Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Sixty-Eight

I groaned loudly into my pillow. My head hurt. I was still tired. The victory party in the Gryffindor Common Room lasted until after midnight. I tried to leave several times, but Garreth was insistent on my staying, so I stayed. He tried to get me to stay with him in his bed too, but I managed to weasel my way out of that.

We were both in denial, I think. He pretended he didn't say "I love you" and I pretended I didn't hear him say "I love you." But I knew he would require a response at some point. And I could only hang onto the "I'm not ready yet" excuse for so long until he actually exploded like one of his cauldrons.

I didn't love him. I had to face facts. I didn't love Garreth Weasley. I loved... someone else. I sighed and pushed my face into my pillow. The thought of breaking poor Garreth's heart... my stomach turned.

Was that normal? It turned again. Oh no.

I grabbed the trash pail by my desk quickly and threw up into it. Only liquid came out. Was I still tipsy from the night before? I only had four butterbeers.

I was breathing heavily and feeling light-headed, so I laid back down again. I pushed my puke pail under the bed as best I could and curled up under the blankets, trying to get some more sleep.

I rolled over the bed again in just a few minutes and vomited again. I must be sick. I thought to myself. I tried to feel my forehead to see if I had a fever but my hands were cold and clammy so I couldn't really tell. I couldn't stand the smell of that pail though, so I gingerly got up, threw on my robe and tried to trudge down to the washroom to clean out my pail.

The other girls were not in the dorm when I left, probably at breakfast. My feet shuffled along slowly in their slippers. I was feeling wobbly and tired.

As I made my way across the common room, a familiar voice called out to me.

"Hey, there party animal. How was the victory party?" Sebastian's buoyant voice came closer to me.

"Stay away!" I warned quickly. "Sorry, I just meant, I'm sick and you should stay back unless you want to catch it."

"Well, that explains the smell." He waved his hand in front of his face, mockingly. "Are you sure you just didn't drink too much last night?" He chuckled a little at my distress.

"Ugh, maybe. I didn't think I had that much though. I feel like hell."

"Well, I have an idea. You need a hangover cure. Go clean up and I'll take to you The Great Hall for pancakes. Nothing soaks it all up like Hogwarts' Sunday brunch." He smirked at me and I tried to return his smile.

He was being really kind. He seemed to accept the fact that I was dating someone else and trying to get my brother back in my life... maybe he was finally maturing....

"Ok, Seb. I'll go do that. No guarantees I won't vomit up those pancakes all over you in the middle of The Great Hall though." I winked at him.

He guffawed loudly at my joke. "I'll take that as a warning. And wait here for you."

I ran a hot bath and then while it cooled enough for me to get in it, I cleaned out my pail. It was truly disgusting. I almost let go again at the sight and smell of it.

I cleaned up in the tub and wore my robe back through the common room as I hadn't brought any other clothes with me.

Seb was still waiting by the fire, reading a book, as usual.

"I think you and that robe are melded together at this point." His eyes never left his book, but the Sallow Smirk was in place on his face.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. I'll be back. I just have to change." I said as I headed toward the stairs to my room.