#awkwardauthorrequests

“Next time you want to sneak out of the castle we’re going to the Three Broomsticks for a drink.”

“First rounds on me,” Y/N twirled her wand between her fingers expertly and narrowly dodged a disarming charm an Ashwinder executioner threw her way. “You’ll have to do better than that,” she taunted.

“Y/N, please do not antagonise the angry murderers who are attacking us,” Sebastian groaned. He couldn’t help but shake his head in amusement as she laughed and cast expelliarmus at the executioner, causing him to lose control over the lightning storm he was summoning. Y/N tugged them both aside as the lightning crackled too close for comfort and took cover behind a tent. 

“You’re no fun.” Her chest was heaving from exertion but there was a spark to her eyes he hadn’t seen in a while. 

“Wasn’t it you who told me fun was relative?” Sebastian, Y/N noted, looked unfairly wellkept considering how long they had been fighting. Her hair had fallen from its updo a while ago and she dreaded having to work the tangles out of it later. Meanwhile, while he may have been more out of breath than her, Sebastian looked as if he had exerted no more energy than he would on a pleasant walk around the lake that bordered their school.

“And this is relatively fun,” she shot him a sinful grin as she quoted him and ducked back into the fray. Although he tried to look annoyed, Sebastian couldn’t help but chuckle, unable to deny her contagious enthusiasm. He shot a particularly vicious confringo at an explosive barrel that was located coincidentally close to a handful of soldiers, taking them all down in one go, before turning to watch Y/N as she levitated three men at once and summoned them towards her before blasting them away again with a particularly powerful bombarda. 

“Remind me never to get on your bad side,” Sebastian let out a low whistle, eyes darting around to look for any more enemies. Y/N scoffed and rolled her eyes in response, looking across the quiet camp for any more Ashwinders who may have been lurking in the shadows. “Do you see Mr Pippin's chest anywhere?” 

“I mean,” Y/N looked around, taking note of several chests dotted around the camp. “Revelio.” The spell lit the chests up, not pointing to any of them in particular. “Yeah I didn’t think it would be that easy,” Y/N sighed and began to make her way to the closest container when a loud crack echoed through the air around them. 

“What have you done?” The Ashwinder boss roared at them, eyes full of rage as he took note of the destruction around them.

“Whoops?” Y/N offered. Sebastian grimaced and pinched the bridge of his nose at her casual tone.

“Whoops?” he repeated, glaring down at her. “We have an Ashwinder boss in front of us, potentially ready to end our lives for what we did to their camp, and all you can say is whoops?”

“What do you want me to - ” Y/N started to protest, only to be cut off by the boss.

“Enough. You’ll pay for this. Both of you. Crucio!” The Ashwinder boss pointed his wand at Y/N, a vile grin on his features. Red sparks flickered at the end of the stick and time seemed to slow as a bolt of red lightning zigzagged its way across the field in her direction.

“No!” Y/N fell to the ground, her palms scraping the rough stone surface as Sebastian shoved her out of the way. She watched in horror as the curse hit him instead and could have sworn her heart stopped in her chest as he fell to his knees, arm clutching his stomach. 

“Sebastian!” The scream ripped out of Y/N’s throat as she scrambled over the gravel to reach him. The arm that had been holding him up faltered and he fell to the ground with a loud yell that echoed around them. Y/N felt her stomach lurch as the boss cackled.

“Avada - ” He never got a chance to finish the killing curse. White hot rage filled every inch of Y/N’s body and ancient magic lashed out, no longer in her control as it found its target. She was vaguely aware of the sickening crunch as their enemy’s body collapsed in on itself and fell limply to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

Sebastian grunted in pain as he rolled over onto his back, the curse finally subsiding now that his attacker was dead. Y/N reached out for him hesitantly, only to recoil as his arm twitched violently - an after effect of the lightning coursing through his body. She wanted nothing more than to gather him in her arms and make sure he was okay but could still remember how painful it had been all those years ago when he had cast the same curse on her. How the pain had lingered in her bones, her very soul, far longer than she ever let him know. Tears spilled down her face as she watched helplessly as the spasms finally ended and he lay there breathing heavily, a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead.

“Sebastian,” she hesitantly reached out for him and gently pulled her head to rest on her lap when he didn’t flinch away from her. “Why did you do that?” she brushed his hair out of his face and used the hem of her cloak to wipe away his sweat. “How could you be so stupid?”

“I couldn’t watch you in pain,” he groaned. “Not like that. Not again.” A harsh cough left his mouth, followed by a wince, before he looked up at her. “Why are you crying?” he raised a shaky hand up, as if to wipe away her tears and she watched, heart clenching in terror, as it fell limply to his side.

“Sebastian? Sebastian!”

*~*~*~*~*

A small part of Sebastian was convinced he had died as he floated in and out of a painless sleep. He was having the strangest dream, he thought to himself as he looked at the dryad who was fast asleep at his bedside, clutching his hand in hers as if it were her lifeline. He followed the lines of her half covered face and itched to run his hands through her long, green tresses. She shifted, moving the light with her, and he watched in fascination and confusion as her features morphed and her hair slowly cycled through various shades of colour until he recognised the woman asleep beside him.

“Y/N.” He squeezed her hand with what little strength he had left and watched as she slowly came to.

“Sebastian?” she murmured, still half-asleep. The hand that wasn’t holding on his rubbed at her eyes tiredly and she suddenly sat up as she realised he was awake. “Oh thank Merlin, you’re awake - ” Y/N looked as if she were about to fling herself on him in an embrace, but stopped as she realised she would only hurt him more. “Are you okay? Do you need me to get Nurse Blainey?”

“I’m fine,” he gently tugged at her hand so she would sit at the end of his bed. “How did you get me here?” Sebastian remembered jumping in front of the spell, not thinking about anything except for protecting Y/N; he had watched her writhe in pain once from the torture curse and he silently vowed to himself she would never have to go through that again as long as he was around. He couldn’t remember much after the Cruciatus Curse had hit him, apart from the blinding agony he felt.

“I apparated us as close to the castle as I could get and levitated you the rest of the way. Blainey wasn’t exactly pleased - or surprised - that I woke her in the middle of the night. She’s going to talk to Black and Weasley first thing in the morning. I don’t quite have your level of charm, I suppose.”

“You’re plenty charming when you want to be,” Sebastian squeezed her hand gently before slowly sitting up in the hospital cot. “Did you tell her what happened?”

“I didn’t have to - she knew immediately. Apparently I’ve earned a reputation for having students jump in front of curses for me,” Y/N rolled her eyes and fixed him with a glare. “Which was a completely stupid thing for you to do, might I add.”

“Hey,” he gave her a reproachful look and watched as she stood up, “I technically just saved you. You could be a little nicer.”

“I didn’t ask you to do that.”

“Are you mad at me?” 

“Are you feeling better?”

“I…I guess I’m a little sore but all things considered, yes, I’m better,” Sebastian’s eyebrow furrowed in confusion as he watched her pace up and down. 

“Well then, I’m furious.” Y/N stopped in front of his bed, eyes blazing with anger. “Don’t you ever do that again.”

“Protect you?”

“I don’t need protection!” her loud words echoed in the too-quiet room and Sebastian watched as her chest heaved in annoyance. “What if he shot a curse that was worse than crucio? What if he - ” Y/N broke off with a sob and fresh tears fell down her face. Sebastian thought the Cruciatus curse would be the nastiest kind of agony he had ever felt for the rest of his life, but seeing Y/N’s tear-stricken face and knowing he was the cause sent a crack through his heart.

“Y/N…” he came to a shaky stand and tried to reach out for her, but she shook her head and took a step back.

“You could have been killed.” She turned away and buried her head in her hands, quiet sobs shaking her shoulders. Sebastian took a couple of apprehensive steps towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned and flung herself at him, her arms wrapping tightly around him as she cried into his chest. “I can’t lose you.”

“I’m here.” Sebastian felt a piece of his heart shatter and pulled her into a much needed, tight embrace. There was a burning sensation behind his eyes as he wound one arm around her waist and threaded the other into her hair, holding her in place against him. “I’m okay.” He kissed the top of her forehead as tears slipped out of his own eyes. 

“This time.” Y/N meant for her words to come out sharp, for them to sting, but instead he took one of her hands and held it against his chest, right above his heart. 

“I’m okay,” he repeated softly. “See? It’s still beating for you.”

“Don’t be cute at a time like this,” she glared at him but the blow didn’t quite land as intended when he caught sight of her tear stained face. He smiled gently at her and wiped her tears away, using the sleeve of his robe to dry her face.

“Okay.”

“And never do anything that stupid again.”

“I promise not to jump in front of a curse that will cause you debilitating pain ever again.”

“Sebastian.”

“Okay, okay. I promise. Anything else?”

“One more thing.” She used his tie to tug him towards her and placed a too-quick kiss on his lips. “If you ever, and I mean ever, so much as think about doing something so stupid again, I will make you wish you never taught me all three of the unforgivable curses,” she muttered against his lips. Sebastian blinked at her, his emotions torn between being frightened by her threat and flustered by the kiss. 

“Duly noted,” he nodded, nose bumping hers gently before he leant back in to kiss her again.

“I mean it Sallow,” she pulled away from him, a blush rising to her cheeks. “I don’t need you to protect me and I will not hesitate to crucio you myself if you do that again.”

“Y/N,” he groaned, head landing on her shoulder gently. “I will promise you the entire world if you want it, but for now would you please stop talking and just let me kiss you back.”

“Only if you kiss me like you mean it.” Y/N fiddled with the knot in his tie as she avoided his gaze, suddenly looking very unsure of herself. A part of Sebastian wanted to berate her for it - how could she not tell that was all he wanted since the moment she bested him in their first duel two years ago? That she was the only person he ever wanted to kiss, the only one he wanted to be with? He may have had a few dalliances since meeting her (and he knew she did too) but it had always been her right from the very first moment.

“Darling,” he tilted her head up gently so he could look her in the eye, “later I’ll tell you all about how you’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, but right now I can definitely promise you that I mean it.” He closed the gap between them, trying to be a gentleman as he kissed her sweetly to convey how he felt about her, but Y/N was having none of it as she tugged at his hair and wrapped herself around him, her lips moving against his in frantic desperation. He groaned as she caught his lower lip between his teeth and tugged at it gently, causing Sebastian to reluctantly pull away from the kiss to look down at her, his eyes roaming over her tousled hair and swollen lips. “Easy now, we have the rest of our lives for that.”