Bittersweet Heart (Ominis Gaunt x James Sharp)

Time to play seriously

"Haaa-"

"Four more."

"Ngh-"

"Three and I'll give you a kiss."

Ominis was panting, his face and neck all red, and a drop of sweat flowed down his temple: "How this would help me?" He loudly exhaled and made one more crunch. "I promise, this was the last one."

"All right. You know why I'm doing this?"

Ominis leaned back, sprawled on the lawn: "So that I will be capable of staying on the broom more confidently."

"Right. You need it even more than I do", James peered up. It was the first day in two weeks with no bright sun but clouds all over the sky. The weather foreshadowed imminent rain, but so far it was ideal for flying. "It was a little warm-up."

"Before?"

"Yes", James got up, dusting off his trousers. "Now, don't look at me like that. The weather is perfect, and you're ready. We've been through all the basics. Time to play seriously."

Ominis felt like a stone fell in his stomach. He's been wishing to fly since always but sabotaged the moment of the first try with all his might. His previous experience with a broom was the worst.

"We'll take it slow", James softened his usual coaching tone. "The only goal for today is to successfully mount and rise to the level of our roof. If you'll endure, we can make up some circles."

Ominis nodded. Heretofore he was only 'flying' at the height of one foot and learned how to make a broom listen to the commands. For the first time, he was grateful to be born blind, otherwise, he would've burned with shame learning something even kids are capable of. So at least he doesn't know how he looked from the side.

James sat down, fastening Ominis' knee pads on, then doing it for the elbows and chest. "Good?" Ominis nodded again. "Then the last one and we're all set", he started to adjust the helmet under the Ominis' sizes.

"Can't we do without it?" He felt like a scarecrow. "What an embarrassing view", he thought.

"Don't be ridiculous. Only fools take their first flies without protection. You are not a fool, are you?" Once James gets to the training, his character changes beyond recognition.

"I believe I am not."

"Good. Now this will remain your broom", he handed his old one over to Ominis. "It's decent and docile, but slow. One word — perfect. It won't mischief like this one-", he clapped his own broom. "-when you're not enough assertive."

Ominis nodded.

"Now, we'll make it together. Take your starting position." Ominis threw his leg over the broom, so as James did. "Great. Relax, you can walk a bit. Grab the saddle handles so you'll be comfortable with the way you're holding your wand."

Ominis nodded and took a few steps then turned back to James. The words disappeared because of the nerves.

"Now. Exhale nice and smooth, then push off. I'll tell you when you should stop."

Ominis' heart sank, he was rising into the air not for the first time, but now it won't be a childish height. "Are we close?" He felt the air whistling in his ears, despite the slow speed. Or it was his imagination.

"Half done, you're doing great."

A little more and Ominis' wand turned blind too. A surge of panic invaded his mind, all the senses lost. His fingers were lead and numb. Ears stuffed up, James' voice seeped through the distance.

A sudden touch and the sounds began to revert.

"Ominis! You made it!" James was supporting him over the shoulder.

"Are we- Already?"

"Yes! And a little higher." Ominis' head was swimming, his fingers clenching the handles till the knuckles turned white. James didn't let go of his shoulder. "That's all right. You're perfectly fine. Can you shake your feet?"

Ominis tried to do so and nodded. The fact that there was nothing underneath them was horrifying. James' other hand kneaded his right leg: "Are you feeling it?"

Ominis nodded.

"Is it all right?"

One more nod.

"Now, take a deep breath. Can you shake your hands? One by one."

Ominis' chest heaving, he twisted the hand with a wand and unclenched another one. James' warm fingers massaged it too as he kept holding Ominis by the shoulder.

"Are you feeling it? Is it whole?"

"Yes."

"Now I want you to gradually bend and unbend. Back and forth." Ominis clung to the broomstick and then sat back. "Left and right." He did so. "Feeling better? Is your body whole? Nothing missing?"

Ominis chuckled weakly: "What kind of question is it?"

"Remember this. Your body is unharmed. It is here and all right. There is nothing you should be afraid of. And keep breathing." Ominis tried to relax, moving on the broom. "Do you want me to ride you? I won't ask you to fly on your own today."

"Yes, please."

"Now I'll let you go. You won't feel me, but you should understand that we're at arm's length." Ominis sat straight, firmly grasping the handle. "Wingardium leviosa!"

A slight push shook the broom and it moved forward. Ominis' heart missed a beat, but he sat still.

"So tell me, how did you exactly manage to get yourself a black eye?"

"Excellent question, especially now."

"That's always a great question!", James was leading Ominis' broom. "You, and with a black eye. How did I miss it?"

Ominis reluctantly chuckled: "I took the school broom to the abandoned place in the Valley in my second grade."

"And? That can't be all."

Something touched Ominis' leg and he twitched.

"That's a tree branch, nothing to worry about. Try to bend and feel it. So, you were saying?"

Ominis leaned down the tree crown, sensing the leaves. "Frankly speaking, that is not much of a story. I mounted too harshly and got hooked on something by the robe. Then fell down." He snapped off a part of the small branch. "Mantle is torn. Broom flew away. The eye is black."

James continued the fly, laughing quietly.

"Do you find this funny?" Ominis' irritation made its way.

"I feel sorry for you, but yes", James was now laughing aloud. "No, no, not this look again. Imagine this picture yourself! And what did you do then?"

Ominis' legs cut through the air: "I- Repaired the robe, obviously. And-", he held back. "decided to pretend it didn't happen and smear the bruise with my potion. Which-", he finished it at a fast pace. "-made-it-naturally-blue-and-I-still-had-to-go-to-the-Hospital-wing. Yes, it can be humorous." He made a laugh.

His body felt like falling down and soon his feet touched the ground.

"Is that all?"

"What? Do you want more?" James came up and took off Ominis' helmet. His lips pressed against his forehead: "You did really good."