Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Twenty-Four***

***Warning: This chapter contains sexually explicit adult content.***

The year was winding down and Christmas fever had spread through the castle. Everyone was overly excited for the championship Quidditch game, which was going to be Slytherin versus Gryffindor, as everyone expected.

I had even managed to squirrel away presents for all my loved ones and I was so excited to give them.

Last year, I spent Christmas virtually alone at Hogwarts. With the house elves. And very few professors and other students. The castle was so quiet. I stayed mostly in the common room as a dark empty castle in winter was a bit intimidating for me. I wasn't sad but it was a lonely Christmas.

I couldn't be more opposite this year. I had a home. A family. Friends. And so much to celebrate.

Anne and Sebastian had bought a little house in Hogsmeade so she could be closer to Hogwarts and attempt her reentry to finish her education as their parents would have liked. They had invited Ominis and me for New Year's Eve about which I was so excited.

And I had so much time to spend at home with mum and Archie. I just had to finish these last term finals and attend the Quidditch game. Everything was back to normal.

After my confession to Ominis, neither of us mentioned my indiscretion again. I had broken MAJOR wizarding law. And I knew it was so beyond stupid. We had silently agreed that, like all the other crimes in our lives, it was best to put it away and never tell a soul.

Sebastian had his sister back in a full, complete way and he was changed because of it. Some of the old Sebastian was resurfacing. His humor and flirtation going above and beyond sometimes. He would get into detention every now and then like he used to, but always shrugged it off.

Our feelings for each other were clear. At least to me they were. But out and about in the castle, he never showed any sign. I even reached out one day to take his hand as we were walking to class and he pulled it up to switch arms with his books. I had thought it was a coincidence, but he would never do anything without looking around first, making sure we were alone. Then the kissing would start like he was a man on fire, kissing me passionately. And the moment someone would come by, he would pull away. It was extraordinarily confusing.

We still hadn't defined whatever the hell this was. And I was sick of it.

One snowy day, as we were entering the common room together in the late afternoon after classes, he grabbed me by the wrist none too gently and pulled me to a corner. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me up to stand on his toes so we would be face to face. I always loved it when he did that.

"I've been wanting to kiss you all day." He said and without warning pressed his lips to mine. I let him, of course, because he was just so good at it!

His hand moved slowly down my back and up under my shirt to press against my skin, crushing my body to his as his tongue slowly slipped inside my mouth. He groaned softly, drawing circles on my back and kissing me tenderly.

I put my arms on his shoulders running my hands through his hair to the back of it, giving a little tug.

His face pulled away, "No playing rough now, someone might come in." He said mischievously.

"And why should that matter?" I asked, my voice laced with annoyance.

"I.... I don't know. Do you want to get caught making out in the common room?" He was confused by my question.

"No, not really but that's not the point."

"Ok." He sighed and picked me up off his feet, setting me down and releasing me. "So, darling, what is the point then?"