A Man Has Horns // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 8 - Room Plans

"Where were you, I was looking everywhere for you," Garreth saw me back at the pub counter.

"Went outside for some air. It's so stuffy here," I omitted my encounter.

My heart had not stopped beating fast. The reason why I had not momentarily joined him. 

"It's like being inside of someones mouth," he agreed trying to catch my eyes.

And with everything that had happened just minutes ago, Garreth effortlessly made me laugh. I looked back at him as he rested an arm on the counter, seemingly having had waited the whole time for me to turn to face him.

"You have the same thing as me," he took a sip of his Butterbeer and pointed at my neck. "You get red near your neck when you drink."

He started to unbutton his first two buttons of his shirt the spread the fabric and to show me a slight blush on the base of his collarbones.

"How embarrassing of us," I swallowed noticing my throat becoming dry.

"We just wear ourselves on our sleeves," he bantered resting both his elbows on the counter.

I tried to keep my face as I understood that the more things that Garreth found out about me, the more they were lies and half truths.

He tipped his tankard to observe the contents before putting it back on the table saying, "I can't drink this slosh anymore. Could I perhaps walk you back to your common room?" he waited for my reply.

"The common room? Isn't it the opposite side of the castle from the Gryffindor one?" I looked at him with widened eyes, understanding that this was the first time he was properly courteous.

"Yes," he deeply and quickly nodded, waiting for me to just say yes.

"Yes," I just repeated after him with a smile.

He nodded deeply again and turned to grab his sweater from the chair before heading to the door, opening it and holding it for me to exit first.

"Wait, one second," I stood before the door giving a quick glance around to see if Imelda was still around. The pub wasn't as busy anymore but it by no means empty. I tried to peak my head to see if I really couldn't see her from standing the door but has no luck. I also didn't notice Nerida.

"Wanted to say goodbye to someone?" Garreth asked in a simple manner.

"She's not here," I answered turning to exit through the door he was still holding open for me.

"Let me guess.... Poppy?" he tried to guess as we started walking down the cobbled stones back to the castle.

"No, but was she here tonight? I didn't see her," I turned to him feeling guilty not even thinking she would be there.

"She must have been, every single Hufflepuff was," he said decisively. He looked at me and sensing my reservation. "I think their House had the best time tonight," he tried to assure me.

"'Who ate all the pies' is a brilliant sports slogan," I remembered and couldn't help but grin.

"So did they eat all the pies because they are the best or did Ravenclaw eat the pies because they were the slowest? Good slogan but I did ponder that," Garreth laughed and waited for my input.

"I guess that's why they were asking 'Who?'", I giggled and Garreth threw his hands in the air.

The air was sharper from the cold with distant cicadas singing. We were past Hogsmeade and just the two of us on a long stretch of road. There was some comfortable silence between us as we walked.

"So..." I tried to interrupt the silence. "Will your House not say anything about you having spent most of your night with a Slytherin member? You might be in risk of accusation of divided loyalties," I asked thinking about all of all the House stereotypes I was being deeply pulled into this week.

"Just a little bit of leg puling for being with a girl, I imagine," he brushed off, being suggestive in us having spent time together.

"Right," I smiled and nodded, keeping the slow walk back.

"What about you?" Garetth asked with sudden genuine interest. "I think Sebastian didn't seem incredibly pleased," he asked with some animosity towards him.

I hadn't anticipated his question.

"I know you are mates," he added in a somewhat serious tone. "Probably not the greatest position to find yourself in after the Quidditch situation." Garreth said strangely insightfully. "I apologise for that," he finally looked at me for a reply.

"You are not the one needing to apologise," I answered, trying to reveal my own culpability.

"You should never feel like needing to apologise for someone else," he replied looking unto the trail ahead.

"I'm not. I'm sorry," I couldn't help myself saying, stopping still on the road. 

I wanted to tell him everything but I couldn't.

"Oh come on, go, go, go," Garreth went behind my back to put his hands on my shoulders and push me up the trail. "Can't be stood in the dark in the cold, onwards and upwards you," he brushed all of the tension with a single sentence and action.

"I'll walk, I'll walk," I laughed trying to force my feeling sback into me and trying to escape Garreth's hands.

I suddenly felt so much tenderness towards him but his words 'Sebastian didn't seem incredibly pleased' rung in my ears, wanting a further explanation.

He started walking parallel to me again.

"Can't wait to repeat this next week, after we actually find out which House moves to be victorious!" Garreth exclaimed.

"I don't think Sirona would have the patience for another night like tonight," I felt my chest tighten from needing to hide the stupid situation with the hit.

"I just wish Hufflepuffs come," he moaned. "They are so fun," he said as we reached the gate to the castle.

"You're not the first to say that," I replied trying to keep face thinking about my conversation with Imelda.

We were in the middle of the bridge now. We walked more in silence, both feeling comfortable to be surrounded by it.

Finally reaching the main doors, Garreth stretched his arm to open the door for me once again.

"My lady," he bowed for my mind to replay the image of Sebastian.

'just admiring your manipulative strategies'

I almost shook my head to rid of the memory.

"...thank you," I forced trying to smile equally with my eyes as my mouth to him.

_____

We finally made it to the corridor where the Slytherin common room was.

"This is me," I said as the snake body ran across the wall to reveal the common room door.

"WOW, that is a lot cooler than the Gryffindor common room," he exclaimed starring at our door.

"Play your cards and you'll maybe see the the inside," I replied smiling without thinking. 

I wanted to joke around and I realised with those words I had unabashedly flirted with him.

He was surprised by my answer and seemed to need a few more extra seconds to think of a reply.

"Maybe one day we will exchange with room plans," he answered, playing along. 

"See you around," I bid farewell and pushed open the handle and went inside still looking at him over my shoulder.

He stood still till I disappeared from vision, in the crack of the door to give me a salut with his fingers from his forehead.

"TILL TOMORROW!" lastly exclaiming as the door was a half inch away from closing.