, and then they would celebrate with their date.
And then…
"Fine," he conceded, jutting out his lower lip. "But afterward, we relax."
She nodded. "Agreed. I promise, it'll be a quick in and out."
It was not.
The tip she had received was correct in leading her to an ancient magic hotspot — Elsie had mentioned being able to see the wisps of magic flitting around what used to be a grand castle. And the job would have been an easy one, if not for the two massive trolls guarding the entrance.
"Great," he grumbled. "Now what?"
"Why are you in such a snippy mood today?" She whispered. "Normally, you'd be excited about a fight."
"I had other plans."
Ignoring her eye roll, Sebastian stepped out of the shadows, ready for the fight to be over with. The sooner she could get her research, the faster they could go on their picnic and enjoy a peaceful time alone, and then he could ask her what he had been waiting for months for the perfect time—
"Depulso!"
Oh.
Elsie was already charging toward the troll, enacting their practiced distraction. While Sebastian enjoyed his fights quick and dirty, Elsie preferred not leaving troll corpses all over her research points. Obliterating them with ancient magic was ideal, but she liked having his help to hold the creatures' attention.
"Sebastian!" He heard her yell, spells blasting from her wand in rapid succession. "Focus!"
"Right, uh…" Could she have picked a worse day to go into battle? "Dif—"
Before he could utter the word, he was thrown several feet away. Groaning, he assessed his body — his shoulder ached, but otherwise, he had managed to avoid severe injury.
Stupid.
He kicked off his heels and sprinted, using the opportunity to distract one of the creatures, when he spotted her. There she was, a picturesque warrior. Standing in the middle of a ruined field, wand raised, no fear on her face as the other troll charged. He caught the rise of her shoulders as she inhaled, eyes fluttering closed.
She brought her wand down.
Lightning, summoned with her ancient magic, nearly split the ground in two as it struck the troll, disintegrating it in a puff of purple smoke. He had only seen her perform this move a handful of times, a rare moment of beauty in the heat of battle. Once afraid to use her magic, she had grown into her unique power and thrived from it.
She was breathtaking.
He wasn't sure how long he had been staring as the ground smoldered around her. He wasn't sure when he had walked closer to her, drawn in by the magnetic presence of ancient magic, or her, or some combination of the two, but he was standing beside her, the world outside of them forgotten.
"Merlin's bloody beard," he muttered. "Marry me already."
She froze and whirled around, and he realized too late that he had spoken aloud. "What?!"
Her eyes went wide, gaze locked on something behind him.
Ah. Right. The other troll.
In mere moments with their combined casting, they managed to confund the troll long enough to destroy it, but not before Elsie had taken a strong blow from its club, leaving her with a broken leg. Sebastian, to his relief, only had a few minor bumps and bruises aside from his aching shoulder, but nothing a little bit of Wiggenweld couldn't mend.
"And this is why you bring your Healer with you," he chuckled, binding her leg as he uncorked his bottle of Skele-Gro from his pack. She scrunched her nose at the potion's foul odor, then bravely downed the bottle.
"Thanks," she sighed, handing him back the empty container. "That was…more than I expected."
He tucked the bottle back into his pack. "I…I'm sorry. This is my fault."
"Sebastian—"
"If I was paying attention, you wouldn't have gotten hurt."
"Sebastian—!"
"You'll be off that leg for days now," he lamented.
"Well, I suppose that means you're going to have the job of carrying me everywhere." She smiled wryly.
He glared at her. "It's not funny."
She leaned back on her arms, contemplating for a beat before asking, "What did you say?"
"What did I say when?"
"You know."
Shit.
"I—" He scrubbed the back of his neck, feeling as though he had been thrown onto a stage in his underpants and forced to dance a jig in front of a taunting audience. "I was…I didn't mean to say that."
She frowned. "You didn't mean it?"
"N-no!" He sat upright. "I mean, yes, I did mean it. But I didn't mean for it to come out like that. We were supposed to have our date, and I had a whole thing planned, and we were going to— I was going to take you somewhere nice to watch the sunset, and I had been setting it up for months, and then this happened— I got caught in a moment, and it's my fault you're hurt—"
"Ask me."
He blinked, mouth agape. "What?"
"Ask me." She was grinning at him, wisps of hair pulled from her plait caressing her face, the sunlight catching her eyes, highlighting the tiny specks of gold in them. Even here, in the middle of a dilapidated manor, covered in troll bogeys and blood, leg bandaged, clothing askew, she was radiant. It reminded him of their escapades during their school days, getting caught up in near-death adventures, relieved that they had made it out alive.
"It's not exactly conventional."
She shrugged. "We haven't done everything the 'right' way anyway."
Perhaps he had taken a blow to the head, but right here, now — he couldn't imagine a more perfect moment.
Fumbling, he shifted in the dirt, propping himself on one knee. His heart raced in his throat as he took her hands in his. She winced as she tried to turn to face him.
"No, don't…don't move." He took a steady breath. "We've…been through a lot together. And, I, uh—"
Why was he so nervous?
She squeezed his hand in reassurance, and he mentally threw out any speech he'd had prepared. The day hadn't gone according to plan, anyway.
So, he started from scratch.
"Elsie." He cleared his throat. "From the— from the moment I met you, I was…drawn to you. I thought it was curiosity, at first, and maybe it was, but it grew into something more. You knew me when I was young and stupid, and made so many mistakes, and— why are you laughing?"
"I'm not." She pressed her lips together, and he could tell she was hiding a smirk. "Go on."
"Point is, you stayed by my side," he continued. "You forgave me when I didn't deserve it. You showed me softness when the world was unkind. And I—" He dug the small box out of his pocket and opened it. A small, golden ring was nestled inside, its gemstones flickering in the sunlight. "I love you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes, and his voice cracked as he said, "Elsie Genevieve Corvin…my love, will you marry me?"
A nervous giggle slipped from her lips, and she threw her arms around him, with every ounce of unbridled joy, kissed him over and over again. He returned the gesture, embracing her as if to prevent the universe from ever separating them again.
Even though it wasn't the way he had planned it, when he looked back many years later, he would never have rewritten it.
And, of course, she said yes.
────•⋅⊰༻♥༺⊱⋅•────
Exploring Muggle towns was always a welcome distraction, but their style of life still failed to make any sense to Sebastian.
"It's strange to be back in the center of it all," Elsie commented, sighing as she analyzed each building with little interest. "I almost wish all of our adventures could be limited to the Wizarding World, but I suppose that's not how life works."
Having her magic manifest as late as it had, she had spent the majority of her life living amongst Muggles. Her family was…a misfortune, at best, the epitome of 'snobby, rich, and controlling.' Their parting had not been a subject they had any desire to remember, and because of that, she made an effort to avoid any contact with the Muggle world, just in case she stumbled upon someone with relevant connections.
"Honestly, I wish I'd spent more time in Muggle towns," Sebastian mused, offering his arm to her as they entered a crowded part of the street. Having lived most of his life in Feldcroft, his exposure to Muggle society was limited to classroom studies and the few years he'd spent living in his parents' home while they were alive. Childhood knowledge only took him so far, and experiencing life through a textbook was different from actually living it.
So, he relied on Elsie's expertise for now.
It was nice to let her take the reins on a subject he was less familiar with. While he had spent his last couple of years at Hogwarts teaching her about the ways of the Wizarding World, she was now able to return the favor. It made his heart race at the idea of her taking control, guiding him on an unknown adventure.
"It's not all you think it is," she sighed. "I don't have nearly as much…uh, freedom, to put it simply."
He shrugged. "I'm sure you'll find a way. You always do."
Which was why she planned to pass through town inconspicuously and leave early in the morning.
But first, they needed a place to stay.
After having learned of his living conditions while in Solomon's house, she had promised Sebastian that every accommodation would be the best that she could find. While he was content to have any sleeping space that could fit the two of them, he more than appreciated her insistence on spoiling him.
And he made sure to thank her in other ways, taking full advantage of their temporary yet spacious quarters.
They loitered a moment outside of one of the more upscale hotels, her hesitancy palpable.
"If you want, we can always skip and apparate somewhere else." His hand slipped into his coat, fingers tracing his concealed wand, waiting for her answer. "We don't have to do this, you know. We can leave and come back later."
She shook her head, determined. "No, it's…it's better I face it now. I can't avoid this forever."
"Sure, you can."
Elsie frowned, brows furrowed. "It's…been a long time. I should be over it by now."
The nervous energy radiated from her as she shifted on her feet, pausing only to wipe her palms on her skirts. He took her hands in his and urged her to look at him.
"They hurt you," he murmured, wanting nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and hold her close. "They treated you unfairly. If you want to run, say the word, and we'll disappear far away without looking back. But if you want to stay," he brushed his lips against her fingers, "I'll be with you the whole time. It's your choice. Not theirs."
Her shoulders rose as she took a deep breath and nodded. "I want to go in."
He mimicked her movement, nodding and squeezing her hands one last time before pulling apart. "I'll follow your lead."
With a straight back and a plain expression on her face, she opened the door. "Stay close," she whispered, and she walked straight to the innkeeper's desk.
Sebastian had never set foot inside a fancy Muggle hotel before, and he hadn't imagined Muggles were capable of such frivolity without the use of magic. Seeing extravagance in their homes made sense. They lived there. For somewhere temporary, the decor seemed a bit—
Overkill. And even that was generous.
Tiled floors, statues of small animals, and floral arrangements hanging from every part of the ceiling caught his eye. A pianist could be heard playing in the ballroom, and men in fine suits brushed past without acknowledging one another. He understood why Elsie had been so resistant to returning.
While the architecture was impressive, everyone had their noses stuck so far up their own arses that they couldn't be bothered to appreciate any of it. Appearance was everything to them, yet they weren't able to open their eyes long enough to see how much their obsession with seeming perfect was destroying their ability to offer common decency.
Not even so much as a hello.
And standing in the middle of it all was Elsie, unbothered by their flippant and uncaring attitudes.
He loved her for it.
"Excuse me, sir," he heard her say, "I'd like to—"
"Like to? I beg your finest pardon?"
Instinctively, his hand shot beneath his coat, ready to brandish his wand in the face of danger. But Elsie only blinked, shoulders stiff, as the innkeeper continued his outraged ramblings.
"A young woman such as yourself does not belong here!" He tugged on his cravat. "We run a proper establishment and do not cater to…to such affairs!"
She glanced down at her state of dress, and he saw the faint tinge of a blush color her cheeks. No, don't back down now. His fist clenched around the handle of his wand. She'd hate it if he got involved now, but if this man continued to berate her, the whole building was going to go up in flames.
"A young lady of your status acting with such vile behavior. Speaking before spoken to. How unseemly." The man was growing redder in the face by the moment. "Such…impropriety. I should have you removed from the premises for even addressing me— for entering, dressed like that, alone!" He waved a few more workers over. "I'll have you know, I only serve the crème de la crème, and this behavior will not be tolerated here."
As the other men approached, he spotted Elsie's hand reach beneath her coat, knowing she was searching for her wand. He could almost read the thoughts flickering in her eyes, counting the number of people, scanning the room for a way out, wondering if she should imperio or obliviate them. Could she get away with it? Would it be worth using magic to manipulate them into giving her what she wanted?
Before she could take the risk, Sebastian decided enough was enough. She could be angry with him later — he wasn't going to allow these ignorant Muggles to speak to her in such a way.
He shouldered past her, intervening. "I don't know who the hell you think you are—"
The innkeeper didn't flinch. "And who might you be?"
He was going to punch this man in his stupid mustached face if he didn't stop with his high-and-mighty attitude.
"I'm—"
"My husband."
What?
Sebastian tried not to gape.
She continued, face stoic, the lie coming easily. "My husband, Mr. Fairfax. He had to stop at one of the shops down the road and requested I wait in here."
Husband.
They weren't yet married, yet his heart leapt at the sound of it, his body buzzing with barely contained excitement. Husband. He could listen to her call him that all day and never tire of it.
Then, he realized.
Wait — Fairfax?!
"That's right," he said, playing her game without missing a beat, and ignoring the implications of the name. "It wouldn't have been polite to leave my…wife outside like that, would it?" He channeled every ounce of Ominis's haughtiness. "I don't believe my father would take kindly to our treatment. Perhaps we should stay somewhere else."
If his friend had heard him mocking his speech in such a way, he would have slapped him upside the head. He almost laughed at the mental image.
The trick seemed to work as the innkeeper's eyes widened in horror. "No! No, sir, I-I deeply apologize. I hadn't realized that… he doesn't speak of his children, and— We'll give you the finest we have to offer. We won't disturb you for the rest of your stay. I only beg you, please, not to speak of this incident to the elder Mr. Fairfax."
Sebastian deferred to Elsie. "It's your choice, love."
"H-Her choice?!"
The corners of her lips tilted up, and she placed a few coins on the table. "Silence for silence."
"Wonderful!" The man clapped his hands together, quickly pocketing the coins and handing them a key. He dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief. "Bygones be bygones, water under the bridge, and such. Have a—a lovely day, room number is on the card, don't hesitate to ask—"
"We won't need help, thanks," Sebastian interrupted, offering Elsie his arm and walking away as the man continued to spurt out apologies and frantic promises. But he wasn't listening to any of it.
Because even in all of the madness, the judgment, the insanity of the odd people they had encountered in their lives, nothing, nothing could have been more satisfying than hearing Elsie refer to him as her husband.
He was living on top of the world.
"What a mess," Elsie grumbled once they were out of earshot. "I'm so sorry I had to subject you to that. I probably could have come up with something sooner if I wasn't so...distracted."
He shrugged, slipping an arm around her waist now that they no longer needed to remain 'proper.' "It was worth it."
She looked at him, questions swirling in her gaze. "Worth it?"
"To hear you call me your husband." He prodded her in the side with his finger, and she squeaked. "I only wish you didn't have to use your ex-fiancé's name. Fairfax? Really?"
Elsie sighed. "Status. You can have anything you want if you have the right name. Honestly, I panicked. It was a stupid choice."
"It was quick thinking. You really believe he can keep a secret?"
She waved off the question. "We'll obliviate him in the morning."
"Pity his name is still on your mind," he teased, though there was a hint of bitterness behind the statement.
She shot him a glare. "You know I didn't mean it like that.
Although she tried to maintain her air of stoicism, she was withdrawn, flippant, still bothered by the encounter — he could see it written all over her. Sebastian knew her too well by now. He waited, hoping she would elaborate, but they walked in silence until they arrived at their room.
Finally, she let out another long sigh as he opened the door, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "I wish it were easier. Coming back. Pretending…what happened doesn't still hurt."
For a moment, he tried to pay little attention to the extravagance of the room, and he settled next to her.
"He's similar to my father, that innkeeper. Judging without letting me speak. Refusing to hear my story until he believed someone of a high status was vouching for me." She pinched the spot between her eyes. "It shouldn't matter. I'm better off now than I was before."
"It shouldn't." He took her hand in his, rubbing soothing circles on her wrist. "But you're still allowed to feel hurt."
Offering words of comfort wasn't his strength — he could fight, threaten to wreak havoc on those who had hurt her. Or he could lighten the mood, crack a joke, divert attention from the pain. He was good at that.
But it wouldn't help.
Instead, he held her in the silence and waited.
Then, she tutted. "We really should get you a ring. So we can at least start as a married couple instead of having to go through that madness again."
"Or," he countered, "we could get married for real."
She scoffed. "We've been trying to. As soon as we start planning, something else comes up."
"Then, let's not plan."
Elsie jerked away from him, voice jumping an octave. "What?!"
"I mean," he pulled her close to him again, "I want to marry you. And you said so yourself, you want something simple. You have a dress and a ring. Why don't we just…get married?"
"I—" Her eyelids fluttered, still processing what he was saying. "Where?"
He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled. "Wherever. I'd marry you anywhere. Hell, we could have the ceremony outside your cottage, or in the back alley of this hotel, or at the bottom of the godforsaken Black Lake for all I care."
Seconds passed, and he wondered if he had said something wrong. He quickly added, "B-but, if you want something extravagant, I'd be happy with that, too. Whatever you decide—"
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes." She beamed at him. "In front of the cottage. It's perfect."
He returned her smile, reaching up to stroke his thumb along her cheek. "Then, it's settled."
No matter the place, the date, or the number of guests, Sebastian was happy as long as he got to keep her. To stay by her side, regardless of their hardships, their pasts, or some rude Muggle innkeeper who believed he could control her choices. Just as she had stayed by him.
Giddy, she flopped onto her back, her dark hair splayed out on the plush sheet, creating a halo around her shining face. He wanted to capture the image of her rare moment of joy and bottle it.
"Alright, husband," she teased, and his heart fluttered. "Paint me a picture of what our wedding day will look like."
Husband.
"I'd love to, Mrs. Sallow." He hovered on top of her, fingers lightly tracing the neckline of her dress. "But first…I think we should take advantage of this extravagant room the lovely innkeeper set us up with for the night."
She grinned. "I think that's a fantastic idea."