Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sunoo doesn’t do crying.

He just— doesn’t and especially not in public, but he certainly feels like he wants to when his boyfriend makes a PSA that they’re over. That’s right, an actual public service announcement that he’s dumping Sunoo while he’s eating breakfast with one of his best friends, Riki, in the Great Hall on a Monday morning.

He hates the ridiculously sympathetic glances he’s getting from all the students who were in earshot of the breakup, which was a pretty wide range considering how loud his boyfriend— now ex— had been while doing so. He grabs Riki’s arm when the black haired boy stands up, clearly aiming to defend Sunoo’s honor either by magical or physical means, which he’s definitely not above doing. But Sunoo doesn’t want the fourth year to get tied up in any drama when it’s not necessary.

Riki looks down at him, reluctance clear as he takes his seat back beside Sunoo. The blonde boy sighs in relief, not wanting to explain to Professor Min why Riki beat K up in the middle of the Great Hall. Sunoo feels terrible though, because Riki and K grew up together, and even though they weren’t best friends, they were friends. Not so much anymore now, if the withering glare Riki was giving K was anything to go by.

And no, Riki’s wasn’t upset just because K broke up with his best friend. Shit happens, he knew, but it’s what he said when he did so that made his blood boil under his tanned skin.

“You’re just so fucking boring, Sun,” K spoke offhandedly, as if he was clearly just stating a well known fact. He even had the audacity to use his nickname. “You never want to do anything even remotely sexual, you’re kind of annoying, and honestly you’re not even that great to look at. Got no idea what people see in you.”

Sunoo’s heart was pounding in his chest. He’d never been broken up with before, and his relationships had never ended this painfully either, but he swallowed his hurt and steeled his gaze. “And you’re an asshole who clearly likes to lie. You’re the one constantly begging for it like some insatiable dog, so clearly I’m not that terrible to look at. I should’ve realized sooner that you’re not even worth the time. Go to hell, K.”

K looked infuriated, and despite the hurt, Sunoo felt satisfied in the fact that he didn’t give K the reaction he’d so clearly wanted. He stalked off with Kyungmin trailing close behind and looking apologetically at Sunoo before disappearing out of the large doors to chase after K.

The blonde fifth year felt floored. What had he done to incur that on a Monday morning and less than a week away from their four month anniversary no less? They’d started dating at the end of the last school year, hanging out because of Riki.

Sunoo was distracted all day, still wrapping his head around the fact that he’d been broken up with. He wasn’t totally heartbroken, no. They weren’t even together for all that long, but he really did like K.

In charms, he’d accidentally levitated Chaehyun’s books instead of his quill, apologizing profusely when he dropped them and they landed on her hand. She swore she was okay, but Sunoo felt horrible, so he casted a quick pain relieving charm and promised to buy her a few treats from Hogsmeade next time they went.

Then he went to potions, stirred his potion a few too many times clockwise and then ended up with a murky brown substance that had a smell slightly akin to something rotten. Professor Min was surprised as Sunoo usually excelled in potions, but he only brushed it off, kindly saying it was just an off day. Sunoo quickly cleaned up, embarrassed and a little ashamed at how badly this whole breakup ordeal was affecting him.

In every class, from Defense Against the Dark Arts, to Potions, to Charms and Transfiguration and Astronomy and History of Magic and even Arithmancy where people had too much work all of the time, people gave him pitying glances. Clearly, the word had spread about their breakup. He heard the whispers and the simpers of passing students in the halls, but he wanted none of it. Sunoo didn’t want to look weak, like he was desperate to get K back or something.

He didn’t like chasing, let alone chasing assholes like him.

The only class he got a little bit of peace in was Care of Magical Creatures, as today was just a field exploration day where students got to explore a small blocked off section of the forest. It was really close to the edge and it was in broad daylight, so there was no danger in being there. Sunoo, just wishing for a few moments of peace, wandered off on his own, trying to find the Niffler he’d named Kimmy. She was cute and friendly, albeit a little shy.

He walked for a while, listening to the sounds of nature and watched as two knarls scurried around with each other in play.

He heard a small noise from the bushes ahead and whipped his head up, smiling when Kimmy poked her head out and stared up at him. He reached into the pocket of his robes, bringing out a shiny silver coin. Kimmy burst out of the bush, shuffling over to Sunoo as he knelt down to offer her the coin. She didn’t hesitate in taking it, rubbing her head briefly but affectionately against Sunoo’s hand.

He sat down and watched as she played with it, holding it up in the sunlight to watch the way it reflected off of it. “Kimmy, I’ve had the worst day today,” Sunoo sighed, resting the side of his head on his knees while still looking at his little friend. She looked away from her treasure, staring up at Sunoo with a curious look in her beady eyes.

“My boyfriend broke up with me in front of the whole damn school. And on a Monday! Not to mention I’ve been so distracted that I crushed Chaehyun’s fingers with her books and messed up an easy potion,” he complained, closing his eyes. Kimmy tilted her head, not quite knowing what was going on but sensing Sunoo’s distress none the less. She made a small noise, almost like a coo, and Sunoo found it in himself to giggle a little. Time seemed to fly by as he sat there with her, rattling on about random things and expressing his frustration.

He heard the calls of Professor Kim and sighed, standing up to brush off his pants and robe. “I have to go, Kimmy. Take good care of your coin,” he said a little sadly, waving to the little creature as he walked away. He watched as she quickly made her way back into the cover of the bush, and he already missed her comforting presence.

Back at the castle, he had a little bit of downtime and decided to spend it with Riki and Jungwon, his other best friend. When he stepped back into the school, he headed for the first of many moving staircases, hoping they’d be in his favor. He tried to ignore the way whispers floated around as he walked by, but he couldn’t help but hear as one of the gossiping Gryffindor girls whispered to one of her friends.

“Poor guy. I can’t believe K cheated on him. No wonder he broke up with him this morning. Probably wanted to do it before Sunoo found out.” Sunoo felt his heart stall in his chest. That’s why K had broken up with him? He’d cheated on him? It’d hurt a little to be broken up with, yes, but something about the fact that K had cheated on him just hurt him even more.

Sunoo stumbled over one of the steps, cursing out loud as he righted himself. There was an indescribable feeling of betrayal that washed over him. Maybe he wasn’t the best boyfriend, but that didn’t mean he deserved to be cheated on.

Him, Jungwon, and Riki all agreed to meet in the library, and when he got there and sat down, still in a shocked daze, he was soon met with a very angry Hufflepuff.

“Do I kill him now or later?” Jungwon seethed over his Study of Ancient Runes essay, quill not even touched yet. Riki seemed to agree, the same determined and agitated look in his eyes he had earlier that morning.

Sunoo didn’t reply, still clasping tightly to his Care of Magical Creatures book and trying not to cry. Jungwon paused, a look of concern taking over his features. “Sun? Are you okay?”

He shook his head silently, trying to find the right words. Jungwon and Niki both reached over to grasp each of his hands. “Sunoo?”

“He cheated on me. I heard someone in the hall whispering about it,” Sunoo broke, his voice small.

There was a moment of silence, of comprehension before Niki abruptly stood, absolute rage written all over him. “I’ll hex him five ways to Friday, that bastard.”

“Riki, don’t!”

“Why not?! He hurt you. He deserves it!” Riki fought back. Sunoo looked over at Jungwon for help, but Jungwon only shrugged, silently agreeing with their youngest friend.

“You’ll get in trouble! I don’t want you doing that for me,” Sunoo begged.

“To hell with that! I’ll serve detention for the rest of the year as long as I can kick his ass.”

Sunoo groaned, not being able to stop the frustrated tears that escaped. Riki paused and softened, guilt clear in his eyes as Sunoo wiped furiously at his cheeks. “Hey, Noo, I’m sorry. I just… I hate that he’s hurt you like this,” Riki sighed.

“Yeah, we’re sorry Sun,” Jungwon nodded, getting up to round the table and hug him. “It’s just that seeing you so upset makes me want to kill him.” He wrapped his arms around him, resting his head on Sunoo’s while he cried into his shoulder.

They stayed like that for a while, standing in the library while Sunoo cried his heart out into Jungwon’s robes and Riki rubbed the crying boy’s back.

“Hey Noo, why don’t you head back to the dorms with Riki? I’ll stop by the kitchens and see if can get the house elves to make us some hot chocolate, okay?” Jungwon suggested, stepping back from the hug. Sunoo’s eyes were red and puffy and he looked exhausted. His blonde hair was a mess, scattered across his forehead and matted down where he’d laid his head.

He nodded, sniffling as he picked up his bag and books. Riki came and looped his arm through Sunoo’s free one, smiling gently, “Shall we?”

Sunoo was off the next day, the next next day, and the days that followed. He found himself distracted during lessons, showing up late to class, and messing up more potions. A week went by and his friends both agreed he needed a serious intervention (and a plan for revenge).

“NooNoo!!” Jungwon called after seeing him ahead of him on the way to Arithmancy. Sunoo either was blatantly ignoring him or not paying the slightest bit of attention, and Jungwon guessed it was probably the latter. He sped up, weaving through the throng of students to catch up to the blonde. He grabbed his shoulder, making Sunoo yelp in surprise.

“Merlin, Wonnie! You scared me,” Sunoo breathed, a pale hand to his chest.

Jungwon couldn’t help but roll his eyes, a teasing grin on his lips. “I called your name just a second ago. You just weren’t paying attention.”

Sunoo let out a quiet oh before apologizing. “I’ve just been distracted lately. This week has been a huge disaster,” he whined out, shifting his bag hanging from his shoulder.

“Riki and I actually have a plan for that. Meet us in the Astronomy tower tonight after dinner!” His friend said, bumping his shoulder before waving goodbye, “I gotta get to Ancient Runes! See you later!!” Oh god, Sunoo thought. What the hell were his friends going to get him into this time?

The rest of the day dragged on despite the fact that he only had 2 classes left, but after he finally entered the Great Hall for dinner, he felt absolutely drained and ready for a good nights sleep. The break up was distracting him, which in turn made him mess up in class, which then made him stress and lose sleep about doing badly in classes because he really needed to do well on his O.W.L. exams to be able to take his N.E.W.T.s the next year. It was a domino effect he didn’t appreciate at all.

Riki jumped a little when Sunoo plopped down beside him and banged his head on the table. “Noo…?”

“Yes Riki?”

Silence. “Never mind.”

A few minutes later, Sunoo blearily raised his head and started putting random food items on his plate that looked pretty questionable together. Riki was pretty sure you weren’t supposed to put strawberries on your baked potato, but he said nothing, even as he watched Sunoo actually take a bite. If it tasted bad, Sunoo gave no indication so Riki just decided to let it go.

Jungwon snuck over to the Slytherin table to eat with them a little while later, trying not to laugh at the blonde’s odd choice of food for the evening. Not much was said between the three as they ate, but they enjoyed one another’s company so it was alright. “Maybe we should postpone our planning to tomorrow during our free hour...” If outward appearances were anything to go by, Sunoo was about to face plant into his plate of strawberry potatoes out of sheer exhaustion.

The youngest agreed, gently placing his hand on Sunoo’s shoulder. “Why don’t we go and head down to our dorms already?”

With a simple nod and a quiet goodnight to the Hufflepuff, the blonde stood and without further ado, walked out of the Great Hall with Riki and towards his very comfortable, very warm bed.

They did in fact meet the next day in the Hufflepuff common room. They got a few weird looks because of the two Slytherins, but really, the whole ‘different houses don’t get along’ bullshit was put to rest years ago. No one really cared anymore. Well, a majority of people didn’t.

“Sunoo, it’s time.”

“…for what, exactly?” Sunoo asked, still not knowing why his friends wanted to meet up so bad.

“For revenge!” Jungwon said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sunoo gave him a deadpan look. “Nothing I do is gonna affect him. He doesn’t even care about me, clearly,” Sunoo sighed, “and no, you’re not dueling him or fist fighting him.”

“What about—“

“Nothing to get any of us in trouble!”

“You’re no fun NooNoo,” Riki pouted. “What else are we supposed to do?”

Jungwon smiled like the Cheshire Cat and alarm bells went off in Sunoo’s head. He knew he was going to suggest some crazy plan and he wasn’t sure he would want to follow through with it. “I heard some rumors today during my Runes class. Sunoo, I don’t think he’s completely over you yet.”

“Jungwon, that’s ridiculous. He literally cheated on me and then broke up with me in front of the whole school,” Sunoo frowned.

The Hufflepuff shushed him, “Hold on, I’m not done yet. You know how he’s been known to sleep around? Well apparently, just this week, he’s tried to sleep with two other people and he’s called it off both times, saying something about ‘You’re not him.’ That bastard still wants you even though he’s the one who broke it off.”

The blonde’s face twisted into a look of disgust, “That’s so… weird. Are you sure you heard it right?”

“I asked Kyungmin about it. He didn’t tell me much, but I did manage to squeeze something out of him. He hasn’t actually slept with anyone since you guys broke up,” Jungwon confirms. Honestly, it wasn’t a surprise Kyungmin hadn’t said much. He was friends with everyone, but K was still his best friend, though nobody really understood why. K was kind of a douche.

Sunoo paused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I think he’s regretting cheating on you. He cheated and then broke it off so you wouldn’t break up with him first to save face, but honestly, serves him right. He just got bored and didn’t realize how good he had it until he lost it,” the brunette nodded firmly, fully confident in his own speculations.

If Sunoo was honest, he could see it. K was a little flighty and easily disenchanted when things got even slightly less exciting. He was, for the most part, self centered and too preoccupied with his own shit to try and understand anyone else, but he was nice to Sunoo. Most of the time. He bought him things when they went to Hogsmeade, walked him to class, kissed him unashamedly in the halls and helped him on homework occasionally during their library dates. He didn’t do emotions though. He never really tried to comfort Sunoo when he was upset and didn’t like to address any problems they ran into in their relationship. He hated communicating and Sunoo definitely wasn’t privy to any of his emotions.

“I think you should make him jealous. Make him really regret ever cheating on you.”

“Do you really think that would even work though? Maybe he’s just sexually frustrated.”

“Come on Sun, he’s clearly not over you yet. Mess with his head a little!” Niki pushed, shaking the blonde by the arm.

Sighing, Sunoo nodded, “Okay, I’ll try.”

Needless to say, he definitely tried. He flirted with several different guys for almost an entire month.

Charisma was something that was natural for him, so it wasn’t hard to strike a guys interest. He usually made sure K was somewhere around so he could see, but even if he wasn’t, he knew it would get around eventually that he was flirting with other guys.

Choi Beomgyu, a sixth year, was pretty popular with everyone. Girls and guys alike were drawn in by the easy going, fun loving Gryffindor. He was pretty receptive to Sunoo’s advances, easily initiating light physical contact like shoulder touches and head pats, throwing around pretty smiles and knowing just what to say and when to say it. Sunoo made sure to let him know it was just casual though, and Beomgyu agreed with no hesitation, not too interested in being tied down right then.

Jake Sim, Hufflepuff’s sixth year prefect was also easy to engage in all his golden retriever glory. Quick to laugh and smile, responsible, extremely loyal. Sunoo’s interactions with him were more friendly than anything, but people didn’t have to know that. He genuinely enjoyed being around him, and he hoped they could be friends sometime in the future.

Talking to Ravenclaw’s Yoon Keeho was definitely a unique interaction. It was obvious the man sure of himself. Even when it was unfamiliar territory, like dating, he didn’t falter. Where he lacked in experience, he made up in patience, intuition, and learning on the fly. Sunoo can’t say he was the smoothest guy, but he definitely enjoyed flirting with him.

The last guy and the only one to get a reaction out of K was Lee Heeseung. He was a seventh year, tall, handsome, smart, sweet, and definitely a huge flirt. He just so happened to also be Hogwarts Champion for the Triwizard Tournament that year, which really chipped away at K’s unbothered exterior. Sunoo couldn’t exactly pin point why Heeseung was the guy that did it, but he definitely played up the flirting with him. Heeseung didn’t mind, even touching Sunoo’s waist every now and then and giving him this insanely attractive smile when he would send him off to class.

“Holy shit!” Jungwon yelled one day during lunch, throwing his book bag onto the table, “you’re talking to Lee Heeseung??” Riki leaned in, clearly intrigued by the subject at hand.

“You know it’s nothing serious guys. It’s just for show. Heeseung knows that… I actually told him what I was doing and he thought it’d be fun to join in. He doesn’t really like K either,” Sunoo shrugged them off, taking a bite out of the buttery roll he’d grabbed off a tray.

“Okay but still Sun! It’s Heeseung! Even I admit he’s ridiculously attractive,” Riki countered. “There’s no way K hasn’t noticed, or at least heard about you guys.”

“He hasn’t said anything to me yet,” he said doubtfully. Both Jungwon and Riki gave him looked that screamed you’ll see.

Sunoo definitely spoke too soon, because the moment he left the Great Hall he got pulled into an empty hallway by no other than K himself. “Having fun whoring around?” He spat, pushing him into the wall.

Sunoo gasped from the impact of the bricks on his back, temporarily losing his breath. He stared at him incredulously. “Excuse me? You’re fucking kidding me right?”

“Me? No, you’re fucking kidding! I’ve seen you around with a different guy every few days!”

“Well aren’t you just a damn hypocrite,” Sunoo scoffed, shoving K out of his personal space. “If I remember correctly, you’re the one who cheated and then broke up with me to save whatever reputation you think you have. Anyway, what does it matter to you whether I’m talking to other guys or not? ”

K dodged the topic of his unfaithfulness completely, his gaze arrogant. “I know you still like me, Sunoo. Don’t you want to get back together?”

“Like hell I do. Go fuck yours—“

K moved forward and gripped his jaw firmly, forcing him to keep eye contact with him. “You’ll never, ever have someone as good as me. You’re just a desperate little attention whore. You’re lucky I even want you back.”

Sunoo felt disgusted with the way he touched him, shoving him back once again, but harder this time. K grunted and stumbled back, giving Sunoo enough time to speed walk towards the hall exit. The older boy quickly righted himself, moving to follow him, but Sunoo was beyond pissed and pulled out his wand.

“Impedimenta!” He spun around and yelled, casting a slowing charm on him before taking off and not looking back. Anger coursed through him as he hurried towards his potions class. Not only was K shaming him for talking to other guys when he’d actually fucked someone else, but he’d had the audacity to insinuate Sunoo actually wanted him back. Sunoo was done with whatever game K was trying play. He wasn’t going to just participate anymore. He was going to win. He just needed a plan.

“He did what?!” Jungwon gaped as Sunoo retold what had happened after lunch. The librarian shushed him, and Jungwon gave a halfhearted apology before turning back to aggressively whisper. “He called you a whore and then said you’re lucky he likes you?” Both of his friends were actually going to kill K at this rate, and Sunoo wasn’t even sure he would stop them. They were in their usual spot in the library during the free period.

Riki was livid, clenched fists at his sides as he stood and listened to Sunoo. “Oh he’s absolutely dead when I see him.

“What should I do?” Sunoo asked readily, no longer trying to take the indirect, peaceful approach. K needed to realize he couldn’t just have whatever he wanted.

“You need to make him jealous. Make him regret ever hurting you. Make him wish you were still his,” Jungwon stated, clearly already forming an idea in his head that had not yet made itself obvious to Sunoo.

“What if you try to get with Kyungmin?” Riki suggested. “The whole dating his best friend thing?”

Sunoo thought for a moment, but he ultimately decided that wouldn’t work. “Kyungmin’s too loyal to K to do that. I mean yeah we’re friends, but I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t do something like that to K.” Riki huffed but nodded in agreement.

“I’ve got an even better idea,” Jungwon said, a scheming look in his cat like eyes. “You know how he got upset when he saw you with Heeseung? Clearly there’s some inferiority issues going on there. He doesn’t like seeing you with people he personally sees as rivals or better than him.”

Sunoo gave a flourish of hand to prompt him to get on with the point. “So…?”

“Do you know Park Sunghoon?” The Hufflepuff asked, lowering his tone as if it were classified information.

The older Slytherin raised a brow, “I think so. That sixth year prefect from Ravenclaw? Super quiet but really hot?” Jungwon nodded. “What about him? I haven’t really talked to him.” Of course, he knew he existed, but in all his time at Hogwarts, he probably hadn’t spoken more than ten words to him. He kept to himself and his few friends, but everyone knew him. He was top of his year, quidditch team captain and the best seeker Hogwarts had seen in years, liked by all the teachers, and on top of that, he was absolutely gorgeous. Sunoo couldn’t help but be a bit jealous. Still, past all of his public achievements, he didn’t really know him personally.

The brunette smirked. “K hates his guts. Like, absolutely despises him.”

“I didn’t even know they knew each other, let alone hated each other,” Riki said in wonder.

“That’s the thing. Sunghoon doesn’t even care, and it just pisses K off more. He’s totally unbothered by K’s competitiveness. He doesn’t even see him as a rival, but something more like a pest.”

If Sunoo was being honest, that was hilarious, but he also had his own doubts. “Yeah he’s hot and smart and talented and everything but doesn’t that mean he’s probably kind of arrogant?”

The brunette shook his head, “I’ve only ever heard of him being quiet, not arrogant. I’ve talked to him a couple of times and he’s never been rude. I just don’t think he’s too keen on starting conversations, but he doesn’t seem against keeping them.”

The blonde sat thoughtfully. “So you’re saying…”

“Exactly. Don’t get with his best friend. Get with his worst enemy,” his friend finished, giggling.

Riki and Sunoo turned toward each other with shocked expressions before looking back at Jungwon. Sometimes they forgot how spiteful he could be. Hufflepuffs really weren’t all sunshine and rainbows, that was for sure.

“Don’t you have him in one of your classes, Sun?” Niki asked, as he remembered seeing Sunghoon walk out of Sunoo’s potions class while he waited for him. Normally, fifth years wouldn’t be in an O.W.L. level class with a bunch of sixth and seventh years, but he’d proven so gifted in it that he’d taken an assessment and been moved up a year.

The eldest nodded, blowing a stray strand of hair away from his eyes.

“Perfect!” Jungwon said excitedly. “Just pull him aside one day and ask him about it! I’m sure he’ll be on board if it’ll piss off K. Since K’s an annoying asshole, you know? It can’t be fun having him challenge you in everything just to beat him every time. There’s not any excitement in that. Plus, I heard he’s called him,” he dropped his tone of voice, “a mudblood before.”

Sunoo was surprised. He would’ve never guessed Sunghoon was a muggleborn just by appearances alone.

“Okay, I’ll ask him soon,” he decided.

But asking him was easier said than done. He had a couple friends in there that he was basically attached at the hip with. Kevin Moon, Park Jongseong, or Jay as he preferred to be called, and Sim Jake. He couldn’t really catch him alone, so he realized he’d have to just muster up the courage and pull him away from his friends.

Three days after his meeting with his two friends, he finally just said “screw it” and pulled Sunghoon by the arm and out of the room after class, ignoring the way his ears burned at his three friends’ teasing oohs.

“You’re single, right?“ he blurted.

Sunghoon looked beyond confused, raising an eyebrow at the random nature of their interaction. “And why would you want to know that?” His tone wasn’t unfriendly, but Sunghoon just had this air of confidence about him that made Sunoo nervous.

He realized though that it probably sounded like some rushed confession, so he quickly backtracked. “Okay, that is not how I wanted to start this. I’m not trying to ask you out or anything or— well, okay, I kind of am but not actually.” Sunoo’s hands felt a little clammy.

“Could you give me a little more context?” Sunghoon chuckled, shifting his messenger bag higher on his shoulder.

“So you know how K cheated on me?” Sunghoon hummed in confirmation . “Well he cornered me in the hall the other day, called me a whore, and then basically said I should take him back. I’m trying to get revenge. Sort of. I really just want to piss him off, and I figured you could help with that.”

The older boy looked to be considering it, finally asking, “So what would I have to do to be of assistance?”

Although a little surprised, Sunoo quickly supplied an answer. “Fake date me.”

Sunghoon made a noise in the back of his throat that kind of sounded like a suppressed cough before he replied. “How exactly would that make him mad?”

“You’ve got to know about his whole one-sided rivalry with you.” To which the Ravenclaw nodded. “I know you don’t really care, but wouldn’t it be fun to just piss him off? He’s got this major inferiority complex, so me dating you would just be the icing on the cake. I think it’s a win win for us both. It would just be temporary, and you could break it off whenever you wanted. All you’d have to do is act like my boyfriend when he’s around, but other than that, you’re not obligated to spend any time with me.” Sunoo finished, nodding firmly as if to assure himself that was okay.

“But wouldn’t that be suspicious?”

“Huh?”

“If we were only seen together when he was around. To pull this off, we’d probably have to spend as much time together as a normal couple would. We’d have to do actual boyfriend things, you know?” Sunghoon explained. Just then, he realized that his friends were probably waiting for him and turned around to tell them to go ahead without him. With a couple more teasing remarks, they left.

Sighing, Sunoo realized he was right. “Sorry, I didn’t even think about that. Never mind then, I don’t want to inconvenience you.” He smiled apologetically before turning to leave.

He felt a hand wrap around his wrist. “Wait!”

Startled, Sunoo turned, way closer to Sunghoon than he was before. “It wouldn’t inconvenience me, really. I think it’d be fun. To get back at K, I mean. I wouldn’t mind fake dating.”

He felt bewildered, “Really? You’d do that for me? Why?”

“On one condition.”

Sunoo paused. Now it was his turn to ask questions. Of course he’d want something in return for all his trouble, but the question was, what would Sunghoon even want from him?

“Go with me to the Yule Ball?” The sixth year asked quietly, as if he was nervous for the answer to come.

The Slytherin felt like his eyes were going to pop out of his head. Sunghoon wanted to go to the Yule Ball with him of all people? But why? He could literally ask just about anyone in the entire school and would probably be successful. He managed to sputter out a very ungraceful “But… why?”

Sunghoon laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck “It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“I’m sure it’s not,” he reassured kindly.

The man paused, pulling at the fringe of his silver hair nervously, “Could I tell you the night of the Yule Ball? I know that’s a lot to ask, and it’s okay if you already have someone you want to go with, I just—“

Sunoo cut him off, “I’ll go with you. It’s the least I can do since you agreed to help me.” He felt relieved that it wasn’t anything outrageous, and honestly, going to the Yule Ball with Park Sunghoon was just another positive in his eyes. “I didn’t have anybody in mind anyway.”

Sunghoon looked relieved that he didn’t have to explain himself, giving him a small smile. “Thanks. I promise I’ll tell you then.” He looked at his watch, sighing when he realized he probably needed to get to class. “How about we meet up later and iron out the details? Library about two hours before dinner?”

Sunoo nodded quickly, agreeing that they needed to talk more before trying to put on a convincing fake dating act.

“It’s a date then,” He smiled easily. Giving him a cute little wave, he called, “See you later, boyfriend.”

Sunoo waved back, grinning at Sunghoon’s antics. Maybe this whole fake dating scheme would go a lot smoother than he anticipated.

Chapter Text

Two hours before dinner, Sunoo found himself waiting at the library’s entrance for a certain Ravenclaw and hoping he didn’t look too eager. Thankfully, Sunghoon showed up not too long after him and apologized for being a little late. Sunoo just brushed him off, replying that he’d just gotten there too.

They found a table towards the back of the library where less people frequented and Sunghoon left to find a few books, intending to do his Ancient Runes essay while they talked.

Once they were settled, Sunoo decided to initiate the conversation. “We need to come up with our whole getting together story. It probably will already look suspicious when we just start randomly hanging out and being romantic and stuff.”

Sunghoon laughed as he scribbled something down on his piece of parchment, looking up once he’d dotted a small period after his first sentence. “Alright, what were you thinking?”

“Maybe something about having the same potions class?”

“I’ll have to disagree there. Jay, Jake, and Kevin are in there, and we’ve never really talked much. They’ll get suspicious fast. We need something more subtle. Something we can get away with without confirmation from other people.” Sunoo was surprised at how analytical Sunghoon was, but he realized he was right.

“So what do you suggest?”

“I think it’d be more believable to start it somewhere like Hogsmeade. No one keeps up with who goes and where they go. Did you go around a month ago? Right after you and K broke up?” Sunghoon asked, his quill now resting on the top of his tiny ink jar.

Sunoo hummed, “Yeah, I did. Jungwon and Riki were busy, but they forced me to go to try and make me feel better. I ended up just moping in the Three Broomsticks though.”

“That’s perfect. Well, not the whole moping part, but the fact that you went. I was at Hogsmeade alone then too. We can just say we became friends there and kept it on the low. Then we both got interested in one another here recently and decided to try dating?”

Sunghoon’s idea was surprisingly very well thought out, and Sunoo wondered if he hadn’t done this before. “That’s actually brilliant. Okay, well that solves our main issue. Now I think the biggest thing is to just talk about boundaries. What are you comfortable with?”

All things considered, there wasn’t a lot Sunoo was against. PDA wasn’t a huge ordeal for him. He didn’t mind hand holding, hugging, teasing touches, even kissing or making out (of course, he didn’t want a tongue down his throat in front of huge crowds). He just didn’t want to do anything downright sexual.

Shrugging, Sunghoon replied, “I’m not really against anything. I’m fine with public affection and all of that. I can’t think of anything thats just a hard no for me.” He’d picked up his quill again, reading a few paragraphs from his chosen book before he began writing again.

“Okay, same goes for me. I just wanted to be sure so that we wouldn’t make each other uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, of course. It’s good to set boundaries with things like this,” the elder replied, not looking up from his essay. “How about we walk into dinner together? Cause a little chaos to get things going?”

Sunoo smiled, “That’s a good idea. You’re pretty clever, Park.”

“I try, Kim,” he quipped back. “Oh, speaking of which, what kind of nicknames are we thinking?”

“Nicknames?”

“Like, sugar plum? Honey pie? Cutie patootie?”

Sunoo scrunched his nose, fake gagging as he said, “I take it back. You have absolutely terrible ideas. If you ever call me any of those names I’ll put you in a full body bind and leave you in an abandoned part of the school.”

“That’s kind of harsh, muffin cake,” Sunghoon says teasingly, earning a slap to the shoulder in response. They both bursted out laughing but tried to keep quiet so the librarian didn’t come and chew them out for being loud in the library.

“But seriously, I’m good with like, babe, baby, love, those kinds of things. Nothing cringey, alright? Or you’ll be in deep shit.” He warns, pointing a finger at him.

Snorting, the silver haired man put his hands up in surrender, “Alright, alright, no cringey nicknames. I got it. You can call me those too. I’m not too picky about that kind of stuff.”

“Alright, I think we’re good for now. Anything else we’ll need to talk about can wait. I’m gonna try and finish my Arithmancy homework while we’re here,” Sunoo sighed, turning to dig through his bag and retrieve his homework. That class had entirely too big of a workload, so Sunoo was lucky he actually enjoyed the subject or he would’ve already dropped out.

The Ravenclaw made a face at the paper he brought out. “Why Arithmancy out of all things?”

Sunoo giggled at Sunghoon’s clear dislike of the subject. “Well, at first I just chose random ones. Astronomy, Arithmancy, and care of Magical Creatures. But I actually really like the subject, so I just stuck with it.”

“That’s makes one of us,” Sunghoon said, shaking his head. “I dropped that halfway through third year and didn’t look back.”

“It’s not for everyone, I know that for sure,” Sunoo agreed easily, getting up to find the book he needed. When he came back, Sunghoon looked fully immersed in whatever Ancient Runes subject he was writing about, so he sat down wordlessly and got started on his own assignment, losing himself in the words and numbers of the problems the professor had given them.

Time passed pretty quickly as the two of them worked silently, and when Sunghoon checked his watch and noticed it was ten minutes until dinner, he tapped Sunoo on the arm. “Might wanna start packing up. It’s close to dinner time.”

Sunoo put his quill down, flexing his hand to get rid of the ache in it and blinking to refocus his vision. He was pretty close to being done. Maybe thirty more minutes and he would’ve been able to finish, but he guessed he’d have to finish it later in his dorm. They quietly packed up, the only sounds being the rustling of papers, capping of ink bottles, and shutting of books. After they were both ready to leave, Sunoo quickly went up to the librarian’s desk to check out his book for the night and then they headed out.

Finally away from the quiet environment of the library, Sunghoon finally spoke up. “Ready for a little drama?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Sunoo laughed softly, bumping him with his shoulder. “Actually, I’m a little nervous. I know this was my idea and all, but it feels kind of weird to be lying to the whole school about dating you.”

Sunghoon nodded understandingly. “Don’t think about it as a lie then. We’re just… pretending for a while. No harm, no foul. Plus, it’s not about everyone else. Wasn’t making K mad your whole motive anyway?”

Taking a deep breath, Sunoo nodded, appreciating Sunghoon’s assurance. “You’re right. I shouldn’t worry about anyone else.”

The large doors to the Great Hall came in sight as they rounded a corner and descended the stairs, warm light from the floating candles and hanging lanterns spilling from the entrance. Sunoo could smell the food, and he suddenly realized just how hungry he was.

“It’s showtime,” Sunghoon smiled easily at him, offering his left hand. Sunoo didn’t hesitate, placing his right hand in Sunghoon’s waiting palm and intertwining their fingers.

“Alright, let’s do this,” the fifth year said, stepping forward with Sunghoon right beside him.

Initially when they walked in, people were too busy putting food on their plates and talking to their friends to notice the new couple that had just walked in, but as a few noticed, it started catching the attention of more and more students in waves. The people who noticed tapped their friends on the shoulder with wide eyes and whispered as they pointed to Sunoo and Sunghoon, who’d paused in the entrance.

“Okay, that’s a lot of eyes on us,” Sunoo breathed out, turning to look up at Sunghoon.

The silver haired boy chuckled, a little uncomfortable but overall unaffected. “Yeah, it’s kind of unnerving. It’s like we’re a piece of meat being stared at by a wake of vultures.”

“We shouldn’t stand here for too long,” Sunoo whispered. “It’ll look weird. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” He pulled his hand back before smiling up at the Ravenclaw with a little mischief. He leaned up and pecked him on the cheek, giggling at Sunghoon’s shocked expression. “See you later, boyfriend.” And with that, he left Sunghoon standing in the entrance, heading over to the Slytherin table where Riki and him usually sat. When he saw someone with yellow lined robes, he realized Jungwon had already snuck over to their table.

He playfully ignored the pointed stares of his best friends, calmly setting down his bag and book and taking a seat next to Niki. When he started piling food on his plate, still pretending to be oblivious, Riki shoved his shoulder. “You actually did it! Holy shit!”

“Don’t come over here acting all normal!” Jungwon exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Sunoo. “I literally just watched you kiss Park Sunghoon on the cheek!”

Sunoo shushed them, afraid that too many people were listening in trying to get the scoop on him and Sunghoon. “I’ll tell you guys later after we get done eating, I promise. There’s too many people here.”

They both nodded vigorously, and the blonde Slytherin noticed they had started eating faster. “You guys are dorks,” Sunoo laughed, covering his mouth with his hand.

“Shut up and eat, Noo. The curiosity is killing me,” Jungwon spoke before shoveling in another bite of beef casserole. Shaking his head with an amused smile, Sunoo complied, eating as quickly as he could without causing himself a stomach ache. It wasn’t even thirty minutes later when Jungwon started dragging him out by the arm with Niki hot on their heels, barely giving Sunoo time to grab his stuff.

Sunoo caught Sunghoon’s eyes and gave a small wave to which Sunghoon raised a brow, wincing when Kevin elbowed him in the ribs. The Slytherin held back a laugh as he finally left the Great Hall with his friends. He got dragged all the way back to the library where he had been less than an hour ago.

Not even wasting a second, Jungwon pulled Sunoo into a seat and then sat down himself, impatiently waiting for Riki to sit too.

“Start from the beginning, Kim Sunoo,” the Hufflepuff demanded, leaning towards the blonde.

And so he told them about talking to Sunghoon after potions class, their plan to go to the Yule Ball together, and their library meet up where they covered the important details of their relationship.

Riki’s mouth was hanging open, “His condition was for you to go to the ball with him? That’s it?”

Sunoo nodded. “I thought it was odd too. Not in a bad way, but I honestly expected something that would require more effort on my part. Dancing with Sunghoon at the Yule Ball is definitely a win in my book.” To which Jungwon wholeheartedly agreed.

“Did he tell you why?” The raven haired fourth year asked. They could hear the quiet shuffling of the librarian as she cleaned up for the day, putting back the last of the books that had been left on tables and spelling away any messes. They knew she’d probably ask them to leave soon, but they were almost done so it didn’t matter all that much.

“He actually didn’t. I asked him, but he said that he’d prefer to tell me at the Yule Ball because it was embarrassing,” He explained, shrugging. Of course, he was curious about why exactly Sunghoon wanted to go with him, but it wasn’t a deal breaker that he wasn’t telling him now.

“Weird,” the brunette said quizzically, “Maybe he’s trying to make someone jealous like you are, like an ex or someone he asked to the dance who rejected him.”

“Okay, but that still doesn’t answer the question of why me specifically.”

“Maybe it was just convenient. You probably weren’t gonna say no because you were asking something of him too. Or maybe it’s just because you’re attractive.” Riki nodded his head in agreement to Jungwon’s guesses.

Sunoo snorted, “I think it’s probably the first option then. Convenience makes more sense.” Sunoo grabbed Riki’s arm to check the time on his watch, swearing when he realized how late it was, “Sorry guys, I’ve got to run. I have to finish my Arithmancy homework, and I don’t want to be up all night doing it.”

When he stood up with his stuff, Riki stood as well. “I’ll leave with you, Noo. I promised Taki I’d sneak into Gryffindor tower for a game of exploding snap tonight.”

“Poor Taki. I don’t know how he deals with you. You’re gonna get him in trouble one day,” Sunoo said teasingly. He gasped when Riki flicked his forehead as payback.

“This was his idea, thank you very much,” Riki replied indignantly, crossing his arms. “And besides, you act like you, me, and Jungwon don’t sneak into each other’s dorms all the time.” Riki did have a point there, but Sunoo wouldn’t admit that.

Sunoo slapped his taller friend on the arm as he walked by, “I’m leaving with or without you. Bye, Won!” He waved to the Hufflepuff, who was also leaving, holding back a laugh as he watched Riki scramble to catch up with him. They left the library, walking through the halls in comfortable silence until they came to the set of stairs Sunoo had to take to get down to the dungeons.

“Don’t be too late Riki, okay? You don’t want to get caught by Peeves,” Sunoo reminded gently, giving him a quick hug.

“Yes, mother,” the taller replied good naturedly, pushing Sunoo lightly towards the direction of the stairs. “You go get your Arithmancy homework done or Professor Lee will have your ass.” Sunoo saluted dutifully before turning and descending the stairs, determined to finish his work before he fell asleep.

Later that night when he was almost asleep, he could hear quiet footsteps coming towards his bed. He moved over subconsciously, smiling when he felt a familiar figure climbing into his bed for the third time that week. “You know you’re not supposed to be in the fifth year dorms, right?” He asks Riki sleepily, not really caring but wanting to tease.

The fourth year just shushed him, wiggling around a little to get comfortable, “It helps me sleep. Reminds me of when I was younger and I slept next to my sister,” he whispered, pulling the covers up to his chin. “Night NooNoo,” Riki whispered.

“G’night Riki,” he slurred back sleepily. When he finally let himself succumb to the exhaustion of the day, his sleep was dreamless.

That next morning at breakfast, Sunoo almost forgot about the whole fake dating ordeal until Sunghoon came over to sit with him, pecking him on the forehead in greeting. Sunoo was a little surprised at how easily he’d simply fallen into the whole “boyfriend” role, but he didn’t mind. The Great Hall was buzzing with the news of the new couple, a majority of the students wondering when and how it happened. When Sunoo looked further down the Slytherin table, he noticed K glaring holes through Sunghoon’s skull, and he found it amusing. Sunoo kneed Jungwon underneath the table when he started oohing, much to his fake boyfriend’s amusement.

“These are my friends, Jungwon and Riki. Jungwon’s the same year as me and Riki’s a fourth year,” he introduced, pointing at each of them respectively.

“I’m Sung—“

“We know,” Jungwon interrupts, waving him off. “Sunoo’s told us everything,” he hints, making Sunghoon’s eyes widen for a moment, but then he nods, easily adapting.

“That’s actually makes things easier then.”

The four of them ate breakfast and chatted, both of Sunoo’s friends grilling Sunghoon with questions the older boy answered easily, not bothered in the slightest by their talkativeness. Sunoo’s relieved because he thinks anyone else in this position might have just shut it down and moved back to their own house’s table, deeming it not worth the hassle.

“Is it true that you started playing quidditch your first year here?” Riki asked excitedly. It was a very rare occurrence for first years to be able to play quidditch, as they were usually pretty small and too clumsy and unrefined to really make a meaningful addition to the team.

Sunghoon chuckled at Riki’s obvious enthusiasm, “Sort of. I didn’t even mean to join quidditch in the first place. It just kind of happened?”

“There’s no way that just kind of happens!” Riki protested. Despite not being much of a quidditch enthusiast, Sunoo was curious about that rumor too, especially now that he knew it was actually true.

Shrugging, Sunghoon replied, “I’m muggleborn, so I’d never even heard of quidditch, let alone played it. You can imagine how ridiculous flying around in the sky on brooms and throwing balls through hoops hundreds of feet in the air sounded to me. I really have Heeseung to thank for getting invited to join the team.”

Riki looked floored, “No way! You were friends with Heeseung then too?”

“Yeah, he was my first friend here actually. Kind of took me under his wing and showed me the ropes here. As you can probably guess, I was completely clueless. One day, he wanted to show me his new broom he’d just gotten from his grandparents for making the quidditch team, so of course I agreed. I watched him for a while, and then he asked if I wanted to try.”

“And you said yes?”

“No, I actually refused to even sit on it at first,” Sunghoon laughed, which surprised all three of the underclassmen. “I was completely terrified of heights. It took quite a few tries for me to actually fly, but once I did, it was like a whole new world, as cringey as that sounds. I’d fly anytime I was free and Heeseung let me use his broom. Some of the Ravenclaw players saw me after some months of practicing almost daily. Said I should talk to the captain, and the next thing I know, he’s asking me to train with them.”

“Did you actually play your first year?” Jungwon finally spoke up.

“No. They already had all the positions filled, but the captain wanted to train me for the next season, so I agreed,” He finished, taking a bite of his eggs that had sat untouched on his plate until then. Riki, being an avid quidditch fan and on the Slytherin team himself, couldn’t get enough of Sunghoon’s stories, and the sixth year was more than happy to entertain his curiousity.

It went on like that for most meals. Sunghoon started sitting with them more and more often as the days passed. So often, in fact, that he started bringing Park Jay, Sim Jake, and even Lee Heeseung, occasionally, along with him. Jungwon and Riki went nuts the first time Heeseung came to sit with them, and Sunoo had to kick Riki underneath the table to stop him from staring actual holes through his head. He absolutely idolized him, being the Hogwarts champion and all as well as a very talented Chaser for Gryffindor.

It was a little awkward the first time Jay and Jake came to sit with them, and it became apparent to Sunoo that Sunghoon hadn’t told his friends anything. They constantly teased Sunghoon, which the silver haired man always shut down pretty quickly. Heeseung somewhat knew the situation, but said nothing, resigning himself to secrecy with the information he knew and the pieces he’d put together.

Then came the day, about a week after, when they were all sitting together at the Slytherin table. This brought an unprecedented amount of attention for them and added on to the already large pile of rumors. Sunoo now faced daily staring, whispering, and even questions from some of the bolder students.

It’s not that Sunoo didn’t like attention, because he most definitely did, but this was too much, even for him. He had to dodge people left and right just to get to class, and he was starting to feel like an actual celebrity. Didn’t people have anything better to do at Hogwarts? The teachers had even taken notice of the situation, shooing away students whenever they saw people crowding Sunoo.

He often found himself hiding out in the library with Sunghoon or his friends, finishing up homework and enjoying the peace and quiet he didn’t really have anywhere else. Sunghoon started walking him to class everyday, holding his hand, carrying his books, and looking at him with falsely fond gazes that could easily fool anyone who didn’t know any better. Sunoo started noticing smaller details about Sunghoon, like how his hands were calloused from the years of playing quidditch, how he smelled like fresh laundry and bergamot, and the two moles on his face that he’d failed to notice before.

Hiding out in the library turned into regular study “dates,” and then during the first weekend of November, they took their first trip to Hogsmeade together.

They weren’t completely alone, because the rest of their friends tagged along too, but they all ended up splitting into groups and going to different places, which allowed Sunoo some one on one time with Sunghoon. With a teasing suggestion from their friends, they ended up going to Madam Puddifoot’s.

Inside the tea shop, it was just as they’d both heard it was. It was quite pink, adorned heavily with gaudy decorations like frills, bows, and streamers. There was the heady aroma of strong perfume that reminded him slightly of his grandmother with a hint of lavender to top it off, and there were so many tables in such a small, cramped room that it made it hard to navigate and find a free spot. Obviously, several couples, real ones, had taken the liberty of spending their weekend romantically, and Sunoo wondered whether it was always this packed.

They finally sat down in a small booth for two in the back corner of the shop, feeling lucky that the spot they’d found wasn’t exactly optimal for prying eyes. Madam Puddifoot made her way to them minutes later, taking their orders. Sunoo ordered a chamomile tea and Sunghoon ordered a small cake and chai tea with extra sugar. With amusement, Sunoo realized Sunghoon had a sweet tooth he hadn’t expected.

“So, boyfriend, have you been here before?” Sunoo asked, folding his arms on the table.

Sunghoon looked at him with mild surprise, but ultimately shook his head, “No, I haven’t. I’ve never really had the chance.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Sunghoon looked a little embarrassed. “I mean that I’ve never been in the position to come here before.”

Sunoo’s mouth dropped open, “You’ve never dated anyone?” He really couldn’t believe it. Park Sunghoon never having dated anyone his whole life seemed damn near impossible.

“No, not officially. I’ve only ever be in the talking stage a couple times. It never really worked out for me. Why? Are you some dating expert?” Sunghoon raised a brow.

“Well, I’ve had one other boyfriend other than K, but I guess in all honesty, no. I’m not really that experienced,” Sunoo admitted. “This is my first time here too.”

It was Sunghoon’s turn to be surprised. “K never took you here when you guys were dating?”

“We didn’t start dating until the very end of last year and we broke up pretty early this year, so we didn’t actually get the chance to ever come here. Besides, I don’t think K would’ve been the type to bring me here anyway. He was never the mushy type,” Sunoo explained. In the short time the Slytherin had dated K, he’d never really been all that affectionate. He kissed him and held his hand and complimented him every now and then, but looking back, everything seemed forced and a little dubious. He pretty much did the bare minimum a boyfriend would and not a bit more.

Sunghoon nodded thoughtfully, sitting back just as their drinks and cake were brought out. They sat in silence for a bit after paying for their items, enjoying their teas. Sunoo watched as Sunghoon at his cake he’d bought, not realizing he was staring until he offered him a bite.

“Oh no, it’s fine! I was just thinking,” he said quickly, not wanting to have Madam Puddifoot go through the trouble of bringing another fork.

“Hm, are you sure? It’s good,” Sunghoon offered again.

“Positive.”

“Well, what were you thinking so hard about then?” Sunghoon asked curiously.

Sunoo didn’t want to admit that he thought Sunghoon looked cute enjoying his cake, so he waved him off, fudging a story to cover up. “Just remembered something.”

“Which would be?” Sunghoon pressed, not unkindly, but just out of pure curiosity.

Sunoo coughed, trying to think of an entertaining story that would somehow pertain to what they’d been talking about. The memory that surfaced was downright embarrassing and a little mortifying, but with limited options, he went with it. It wasn’t like it was a huge secret anyway. “Watching you eat that cake reminded me of the time I got fed a love potion by a girl in my year.”

Sunghoon’s fork clattered on the table, and he jumped at how loud it was, looking around to make sure he hadn’t disturbed anyone else. He didn’t. They were all a little too absorbed in their dates to really pay them any mind, and he let out a relieved breath. Turning back to Sunoo, he asked, “What happened??”

Sunoo really hated the whole ordeal, understandably of course, but he’d already blurted it so there was no point in trying to take it back now. “Some girl offered me a cookie in the hall. She had a whole plate of them and she and her friends just came up and asked if I wanted one. I like chocolate chip cookies, of course, so I said yes. I guess I should’ve been a little more suspicious when she took a second to grab a specific one, but honestly, it didn’t even occur to me she might’ve done something to it. Most fourth years don’t just know how to make amortentia, or any other love potion for that matter,” Sunoo shrugged.

“That’s terrifying though,” the older boy shuddered. “We’ve learned about it in potions, but I can’t imagine actually being under the influence of one.”

“It was… awful, especially after the fact. I couldn’t control anything I did, and all I ever thought about was that girl. I’m— I don’t even like girls like that.”

“How did you get treated for it? Did the girl get in trouble?”

“Oh, she got in tons of trouble. A whole three months of detention with Professor Kim and a lecture from Headmaster Park. Riki and Jungwon were there, so they took me to Professor Min before I did anything really embarrassing and he had to brew an antidote. I missed a whole week of class being restrained from finding and clinging onto that girl while I waited for the antidote. Won and Riki still give me a hard time about it from time to time. They were absolutely furious with that girl though, so I know they don’t really mean anything by it.” He finished off, frowning at the memory.

It was truly a terrifying experience, and afterward, he was paranoid for months and wouldn’t eat anything from anybody. He’d even showed up to all the mealtimes early to watch the food appear so he was sure nobody had messed with it, even though he knew that was virtually impossible.

Sunghoon sat in stunned silence. Sunoo felt kind of bad for just dropping that on him just to avoid something so small. Why had he done that?

He didn’t get to think much longer before someone loudly bursted into the tea shop and caused a commotion. When Sunoo spun around to see who exactly had came in in such a manner, his eyes widened. K was standing in the entrance and scanning the many people in the shop, finally finding what, or rather who he was looking for when he locked eyes with Sunoo. Sunoo sighed in exasperation as his ex began aggressively shoving his way between tables to get over to them. He shifted his intense gaze to Sunghoon who looked like he was mentally preparing himself for whatever bullshit was about to go down.

“Come with me. We need to talk,” K said forcefully, grabbing Sunoo’s wrist to pull him out of his booth.

Sunoo fought to stay seated, trying to yank his arm away from his grip but to no avail. “Let me go. I’m not leaving with you.”

“I’m not asking, Sunoo.” He said angrily, pulling harder this time, which made the fifth year stumble up and out of his seat.

At this, a hand grabbed his other wrist, much gentler than K, and Sunoo realized Sunghoon had stepped in. “Are you even listening, K? He said he didn’t want to leave with you.”

“Piss off, mudblood. I’m not talking to you,” he spat.

Sunghoon rolled his eyes at the word, not even caring that he called him that. It was quite the common occurrence, so it really didn’t hold the weight that it used to when he first started calling him that. He stood up, measuring just slightly shorter than the Slytherin sixth year but not intimidated in the least. “You’re trying to pull my boyfriend away to talk, and he doesn’t want to. Whether you like it or not, I’m making this my business.” Sunghoon was being dead serious. He pulled Sunoo away from K, and the younger boy sighed in relief when K actually let go, his attention focused all on the Ravenclaw.

“You weren’t even in the picture until recently. It’s mine and Sunoo’s business, not yours, so—“

“So nothing,” he cut him off. “Sunoo doesn’t want to talk. He’s made that clear. Leave him alone.”

“What, can you not speak for yourself or do you need your guard dog to stand up for you?” K turned his anger towards Sunoo, who glared at him.

“He’s right. I really don’t want to talk to you,” Sunoo deadpanned. Reaching down, he took Sunghoon’s hand in his. “Come on, babe. Let’s leave. I don’t want him ruining our date.” And with no complaints from Sunghoon, they exited the tea shop, ignoring the stares from the couples that had watched everything go down.

They were silent for a moment as they walked down the street. Sunoo was a little shaken up after the encounter and Sunghoon looked agitated. When he finally spoke, he seemed to be a bit less angry.

“You’ve got terrible taste in men.” Is all he said. Sunoo looked at him oddly for a while before breaking out in a loud, unrestrained laugh a few seconds later, making Sunghoon look at him funny.

“Maybe you’re right,” he acknowledged with an easy smile, “but hey, I think I’ve got a pretty good date right now.”

And after a moment, Sunghoon ended up laughing too.

In slightly better spirits, they set off to find their group of friends, the conversation easily picking up between them again.

When they finally met back up with the other five, they’d almost completely forgotten they’d even ran into K.

Chapter Text

Despite the fact that it hadn’t been that long since he’d befriended and started fake dating Sunghoon, it wasn’t hard to tell that something was bothering him. He was unusually quiet, even for his standards, during all three meals as well as their walks to class. Clearly, he was mentally elsewhere all day, but Sunoo didn’t really know why.

The first and only time he’d tried to make conversation, he’d gotten some half hearted answer before Sunghoon zoned out again. 

“Have you finished that Runes essay you were working on yesterday?” Sunoo had asked, referencing the work he’d been immersed in the night before in the library. They’d been going to the library or even visiting each other’s dorms sometimes when it got late to finish up homework. Sunoo didn’t even know how it happened, but it was pretty much routine to do homework together every evening.

Jay and Jake constantly teased the two about sneaking off to do things, and Sunoo’d taken to slapping them on the arms or the back of the head in retaliation. Jungwon and Riki, on the other hand, always sent them knowing smiles and shared looks between themselves whenever they would excuse themselves to go study. Heeseung only occasionally showed up to eat with them, busy with the tasks for the Triwizard Tournament in addition to his school work, prefect duties, and quidditch practices, but even when he did show up, he said almost nothing about the two.

It seemed, however, that Sunghoon had not heard him, staring off into some distant place Sunoo couldn’t see. The younger had nudged him, making Sunghoon snap to attention, “Sorry, did you say something?”

“I was asking about your runes essay. Have you finished it?”

Sunghoon had sighed, “No, not yet.” And he hadn’t elaborated any further, eyes unfocused as he began to stare off into space again.

Walking through the halls at present, Sunoo wasn’t even sure Sunghoon knew he was holding his hand or what class he was headed to.

As far as he knew, Sunghoon didn’t have any upcoming tests or last minute homework he needed to take care of because— well, they’d been doing homework together every night that week. Even being concerned and all, he decided against saying anything because he really didn’t know Sunghoon on a personal level. Not like that. If he wanted to tell him, then it’d surface one way or another.

Sunoo didn’t try and force conversation between them throughout Sunghoon’s internal crisis (whatever it was), focusing harder on his assignments in the library, holding Sunghoon’s hand silently until he got to class, and entertaining himself during meals by talking to their other friends instead. Boundaries were boundaries, and just because they hadn’t specified any hard no’s in any physical sense didn’t mean Sunoo automatically had the right to his emotions.

It took two days for Sunoo’s waiting to pay off until Sunghoon dropped some hints as to where exactly his mind had been the past couple days. Hand in hand, they were headed towards the quidditch pitch for Sunghoon’s practice when the older boy spoke up, “It’s never been this bad.”

Sunoo paused for a moment, attempting to decipher what Sunghoon was trying to say. “What do you mean?” He pried gently when he realized guessing probably wouldn’t do any good, shifting his books into a more comfortable hold in his free arm.

“The first game of the season is coming up in another week,” he sighed, the hand holding Sunoo’s own flexing unintentionally.

Ah, now he understood. “You’re nervous?” He supplied.

With a frown etched into his bitten lips, a habit kickstarted by the stress, he groaned, “I don’t know why. I’ve played more games than I can count and spent hours and hours practicing. It’s… frustrating.”

“Hey, it’s okay to be nervous, Sunghoon. It’s important to you. I think I’d be more concerned if you weren’t nervous at all,” he said honestly. “Being nervous is a good thing, actually, as long as you don’t let it get away from you.”

Sighing, Sunghoon replied, “That’s the thing. I usually don’t, but something about this time around feels different. Maybe it’s because I’m the captain now.” He rubbed his face in irritation.

Uncertainty made a home in Sunoo’s chest as he watched Sunghoon fight with himself, beating himself up over something that he couldn’t control. He’d never really had to deal with the stress of practices and games because he’d never played or even had an interest in quidditch. He went whenever Riki played, of course, because the fourth year was one of his best friends, but personally, it just wasn’t a priority. He tugged on Sunghoon’s hand, making him stop in his tracks and face him with confusion.

“Hey, I know it probably doesn’t sound like much coming from someone who’s never played quidditch,” He began quietly, “but think about it this way. You guys are a team. You’re not the only one out there trying to win the game, so don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Lean on them when you feel like it’s too much.” Sunoo squeezed Sunghoon’s hand meaningfully, giving him a small encouraging smile.

If Sunghoon’s pursed lips were anything to go by, Sunoo would say he probably didn’t get all the way through to him, but at least he was thinking about it. Before he could make some pessimistic remark, Sunoo spoke again. “I know you’re the older, reliable, seemingly unshakable captain, but you’re human, just like every other player on your team. Don’t hold yourself to impossible standards of perfection when you don’t ask that of anyone else,” He gently reminded. With a shaky sigh, Sunghoon nodded, lips pursed in favor of holding his silence. “Now let’s get going before you’re late, captain.”

And as he pulled Sunghoon forward and closer to the pitch, emerald lined robes flowing behind him in his hurry, he missed the Ravenclaw’s subtle quirk of his lips, a soft look in his eyes.

The wind in the quidditch stands blew Sunoo’s hair in his face constantly, making it hard to concentrate on the work he’d brought to do while he waited for Sunghoon. He really needed to start bringing some hair clips or hair ties because this happened every time he came to one of Sunghoon’s quidditch practices.

Deciding to just do his homework later with Sunghoon, he directed his attention to the actual practice itself. It was a little boring if Sunoo was honest, watching a quidditch practice. Some of it was team orientated, but a majority of the time, the team would be separated into groups depending on their positions and worked on skills while Sunghoon flew around and corrected them or encouraged them every now and then.

Sunghoon was fun to watch though, when he let the little golden snitch out that is. Eyes narrowed against the wind, he’d chase the quick golden ball through the air with startling speed and precision. Despite having only sat through three practices, he could tell that the rumors were true: Sunghoon was one of the most gifted seekers Hogwarts had seen in a while. Not that Sunoo had much to go on being a less than casual quidditch fan, but from what he could tell, Sunghoon was a cut above the rest.

Not only could he see it personally, but he could see it through the admiration his teammates adorned him with. They almost never argued with him, and they were always willing to ask questions when they needed help with something they didn’t understand or couldn’t perfect. He was unanimously loved and respected, and Sunoo could tell he adored his teammates right back, from his best teammate down to the very last substitute.

The blonde startled when a flash of blue raced past him, blowing his already messy hair around. Lost in thought, he hadn’t noticed Sunghoon flying closer and closer until he’d literally whizzed right past his face in pursuit of the snitch. For a few seconds more, he stared unblinkingly at Sunghoon’s blurry figure until he lunged forward slightly and then came to a halt, grasping something in his right hand.

When Sunghoon turned around to look at Sunoo, he grinned, holding up his catch with pride. His silver hair was windswept with sweat lightly dotting his hairline and he seemed a little frazzled, but he looked completely different from only an hour ago, none of the worry he’d been plagued with earlier making an appearance.

As the ball gleamed gold at him, he smiled back, relief settling within him. Sunghoon would be fine, Sunoo decided.

—

Practice had ended and Sunoo was waiting for Sunghoon outside the the locker room so they could make their way to dinner together. The evening breeze was cool and relaxing, and Sunoo found himself gazing up in silent thought at the tall quidditch towers adorned with decorations for the four houses. He’d been here so many times, but actually standing on the pitch made it ten times more impressive. From below, the walls surrounding the grassy pitch were much taller than he’d expected, and the viewing towers were absolutely massive.

Flags checkered with each house’s colors were attached to every tower, less visible in the waning light of the evening. He listened as the crickets slowly crept out to chirp their tunes, closing his eyes. Being there reminded him of the actual reason he was spending so much time with the Ravenclaw.

If he was being honest, he still couldn’t believe he was fake dating Sunghoon. Not that it was a bad thing, but if anyone asked him three years ago or even last year when he started gaining more popularity, whether he’d be fake dating Park Sunghoon to get back at his ex, he would’ve looked at them like they’d grown another head. To him, the sixth year always felt untouchable. He was smart, hardworking, good looking even during the early years of puberty, and most of all, intimidatingly quiet, like he was analyzing you down to the smallest details.

It goes without saying that as he got older, he grew into his features though. He got taller, his nose got a little sharper, and he grew into his big eyes. With all the quidditch training, he gained some light definition in his muscles too.

And Merlin, he was popular, even though he didn’t try.

Sunoo wasn’t a very outgoing person during his first few years at Hogwarts. He was awkward, a little lanky, and the fact that he’d been sorted into Slytherin had thrown him off completely because he’d expected to be a Hufflepuff like both of his parents. Sure, being a pureblood kept him from any bullying in that regard, but he still felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb.

He was lucky enough to have made friends with Jungwon during charms class their first year, finding comfort in the strong willed Hufflepuff. Then he befriended Riki the next year when he made the executive decision to take him under his wing. He remembered Riki’s wide eyes and hunched shoulders as he shuffled over to the Slytherin table after having been sorted, and Sunoo later learned that his shyness was because he could barely speak anything other than Japanese. He took pity on him, pulling him down to sit with them, and they’d been best friends ever since.

The biggest difference between him and Sunghoon was that while the Ravenclaw didn’t actively seek people out, he didn’t actively avoid them either, which Sunoo had developed a habit of. Even now after forcing himself to socialize during third and fourth year, he still suffered a little from social anxiety. He’d conditioned himself to accept the attention, and he even appreciated a majority of it from time to time, but sometimes, like when he’d walked into the Great Hall holding Sunghoon’s hand, it got to be a bit much. Sunghoon easily talked to anyone that approached him and made friends fast. He was always surrounded by people, which ultimately kept Sunoo at bay.

Sunoo heard voices and footsteps near him, opening his eyes to see a group of Ravenclaws leaving the locker room. Offhandedly, Sunoo waved at Sunghoon’s teammates, losing himself in thought again once they were gone.

But now, he understood why people flocked to him. He was sweet, really. He put extra effort in for the people he really cared about, even if he didn’t admit it. Sunoo remembered watching him write a note in the library during one of their study dates. He furiously scribbled a few lines down before pausing to think, and then he wrote some more. When Sunoo asked, Sunghoon shyly told him it was for Jake’s mom to request a few homemade recipes and possibly a few pictures of Layla, Jake’s border collie. Jake had been having a terrible bout of homesickness since he hadn’t gone home for the summer (he’d stayed with his cousin in Korea due to some family emergency) and Sunghoon hated watching him suffer, so instead of watching Jake argue with himself over whether or not he was bothering his family, he took matters into his own hands.

After getting a letter back from Jake’s mom, he’d spent the next few nights baking (letting Sunoo help after the younger begged a little), and the look on Jake’s face when Sunghoon gifted him the treats and pictures was priceless. Jake had literally almost cried and immediately crushed Sunghoon in a hug, and the whole thing ended up with Sunghoon getting teased for being a big softie.

And while he did do grand gestures like that every once and a while, it was also the small things. Even though they’d only been friends (fake dating) for three weeks, Sunghoon extended his thoughtfulness to Sunoo too. He’d slip him little toffees and cauldron cakes he’d bought from Honeydukes during their study dates, having bought them because of Sunoo’s one off handed mention of his liking for them. He carried his books for him even though Sunoo insisted he didn’t have to, often times stacking them on top of his own. Sunoo just shook his head every time, laughing when Sunghoon would pretend that it wasn’t heavy even though he was clearly struggling.

Even the looks he gave him were oddly attentive. During one of their study dates, Sunoo had been whining about his transfiguration essay. He expected Sunghoon to have been completely ignoring his pointless rant or looking at him with annoyance, but neither of those were the case. When he turned to look at Sunghoon, his breath caught on his words. Sunghoon had a terribly fond gaze in his eyes, lips quirked up into a soft smile.

“No one’s around, Hoon,” Sunoo had breathed out, “You don’t have to look like you’re in love with me.” This wasn’t the first time he’d looked at him like that, but usually he did it with other people around. Right then, it was just them in the library in their usual secluded corner.

Sunghoon’s face had slowly morphed into one of realization. He’d tried to laugh it off, but it just sounded forced and unsure, and Sunoo realized he probably made things awkward, so he quickly tried to remedy it. “I wouldn’t blame you for falling in love with me though. Hard not to, huh?”

Sunghoon paused before shaking his head in disbelief, a small chuckle leaving his lips. “Right. You’re just too easy to fall for, Kim Sunoo.”

And something about the way he said that made Sunoo almost believe it.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Sunghoon came out of the locker room, dressed in his school robes and sporting still wet hair from his shower. “Sorry I took so long. I had to wait for some of them to finish their showers before I could take mine.”

Sunoo shrugged, instinctively reaching for his hand and feeling the familiar callouses graze his palm. “Don’t worry about it,” he replied nonchalantly, tapping his fingers on the back of Sunghoon’s hand, “now let’s go eat!” And without further ado, they hurried to dinner, both quite hungry. Sunghoon from practicing hard and Sunoo from thinking too hard.

—

Really, Sunoo should’ve expected it. He should’ve, but he didn’t. He was on his way to meet with Sunghoon and Riki in the library for some down time during his free period when he got pulled aside yet again by no other than K.

“What the hell?” Sunoo hissed out, trying to shake off K’s grip on his arm. K was rough, Sunoo knew that, but he seemed much more aggressive and unpredictable than he’d ever been when they were dating. “Let go of me, K!”

“You’re pathetic, Sunoo. Really fucking pathetic.”

Sunoo stopped his struggle to look at him dumbfounded. “I’m the pathetic one? You’re the one constantly pulling me into secluded areas to talk when A, I don’t want to talk to you, and B, you’re the one who broke up with me.”

K sneered, shoving him backwards. “I know you want me back, Sun. You don’t have to keep playing these useless games.”

“Like hell I do. Haven’t we already been through this? And what games are you fucking talking about?”

“You’re so desperate to get me back that you’re willing to stoop to the lowest of the low. Well you’ve convinced me. I give. You’re better than that, so stop it,” His ex said calmly, but Sunoo could see the bridled anger in his eyes.

Still, Sunoo was confused. “K, stop being so cryptic. What the hell are you on about?”

“You’re a pureblood, Sunoo. Don’t you think it’s disgraceful to be involved with a mudblood like Park?”

As realization washed over him, anger replaced his confusion. After all the years of being second best to Sunghoon, he still couldn’t grasp at the simple possibility that maybe Sunghoon was just a better wizard than him. “Oh Merlin, K, no one fucking cares about that anymore!” Sunoo said frustratedly, trying and failing to push K back and out of his personal space. “You’re literally one of the only people who still carries that stupid prejudice. Sunghoon’s better than you in just about everything, and he’s proved it time and time again.”

Dark eyes grew darker and Sunoo’s chest tightened with anxiety. He hated feeling cornered like this. “Park’s a damn fraud who shouldn’t even be here. His parents were just filthy muggles.”

“And yet he’s top of his year and the best seek—“ K pulled out his wand, pointing it straight at Sunoo’s throat. Sunoo let out a strangled gasp, disbelief coursing through him. K gave an empty laugh, smiling at Sunoo in a way that made his skin crawl. The younger boy felt like he probably wouldn’t do anything considering how much trouble he’d be in for it, but he was so unhinged right now Sunoo couldn’t truly be sure of that.

“You don’t know shit about your perfect little boyfriend. But since I’m so generous, I’ll tell you, because I know if I don’t, he never will.”

Sunoo swallowed, hating the way K’s wand tip felt against his skin. Something about his wand was so fitting for him. Cold and arrogant. No wonder it had chosen him. The aura it gave off was enough by itself. “Why would I ever believe anything you say about him? You hate him.”

“Oh, but this has nothing to with me and everything to do with his parents.”

“Who cares if they’re mug—“

“Have you ever wondered why he hasn’t gone home for the Holidays these past few years?” He asked slyly, tilting his head.

“Why would I need to know that?” Sunoo scoffed, feeling consistently more creeped out. He had no idea why the boy was keeping tabs on Sunghoon, but clearly someone was a little obsessed.

“His home life isn’t very good you know. I heard his father hates him. I don’t blame him though. If he was my son, I’d hate him too,” K said nonchalantly, like he’d just said the most mundane thing in the world.

“There‘s no way. Why would he ever—“

K laughed, looking genuinely amused with the entire situation at hand. He leaned closer, lips just a breadth away from touching his ear, “He killed his own mom. That’s why.”

Shocked surfaced before he could reign it in, and K looked delighted at the horrified expression on Sunoo’s face. “…You’re lying. Why would you say such a horrible thing?” Sunoo gritted back, stiffening when K pushed his wand into his neck a little harder.

“What? That he killed his mom?” He asked loudly, venom laced in every syllable he let fall from his lips. “Because it’s true. He can’t go home because he killed his mom and his dad hates him for it.”

Despite not truly believing anything K was saying, he still felt like the rug had been yanked from underneath his feet. Where would K have even come up with that story? It seemed so far in left-field, but K spoke it like the honest to god truth.

“So how about you stop being a little attention whore and—“ Sunoo was so preoccupied with the wand to his neck and K in his space that he hadn’t noticed anyone else walking into the scene.

“How about you turn around, asshole,” a familiar voice commanded lowly. Sunoo didn’t even recognize exactly who it was until K turned and he caught a glimpse of silver hair behind him. A feeling of relief washed over him when K’s wand dropped from his neck, and quickly, he shuffled out of K’s reach.

Sunoo had never heard Sunghoon sound like that. The calm, quiet tone he used poorly hid the absolute rage the Ravenclaw was experiencing. He gave himself away with the hard look in his eyes and the clenched fists he held by his side.

“Oh, it’s you,” K sighed, “We were kind of in the middle of something. You couldn’t have waited your turn?”

Sunghoon’s brow twitched in irritation. “You should keep your nose out places it doesn’t belong.” He replied smoothly, unflinching. Sunoo looked at him in shock. He’d never, in all his five years at Hogwarts, seen or even heard of Sunghoon ever losing his cool, but now he looked seconds away from cursing him.

“It’s true though, right? Your poor muggle mother didn’t stand a chance—“

K couldn’t even finish his sentence before Sunghoon snapped. Sunoo gasped as he watched K fall to the floor holding the left side of his face. “Fuck!” He cursed brashly.

Sunghoon was breathing heavily, his knuckles turning concerning shades of purple and blue. He’d actually just punched someone, Sunoo thought as he stared dumbly at the man’s bruising fist. “You don’t know shit about me, K. Don’t act like you do.”

Even though he was still on the floor and clearly in pain, K still found it in himself to laugh. “Have you told Sunoo anything? Does he know shit about you either?”

“…What the hell does that have to do with anything?” Sunghoon turned away from him, eyes closed in what looked to be shame— maybe fear too. Sunoo snapped out of his shocked stupor just in time to see K reaching behind himself for something, and vaguely, he remembered hearing something clatter to the ground when K hit the floor.

Sunoo didn’t even think as he pulled out his own wand, “Expelliarmus!” And he watched as K’s wand flew from his hand and hit the stone floors once more. The shock on his ex’s face quickly faded into irritation, jaw ticking as he laid on the floor still cradling his face. A shaky breath left Sunoo’s lips as he pocketed his wand, wanting desperately to just leave.

“C’mon, Hoon, let’s go,” Sunoo urged, reaching for his arm. Sunghoon looked distracted, not even reacting when Sunoo pulled him in the direction of the staircase.

“You don’t know who you’re involving yourself with, Sunoo,” K called out after them. Sunoo promptly ignored him. The blonde didn’t attempt to make conversation, silently leading Sunghoon towards the Hospital wing. The stairs felt endless and Sunoo swore the halls had grown longer.

When they finally got there, Sunghoon silently sat on one of the beds at Sunoo’s request, lips drawn tightly as he spiraled further into whatever thoughts he’d thrown himself into. The blonde wandered off to look for something, seeing as the nurse was currently away. The shelves were lined with jars filled with odd things, tons of different herbs, and little bottles he knew held remedies for all sorts of occasions. He made a little sound of excitement when he found what he was looking for, grabbing a small tube of bruise removal paste.

He made he way back towards the bed Sunghoon was sitting on, taking a seat on the opposite one in front of him. “Give me your hand.”

Sunghoon complied and Sunoo unscrewed the cap on the tube before gingerly taking the Ravenclaw’s hand in his own. Belatedly, he realized that, of course, it was Sunghoon’s dominant hand, and he bit his lip in worry, hoping Sunghoon didn’t have to do much with it for a bit. A thick, yellow paste came out as he squeezed the tube, a stark line against the violet splotches covering Sunghoon’s usually pale knuckles. He started rubbing it in, trying his best to be gentle, and Sunoo apologized quietly when Sunghoon hissed in pain.

“Are you alright?” Sunoo asked vaguely, not wanting to prod. It was a pretty open ended question that he could answer in several ways, and Sunghoon would tell him what he wanted to.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just some small bruises.” Sunghoon’s response didn’t really tell Sunoo anything, so it was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it.

He let silence fill the space between them, letting go of the seeker’s hand to put the cap back on the tube. When he set it aside and looked up, Sunghoon was already staring at him with an odd glint in his eyes and another one of those soft smiles he’d seen a little too often as of late.

“Are you okay, Sunoo?” He asked back a few seconds later, setting his hand down beside him on the cool sheets.

Sighing, he ultimately nodded. “I’m fine. Just shaken up.” He paused. “Sunghoon, I’m sorry.”

The older boy looked at him in confusion, “for what?”

“It’s my fault you got dragged into all of this. It wasn’t your issue, and I still went and got you involved. Now look what’s happened.” He ran a hand through his blonde hair, guilt settling in his stomach like he’d eaten something bad.

“Hey, look at me,” Sunghoon said quietly, using his good hand to grasp at one of Sunoo’s. “It’s not your fault. I agreed to this, and I knew what I was signing up for.”

“Yeah but—“

“Sun, I’m fine. Plus, it felt good to do that,” Sunghoon shrugged, a cheeky smile gracing his lips. Sunoo noticed the way it hardly reached his eyes, but he said nothing, giving a small smile back. Purposely, he ignored the giant elephant in the room for Sunghoon’s sake.

“If you say so…” Sunoo relented, not convinced. He watched as Sunghoon looked down at his hands, flexing his bruised one and wincing at the pain. “Go easy on that hand for a little bit. The paste should work within the hour,” he suggested softly.

Sunghoon jolted like he’d just remembered something really important. “Oh shit, we have class soon! The period’s almost over.” There was a moment of shocked pause before both of them scrambled to get their things, heading out the large hospital wing doors just seconds later.

“Hey, we were supposed to meet with Riki,” the younger remembered just then, brow creasing. “D’you think he’s still in the library?”

Sunghoon shook his head, “I told him that I was leaving to find you since you were running behind. I don’t know if he stayed or not.”

He felt bad that they’d left him there high and dry, but he knew the fourth year wouldn’t hold it against them, especially if he knew the circumstances. Sunoo decided that he’d just buy Riki something from Hogsmeade the next time they went as a way to make up for their missed study date. (Probably not the best idea because Riki would definitely take advantage of Sunoo’s wallet, but it was worth it.)

“Sorry Sun, I don’t think I have time to walk you to Arithmancy. I’ll see you later though?”

Sunoo smiled at the nickname, finding it much more pleasant falling from Sunghoon’s lips than K’s. He nodded, “Of course. Remember, let that paste start working before you do anything crazy, alright?”

Sunghoon gave him a playful salute before turning to leave, and Sunoo shook his head as he laughed, watching Sunghoon walk away until he turned a corner and disappeared from his sight. He bit back the worry that clogged his throat, hoping whatever K was talking about was just an attempt to get at Sunghoon and that Sunghoon was really okay.

—

When Sunoo walked into the Great Hall, he walked in alone. It felt odd without the familiar weight of Sunghoon’s hand in his because they usually always found each other before dinner. But Sunoo couldn’t find the Ravenclaw anywhere, so he just assumed that he’d already sat down with their other friends at the Slytherin table.

He casually made his way over to where they usually sat, confused when he didn’t see Sunghoon’s head of silver hair among the boys. By the looks of it, the other boys were wondering why Sunoo had shown up alone, so he knew they knew just as much as he did.

Riki was the first one to speak up, “Where’s Sunghoon? The last time I saw him, he left to find you.” There were a few seconds of silence as the boys all shared a look before Jay let out an ooooh and Heeseung wiggled his brows. Sunoo narrowed his eyes at the two Gryffindors before sighing, figuring he’d have to explain anyway.

“We got caught up with K, and by time it was all said and done, the period was over,” He summarized, sitting down tiredly and slumping over onto Jungwon’s shoulder. Said Hufflepuff made a noise of concern.

“Did he hurt you??” He asked, alarm clear in his tone.

“Not… necessarily. He shoved his wand into my neck, but other than that, Sunghoon—“

He heard someone gasp from further down the Slytherin table, and when he looked up, he realized why. He bit his lip anxiously as he watched K strut into the hall, almost proudly showing off the now deep purple bruise that had blossomed on his slightly swollen left cheek, some of the color spreading under his eye too. He distantly wondered why he hadn’t gone to the hospital wing for it. It was an easy cosmetic fix with the bruise removal paste, but then again, he probably wanted to bring attention to it.

“Does the fact that K looks like he just got beat up have anything to do with Sunghoon?” Jake asked offhandedly, sitting up straighter to try and get a good look at K’s face.

Groaning, Sunoo answered, “Yeah. He punched him.”

All five boys whipped their heads toward Sunoo. “He did what?” Jungwon whisper yelled, pushing Sunoo from his shoulder, much to the older’s chagrin.

Jake and Jay looked at one another in shock. “He’s literally never punched anyone before,” Jay sputtered.

“Well, he started saying crazy shit about his mom, and Sunghoon got upset,” Sunoo said, “understandably of course, but I don’t believe a word of it. It’s insane.”

The guys all wore expressions from shock to annoyance, and Jake cursed under his breath, a sudden look of resentment crossing his usually friendly features, “I can’t believe he’d go that far.”

“You know what K was talking about?” Sunoo blurted, curiosity too much for him to stop himself. The buzz about K’s rough appearance died down a little as he walked towards the Slytherin table with Kyungmin. He glanced down at Sunoo, a small smirk on his lips despite the swollen and bruised cheek, and he raised a brow as if asking where Sunghoon was. Sunoo resisted the urge to flip him off and instead settled for just rolling his eyes, turning back to the brunette Aussie.

Jake looked hesitant after throwing a glare at the 6th year Slytherin , clearly knowing what the issue was but not being totally onboard with sharing it. “…I do,” Jake confirmed, “but I don’t think it’s my place to share that. You should probably ask Sunghoon himself. It’s really not anything like what K is saying though, I promise.”

Sunoo’s brow furrowed. “Would he tell me though? I mean, we haven’t been fri—“ he stalled, catching himself before he finished that thought, “dating for that long, and I don’t want to overstep any boundaries.”

Jay and Jake shared another look, one that Sunoo didn’t know the meaning of, before Jake shrugged, “I think he’d tell you.”

“Okay, but another problem. He’s not here.”

“If you head up to the astronomy tower, he’ll probably be there. He usually goes there when he’s upset or thinking,” the Hufflepuff suggested. Sunoo wondered if Sunghoon would even want him there if that was his special spot. Like he’d read his mind, Jay quickly supplied, “Hey, he won’t mind you up there. It’s okay, you can go. He likes your company, Sunoo.”

Sunoo slowly nodded, trying to work up some courage before standing up from his seat. He smoothed over the sides of his robes as if to brush away the nerves and took a deep breath, “Okay, I’ll try.”

The five boys wished him luck with thumbs up and words of encouragement before he made his way to the entrance of the Great Hall and left. Footsteps echoed off the stone walls, loud now that there weren’t many people in the halls, and the sounds only made Sunoo more nervous. He felt like he was crossing into unfamiliar territory, and he really didn’t know if he was welcome there. Whatever issues K had used against Sunghoon were clearly very touchy subjects, and Sunoo didn’t want to suddenly barge into the Ravenclaw’s safe space and demand an explanation that he most definitely didn’t owe him.

His legs burned as he climbed the stairs, wondering why, in a school of magic, they couldn’t find a more efficient and less energy consuming way to get students up and down the astronomy tower. The robes he had over his school uniform were making him hot while climbing all the stairs, but he knew the top of the astronomy tower would be chillier because the weather had cooled off, so he made no move to take it off.

He climbed for a little longer before he could see the top of the stairs, and his gut clenched in anticipation. What if Sunghoon was angry at him for invading his privacy? Sunoo had never really thought about Sunghoon being upset with him before, but thinking about it just then left him unsettled.

When he reached the final step, his breath caught as he saw a figure sitting in one of the tower’s open windows, a wide ledge providing a safe enough space to rest on. The moonlight bathed him in ghostly light and made his silver hair look pearlescent. Sunoo could only see the side of his face, jaw sharper because of the tilt of his head as he gazed up. Apprehension filled his mind, making him hesitate on the last step before Sunghoon spoke up.

“I’m guessing Jake told you where I was?” Sunghoon laughed softly, though he hadn’t looked back yet. Sunoo felt relieved that he didn’t sound upset with him, but he wondered how he even knew he was there or that it was him he was talking to.

Eventually, Sunoo confirmed the boy’s guess with a hum, taking a few steps forward before standing awkwardly at the entrance. He still wasn’t sure he could actually go to him, so he settled on hovering around the invisible bubble of Sunghoon’s safe space. “We all got worried when you didn’t show up to dinner. I told them what happened earlier. Nothing too specific though, just vague details.”

Sunghoon finally looked at him, eyes tired. He looked different than his usual, pristine, put together appearance, but Sunoo silently noted that it didn’t really matter when it came to Sunghoon. He was just pretty no matter what. “Sorry for making you guys worry. I just didn’t want to run into K tonight, and I wasn’t feeling too hungry anyway. It’s okay that you told them, though. Jake and Jay already know about it.”

“I figured if the looks they were giving each other were anything to go by,” Sunoo said, trying to joke with him, but it just came out flat.

Sunghoon threw him a tired smile, not phased by it at all. Then his eyes widened as if he just realized something, “Oh, sorry, I wasn’t even thinking. Did you need me for something? Sorry for running off, I just—“

Sunoo was quick to deny it, shaking his head vehemently. “No, no! I just… I wanted to make sure you were okay. K said some really messed up shit.”

A quiet, humorless laugh left him as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, saying nothing, and Sunoo grew nervous as the silence stretched on. Maybe he’d said something wrong. He remembered the conflicting mix of emotions he’d seen on the boy’s face in the hospital wing, something along the lines of hurt, shame, and just downright exhaustion. Sunoo should’ve respected that he didn’t want to talk about it. Jay and Jake were wrong when they said Sunghoon would be okay with him there. He began to turn to leave, but Sunghoon decided to speak up then and Sunoo froze.

“Did you believe him?” He asked quietly.

At first, the question didn’t register, but when it did, Sunoo felt shocked. Of course he wouldn’t have believed him. He couldn’t ever see thoughtful, sweet, quiet Sunghoon doing something as terrible as murdering his own mother, and he also knew that K just liked being a dick, plain and simple. He remembered all the times K had taken jokes and teasing way too far, liking the irritation or the hurt he caused and then brushing it off as a “just a joke.” Apparently he took too long to answer because when Sunghoon spoke up again, his voice sounded shaky and thick.

“Honestly, I don’t blame you. It’s not just a random thing people throw out there—“

“It’s not like that, Hoon,” Sunoo denied desperately as he spun around, hating how defeated Sunghoon sounded at that moment. “The question just surprised me. I would never believe something like that, especially about you of all people. I know whatever he was talking about was either totally false or twisted around to hurt you. He just does stuff like that.” The younger boy saw the way Sunghoon’s shoulders sagged, probably in relief.

“Sorry,” he heaved out, “If I’m being honest, I have no idea if I’m okay. I feel like I should be, but clearly its affected me more than I want it to.” He pinched the bridge of his nose with the hand that wasn’t holding the camera.

It was completely understandable why Sunghoon was upset, and he was way too hard on himself, Sunoo thought. Frowning, he contemplated his next words, wanting to make him feel better but not really knowing how. Before he could make up his mind, however, Sunghoon said, “Do you want to come over here? I think I could use some company. If you’re willing, that is.”

“Well, if you think so, I’m happy to help in any way I can,” he complied easily, stepping into the chilly room. No matter how many times he’d been in the tower, it was still a place of wonder for him, especially at night. Three tall, arched windows were spaced out along the curved wall in front of him, made so that whoever wanted to could gaze at the stars. The room itself was filled with odds and ends like random telescope parts, old boxes, books, and a few chairs scattered around. The telescopes used during classes were neatly put away to the left, laid on top of a row of boxes, and Sunoo remembered helping the astronomy professor, Professor Choi, clean up many times after class, often getting to steal some last minute looks at the stars before he put up the last telescope. When he reached the window Sunghoon was sitting in, the middle one, he looked at him as if asking for permission. At his nod, he climbed up to sit opposite of the boy, resisting the urge to shudder at the feeling of the cold stone seeping through his clothes. He tucked his knees to his chest and hugged them.

The stars and moon shined brightly back as Sunoo looked up at the sea of light and dark, and he couldn’t help but smile as he felt contentment wash over him. There were a few times he had come up here by himself too, just to sit here and share his secrets with the stars, impartial listeners and nothing more. “People always wonder why I love astronomy so much. This is why.”

Sunghoon made a noise of agreement. “It’s beautiful tonight.”

“It is.” He agreed easily, tearing his eyes away from the sky to look back at Sunghoon, who was staring down at his lap. When he shifted, Sunoo noticed he was holding something, but he couldn’t tell what it was at just a glimpse. “What are you holding?” He asked curiously, pulling his robes a little tighter as a cold wind blew by.

The Ravenclaw pursed his lips, holding it up so that Sunoo could take a better look. “It’s my mom’s old camera. I get it out when I miss her.” With the light of the moon upon it, Sunoo could now see that it was a compact device, simple and black with a little band attached to the side to slide around your wrist. It didn’t look like any of the cameras used in the wizarding world, but that checked out since Sunghoon was muggleborn.

Sunoo could hear the sad edge his voice had, and he silently wondered what had really happened to his mother. The camera didn’t seem to have any scratches, dents, or any kind of sustained damage, so he knew Sunghoon took care of it really well. “It looks like it’s in really good condition.”

Silver hair fell over his eyes as he nodded and he pushed it back. “I don’t use it much. I just look through some of the photos my mom took every now and then. I don’t want to break it.”

“So you haven’t taken any pictures on it?”

“Only two. The rest are all hers,” he answered simply, turning it in his hands. Sunoo wondered what they were, but again, he didn’t want to pry too deeply.

“Tell me about her. What was she like?” Sunoo goes for instead, hoping talking about her without the subject of death coming about might make him feel a little better.

“My mom? She was…” He took a minute to gather his thoughts, gnawing at his bottom lip. Sunoo knew that it was hard to just summarize someone you loved. There was so much complexity to people, so many small things that mattered. He patiently waited, giving Sunghoon an encouraging smile.

“She was strong,” he started. “Really, really strong. I remember thinking when I was little that she could do anything she wanted. Literally anything. She never took off work, even when she was sick, and her coworkers abused her kindness a lot by asking her to take their shifts, but she always made time for her family. I don’t ever remember her complaining about anything. She was also really caring, but she didn’t smile a lot. She loved taking in stray animals even though my dad didn’t really like that. She liked reading and crocheting, but she was awful in the kitchen.” Sunghoon’s voice grew softer and softer as he spoke about her, a faraway look of nostalgia clouding his eyes. “And she absolutely loved photography. She didn’t like getting her picture taken, but she did love taking them. She’d dress me up and take me out on trips just to take pictures, and I’d indulge her because I liked seeing her smiles behind the camera, even if I did complain a little from time to time. I didn’t get to see them that often. I think most of my pictures are in a photo book back home. Or maybe dad’s thrown it away by now.” He said the last part almost inaudibly, but Sunoo heard it and his heart clenched. He remembered K saying his dad hated him, but could he really hate him?

“She sounds amazing,” Sunoo said softly, resting his chin on his knees as listened to Sunghoon. “I wonder what you looked like as a kid. Probably super cute.”

Sunghoon smiled a little at that, bumping his foot against Sunoo’s. “I was scrawny, pale, and awkward. Nothing great.”

“Well clearly you were something if your mom loved taking pictures of you that much,” he assumed reasonably, grinning.

Snorting softly, Sunghoon sighed, “Maybe. But then again, she might’ve just been biased.” Sunoo guessed that could be true, but looking at Sunghoon now, his mother couldn’t have been that biased.

They fell silent again, comfortable just to sit in one another’s presence. It was calm and quiet and a sudden bout of tiredness overcame him, even with the cold that had long since crawled under his skin. Through squinted eyes, he looked at the boy in front of him and watched him place the camera down beside him. He didn’t expect Sunghoon to speak again so soon.

“She got really sick during my second year,” Sunghoon said quietly, much to Sunoo’s shock. “She went to so many doctors for it, but they couldn’t ever find out what was wrong with her. My parents spent so much money on appointments and possible treatments, but she died that same year, a few weeks after I came home for the summer.”

It felt like his heart had just dropped out of his chest. He couldn’t ever imagine the pain of losing his own mother. “I’m so sorry, Hoon.” Sunoo really hadn’t expected to be told anything about her death, and he would’ve been okay with not knowing. But he was glad, at least, that Sunghoon trusted him enough to tell him. Sunghoon deserved to have someone he could lean on, and if Sunoo could be that for him, he’d happily do it, even if they hadn’t known each other that long.

“Don’t be. I miss her, but I hated watching her suffer. She couldn’t do the things she loved anymore since she was stuck in bed. I think it hurt the most that she couldn’t go and take pictures with me anymore. It made her illness so much more real. Besides that, I’d like to think she’s not suffering anymore.” Despite how calm Sunghoon looked, Sunoo knew there was so much more to what he was telling him. “My dad didn’t cope very well with her being gone. Maybe he didn’t cope at all. He got angry one night and told me I’m the reason she died. That I should’ve saved her since they were paying for me to go to this ‘fancy magic school.’”

Sunoo felt downright appalled. “Merlin, Sunghoon, you were a second year. Even the greatest wizards can’t really prevent death. It’s ludicrous that he would even say that.”

Bitterly, Sunghoon smiled. “I’ve come to terms with that now for the most part, but back then, I completely believed it. Dad doesn’t have any idea what a world of magic entails, but to him, magic was saving my mom, and it just didn’t work out like that.”

Really, the Slytherin had no idea how to reply to that, so he kept silent.

“I’m sorry for dumping this all on you. We haven’t even been friends that long and here I am telling you my sob story,” the silver haired boy turned his head away, embarrassed at how loose lipped he’d been.

Sunoo shook his head. “Don’t apologize, seriously. I don’t mind. I’m actually… really flattered you feel comfortable enough to share stuff like this with me. Trauma isn’t easy to overcome, but you have us. You have Jay and Jake and the rest of our friends. And you have me now,” he finished softly, ignoring the way his neck felt slightly warm despite how cold it was.

There was an indescribably light feeling fluttering in his chest as Sunghoon gave him a genuine smile. It wasn’t big or happy, but it spoke of thankfulness and relief, of possibilities and healing and really, Sunoo couldn’t ask for more.

“Thank you, Sunoo,” he murmured, and Sunoo watched a shiver run through him soon after. Belatedly, he realized that if he was cold, Sunghoon was probably colder, having stayed up here much longer than he had.

“Of course, Hoon,” he said, shifting so that his feet were once again hanging over the stone floor of the tower. He gently hopped down, turning to face the silver haired boy. “How about we head back now? We could sneak into the kitchens for some hot chocolate on our way back?” Without much thought, he extended a hand.

Tempted by the possibility of warmth and hot chocolate, Sunghoon didn’t take long to get down and grab Sunoo’s hand, making sure to pick up his camera with the other and safely deposit it into his robe pocket. “God, Hoon, your hand is freezing,” Sunoo commented, looking down and squeezing his hand a little. When he looked back up, Sunghoon was staring out of the window they’d just vacated, and he found himself getting distracted too. There were details he’d taken notice of before, the two moles on Sunghoon’s face, ones his eyes gravitated to naturally. One was on the left side of his nose bridge and the other was under his right eye. Sunoo had never seen such unique placement of moles, but he found them pretty and very fitting for Sunghoon.

When Sunghoon turned to look back at him, Sunoo quickly averted his gaze, not realizing he’d been staring until it was almost too late. He cleared his throat, giving a light tug on Sunghoon’s hand.

“C’mon Hoon, we can come back another night. It’s cold and there’s two mugs of hot chocolate with our names on them,” He urged.

He heard Sunghoon chuckle from beside him, giving in easily with a forward step. “Alright, alright, let’s go.”

Hand in hand, they clumsily descended the stairs, a little stiff from the cold and the awkward sitting positions. Luckily, when they got to the kitchens, the elves were more than happy to help them make some hot chocolate, skittering around to grab what they needed.

After a few minutes of watching the elves work their magic, they had steaming mugs of hot chocolate in their hands, and they reveled in the warmth that it brought. Sunoo and Sunghoon didn’t speak as they walked, too preoccupied with sipping from their drinks and trying not to spill them, but when they both ended up in Ravenclaw commons, neither of them were surprised.

Sunoo sighed in contentment as he took a seat beside Sunghoon on one of the couches, setting his mug on the coffee table. “Well, I’m definitely warmer now.”

“Me too,” Sunghoon agreed easily before setting down his mug as well. They chatted about meaningless things to fill the space around them, falling naturally into the feeling of just being in each other’s company. It was effortless and enjoyable.

When Sunghoon looked at his watch sometime later, he frowned. “It’s getting really late, Sun. You should probably head back to the dungeons now.” And Sunoo tried to tell himself it wasn’t disappointment he heard in Sunghoon’s voice. Why would he even be thinking of that anyway?

“You’re right,” he said in spite of wanting to just fall asleep right there. He stood up, taking his nearly empty mug so that he could give it back to the elves the next day. He sleepily walked over to the entrance of the commons, turning to wave at Sunghoon who was still sitting on the couch. “Goodnight Sunghoon.”

“Night, Sunoo. Be careful and get back safely,” He urged gently, waving back. Sunoo could see the way he was fighting off sleep too.

He couldn’t help but grin happily after he stepped out and the door closed behind him, silently thinking that this fake dating thing had turned out better than he’d ever expected.

Maybe this was Jungwon’s best idea yet. Maybe.

Chapter Text

It was chilly the next morning when Sunoo rolled out of bed, and he clumsily scrambled to find his uniform and robes. The mug from the night prior, stained with the small drops of hot chocolate that had rolled down the sides, sat on his nightstand, gleaming in the morning light that fell through the windows of their dorm. A small smile broke out on his face before he quickly put it in his messenger bag, grabbing his books and pocketing his wand before heading out.

Sunoo’s feet were dragging as he shuffled into the Great Hall for breakfast, rubbing at his eyes and now wishing he’d gotten more sleep. Of course, he didn’t regret staying up with Sunghoon though, so he guessed the sacrifice was worth it.

Said boy wasn’t in much better condition, silver hair splayed over the arm he was laying his head on. Without much thought, the Slytherin plopped down beside him, setting down his things before laying his head on his shoulder. Sunghoon mumbled a quiet, “Morning Sun.”

Sunoo hummed, eyes closed as he ignored the  whispers and giggles from their friends.

Jake piped up cheekily, “Long night?” Jay snickered, nudging Jake and Jungwon stared pointedly at Sunoo.

Knowing exactly what he was insinuating, Sunoo decided to go along with it. “Yeah, super exhausting. I’m tired and my back hurts.”

Jungwon’s face scrunched and Jay choked on his pumpkin juice. Riki just looked confused, and Heeseung quickly distracted him by bringing up the upcoming tournament challenge he was currently trying to prepare for.

“That’s—“ Jake looked properly stunned and Sunoo couldn’t help the mischievous smirk growing on his face. He wanted to laugh, but he kept his composure, not wanting to ruin the joke just yet.

“What? We had a nice time up in the astronomy tower,” the Slytherin shrugged.

“You fucked in the astronomy tower?!” Jay blurted, completely flabbergasted, realizing only seconds later he’d said that a little too loud and slapped a hand over his mouth. Unfortunately, a lot of people had heard his outburst, and whispers flared up around them. Sunoo swallowed hard when his eyes met K’s as he scanned to see who’d heard, quickly adverting his gaze.

Sunghoon groaned, having since sat up, and slapped a hand to his forehead. “Great Jay, thanks for that.”

“It’s not my fault you couldn’t keep your di—“

“We didn’t have sex you perverted moron,” Sunghoon rolled his eyes, picking up his fork take a bite of his scrambled eggs. He threw a sausage at the Gryffindor, smirking when it smacked him square in the forehead. Jay yelled, protesting the pervert part of Sunghoon’s statement while wiping off the grease from his forehead.

“We just stayed up late talking and then got hot chocolate. Nothing scandalous,” the younger explained simply, snatching Sunghoon’s pumpkin juice to take a sip. At that, Jungwon raised a brow.

“Why did you say your back hurt then?!” Jay demanded. A few nosy students had stopped what they were doing, trying to listen in on their conversation.

“Sitting in one of the windows isn’t the most comfortable spot.”

Jay’s jaw dropped. “Oh, you cheeky little shit!” He lunged over the table, and Sunoo yelped as he grabbed Sunghoon’s arm and tried to hide behind him. Sunghoon playfully waved Jay off, Sunoo giving the Gryffindor a smug smile over his fake boyfriend’s shoulder.

He cackled at the glare the boy gave him. “You’re the one who assumed.”

Thank Merlin for Heeseung though, because Riki had missed the whole thing. Sunoo would have to thank him somehow.

Sunghoon wasn’t a shy person. He was honest, outspoken, easy to get along with. He didn’t speak much, not because he was anxious or timid, but because he only really spoke when spoken to or when he had something important to say. (Or he was with his friends, and then he never shut up.)

That was why Sunoo was a little confused as he watched Sunghoon play with the straps of his bag and study his shoes, things he normally did when he was stressed. It was right after potions, and Sunghoon had pulled him aside after class. Sunoo was getting serious deja vu.

“Is everything alright, Hoon?” Sunoo asked worriedly.

Sunghoon swallowed but nodded. He cleared his throat before he began. “So you know our first quidditch match is coming up soon, right?”

“Yeah, of course. Are you still nervous about it?” Sunoo frowned, clutching his books closer to his chest.

“No not— well, not about that anyway,” Sunghoon waved him off, still refusing to look him in the eyes. Sunoo was puzzled. What was so terrible that it had Sunghoon sweating about it?

“I uhm,” Sunghoon coughed. “Well, it’s going to be cold the day of the match.”

“Mmm, I already plan to share a blanket with Jungwon! Don’t worry, I’ll be there to support you!” He smiled.

“That’s great— I’m glad even! But uh— okay, look, I was just gonna ask if you wanted to wear my scarf that day. Only if you want to, of course!” Sunghoon looked terribly stressed, but Sunoo couldn’t help but cover his mouth as he began to laugh, at first just giggling but then loud and unrestrained. His eyes squinted as he did so, an open mouthed grin adorning his lips.

The Ravenclaw was bright red, skin contrasting heavily against his pale silver locks. “Don’t laugh!” He whined. “Just say no, please.”

Sunoo shook his head, trying to calm down. “No, no Hoon, that’s not it. I’d be happy to wear your scarf.”

He frowned. “…Why were you laughing then??”

“I just think it’s cute that you were nervous to ask, is all,” Sunoo admitted. “I’m not going to bite, you know. We are friends after all.”

Nervous laughter floated out of Sunghoon’s lips before nodding, “Right. I just— wasn’t sure whether that crossed the whole fake dating line.”

Sunoo tilted his head. “I don’t think so. I can’t think of anything you could really do to cross a line, though.” He spoke honestly, reaching up to push at Sunghoon’s shoulder. “You worry too much, Hoon.”

A small, sheepish grin grew on his face. “Maybe you’re right.”

A couple days had passed and Sunghoon’s first game was steadily approaching. Sunoo could tell how nervous he was, and he hated watching him stress. Whenever they were studying, Sunoo would gently place a hand on Sunghoon’s knee when he bounced it or tapped his cheek when he was biting his lip. He’d often find himself in the kitchen making Sunghoon tea to try and help his nerves, not because he’d asked it of him, but because he was genuinely worried.

He knew Sunghoon appreciated it by the random hugs, grateful smiles, and little candies he slipped him, but it still didn’t negate the anxiety. He knew it would be at its worst right before the match, and he wanted to do one last thing, but the problem was, he had no idea what.

Sunoo was lucky he knew Jake had been camping out in the library with Jay lately, finishing some big project they had together for Runes.

“Hey guys!” Sunoo called, waving. He cringed when he heard the librarian shush him from a few shelves over and quietly apologized, shuffling over to the two.

He glanced around him, craning his neck to look at the impossibly tall shelves filled with more books than he could read in a lifetime. Many books were faded, their spines and covers worn from use. Others looked relatively new with crisp hardcovers and vibrant colors, most likely filled with new discoveries and new adventures that had come about in the wizarding world. Dark oak ladders stretched all the way to the top of each bookshelf, though they weren’t entirely necessary because you could quite literally just summon them to you.

The two were snickering at him when he came over, but Sunoo ignored it. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not much. Just half the library,” Jay quipped, setting his quill over the top of his ink bottle. Offhandedly, Sunoo noticed how close the two were sat, knees brushing and shoulders bumping, even sat in two different chairs. He wondered whether they were like this with Sunghoon too.

Sunoo rolled his eyes with a smile, “Okay, okay, I was a little loud. Sorry about that.”

Jake waved him off, pushing his auburn hair from his eyes. “Just giving you a hard time, Sun. Anyway, you looked like you needed something?”

He nodded as he set his things down beside the wooden table the two were studying at, pulling up a chair for himself. “So you know how Sunghoon has his big match tomorrow?” Jake hummed and Jay nodded, pushing his circle rimmed glasses higher on his nose. “Well, he’s been really nervous, and I’ve tried to help, but… I’m worried about tomorrow.”

Smiling, Jake replied, “I’ve noticed. I’m actually— I’m glad he has you, Sunoo. He needs someone to care about him as much as you do.”

Involuntarily, a horrible redness crept up his neck and over his ears. “Ah, I’m just doing what a fr— boyfriend should, right?”

Jay shook his head. “It’s not just about you guys dating. The way you guys constantly look out for each other and care for one another— it’s not strictly romantic. You guys care for each other as people.”

Sheepishly, the Slytherin waved him off. “It’s really not that big of a deal. I don’t even think about it.” Honestly, he didn’t see what the big deal was. With Sunghoon, it just came naturally for him. He liked being around him, liked watching him laugh and smile and be happy, liked talking to him and taking care of him. There was no big to-do of him going out of his way or having to put in extra effort. He just naturally gravitated to the Ravenclaw, and in turn, it made it easy to care.

“That’s just it though. You don’t have to think about it. You just care. But, jeez, sorry, we’re off topic, aren’t we?” Jake laughed, leaning slightly against Jay.

For a moment, Sunoo had forgotten why he’d originally sought Jake out, but he quickly resumed. “Oh, right! I wanted to know if there was anything you knew of that might help Hoon destress before his game. Something quick and effective.”

Both the Hufflepuff and the Gryffindor seemed to contemplate the question, but Jake lit up first. “He likes music! Like, muggle music, but he doesn’t get to listen to it that often since, well, you know, he doesn’t go home. I have an MP3 player in my dorm somewhere if you want to borrow it. We have pretty similar taste in music!”

Sunoo tilted his head, “What’s an MP3 player?” He assumed it was some kind of muggle music storage thing, but honestly he didn’t know how that worked.

“It’s just like, a little device that you can put songs onto and listen to with headphones.” He used his hands to gesture at the general shape of it, and it seemed pretty small to Sunoo.

“How does it store music if it’s so small?”

“It’s like, a little storage chip that stores data?” Jake tried. “I honestly don’t know the intricacies of it. I just know how to download music and how to use it.”

Muggle inventions were too confusing, Sunoo thought. Still, if this would help Sunghoon, he wasn’t against it. “So could I borrow it and give it back tomorrow?” Sunoo asked, leaning over the table and looking a Jake with shining eyes.

With those eyes, Jake couldn’t say no, but it’s not like he would’ve denied him anyway since Sunghoon was his best friend. “Yeah, of course. I’ll bring it to dinner tonight! Get there before Hoon does though, so you can surprise him.”

Sunoo nodded readily, a huge grin on his lips. “Thank you, Jake!” He said happily. He stood, pushing his chair in and grabbing his things. “I’ll come early tonight!” And with that, he left the two friends in the library, giving them one last wave before disappearing into the shelves of books.

True to his word, he showed up early enough that hardly any students were in the Great Hall, skipping over to Jake, who currently was sitting with Jay reading through the Daily Prophet. “Hey guys!” He called loudly, announcing his arrival before plopping down on the bench on the opposite side of the table from them. Jake startled slightly, and Jay just looked up casually, chuckling at his friend’s reaction.

“Merlin, Sunoo. You scared me,” Jake huffed, smoothing down the front of his shirt as if trying to compose himself.

“Sorry about that,” Sunoo said, sounding far from apologetic.

“Mhmm, sure you are,” the Hufflepuff rolled his eyes good naturedly before turning to reaching down into his bag to fish something out. When he sat back up, a small device, no bigger than half the size of Sunoo’s palm was clutching in his hand. It had a bluish metallic sheen, four buttons in a circle, and a screen that Sunoo guessed showed what was playing.

He set it down in front of him along with a pair of white earphones. “Okay, I’m going to explain a few things before you take it. The headphone jack is here,” he said, pointing to a small hole on the bottom, “so you’ll just plug these in here.”

Sunoo nodded, watching attentively.

“These buttons are pretty self explanatory, but there’s a menu, volume, and back and forward button to control the music, and the middle button plays and pauses whatever song you’re listening to,” he explained, gesturing to each respective button, even clicking through some of the functions to provide further instruction. Sunoo remained silent, watching Jake shuffle through songs and trying to wrap his head around the concept of this mini music player. This was magic if he’d ever seen any, because what the actual hell?

The hall grew louder as more and more students began to file into the hall, ready for dinner, and Sunoo quickly grabbed the device and headphones and shoved them in his bag. It’s would ruin the surprise if Sunghoon saw him with it.

And good thing he did, because speak of the devil and he shall appear. Sunoo involuntarily let out a squeak as Sunghoon sat with a quiet “Hey guys.” The Ravenclaw gave him an odd look before looking forward to talk to his two friends. Not long after him, Riki and Jungwon showed up, both taking a seat to his right and animatedly chattering about something that had gone on in Jungwon’s transfiguration class. Heeseung was nowhere to be found, and Sunoo guessed he was probably doing whatever a Hogwarts champion would be doing at this hour. Not that he really knew what that entailed.

Speaking of the tournament, the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang had began more actively populating the school. Sunoo had almost forgotten that they actually did stay for the entirety of the tournament, meaning that they were in and around the school constantly. It was pretty commonplace to see students in blue formal attire or red and brown and covered in furs, so it was easy to forget that they didn’t actually attend Hogwarts.

Sunoo watched as a tall boy with short, slicked back hair enter the hall, an air of confidence that teetered towards arrogance around him. He had the signature red robes of Durmstrang with a high quality fur cape latched around his shoulders, and it flowed easily behind him as he made his way, Sunoo realized too late, towards  them.

Sunoo was about to speak up when the boy’s brash tone broke through the normal hum of the Great Hall. “Hello Jake,” he greeted, completely ignoring the rest of the group. Jungwon looked intrigued while Jay’s brows furrowed deeply.

Jake looked a little disgruntled, but still gave him a small but genuine smile. “Hey Vaughn.”

“You look as gorgeous as you did when I first laid my eyes on you a month ago,” Vaughn smiled, though Sunoo could tell there was some deeper message he was trying to send. Uncomfortably, the Hufflepuff shifted.

He cleared his throat, “Uhm, thank you…”

“Of course, but I shall get on with the reason I’ve approached you tonight. I have come to invite you for another date since you’ve been too busy as of late,” the Durmstrang guy said in a matter-of-fact tone, like he was expecting Jake to finally cave and accept his invite.

“Thats really sweet of you, Vaughn, but I’ve already told you I’m not interested,” Jake sighed, looking more and more exasperated the longer his admirer stood there. Vaughn didn’t seem deterred at all though, but rather nonchalant, like Jake was just playing hard to get. Like Jake was some kind of challenge he had to overcome. Sunoo scrunched his nose, disturbed at the blatant disregard for Jake’s wishes.

“I’m sure you’d change your mind if you went on one date with me. That’s all it would take to realize what you’re missing out on,” he said confidently.

Jay spoke up with irritated tone, his jaw ticking. “Hey, don’t you understand he’s rejecting you? Does the word no not make sense to you?”

A harsh scoff left the Durmstrang boy’s lips as he turned an arrogant glare onto the Gryffindor. “I don’t recall speaking to you.”

At this, Jay stood up, slamming his hands on the table as he leaned towards Vaughn who stood on the opposite side of the table. “And I don’t remember giving a fuck about whether or not you spoke to me. Honestly, I’d pay good money not to have to look at your face ever again, let alone hear your voice, so listen right now, and listen well. You’re not as important as you think you are, and when someone tells you no, they mean it. He’s not interested. He’s just too damn nice to tell you to fuck off.” Sunoo bit back a laugh at Vaughn’s shocked expression, slapping Sunghoon on the arm when he let out a snort.

Jungwon and Riki were staring at Jay like they’d never met him before, but they also looked starstruck, like he was some idol they finally saw in person.

Soon enough, Vaughn’s shock melted into anger, tell tale by the hard look in his eyes and the way he had begun to grind his teeth. Jay looked satisfied with himself, but a cold fury still radiated from him in waves. Jake tugged at the sleeve of his robes with a worried look, and Jay looked down, eyes softening before he finally sat down again.

“Asshole,” Vaughn seethed, before turning his eyes back to Jake. “You’ll like me soon enough. Just keep your stupid dog on a leash.” And with that and a flourish of his fur cape, he left the hall, joined at the door by two more pompous looking red robed students.

Jake looked absolutely embarrassed, flushing from his ears to his cheeks to his neck. “I’m— really, really sorry about that guys. He’s been harassing me ever since the other schools got here, but I didn’t think he’d approach all of us.”

Sunghoon’s brows raised. “He’s really… persistent to say the least.”

“That’s a little generous, isn’t it?” Jungwon added, chuckling. “Didn’t know you had such passionate admirers.”

“Admirer,” Jake sputtered. “Just one. And he’s crazy.”

Riki looked unconvinced, as did Sunghoon and Jungwon. Sunoo had to admit, he wasn’t convinced either, and he chanced a look at the boy beside Jake who had went back to eating his corn like nothing had happened, though he could still tell Jay was upset because of the death grip he had on his fork.

He said nothing of it though, subconsciously reaching for Sunghoon’s hand when he saw him fidgeting.

Sunoo pretended not to notice the looks all the guys gave him, clearing his throat as he picked up his spoon with his free hand.

It was just a comfort tactic.

A shiver ran through Sunoo as he made his way to the quidditch pitch two hours earlier than he needed to be, a blue scarf wrapped snugly around his neck. He knew Sunghoon was probably in the locker room stressing, so he hoped that the little blue device he gripped in his hand would be able to relieve some of that.

The breaths he let out as he walked condensed, and he smiled as little clouds of fog filled the air. Today would be a good day, he was sure of it. While the air was frigid, it was sunny, not a cloud to be seen in the cornflower sky. Just before the entrance to the pitch, he paused, taking a deep breath before heading to the locker room, kindly asking one of Sunghoon’s teammates if they could fetch him for him.

“Hey, Hoon. Your pretty boyfriend is here to see you!” The boy said. Sunoo flushed. He was pretty sure his name was Hanbin if the carrot orange hair served his memory correctly.

Seconds later, Sunghoon came out, looking concerned. “Hey Sun, what’s up? Is something wrong?”

Sunoo smiled at him, “Do you have a little time before the match?”

“Yeah, of course. Do you need something?” Sunghoon looked every part the caring boyfriend role, and Sunoo’s heart involuntarily beat a little harder. He cleared his throat.

“Just follow me.” Sunoo said, almost tripping when he heard some of Sunghoon’s teammates oohing like a bunch of first years.

Sunghoon followed without question, taking a seat beside Sunoo once the younger found a place to sit not too far from the pitch. “Is everything okay, Sunoo?”

He nodded with a closed lipped smile. “I just noticed that you’ve been really nervous lately. I figured you’d be in the locker room stressing and putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on yourself, so I wanted to do something to help,” Sunoo explained, pulling out Jake’s MP3 player. Sunghoon looked puzzled, but Sunoo could tell he recognized the device.

“I asked Jake, and he said you enjoyed muggle music and lent me this.”

The silver haired boy was at a loss for words. When he finally managed to say something, it was a little stilted. “You— I can’t— you really didn’t have to do this.” If it was anyone else, Sunoo might’ve been a little offended, but he could tell how touched the Ravenclaw was.

“Of course I did. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t look out for you?” He replied cheekily, offering one of the earbuds to Sunghoon.

After a monent’s hesitation, Sunghoon took it from him. Sunoo glanced down, pressing the middle button to begin the playlist, and not even a second later, music began to play. Sunoo was still confused on how it worked exactly, but he had to admit it was pretty handy.

“I love this song…” Sunghoon said quietly, a small smile making its way onto his face.

“What’s it called?” Sunoo asked, not daring to look away from the happiness on his fake boyfriend’s face.

“Somebody Else by The 1975,” Sunghoon said, humming along softly to the melody.

The longer the song played, the more Sunoo liked it. It was soft, and though he couldn’t understand a majority of the lyrics, the ones he could were good.

The next song was more soft rock or alternative, as stated by Sunghoon, a Chase Atlantic song called Roxanne. Then there was Softcore by The Neighborhood, cotton candy by weston estate, Sex, Drugs, Etc. by Beach weather, and a few others Sunoo couldn’t remember the names of.

Sunoo liked the music Jake and Sunghoon listened to, even if he hadn’t heard anything like it before. It was all so different. But he could definitely see a pattern. As he watched Sunghoon, he noticed how his shoulders had relaxed and he didn’t fidget, instead closing his eyes to enjoy the music. Sunghoon’s eyelashes were long, he noticed, as he looked at him from an angle, staring yet again at the two moles on his face and marveling at how pretty they were. He’d never seen placement like them before, but he thought they were in the absolute perfect spots.

Sunoo would be blind not to notice how attractive Sunghoon was. From his kindness, to his strong jaw and pretty eyes, to his toothy smile and his love of quidditch, to his intelligence and capacity to care. Sunoo knew that whoever dated him for real would be lucky.

But for now, it was nice to have his boyfriendly attention on him.

The next song was one he recognized, but he couldn’t tell from where. “Hey, Hoon, what’s this song called? It sounds familiar.”

One touch and you got me stoned

Higher than I've ever known

You call the shots and I follow

Sunrise, but the night still young

No words, but we speak in tongues

If you let me, I might say too much

Sunghoon hummed, having to think before he replied. “Off My Face by Justin Bieber I think? Heeseung sings it a lot.”

Your touch blurred my vision

It's your world and I'm just in it

Even sober I'm not thinkin' straight

“Isn’t Heeseung a pureblood?” The younger asked, confused.

“Mmm, yeah, but he’s visited Jake and I during the summer, and we’ve exposed him to the world of muggle music. He’s obsessed now,” Sunghoon explained fondly.

The Slytherin hadn’t realized how close Heeseung was with the sixth years, but he guessed it made sense. Heeseung was friends with a lot of people.

'Cause I'm off my face, in love with you

I'm out my head, so into you

And I don't know how you do it

But I'm forever ruined by you, ooh-ooh-ooh

Sunghoon looked at him, tilting his head with emotions crossing over his face that Sunoo couldn’t decipher. As he’d gotten closer to him over the last month or so, he noticed that Sunghoon was often times hard to read, especially when he wanted to keep something a secret. It made him a little nervous that he had no idea what the other was thinking because he felt so exposed. Many people had told him before that he was an open book and wore his heart on his sleeve, and he guessed that was true, because he couldn’t keep a straight face to save his life.

Can't sleep 'cause I'm way too buzzed

Too late, now you're in my blood

I don't hate the way you keep me up

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked, pushing at the older’s shoulder.

Sunghoon gave a lopsided grin, not even missing a beat with his answer. “Just wondering how I got so lucky to have a fake boyfriend as good as you.”

A pause, and then Sunoo laughed, full bellied and happy. “You’re a dork, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told before.” He nodded sagely, and his seriousness only cracked Sunoo up more. He spent a good few minutes laughing, having fallen against Sunghoon’s shoulder before he finally sat up and wiped at his eyes.

“Well, Park Sunghoon, let me tell you this as well. You’re a pretty good fake boyfriend too.” And they sat there for a while longer until Sunghoon was called away to start warming up. Sunoo waved to him, cheeks flushed red with cold and excitement, and he silently cheered because Sunghoon, who waved back at him just as eagerly, looked more at peace than he had all week.

Jungwon met up with Sunoo a little later, and they all hurried up the stands to find good seats and snuggle into their shared blanket, missing Riki, who was preparing for the match too.

“Nice scarf, Sun,” Jungwon commented, wiggling his brows and giggling at the look Sunoo have him.

He just rolled his eyes with a good natured smile. “Thanks Wonie. My cute boyfriend wanted me to wear it for his match today.”

“Mhmm. You guys have been getting really close lately. Sure you guys haven’t actually started dating?” His friend teased.

Sighing, he shook his head, “No, we haven’t.”

“Why did you sigh?!” Jungwon asked loudly, pointing a finger at him like he’d just discovered a huge secret. A few people around them looked at them weird, a Jungwon coughed in embarrassment.

“No reason,” Sunoo said quickly, shaking his hands in front of him, “He’s just a good actor. Makes me wish I had a boyfriend that actually treated me like that.”

His friend didn’t looked like he believed him, but he pointedly ignored him in favor of watching the two teams warm up. Down on the pitch, players from both teams were stretching and talking, most likely about game plans and tactics. He searched through the circle of blue until he found a silver head of hair, surprised to see that he currently had Hanbin in a headlock. They seemed to be playfully arguing about something, Hanbin having a huge smile on his face as he tried to get away from the captain. On the other end, Riki was bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement, chatting with another fourth year, Haku Shota, who was a friend of his from Japan.

“Hey, why is K looking over at the Ravenclaw team like that?” Jungwon asked, pointing down at the Slytherin captain. When Sunoo glanced down, he saw said boy on the outside of his team huddle, standing stock still with his arms by his sides. They couldn’t see his face too well, but he seemed almost entranced, like he couldn’t look away. Sunoo waited, watched until K finally turned, albeit slowly, and started to address his team.

“Merlin, that was creepy,” Jungwon said with a shudder. Sunoo nodded, completely unnerved at what he’d just witnessed.

He couldn’t focus on it too long, because soon enough, Jay, Jake, and Heeseung showed up too, sitting directly behind the trio and all wearing some type of Ravenclaw gear. Sunoo felt a little bad for not supporting Riki like usual, but he was happy to wear Sunghoon’s scarf.

Not even ten minutes later, the two teams were flying out from their places under the stands, and Sunoo cheered as loud as he could. Beomgyu, as the quidditch commentator, was more often than not a little vulgar, getting reprimanded by the professors who sat near him a lot, but he was entertaining and the student body would be up in arms if they were to try and remove him.

His voice boomed over the quidditch stadium. “Hey guys, welcome to the first quidditch game of the season!” The crowd erupted in cheers. “Today, we have a match up between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, and let me tell you guys, it’s gonna be good! From the blue house, we have the talented captain Park Sunghoon, and from the green house, we have,” He cleared his throat, “K.”

“Ouch! Don’t hit my arm! He’s mean,” Beomgyu whined to Professor Min. He cursed as he realized he’d missed the players circling up in the air over the middle of the pitch. “Oh shit, the players take their positions as Professor Jang comes onto the field. A very scary woman if you ask me.” A gasp left him when Jang looked up at him. “Sorry Professor!”

Professor Jang stopped when she reached the chest that held the quaffle, snitch, and bludgers, and K and Sunghoon flew up to shake hands above Professor Jang, the referee. Her voice was broadcasted over the entire stadium with a voice enhancement charm instead of a magically enhanced mic like Beomgyu had.

“Now gentlemen, I want a clean game. No funny business or you’ll have me to deal with later,” She said sternly. Both captains nodded, though Sunghoon was the only one to look sincere.

With that, she unlatched the locks, and the bludgers and snitch flew out, ready to cause havoc and confusion. “Remember guys, the snitch is worth 150 points, and if your seeker catches it, your team wins the game. Pretty important if you ask me,” Beomgyu said.

Professor Jang picked up the quaffle, giving all the players one last look before tossing it up directly in the middle with scary accuracy. “The quaffle’s been released, and the game begins!” The long haired Gryffindor exclaimed.

Hanbin, one of Ravenclaw’s chasers, zipped forward, catching the quaffle before anyone else had the chance, and he deftly spun to avoid a nearly out of control Slytherin who’d lunged for it too. “Ravenclaw’s Hanbin is currently in possession of the quaffle, making quick work of Slytherin’s lousy ass def— ow, stop that!”

Sunoo laughed at Beomgyu’s inability to filter himself and Professor Min’s attempts to censor him. “Hanbin still in possession as he gets closer to Slytherin’s goals, but he passes it to Yoon Keeho! Keeho shakes off his defense, and he attempts to score,” Beomgyu pauses in anticipation. “It’s in! Ravenclaw’s Yoon Keeho has earned the first points of the game!”

After that, Slytherin got the quaffle, and unluckily, Ravenclaw’s keeper, Jihyo, missed it by a breadth and Slytherin scored as well. “Slytherin’s Nishimura Riki scores, tieing up the game! I told you guys, it’s gonna be a good game!” Sunoo couldn’t help but cheer for his best friend.

It went on like that for a while, trading points back and forth with neither team really pulling ahead of the other. “The defense in this game is a little shaky, but the offense is insane! The scores are neck and neck with no end in sight! Let’s check on our seekers, shall we?” Beomgyu suggested, making all the students search for them.

Sunoo spotted both of them, a few feet away from each other and high in the sky. Two dots of blue and green. They were still moving, and it looked as if K was waiting for Sunghoon to make his move. “Clearly, neither of them have spotted the golden snitch. It’s playing y’all like a record, guys.” Jake snorted.

The longer the match went on, the more nervous Sunoo got, and the more tired the players got. The game had slowed down a bit, but the scores hadn’t gotten any farther apart. Ravenclaw was behind by two goals, twenty points. And then Beomguy’s voice broke through the air. “Park Sunghoon has spotted something! His speed and control are insane! Oh, K’s not too far behind him…” Beomgyu sighed, leaning against his hand.

Sunoo’s stomach clenched as he watched the two race toward the golden snitch, a tiny little thing he wouldn’t even have a chance of seeing with good binoculars. Sunghoon began speeding downward, K coming in hot on his left, but still a little behind. The Ravenclaw captain had to swerve as one of the Slytherin beaters hit a bludger at him, but he quickly regained his original course. “Sunghoon easily dodges the bludger, still on the fast track to a Ravenclaw victory!”

He pulled the front of his broom up, changing course to pursue the snitch, and K couldn’t do anything but follow behind him, not being able to catch up to him just yet. Then the captain made a random loop, stopping abruptly. K sped past him, only just catching himself as he realized the other had stopped. “Park comes to a screeching halt, confusing K as he stops as well. It looks like he,” Beomgyu paused, scratching his head, “Purposely lost the snitch? And K’s clearly not the sharpest tool in the shed— Professor, I’m speaking from the heart.”

Sunghoon hovered high in the air only for a second longer before taking off once again, this time straight down. “And he’s found it once again!”

K began flying down as well, angled just slightly to meet the snitch. But Sunghoon was faster, and he lunged forward, doing another loop midair before he stopped. “And Park Sunghoon has caught the golden snitch, winning the match for—“

It all happened too fast for Sunoo to comprehend. One second, Sunghoon’s right hand was held high in victory with the snitch gleaming in the light, and the next, there was screaming and gasps. Chaos broke out around the stadium as people scrambled forward to get a better look.

His stomach dropped as he watched Sunghoon plummet to the ground, broom falling beside him. “K’s just knocked Sunghoon off his broom! That’s fucking foul play!” Beomgyu raged, standing up with his mic in hand.

No one could react quick enough, and Sunghoon landed on the pitch with a sickening thud, only barely cushioned by a last minute charm from Professor Jang. He was too still. Too lifeless, and Sunoo didn’t realize that he was screaming. He didn’t think as he began rushing down the stands, not caring about who he pushed or if his friends were following. All he could think of was Sunghoon and how he hit the ground. How he didn’t move, and especially how terribly triumphant K looked despite losing the match.

He was shaking in fear, in rage, in anxiety. What if Sunghoon was permanently injured or mortally wounded. What if he was dead? Sunoo’s mind was running a million miles an hour as he made his way onto the pitch, but he couldn’t get to Sunghoon no matter how he tried. His teammates, the professors, and other students were all crowding around him, and he could only watch helplessly as his fake boyfriend was carried out on a stretcher, arms hanging limply off the sides and bleeding from wounds Sunoo couldn’t see.

He barely noticed when Jungwon and Riki, still in his quidditch robes, came up behind him, rubbing his shoulders, hugging him, telling him he’d be okay. They quickly scrambled to catch him as his legs gave out, gently helping him sit down before sitting on either side of him. 

“Please be okay, Hoon,” Sunoo whispered, staring at the exit he’d been taken out of. “Please.”

twt

Chapter Text

All he could see was red. Sunoo was fuming, despite being terribly distraught, because K got off with a slap on the wrist. Only a month’s detention with Professor Min for almost killing Sunghoon, and on purpose too. Of course, K argued that he was just going too fast and couldn’t stop in time, but Sunoo knew better. K had done it on purpose, and he was getting away with some bullshit excuse.

His hands shook as he clutched Sunghoon’s scarf in his pale hands, soft against the tips of his fingers but rough in his thoughts. The blue stripes on it seemed to mock him, but he couldn’t put it down when it was his only source of comfort. He gripped it a little tighter, swallowing hard as he fought to not cry. He was sat outside the hospital wing on the cold stone floor, waiting until Sunghoon was allowed to have visitors. He had no idea when that would be, but being anywhere else but there felt wrong. Like he was abandoning him.

Jungwon, Riki, and even Jake begged him to come eat, but Sunoo didn’t budge, only agreeing to eat something if he could do it exactly where he was. Finally, the nurse, Madam Park, came out of the doors, startled by Sunoo who had sat up immediately when he’d heard the doors.

“Can I go see him? Is he okay?” Sunoo asked hurriedly, desperate to make sure Sunghoon was alive with his own eyes.

Madam Park hesitated before realization dawned upon her. “Oh, you’re Sunoo!” She said, “I should’ve known you’d be coming to check on your boyfriend.” The look in her eyes was warm, comforting, and Sunoo felt a little more at ease. She ushered him in with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“I know you must have been worried to death,”. She simpered, turning to walk towards the only bed with the curtains drawn around it. “He’s— well he’s alive.” Sunoo nodded, breath held as he waited. “But he’s not doing too well right now. Merlin, the poor boy fell from such a high height. If Professor Jang hadn’t casted that last minute charm…”

Sunoo didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened had the referee acted even a second later than she had. “So… what’s wrong with him?” Sunoo asked shakily, swallowing to try and lessen the lump in his throat, but to no avail.

The nurse hummed. “He’s pretty bruised up. A little internal bleeding, three broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a broken leg. From the way he fell, I assume he has a concussion as well, but I can’t say for sure until he wakes up,” she finished. A sympathy filled look came his way, and he bit his lip. He couldn’t imagine how much pain Sunghoon was in.

The nurse grasped his shoulder comfortingly, giving him a small smile. “I’ll let you sit with him for a while.” And with that, she turned and walked towards the door, her boots tapping on the ground. When the door closed, Sunoo looked back at the curtains Sunghoon was hidden by, and he took a deep breath. Just minutes ago, he was bursting at the seams wanting to see Sunghoon, but now it felt daunting. What would he see when he pulled back the curtains? It’s not that he thought Sunghoon would look terrible, because quite frankly, he thought that was impossible. But he didn’t want to see him hurt. He didn’t want to see the bruises marring his skin or the pained breaths he might take or the bandages and casts that would encase his injuries.

Sunoo’s hands were visibly trembling as he moved forward, as he reached for the curtains, and finally, as he pulled them open. Immediately, his eyes watered. Sunghoon had a large, purple and black bruise stretching from his left temple down to his jawline. He had a cast on the entirety of his left leg, and a splint for his left shoulder. His hospital shirt was unbuttoned halfway, and Sunoo could see a wrap peeking out from it.

Gingerly, he sat down on a stool beside the bed, taking Sunghoon’s pale hand in his. He could see a few bruises on the arm with the dislocated shoulder. “God, Hoon,” Sunoo choked out, head falling forward to rest on the side of the bed. “I’m so sorry,” he cried, not being able to control his tears anymore. “I’m so so fucking sorry.”

No response was given, but Sunoo couldn’t stop himself. He felt so guilty, getting Sunghoon involved in some stupid petty revenge plan. “If I just hadn’t asked you that day, you wouldn’t be here. It’s all my fault.”

He couldn’t help but remember the feeling of terror that took hold of every fiber of his being when he watched Sunghoon fall. His blood went cold, and then he stopped breathing all together when he hit the ground. Everything after that was blurry. He couldn’t remember much aside from getting onto the pitch and watching Sunghoon get carried away. Vaguely, he remembered his friends being there too.

Before he knew it, he was sat outside the hospital wing, waiting for a sign, some kind of indication Sunghoon was okay. It felt surreal, and in the worst way possible. A little over a month ago, he’d never talked to him before, only barely aware of his existence because of his perfect reputation, and now, here he was, crying at his bedside. He can’t remember the last time he’d felt this miserable.

“Please wake up soon, Hoon,” Sunoo whispered, holding onto his hand just a little tighter.

Stubbornness was a trait Sunoo had acquired at a young age. Once he made up his mind, it was near impossible to change it, which, at this moment, was quite troublesome for his friends, teachers, and especially Madam Park. Sunoo didn’t want to leave the hospital wing until Sunghoon woke up because he didn’t want him to wake up— well, alone. Of course he had people in and out to visit him, but some irrational part of him told him that if he left, Sunghoon would wake up by himself, and that just didn’t sit right with him. Not when this whole ordeal was his fault anyway. Jungwon and Riki had forcefully dragged him to the Great Hall for meals, and the younger had also made him come back to the dorms for some rest, but his sleep was always fitful and unfulfilling.

It took two days after the incident for Sunghoon to wake up, groggy and with unfocused eyes, but Sunoo couldn’t have been more relieved.

“Hoon,” He breathed, a watery smile making its way onto his lips, “Fuck, I’m so glad you’re awake.”

Sunghoon looked confused for a moment before his eyes widened and then squinted, the light a little too bright, “Sunoo?” He tried to sit up, but winced, grabbing his side with the broken ribs with his good arm. “Shit, that hurts,” he grunted. “How long have I been here?”

Sunoo gently urged him to lay back down, worry coursing through him as he watched the pain flood through Sunghoon’s features. “Be careful. Madam Park’s remedies can only work so fast. And two days. Not too long.”

Sunghoon sighed, laying back and closing his eyes for a minute. “I can’t believe he’d take things this far…”

Sunoo frowned, knowing immediately what he was referring to. Again, guilt pooled in his gut as he stared at Sunghoon’s bruised face, now faded yellow with the help of the bruise cream. Madam Park had told him Sunghoon shouldn’t be in the hospital wing for more than ten days, and he could tell whatever she was treating him with was working. His bruises had faded, and his broken bones were mending just fine. But every time he tried to swallow, his mouth went dry and his throat felt like sandpaper. “Hoon, I’m so sorry—“ he choked out, looking away as he clenched his fists in his lap.

He felt a hand on his head, gentle but firm. “Hey, what are you apologizing for, Sun? This isn’t your fault.”

“Isn’t it though?” He mumbled. “This was my stupid idea anyway, and look where it’s gotten you.”

Sunghoon sighed, pulling his hand away to rest it on his thighs. “I agreed to this too, you know? I knew what I was signing up for when I decided to help you. Plus, think on the bright side. We’re friends now because of it,” He said softly. Sunoo couldn’t help but give off a choked cry, squeezing his eyes shut. Even after all the shit Sunghoon had went through, he was as sweet and understanding as ever. It hurt Sunoo’s heart.

“Sunoo, look at me real quick.” Sunoo kept his eyes down, but at Sunghoon’s urging “Please?” he couldn’t help but glance up.

“I’m fine. I’m alive, I’m healing. It might take a bit, but I’ll be back to normal before you know it,” He said, smiling at him in a way that had Sunoo’s heart lurching in his chest. He’d missed him so much. Sunghoon reached forward, ignoring the pain in his side in favor of flicking Sunoo on the forehead. “Stop looking at me like that, Noo. You’re making me shy.”

Finally, Sunoo laughed, albeit weakly, but he felt like some of the weight on his chest had finally been lifted away. “I’m just glad you’re awake. It’s been boring without you,” He said jokingly, wiping at a stray tear that had fallen.

Sunghoon’s eyes squinted as he giggled, and Sunoo caught sight of his little moles again. They looked so much prettier when accented by Sunghoon’s pretty eye smile. “Hey Sunoo?”

The blonde hummed in response. “Thanks for coming to see me. And you know, being here when I woke up.”

And Sunoo offhandedly thought that it was silly to thank him for such a thing, because in reality, he couldn’t have imagined being anywhere else.

When Madam Park finally came back, her eyes lit up when she saw Sunghoon sitting up and conscious, talking to Sunoo. “Thank Merlin you’re awake!” She didn’t waste any time in gathering the herbs and potions and other treatments before quickly making her way to Sunghoon’s bedside, setting them down on the little table next to him.

She turned to Sunoo, “How long has he been awake for?”

Pausing, Sunoo looked at the clock on the wall before answering. “It’s been about two hours now.”

“Well goodness, you should’ve called for me! I need to go through concussion protocol with him and give him some Skelegro. It shouldn’t take more than a day to repair those broken bones now that he’s awake,” she rattled, grabbing a beaker off the table and pouring its contents into a small cup, smoke rolling off the top. “I also need to put this last bit of bruise cream on him to clear everything up.”

When she handed the cup to Sunghoon, he grimaced, watching the last bits of smoke vanish into the air. “I’ve heard this tastes terrible.”

“Well, it’s not meant to taste great. It’s meant to mend your bones, so hurry and drink up,” Madam Park chided, making a ‘go on’ motion with her hand. The silver haired boy took a deep breath, plugging his nose before raising the cup to his lips and downing it like a shot. Seconds later, he was spluttering and coughing, cup clutched tightly in his right hand.

“That’s absolutely vile,” He said, lips curled and eyebrows furrowed as he handed the cup back to the nurse. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Sunoo giggled at his reaction, glad that he hadn’t ever had to drink any, and Sunghoon gave him a pouty glare.

“You’ll have to drink another cup later tonight, so don’t think you’re done just yet,” she spoke, laughing at the complete distress on Sunghoon’s face. “Now hold still while I put your bruise cream on.”

Sunoo watched as she smeared the thick paste on his cheek, and then on the bruises on his arms. She had to unwrap the bandage covering Sunghoon’s torso, and Sunoo quickly turned away with red cheeks as Sunghoon carefully took off his shirt, feeling like he shouldn’t watch. He finally turned back around when he heard more rustling and was sure Sunghoon had his shirt back on.

“Alright, all I have to do now is check you for a concussion,” she said before turning to Sunoo. “Why don’t you head down to dinner, dear?”

Sunoo moved to protest, but his argument died in his throat at the strict look on Madam Park’s face. “I promise he’ll be here when you get done eating. Go ahead and eat, and you can come back with your friends.”

Sunoo relented with a quiet sigh, nodding to the woman. “Yes ma’am… Bye Hoon.”

“I’ll be fine Sun. Eat well, alright?” Sunghoon consoled, giving him a tiny wave.

The blonde hesitated before he waved back, giving him one last glance before reluctantly turning around and heading out of the large double doors of the hospital wing.

“He really cares about you, you know?”

Sunghoon turned, a bit startled by Madam Park’s voice. He guessed he might have a little tunnel vision when it came to the Slytherin boy, but could you really blame him? He cleared his throat. “Well, he… is my boyfriend after all.”

She laughed, sitting on the stool that Sunoo had been using for the last few hours he visited. “And a very dedicated one at that.”

The silver haired boy’s eyebrows furrowed as he tilted his head, not sure what had prompted her to suggest such an idea. “What makes you say that?”

Pursing her lips, she responded. “I’ve never met someone as stubborn as him. He refused to leave your side the entire two days you were here,” she told with a firm nod of her head. “Those two friends of his had to force him to eat meals and get a few hours of sleep, but he hasn’t been to class at all. It’s a good thing the headmaster was so understanding about what happened.”

His head spun as he took in this new information. Sunoo hadn’t been to class because he’d been there with him? He couldn’t fathom the idea of him prioritizing watching him lay there over going to class or sleeping or even eating. But he can’t deny the fact that he would do the same if their positions were switched, because like hell he’d be anywhere else. Even if they weren’t legitimately dating, he cared about him.

“Don’t worry too much, dear. What’s done is done. Now how about we get you checked for a concussion?” She suggested kindly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Shifting a bit to sit up more, he nodded. “Okay, what should I do first?”

It was odd being in the library without Sunghoon, but here he was, sitting with Riki and Jungwon trying to catch up on the work he’d missed the past two days. Knowing that Sunghoon was now awake, he felt better about attending his classes, not to mention that Sunghoon would’ve probably tried to strangle him with his good arm if he’d missed anymore. He still found time to visit him during his free periods, and Sunghoon would be released from bed rest in another three days.

However, Madam Park had in fact found that he had a concussion, and a pretty serious one at that, so Sunghoon wasn’t allowed to attend classes for another week. Therefore, he would have a lot of free time with which to do whatever he saw fit (not that he had much to do considering both school and sports were off the table.)

Heeseung’s first task was steadily approaching, scheduled for the day before Sunghoon would be released, so he’d been absent from most meals, instead choosing to eat alone and prepare for whatever challenges he would face. Sunghoon was bummed he couldn’t support one of his closest friends, but Sunoo had decided to sit it out as well and stay with him so he wouldn’t be alone.

Jungwon sighed, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand as he leaned over his Runes book in search of something to finish his paper with. “What’s up with all this work the week of the first task? This is ridiculous,” he complained, half heartedly flipping to the next page.

Glancing up, Sunoo wondered why Riki hadn’t said much, but he was so absorbed in whatever he was working on that he wasn’t paying the slightest bit of attention. The blonde looked at the Hufflepuff. “I’ve never seen him this focused on an assignment before. Is… he okay?” Sunoo whispered behind his hand.

With amusement in his eyes, Jungwon whispered back, “While you were gone for the past two days, he made a bet with Taki that whoever made the lower grade on this assignment would have to ask someone to the Yule Ball.”

Sunoo was confused. “Why is that bad?”

“They’re both romantically inept, that’s why,” Jungwon giggled, shaking his head. “If you ask me, I think they’ve both already got people in mind just in case, but Riki’s hell bent on not asking them. I can’t speak for Taki.”

Weirdly, the Slytherin thought it was adorable that Riki was so serious about it, but he didn’t really see what the big deal was. Riki was tall and growing taller by the day, handsome, funny, passionate. Sunoo didn’t see what he was so worried about.

“So are you and Sunghoon coming to watch Heeseung?” The brunette asked, glancing back down at his book to read a new paragraph.

“Sunghoon’s stuck in the Hospital wing until Saturday, the day of the task, so I promised him I’d stay with him,” he replied easily, moving his parchment up to begin a new line. The sound of the quill scratching against it was rhythmic and almost soothing.

For a moment, his friend stayed quiet, but what he said next caught him off guard. “You and him have gotten really close lately.”

A little speechless, he scrambled to come up with something to say. “Well, we have to sell the whole—“

“Oh, shove it Noo. You know that’s not just it,” His friend rolled his eyes, glancing back up with a knowing look. “Even if you were just doing some really thorough acting, you wouldn’t refuse to eat and sleep or not go to classes. And you’ve only known each other for a month.” He tacked on that last part as he shut his book, not at all invested in what he was supposed to be working on.

The oldest looked away. “Okay, so what? I enjoy being around him. Sue me.”

“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing,” Jungwon said, exasperated already. “I’m just saying that it seems like more than acting.”

Despite the quickening of his heart, he showed no reaction. “Well, it’s not. We’ve just found that we get along well. We’re friends. That’s it.” The line he drew between him and Sunghoon was almost visible and entirely created of his own accord. He had to separate his friendship with him and the whole fake dating situation or he’d just get himself hurt. He didn’t like Sunghoon like that. That was final.

Skepticism was written all over the Hufflepuff’s face, in his narrowed eyes and his pursed lips, but he said no more about it, changing the topic to what Sunoo had missed in the rest of his classes. Sunoo knew it wouldn’t be the end of that conversation, but he’d cross that bridge when he got to it.

As soon as he was finished with his  assignment, an hour or so later, he hurriedly began packing up, having promised Sunghoon he’d visit once he completed it. As he stood up, Jungwon commented, “Have fun with lover boy.”

With a disapproving glance up, Sunoo put his last book back into his bag, snapping it shut once he rearranged a few things. “I’ll be down for dinner,” he said shortly. “Bye Riki. Good luck on your assignment.”

He got a low grunt in return, and then he left, quickly navigating the long hallways and tricky staircases with excitement subtly bubbling in his chest. He had to make a quick pit stop by his dorm to pick up some snacks he’d been saving up. Originally, he’d bought them for Sunghoon for after the match, whether Ravenclaw won or lost, but he obviously hadn’t been able to give them to him.

Reaching the dungeons, he quickly uttered the password and hurried in, making a beeline for his dorm. His emerald green sheets were askew and some of his clothes were thrown haphazardly onto his trunk. A little embarrassed now, he quietly folded up those few shirts and robes and set them on his unmade bed so he could unlatch his trunk and retrieve the snacks.

Laying on the very top, there were chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, chocolate cauldrons, pumpkin pasties, and peppermint toads in one large, clear plastic bag, tied at the top with a small piece of ribbon. He wasted no time in grabbing them and shutting his trunk, not wanting to keep Sunghoon waiting any longer than he had to. He’d seen Sunghoon before breakfast that morning, but that was a long time when you were used to being around someone throughout the entire day.

When he finally reached the hospital wing, he all but burst in, a little breathless with the plastic bag of treats clutched tightly in his hand.

“Merlin, Sunoo, you scared me!” Madam Park scolded lightly, a hand to her chest.

He bowed to her apologetically, a sheepish smile dancing on his lips, “Sorry about that Madam Park…”

“I’m getting too old for all that,” she clucked, turning her attention back to her work. He could see that she’d been organizing, seeing as a bunch of jars, bottles, tubes, bundles, and piles of various items were taken from the shelves and strategically placed on a large table with a small piece of parchment by each of them. “Ah, where is the rest of that belladonna? I could’ve swore I set it over here,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

Not wanting to disrupt her any further when she clearly had something to do, he turned to look in the direction of Sunghoon’s bed, grinning when he saw that said boy was already looking his way.

“What’ve you got there?” The silver haired boy asked, pointing at the bag.

“Treats. For you,” Sunoo replied easily, setting them on the bed beside Sunghoon’s legs. The cast that had been on his broken leg had been cut off, and he was no long wearing a shoulder sling. Not to mention, he sat up with ease, meaning his ribs were probably healed too. Something like relief manifested within his chest.

Carefully, Sunghoon picked up the bag, examining the contents with a surprised look in his eyes. “You got these for me? Why?”

“Well, originally I got them to either cheer you up after you lost or celebrate your win, but well, you know how that turned out,” the blonde sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So I thought some treats would be nice while you’re stuck here for a couple more days.”

“You treat me too well,” Sunghoon chuckled, setting the bag down once more. “How about we share them?” And who was Sunoo to say no to a request like that? He reached for the bag and undid the ribbon, looking through the side as he fished around.

“Got a taste for anything?” Sunoo asked.

“Hmm, maybe one of those chocolate frogs?” Sunghoon asked, holding out a hand.

Slim fingers wrapped around one of the chocolate frog boxes, and he deftly pulled it out and set it on Sunghoon’s awaiting palm. He watched as the Ravenclaw’s eyes lit up when he began opening it, going straight for the card while closing the box back up to ensure his snack wouldn’t hop away. “Oh, nice! It’s the first time I’ve gotten him!” He cheered, a dorky quirk to his lips.

Curious, Sunoo leaned forward. “Who is it?”

When Sunghoon flipped the card, Sunoo watched as a man repeatedly waved with an excited grin, almost like he was actually greeting Sunoo. He had tattoos on the back of his hand and all the way up his arm, as well as an eyebrow piercing under his semi-long black hair and distinct bunny like front teeth. “This is Jeon Jungkook, the best Seeker from the Holyhead Harpies!” He said excitedly. “I’ve only seen him in real life once before when I watched one of his matches a few years ago. Jake got the tickets for me as a birthday gift.”

Fondly, Sunoo laughed. “I’m glad you got him then. You seem like a big fan.”

Sunghoon blushed a little, noticeable only on the tip of his ears. “Well, he went to Hogwarts as a muggle born and was also in Ravenclaw, so he’s like… a role model, I guess? I look up to him a lot.” He punctuated his sentence by reopening the box and popping the chocolate frog into his mouth.

“Don’t be shy. I just think it’s cute,” Sunoo said, digging back into the bag for a pumpkin pastie.

“Do you have a role model, Sunoo?” Sunghoon asked suddenly, swiping a stray hair away from his eye.

He paused. Did he? Wracking his brain, he could only say, “My oldest sister, Yujin. I guess she’s always been the one I’ve looked up to the most. There’s no like, particularly heroic or philosophical reason per se, but I respect how hard she works, how much effort and care she puts into everything she does. She’s brave, intelligent, funny, and gorgeous, and she’s really the one who I spent the most time with as a kid.” He took a bite of the pastie.

The boy on the bed nodded, “It makes sense, then. She sounds great.”

“She is. I miss her a lot. She was here my first year, your second, but she’s a bit older than me, so she graduated that year,” Sunoo explained. “I only ever see her during the holidays, but she’s not in the country too often.”

“What does she do?” Sunghoon asked curiously.

“She’s lives in Romania and works with dragons,” Sunoo said proudly. His sister was badass, he knew better than anyone. When she’d attended Hogwarts, she was near the top of her class, a prefect, and she excelled in Care of Magical Creatures. Sunoo remembered when she came home from her third year and declared right as she walked into the doorway of their house that she would be Dragonologist. At first, their parents had figured it was just a phase and probably would never actually come to fruition.

Fast forward four years, and Yujin was packing her things to move to Romania. Sunoo thinks that’s probably the hardest he’s ever cried.

“That’s amazing!” Sunghoon said, mouth dropped in surprise. “Have you ever seen a dragon, then?”

He shook his head, “No, not in real life. She’s sent back photos in her letters before though.”

With a little awh, Sunghoon nodded before reaching for the bag and grabbing one of the packs of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. “Have you tried these before?” Sunghoon asked, opening the box.

“Yeah, back in second year with Jungwon and Riki,” Sunoo groaned. “I got vomit and then actually threw up.”

Wrinkling his nose, Sunghoon huffed a laugh. “That’s actually horrifying. I think the worst one I’ve had was when I ate some with Heeseung and Beomgyu and got dirty sock. The smell stayed in my nose for days,” he shudders.

They both fell silent, pointedly looking at one another, like they knew exactly what the other was thinking. Sunghoon spoke up. “I’ll go first.” He quickly opened the box, fishing around until he pulled out a pale yellow bean. “What do you think it is?”

“Maybe fried egg? Or mustard!” Sunoo guessed. He watched as Sunghoon put the little candy in his mouth and bit down before his face scrunched and he quickly spit it out.

“Sulphur,” Sunghoon coughed, reaching for the cup of water he had on his bedside table. Sunoo giggled, lightly hitting the boy on the back. After his small coughing fit, Sunghoon held the box of beans out to him for him to pick one. He looked away as his hand dove in and searched for one until he grabbed it and looked to check the color. It was a leafy green, matching a few of the plants that were growing in pots in the window alcoves.

“Guesses, Hoon?” He asked, eyeing it skeptically.

“Mint? Maybe like, fresh cut grass?” He offered, setting the box back in his lap.

“We’ll see,” Sunoo murmured before he put the bean in his mouth and chewed. As he chewed more, he was pleasantly surprised by the sweet, only slightly sour taste that hit his tastebuds. A slow smile grew on his face. “Green apple.”

“Lucky,” Sunghoon pouted. He looked down as he closed the box, not wanting to try his luck again, and his silver hair, slightly grown out at the roots, fell over his eyes. Sunoo watched his long, slender fingers close the lid and push the little tab into it’s place.

It was strange, because he’d never thought hands were pretty before, but Sunghoon’s were oddly attractive. Strong, a little rough on the edges of his palms underneath his fingers and at his finger tips, lightly tanned, and with neatly manicured nails on the tips of his fingers. The hands of a quidditch player, of a high achiever, of someone who wore their heart on their sleeve.

Of his fake boyfriend. He’d held those hands so many times, but he’d never given it much thought before.

“—noo? Sunoo?” Sunghoon’s voice pierced through his thoughts and he snapped back to present, desperately hoping he hadn’t been caught.

“Oh, sorry, I’m— just a little tired. What were you saying?”

“Just complaining about not being able to watch the first task. I wanted to go and support Heeseung,” He frowned.

Sunoo nodded understandingly. This was a big deal for Heeseung, and the fact that Sunghoon was one of his best friends and couldn’t go and watch most definitely sucked. “Hey, at least there’s two more tasks after it. You’ll be able to see those!” Sunoo said comfortingly.

Sighing, Sunghoon nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

They chatted for a little longer before Madam Park shooed Sunoo off to dinner again, not because he’d refused to leave, but because they’d just lost track of time.

When he walked into the Great Hall, he let out a yelp of surprise as he ran straight into someone turning the corner to leave. “Shoot, sorry!” He apologized, bowing before even glancing at who it was.

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” a softer, but masculine voice replied, only slightly raspier on the edges. It was pleasant to listen to. “It was my fault.”

When he finally raised his head up, he stopped short, eyes blown wide as he got a good look at the boy in front of him. He had fiery red hair, big, bright brown eyes, and a prominent nose. His face was smaller, but extremely defined with a bold facial structure, and his lips were upturned in an apologetic smile. Blue robes hung from his shoulders, and he quickly made the assumption that he was probably a Beauxbaton’s student. Something about him was so magnetic, but Sunoo just couldn’t place it.

The red head spoke up again, “I’m really sorry to cut this short, but I need to be somewhere. Please excuse me. And sorry again for running into you!” And with one last apologetic look and a wave, he left, blue robes billowing gently behind him.

Something about the boy seemed familiar, and Sunoo wracked his brain for answers as he made his way over to their groups usual place at the Slytherin table.

“What took you so long?” Riki asked when Sunoo finally sat down beside him.

“Sorry, I ran into some Beauxbaton’s student when I was walking in,” he explained as a plate appeared in front of him. He grabbed it and began filling it up with a bunch of different food items.

“Oh, what happened? Anything bad?” Jake asked with concern.

“Oh no, nothing bad. He just apologized and said he had somewhere to be,” the blonde waved him off. “He was super polite about it. Also, he had this really bright red hair, and he looks familiar, but I don’t think I know him.”

Unexpectedly, the eldest of the group chimed in, breaking his usual silence he kept while eating. “I’m pretty sure you ran into Kang Taehyun. He’s the Beauxbaton’s champion.”

A noise of realization made it’s way out of his lips. “You’re right, Heeseung! I remember now, from the little name drawing ceremony,” he said excitedly as he remembered watching Headmaster Park catch three different slips of parchment, one for each school, and announcing the champions.

Heeseung hummed, finishing off the last of his pudding before standing. “I’m gonna head out guys.”

Jay looked at him quizzically, “Got somewhere to be?”

Nodding, Heeseung replied, “I’m gonna go visit Hoon, and then I need to do more preparation for the first task.”

The Gryffindor set down his fork. “Do you know what you’re gonna be doing for it?” Sunoo listened closely, as did the other four guys at the table.

“I have an idea, but I’m not one hundred percent sure. Still, it makes me feel better when I feel like I’ve done something to prepare, you know?”

Jay nodded, brushing away a stray strand of black hair. “Alright then, good luck man.”

“Thanks. See you guys later.”

They all watched as the seventh year left before once again turning to each other. Jake spoke first. “He’s really dedicated to this. Makes me wonder whether he’s starting to get really nervous or not,” He fretted.

Thoughtfully, Jungwon hummed. “He doesn’t seem terribly nervous. More focused. I hope he’ll do well.”

“Me too,” Riki said wholeheartedly, concern written all over his face. Sunoo knew it was a bad time to think Riki was adorable, but his concern for the champion made him realize how much Riki looked up to him.

“Don’t worry too much, Riks. He’s more than capable of handling himself,” Sunoo comforted, ruffling the boys hair and eliciting a groan from him for making it messy.

Once they’d all had their fill, they left together and visited Sunghoon, who was happy to see all his friends again after being cooped up in the hospital wing. For a couple hours, they sat talking, laughing, chatting, and catching up before they began leaving one by one to head to bed.

Sunoo was the last one left.

“It’s late, Sun. You should go back to the dungeons and get some rest. You can always come see me tomorrow,” the Ravenclaw said gently. “Thanks for bringing them up here, by the way.”

The castle had gotten darker as the sun set, now illuminated by torches, candles, and lanterns rather than sunlight. The shadows cast were lengthy as they spread across the floor, shaped by whatever was blocking the scarce light. Sunghoon’s face was half covered by shadow, only the right side easily visible to Sunoo.

“Of course, Hoon. They wanted to come see you anyway. Heeseung came up here too, right?”

The boy nodded. “Yeah, he visited for a while and then left to go prepare for his task.”

“That’s good then.” And Sunghoon agreed.

With little left to say, they fell silent. It was quiet in the hospital wing aside from the small noises of Madam Park doing some last minute clean up and Sunoo’s stool creaking every time he shifted. He had to admit, he was a little tired from all the make up work and the lack of sleep. He tried not to sway where he sat.

“Sunoo, dear? You look a little tired. Why don’t you head off to bed?” Madam Park suggested sweetly, a soft hand on his shoulder.

Sighing, Sunoo relented, knowing both of them were right. “Alright,” he said a little reluctantly. Tapping Sunghoon’s hand, he said a small, “Good night, Hoonie. Sleep well.” And then he was off.

The dungeons felt like such a long way from the hospital wing as he traversed the extensive, faintly lit halls, and when he finally made it back, he collapsed onto his bed, not bothering to change into his PJ’s or even pull the covers over himself. He let the gentle hands of sleep pull him under and hold him safely, so securely that he didn’t even notice when the taller, leaner body of his Slytherin best friend slid in beside him and tucked him in.

“Sleep well, Noo.”

Aside from waking up a little startled when he saw Riki’s face right in front of him first thing that morning, the day went by smoothly, and he was back in the hospital wing as soon as he could be. Madam Park had grudgingly allowed Sunghoon to leave the hospital wing to get some fresh air because his bones had healed so well. She strictly forbade any strenuous activity or anything loud though because of Sunghoon’s concussion.

He wasn’t as sensitive to light as he was a couple days ago, and he was a lot less disoriented when he stood, so Sunoo decided to take him into the outskirts of the forest to meet someone. Or something.

“What exactly are you trying to show me?” Sunghoon asked skeptically as Sunoo pulled him by the hand further into the trees and greenery. Light filtered through the canopy of branches and scarce leaves, curtesy of the autumn weather, and made for odd patterns on the dirt floor.

“I just want you to meet someone!” Sunoo said excitedly, speeding up when he saw a familiar clearing coming into view.

Instead of the lush green bushes and healthy green trees that had been there only a couple months ago, there were now browning, yellowing, and reddening leaves, some barely attached to their branches while others littered the forest floor. Some crunched under their feet as they walked.

“Okay, but who are we meeting in a forest?”

Sunoo didn’t reply. He walked a little further and then dropped Sunghoon’s hand. “Stay there for a minute, okay?” Sunghoon did as told, though a little concerned about where this was going.

When he got to the middle of the clearing, he squatted down, pulling out a small silver coin. “Kimmy, you there girl?” He called. At first, there was nothing. Sunoo waited.

Then a pile of leaves rustled before a cute little head popped out, beady eyes trained on Sunoo before also noticing Sunghoon a little ways behind him. Curiously, she tilted her head, clicking her beak once, but she stayed out, clearly a little weary of the newcomer.

“You made friends with a niffler?” Sunghoon asked, surprised.

“I found her injured one day last year in care of magical creatures and took care of her until she could go back out on her own. I come back to visit her every now and then and give her some shiny things,” he tells fondly, beckoning the little creature over. “Come here girl. Sunghoon won’t hurt you. He’s a big softie,” he cooed, holding out the coin a little farther.

Kimmy seemed intrigued by the way the light reflected off of it, enough that she deemed it worth it to venture from the safety of her leaf pile. Quickly, she scrambled over, grabbing the coin and affectionately bumping her head against Sunoo’s hand in thanks.

“She’s cute,” Sunghoon commented softly, still not moving from his spot in case he scared her off.

“You can come over here, Hoon. I think she’ll trust my judgement enough. I hope, anyway.” Gently, Sunoo pet Kimmy’s head with one finger, smiling when she closed her eyes and leaned into it. “Is it okay if Hoon comes over to see you?” He asked quietly, like it was some sort of secret.

As if she understood, she opened her eyes and stared at him, tilting her head just slightly. “I promise he’s nice.” He motioned for Sunghoon to come over. “Come slowly. Don’t spook her.”

The boy inched forward, waiting for any signs of fear, but the little niffler just stayed put, trusting Sunoo enough to wait. When Sunghoon finally made it to the two, he crouched down as well, getting a good look at Kimmy. She had an orangish beak leading up to two beady black eyes that were staring straight at him, along with some white fur spread over her head and blending with the black that covered the rest of her body. She had two little hands with tiny sharp claws that were currently clutching the coin Sunoo had just given her and small little feet.

“Hi Kimmy,” Sunghoon greeted quietly, a small grin on his lips. “Now I see why you told me to bring this,” he said, pulling a small silver coin out of his robes too. When he offered it out to her, her eyes lit up, and she waddled over to him to collect her prize. She only hesitated for a second before reaching out and snatching it from his open palm, bumping her beak against the back of his fingers before backing up and returning to Sunoo’s side.

“She likes you,” Sunoo giggled. “She’s just a little shy. When you visit a few more times, I’m sure she’ll warm up more,” he said, realizing only afterwards that it sounded like an invite. “Only if you want to, of course! Spending time with a niffler may not be your first choice…”

He only worried for a moment though, because Sunghoon’s smile widened prettily and he nodded, “I can’t wait.”

And if Sunoo’s heart palpitated right then, could you really blame him?

They sat there for a while, just enjoying the cooler weather and their time with each other. Kimmy decided for herself that she didn’t mind Sunghoon’s presence and inched just a little closer so that she was in between the two. When it started getting later, they decided to head back, waving goodbye to Kimmy who then disappeared back amongst the dead leaves.

Sunoo almost suggested they go to the Great Hall to eat, but then he remembered it was pretty loud in there and decided against it. He walked Sunghoon all the way back to the hospital wing and bid him goodbye to head to dinner once more.

The next couple days passed similarly, either them sitting and talking, visiting Kimmy, or just walking around the castle so that Sunghoon wouldn’t go completely stir crazy. Sunoo tried to catch him up on some of the newest stuff in potions, which wasn’t terribly hard because Sunghoon was pretty proficient anyway, but too much thinking wasn’t good for a concussed brain, so they kept the school stuff to a minimum.

The day of the first task came and went, and by nightfall, all seven of the boys were in the hospital wing celebrating Heeseung’s victory in the first task. When they asked him if his speculations had been right, he nodded. “I heard from someone that the task was probably going to involve dragons, so I did some research and prepared some spells for it.”

“You lucky bastard!” Jay said, clapping him on the back. “You were brilliant out there. I wish you guys had been there!” He said to Sunoo and Sunghoon, who’d been together all day waiting to hear the results with bated breath. “They all had to retrieve a golden egg,” Jay pointed to Heeseung’s that was sitting on the bed beside Sunghoon’s, “as efficiently as possible while having to evade a dragon! Heeseung pulled the Chinese Fireball, and when he got out there, he used the Draconifors spell to turn a nearby rock into his own dragon! It distracted the actual dragon while he got the egg. The ends of his cloak got a little scorched while he was escaping, but the rest of the eggs were fine, so he got top marks!” Sunoo doesn’t think he’s ever seen Jay’s eyes shine that brightly, but it made him feel something warm and light in his chest.

In fact, all of his friends were smiling, laughing, jubilant in celebration. He watched quietly, happily, as his friends continued to rave about the task and theorize about the next one, which was said to be hidden in the unsuspecting golden egg laying not even five feet from them all.

After these last few days of inner turmoil, guilt, and anxiety, he could finally let himself think that things would be okay.

But when he looked at Sunghoon, who was wholeheartedly laughing at something Jake had just said, eyes squinted and doubled over in amusement, he knew things would be okay. How could they not be when his heart felt so full?

Chapter Text

By mid December, the week of Christmas, the weather had dropped off to freezing temperatures and the grounds of Hogwarts looked like a glittering white dream. Mounds of fresh, packed snow had piled up in the courtyard, on the quidditch pitch, and practically anywhere else it would stick. The lake had frozen over, and the tips of Hogwart’s towers and the flat slants of the roof were blinding with the way the pale sunlight reflected off of the drifts. It was commonplace now to see students bundled up in toboggans, thick scarves, their warmest robes, earmuffs, gloves, and just about anything else that would keep them warm. 

The semester had finally ended, and anticipation was picking up as the day of the Yule Ball approached. Left and right, Sunoo saw or heard about people asking someone or getting asked by someone else to the ball, and honestly, he was excited too. His mother and sister had just sent his new dress robes through the owl post, and he couldn’t have been more thrilled to actually wear them, seeing as how nice they were. He’d have to thank both of them when he got the chance.

A majority of the younger students, first, second, and third years, had already traveled home for the holidays to spend time with their families, but a scarce few remained, something pretty normal even during regular breaks. As for the older witches and wizards, if they wanted to attend the Yule Ball, they’d have to stay till Christmas, the day of, before heading home. Sunoo didn’t mind though, because his parents had left the country to visit Yujin in Romania and he was having to stay at school anyway.

Convenient to say the least, because that meant he’d be spending the break with Sunghoon, who’d stayed every break, not including summers where he stayed with friends, at Hogwarts. It made him a little sad for the boy that he couldn’t spend time with his own family for the holidays and that he’d probably spent every winter break since third year alone. Sunoo vowed to himself that he’d try and make this holiday fun for him. He deserved that much.

In fact, all of his and Sunghoon’s friends had stayed as well, seeing as they’d all wanted to attend the ball. Indescribable joy filled his heart knowing that they’d be together for the holidays.

Small puffs of condensed air left Sunoo’s mouth as he hurried away from the school, taking a quick trip at the break of dawn to make sure Kimmy was okay. It had been busy these past couple weeks with end of semester exams, and he’d only now found the time to go and find her.

He rounded the bend, coming onto the usual path that was usually shaded by green leafed trees, now only showcasing bare branches above. Snow crunched under his boots, leaving footprints behind him as he got closer and closer to the clearing.

He hoped that she was okay, burrowed deep underground to keep warm, but even then, he felt worried. The tiny blanket he’d brought for her was clutched tightly in his gloved hand.

When the clearing finally came into view, he walked a little faster, calling out the niffler’s name. It was deathly quiet in the cold forest, which made it a little easier to hear the eventual shuffling and crunching of snow, and relief flooded him as he saw Kimmy pop out, head covered in snow.

“Oh, thank Merlin you’re alright! I was afraid you’d frozen to death,” he cried out happily, bending down. His earmuffs shifted slightly, and he had to push them back. He put his hands out in welcome, and she didn’t hesitate as she scrambled towards him, clicking her bill in excitement as he picked her up. “Kimmy, you’re freezing!” He said worriedly, quickly wrapping her up in the blanket he’d brought. For extra measure, he opened his warm robes and wrapped them around her, holding her close to his chest. “You poor thing.” He cooed.

Happy with the sudden warmth, Kimmy closed her eyes and burrowed her head closer into Sunoo’s emerald green cashmere sweater. Sighing, Sunoo gave her a pet on the head. “I can’t just leave you out here,” he fretted, this being the first winter where he’d actually been around to help her. “Would you like to come back to the castle with me?”

Kimmy gave no indication of a yes or a no, but even then, Sunoo couldn’t leave her out here with good conscience and ultimately ended up trudging all the way back to the castle with a niffler in his robes. An impulsive decision? Maybe. But it was worth it when he finally made it back to the dungeons and realized that Kimmy was asleep in his arms.

He rushed to his dorm and gently, he laid the creature down on his bed, shucking off his heavy robe, earmuffs, and gloves to crawl back into the warm sheets. Still wrapped in her little blanket, she slept on, content and warm next to Sunoo, who was still very sleepy having woken up early to go and find her. His eyes got heavier and heavier, and soon, he fell back to sleep, curled up with a very happy Kimmy.

The early morning waned into early afternoon, and the beaming sun broke through the panes of the windows before Sunoo finally woke up again. Blindly, he felt around to make sure Kimmy was still there, letting out a sigh of relief when his hand met the warm fur of her head. Sleepily, he opened his eyes, squinting at the bright light and sitting up to stretch. 

And then he screamed when he saw two heads poking up from the end of his bed, scaring Kimmy who scrambled up, beady eyes looking panicked. “Fucking Merlin, guys! What are you doing down there?” Sunoo groaned, sliding a hand down his face.

“We were waiting for you to wake up and explain why there’s a niffler in your bed,” Riki said as-a-matter-of-factly. Jungwon stared at the creature with wide eyes.

Kimmy made a sound something akin to a guttural hiss and sat up on her hind legs, trying to protect Sunoo from whoever these two random people were. Sunoo reached over with a giggle, running a comforting hand down her back, “It’s okay Kimmy. They’re harmless… complete dumbasses though.”

“Hey!” Riki cried. “That’s not very nice!”

“Well neither is scaring the shit out of me when I wake up, but here we are,” Sunoo retorted, watching as Kimmy slowly but surely relaxed, still keeping a watchful eye on the two intruders.

Jungwon sighed. “You usually don’t sleep this late, and we hadn’t see you up for breakfast, so we came down here. Lover boy was worried about you,” he teased, yelping as he dodged a pillow Sunoo threw at him. “Lunch is starting here soon, so we thought we’d come and tell you before you end up starving in your sleep,” he said as he poked his head back up, looking strangely akin to a meerkat.

Nodding, Sunoo pulled the covers off himself, standing up to get a good stretch. “Alright, I’ll be down here soon. Get out so I can change,” he said.

“What are you gonna do with the niffler?” Riki asked, pointing to her. Kimmy clicked her bill at him.

“I’ll just empty out my school bag for now and carry her around in it,” Sunoo replied easily. “Now get out, or I’ll hex both of you.” 

Sunoo giggled as the two shuffled out, turning to Kimmy, who was already staring up at him. “You think they’re weird too, don’t you?”

The Great Hall was much less crowded with the underclassmen gone for the holidays as well as those who didn’t want to attend the ball. Sunoo wasn’t squished shoulder to shoulder with Riki and Sunghoon and didn’t have to fight for elbow room to eat. It was quite nice to have their own little space, the seven of them.

The blonde sat down beside Sunghoon, waving at his two friends who looked pleased to finally see him up and moving. Kimmy had her head poked out of Sunoo’s messenger bag, staring around at the high ceilings, long tables, and the many remaining students who were currently eating lunch.

“Nice of you to join the land of the living, Sunoo,” Jay said cheekily, a teasing glint in his eye.

“D’you miss me?” Sunoo quipped back, smiling innocently.

“No, it was pretty peaceful actua— ouch!” The sixth year Gryffindor yelled, clasping the shin Sunoo had just kicked in his hands. “Aggressive…” Sunghoon laughed, garnering Jay’s attention. “Something funny, Hoon?” Sunghoon only shrugged, trying to supress the smile that threatened to take over his face. 

“Who’ve you got there, Sunoo?” Jake asked, pointing to the niffler in his bag.

Reaching down to pet her, Sunoo replied, “Her name is Kimmy. I found her injured last year in the forest and took care of her until I could release her on her own.”

“Why’s she here, though?” The Huffleipuff asked, not unkindly, but just genuinely curious. 

“Well, it turned off really cold, and I hadn’t been able to visit her with all the exams and stuff going on, but I was worried she’d freeze to death. So I got up early this morning and decided to bring her back with me,” he explained. Kimmy pushed her head up against his hand as he continued petting her, and Jake cooed, waving at her.

She blinked back at him, curiously tilting her head at the bright eyed boy. “She’s so cute,” he said, not breaking eye contact with her.

Sunoo laughed at the scene before him, “Here, you can hold her if she’ll let you. She’s friendly, but she’s a little shy,” he offered, pulling his messenger bag off his shoulder bringing Kimmy up to his face. “Are you okay with Jake holding you?” He asked. She made no response, but Sunoo took it as a positive thing and gently handed the bag to Jake over the table. 

Gingerly, Jake took the bag, Jay, Riki, Jungwon, and Sunghoon all watching to see what would happen. At first, Kimmy sank into the bag a little, cautiously looking over the edge of the bag at Jake, who was waiting for Kimmy to make the first move. Slowly, she raised her head out of the bag, clicking her bill at him. “Pet her,” Sunoo said, waving at him with a ‘go on’ motion.

Slowly, Jake reached his hand up to pet her, at first barely touching her, but when he realized she was waiting for him to actually pet her, he relaxed a little. His smile grew when she leaned into his hand, making a cooing noise in the back of her throat. 

“She likes you,” Sunoo said happily, watching as Kimmy basked in the attention. “She’s usually a lot shyer than that, but then again, it’s you, Jake.”

Jake cleared his throat, looking up at Sunoo. “That’s meant to be a good thing, right?”

Laughing, Sunoo nodded. “You’re just likable. That’s all I meant by it.” The other boys all agreed, nodding their heads and giving little words or actions of confirmation.

The brunette blushed. “… thanks guys.”

Emboldened by Jake’s success, Riki tried to reach over and pet her, but Kimmy snapped her bill at him, clearly not forgetting the incident from a little bit ago. He yelped, quickly withdrawing his hand. “Hey!” He whined. “That’s not fair…”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have scared me this morning,” Sunoo shrugged with a smug smile. Riki huffed, crossing his arms.

Neither Jungwon nor Jay even looked like they wanted to attempt to befriend her after Riki’s failed venture and ultimately just admired her cuteness as Jake continued to pet her.

Sunoo glanced around their group before he realized one of them was missing. “Hey, where’s Heeseung?”

Jay shrugged, swiping away his messy black hair from his eyes. “He left breakfast this morning and said he had something to do during the afternoon. Didn’t specify what, though.”

“You think he’s preparing for his next task?” Sunghoon asked, leaning slightly against Sunoo’s side.

Jungwon hummed in thought. “Maybe, but the second task isn’t for a while, right?”

“That’s true,” Sunghoon acquiesced easily. “But then what would he be doing? If he’s not preparing for the tournament, and classes are done for the holidays, then what else is there?”

They all glanced at one another, curiosity peaked at the absence of their friend. Even Kimmy noticed the sudden sync in their thoughts, blinking at Sunoo who had an excited glint to his eyes.

“Let’s just keep our eyes out for him while we’re doing things this week. Surely we’ll figure out what’s up between all six of us?” Sunoo suggested. The other five easily agreed, just as curious about what their eldest friend was up to.

“Speaking of which, what all are we doing this week?” Jake asked.

“Hm, well since it’s been snowing so heavily, I figured we could have a snowball fight or go sledding or build snowmen. Hoon and I also have to help decorate the halls, string lights, and put up the trees since Professor Min roped us into it,” Sunoo sighed.

“Oh, also, we all need to make a trip to Hogsmeade to get some butterbeer!” Riki chimed in excitedly.

“Ooh, that sounds good. I haven’t had some in a while,” Sunghoon agreed.

“Other than that, I don’t really have much else. I mean, the Yule ball is just a week away, so there’s that,” Sunoo shrugged, though he could feel excitement thrumming through him at the thought of the Yule Ball.

“Speaking of which,”Jungwon said, eyes lighting up in mischief. He turned to Riki, who had taken to staring down at his plate in an attempt to avoid everyone’s eyes. “I heard Taki got a higher grade on that assignment,” The Hufflepuff snickered, pushing on his friend’s arm. “So who’s the lucky person you’re asking?”

Riki batted Jungwon away, grumbling about how he’d only lost by a couple of points and that it was because of favoritism. 

“C’mon Riki, tell us!” Sunoo urged, having forgotten about Riki and Taki’s little agreement until just then.

The youngest was blushing, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. “It’s really not that big of a deal guys,” he said weakly, “I’m not even sure he’ll say yes.”

“So it’s a guy!” Sunoo clapped happily. “You’ll never know unless you try!”

Shaking his head, the Slytherin’s long black hair fell over his eyes, “I’m afraid… it might make things awkward. And I just don’t want to mess anything up.”

Sunoo’s eyes got softer, and he sighed, realizing how conflicted Riki really was about who he wanted to ask. He leaned over to grab his hands. “Hey, I know you and Taki had an agreement, but if it really makes you this unsure, you can always just ask someone you’re comfortable with. But if it counts for anything, I think you have a pretty good chance no matter who it is.”

Taking a deep breath, Riki looked up at him gratefully, “Thank you, Sunoo. I’ll think it over some.”

Jay chimed in kindly, “Don’t pressure yourself too much. Remember, the Yule Ball is supposed to be fun. It’s not supposed to stress you out.”

Jake smiled, still holding Kimmy. “Whatever you decide, I’m sure everything will turn out fine.”

Bumping his shoulder, Sunghoon added, “And you’ve got us. If you need anything, you know we’re here.”

Guiltily, Jungwon grabbed Riki’s pinky with his, “Hey, sorry for pressuring you. I didn’t realize how serious you were about this.” Sunoo could see how terrible Jungwon felt.

The youngest Slytherin smiled, waving him off. “It’s okay, Wonnie. I know you meant well. And you’re right guys. Thank you.”

The rest of lunch was spent chatting about their plans for the week, some with the entire group, and others in pairs or trios. It looked like they would end up having a very busy week, trying to prepare for the Yule Ball and spend time together before they all left for the holidays. When they had all finished, they split off, Riki with Jungwon and Jay with Jake, which left Sunoo and Sunghoon by themselves. Together, they decided that it was probably best to start decorating, and they set off to find Professor Min.

Obviously, the first place they searched was Professor Min’s office which wasn’t too far from the dungeons, but when they knocked and got no response in return, they figured he either wasn’t in his office or was purposely ignoring them. As they made their way out of the dungeons and towards the library to reevaluate their plan, they ran into Headmaster Park, who informed them that Professor Min wanted them to meet him in the Great Hall as soon as they could. They quickly thanked him, bowing before turning to head to their meeting spot.

All of the tables in the Great Hall aside from one had been magicked away as preparation for the Yule Ball went underway, and without them, the Great Hall looked positively massive. The usual floating candles had vanished, replaced by silver streams hanging from the ceiling. Usually, there was some theme to the ceiling itself, so Sunoo was sure that come the night of the Yule Ball, it’d be gorgeous, but as of right then, it was just plain brick. Not much else had been done to the Great Hall due to the students still needing somewhere to eat.

At the back of the hall, where the teachers usually sat, stood Professor Min, rifling through the pages of the latest book he’d picked up. If he wasn’t teaching or doing work, he was usually found with his nose in a book, round glasses perched at the end of his nose. He was younger than most of the professors there, but he had an old soul, preferring to enjoy the simpler, more relaxing aspects of life.

“We’re here professor!” Sunoo announced, walking forward with Sunghoon hot on his heels.

“Ah, Sunoo, Sunghoon. Thanks for agreeing to help me decorate. It’s quite bothersome having to do it on my own,” he said, shutting his book with one hand. He laid it on the table behind him and came down the steps, a small smile on his lips. He was slightly shorter than the both of them, but what he lacked in height he made up for in wit and intelligence.

“No problem, professor. We don’t mind,” Sunghoon said, smiling at the head of the Slytherin house. “So what are we helping with?”

Min hummed, giving one glance around the hall before replying, “Well, we can’t do the Yule Ball decorating until the day of, but we do need a few trees here in the Great Hall. Other than that, we’re just going to move trees into the other halls, string lights, and hang wreaths. Oh, and we need to hang some garland above the doors.”

Sunoo’s eyes widened a bit. “Are we decorating the entire castle?”

“Oh, definitely not. That would be way too much work for just three people. We’re just doing the first floor. Some of the other professors have rounded up some other students to help them,” Professor Min explained, amused that they thought he would’ve made them decorate the entire school.

Both students sighed in relief, feeling much better about their task for the day. It would still take a while, but at least it wouldn’t take them days. They followed the professor to a storage closet connected to the main hall where most of the decorations were, and as Min pulled out his wand, they followed suit.

Headmaster Park had sought the help of a few half-giants he knew to pull in the trees, and while they were setting them up, Sunghoon and Sunoo helped Professor Min with the rest of the decorations. Together, they walked through the main hall, wands in hand as the strung lights and garlands, some over the doors in the corridor and others on the railings of the stairs leading up to the second floor. 

Sunghoon carefully weaved the garland through the posts of the stair railings, hand steady and wand movement practiced. Sunoo, though a little distracted by a certain someone, soon followed with the lights, overlapping them with the greenery of the fake leaves. By the time he’d finished, Sunghoon was further down the hall, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he continued to work.

Playfully, Sunoo skipped towards him and wrapped one of the strings of lights around the back of Sunghoon’s neck. With a satisfied smile, he poked Sunghoon’s side and watched as he flinched away. “You look festive, Hoon.”

Sunghoon looked down at the string of little bulbs, grabbing it with his right hand and smiling. “Do I, now?”

“Mhmm,” Sunoo nodded cheekily, “Just radiating holiday cheer.”

Without thinking, Sunghoon tugged Sunoo just a bit closer, taking the same string of lights around his neck and putting it around Sunoo’s neck too. He grinned down at him, “Well then I guess I should share that holiday cheer, don’t you think?”

The lights snaked around both of their shoulders as they stood close, illuminating them in a warm yellow glow. Sunoo could see the way they lit up Sunghoon’s eyes, flecks of gold in warm sepia. His eyes searched the older boy’s face, and his pretty moles were ten times more visible when he was so close.

Sunghoon was so pretty. 

When the Ravenclaw tilted his head and smiled down at him, Sunoo realized he’d been staring and cleared his throat in embarrassment. “Uh, yes?” he replied unsurely, looking away. His face burned, hand gripping his wand like a vice.

Concern grew on Sunghoon’s face. “You okay Sun? Your face looks flushed.”

“Mhm, completely fine,” he squeaked back.

“Maybe you got a little sick when you went out to find Kimmy,” Sunghoon suggested, bringing a hand up to feel Sunoo’s forehead. Sunoo forced down the urge to smack Sunghoon’s hand away out of sheer mortification. “Did you not dress warmly enough? You know it’s turned off freezing here lately,” he doted, pouting a little as he moved Sunoo’s hair out of the way to press the back of his hand to his forehead. “You feel a little warm.”

And to be honest, warm was an understatement. He felt like he was on fucking fire.

Just then, they heard someone calling out to them. “Did you guys get confused and start decorating each other or?” Professor Min asked, eyebrows raised as he looked at the two of them.

Sunghoon quickly bowed, and Sunoo, though slightly stiff, followed in suit shortly after. “Sorry sir, we got a little distracted. I think we need to take a small break though,” Sunghoon said, looking at Sunoo before turning back to the professor, “Sunoo doesn’t feel too well.”

Professor Min looked at Sunoo, giving him a once over before nodding, “He does look a little flushed. How about we go back to the Great Hall and I’ll get the house elves to get us some glasses of water?” he suggested kindly.

Both boys happily agreed after having decorated for a little over two hours, quickly untangling themselves from the lights (much to Sunoo’s relief) and putting them in a nice neat pile with the garland so they could finish after their break.

The rest of their day went smoothly as they finished decorating the first floor halls. Once the trees had been brought in, they helped the professor hang ornaments and tinsel the trees and finally place a star on the top of the biggest tree which was placed directly behind the professors’ table. By the time they were done, the halls were lit beautifully and decorated with the pretty green garland. Mini trees were sparsely placed throughout the halls as well as in the Great Hall with little red and white bows on top. Sunoo and Sunghoon observed their handiwork proudly, high fiving after Professor Min told them they’d done a magnificent job.

Later, they met up with their other five friends at dinner, finally being joined by Heeseung who spoke nothing of his recent absences.

“The halls look great guys,” Jake complimented, a cute smile on his lips. Kimmy sat in his lap, comfortably snuggled into the Hufflepuff’s bag. Since Sunghoon and Sunoo had both been busy that day, Jake had taken it upon himself to care for her, and Kimmy didn’t seem to mind, actually showing preference for Jake over everyone but Sunoo. Clearly, Jay and her had been warming up to each other as well, because when he reached down to pet her, she didn’t protest at all, even pushing her head up into Jay’s palm.

Riki frowned. “This isn’t fair,” he whined, “She likes literally everyone but me. She even let Jungwon pet her once.”

Sunoo shrugged, “Maybe she’s onto something, Riki.”

“Hey!”

All of the boys laughed (except Riki, who was pouting with his arms crossed). 

“Wonnie, don’t you laugh at me too!” Riki said, hiding his face on Jungwon's shoulder. 

Jungwon giggled. “The niffler has spoken.”

“You guys suck,” Riki huffed, leaning harder into Jungwon who tried to push him away with a fond smile on his lips.

Smirking, Jay decided to hammer the last nail into the coffin.

“At least Kimmy lets us pet her.” 

Riki lunged across the table.

Snow was a commonality, a staple in every winter Sunoo had ever experienced. He loved watching as the little snowflakes fell from above, crystalline against a pale gray sky and so dainty and pretty. He loved letting the frozen flakes fall on his tongue and dissolve, loved building snowmen and sledding down the drifts and hills and making snow angels with his little sister whenever he went home for the holidays.

Having gone to sleep at a decent time the night before, Sunoo was up around nine in the morning, leaning against the frame of the frosty window as he stared outside. Though their rooms were in the dungeons, there were windows built into the top edge of the wall that allowed for some natural lighting. 

The snow had slowed down considerably, but it had yet to stop, and the piles of snow had grown taller. Excitement bloomed in his chest as he thought about the day’s activities, having planned a full snow day with the group.

He hadn’t gotten dressed yet, still clad in his soft, red and blue plaid fuzzy pajamas, and Kimmy, who was laying on the bed, was fast asleep, curled up on the pillow Sunoo hadn’t been sleeping on. She looked rather happy, and he refused to wake her until he absolutely had to. Speaking of which, he’d have to have someone watch her while they went outside and played in the snow. He knew she probably wouldn’t enjoy being back out in the cold after being taken in by him.

Time passed quickly as he continued to watch the snow fall and feel the chilly air from the window, and before he knew it, Jungwon and Riki were calling for him as they shuffled into his dorm quietly, careful not to disturb his other 3 dorm mates. They were heavy sleepers anyway though, so Sunoo wasn’t too worried.

Sunoo quickly changed into a warm sweater and some pants, throwing on a heavy sweatshirt and a thick coat as well before wrapping a scarf around his neck and grabbing his ear muffs. Kimmy had since woken up and was staring at him from her pillow.

“Morning Kimmy,” Sunoo said sweetly, walking over to the side of the bed and crouching down. “We’re gonna be outside for the day. I’ll need to leave you with someone.” Kimmy tilted her head.

From behind him, Riki suggested, “What if you leave her with Professor Min?”

“D’you think he would actually do it?” Jungwon asked, turning Riki. 

“He might,” Riki shrugged. “He’s always liked animals anyway.”

Sunoo shrugged. “It’s worth a try.” And he quickly grabbed his gloves before prepping Kimmy for a day with the Professor.

Safe to say, Kimmy was in good hands with Professor Min. He’d been a little curious about where exactly Sunoo had gotten a niffler from, but Sunoo gave a quick summary of how he’d come to befriend her, and the Professor said no more, agreeing easily to take care of her for the day. He even looked excited, as much as he could, waiting patiently for her to approach him so he could pet her.

The blonde had no doubt in his mind that Kimmy would be fine.

Buzzing with excitement, the seven boys quickly ate before practically racing outside, half of them almost stumbling through the doors as they left. Outside, the world was just as white and gleaming as it’d been for the last few weeks, only the sky had cleared and it was a pretty cornflower blue instead of the dreary slate grey it’d been when it was still heavily snowing.

They all made their way out into a clearing, excitement thrumming in Sunoo’s veins as he listened to the crisp crunch of snow under all of their feet. Sunghoon walked next to him, gloved hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. 

“Hey Jungwonie,” Riki spoke up, a lilt of mischief in his tone. Unsuspecting, the Hufflepuff turned to look at the youngest boy, gasping when a snowball hit him directly in the face. Jungwon slowly brought a hand up to his face, wiping the snow off as Riki lost it. Sunoo giggled behind his hand, the others trying not to laugh in case they incurred Jungwon’s wrath.

“Oh you’re fucking dead Riki!” Jungwon yelled, launching himself forward as Riki screeched in sudden terror, fleeing as quickly as he could. Sunoo and the others watched as Jungwon chased Riki down with a vengeance, scarily fast and hot on his heels even after stopping to pick up a huge pile of snow.

Karma in the form of a very scary Hufflepuff came to Riki not even a minute later when Jungwon was close enough to chuck the snow right on top of the youngest’s head, making him screech as cold hit anywhere his skin was exposed. “Eat shit, Riks,” Jungwon said with a proud gleam in his eyes.

“Won is kind of terrifying…” Jay mumbled, edging just slightly closed into Jake’s side.

After watching their little game of cat and mouse, Heeseung suggested splitting into teams, claiming his spot as a team captain as a perk of seniority. Riki quickly butted in, saying that it should be the oldest and the youngest, and no one else really cared too much, so he got the position easily.

Heeseung chose first, quickly pulling Jay onto his team with a knowing smile shared between them. Riki grabbed Jungwon’s arm, yanking him to his side, followed by Heeseung choosing Jake (after a small suggestion from Jay). Riki didn’t hesitate in claiming his other best friend, making Sunoo giggle as he skipped over to his best friends.

“Rock paper scissors to see who gets Sunghoon!” Riki said quickly, his bright smile dying on his face when Heeseung threw a rock to his scissors. “No fair!”

“It was your suggestion, Riki,” Jungwon laughed, shoving at his shoulder. “Don’t pout now.”

The older boys took one side of the clearing while the younger boys took the other. Wordlessly, Jungwon conjured up a few walls of snow before them with some flicks of his wand, prompting Heeseung to do the same. 

“You guys ready?” Jake yelled, waving.

“Yeah!” Sunoo yelled back, “Ready to kick you guys’ asses!”

The next hour was pure chaos. Sunoo felt his lungs burn as he inhaled the freezing air, running and ducking behind the walls and throwing snowballs left and right. Long forgotten were the original teams, as they fell apart right after Heeseung accidentally nailed Jay in the back of the head. Then it was a free for all, everyone going after everyone. Sunoo’d been hit quite a few times, but he’d yet to run into Sunghoon, which was quite worrying because he felt like there was some plotting being done.

Just as he left his spot and ran by another wall, he yelped as he got yanked down, a gloved hand quickly finding his mouth. 

“Calm down, it’s me,” Sunghoon whispered, removing his hand once he was sure Sunoo wouldn’t give away their position. 

“Merlin Sunghoon, you scared the shit out of me,” Sunoo breathed, hand to his chest over his thick insulated coat.

“Sorry,” Sunghoon said quickly. “Anyway, do you want to team up?”

Sunoo narrowed his eyes in suspicion, “Why would we do that?”

Sunghoon shrugged, smiling at him in that dorky way that made Sunoo’s chest tighten just slightly. “Element of surprise? No one will see it coming. Plus, we’re boyfriends. It makes sense for us to team up,” he added casually.

Raising a brow, Sunoo replied, “How do I know you won’t attack me?”

Amused at the Slytherin’s skepticism, Sunghoon held out his pinky. “I promise I won’t betray you, Sun. If we team up, I’ll buy you more snacks…”

Shockingly fast, Sunoo accepted, wrapping his pinky with Sunghoon’s before grinning. It was a complete one eighty that left Sunghoon a little speechless. “Should’ve started with that. Pinky promises are serious business, you know? Now let’s go!” Sunoo reached down and made a pile of compact balls of snow, prompting Sunghoon to do the same.

From somewhere in the distance, they could still hear their friends shouting, and a voice that sounded a lot like Jake asked, “Hey, where did Sunoo and Sunghoon go?”

They looked at each other, eyes alight with mischief before Sunoo put a finger to his lips to signal Sunghoon to be quiet. He shifted a bit and got in a position so he could throw easier, and then he popped his head up and answered Jake. “Hey, I’m over here!” He called, “I think Sunghoon’s hiding behind one of these walls!”

Five pairs of eyes turned to him, and he watched as they made their way over to him completely unaware of what the two were planning.

“Now,” He mouthed to Sunghoon.

They both popped up at the same time, hurling snowballs at their friends as quickly as they could from their little piles they’d made. Cackling, Sunoo jumped out and began to chase Jay who was yelling at him to “Go chase Riki!” 

Sunghoon went for Heeseung and Jake, both of which were currently out of snowballs. The Ravenclaw used a bit of magic to help him keep throwing two at once, showers of snow exploding over his friends. When they’d ducked behind walls on the other side of the clearing, Sunghoon turned his attention to Jungwon and Riki who had scampered off to try and find cover with Sunoo now hot on their heels. He could hear Jungwon’s terrified screech as Sunoo neared closer as well as Riki’s drama after he’d jumped in front of a snowball for Jungwon and landed with a loud crunch.

“I’ve been hit!” Riki cried dramatically, laying on the ground with his arms crossed over his chest. He reached a hand out towards Jungwon, who for once decided to play into his antics. “Wonnie, come closer. I feel so cold…”

The Hufflepuff dropped to his knees beside his best friend, a fake look of tragedy in his eyes. “You saved me,” Jungwon said sadly, a gentle hand placed on Riki’s face. Sunoo tried not to burst out laughing at the scene, hand over his mouth. He watched as Riki’s cheeks grew darker and he stuttered a bit before he cleared his throat and carried on.

“Live on for me!” He said, flopping lamely just for effect and closing his eyes as he tried not to break character.

The other guys had since gathered to watch the two and their antics. Jay had a fond grin on his lips as he shook his head while Jake was laughing into Jay’s shoulder. Heeseung was even wiping a fake tear from his eye at the display.

Sunghoon came up behind Sunoo, nudging him. “So heartless. I can’t believe you did that to your best friend.”

Sunoo had a playful mirth in his eyes as he responded, “He’s had it coming for a while now.”

And what do you know, said ‘dead boy’ opened his eyes with a pout, “You’re mean, NooNoo. At least Jungwon cares.”

“Who said that?” The Hufflepuff asked. 

Riki, once again, lunged, this time for his best friend, and they went tumbling into one of the snow walls Jungwon had built.

Sunoo winced as he heard Jungwon’s loud, “Nishimura Riki!!”

Despite the fact that Sunoo had originally planned to sleep in, he was dragged out of bed and forced into his winter clothes before also getting dragged to breakfast by none other than his Slytherin best friend. Riki had an excited grin on his face as he informed Sunoo they were going sledding. The fourth year had never been sledding before, as he usually spent his holidays back in Japan in the big cities where it snowed very little. There weren’t really places with big hills and snow drifts, so he wanted to take advantage of being at Hogwarts for the holidays this year.

Arriving at the Great Hall, he caught sight of a head of silver hair resting on the table and Jungwon, who was reading the Daily Prophet and drinking some pumpkin juice. There was a gentle buzz of conversation in the hall, created by the early bird students as they ate breakfast.

When they got to the table, Jungwon looked up and waved. “He forced you up this morning too, huh?”

Riki pouted, “You say that like you don’t want to go sledding with me.”

Jungwon shrugged with a smirk, looking back down at the newspaper in his hands. Sunghoon had opened his eyes, giving Sunoo a sleepy grin, which Sunoo returned as he sat down beside him. “How’d he get you up, Hoon?”

“He ran into Kevin walking out of the common room and asked him to wake me up,” Sunghoon grumbled, though he didn’t seem entirely too upset about the whole ordeal. Just tired.

“What about the others?” Sunoo asked, turning back to Riki.

“Jake and Jay said they had something to do today, and I couldn’t find Heeseung at all,” the raven haired boy replied. “Probably doing whatever he usually does whenever he disappears.”

Putting down his paper, Jungwon joined the conversation, “Speaking of that, has anyone found out anything?”

All of them shook their heads. Sunoo was baffled at how well Heeseung had been able to conceal whatever he was up to because there were six of them and one of him, and they had yet to find out even one small detail about what he’d been up to.

Sunghoon sighed. “Hee’s always been like that,” he said, raising his head as he stretched. “If he wants to keep something a secret, there’s little to no chance you’ll ever know what it is.”

Jungwon sighed, a small frown on his lips. “That’s too bad.” And Sunoo agreed, because honestly, however popular and well known Heeseung was, he kept his private life under wraps.

At the urging of the youngest boy, they hurried and finished their breakfasts, visiting Professor Min who’d told Riki he had a couple sleds they could borrow if they so wished. They all thanked him happily, Riki promising to repay him somehow, and then they were out the door, Sunghoon carrying one sled and Riki carrying the other.

As they made their way outside, Jungwon spoke up. “Hey Riki, did you ever end up asking someone to the ball?” 

Said boy flinched slightly at the question and cleared his throat. Eventually he responded, “No, I haven’t. I was actually planning on doing it tomorrow.”

The blonde watched as Jungwon slowly nodded, hands in his coat pockets. “I’m glad you decided to go for it then. I think you’d only regret it more if you didn’t try,” He said, but something about his tone seemed odd to Sunoo. Riki didn’t seem to catch onto it though, so Sunoo shrugged it off, continuing towards the hill Riki had said he’d seen the other day.

When the hill came into sight, Riki began sprinting towards it, sled being dragged through the snow with the rope in Riki’s hands. “C’mon guys!! We’re almost there!” Sunoo felt his heart swell with fondness at how absolutely excited his best friend was.

Not even five minutes later, they were at the top of the hill, out of breath after being ushered up by no other than the fourth year. The view from the top of the hill was gorgeous. In front of them, they could see the wide expanse of Hogwart’s grounds covered in glittering snow with the castle in the far distance. The few and far between evergreen trees stood tall and emerald green, dusted in snow, and the rest of the trees were thin and spindly, branches bare in the wake of the cold weather. Sunoo silently thought that Hogwarts was one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen.

They played rock paper scissors to see who would go first, and for once, Riki won as shown by his elated yells and enthusiastic jumping. He wasted no time in situating the sled at the edge, laying himself belly down. Then, he took a deep breath before kicking off and sending himself down the slope. They watched as he flew down the hill, screaming all the way until he hit a drift, disappearing for a second before popping up. They all collectively let out a breath. “That was awesome!!” Riki cheered, quickly making his way back up the hill.

They all took turns sledding down the hill, sometimes going in pairs. Sunoo couldn’t stop laughing when Jungwon flew off and landed into a huge pile of snow, face covered in it when he stood up. Sunghoon raced Riki down the slope, and Sunoo’s pretty sure they tied, but Sunghoon easily gave the victory to Riki who swore up and down he’d beaten him by mere inches.

The four boys sledded until they couldn’t feel their fingers or toes or the tips of their noses and finally decided to head back, all smiles and laughs.

To warm up, they all washed up and then headed to the kitchens to make hot chocolate and, at Sunoo’s suggestion, make cookies with the elves. Said elves were more than pleased with the company, immediately running around to fetch ingredients and utensils they’d need.

Sunoo accepted a wooden spoon from one of the female elfs, giving her a grateful smile and thanking her, which left her beaming at the notion of being helpful. Sunoo pulled Sunghoon to the side to begin making cookies with him, while Jungwon and Riki were on hot chocolate duty.

“Hey Sunghoon, can you grab me those eggs over there?” He asked, pointing to them before measuring out some flour and pouring it into the large metal bowl another elf had given him to use along with some sugar, baking soda, and salt. Sunghoon brought the eggs over, cracking them into the dry ingredients while also dropping in a little water and some vanilla extract after.

Using a whisk, he quickly began to mix the batter while Sunghoon sprinkled in some chocolate chips.

Jungwon and Riki had since finished the hot chocolate, bringing some to the other two so that they could sip on it while they were baking.

Mischievously, Sunoo took a small finger of the batter and wiped it on Sunghoon’s cheek, giggling at the unamused glance the older boy gave him. From behind them, he could hear Riki gagging at them and he threw one of the oven mitts at him.

Once the batter was done, they all got to work scooping it out and placing it on the baking sheets, Sunghoon cussing when he realized they hadn’t used any wax paper to keep it from sticking. Sunoo gently reminded him that they weren’t wizards for nothing.

About ten minutes later, the cookies were baking and the smell was heavenly, sweet and chocolatey, and Sunoo felt his mouth begin to water. He hadn’t had homemade cookies in a while, and he absolutely couldn’t wait to dig in. He crouched down to take a look at the cookies through the window of the oven, squealing at the sight of the round, golden brown desserts sitting perfectly on their trays. Smugly, he thought about how they were gonna rub it in the other’s faces that they’d baked fresh cookies. (Of course, they’d save them a few to be nice, but he wanted to see their looks of disappointment first.)

None of them had much patience when it came to eating them, pulling them off the trays as soon as they knew they wouldn’t burn themselves and shoving them in their mouths. Sunoo sighed in satisfaction, munching on the soft cookie and relishing in the taste of rich chocolate. He could probably eat the whole tray by himself.

Indulging themselves, they shared the trays of cookies with the house elves and ate as many as they could before packing up the last few for their friends.

When they got to dinner later that night, Sunoo made sure to rub it in their faces, going into excruciating detail about how they smelled, how good they tasted, Sunghoon, Riki, and Jungwon joining in. Jay tried to look indifferent, but Sunoo could tell he was a little miffed about missing out. Heeseung asked them in an accusatory tone why they hadn’t saved any for them, to which Sunoo replied that he could’ve had some if he hadn’t snuck away that morning. He’d never seen Heeseung shut up as fast as he had right then.

But Jake. Jake was the breaking point. He looked so sad, like a small kicked puppy, and Sunoo finally broke down and set the rest of the cookies on the table, prompting cheers from three older boys.

Sunoo thought in that moment that seeing Jake’s eyes light up like a kid during Christmas morning was worth it.

Perhaps it was the sparkle in Sunghoon’s eyes that convinced Sunoo to say yes when he asked him to go skating with him, because he’s one hundred percent positive that if anyone else had asked, he would’ve firmly rejected the offer. Sure, aesthetically, Sunoo could appreciate the beauty and grace of ice skating, but physically, he was the farthest from that. 

Even when he tried over and over to improve at skating, even just a bit, he was abhorrent at it. He had no doubt in his mind that as soon as he touched the ice, he’d bust his ass in front of Sunghoon and embarrass the hell out of himself.

Clearly, if Sunghoon was asking, he was most likely some ice skating pro who’d look like he belonged on the ice, and low and behold, when Sunghoon stepped out onto the frozen lake and pushed off, Sunoo was proved right.

Every movement, every turn, every flex of muscle, looked effortless, flawless, graceful. Sunoo watched as Sunghoon glided across the ice like he’d been born to do so, and he felt a little breathless if he was honest. The sun reflected off the shimmering ice beautifully and made Sunghoon’s silver hair look ghostly white. A peaceful smile rested on the boy’s lips as he continued to skate around the perimeter before coming to a screeching halt in front of Sunoo that kicked up shavings of ice.

Extending a hand, Sunghoon requested, “Skate with me?”

“I’m…” Sunoo hesitated, “Absolutely terrible at skating.”

“Everyone has to start somewhere, right?” 

And despite every bone in his body telling him that stepping on that ice would most likely leave him sore and bruised afterwards, he took Sunghoon’s hand and slowly stepped onto the ice, wobbling before Sunghoon steadied him with hands on his waist.

“I’ve got you, Sun, don’t worry.” Sunghoon said softly, waiting until Sunoo got his bearings. When Sunoo could stand without leaning one way or another with the threat of falling, Sunghoon dropped his grip from his waist and grabbed his hands instead. 

“Wait, Hoon, don’t move!” Sunoo panicked, making him teeter just slightly.

“I’ll pull you,” he assured gently, skating backwards a bit to position himself in front of Sunoo. The first tug made Sunoo yell out in surprise, and Sunghoon laughed at him, a smile so big and genuine on his lips that Sunoo had to look away, and he simply played it off as embarrassment. Sunghoon led slowly and steadily, pulling him along as he tried his hardest to keep his balance on his borrowed skates.

“When you’re skating, it’s a bit of a side to side movement. You push off with one foot and glide forward with the other,” Sunghoon explained, eyes trained on Sunoo’s skates.

Sunoo took a deep breath before he shifted just a bit, attempting to push off with his left. To his surprise, and also his joy, he accelerated slightly, and Sunghoon cheered. “That’s it! Now, bend your knees just a bit so you have a solid base, and keep doing what you just did.”

Nodding, he bent his knees a little and began trying to skate forward, a look of pure determination written all over his face. He was so focused on trying to perfect the movement that he missed the fond look in Sunghoon’s eyes.

It went on like that for an hour or so, Sunghoon holding his hands and skating backwards with Sunoo gripping on for dear life and shuffling forward. His movements slowly grew more fluid as time went on, but the air was frigid and he could feel himself starting to stiffen. The tip of his nose was numb and his cheeks were bright red, but he was enjoying himself. 

Just as he began to grow more confident and try to pick up his speed, the moment was shattered. Full on panic flooded his entire being as the blade of his skate caught on the ice, throwing him forward roughly. With a loud scream, he crashed into Sunghoon’s chest, sending both of them flying down onto the ice, and Sunghoon grunted as his back hit the surface.

They slid for a small distance, Sunghoon’s arms still wrapped protectively around Sunoo long after they’d stopped, both laying there in shock.

The Slytherin could feel the embarrassment flooding his entire being, and he suddenly wished for the ice to swallow him whole. Slowly, he cracked his eyes open and raised his head, tentatively looking at Sunghoon, who was still laying there trying to get his bearings after the sudden fall. Sunoo nervously said, “I’m— I’m so sorry, Hoon. Are you okay?”

Glancing down at Sunoo, who was currently laying on his chest, he gave him a small smile. “Just fine, Noo. I’ve definitely had worse falls than this before. Don’t worry too much. Are you okay though?”

Weakly, Sunoo hit his chest, “Why are you asking me that? You’re the one who actually took the fall.” 

Sunghoon raised a brow at him before laughing, and Sunoo could feel the vibrations of his chest. Just then, Sunoo realized their position and froze, eyes wide and cheeks growing impossibly more pink. Their faces were so close like this when Sunghoon was looking down at him, and Sunoo could see each mole on his face with startling clarity. Mortified, Sunoo scrambled to get off of him, breaking Sunghoon’s grasp on him as he rolled onto the ice to his left.

He wondered if Sunghoon had felt how quickly his heart had begun to beat. He hoped that he hadn’t. 

For a while, they laid there, Sunoo out of pure distress over how close they’d been, and Sunghoon because he was still attempting to catch his breath. “So I’m guessing that’s it for skating today?” Sunghoon asked offhandedly, and the younger could hear the teasing in his tone.

For once, he chose not to rise to the challenge, easily agreeing to end it there for the day. He didn’t fancy anymore impromptu, very close face to face encounters with Sunghoon if he could help it. Sunghoon didn’t lay there too much longer, slowly rising and helping Sunoo back up so they could skate to the edge and put their boots back on.

The walk back was cold, and they didn’t say much. The only noises were the chattering of their teeth and the crunch of snow under their boots, and Sunoo’s borrowed skates hung heavy from his hand.

Sunghoon seemed content with the silence, his face relaxed into an easy smile as he walked beside Sunoo.

But Sunoo? He was having a full on crisis trying to not think about how their faces had been mere inches away, how flustered it made him feel. He needed to get over whatever god awful feelings he had for Sunghoon, because if he didn’t, it wouldn’t end well for either of them.

They were just friends, and it was going to stay that way.

It had begun snowing once more the morning they all decided to go to Hogsmeade, so they bundled up before making the trip, the mental image of some warm glasses of butterbeer motivating them to move just a bit faster. Sunoo had his hands shoved as deep in his pockets as they would go, and a beanie was snugly pulled over his head.

They moved in a little group with Heeseung leading the way through the small village. “So are we stopping at the Three Broomsticks first? Or do you guys want to split up here and meet there later?” The eldest asked, turning to face everyone. The tip of his nose had begun to turn red.

They all looked at one another, seemingly all thinking the same thing. Jake spoke up first. “Jay and I wanted to go to Dervish and Banges for a bit, if anyone wants to join.” Jake offered, though he knew everyone probably had their own agendas.

Uncharacteristically shy, Riki said, “I want to go to Zonko’s…” Slowly looking over at Jungwon, he asked quietly, “Do you wanna come with me?” Jungwon looked a little flushed as he nodded, but Sunoo just assumed it was the cold, as all their faces had begun to redden from the biting wind. 

Sunoo suddenly remembered the snacks Sunghoon had promised him during the snowball fight and nudged the boy. “Hoon promised me some snacks if I teamed up with him, so I think we’re gonna head to Honeydukes.”

“Should’ve expected that,” Jay commented teasingly. Sunoo gave him a questioning look as he crossed his arms. Jay put his hands up, “What? You guys are basically a sealed package. If I see you, Hoon’s probably somewhere in the area too.”

Sunghoon rolled his eyes, a cheeky smile on his lips. “How about you and Jake, then?”

Jake coughed, and Jay looked like a deer in headlights. “…What about us?”

“You guys have been spending an awful lot of time together,” Heeseung observed.

“Okay Mr. I Randomly Disappear on my Friends. Wanna tell us where you’ve been sneaking off to?”

Heeseung only laughed, clearly not as affected as Jay wanted him to be. “Wouldn’t you like to know? Anyway, we should all get going. Meet up at Three Broomsticks in an hour?” Jay looked disgruntled that he’d brushed it off so easily, crossing his arm petulantly.

Oddly enough, Heeseung seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to go somewhere, but they all said nothing, knowing it wouldn’t get them any more information. They all said bye to each other before parting their separate ways, splitting off down different streets.

Sunghoon and Sunoo took the path directly in front of them, heading to Honeydukes for Sunoo’s promised snacks. Since all the students were now free for the holidays, Hogsmeade was packed. Everywhere they looked, there were tons of students milling about, entering and leaving shops, laughing with friends, and excitedly chatting about the ball that would take place the next day. 

The sky was a bit overcast because it was snowing, but the warm light from the shops seeped out of the panes of the windows and illuminated the streets, casting long shadows. After getting bumped into by a group of girls who’d run by, Sunoo grabbed Sunghoon’s hand, not wanting to get separated in the crowd, and Sunghoon sent him a dorky grin before slipping his fingers in between his. Sunoo actively ignored the butterflies in his stomach.

They made it to Honeydukes safely after a few more minutes of walking the cobblestone streets, and Sunoo let go of Sunghoon’s hand to make a mad dash into the store, ignoring the way Sunghoon laughed at him. A bell tinkled as he walked in, and he immediately began roving the aisles to look for his favorite candies.

The color of the inside of the store matched the front, a vibrant jade green, and several rows of shelves were set up in the store. Around the perimeter of the top edge of the store were more shelves with all types of candy in large jars, displaying the variety of sweets the store offered. Sunghoon caught up to him soon enough, a small basket in hand so that Sunoo could put whatever candies he wanted in it.

Among the candies he grabbed were chocolate cauldrons, nougat chunks, pumpkin pasties, and peppermint toads. Sunghoon said nothing as he watched Sunoo throw item after item into the handheld basket, a tender smile on his lips. “Ooh, and these too!” Sunoo said, tossing in some licorice wands. 

“You’re gonna get a toothache eating all this sugar,” the Ravenclaw laughed, though he made no move to remove any of the candies.

Sunoo rolled his eyes, throwing in another licorice wand just for effect. “I take very good care of my teeth, thank you. I’m sure I’ll be fine… Oh my gosh, look Hoon!” The blonde sped off towards the wall of taffy, squealing excitedly. “It’s mint chocolate taffy!!” He said happily, grabbing a handful and showing the small, wrapped mint candies to him.

Sunghoon scrunched up his nose, making Sunoo gasp in offense. “You don’t like mint chocolate??” He asked incredulously, closing his hand around the taffy candy and holding them to his chest. 

The older boy shook his head. “It tastes like toothpaste.”

“You take that back!” Sunoo cried, smacking Sunghoon’s shoulder with his free hand.

“But it's true!” Sunghoon argued.

“No it isn’t!” he pouted. “I don’t think we can be boyfriends anymore,” he sighed. “This is just too much.”

“Can’t we work this out?” Sunghoon asked dramatically, “I know we have our differences, but is it really worth breaking up over?”

“I can’t be with a mint chocolate hater. It’s against my beliefs,” the blonde said nonchalantly. 

“Could I change your mind by buying you a lot of mint chocolate taffy?” Sunghoon offered, knowing he’d probably have a good chance of convincing him.

“Hmm, that could be a possibility. How many are we talking about?” He asked slyly, a small smirk on his lips as he leaned towards Sunghoon conspiratorially.

Suppressing a smile, Sunghoon leaned in too, “As many as you’d like.”

And well, how could Sunoo refuse an offer like that? When they finally made it up to the counter to pay, the cashier was able to fill two bags worth of candy, and Sunghoon graciously paid for it all, even if it was a ridiculous sum for a bunch of candy. He supposed seeing Sunoo so delighted was worth it though.

Even with Sunoo’s protests, Sunghoon refused to let him carry either of the bags, happily having a bag hanging from each hand. Soon enough though, Sunoo snatched a bag, replacing it with his own hand (leaving them both a little flustered), and together, they made their way through Hogsmeade towards the Three Broomsticks.

They had to take a few different paths, taking a right here and a left there until they came upon the street that the inn was supposed to be on.

Turning the corner, Sunoo could hear yelling, and he turned wide eyed towards Sunghoon who looked just as curious as Sunoo felt. They both decided to get closer, surprised when they realized they recognized the voice. Jay was standing between Jake and Vaughn, very clearly pissed if the wrathful look on his face gave any indication.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, dude?” Jay said, shoving Vaughn back by the shoulders.

“Me? I’m not the one acting like some jealous guard dog. I was just trying to ask Jake to the ball,” Vaughn said, eyes hard as he stared back.

“You call cornering him in an alley and trying to force a kiss on him ‘asking him to the ball?” Jay scoffed, jaw clenching and unclenching. Sunoo and Sunghoon pushed through the small crowd that had gathered to watch what was happening.

Vaughn laughed arrogantly, “I wasn’t forcing him. I know he’s just been playing hard to get. He wanted it.”

Jay opened his mouth to say something when Jake gently laid a hand on his shoulder before speaking up. “Just because I’m nice to you doesn’t mean I like you, Vaughn. I’ve told you multiple times I’m not interested.”

Vaughn stepped closer, clearly not taking the admission lightly, and Sunoo watched warily as Jay’s fist clenched tighter by his side. He knew if Vaughn didn’t back down, this wouldn’t end prettily. But he also wasn’t going to step in because clearly, Vaughn had crossed a line, and if he couldn’t take a hint, he’d just have to learn the hard way.

“Come on, Jake. I know you like the attention. Just go to the ball with me. It’s not like you’re going with anyone else.”

Jake sighed, looking exhausted and totally done with the situation at hand. “I’ve already agreed to go with someone else, actually.”

Rolling his eyes, Vaughn replied easily, “Yeah right. Like anyone else would ask you.”

Patience having run dry, Jay broke his silence, lightly ushering Jake behind him once more before sizing Vaughn up. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?” He asked, challenging him to say something stupid. Something brash. All he needed was a reason, and it didn’t even need to be a good one.

Despite the clear warning signs, Vaughn easily took the bait, uncaring of hurting anyones feelings or the consequences that might follow. “He’s not really all that, Jay. That’s what it’s supposed to mean.” 

Jay took another intimidating step forward, snow crunching under his boot and breath fogging in the air. “Oh, so that’s why you’ve been up his ass non stop for the past month trying to get him to go to the ball with you?” The Gryffindor asked, hands shaking by his side.

“Sure, he’s not bad to look at, but come on Jay. He’s such a pushover. Honestly, I thought he’d be an easy lay with how fucking pathetic—” 

A loud crack sounded through the air as Jay’s fist made contact with Vaughn’s jaw, the Durmstrang boy keeling over in pain as he held his face. Rolling his neck once, Jay flexed his fingers, ready to hit him again. Jake had to actively hold Jay back by his shoulder, Jay struggling to move forward with a fire blazing in his eyes. “I dare you to say that shit again. I fucking dare you, bastard. I’ll fuck you up so bad your parents won’t recognize you,” he threatened.

Vaughn spat blood out onto the white snow, eyes cutting up to look at the Gryffindor. “What the hell? Why do you care so much? Aren’t you in it for the same thing?”

Jay shrugged Jake off, taking calculated steps forward and forcefully grabbing the front of Vaughn’s coat. “You and I are nothing alike,” He hissed out, pulling Vaughn up so that his face was mere inches away from the other’s. “You want to know why I care? He’s my fucking boyfriend . So leave him the hell alone, or I promise you, you’ll regret it.” And with that, he let go of him completely, shoving him away and mirthfully watching as he hit the ground.

Sunghoon’s mouth hung wide open, absolutely shocked because one, he’d never seen Jay lose his cool like that before, and two, according to what the Gryffindor had just said, his two best friends were dating .

Crowding into the Three Broomsticks, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Sunoo all pushed through the crowd to find an empty table that would seat all seven of them, eventually settling down at a table in the back. Sunghoon’s two best friends were dead silent, knowing that Sunghoon and Sunoo had just seen everything that went down. Quietly, Sunoo excused himself to go order some butterbeers for the group, waving down Riki and Jungwon who had just stumbled in from the street.

“Find what you were looking for at Zonko’s, Riki?” Sunoo asked loudly so that he could be heard over the steady buzz of the people in the inn. 

Riki nodded, holding up a small bag. “I’ll show you later,” he replied. “Where are the others?”

“Corner!” Sunoo answered, spinning on his heel and pointing towards their table where Sunghoon began waving.

“Have you seen Heeseung?” Jungwon questioned, looking around the inn.

Sunoo shook his head, “Not since we split up. He should be here soon, though. Hey Riki, can you stay for just a second and help me carry the butterbeers to the table?”

Riki nodded before ushering Jungwon over to the table to go sit down, completely unaware of anything that had just taken place in the street just ten minutes before. Sunoo went to say something, but Jungwon had already taken off through the throng of people.

Shrugging, he turned around towards the bar and waved down the bartender, a young, friendly looking guy named Baekhyun, who began making his way over to them. “What can I get for you guys?” He asked, a pretty smile on his lips. Sunoo for sure knew he made good tips.

“Seven butterbeers, please. We’re getting them for us and our other friends.” Sunoo pointed towards the group in the back once he saw the odd look Baekhyun gave him. Realization overtook his features and he sent him a thumbs up, turning to begin making their drinks. Both boys watched as he got out the cups and made their drinks for them, and before long, he was sliding them across the wooden counter and grabbing the money Sunoo had offered. “Thank you!!” The blonde said graciously, dipping his head while picking up four of the mugs by their handles. Riki, in turn, grabbed the other three, following Sunoo to their table.

When they got there, a little stressed after having to precariously balance the mugs so they wouldn’t spill, Heeseung had finally shown up and was sitting by Jay, an odd look in his eyes. Sunoo caught the end of Heeseung’s question, “—up with you? You seem tense.”

Slowly, Jay closed his eyes, “It’s— I’ll tell you when Sunoo and Riki get back.” Raising his hand to rub at his face, Jay’s knuckles shone a deep purple, one slightly scabbed cut running through them.

A collective gasp ran through the group, even Jake, who’d been holding onto Jay’s arm in worry ever since the incident. 

“Well, we’re back…?” Sunoo said sheepishly, setting his drinks down with Riki doing the same right next to him. One by one, he slid the drinks over the circular wooden table to his friends, grabbing the last one and taking a sip. The warmth of the foaming hot drink traveled down his throat and then began to spread throughout his limbs, and he savored the sweet taste of butterscotch and cream soda.

The others around the table similarly took sips from their mugs, a stretched silence between them as they all waited for Jay’s explanation.

He inhaled deeply through his nose. “Jake and I are dating.”

Jake pinkened considerably, not realizing that was what Jay would start with, and Heeseung spat out his butterbeer. Sunoo and Sunghoon weren’t all that surprised, having heard the news earlier, but it was still reassuring to know Jay hadn’t just said that to get Vaughn out of Jake’s hair. Not that they could say much against them when it came to fake dating. Riki and Jungwon looked at each other, wide eyed, like they were communicating through glances, but ultimately turned back towards Jay.

“How long?” Asked Sunghoon, curious about when this had all started.

“It’s been about a month now,” Jay answered, “But we both knew we wanted something more before that.” Jake nodded silently, hands having dropped to his lap. His glances at Sunghoon told Sunoo that Jake had probably felt guilty keeping it from him, but what was done was done, and it was unlikely Sunghoon would hold it against him. Again, it’s not like they were innocent either.

Jay’s fingers traced circles on the side of the mug, his bad hand resting on the table. 

“What happened to your fist, then?” Heeseung chimed, a clear show of worry in his eyes.

“I punched Vaughn,” he replied nonchalantly, flexing his fingers at the memory and wincing when pain flared in his hand. “I left Jake alone for a minute to go buy something, and when I came back, Vaughn had him against a wall trying to— trying to kiss him.” His voice shook with poorly contained rage. “And then he started saying ridiculous shit about Jake and I just punched him. I can’t even remember thinking about it.”

A slow growing, simmering anger blanketed itself over the table as everyone listened to him. Sunoo’s heart went out to Jake because he too had experienced it with K. “What a dick,” The eldest boy scoffed quietly. “Hasn’t he been after you for a while now?” He turned to Jake, who nodded.

“Yeah, he started bothering me a couple weeks after the other schools got here. At first it was pretty harmless, but then he started getting more forceful,” The brunet pursed his lips, conflict filling his eyes. “I know I shouldn’t have been so nice, but—”

Jungwon immediately cut in, “It doesn’t matter whether you were nice or not. A no is a no, and he should be able to understand that. Don’t blame yourself, Jake.”

Nobody had noticed while Jay was telling the story, but Jake's eyes had begun to water, and his hands were shaking, which was clearly why he’d hid them in his lap. Jay looked over in alarm when Jake let out the first sob, and he quickly pulled him into his arms. “I was so scared,” he breathed out, eyes closed as tears made salty tracks down his cheeks. “I was just standing there, waiting for Jay and then— and then all of a sudden I couldn’t move.”

Sunoo’s eyes widened, a terrible notion coming to mind that he hated to entertain but knew was a likely possibility. 

“It was like— it was a spell or something. And then he was right in front of me, and I couldn’t do anything but watch. I don’t know what would’ve happened if,” His breath caught on another cry. “—if Jay hadn’t walked out in time.”

And Sunoo would’ve hated to have been Vaughn at this moment because Jay looked even angrier than he’d been earlier, and he knew immediately that he’d thought the same thing Sunoo did. “He fucking used a spell on you,” He gritted, forgetting about his hurt hand. It was clenched so hard that the cut had opened back up and began bleeding again. “That fucking coward. I should’ve killed him,” Jay hissed, slamming his fist on the table.

Heeseung and Sunghoon wore extremely dark looks, a little less angry than Jay but no less provoked. 

Jungwon, Riki, and Sunoo all looked at one another, knowing that, one, if they ever saw Vaughn again, he’d be a dead man, and two, if it came down to it, they’d help get rid of the evidence. 

After a few hours at the inn, they’d all calmed down a bit, finally being able to put the night’s incident past them (filed away as a matter for later) and enjoy each other's company. Seven empty mugs of butterbeer were set in the middle of the table, and Sunoo felt significantly better when he eventually saw Jake laugh, even if he felt a little sour at the fact that Vaughn had been able to put a damper on their moods that much.

What mattered was the fact that everyone was finally enjoying their time, which was the original goal for their group outing that day. The later it got, the more they began to chatter about the Yule ball, and Sunoo felt excitement bloom in his chest at the thought of dressing up and dancing. He knew it would be, however cliché it might sound, magical.

Plans were made for Sunoo and Jungwon to get ready together, while Riki had agreed to get ready with Taki. Heeseung never revealed who he’d asked to be his date, and neither had Riki, but he supposed he could wait one more day to find out.

Sunoo thought about the ball as he walked back to the castle with Sunghoon’s hand in his. He thought about it as he entered the castle, as he descended the stairs towards the dungeons with Riki, as he got ready for bed, and then when he was in bed.

He couldn’t believe that the Yule ball would be tomorrow night. It felt like some kind of scenario that he could only ever dream of when he was fast asleep, but it was really happening.

Even after the gentle hands of sleep had finally pulled him under, he dreamt about glittering snow, dress robes, and classical music.

And maybe, just maybe, a boy with pretty moles, soft smiles, and silver hair too.

Chapter Text

Patience was a virtue and something that Sunoo usually had an abundance of, but the morning of the Yule Ball, he woke up at eight with an excitement buzzing in his chest that he couldn’t fight down, no matter how hard he tried. Restlessly, he tossed and turned until his sheets were tangled and Kimmy had woken up, disgruntled at the disruption of her sleep. After all, she didn’t have a ball to attend that evening.

On top of the trunk at the foot of his bed laid his dress robes, sleek black with emerald green lining and a tie to match. His white undershirt was clean pressed and folded, set right beside his robes. He’d set it all out the night before with Riki out of pure excitement, and even with his eyes closed and his head laid on his pillow, he could still see them there in his mind’s eye.

Finally, in fear of waking up his dormmates with all the rustling of sheets and sounds of him moving, he quietly got out of bed, setting his feet on the cold hardwood flooring. Kimmy only looked at him lazily, snuggling further into her pillow and closing her eyes again. He wished he could sleep like that, but there was too much anticipation for him to lay back down. 

Not one to lay down and do nothing, Sunoo decided to get dressed and head down for breakfast, hoping that at least someone he knew would be up. Of course, he’d never been the luckiest person, and when he entered the Great Hall, it was void of any of his friends. Only a few students populated the hall, some looking rather tired while others chatted excitedly, presumably about the Yule Ball. 

He made his way over to the only table in the hall, sitting by himself and filling his plate. For a bit, he ate in silence, enjoying the rare peace of being alone. Not that he didn’t love being around his friends, but it wasn’t often he got to have a quiet morning free of playful bickering and loud giggling.

From the tall windows in the hall, a faint orange light broke, weakly warming the air, though it held no real power when it was so cold outside. He wrapped his hands around his coffee mug, enjoying the heat that seeped into his skin. The longer he sat, the more students came in, but the hall was still quite empty. He saw Beomgyu walk in with Eric, a shorter Hufflepuff, and Kevin, one of Sunghoon’s friends. Then came Keeho and his friend. Theo, was it?

Sunoo knew that good things couldn’t last forever, but he didn’t expect his tranquil morning to be interrupted so soon after it had started.

He saw a familiar Slytherin sixth year saunter in, oddly alone, and Sunoo wondered where Kyungmin was. He quickly turned his head, hoping K hadn’t seen him, but to no avail, he heard his voice behind him, grating at his nerves. “Park and the gang couldn’t make it this morning?”

Rubbing a hand down his face, Sunoo replied, “Do you see them anywhere?” He gestured around him.

“No need to be so prickly, sweetheart,” K chuckled demeaningly, “just a question.”

Not wanting to talk to him any longer than he had to, Sunoo began to subtly pack up his things. “Don’t call me that you ass. Did you need something?” 

“Not particularly. But I was wondering,” He started, and Sunoo knew whatever he was about to say wouldn’t be good. “Are you and Park really dating?” 

Before he could stop himself, he tensed up, alarm bells going off in his head. “…what?” He eventually managed, finally turning to face the boy completely.

“I mean, of course, you guys act the part pretty well, but it seems kind of odd, don’t you think?” The tone of his voice sounded like he knew something Sunoo either didn’t want him to know or didn’t even know himself.

“What’s odd about me dating Sunghoon?” Sunoo scoffed, the initial shock of the question fading and allowing him to better respond to whatever bullshit K was spewing.

“Come on, Sun. You guys seem way too close to only have met a couple months ago, let alone date, and yet, you guys haven’t even kissed,” K replied easily, swinging one leg over the bench and taking a seat next to Sunoo who scooted away a bit.

Brows furrowed, Sunoo looked at him in confusion and thinly veiled annoyance. “Why would us being close be odd? And how do you know we haven’t kissed? We don’t have to be all over each other in public just to prove something. Especially not to you.” He hoped his voice wasn’t shaky.

“It just seems forced. And judging by that reply right there, it’s pretty obvious you haven’t.” He shrugged.

Sunoo rolled his eyes and clenched his fists. “You don’t know shit about me and Sunghoon. You get nothing out of trying to pick apart our relationship. It’s none of your damn business what we do together, got it?”

K only laughed, not dissuaded in the least as he carded a hand through his hair. “Babe, if you want me back, just say that. You can stop all this nonsense with that damn mudblood. Tell you what, if you really want to, I can even be your date for the ball tonight. I’ll drop my date just for you,” he smiled, like it was some generous, irrefusable offer.

He couldn’t sit there any longer and listen to the boy’s bullshit, so he stood and grabbed his bag. Sunoo knew he should’ve just left, but he couldn’t help wanting to get in the last word. He walked up to him and leaned down, shoving a finger into his chest as he hissed out, “I know it fucking eats you up from the inside out knowing that Park Sunghoon is better than you in every possible way, but maybe try to not be so desperate. Fuck . Off .” And with that, he left, without looking back.

After that, it took him a minute to calm down. He couldn’t believe that after all K had put Sunghoon through, he still had the audacity to say that about him. Sure, Sunghoon was a muggleborn, but Sunoo couldn’t name one bad quality about him at all. Blood status indicated nothing, clearly.

By the time he’d made it back to the dorms, Riki was up and moving, and he looked like a nervous wreck. He was sitting on one of the common room couches, legs spread as he leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. His hands fidgeted together and he looked lost in thought. 

Anger quickly forgotten, Sunoo moved to try and comfort him, gently sitting down next to him as to not startle him. “Riki? Are you okay?”

The boy startled despite Sunoo’s efforts, wide eyes calming down when he realized it was just his best friend. Hesitantly, Riki nodded, “I think so. I’m just nervous.”

Sunoo frowned a little. “What are you—“ he paused, remembering his predicament about who he was asking to the Yule Ball. “It’s about your date?” He asked, grabbing one of Riki’s hands to prevent him from picking at his nails.

Taking a deep breath, he nodded once, “He said yes, and I’m super happy about that. I just… don’t want this to change anything between us, I guess? I’m scared, Sunoo.”

Putting his free hand on his shoulder, Sunoo gave him a comforting smile. “Riki, you can’t really stop things from changing if that’s what’s meant to happen. But don’t just focus on the negative changes. Maybe those changes will be good.” He could feel Riki’s shoulder sag just slightly under his hand. “If you want my opinion though, I think you’ve already done the hard part.”

A relieved chuckle made its way out of Riki’s lips, and Sunoo felt the weight on his chest lessen. “You make it sound so simple. Honestly, I’m not even sure what I want out of it. I just know that I like him.” He admitted. 

“That’s okay too. You don’t have to know exactly what you want right now. You guys can figure that out a little later down the line when you both know what you want from each other.” 

“You always know what to say,” Riki sighed gratefully, “Thanks Noo.”

“Of course, Riki. Let’s have fun tonight, okay?”

—

The rest of the day passed without incident, and before he knew it, he was in the Hufflepuff dorms getting ready with Jungwon. It was oddly early when Jungwon had called him over, but nonetheless, he showed up, outfit in hand. His suit and robes were now laid out across Jungwon’s bed along with Jungwon’s things, and said boy was currently rummaging through his trunk to find the ‘surprise’ he’d just informed Sunoo about. Sunoo watched as he pulled out a rectangle box, with a random woman on it. Jungwon hurried over to him, waving it before him excitedly, “Look!”

Sunoo’s head tilted as he read the label, eyes widening when he realized it was black hair dye. “Why do you have this?”

Jungwon shrugged, “I figured maybe I’d want to dye my hair at some point this year, so I brought a few different ones with me just to have options. But come on, Sun! This is the perfect opportunity! You’ll look hot with black hair!” Sunoo raised a brow at that.

“Why can’t we just use a hair color charm?” Sunoo asked, motioning to Jungwon’s wand that was sticking out of his robe pocket.

“That’s not permanent, but this dye is ,” Jungwon explained. Silence.

“Oh come on! Please! You’ll sweep Sunghoon right off his feet!” He continued. “Not that you really need anything to actually do that,” he muttered under his breath.

Sunoo looked at him quizzically, but Jungwon didn’t elaborate. “Okay, fine, you can dye my hair,” He caved. “But only because my roots are growing out anyway.” Sunoo laughed as he watched Jungwon jump around in excitement.

And so that’s how Sunoo found himself in the bathroom with black dye smeared all over his once blonde hair and Jungwon behind him with messy plastic gloves and a nearly empty bottle. 

“Okay, lets let it sit for a minute and then we can rinse and condition,” he said, peeling off his gloves and throwing them away along with the bottle.

“I still don’t understand why you didn’t just use magic to apply it,” Sunoo sighed. “This was so messy.”

“It takes away from the experience,” the brunet shrugs with a cheeky smile. Sunoo wasn’t exactly sure what experience Jungwon was referring to, but if it made the Hufflepuff happy, he guessed he could deal with it.

Jungwon left the bathroom to go get changed and Sunoo sat there, looking at the odd way his hair was set because of the hair dye. It had random waves in some places and stuck out oddly. It also smelled rather unpleasant, so Sunoo hoped that Jungwon would come and wash it out sooner rather than later. It wasn’t his first time dying his hair or anything, but it didn’t improve from experience to experience, so he didn’t do it often. Jungwon was lucky he loved him.

When Jungwon returned to the bathroom wearing the suit that would be under his dress robes, Sunoo cheered. His head had started to itch and he desperately wanted the hair dye gone. After a little begging, Jungwon gave in even if he felt like it should’ve sat a little longer, and Sunoo eagerly leaned back over the sink so Jungwon could wash his hair.

A few minutes of shampooing, conditioning, and drying later, and Sunoo had jet black hair. Jungwon looked extremely proud of himself as he pushed Sunoo to look in the mirror. “Black suits you well, Noo. Thank me later,” He said cheekily.

Sunoo had to admit that Jungwon wasn’t wrong. He leaned forward, mussing his hair a little in the mirror before turning back to his friend, “What exactly will I thank you for?”

Rolling his eyes, Jungwon replied easily, “For Sunghoon being unable to look away from you tonight. I’m convinced this whole fake dating thing isn’t that fake anymore.”

A fiery blush lit up his cheeks and he batted at Jungwon’s shoulder, “Shut up Won.” But his words gave him some kind of odd comfort after his run in with K. If their little stunt was so convincing that even his friend who knew the whole thing was fake was starting to believe in it, then maybe K was just bluffing.

“You’re not denying it!” He singsonged, leaning down to grab something from the cabinet under the sink. The Slytherin watched his friend pull out a bag and set it out on the counter, shutting the cabinet with a loud thud after.

“It’s not like that with me and Hoon,” Sunoo sighed, almost wistfully, earning a look from Jungwon.

“It could be.”

“Jungwon.”

“Fine,” Jungwon caved, shooing him out of the bathroom, “Go get changed and come back when you’re done.” And he shut the door behind him. Sunoo shook his head with a small smile of disbelief and walked over to Jungwon’s bed, sorting through his clothes and beginning to get dressed. He switched out his long sleeve tee for a white button up and slipped on some black slacks, tucking his shirt in his pants. He rolled his cuffs and picked up his emerald green tie, quickly folding it until he could pull it snug against his neck. When he looked up, he realized that dyeing his hair had taken longer than he thought.

Blinding orange light illuminated the horizon as a result of the setting sun. The now peachy toned snow looked gorgeous, sparkling back at him, and he almost wished that he could go out and play in it again with the others, but they all had a busy night ahead of them, and the idea of glittering lights, silvery streamers, and extravagant dancing seemed too good to pass up.

Leaving his dress robe to put on before he left, he returned to the bathroom and knocked, hearing some rustling as, presumably, his friend moved to open the door. When he did, Sunoo gasped as he saw what Jungwon had been up to. Around his eyes, Jungwon had put on a deep brown eyeshadow with a little bit of sparkle and his lips looked pink and glossy. He’d parted his hair in the middle, leaving a few strands to hang down on his forehead. “Wonnie, you look gorgeous,” Sunoo gushed immediately, surging forward to hug him.

Jungwon grunted as Sunoo practically tackled him. “Merlin, Sunoo. Get off of me,” he complained, though Sunoo could hear the smile in his tone. 

The older boy pouted as he backed away, “Please tell me you’re going with someone tonight, because if you aren’t, Sunghoon might not have a date anymore. There’s no way I’m letting you go alone looking like this.” Jungwon laughed hard, a cute smile on his lips as he smacked Sunoo on the arm.

“Well, good news for Sunghoon then, because I actually do have a date,” the Hufflepuff said in a matter of fact tone. Sunoo purposely didn’t mention the red dusting the brunet’s ears.

“So you got a date to the ball and didn’t tell me ?” 

The other boy shrugged, “It never came up.”

“Asshole,” Sunoo muttered.

His best friend didn’t look the least bit apologetic, only a cheeky smile on his face. “You’ll find out later. You actually know him pretty well. Now come here so I can do your hair and make-up.” And so Sunoo complied, knowing better than to try and weasel more information out of Jungwon. He sat as still as he could while the boy did his make-up, giggling at the tickling sensation of soft bristles on his eyelids and rubbing his lips together after Jungwon put gloss on them.

It didn’t take too long to finish his hair, simply brushing it and adding a little bit of hairspray to fluff it. Sunoo put some small silver hoops at the request of Jungwon and slipped on his dress robe while Jungwon did the same. Finally, Jungwon deemed him acceptable.

“You look great, NooNoo,” his friend complimented fondly, tucking his wand into his robes. “You ready?”

Nodding, Sunoo replied, “Sunghoon and I agreed to meet up in Ravenclaw tower, so I’m gonna head up there.”

“Knock ‘em dead,” Jungwon said with finger guns for effect. “I’m gonna go meet up with my date too. See you later?”

“Of course,” Sunoo smiled despite his friend’s cheesy behavior, “See you in a bit, Won.”

The walk up to Ravenclaw tower was relatively quiet, though he did pass by quite a few students who were headed down to the ball. He saw Chaehyun, a girl in the year above, in a beautiful lavender dress, hair in an updo with loose strands hanging down and curled. Beside her was Yedam, black hair gelled back and clad in a deep purple suit that only enhanced the girl's dress. Sunoo quickly complimented them, getting similar praises back, and then he was on his way again, reaching the Ravenclaw tower where Kevin let Sunoo in. He got a small, teasing grin from the boy before he stepped out, also headed down to the ball. The Ravenclaw commons were, understandably, pretty empty, as most everyone had already left. He felt a little out of place as he walked around the blue themed commons, glancing around to see several eagles plastered around as the house’s resident mascot. Luckily, Keeho came down from his dorm, running a little behind, and Sunoo was able to ask him which dorm was Sunghoon’s. He’d told him before, but the set up was completely different from Slytherin’s dorms, so he was a little turned around.

He thanked Keeho quickly and headed upstairs to a long hall, stopping at the third room on the right. “Sunghoon? Can I come in?” Sunoo called, softly tapping on the door.

A muffled ‘yes’ came from within, so Sunoo reached for the handle and twisted, poking his head through the crack before entering fully. He couldn’t see his date anywhere in the main room, so he guessed the boy was still in the bathroom, and not even a few seconds later, Sunghoon emerged from the bathroom, adjusting his black tie before he looked up and froze. Sunoo watched as the Ravenclaw swallowed hard, as his hands dropped to his side and his eyes slowly moved down to take in his appearance, darting back up to his black hair.

Sunoo couldn’t move, pinned down not only by Sunghoon’s piercing stare, but by how incredible he looked. His silver hair was similarly styled to Jungwon’s, parted down the middle with strands hanging over his forehead, except it was a little messier. His dress robes were a beautiful royal blue, fitting perfectly over toned muscles and broad shoulders. He coughed, forcing himself to move forward, which snapped Sunghoon out of whatever funk he’d been in.

“You look good– great even. Your hair,” the older boy stutters, fiddling with the edges of his robes as Sunoo approaches.

Sunoo can’t help but let out a small giggle. “Thank you, Hoon. You look great too,” he complimented, offering a genuine smile despite how fast his heart was beating. He watched as Sunghoon took a deep breath.

“Sorry, I’m really nervous,” He said honestly. “You really do look amazing with black hair,” he added as an afterthought.

And Sunoo really did appreciate Jungwon in that moment because the way Sunghoon was looking at him made his mind run wild with scenarios that really seemed impossible any other time. Scenarios where Sunoo could say Sunghoon was his boyfriend without lying, where he could take him home to meet his parents and his little sister, where he could kiss him freely. If he was honest, he felt absolutely ridiculous. These thoughts were terrible, unnecessary, and unrealistic. This was fake, and he needed to remember that.

Instead he asked, “Why are you nervous?” And no, Sunoo wasn’t secretly hoping for a specific answer.

Sunghoon hesitated for a moment. “I’m worried I’ll mess up while we’re dancing,” he settled on, though for some reason, he sounded unsure.

He wasn’t really convinced, because if any of the grace he showed while skating carried over to his dancing, he was sure he’d be just fine. Still, Sunoo reached over to take his hand. “Trust me, no one’s going to be watching us anyway. Don’t worry, I’m not that great either.” And that was that. “Are you ready to go?”

Sunghoon nodded, “I think so, but…” he trails off, looking back at his trunk for a second.

“What’s up?” Sunoo asked, brows furrowing in concern.

“I was wondering if you’d mind if I took a couple photos?” the Ravenclaw asked, thoroughly surprising Sunoo.

“Isn’t that your mother’s camera? I mean, I don’t mind, but are you sure?”

Resolutely, his date nodded, “I think she’d appreciate the thought. It’s a pretty important night, don’t you think?”

And Sunoo figured Sunghoon was right, so he waited until Sunghoon retrieved the camera out of a box in his trunk and set it up. “Let’s take one together,” the boy in blue suggested, and so they did. Sunghoon set the timer on the camera and then shuffled back to Sunoo, throwing up a peace sign while Sunoo gave a closed lip smile and a couple finger hearts. The light flashed a few times before the actual flash went off. 

“Did it take it?” Sunoo asked, following Sunghoon to take a look at the picture. Looking over Sunghoon’s shoulder, it was honestly a very odd experience seeing a picture that didn’t move, but it looked nice, and Sunoo’s raven hair was a stark contrast to Sunghoon’s silver. If he dared, he might say that they complemented each other. That they looked good together. “I like it.”

“Can I take one of you too?” Sunghoon asked.

“Just me?” Sunoo tilted his head. He got a hum of confirmation. “Yeah, sure,” he nods. Sunghoon raised the camera to his eye and positioned his finger above the button. Sunoo too threw up a peace sign, smiling and closing one eye. He heard a mechanic click from the device in Sunghoon’s hand, and then he relaxed. “Do I look alright?”

Sunghoon gazed at the camera for a moment before looking up to answer. “You look perfect.” There was no hesitation, no uncertainty, so excuse Sunoo if he felt his heart twist in his chest.

“Let’s go then,” he said as he spun around, willing himself to let it go. He had to let it go.

–

Walking into the Great Hall on the night of the Yule Ball was just as magical as Sunoo had dreamed it would be, maybe even more. Cold blue light bathed the hall, and shining silver streamers were draped from the walls. Snow fell from the deep blue ceiling and disappeared into thin air, having been charmed to do such, and there were a few tables sparsely placed around, some for food and drinks, and others for people to sit at. It definitely wasn’t enough for everyone to sit, but it wasn’t like a lot of people would be sitting anyway.

The small band that had been hired for the night was playing a soft tune, something whimsical and fun while people were still arriving. Sunoo couldn’t fight the excited grin that split his lips, pulling Sunghoon by the hand and further into the Great Hall. People were dressed in all different colors, making the room vibrant and pretty, and Sunoo stood just to watch people for a moment. Some people had decided to wear their house colors like Sunoo and Sunghoon, while others went for something a bit different. He watched as a couple walked by, both girls arms linked and clad in nice dress robes rather than dresses. 

Before long, they began to search for their friends, other than Heeseung of course, who would walk in with his date to have the first dance of the night along with the other champions. Sunoo assumed that Jay and Jake had gone together, seeing as they were dating, and he was absolutely burning with curiosity about who Riki and Jungwon had brought as their dates. Eventually, after a few minutes of searching with Sunghoon, they tracked down the resident boyfriends of the group, sat at a table near the back of the hall with Beomgyu and Kevin. 

As they walked over, the four guys looked up. “I see you guys made it alright,” Kevin commented, and Sunghoon rolled his eyes good naturedly.

“You guys look great,” Jake said sweetly. He was dressed in a black suit with silver floral lapels and a dark gray dress robe while Jay was in all red, though varying in shades. They both looked stunning, and they complimented each other well.

“Says you,” Sunoo laughs, “You two look amazing.” And of course, being ever the humble one, Jake blushes. 

Jay, on the other hand, takes it in stride and smiles. “We were beginning to wonder where everyone was. Have you guys seen Riki and Jungwon? Or their dates for that matter? Wait, does Jungwon even have a date…?”

“He told me he did while we were getting ready, and then when we left his dorm, he said he was going to meet up with his date,” Sunoo answered, “But I haven’t seen him or Riki.”

“Those brats are probably having fun keeping it from us,” Jay sighed. “Oh, and Heeseung. I wonder who he’s decided to bring to this.”

Just as Sunghoon went to chime in, Headmaster Park announced that the champions would be entering soon. Quickly, so they wouldn’t be stuck at the back of the crowd, they hurried to the side of the aisle that led to the main dance area. Music that reminded Sunoo of the feeling of triumph began to play, and soon enough, the champions began to walk in. The Durmstrang champion walked in first, dressed in the usual Durmstrang attire of red robes and furs. He had honey blonde hair and large blue eyes, while the girl on his arm wore a gorgeous orange dress accented with flowers. Sunoo stared after the couple, only turning around once he heard gasps and murmurs flaring up around him. When he saw it, he too gasped.

Walking in was Heeseung, dressed handsomely in black, red, and gold robes, pink hair gelled completely out of his face, but his looks, no matter how stunning, were not what everyone was shocked by. On his arm was a very familiar, very pretty man with flaming red hair and a blue and white suit. It was the Beauxbaton champion, Kang Taehyun.

“Holy shit,” Jay breathed, “So that’s where he’s been this past month.”

Holy shit indeed, because Sunoo would’ve never guessed in a million years that Heeseung would bring another champion as his date. The whispers continued, but the two champions were oblivious to it all, taking their place on the floor as they waited for the formal dance music to actually start.

It was mesmerizing, watching the two of them dance with each other. Heeseung’s eyes were so intense, and Taehyun’s eyes were so bright. They moved with, against, and around each other so naturally that their chemistry was tangible, and they had little to no care about the crowd watching them. They simply danced, hands intertwined, hands on shoulders, and matching smiles on their faces. Sunoo wondered if they’d danced like this together before, but silently, he thought he already knew the answer.

“They look really good together,” Jake said honestly, eyes following the two as they spun and twirled. Sunghoon hummed in agreement, hand warm in Sunoo’s, and Sunoo suddenly thought about what he and Sunghoon would look like. Would dancing with Sunghoon feel and look just as natural?

The first dance ended after a couple minutes, the last of the song dying out, and the murmuring had finally come to an end. People made their way onto the dance floor, and without much prompting, Sunoo dragged Sunghoon along to dance as well. 

When they reached the center of the floor, Sunoo kept one hand in Sunghoon’s while the other rested on his shoulder, and Sunghoon soon followed in suit, placing his hand on Sunoo’s waist instead. Sunoo ignored the way butterflies erupted in his stomach, and smiled at Sunghoon as they began to move with the music. Despite Sunghoon’s stated worry about dancing, he proved Sunoo right again, because he was one hell of a dancer. He twirled Sunoo, stepped smoothly and precisely, and even lifted him by his waist with practiced ease, setting him down only a second later. “Were you really worried about dancing, Hoon?” Sunoo asked teasingly, following Sunghoon’s lead.

A bashful smile told Sunoo that no, he probably wasn’t really worried about dancing. “I actually took formal dance lessons when I was younger,” he admits, which made total sense because Sunoo had actually felt like he was struggling to keep up with the Ravenclaw a bit.

“I can tell,” he says simply, glancing around the hall to try and see whether Jungwon and Riki had finally arrived. Instead, he catches sight of Jay and Jake, who are spinning around and laughing. Jake had the prettiest smile on his lips, Jay looked absolutely smitten, and Sunoo felt something warm in his chest. He was happy that they’d ended up together, even if it was a little bit of a shock.

As he turned his head to look at Sunghoon again, he got his second shock of the night, because he finally saw his best friends. And they were dancing together. Sunoo felt like he’d been sucker punched, and clearly it showed because Sunghoon’s brows furrowed. “Are you alright Sunoo?”

“Is best friends getting together a trend or something?” Sunoo huffed in disbelief, detaching himself from Sunghoon to head towards his two unsuspecting friends.

“So when were you gonna tell me you were dating?” Sunoo said as he snuck up on them. Riki flinched, and Jungwon yelped. Sunoo just stood there crossing his arms and waiting for an explanation. “There was no way you guys thought you would keep this from me, right?”

Jungwon had a hand to his chest, still recovering from Sunoo’s sudden appearance, so Riki spoke first. “Well, now you know why I was nervous,” he laughed out, though it sounded forced. “Plus, we’re not dating.”

The Hufflepuff was quick to agree, scratching his head. At least he had half a mind to look ashamed. 

“Well, you could’ve at least told me you were coming to the ball together. It would’ve saved me a lot of brain power,” Sunoo moped petulantly.

“Wait, so you aren’t mad?” Riki asked meekly.

Sunoo looked up at him in confusion, “Mad? No. It’s not like you guys need my permission or anything. I was just upset you didn’t tell me! What are best friends for?” He whined. Sunghoon came up behind him with an amused smile on his face.

Both Jungwon and Riki looked relieved. Clearly, they’d both been prepared for some explosive reaction from Sunoo, but really, it wasn’t like Sunoo had the right to be upset with them. If they liked each other— or whatever they were labelling it— then Sunoo was happy for them. “Thanks, Sunoo,” Jungwon said genuinely, leaning against Riki’s shoulder a bit.

Eyes soft, Sunoo replied, “Of course, Wonnie. I’m always gonna support you guys. No matter what.” And he meant it. They were his best friends after all.

Before he knew it, they were all in a big group hug, laughing about how silly it was to have kept it from Sunoo, and all the while, Sunghoon gazed fondly at his raven haired date. 

At some point, they’d made it back to the table where Jay and Jake had originally been, a couple cups of cider and some fruit in hand. Sunoo was on cloud nine, and any worries he may have had seemed so, so far away. The Great Hall felt like it was glowing in all the happiness and joy of its occupants as the band continued to play dreamy melodies. All types of different partners glided across the dance floor, hands in hands, heads on shoulders, hearts with hearts. Riki and Jungwon looked content to be in each other's arms, even if they weren’t sure of what they wanted, and distantly, Sunoo knew that was all that mattered.

Riki was quite tall, around half a head taller than Jungwon, which made it easy for the Hufflepuff to rest his head on his shoulder. Sunoo thought they complemented each other well.

And then there was Jay and Jake. Both of them had stepped off the floor and were currently by the catering tables, grabbing snacks and drinks and enjoying their time together. Jay must’ve said something funny, because Jake suddenly had the prettiest smile as he leaned into his shoulder and laughed. As he looked up at Sunghoon, he knew that he too was more than happy for his friends.

As the couple with the most attention drawn to them, Taehyun and Heeseung seemed to be dealing with it well. Taehyun looked like he was glittering as he danced with Heeseung. There was something so ethereal about him alone, and Sunoo understood why Heeseung was looking down at him like he was. Like he was immortalizing these moments in his mind forever. Sunoo wasn’t sure how long they’d known each other or how long they’d been involved— doing whatever they were doing— but he knew that it didn’t matter. Not if the way they were dancing together had anything to do with it.

It was like things were finally falling into place for all of them. All of his friends were happy, and the night was still young. Of course, it would come to an end at some point, and the magic of the night would vanish as students made their way back to their dorms, as they swapped their gorgeous formalwear for pajamas and fell into their bed. But right then, Sunoo felt like these moments would last forever.

Hand warm in Sunghoon’s, they eventually made their way back onto the dance floor at the beginning of a slow dance song. Sunghoon’s hand found its way back to his waist, and Sunoo laid his hand on his shoulder. They danced, swayed, laughed, and basked in each other’s company. Not once did they stop, too caught up in each other to want to shatter the easy push and pull they’d established.

Sunoo found himself more and more comfortable, farther and farther away from his daily life as a student at Hogwarts. His head soon came to rest on Sunghoon’s chest, like they’d done this countless times before, and then Sunghoon dipped him before pulling him up and spinning him back into his arms. Sunghoon’s face ended up being so close to his that if he moved forward just a bit, their lips would touch. His heart was beating so loudly he felt like it might beat right out of his chest.

Time had stopped, and the people around them weren’t there anymore. All Sunoo could see, hear, feel, was Sunghoon.

It was unfair how completely irrational Sunoo felt right then, the sole person of Sunghoon’s attention. He couldn’t ignore the feeling of the Ravenclaw’s long fingers and pretty hands clutching his waist, so warm and secure. His heart was in his throat when Sunghoon started to lean down with that look in his eyes Sunoo couldn’t imagine looking away from. That utter adoration he’s seen countless times before, but never this close. With dismay, Sunoo offhandedly thought that Sunghoon was acting a little too well, and his brain was full of static.

But worse, Sunoo couldn’t help but lean in himself, wanting to know what Sunghoon’s lips felt like on his, what the hot cider he’d seen the Ravenclaw down earlier tasted like on his tongue. He didn’t think when he surged forward to meet the older boy half way. 

It was clumsy at first, and they bumped noses, but they both remained undeterred, tilting their heads to slot their lips just right.

Nothing could have prepared him for kissing Park Sunghoon. It wasn’t extremely fluid or sensual at first because Sunghoon had limited experience and Sunoo wasn’t much better off, but no kisses he’d had with others could have ever compared to the wildfire that engulfed him then. Eyes closed and arms awkwardly at his sides, he moved his mouth hesitantly against his date at first, testing the waters, but a few seconds later he slowly reached up to cup Sunghoon’s face. There were hundreds of butterflies beating around in his chest, thousands even, matching the rhythm of his pounding heart.

Sunghoon’s lips felt just like he’d imagined: soft and warm with the vague taste of sweet apple cider. He didn’t think too deeply into the fact that he had indeed imagined kissing him before. He couldn’t stop himself from getting on his tippy toes, from pulling Sunghoon just a little closer, from wanting him. There was this raw, unfiltered desire for the boy in front of him, beckoning him to listen, to act upon whatever impulses and yearnings he had. 

He felt himself slowly get swallowed up by the feeling of Sunghoon’s lips on his. The taller’s fingers pressed just a little harder into his waist, and he couldn’t help but sigh into the other’s mouth and they both began to relax. 

Kissing Sunghoon made everything fade into nothing and the noise around them turn to static. All the anxiety, the build up, it all led to this one moment where the stars aligned and he finally let himself admit that maybe Sunghoon wasn’t just a part of his silly revenge plot anymore; maybe he wasn’t just a friend.

His lungs burned and burned until he had to pull away, eyes closed as his forehead rested against Sunghoon’s. But the desire in his heart didn’t subside, and Sunghoon was so close that it made his brain feel fuzzy. He wanted to kiss him again.

He looked back up, meeting eyes with Sunghoon, and his heart stalled a little. Sunghoon’s eyes, usually so nondescript and hard to read, were suddenly covered in pages and pages worth of untold truths and expertly concealed secrets. He got closer, as if doing so would allow him to read every line, but he just ended up with his mouth on Sunghoon’s again, and Sunghoon fell into him once more.

Sunoo opened his mouth slightly as an invitation, one Sunghoon took gladly. He didn’t think he could ever really get tired of being so close to Sunghoon. He could smell hints of bergamot and honeysuckle, so sweet with the slightest note of biting citrus. Aside from the cider, Sunoo could taste Sunghoon’s strawberry chapstick on his lips. He could feel the heat radiating from his skin, and with every glide of their lips, he felt something like electricity zap through his being.

It was the perfect union, Sunoo thought, mind going haywire with the soft slide of Sunghoon’s tongue against his own. Towards the end, the kiss grew delicate, just personal enough to inhale the others breath.

He hated the fact that breathing was a necessity, because more than anything he wanted to prioritize kissing the boy in his arms, but they had to part once more, his breath ghosting over the other’s lips. Sunoo’s brain was totally numb.

“Shit, Sunoo,” Sunghoon cursed, breath shaky. He paused, trying to compose himself before beginning, “I need to tell—”

“Isn’t it a little indecent to have your tongues down each other’s throats here?” A snarky voice came. Sunoo tensed, coming to a crash landing on reality as he realized where they actually were. Clumsily, he stumbled backwards and out of Sunghoon’s arms, cheeks flushed so harshly someone might’ve thought he was ill.

Sunghoon was the first to gain his bearings, and therefore the first to speak, though he still looked quite flustered. “You’re the only one complaining,” Sunghoon said, irritation clear on his face and in the way his jaw flexed. For the second time ever, K had found his way under Sunghoon’s skin.

“I just want to enjoy the ball without watching people make out. Is that so wrong?” K’s voice, as usual, had a smug tone, but there was something about it that was odd, and Sunoo couldn’t place it.

Sunghoon rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Sunoo wanted the floor to swallow him whole because now that he was actually paying attention, he realized how many eyes were on them. Tons of people were whispering to one another, and their friends had all caught sight of what had just taken place. Riki and Jungwon looked at Sunoo like they’d expected it, and Jake and Jay simply had fond smiles on their faces. Sunoo remembered that Sunghoon hadn’t told his friends about the fake dating, so it was just business as usual for them. Heeseung, who was now behind Taehyun and holding him by the waist, had a questioning look in his eye as he met Sunoo’s gaze, but Sunoo just shook his head. 

“Sorry for interrupting your night then,” Sunoo said shortly. “Now go away.”

K ignored him. “You know, it’s very convenient that you just kissed after the conversation we had this morning,” K chuckled, though there was no humor in it. “Did you guys plan this?”

“The fuck are you on about?” Sunghoon spat, unknowing of what had happened.

“Oh come on,” K says lazily, like it's obvious. “You guys aren’t really dating now, are you? You just did this to prove a point, right?”

His voice was purposely loud, like he was airing out all of Sunoo and Sunghoon’s dirty laundry, and honestly, he was. But Sunoo was not going to admit that. “I’ve told you before K, what we do is none of your business. I don’t care whether you believe it or not. I kissed him because I wanted to.” Sunoo couldn’t help but notice the distance between them now, and he missed the warmth of Sunghoon against him. He didn’t dare look at Sunghoon after such a bold statement though.

“Sure, Sun. I’ll let it go for now, but I won’t wait around for you forever. You know I’m the better option,” He said easily, like he knew he was right.

As he walked away, Sunoo felt a hand grab his, and he jumped, only calming down once he realized it was Sunghoon. “Are you alright?” He asked, worry shining in his eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Sunoo replied, “I think so. Just shaken up. Sorry I didn’t tell you about K this morning.”

As easy as breathing, Sunghoon brushed him off. “It’s really not that big of a deal.”

They fell into silence, but Sunoo had the feeling of kissing Sunghoon playing on repeat in his mind, and he couldn’t help but feel awkward. Subtly, there was fear, buried deep in his mind, because he knew their kiss wasn’t just a kiss. On his part, it was a confession, one that he couldn’t afford to fuck up but still, somehow did. He’d been the one to surge forward, to kiss Sunghoon first, and that scared him, because he’d admitted that he wanted it.

This fake dating was only ever supposed to be that. Fake. But they’d crossed, rewritten, and erased every line they’d ever established and Sunoo wasn’t confident in what they were to each other anymore. What he wanted and what Sunghoon wanted could’ve been two very different things. Sure, Sunghoon kissed him back, but was it out of obligation? Was it because he’d wanted to keep up the act, and pushing him away would’ve most definitely given them away?

Sunoo wasn’t sure, and he didn’t want to ask because he wasn’t positive he would get the answer he wanted. Instead, he tried to play it off, grabbing Sunghoon’s hand to pull him back into the middle of the floor. He hated that holding it now felt strangely heavy instead of natural.

“Let’s just dance,” Sunoo said, and Sunghoon complied, once again setting his hands in their usual spot. Instead of butterflies, Sunoo just felt a cold weight on his chest.

Unlike how they were before, they said nothing. Sunoo didn’t look at Sunghoon, he didn't touch him anywhere that he didn't have to. He didn’t lean into him even if he wanted to, and because he was so distracted, he even stumbled a couple times. It felt wrong to dance with Sunghoon, and Sunoo finally had to go back to their table and sit down before he cried. 

The night’s peace was shattered, and no matter how much he tried to act normal, he couldn’t. He didn’t reach for Sunghoon’s hand like he would’ve before. When their other friends came to the table, he tried to be normal. He started conversations, laughed when he was supposed to, said all the right things, but it felt forced, and it only served to drain his mood. He didn’t look at Sunghoon once.

The ball was slowly coming to an end as more and more people decided to head back to their dorms, and Sunoo took that as his chance to escape. He told his friends that he felt a little sick and left without even glancing back. Guilt sat heavy on his shoulders for leaving his date alone, but he just couldn’t be around him any longer. 

Not when all he could think about was the taste of cider and strawberry chapstick and the feel of soft lips.

When he made it back to his dorm, he changed quickly, shoving his dress robes into his trunk just so he wouldn’t have to look at them anymore. The make-up Jungwon had so expertly applied was carelessly wiped off in the bathroom. Kimmy, who’d been patiently waiting on his bed, clicked her bill at him as he laid down, getting up to nudge at his head gently like she knew something was wrong. Numbly, he petted her, eyes staring straight ahead into nothing.

The same scene played over and over in his head, and he tossed and turned restlessly. Even with how exhausted he was, he didn’t fall asleep until very late after all his dormmates had returned. 

It seemed, though, that he couldn’t get away from silver hair, strawberry lips, and blue suits, because even when he fell asleep, he dreamt of doing it all over again.

—

The next morning, Sunoo had to say goodbye to all of his friends. Well, all of them except Sunghoon, if he could even call him a friend. Riki and Jungwon were spending the rest of the holidays together with Jungwon’s family, and Heeseung was accompanying Jay. Jake’s family had invited Jay, of course, but Jay’s family wanted him home, so Sunoo watched as they sadly hugged and said goodbye. They would’ve invited Sunghoon too, but Sunghoon had already made plans to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays.

It would be a little less than two weeks before all of them would be reunited again, but Sunoo knew it would feel like forever. He had already come to terms with the fact that he’d miss them all terribly.

He hugged Jungwon and Riki and wished them safe travels, also telling them that if anything happened, that he should be the first person they tell. They easily agreed.

Once everyone had left and it was just Sunoo and Sunghoon, they tried to go about their days business as usual. 

They ate together in the Great Hall for all meals, even if their conversations were stilted or nonexistent. Sunghoon had tried to start several conversations over the course of the days, but Sunoo couldn’t get himself reply with anything but short answers that seemed forced, and after a few painful days, Sunghoon fell quiet too. 

On the fourth day, Sunghoon had asked offhandedly if Riki or Jungwon had sent him any mail, to which he replied, “Yeah. Just letters.” And that was that. No details, no elaboration. Sunghoon looked frustrated, and he felt terrible about it, but being around Sunghoon now was suffocating.

They still walked in the halls together and held hands at first, but after a while, Sunoo stopped. Everytime they held hands, Sunoo thought about how much he liked Sunghoon. How much he liked being with him, even when they were awkward like this. 

He tried to continue their usual hang outs. They went to Hogsmeade together once, ate in silence, shopped around, and then came back, all while having little to no real interaction. Sunghoon tried to hold Sunoo’s hand once, to which he flinched away from, and after that, Sunghoon didn’t try anymore. When they were about to part, Sunghoon looked like he wanted to say something, but he ended up just muttering ‘bye’ and began to ascend the stairs.

Instead of comfy library dates to read random books and chat about anything and everything, they just sat there and read in complete silence, although Sunoo was really only staring at his book wishing he could just disappear all together.

At some point, Sunoo even started actively avoiding Sunghoon. He’d show up to meals at odd times just to eat alone, stopped meeting up with him at their usual times, and even ran away once when he caught sight of Sunghoon’s silver hair as he was headed to the library to pick up some materials for the new semester.

It got so bad that by the time the holidays ended and their friends came back, Sunoo had become something like a hermit. He hadn’t even left his room unless necessary in fear of running into Sunghoon and either just confessing or crying right then and there. He missed the Ravenclaw terribly, but he was just so scared.

Classes started, and Sunoo had more of an excuse to avoid him because he was ‘busy’ and he instead spent more time with Riki and Jungwon, both of which thought it was weird that Sunoo wasn’t with Sunghoon. Even when their group was together for meals, Sunoo sat the farthest away from Sunghoon and didn’t look at him. He only replied if he had to. Sunghoon had clearly stopped trying to pursue any form of interaction with Sunoo, and though it made Sunoo’s chest hurt, he was also thankful. 

Meals also had an awkward charged tension because of them, and it was clearly affecting the group dynamic, because after a couple weeks of their ongoing ‘ignoring each other’ act, Jay looked fed up, Jake was worried, Riki and Jungwon always looked like they’d rather be elsewhere, and Heeseung showed up less. 

Finally, Jungwon and Riki cornered Sunoo in the library and asked him about it because they too were getting tired of this widening rift in their group.

“Sunoo, what the hell happened over the break?” Jungwon demanded, cutting straight to the chase. Riki laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, but also looked at Sunoo as he waited for an answer.

“Nothing really,” he said vaguely, knowing they wouldn’t buy it, but still hoping they’d just leave it be.

“That’s bullshit,” Jungwon deadpanned, “You guys look like you can’t stand each other now but the night of the Yule Ball, you were making out like—” He suddenly paused, and Sunoo knew immediately that he’d figured it out. Jungwon was way too perceptive for his own good. Or for Sunoo’s good for that matter. “ That’s why?”

Sunoo shrugged.

Riki ran a hand down his face, “Noo, have you even talked to him about it? Or did you just make the executive decision to avoid the situation entirely?”

Silence. “This is ridiculous,” Jungwon huffed. “So let me get this straight. You guys kissed, you realized ‘oh shit, I actually like him,’ and now you’re avoiding him because you don’t want to ruin whatever fake dating shit you guys had going on?”

And of course, he hit the nail right on the head, leaving Sunoo floundering to come up with something to say. “It’s not—” he struggled. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” And it really wasn’t. He wasn’t supposed to like his fake boyfriend or kiss him at the Yule Ball

“Sunoo, whatever ideas you’ve got going around in your head right now, you need to stop it. You won’t know unless you ask,” Jungwon said seriously, though his eyes had softened. 

“But what if I don’t— what if the answer I get isn’t the one I want?” Sunoo whispered, crossing his arms protectively over his chest.

“Then you’ll cross that bridge when you get there, but you can’t give up without knowing,” Jungwon said gently, “That’s not fair to Sunghoon, and that’s not fair to you.”

“Jungwon, I can’t. I can’t do it,” he shook his head, and he realized only then that he’d started crying. “I‘ve never liked someone like this before.” And it was finally out there. He’d finally admitted it out loud, and it only hurt more.

“NooNoo…” Riki murmured, pulling him to his chest. 

And just like after he’d been cheated on, he cried. He cried because he was scared, because he felt too much, because he knew he’d been heartbroken if he got rejected.

He cried because he missed Sunghoon.

It took him a few minutes to calm down and catch up with everything he was feeling, but having his two best friends by his side helped. Riki’s hug was so warm, and Jungwon’s hand rubbing his back quelled him. Before long, he’d detached himself from the fourth year. “Thanks guys. For being here for me.” And both of his friends looked at him with so much love he felt like he might just combust right there.

“Of course, Noo. What are best friends for?” Riki said cheekily, and Sunoo couldn’t help but giggle a little because of the irony, even if it sounded a little watery.

“But I think it’s better if I just—”

“There you guys are!” A familiar voice said, making all three of them whip around. There Jay was, eyes wide with Jake trailing right behind him. “We’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

“Is everything okay, Jay?” Jungwon asked, concerned with how frantic the Gryffindor looked. He was out of breath and way different than his usual collected self.

There was a stretched moment of silence as Jay caught his breath and Jake ran a comforting hand over his back, and then he told them.

“It’s Kyungmin. He’s been expelled.”

Chapter Text

The week after break was filled with poorly concealed whispers and ridiculous rumors that spread like wildfire. Kyungmin had been officially expelled, K had been pulled out of classes for the entire week, and yet, no one had heard a peep about what had really happened.

Some people claimed that K had framed Kyungmin and gotten him expelled for something he hadn’t been responsible for, while other people thought it had something to do with Kyungmin helping K with some nefarious act that he’d ended up taking the fall for. No matter how the story was told though, Kyungmin was always the victim. Sunoo couldn’t help but feel uneasy about that fact. Even though K had been abhorrent to both him and Sunghoon, Sunoo had to acknowledge the fact that Kyungmin had been the one expelled. Not K. There had to be a reason.

Kyungmin being expelled wasn’t the only gossip flooding the school though. 

Despite the fact that both Heeseung and Taehyun were willingly involved, Taehyun was the one who’d been taking the brunt of the impact. Sunoo’d heard multiple times that Taehyun wasn’t a normal wizard, but rather part veela, which wouldn’t be all that terrible if it wasn’t for the fact that he was dating Heeseung.

A neverending slew of accusations were thrown his way, as many people speculated that he was using his veela ‘charm’ to beat Heeseung in the tournament. Sunoo knew that wasn’t true. He knew Taehyun’s feelings came from a genuine place because he looked at Heeseung the same way Heeseung looked at him. Like he’d hung the stars and the moon. Sunoo doesn’t know how long they’ve been involved, but what he does know is that it was real. 

Realer than whatever he and Sunghoon had. A pang of disappointment coursed through him before he forced himself to let it go. 

He also knew that among those rumors, he and Sunghoon had been present too. It was painfully obvious that they had been actively avoiding one another like the plague. From an outside perspective, it seemed like a messy breakup, which Sunoo guessed wasn’t too far from the truth. 

Surprisingly, no one had come up to ask him about it, and he definitely wasn’t going to ask Sunghoon if he’d heard about their breakup rumors. He shuddered to think about how that conversation would go down. 

Not to mention, sitting together in their little group was still painfully awkward. Guilt sat heavy on his shoulders because he knew he’d been the reason for their group beginning to fall apart. Heeseung had went from barely showing up to moving groups entirely (to be fair, he sat with Taehyun.) Jay and Jake kept to themselves mostly, talking with each other and sending Sunoo and Sunghoon worried glances, which was understandable because to them, they’d been dating for real. Riki and Jungwon constantly looked exasperated, sending Sunoo urging looks that he knowingly ignored. 

And Sunghoon. Sunghoon was quiet. It wasn’t his normal, content to listen quiet, but rather a withdrawn kind of quiet. He was stiff and a little cold, and he constantly made an effort to not look at Sunoo. He couldn’t blame him at all. He’d been the coward, the one to run first, even if he knew he shouldn’t have. 

But he was scared. 

Sunoo was scared to put his heart on the line and get hurt. He was scared that he’d spill his guts and still not get the answer he wanted, and he didn’t think he’d ever wanted something this bad. So bad he could taste it in the back of his throat. Sunghoon wasn’t the first boy he’d liked, but he was definitely the one he liked the most, which was ironic because that was never his intention.

In the end though, he guessed intention didn’t matter because he still ended up with feelings for Sunghoon he shouldn’t have had.

Sunoo’s eyes burned and his head ached as he stared down at his astrology homework. Usually, he enjoyed astrology, but with all the stress on him and his relationships, he’d been more tired than usual. Reading star charts and predicting the next eclipse seemed like rocket science at that moment, and resignedly, he set down his quill and leaned back in his chair. He knew he wouldn’t get anything done right then, so there was no point in working over information in his head that he wouldn’t understand.

For a moment, he sat there, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. It was late, he knew, because his paper was illuminated only by candlelight and the rest of his dormmates were asleep, but he also knew he himself wouldn’t be able to rest, and so he did the only thing he could think of.

Slipping on his robes and shoes, he quietly left the dorm and tiptoed out of the commons area. Cold air hit him as he did so, and he pulled his robes a bit tighter to his body. Silence engulfed the castle, not even Peeves making a ruckus that night, and before he knew it, he was at the foot of a familiar staircase.

With no hesitation, he began to ascend. The sound of his footfalls against the stone steps were crisp against the quiet night, and the air continued to get colder the higher he climbed. Window after window, stair after stair, he steadily made his way up the tower.

Finally, he could see the end of the staircase, lit up with the ghostly white light of the moon, and he picked up his pace slightly. But as he reached the top of the stairs, he got a startling rush of deja vu when he saw a figure sitting in the middle window, curled in on himself with his head tilted to gaze at the stars.

There was anticipation building in his spine. He could feel it zipping through him like lighting, like unharnessed electricity just waiting for the right moment to spark. He was frozen, whether in fear or anticipation, he wasn’t sure, but he couldn’t get himself to descend the stairs and walk away, even when he knew he should’ve. 

Sunghoon looks hauntingly normal after everything that had happened, even if Sunoo could only see his back. His silver hair sat styled the same way it always did, only slightly windswept from sitting in the window. He still had a familiar hunch to his shoulders that told Sunoo he was tired, and when Sunoo looked closer, he realized that Sunghoon’s mother’s camera was sitting by the Ravenclaw’s feet.

He wanted to turn tail and run all the way down the stairs and back to his dorm so he wouldn’t have to face Sunghoon, but he also wanted to sprint to the window and apologize for something, even if he didn’t know what he wanted to apologize for. For asking him to fake date him? For kissing him? For falling for him when he wasn’t supposed to? There were a million different things Sunghoon deserved apologies for, and Sunoo didn’t even know if their relationship was salvageable.

The truth of the matter was, Sunoo didn’t know how to just be friends with Sunghoon anymore. That ship had long since left the dock, and then suddenly he was stranded in the middle of the ocean with no wind to fill his sails. Really, they’d never even been friends. They’d been boyfriends, even if it was fake. They did boyfriend things, and Sunoo enjoyed it.

He was startled when he heard Sunghoon’s soft voice. “You don’t have to stand there, you know?”

Awkwardly, Sunoo cleared his throat and averted his eyes when Sunghoon turned to face him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be here.” It was an apology, but it wasn’t anywhere near what he wanted to apologize for.

He could feel Sunghoon’s eyes on him, watching, waiting, and he wasn’t sure what that meant. What was he waiting for? Finally, he spoke. “Don’t be silly,” he said simply. Sunoo wanted to wait for more, something that kickstarted his brain and allowed him to say something even mildly intelligent, but he could only stand there dumbly, stiffly.

“I can go,” Sunoo murmured, shifting in his spot at the opening of the stairs.

“Do you want to?” Sunghoon asked, catching him off guard. It wasn’t an explicit request to stay, but it wasn’t an outright agreement for him to leave either. If Sunoo let himself be a bit delusional, he thought maybe he’d heard a bit of disappointment in his tone.

And that question puzzled him. Sunoo felt like he was emotionally, physically, and mentally farther from Sunghoon than he’d ever been before, and it made him feel unsettled. He couldn’t read him like this. 

“I guess not.”

“Join me,” he requested, nodding his head to the empty space beside him. 

And so he did after a few seconds, even if it was against his better judgement. The only sounds in the quiet tower were soft footsteps and the ruffling of robes as Sunoo made his way over and clambered up to sit on the cold stone of the window. He made sure to be careful of the camera as he adjusted himself and finally looked up at the night sky.

Cold air hit the soft skin of his face as he gazed out, mapping out constellations and galaxies that he’d had the pleasure of learning about over the years. The Orion Constellation made an appearance as his eyes roved the sky. To the untrained eye, it might just look like a random clump of stars, but not to Sunoo. Sunoo could see the belt, the arms and legs, the sword. Within the sword was Orion’s nebula, fuzzy, but so very bright: a birthplace of stars, of energy and, in a way, of life. 

Sunghoon reminded him too much of the stars, in the way that he wanted him and could not have him. So distant, but so beautiful. He was ephemeral but forever, burning so brightly but comforting all the same. He could admire him from afar, learn about him and study him all he wanted, but he could never get close enough to touch. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” Sunghoon broke the silence.

“No,” he replied. “You couldn’t either?”

“No.”

Sunoo wanted to open his mouth and keep the already strained conversation from dying out, but he wasn’t sure what to say. What could he say that would make things better between them? Impulsively, he let his mouth run. 

“How have you been?” And in all honesty, it was a loaded question, but a broad one too. Sunghoon could take the easy way out and say that everything had been well. He could tell Sunoo that his classes were going well, that quidditch practices were tough but satisfying, that he had been studying more since he had more free time. But he could also say that he missed Sunoo, that he was miserable without him and that maybe they could have what they had before, but for real this time.

The latter option was only Sunoo’s wishful thinking, and Sunghoon confirmed that thought when he replied with a short, “I’ve been good. Just tired.” And Sunoo understood why he said that. He wouldn’t have answered that question any other way. Then he spoke again, and he shattered Sunoo’s expectations of simplicity and feigned ignorance. “Why are we like this now?”

It hit him like a ton of bricks, swept him off his feet like a rug had been pulled from underneath him. “Like what?” he asked halfheartedly.

“Don’t do that,” Sunghoon said quietly, but to Sunoo it was so loud. He knew what he was saying. Don’t run away. Don’t play dumb. 

“What do you want me to say?” Sunoo sighed defeatedly, finally looking back at Sunghoon who was already staring at him. To the public eye, they’d been together, but behind closed doors, they’d never explicitly stated what they were besides fake boyfriends. What did Sunghoon want to hear?

He looked frustrated, eyebrows furrowed and lip pulled between his teeth, like there was so much he wanted to say but he wasn’t sure if he should. Sunoo understood that more than he wanted to. “I just want—” he huffed, raising a hand to run it through his hair, “Why did you just— I don’t know, ghost me?”

The real question. Sunghoon was always so straightforward, and clearly that hadn’t changed at all. 

Pulling his robes tighter, Sunoo closed his eyes. Where did he start? What would happen once he told him? Should he even tell him? “I’m sorry,” he said instead. Sorry was not enough, he knew, but he couldn’t manage much else. 

Another frustrated sigh from Sunghoon. “I don’t even know why you’re apologizing. You won’t tell me anything.” Sunoo noticed the cracks forming, the fissures, and he couldn’t even do anything about it.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Sunghoon,” Sunoo said, and it was honest, if nothing else. It wasn’t what Sunghoon wanted, he knew that, but then again, he didn’t really know what Sunghoon wanted. Really, the only thing he was sure about was what he felt. “I did what I had to.”

“What exactly did you have to do?” The Ravenclaw asked exasperatedly. Silence. “Did you even have to do it?” The cracks began to splinter, and the dam began to break.

Sunoo didn’t know. Frustration began to build in his chest too because Sunghoon was asking all the hard questions Sunoo didn’t even want to answer for himself. Because he knew that Sunghoon deserved an answer after he kissed him and ran. After he pulled him into some ridiculous fake dating scheme, got him almost killed during a quidditch match, put a target on his back because he knew K hated him. He deserved an answer because he hadn’t done anything wrong, and he was still facing the consequences.

Sunoo watched as the cracks split open. “Damn it, Sunoo, say something! You can’t just pretend we were never friends. You can’t pretend you didn’t kiss me!” He yelled, voice raw as it bounced off the stone walls of the tower. And there it was. They had been friends, which only made him kissing Sunghoon worse. The water rushed in, and he could feel it slowly beginning to wash him away. Sunoo flinched, even when he knew he deserved that. He’d only ever seen Sunghoon lose his temper a select few times, and now he was doing it all over again, but because of him. “What did I do wrong?” He finished, so soft, so vulnerable, and Sunoo struggled to swallow the guilt welling up in his throat.

“You didn’t do anything,” He settled on. “It was my fault.”

“ What was your fault?”

“Everything.”

“Stop being so fucking vague,” he gritted out. 

Sunoo huffed irritably, blurting out what he’d been mulling over in his head for weeks. “I never should’ve asked you to fake date me for some petty revenge plan. I shouldn’t have agreed to go to the Yule Ball with you or spent all that time with you. I shouldn’t have danced with you, and I sure as hell shouldn’t have kissed you,” he spilled, and he couldn’t stop. “It was all a mistake. A huge fucking miscaculation because I never thought that I’d—” and he stopped because he suddenly heard a small gasp. When he looked up, his heart dropped out of his chest.

Muffled sniffles came from the boy in front of him as he looked away to hide his face. Sunghoon was crying , and Sunoo had no idea what to do. He had no idea what he’d just done. He tried to reach over and offer some kind of comfort, but Sunghoon ripped himself away like Sunoo’s mere presence burned him. “It’s my fault then too, Sunoo, for expecting something else from you when I knew better. That’s all I needed to know,” he whispered.

“What—”

“Good night, Sunoo.”

Sunoo tried to reach out as Sunghoon jumped from the window and began to head towards the door. He was wiping his eyes furiously, his normally pale complexion growing red with irritation. “Don’t. I get it. I don't need to hear anything else.”

“I don’t—” Sunoo scrambled off the ledge, “Wait, what do you mean ‘all you needed to know’? What’s your fault?”

Sunghoon’s laugh was humorless and wet, “I should’ve known better. I got caught up in whatever act we were putting on and it went too far. It shouldn’t have happened.”

His mind raced as he tried to understand what Sunghoon was attempting to say. “Sunghoon, I don’t understand,” he said helplessly as he watched Sunghoon turn away.

“Then let me be clear with you, since you won’t be. I don’t think we should be around each other anymore,” He muttered bitterly. Sunoo also watched helplessly as Sunghoon fixed the dam himself. He watched as he covered each crack individually, carefully, but with a certain desperation.

“There’s no way we can fix this?” Sunoo asked, almost pleading. It was hard enough to stay away from Sunghoon everyday, but now, he’d hurt him somehow and he didn’t know how to make it better. He wanted to reach out and help him repair the cracks, but he was scared that he’d only make it worse.

Sunghoon slowly turned around, and when he did, there was an anger in his eyes that was completely foreign. “You want to do something now ? After all this? After all of the silent treatment and the ignorance and the confusion? I don’t think that’s possible.”

“But aren’t we—” he paused, “weren’t we friends?”

“I don’t— I can’t just be friends with you anymore, Sunoo.” Sunghoon’s voice sounded tired, defeated. The anger disappeared as quickly as it came, and Sunghoon was left raw before him. “I’m sorry.”

Something hollow sat in his chest as he watched Sunghoon walk away from him, watched him disappear down the stairs in a flurry of hurt and tears. He didn’t chase after him or beg him to stay. He didn’t follow the clichés in the movies and yell his confession into the frigid late night air.

He just watched, because Sunghoon was a star that burned too brightly. He watched because that was all he could do. He was the one that had messed everything up. 

Always to watch and admire, but never to touch. 

Sunghoon didn’t show up for breakfast that morning, which wasn’t totally odd because he liked to sleep in, but by dinner time when he hadn’t appeared at any of the meals, everyone began to grow worried. Jay moved to ask Sunoo, but then stopped as he remembered they weren’t really speaking to one another. Clearly, Jay and Jake hadn’t heard from Sunghoon, meaning that no one from their group knew where he was. 

Sunoo knew that it was probably because of him, which only made the uneasy feeling in his chest grow. He couldn’t get the image of Sunghoon crying out of his mind, couldn’t forget the flash of anger. It played over and over in his mind, weighed on his heart, and even though he would never admit it, it gave him some kind of weird hope that maybe Sunghoon did see him as something more. 

He pushed the boiled potatoes around on his plate a little more before he set his fork down and moved his plate away. Half a plate of food still sat there, but he couldn’t find it in himself to eat. Mentally, he was still up in the astronomy tower with Sunghoon, still trying to make sense of whatever had happened.

“Sunoo?” Jungwon’s voice broke through his little cloud of thought. A questioning hum left him as he looked to meet Jungwon’s eyes. “Are you feeling okay? You’ve barely eaten all day.”

“Mm, I’m fine. I’m just tired is all,” he deflected.

Neither Riki nor Jungwon looked convinced. The younger Slytherin opened his mouth to say something, but Sunoo beat him to it by standing up abruptly. The four remaining boys at the table gave him questioning glances. “I’m going to go rest,” he stated simply. 

As he began to walk away, Jake called after him. Sunoo expected him to be upset, maybe even angry, but when he turned around, he only looked worried, and Sunoo felt horrible at once because he knew Jake wasn’t that kind of person. “We’re all worried, you know? But we’re not just Sunghoon’s friends, and Riki and Jungwon aren’t just your friends. Whatever happened between you and Sunghoon, it doesn’t change the fact that we care about you. We’re all friends, so just know that you can lean on us too, okay?”

Against his will, his vision began to blur with tears and gratitude welled up in his throat, so thick he could barely swallow, barely breathe. He wanted to say something, to thank Jake for knowing what he felt without having to say anything, but all he could offer was a quick nod before he hurried out of the hall.

Sunghoon continued to not show up to mealtimes all throughout the week, and soon enough, Jake and Jay decided to visit him themselves and see what the issue was. Heeseung, having finally come back to sit with them, had caught wind of what was going on too and followed the other two up to Ravenclaw tower, leaving the three youngest at the table.

Anxiety pooled in Sunoo’s gut as he glanced over at the door of the Great Hall, hoping that he’d see them walk in with Sunghoon, even if sitting at the table was awkward. It made sense that Sunghoon might just be coming to eat at odd times like Sunoo had during the break, but then again, it wasn’t totally outlandish to think that he might be skipping meals too.

Looking back, Sunghoon had always been more private about his personal affairs. Despite being sweet and genuine, he was hard to read. Sunoo wished he wasn’t because then he might be able to figure out what Sunghoon had tried to tell him up in the tower.

He startled when he felt Jungwon’s thumb pressing on the crease in his brow. “You’re gonna get wrinkles with all the stress you’re causing yourself,” he chastised softly before putting his hand back down on the table. “They’ll take care of him, Noo. Don’t worry too much.”

Miserably, he laughed. “I wish it was that easy.”

Bumping his shoulder softly, Riki chimed in, “It could be.”

Raising his head, Sunoo looked at Riki incredulously. “There’s no way anything about this situation could be easy. I fucked up, I fell for him for real, and then I went and fucked up some more by kissing him.”

Rolling his eyes, Riki shook his head. “You and Sunghoon make this a lot harder than it has to be, you know that? You guys suck at communicating. Have you even asked him about how he felt? Have you told him how you felt?”

It was embarrassing how logical that sounded, how simple of a solution talking was, and it coming out of Riki’s mouth only made it a harder pill to swallow. Sunoo knew he was right, that they were terrible at talking when it came to their feelings, but it was so much harder in practice. “Would it matter?” He mumbled.

“Of course it matters, Noo. You guys were so close before. You care about each other, and even if you don’t work out romantically, you deserve to have each other as friends,” the Hufflepuff reasoned. “Look, if things don’t turn out the way you’d hoped they would, then you have every right to distance yourself and heal from it, but you don’t even know whether the outcome would be good. You should give it a chance.”

“I don’t even think Sunghoon wants to talk to me at this point,” Sunoo bemoaned, leaning into Jungwon.

Silence washed over them for a few seconds, and it seemed like his two friends were having some sort of silent conversation before Jungwon pushed him off of him. “Have a little faith, Sunoo.” Something about the intonation in Jungwon’s voice sounded odd.

The raven haired boy brushed off the unsettling feeling he had in his chest, hoping he was just being paranoid.

—

After a few days of sitting with only Riki and Jungwon, the older boys presumably off with Sunghoon, K made his return to school.

When he walked into the Great Hall, a deafening hush fell over the students as they watched him walk in like he was some kind of monster. K looked nothing like his normal self. Or at least, what had become normal over the last semester. There were dark bags under his eyes, and he lacked the usual arrogance he walked with. When he sat down, several of the students scooted as far away from him as possible, leaving him alone in a sea of hundreds of students, and yet he said nothing. He just began to eat.

It was odd not seeing Kyungmin by his side, as they usually went everywhere together. He was, after all, one of K’s only real friends.

“Is he… okay?” Jungwon whispered, eyebrows furrowed in what Sunoo could almost consider concern if it wasn’t for the fact that he knew Jungwon held grudges longer than anyone he knew. There was a kid in their first year that had stolen one of his chocolates and he still hated him to this day.

“He looks terrible,” Riki commented nonchalantly, like he was observing the weather. 

Sunoo nudged both of them, “Give him a break. His best friend just got expelled.”

Jungwon rolled his eyes, turning to give Sunoo a deadpan look. “Yeah, probably because of him. You’re too nice Sunoo. Do you not remember all the shit he’s put you through this year?”

Conflicted, he shook his head. “Of course I do Wonnie, but he looks worse for wear. I just… don’t think he got Kyungmin expelled. Something doesn’t feel right.”

Reluctantly, Riki nodded in agreement, his black fringe falling over his eyes. “I kinda agree with Sunoo. He’s an asshole of course, but he definitely doesn’t look good.”

The brunet boy shrugged, turning back around towards the table. “Even so, it’s not really any of our business. It’s not like he’d tell us what happened. And anyway, you’ve got your own problems to worry about Noo. How about we solve those first?” 

Sunoo groaned, “Why did you remind me? All this has taught me is that I’m a shitty, terrible, selfish, completely oblivious asshole.”

“You’re not any of those things, Sunoo,” Riki said exasperatedly.

“Yes I am,” he argued, laying his forehead down on the table. “And anyway, I don’t think there's any way I can fix this.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Sunghoon’s literally been skipping meals to not see me.”

“Okay, so maybe this will take a little more effort than we thought it would, but seriously, you need to try. I’m tired of seeing you moping,” the Hufflepuff relented. “I even miss Sunghoon. He was nice to look at.”

“Jungwon?!” Riki turned to the boy with a horrified look.

He rolled his eyes, waving off the younger Slytherin. “Anyone with eyes and a functioning brain could tell you Sunghoon’s easy on the eyes. Don’t act like you haven’t ogled him a few times.” His words of nonchalance didn’t seem to quell Riki, so Jungwon, though quite shyly, added, “…you’re nice to look at too, Riki.” Sunoo watched as Riki’s ears flushed a deep red

It was strange watching his two best friends flirt right in front of his eyes, but he was also happy for them, even if he was a little jealous. 

Jungwon cleared his throat and looked away, diverting the attention back to their prior conversation. “Just work things out soon, okay?” 

“Easier said than done.” 

“I think you’ll find it a lot easier than you’re making it out to be,” he replied cryptically, and for the second time, Sunoo felt unsettled.

Burning orange broke through the windows of the castle as the sun began to set, bathing the halls in warmth despite the chill that the air still carried. Sunoo followed closely behind Jungwon and Riki, a little breathless at the quick pace they were going. His two friends had all but tackled him in the Great Hall to tell him that Kimmy had, for some reason, escaped from Professor Min’s office (where they’d officially decided to keep her for the time being) and was on the loose somewhere in the school. 

Though it was odd, he figured it was better to be safe than sorry and quickly followed without any questions. They were somewhere on the fourth floor when Jungwon suddenly came to a halt, making Sunoo almost crash into his back. 

“I think I hear something coming from inside there,” Jungwon said as he pointed to a closed classroom door. Sunoo hadn’t heard anything, but when Riki nodded hastily in agreement, he again decided that it wouldn’t hurt just to check. Striding up to the door, he tried the handle, surprised when it opened easily. He peeked his head inside, gazing around the room only to find an empty classroom and no cute little niffler in sight.

“Are you sure you— ah!” Sunoo yelped as he was pushed from behind, looking up in pure shock at the door when it slammed and the lock clicked into place. “What the hell guys?” He yelled, hands diving into his pockets in search of his wand, only to come up empty handed. 

Riki’s apologetic voice came through the door, “Sorry, Noo. You’ll get your wand back once you fix this.”

“Fix what?!” He yelled, banging on the door. “Open the door! This isn’t funny! Is Kimmy even missing?”

He could hear Jungwon sigh along with the rustle of robes. “Kimmy’s fine. She’s still with Professor Min. Sorry for worrying you, but this was the only way.”

“Only way?? What are you talking about?” He asked exasperatedly, banging on the door a little harder.

“You’ll see. Sorry, Noo, we have to go. We’ll come back in a bit!” And he listened, still in shock, as their footsteps grew quieter and quieter and they got farther and farther away. He couldn’t fathom why they’d locked him up in an empty classroom an hour before dinner, but he couldn’t really do much without his wand. He’d have to either wait until they came back or hope that some kind soul would take pity on him and unlock the door so he could go and strangle his best friends. (Not with love, because what the actual hell?)

Every now and then, he’d bang on the door, hoping, praying that someone would come by. And then he finally heard footsteps and voices, slightly muffled by the door but still familiar. Hope soared in his chest as he realized Jay and Jake were coming through the hall.

“I’m not sure. I just heard he was in trouble,” he heard Jay’s deep timbre, less curious about the subject matter and more concerned about being let out.

Loudly, he banged on the door once more, even though his palm hurt from the repeated impact. “Help me! I’m stuck in here!” He called, face as close to the door as possible.

“Sunoo??” He heard another voice say. A different voice. Oh, his luck just couldn’t get any better. He was locked in a classroom by his best friends who’d also conveniently taken his wand, and now Jay and Jake had come by with the one guy he didn’t necessarily want to see at the moment. Well, beggars couldn’t be choosers. 

“Yes, it’s me!” He called loudly, stepping back from the door.

He heard some loud shuffling and Sunghoon murmuring “alohomora” before the lock clicked and the door creaked open. The Ravenclaw stumbled in frantically, eyes landing on Sunoo before asking, “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” Sunoo answered easily. “Why are you so worked up?” He asked, confused as to why Sunghoon looked so stressed.

“Jay and Jake told me you were in trouble and I— woah!” It was like deja vu watching Sunghoon fall forward. The door slammed and the lock clicked, and suddenly Sunoo felt a cold wave of reality sink in as he realized what exactly was going on. Those sneaky little fuckers.

All he heard was a sincere, “Good luck!” from Jake before they too walked away, leaving the two of them locked in a classroom, both wandless and suddenly very awkward.

Silence filled the classroom before Sunghoon let out an uncomfortable cough. “So…”

“Yeah…” Sunoo sighed, sliding down the wall to sit. Sunghoon was already on the floor from where either Jay or Jake had shoved him. Probably Jay. “I’ve had a bad feeling all week with the way Jungwon’s been acting,” Sunoo admitted, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Jay and Jake too. Even Heeseung played into it.”

“Heeseung?” Sunoo raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, he’s the one who told us to check this area.”

Sunoo couldn’t help but snort upon realizing that all of their friends had been involved in this scheme of getting them to talk. “Guess they got us pretty good,” he murmured, pushing a hand through his black hair.

“Guess so.”

Then it fell into stilted silence between them once again, and Sunoo just wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. It was suffocating, the awkward tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. He didn’t want to look at Sunghoon for fear of making eye contact, but he missed seeing him. He missed talking to him, spending time with him, being with him. He missed his presence, and finally, his longing won out and he snuck a glance at the silver haired boy, only to freeze when he realized he was already looking at him. 

How cliché , Sunoo groaned inwardly, and then he looked away. There was no way in hell he’d let his friends off the hook for this. Even the older boys were going to get their asses chewed out for this one.

Sunoo could hear shuffling coming from Sunghoon’s direction as he presumably found part of the wall to lean up against. “How long do you think they’ll leave us in here?” Sunghoon asked quietly.

Truthfully speaking, they most likely wouldn’t be let out for another hour at least if Jungwon and Riki had anything to do with it. He knew what they wanted him to do, but actually doing it? Absolutely terrifying. There were too many ways this could go for him to be comfortable, and a majority of the outcomes weren’t great. “Probably a while,” Sunoo murmured back finally. “You know how they are.”

The silver haired boy hummed as if agreeing, but he said no more. 

Sunoo’s eyes flitted around, looking at anything in the classroom that wasn’t Sunghoon. There were desks shoved haphazardly to the sides, shelves of books covered in thick layers of dust, and even a few cobwebs spun in the highest corners of the room. Two windows let the dying orange light into the room, one near Sunghoon and one to Sunoo’s right, which were the only sources of light in the classroom. If they stayed there too long, the class would be bathed in darkness, only weakly illuminated by the moon. Sunoo wasn’t sure he wanted to be there when night rolled around, but he guessed that wasn’t really up to him.

Despite how hard he tried to think about something else, he knew it was an impossible task with Sunghoon in the same room, so close that if he stood and took a few steps, he’d be directly in front of him. He could reach out and grab his hand and pull him up to eye level, look him in the eyes, see the pretty little moles on Sunghoon’s face.

He could apologize for running away, for defying the unspoken rules of their dynamic, for hurting him even if he didn’t mean to.

But he could confess too. He could bare his heart to Sunghoon and beg, hope, pray that he felt the same. He wasn’t even religious, but he could pray all the same.

He could confess.

He could. He should. But would he? In the back of his mind, he knew that he couldn’t control how Sunghoon felt about him and that telling him was most definitely worth it no matter the outcome. Jungwon and Riki and Jake and Jay and Heeseung had all given him the chance to do so. 

Sunoo spent a good few minutes trying to steel his nerves before he opened his mouth. “Hoon?” He said, even as he continued to look away.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry,” Sunoo said, fiddling with his fingers as anxiety gnawed at his stomach. That wasn’t a good start.

“You’ve already apologized. It's really not necessary,” Sunghoon said flatly.

“I know.” He said, feeling small. 

“Then—”

“But it’s— different this time.”

Silence.

“I’m sorry I ran away. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“… do you even know why I was upset?” Sunghoon asked suddenly.

“Because I kissed you—”

Sunghoon groaned in frustration, “It’s not different this time then. You still don’t know what you’re apologizing for. You just— fill in the blanks yourself and assume you’re right. Sorry doesn’t fix everything, Sunoo.”

He knew that, but that didn’t make it any less hard to fix what he’d broken or own up to his mistakes. And Sunghoon wasn’t necessarily being completely fair either. If Sunoo didn’t know what was wrong, he couldn’t just magically fix it. “Then tell me! Tell me how to fix it,” Sunoo almost begged, finally turning his eyes back to the Ravenclaw boy.

“Fine!” Sunghoon bit back, looking more and more exasperated by the second. “It wasn’t because you kissed me or even that you ran away after. I got upset because you didn’t even consider my feelings in any of this! It was like, you just— just decided on them for me and then reacted accordingly.”

Sunoo sat shocked for a second, processing what Sunghoon had just admitted before hot shame coursed through him as he realized Sunghoon was completely right. He’d been so caught up in his own emotions, his own fears and desires and inhibitions that he hadn’t once stopped to consider that maybe the scenarios that had brewed in his mind might not be the actual outcome. 

Sunoo had selfishly decided Sunghoon’s feelings for him in the hopes that maybe he’d spare his own in the long run, but really, he’d only hurt them both.

Avoiding him, pushing him away. It was a hard pill to swallow knowing that he’d been so unfair to him. 

“And I’m sorry if I did anything wrong,” Sunghoon continued, now staring down at his lap where his hands rested. “I know that I’m at fault too. I just don’t think it warranted the complete shut out I got, you know? I— I liked,” he paused to correct himself, ”I like being around you. It’s always so easy to just exist with you, and then when you started avoiding me, it was just a huge slap to the face.” 

The huge pit of guilt in Sunoo’s stomach grew with each word Sunghoon let slip from his lips. Listening to him, he realized how bad he’d screwed them both over, and it dawned on him that if there was any time to truly make things right, it was there in that moment. Even if Sunghoon rejected him, Sunoo owed it to him to be honest because Sunghoon had been nothing but.

“Sunghoon, I never meant to hurt you,” he started, licking his lips as he gathered his thoughts. “It was selfish of me to run away like that. I know you said that’s not why you were upset, but you have every right if you choose to be. You’ve done nothing wrong, seriously. I’m just,” he reached a hand to pull at his fringe, “I realized something that scared me, and it scared me because I didn’t want to lose you. Merlin, that sounds so fucking cheesy,” Sunoo whined, shaking his head.

Sunghoon shifted where he sat, and when Sunoo looked up, he saw relief coming off of him in roiling waves. “Sunoo, whatever it is, I know it’s not enough to ruin our friendship.”

Friendship. Sunoo gulped, his throat feeling a bit drier, but he carried on nonetheless. He couldn’t stop now when the finish line was so close.

Trying to spell out his feelings for the boy in front of him made him feel unbelievably nervous, palms sweaty and heart pounding so hard within his chest he thought it might burst. His mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton. “Merlin, I hope so,” he laughed nervously. 

“It’s not. It won’t be, I promise.”

Deep breaths. “This is long overdue. I know it is, even if I don’t really know when it started. I kept denying it because it felt wrong, and when we agreed to fake date, it was supposed to be simple.” Obviously, he knew he was being vague, but this was better than not telling him at all. “These last few months of fake dating you were not simple.”

He heard a quiet hitch in Sunghoon’s breath, a sound of waiting and anticipation. 

“I don’t know how I didn’t see it before, but Sunghoon, I think it was inevitable. I like you. I like you so much more than I ever thought I would, not because you’re not easy to like, or even to love, but because that wasn’t my intention.” This was the water behind the cracked dam. This was the match thrown into the forest. This was the inexorable outcome of fake dating Park Sunghoon. Unstoppable, sudden, destructive. Sunoo had gained momentum, and he couldn’t stop now. 

“Sometimes I can’t believe that you even agreed to help me, you know? And liking you wasn’t a sudden thing even if me realizing I liked you was . Liking you was learning how genuine you are, how fully and wholly you love. I’ve never seen someone as thoughtful or as passionate as you when it comes to the people you care about. I got to experience it first hand.” It was almost like he was ranting, so caught up in his confession that he didn’t notice Sunghoon staring at him in disbelief. He didn’t notice him stumbling to his feet and walking unsteadily towards him.

“Liking you is watching you be the best, hardest working quidditch captain that everyone loves. Liking you is knowing that you love the stars just like I do, that your eyes are pretty but they’re the prettiest when you laugh, that your smile gives me butterflies and that you have the prettiest moles I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” the raven haired boy spilled. Even when Sunghoon surprised him by grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet, he couldn’t stop. He finally faced Sunghoon, not even stopping when he saw the tears threatening to fall because he knew all at once what they meant.

“Liking you is realizing that I like spending my time with you, that I want to be with you all the time, even when we’re doing absolutely nothing. Liking you is feeling like I’m on top of the world when you hold my hand, and liking you is knowing that I’d kiss you all the time if you’d let me.” And finally, after what seemed like hours of saying exactly what he’d wanted to say since the Yule Ball, he came to a stop, slightly out of breath but so so light. He’d said his piece. The ball was in Sunghoon’s court now.

The world stopped. The sands of time in their little hourglass no longer fell as Sunghoon held his hand and looked him straight in the eyes. “Sunoo, can I kiss you?”

“ Please .”

Sunghoon’s hand was warm as he slid it delicately under his jaw and tilted his head up just slightly. It was warm as he began to lean down, as he shuffled just a bit closer, and then as his lips finally met Sunoo’s.

The kiss was slow but sweet as Sunoo’s own hands found their way behind Sunghoon’s neck and pulled him just a bit closer. This time, there was no apple cider, and yet it tasted sweeter kissing him. His feelings were out in the open, and he was kissing Sunghoon knowing that the Ravenclaw boy liked him back. That he wasn’t just kissing him out of obligation, but because he actually wanted to.

Hesitancy was nowhere to be found, only raw, unadulterated emotion that had no outlet before. Even though it was their second time kissing, it was really like their first. Sunghoon still smelled like honeysuckle and bergamot, still tasted like that strawberry chapstick he used everyday, and yet, as he flooded his senses, it was an entirely different experience. His touch was more tender, his lips caressed Sunoo’s with more honesty.

It was a kiss with no inhibitions. 

Sunoo practically melted into Sunghoon, heart racing so fast he could barely stand it. Chest to chest with the silver haired boy, he knew he could feel his pounding heart because he could also feel Sunghoon’s, and somehow, that made their kiss that much more intimate. The body was more telling than anything else.

This time, he listened to his impulses and bit lightly as Sunghoon’s bottom lip, making him gasp. Sunoo knew that little gasp would plague his mind for months to come. The sun was beginning to set outside, and the classroom was growing colder by the minute, but it didn’t matter. He’d finally done it.

Sunoo never expected to confess to Sunghoon in an unused classroom that his friends had locked them in, and he surely wasn’t expecting to be kissing Sunghoon like this again, but he was grateful nonetheless. Grateful that his friends cared enough to intervene, that he’d finally been honest, and most importantly, that Sunghoon had accepted his confession. It was more than he’d ever expected, and definitely more than he deserved.

Liking Park Sunghoon was knowing that kissing him was coming home after a long day. Kissing him left him flustered, awestruck, and completely breathless, but it was also one of the most natural things he’d ever do.

When they parted, Sunghoon leaned in over and over again, giving him small pecks that made him burst into giggles before he started leaving them on his cheeks, his forehead, his nose. “Sunoo, I like you too,” he murmured, voice still shaky but eyes more confident than Sunoo had ever seen. “I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” he admitted, leveling his gaze even as the tips of his ears burned red. “But after everything, I thought I’d never get the chance.”

Even though he didn’t want to, he felt his eyes sting with fresh tears, and he laughed wetly. “I’m so stupid,” he murmured defeatedly, wiping at his eyes.

“You are,” Sunghoon agreed easily, to which Sunoo gave him a playful glare. “But it worked itself out eventually, didn’t it?”

“It did,” Sunoo acquiesced easily, nothing but contentment and satisfaction left in his heart. “It really did.” After they went quiet for a second, Sunoo noticed the sounds of shuffling and poorly hushed voices outside the door.

“You think it worked?” A voice that sounded suspiciously like Riki asked.

Another voice chimed in, most likely belonging to Jungwon. “It had to. It always works in all the clichés, right?” 

“This is real life,” Jay’s voice deadpanned.

“Don’t be so pessimistic Jay. Not all of us have the best friends to lovers arc you did,” said a slightly deeper voice. Heeseung for sure.

“Oh fuck off, Seung. You’re literally having your own forbidden romance with Kang Taehyun. Fucking triwizard tournament rivals to secret lovers,” Jay snapped back.

Jake, ever the peacekeeper, quickly intervened. “Quiet, Jongseong. They might hear us.” Too late for that.

Sunoo turned his eyes mischievously away from the door and back to Sunghoon, who was already looking at him like he had a plan formulating in his head. “Should we?” The raven asked.

“Oh we totally should,” Sunghoon said all too happily. And like they hadn’t just been professing their undying like for one another and crying about it too, they hopped into action, ready to get a little revenge on their meddling friends.

“I hate you Park Sunghoon!” Sunoo shouted, trying not to laugh and ruin their fun. Oh, this was going to be a blast.

It was, in fact, too much fun. 

All five of their victims were sulky at dinner and at breakfast the next morning too. Even Jake, who normally was a pretty neutral party, looked rather fed up with the newly established couple.

“I can’t believe you guys!” Jungwon moaned in complaint, uncaring of those around him as he let his head bang loudly on the table.

“You guys started it,” Sunoo shrugged, smiling coyly as he took a bite of eggs (using his left hand because his right was a little preoccupied holding Sunghoon’s left).

“To get you guys to talk!” Jay argued, “if anything, we deserve a thank you and some snacks from Hogsmeade!”

“Yeah, yeah. You shoved us in a classroom and took our wands!” Sunghoon pointed out, looking amused at how genuinely upset all their friends were. “What if we’d been in danger? We wouldn’t have been able to protect ourselves.”

“But you weren’t,” Jay grunted back.

“We had to at least give you a little bit of a hard time. Don’t worry, we’ll treat you guys for helping us. We just wanted a little fun,” Sunoo waved them off nonchalantly.

“Fun is not making us think you hated each other when we literally put you in there to make amends,” Heeseung noted, pushing around the eggs on his plate. His pink hair was sticking up in all directions as he’d quite literally just rolled out of bed to eat (and sulk at Sunghoon and Sunoo some more).

The duo looked at one another before turning to their friends, completely unaffected at all their nagging and complaining. “It was pretty fun for us,” Sunoo giggled.

“We literally came in because we thought you guys were going to rip each other apart,” Jake huffed out, fluffy brown hair bouncing as he shook his head. As caring and genuine as ever, Jake actually made them feel a little guilty. Not enough to be completely apologetic though, of course. He was still a part of their scheme and therefore guilty by association, intentions be damned.

“I’m glad you think Sun and I are convincing actors. Maybe we should—” Sunghoon trailed off as he saw unfriendly looks wash over his friends faces, their eyes suddenly trained on something or someone behind them.

“What’s wrong guys?” Sunghoon asked in confusion, spinning around to investigate the issue himself. 

There, in the flesh, was K, walking straight towards them, and he looked to be in somewhat of a hurry. As he got closer, Sunghoon stood, letting go of Sunoo’s hand in order to properly right himself and turn to face K fully. Sunoo stood with him, arm brushing against his in an act of silent comfort. The students who had come down for breakfast were watching as the Slytherin sixth year approached the two, holding their breaths in anticipation for what would happen next.

When K got closer, Sunoo saw how unkempt he looked. He looked no better than he had when he’d made his return to school, hair undone, deep set bags under his eyes, and an unsure air that wasn’t around him prior to Kyungmin being expelled. At once, he knew he wasn’t coming over to pick a fight.

“What do you want, K?” Sunoo asked, not unkindly, but firm and unyielding.

K stopped walking, looking between him and Sunghoon, and then at their friends behind them, before he looked back at the couple. “I just— I need to talk to you guys.”

“Can’t you say it here?” Sunghoon frowned, not nearly as trusting of him as Sunoo was.

“I would… prefer not to,” K said quietly, “it’s important, and I’d rather tell you two first.” His demeanor genuinely shocked Sunghoon and the rest of their friends, but Sunoo wasn’t that surprised. Something about the way he carried himself now was radically different from before.

Sunghoon looked over at Sunoo next to him, silently asking him what he wanted to do, whether he trusted him enough to follow him, and he simply nodded, as serious as ever. He knew K wouldn’t try anything this time. 

The raven haired boy nodded at K. “Don’t make us regret trusting you. Lead the way.”

After waving goodbye to their friends and promising they’d be fine, they walked hand in hand following K, out of the Great Hall and towards a truth neither of them had anticipated.

Chapter Text

Three pairs of quiet footsteps filled the otherwise silent hall as the couple followed K. The older Slytherin gave no indication of where they were going or what information he needed so desperately to share with them, and Sunoo silently gave Sunghoon’s hand a light tug purely out of anticipation.

They walked a little farther before K stopped in front of a door, unlocking it with a quiet alohomora before letting himself inside. 

Sunoo moved to follow before he felt a pull on his arm. “Are you sure about this?” Sunghoon murmured, giving him a worried look.

He knew why Sunghoon was hesitating. It was obvious that the situation was suspicious, and if K was setting them up, they’d definitely be the ones at a disadvantage. Still, in the back of his mind, a voice told him this was a safe bet. There was something extremely unsettling about Kyungmin’s expulsion, and for some reason, he felt like K was the victim, as much as it pained him to admit. “I trust him this time,” Sunoo said firmly, squeezing Sunghoon’s hand. 

“Then I’ll trust you,” Sunghoon replied easily, showing no further hesitation. Something subtle and warm bloomed inside Sunoo’s chest knowing that Sunghoon had faith in him. He made him feel like he’d follow him to the ends of the earth.

With one last small smile, he turned and followed K into the classroom, Sunghoon’s fingers tightly intertwined with his as he followed suit.

When they came through the door, K was already sitting down in one of the empty seats, leaning forward on his knees as he stared down at the ground. Sunoo noticed that he was fidgeting with his hands. When he looked at K, he no longer saw the arrogant, jealous Slytherin he’d been before. K just looked tired and maybe a little sad. Quietly, Sunghoon shut the door behind them.

They made their way over to two empty seats and got comfortable next to one another as they waited for K to speak, hands never leaving one anothers. Silence blanketed them for a good while, but Sunoo didn’t feel the need to push. He knew K wouldn’t have brought them here if he wasn’t planning on telling them.

They watched as K shifted in his seat, his shirt rustling before he sighed deeply. “I didn’t like you, you know,” he started with, looking up at Sunghoon with tired eyes.

Sunghoon raised a brow. “Couldn’t tell,” he replied quietly, not able to resist.

K didn’t react to the subtle jab, only pulling at his messy fringe before continuing. “I still don’t,” he shrugged, “but that doesn’t mean I ever planned to hurt you. Physically, at least.” Both Sunoo and Sunghoon knew he was talking about the quidditch match. Sunoo vividly remembered watching Sunghoon plummet to the ground and vaguely remembered anything after that. “There are…” K trailed off, looking a bit lost.

Sunoo gave him an encouraging look. 

“Around late September, maybe early October, around when we broke up, I started having these gaps in my memory,” K confessed. Sunoo wasn’t really sure how that pertained to hurting Sunghoon, but memory loss was a very concerning thing. 

“That’s… how does that relate to us?” Sunghoon asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

Shaking his head, the Slytherin sixth year leaned back in his chair, eyes now facing the high ceilings. “At first I thought it was just stress or something, but the gaps started becoming longer, more frequent. Sometimes I’d come to and realize a few days had passed where I didn’t remember anything. And then that happened. I don’t remember that quidditch match at all, no matter how hard I try. I don’t remember knocking you off your broom. Someone else had to tell me what had happened.” K looked like he’d swallowed something sour.

Baffled, Sunoo turned to look at his boyfriend who looked like he understood no more than Sunoo himself. It sounded absolutely ludicrous at first, but still, the more Sunoo thought about K’s past behavior, the more things began to make sense. He remembered the odd way K had been staring at the Ravenclaw team, like he was in some sort of daze. It would also explain why he’d suddenly become more aggressive, more physical, less predictable than when they’d first started dating. Sure, K wasn’t winning any boyfriend of the year awards for his time dating Sunoo, but he certainly hadn’t been the asshole he’d been this past school year. “So… do you remember anything you said to me after the weeks we broke up?” Sunoo asked, genuinely curious about what was intentional and what K didn’t remember.

“Some of it,” K answered truthfully, “but it’s all really fuzzy. I remember feeling frustrated. Confused. I don’t… have any memory of breaking up with you either, if I’m honest.”

Almost imperceptibly, he felt Sunghoon’s hand tense in his, and he made a conscious effort to rub calming circles over his palm with his thumb. Sunoo knew that he’d never even entertain the thought of being in a relationship with K ever again, but it almost felt like closure, knowing that it wasn’t necessarily K’s will to break up. “So what about Kyungmin?” Sunoo asked, eyes wide in curiosity.

He watched K visibly flinch, seemingly deflating at the change in topic. He looked even more exhausted than he had before. “It sounds insane. Sometimes I don’t even believe it,” he shook his head, eyes unseeing. “Nobody else would believe it, and you guys probably won’t either.”

Sunghoon gnawed on his lip. “Maybe. But it's too late to back out now, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so,” he agreed easily. “You’ve heard the rumors. You see the way people react when I’m around. I know everyone thinks I did something to him.” There was a lump in Sunoo’s throat as he listened to K carry on. He sounded distraught, a little in denial like he wished the truth wasn’t the truth. “He was my best friend,” K said dully.

“I know,” Sunoo said quietly. “I know what everyone else says, but Headmaster Park knows what he’s doing. He wouldn’t expel someone without reason.” Even Sunghoon nodded at that.

K dragged a hand down his face, his voice sounding thick even after clearing his throat. “He used the imperius curse on me.”

Cold shock doused him as he processed what K had just said. It was like being dunked in freezing water after spending a whole afternoon baking under the sun. He’d had several perceptions of Kyungmin over the years, and not one had ever been malicious or conniving. Sure, he was a little clingy when it came to K, but he’d never been mean. K was certainly right in saying it was hard to believe. But something in K’s demeanor told Sunoo he wouldn’t just make this up.

“I didn’t believe it either. Headmaster Park had seen my grades dropping and called me in one day. When I told him about my memory loss, how I didn’t remember chunks of my weeks, he said he’d look into it. And then Kyungmin was expelled a month later and I was put into therapy. I don’t really know what to believe anymore.”

All at once, Sunoo felt sad for K. Sure, he’d said horrible things to Sunoo, called Sunghoon a mudblood and even almost killed him, but he couldn’t necessarily hold it against him when those actions weren’t even of his own volition. K’s best friend, practically his only friend all these years, had betrayed him. He’d made him commit horrible acts and hurt other people. Everything K had held close, though not much, had been the very thing hurting him. Sunoo couldn’t imagine the confusion, the hurt, the questions.

But there was still one very important part of the entire story that was missing. 

“Why did he do it?” The raven haired boy asked softly.

“They let me talk to him, you know, before they expelled him and sent him off to wherever,” K said monotonously. “I asked him why, and he told me, no hesitation. He said it was because he loved me.”

Sunoo’s eyes widened, and he heard Sunghoon’s quick intake of breath beside him.

“I didn’t— I never thought about him like that,” the boy admitted. “But he was in love with me, he said. He hated that I was dating someone. That I was dating you. And then he just—did it, I guess. He broke us up and wanted to get revenge on you,” he said, looking at Sunoo before glancing at Sunghoon, “And I guess you were just a means to an end. A way to hurt Sunoo.”

Sunoo worried his lip between his teeth as he watched K fidget in his seat. He could tell he was uncomfortable talking about it, and it probably didn’t help that it was him and Sunghoon listening. Sunoo felt sorry for him, even after everything that had happened. He glanced at Sunghoon, who had an indecipherable look on his face. 

“K—”

“Don’t,” K cut Sunoo off, “I know you feel bad for me. Don’t. I don’t deserve it, I know that. Just because I’m telling you this doesn’t mean I’m going to suddenly be a good person. It doesn’t mean that I like you,” He looked at Sunghoon, “or that I’m not bitter about what happened,” he moved his gaze to Sunoo.

He took a deep breath, standing up and crossing his arms. Like that, he looked the most animated he’d been in weeks. “I’d rather you treat me like the asshole who’s hurt you than someone to pity. So if you want to do anything for me, don’t let this conversation change anything.”

The raven haired boy felt Sunghoon shift beside him as he too stood up. “You’re an asshole, I agree,” Sunghoon said, and Sunoo’s eyes snapped up to look at him in mild horror. “But you still deserve forgiveness. You say you’re not a good person, and maybe you aren’t the best, but the fact that you’re telling us this, the fact that you feel like you still deserve to be punished for something you suffered from too? That tells me you’re not as bad as you think you are.”

K looked speechless, mouth slightly open as he tried to form words, only to press his lips into a thin line and look away. 

“I know you have your pride, but you’re a fucking idiot if you think your feelings aren’t valid. Yeah, you did some terrible things, but you didn’t have control over that,” Sunghoon continued.

The older Slytherin boy let out a weak scoff, “I called you a mudblood way before any of this. Multiple times. If anything, you should hate me the most. I almost killed you.” 

Pushing his silver hair away from his face, he laughed softly, “I never said I liked you. But bad people don’t have to be all bad. You have a conscience. You have emotions. You have a right to feel betrayed and to cope and heal. Don’t be an asshole to yourself too.”

Sunoo only nodded in agreement, knowing he couldn’t add anything more meaningful. Sunghoon had said it almost perfectly, if not a little crass, but with good intentions.

The boy in front of him stood there, looking between the couple, and they could see the cogs turning in his head as he gathered himself and his thoughts. “Thank you,” he decided on, dipping his head. 

“We’re never going to be friends,” Sunoo spoke up. “And that’s okay. But we don’t have to be enemies anymore either.”

It was hesitant, but K finally nodded, and Sunoo couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the edges of his lips. “Truce?” He offered, looking at both Sunghoon and K.

“Truce,” the Ravenclaw agreed seriously.

Arms crossed and eyes tired, K clenched his jaw before speaking. 

“Alright. Truce.”

Moonlight bathed the gray stone of the tower in a ghostly sheen, providing just enough light to make the words of Sunoo’s transfiguration book visible as his eyes skimmed the pages. Quill in hand, he paused in his reading to scratch another line or two into the parchment next to him, positioning him awkwardly for a moment before he sat up and resumed his reading.

The nights had begun to warm up as March came into full swing, and Sunoo could now sit comfortably on the stone ledge of the window without shivering limbs and chattering teeth. He basked in the quiet and the beauty, entranced by the night sky as he always was. Endless stars, endless sky, endless beauty. Sunoo thought that he could stare at the sky forever. Get lost among the bright lights in the sky and never want to be found.

So absorbed in his thoughts, he didn’t hear soft footsteps as they ascended the stairs and got louder.

“I thought I might find you here.”

Sunoo startled, eyes snapping to the entryway of the astronomy tower only to sigh in relief when he just saw his boyfriend, messy silver hair atop his head and a sleepy but playful smile on his face. His pajamas were silky, royal blue in color and slightly loose on his frame. 

“It’s late, you know,” the Ravenclaw added on, shuffling over to Sunoo in his slippers.

Fondly, Sunoo rolled his eyes, “I know. I’m just doing some early studying and test prep. Our OWL’s are coming in a couple weeks, you know.”

Sunghoon shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips, “I know. I prefer to do my studying during the day though, not at ungodly times of night.” When he reached the window, he climbed up, albeit a little clumsy as he fought off sleep.

“Well aren’t you so responsible,” Sunoo quipped, nudging Sunghoon’s leg with his foot once he was situated in front of him.

“You could say that,” Sunghoon said, “But I’m also up late chasing my boyfriend around the school because he’s been too busy studying for finals to spend time with me.” Sunoo could see Sunghoon’s pout, even with a majority of his face covered in darkness, hair glowing white like a halo around his head.

“You’re so clingy, Hoon. I just saw you two days ago. And a few days before that. And practically everyday before that since we started dating,” Sunoo giggled, a pale hand covering his mouth. He tried to keep his eyes focused on his book, wanting to finish the chapter he was on. He only had a few more pages to go after all. 

Sunghoon groaned, and Sunoo could tell he was frowning at him, even when he wasn’t looking at him. “You think only seeing you twice in the past week is enough for me?” Sunghoon complained. “Who do you take me for?”

“Oh come on, love,” the raven haired sighed, “It’s only until exams are over. Then we can spend more time together. Plus, you have the last quidditch game of the year coming up very soon. Shouldn’t you be preparing for that?” Sunoo asked, eyes glancing down at his paper as he once again scribbled down another study point.

Sunghoon didn’t reply for a moment, surprising Sunoo when he spoke up. “Call me that again.”

“Huh?” The Slytherin raised a brow, looking up at his boyfriend.

“Call me that again, please,” he said.

“Love?”

A dopey look clouded Sunghoon’s eyes as he stared at Sunoo. Sunoo felt his cheeks color a little, and he quickly waved him off, “You’re avoiding my question!”

“I have been preparing…” Sunghoon defended himself, “But that doesn’t mean I won’t make time to see you. I miss you.” He crossed his arms petulantly.

Sunoo could feel the tugs at his heartstrings, and so he finally closed his book and set it down on the parchment along with his quill with a little sigh. He knew he wasn’t going to get anymore studying done, but maybe that was a blessing in disguise. It was pretty late after all. “I’m sorry, Hoon. I’m not trying to avoid you. I always get like this around exam time, but I shouldn’t make you feel like you’re not a priority.” He maneuvered himself to face outside and hung his legs off the ledge of the window, patting the spot beside him, which Sunghoon quickly moved to fill.

As soon as Sunghoon was situated, Sunoo scooted closer and rested his head on his shoulder. “I missed you too, you know? I miss you all the time, even when you think I’m avoiding you,” he admitted bashfully, reaching for Sunghoon’s hand and intertwining their fingers.

Sunghoon settled his cheek on the crown of Sunoo’s head. They were quiet for a minute before he could feel the Ravenclaw slightly shake his head against him. “I’m just— being childish. Don’t feel bad,” Sunghoon laughed, thumb rubbing on the back of Sunoo’s hand. “You should prioritize your studies. I’m just a little selfish when it comes to you. I… have been for a while now.”

As the words sunk in, Sunoo furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”

Sunghoon lifted his head and shifted a bit to face Sunoo, and Sunoo picked up his head too, looking Sunghoon in the eyes as he waited. “Ah, uhm— it’s so embarrassing,” Sunghoon sighed, biting his cheek. “But I did promise I’d tell you after the Yule Ball.”

“Tell me wh—” Sunoo paused, remembering what Sunghoon had said when they’d made their deal all those months ago.

“Go with me to the Yule Ball?” 

“But… why?”

 “It’s kind of embarrassing.”

 “I’m sure it’s not.”

 “Could I tell you the night of the Yule Ball?”

As he mulled over the memory, things began to click into place, and his eyes grew wide as he looked at Sunghoon. “You…”

“I… have been for a while now.”

“You’re lying,” Sunoo said incredulously, lightly jabbing at his chest. His tone wasn’t accusatory, just shocked. “There’s no way!”

Sunghoon narrowed his eyes a little, “No way? Why?”

“Why would you like me back then? You didn’t even know me! And I was with K before that!” Sunoo gasped as Sunghoon practically confirmed his suspicions.

Raising a brow, Sunghoon let out a snort despite the red dusting his cheeks, “Sunoo, I liked you before you ever dated him. I’ve liked you since the start of my fourth year.”

“You what ?!” Sunoo practically shrieked. “How? We’d never even really talked before!”

“I thought you were pretty,” Sunghoon admitted, coughing in embarrassment, “And you were really kind. I’ve seen you care for Jungwon and Riki for years, and you helped Hanbin that one time when he’d lost his dad’s last letter to him and you didn’t even know him. You’re always there for everyone who needs help. You don’t even remember, but you helped me once too. When my mom’s camera broke back in third year.” 

Sunoo sat there trying to remember what Sunghoon was talking about, and suddenly, it hit him.

He’d snuck up to the astronomy tower that night, excited to see the stars when suddenly, he heard crying. 

Racing up the last dozen, he stopped short when he saw a boy on the ground, sobbing and holding the broken pieces of some device. 

“Are you okay?” He asked, slowly stepping towards him and into the moonlight.

“It’s broken,” was all the boy said, distraught and borderline hysterical.

“What is it?” Sunoo asked.

The boy didn’t say anything, only holding up the broken pieces sadly. 

Sunoo studied it for a moment, mind trying to come up with some kind of solution. He hated seeing people cry. The only issue was that he didn’t know what it was. Still, there was always a solution. He just needed to find it while trying to calm the crying boy down.

“I’m sure it’s important if it has you upset like this,” Sunoo said softly, covering the rest of the distance and squatting down beside the crying boy. His eyes were all puffy and his cheeks were red. Sunoo couldn’t see any other features very well with the way the light fell.

“I’m sure there’s a way to fix this,” Sunoo comforted, hugging his knees to his chest as he squatted. “May I see it?”

The boy hesitantly nodded, handing him the broken pieces as he sniffled. 

Sunoo studied the pieces in his hand, trying to recall the mending charm his sister had taught him. She was always good at charms, and Sunoo was a clumsy kid, so it was a pretty common spell used around him. “Do you know the mending charm?” He asked him.

The boy replied with a watery, “I forgot.” He punctuated it with another sniffle.

“Ah, that’s okay. There’s a lot of charms, so it’s understandable to forget, especially if you don’t use it often. I think I remember it,” he said, pulling out his wand from his pajama pocket.

Gently, he set the pieces of whatever device it was on the floor, taking a deep breath before narrowing his eyes in concentration.

He cleared his throat, positioning his hand before firmly saying, “ Reparo !” 

And as if it’d never even been broken, the pieces were back together and whole, scratchless and pristine as it had, assumably, been before. When he looked up, the boy was staring at him wide eyed, tears drying up as seconds passed.

“Does it work?” He asked in a small voice, reaching for the little device and running his hands over it as if to make sure it was truly fixed.

“What is it?” Sunoo asked, staring at it.

“A camera,” he replied simply.

“I’ve never seen one like that,” Sunoo commented, eyes wide with wonder.

“It’s a muggle camera.”

His lips made an ‘O’ shape, even more fascinated than before. “Maybe try it out?” Sunoo suggested. “You can take a picture of me if you want!”

The boy stared at him, but he eventually nodded. Sunoo stood, visible in the moonlight as the boy put the device to his eye and pushed a button. Sunoo smiled, and a bright light flashed from the front before he lowered it once more to look at the back of it.

“I’ve heard the pictures muggle cameras take don’t move. Is that true? Can I see?” Sunoo asked, sidling up beside the boy to look. When he looked, the picture was indeed still, and Sunoo marveled. “That’s so cool!” He said. 

“Thank you,” the other boy replied quietly.

“Yeah of course! It’s always cool to learn new—”

“No, I mean thank you for fixing this,” he corrected.

A bright smile lit up Sunoo’s face, “Oh! It was no big deal. I’m glad I could. It seems important.”

“It is,” he confirmed with a small nod.

“I hope it’ll be okay now,” Sunoo said sincerely, attempting to say more before he was interrupted with a yawn. “Sorry!” He apologized quickly, “I’m tired. I think I’m gonna go, but it was nice meeting you! Take care of your camera!”

“Bye,” the other boy waved, face still covered in darkness. “And thank you again.”

And with a quick wave, he left, completely forgetting to ask the boy’s name.

Sunoo had completely forgotten about that night. He’d been tired, and he hadn’t even gotten a good look at the other boy’s face. After a few days, he’d pretty much forgotten all about it.

Now, years later, it felt like he’d been let in on the biggest secret in the world. Sunghoon had liked him for years, all because he’d fixed his camera one night in the astronomy tower three years ago. Disbelief coursed through him as he thought back to when Sunghoon had told him about his mother for the first time. Everything happens for a reason, Sunoo supposed

The camera didn’t seem to have any scratches, dents, or any kind of sustained damage, so he knew Sunghoon took care of it really well. “It looks like it’s in really good condition.”

Silver hair fell over his eyes as he nodded and he pushed it back. “I don’t use it much. I just look through some of the photos my mom took every now and then. I don’t want to break it.”

“I can’t believe that was you,” Sunoo uttered in disbelief.

“Yeah. Some stupid third year who’d knocked his camera off the ledge, wouldn’t stop crying, and didn’t know how to use Reparo even though it was taught in first year. That was me,” Sunghoon shook his head in faux disappointment. 

Sunoo laughed, shoving his shoulder, “It was your mom’s camera. I think you had the right to cry. I can’t say much about the charm though…”

“And now you’re teasing me,” Sunghoon shook his head. “I’m hurt.”

“Oh shut up,” Sunoo rolled his eyes, the look in his eyes a little too fond to be serious. “It’s just insane how everything came full circle. How we ended up together after everything.”

Sunghoon smiled, so tender it made Sunoo’s heart beat faster, “If only you knew. I still can’t believe it all worked out.

“I’m glad it did, Hoon. Really glad, actually,” the Slytherin said genuinely, easily, lovingly. 

Like deja vu, he was face to face with Sunghoon again. Fate had led him to Sunghoon countless times (even the ones he didn’t remember), in the astronomy tower, under the stars, and illuminated by the moon. He’d traced the constellations in the sky too many times, sang his love for astronomy and space his entire life, stared out into the endless sky dotted with light as he dreamt about what kind of future he would have.

The night sky had been a constant during Sunoo’s time at Hogwarts, as he returned again and again to the comfort of burning gas and stardust. It harbored secrets he told no one else, celebrated his triumphs, and comforted him through failure. And after all of his late nights, even though he hadn’t realized it, it had given him something in return for his adoration and dedication.

Like destiny, he was face to face with Sunghoon again. He’d traced the constellations of moles on Sunghoon’s face so many times, sang his love for him like he’d loved him his whole life, and stared at him when he was studying, playing quidditch, and talking with their friends, wondering what kind of future they would have together.

It was ridiculously sappy, embarrassingly so even, but it was how Sunoo felt. Like they were destined to meet each other. 

“Hey Hoon?” Sunoo mumbled, eyes no longer wandering his face and instead looking into Sunghoon’s.

“Yeah Noo?” He stared right back.

“Have I ever told you how pretty your moles are?” 

Sunghoon’s cheeks flushed, a small smile on his lips as he replied. “No, but I do see you staring at my face sometimes. Now I know why,” he said cheekily.

Sunoo hummed, not phased by his teasing. Instead, he cleared his throat and held onto Sunghoon’s hand a little tighter. Something welled up in his throat, loud, uninhibited, passionate.

It was there before he ever thought about saying it, before he even realized what it was. It was there in every fond gaze, every shared kiss, and every memory they made together. It was there at that moment, and Sunoo couldn’t ignore it.

“I love you, Sunghoon.”

Shock electrified every cell of Sunoo’s body as those words left his lips and dissolved into the breeze, and it looked like Sunghoon was no better. Time stopped for a moment as they came to understand the moment for what it was and then what it could be .

“Sunoo, can I kiss you?”

And Sunoo didn’t waste a second more before leaning in and letting himself get lost in the feeling of Sunghoon’s lips on his because it was no longer what the moment could be, but what it had become.

Hogwarts was buzzing with anticipation as the last quidditch match of the year crept closer. It would be Ravenclaw against Gryffindor, and everyone was excited about the matchup. Lee Heeseung versus Park Sunghoon, two of the school’s best quidditch players. 

Sunghoon was, understandably, a bit nervous. One, because he hadn’t had the best past experiences with quidditch this year, and two, because Heeseung was really talented, and he ran a tight ship. This game would decide who won the Quidditch Cup, as Ravenclaw and Gryffindor had both remained undefeated. Therefore, Sunghoon trained hard, drilling and brainstorming tactics and drilling some more. 

On the flip side, Heeseung was not only preparing for the upcoming quidditch match but for the last triwizard tournament challenge, which would take place in early June. He wasn’t too nervous considering he already had a win under his belt from the first challenge, but he’d lost the second one to Taehyun (fair and square despite all of the speculation about him using his Veela powers to seduce Heeseung), so he wasn’t guaranteed a win. 

All things considered though, it was probably a safe bet to assume that he wouldn’t be too upset if he lost to Taehyun. 

After being cooped up in the library for a majority of the morning, Sunoo decided to finally pack up and head down to the Great Hall for lunch. He stretched as he stood, stiff from sitting for so long, and gathered the books he’d been using to study to shove them haphazardly in his bookbag. The librarian hadn’t been too happy with how many books Sunoo had checked out, but he had a good reputation and had never given her a reason to distrust him, so she said nothing to him.

He had classes after lunch, but he’d had a free morning due to some of his classes allotting time for self-study, so he’d taken advantage of it.

He descended the stairs quickly, stopping only once to watch the staircases shift because it still amazed him, even after being at Hogwarts for five years. Reaching the bottom, he headed towards the Great Hall, stopping short when he heard someone calling his name.

“Sunoo!” A boy called, fast footsteps accompanying him.

When he turned around, he saw Hanbin hurrying towards him, orange hair windswept and robes slightly wrinkled. “Hanbin? Are you alright?” Sunoo asked, looking around a bit to try and gain some context. 

Hanbin was a little out of breath, but he nodded quickly, reaching a hand up to try and smooth down his flyaways. “I’m fine! Just been busy this morning.”

Smiling, Sunoo felt relieved, “Ah, that’s good then. I thought something was wrong.”

“Well, that’s the thing. I’m fine, but I’m worried about Sunghoon,” Hanbin corrected.

Worry spiked in his chest once more. “Sunghoon? Did something bad happen? Is he hurt?” Sunoo couldn’t help himself from rapid firing questions Hanbin’s way, ignoring the ache in his shoulder from the weight of his bookbag.

“He’s fine. Physically, anyway. But he’s been really worked up lately. Practices are running later, which is understandable since this game is pretty important, but then he stays over by himself. He hasn’t left the pitch with us in weeks, and I’m worried he’s wearing himself out,” the Ravenclaw explained, shifting from foot to foot anxiously. His eyes had grown large with worry, and Sunoo could tell it was more serious than just a few late practices. “We’ve tried telling him to take it easy, but he’s just not listening, so—” Hanbin looked at him hopefully, “We were thinking maybe you could get through to him.”

Sighing deeply, the Slytherin bit his lip before nodding. “I can try. Thank you for telling me, Bin,” Sunoo said gratefully, giving him a small smile. “I’ll talk some sense into your captain, so don’t worry too much. He’s just nervous.” Since their conversation in the astronomy tower, Sunghoon’s definitely become busier with quidditch, which Sunoo found no problem with. Unless, of course, he was overworking himself, and that most definitely changed things.

Hanbin’s shoulder’s visibly sagged. “Thank you, Sunoo.”

“Speaking of which, have you seen him today?” Sunoo asked. “I’ve been in the library all morning.”

“About that,” Hanbin said tiredly, “I’m pretty sure I passed him in the hall a little bit ago. He had his broom with him…” 

Pursing his lips, Sunoo shook his head. “Of course. Well, I’ll see you later then. Enjoy your lunch!” He called, already headed towards the pitch. 

It didn’t take too long for him to get to the quidditch stadium, his vision filled with tall wooden supports, colorful flags, and a clear blue sky. Stepping into the entrance, he set his bag against the wall and then walked out onto the green grass, gaze raised upward in search of his boyfriend. 

He had to squint against the sun a little, but there was no mistaking the small figure in the sky, blue robes billowing behind him as he chased what Sunoo assumed was the snitch. He clicked his tongue and placed his hands on his hips, knowing there was little to no chance Sunghoon would see or hear him from that high up, at least by normal means.

Deft fingers reached for his wand, wrapping around pearwood as he quickly pulled it out and pressed the tip against his neck. “Sonorous,” he said softly, resisting the urge to clear his throat as he felt the magic tingle around his vocal chords

“Park Sunghoon!” he called, voice echoing loudly around the empty stadium. He waited as the Ravenclaw came full stop in midair, watching the confused turns of his head as Sunghoon looked for the source of the voice. “Look down.” He prompted further.

Once he caught sight of Sunoo standing on the pitch, it didn’t take him long before he was racing down to him, getting closer and closer until Sunoo could see his windswept hair clearly. He stopped abruptly before him, broom lowering until his feet could touch the ground, and then he was standing before him, broom in hand and a confused (albeit happy) look on his face. “What are you doing here, Noo?”

Sunoo removed the charm and crossed his arms, putting a disapproving look on his face, “I should be asking you that. A little birdie told me you’ve been overworking yourself lately.”

Sunghoon’s mouth opened and closed a few times before he ultimately decided to stay quiet.

“It’s lunchtime, Hoon. You should be eating, not chasing around the snitch. That’s what afterschool practice is for,” Sunoo scolded gently.

His boyfriend stared at him like a kicked puppy. “It was just a little extra practice…”

“Staying after an already late practice and skipping lunch is a little extra ?” Sunoo asked with a raised brow. 

“It’s the last game of the season. We’re playing for the quidditch cup…” Sunghoon looked genuinely remorseful, and Sunoo didn’t want to kick him while he was down. He just wanted to remind him to take care of himself. 

“Hoon, I’m not saying that extra practice is bad. I’m just trying to remind you that above everything, you come first. You need to be healthy if you want to do well, and you can’t do that if you’re overworked and starving. Even your teammates are worried about you,” he said softly, coming closer to grab his free hand gently. 

A deep sigh left Sunghoon’s lips as he closed his eyes, “You’re right. I’m just nervous, and I feel like there's a lot of pressure this time around. I didn’t mean to worry you or the other guys.”

“Don’t apologize. There’s a lot at stake here,” Sunoo replied. “It’s okay to be nervous. You just need a better way to cope with it.” Sunghoon squeezed his hand gratefully, a small smile on his lips.

“Thanks, Sunoo,” he breathed. 

“Of course. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t help you?” he teased, giggling as his boyfriend nudged his shoulder. “How about we eat lunch and brainstorm ways to help with your nerves?” he suggested.

Sunghoon agreed with no hesitation, already ready to head to the locker room so he could change and grab his stuff when Sunoo put a hand out on Sunghoon’s chest to stop him in his tracks. “I hope I’m not being too presumptuous, but I think there’s something you’re forgetting.”

“What do you– Oh shit, the snitch!” Sunghoon said in a panic, immediately mounting his broom. “I’ll be quick, I promise.” And then he kicked off, once again soaring through the air. 

“Good luck!” Sunoo called after him quickly, not able to contain the fond grin that played on his lips. He watched attentively as Sunghoon cut through the air with precision fitting for his role of team captain.

Sunoo knew the snitch was a tricky object, enchanted for the sole reason to evade and challenge those who sought it. He stayed there, content to stand and wait for Sunghoon, even if it bled into his lunch time.

Deep down, though, he knew he wouldn’t have to. Something in the air told him Sunghoon would come through. He always did.

Two days passed faster than anticipated, and before they knew it, it was game day. Nerves were high for both teams as they made last minute adjustments and mentally prepared for the game to come. 

Truth be told, Sunoo was feeling it too. The anticipation. The pressure. Of course, he wouldn’t be hundreds of feet up in the air, but Sunghoon would be, and there was still a mental image lagging behind. Still a fear that history might repeat itself, even if it was irrational. 

Sunoo took a deep breath as he pushed that thought from his mind and wrapped Sunghoon’s tie around his bicep. The air was warm now that it was May, and it was too hot to wear Sunghoon’s scarf, so he opted for something small. 

He quickly closed his trunk and grabbed his bag, hoping to get to the field before Ravenclaw started warming up. Paying little attention to his surroundings as he hurriedly left, he ended up bumping shoulders with someone. “Ah, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention and— K?” Sunoo paused in his apology as he realized who he’d run into. 

“Sunoo,” K returned stiffly. “Headed to the pitch?”

Sunoo tried to conceal his surprise at the question and hummed in confirmation. “I wanted to see Sunghoon before he started warming up,” he explained casually. “Are you coming to watch?” 

K pursed his lips, letting out a quiet laugh, “I don’t think I should.”

Rolling his eyes, Sunoo crossed his arms. “If you think Sunghoon would be upset about you showing up or something, you’re fine. He’s moved on, and so have I.”

A heavy sigh left the older’s lips as he shifted in his spot. “I know that. I’m just… adjusting. I just don’t feel comfortable going.”

Sunoo stood for a minute before nodding in understanding. “Okay, if you’re sure. I just didn’t want me or Sunghoon to be the reason you felt you couldn’t go. Enjoy your day then. I have to get going if I want to try and catch him before warm ups,” he said, giving a small wave. He turned to leave, almost out of the door when K called after him.

“Yeah?” Sunoo paused, turning back to look at him.

“Tell him I said good luck.”

A small smile formed on his lips. “I will.”

The trip from the dungeons to the pitch didn’t take terribly long, climbing a flight of stairs and traversing a long hallway before making his way outside. The air was warm, and the sky was blue, not a cloud in sight, and he could see people scattered around the castle grounds. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the weather, grouped up with friends or alone reading or studying. Sunoo hoped that the good weather meant a good match to come. 

A breeze ruffled his hair as he got close to the quidditch pitch, and he pushed it out of his eyes before walking under the familiar entryway. Eyes searching the grassy field, he saw a familiar head of silver hair among a group of other players, clearly talking to the group as a whole.

They had yet to change into their quidditch gear, and Sunoo sighed in relief, knowing he’d made it on time. Not wanting to interrupt their group, whatever they were discussing, Sunoo leaned against the wall, admiring his boyfriend’s side profile from afar.

He looked comfortable despite addressing such a large group, arms in motion as he continued to talk to his team. Every now and then, he’d pause to answer questions or clarify earlier instructions until he moved forward and put a hand down. The rest of the Ravenclaw team quickly joined in, stacking their hands before Sunghoon counted them off and they broke out.

Sunoo could see just how much Sunghoon’s team respected him, not just as captain, but as a friend too. They all began making their way to the locker room, cutting jokes and discussing game tactics when Hanbin caught sight of Sunoo at the entrance. With a small wave and a thumbs up, he turned to Sunghoon, spinning him by the shoulders and pushing him in Sunoo’s direction with a teasing smile.

When he turned, Sunghoon looked confused before he saw Sunoo standing by the entrance, and suddenly, his eyes lit up and he jogged over. 

“What are you doing here? There’s still a couple hours before the game starts,” Sunghoon asked, though not unkindly. He looked more than happy that Sunoo was there.

“Well, since it worked pretty well last time, I thought maybe we could make a tradition out of this,” Sunoo replied, pulling Jake’s MP3 player out of his bag and holding it up.

Sunghoon looked slightly surprised, but a large grin split his lips and he chuckled. “A tradition?”

“Yes, a tradition. To help with your nerves. And for good luck, of course,” Sunoo replied easily.

“Of course,” Sunghoon parroted. “Well, if it’s with you, no matter what the tradition, I’ll enjoy it.”

“Cheesy, Park,” the Slytherin shook his head in faux disappointment, lightly hitting his chest. “C’mon. We need to have you back in time to warm up, captain.” Sunoo took Sunghoon’s hand with his free one, pulling him out of the stadium with no resistance and to the place they’d sat last time.

As Sunghoon took a seat beside him and took one of the earbuds with delicate fingers, Sunoo got a rush of deja vu. Music began flowing from each earbud, and there he was, sitting next to Sunghoon. A different season, a different time, a different relationship, and yet it was still them. Still quidditch captain Sunghoon who got nervous before games, still supportive Sunoo who wanted to help him with those nerves (who just so happened to be his real boyfriend this time).

Still pretty Sunghoon with his toothy smiles, perfect moles, and love for music. Still kind Sunghoon who was passionate and hard working and impossible to not love. 

Sunoo remembered thinking about how lucky Sunghoon’s future partner would be, how in denial he was. But here he sat, the very person he’d been envious of all those months ago. He wanted to laugh at the irony of it all.

“Is that my tie?” Sunghoon asked with a raised brow, breaking Sunoo’s train of thought. He looked down at his bicep, the blue tie more vivid in the sunlight, and he coughed awkwardly.

“I stole it yesterday before I left your room. It’s too hot to wear your scarf, so I improvised.” Sunoo ignored the way the tips of his ears burned, trying his best to sound nonchalant. The way Sunghoon was grinning at him told him he was most likely doing a poor job of it, though.

“You’re so cute, Noo,” Sunghoon cooed, nudging Sunoo’s foot with his own.

Sunoo shoved him away lightly, embarrassment spreading through his body like wildfire. “Shut up.”

Instead of trying to tease him more, Sunghoon let him be, an impossibly fond look in his eyes as he went back to listening to the music, and Sunoo silently thanked whatever gods or higher power had intervened.

If you be the cash

I'll be the rubber band

You be the match

I will be a fuse, boom

Sunoo stared off into the distance as he listened to the lyrics. The song was soft, slow, pretty. He liked the lyrics too, listening closely as the song continued on.

Painter baby, you could be the muse

I'm the reporter baby, you could be the news

'Cause you're the cigarette and I'm the smoker

We raise a bet, cause you're the joker

“I used to listen to this song a lot too. It was one of my mom’s favorites,” Sunghoon said offhandedly, swaying to the music. “I always thought it was pretty. And the lyrics are so— romantic, I guess.”

Checked off, you are a chalk

And I can be the blackboard

You could be the talk

And I could be the walk

Romantic was definitely the way Sunoo interpreted it. Even if it wasn’t romantic in a relationship sense, Sunoo could see it as fate, like soulmates or twin flames, the romanticism of human connection. One person completing another person, the perfect duo, two people who were destined to find each other and be in each other's lives.

Even when the sky comes falling

Even when the sun don't shine

I got faith in you and I

So put your pretty little hand in mine

Sunghoon tugged on his hand, mouthing the lyrics to him, and Sunoo couldn’t help rolling his eyes at how cheesy he was. He ignored the fast beating of his heart, shaking his head as he looked away.

Even when we're down to the wire baby

Even when it's do or die

We could do it baby, simple and plain

'Cause this love is a sure thing

After everything they’d been through, they’d ended with each other. No matter how silly the fake dating plan had been, no matter how badly they’d miscommunicated, no matter how many things had gone wrong, it still ended with them. 

With us , Sunoo thought. Sunghoon’s cheesiness seemed to be rubbing off on him too.

Still refusing to look Sunghoon in the eye, Sunoo leaned his head on Sunghoon’s shoulder, feeling the subtle movements of his boyfriend breathing. This moment would never return, even if they sat in the same spot in the same clothes listening to the same song. They would grow, change, love different, but Sunoo knew that whatever happened, he’d remember little moments like this fondly.

Time passed, and the MP3 player shuffled through its library as different songs faded in and out. Sunoo made sure to mention K’s good luck wish, which Sunghoon seemed surprised with, but not upset at. Soon enough, Sunghoon had to return to his team, kissing Sunoo softly on the forehead before running off to the locker room like a madman. (If Sunoo had to lay on the ground and recover, that was no one's business but his own.)

Up in the stands, Jay and Jake joined him first, both with a Gryffindor flag and a Ravenclaw flag to support their friends. Jungwon and Riki showed up soon after, empty handed but ready to cheer and support nonetheless. The stands were crowded, colored in the royal blues of Ravenclaw and the fiery reds of Gryffindor. The stands were more crowded than usual, many people excited to see who’d remain undefeated and win the Quidditch Cup.

The loud buzz of conversation only grew in volume as more and more people filed in, Sunoo being squished between Jake and Jungwon. 

He craned his neck a little, watching as the two teams continued to warm up. Just like last time, they each ran through their drills, some small groups formed to work on specific things. Sunghoon was speaking to another team member, expression serious as he spoke.

Heeseung was in a similar position, with one of the smaller groups his team had split into. He seemed to be explaining positions in a play as he pointed to different positions on the field.

Excitement steadily rose as the time for the game to start crept closer. Sunoo could feel the anxiety in his throat. Jungwon nudged his shoulder, a look of concern in his eyes. “You look tense. You alright?”

“Just nervous for Sunghoon,” Sunoo admitted, not looking away from the field.

“He’ll be okay, Noo. He’s safe,” Jungwon comforted quietly. Sunoo was thankful Jungwon understood, reaching for his hand and squeezing in thanks.

Minutes passed and the two teams disappeared into the locker rooms, emerging a bit later to make a lap around the stadium and then get into their starting positions. 

Beomgyu’s familiar voice boomed over the noise of the crowd, making consistent buzz fade out. “Welcome back guys! Good weather today, right? Perfect for the last game of the season! Today’s match up features Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, both teams undefeated until now. We have captain Park Sunghoon from Ravenclaw and captain Lee Heeseung from Gryffindor! We can look forward to a very intense match this afternoon.”

Sunoo watched as Sunghoon moved to the center along with Heeseung, ready to shake hands and start the game. “The players take their positions as Professor Jang comes onto the field, looking stern as always,” Beomgyu commented. Jang didn’t even bother looking up anymore.

The chest lay in the middle as always, and Jang stood directly in front of it. She then looked up, eyeing each of the captains before speaking, the volume of her voice being enhanced once again. “As always gentlemen, I want a clean game. Good luck to you both,” she said firmly, nodding to each of them, which they returned respectfully.

“As always, the snitch is worth 150 points, and when caught, the game will end! Not that I expect that to be any time soon. I hope you all went to the bathroom before this,” Beomgyu said offhandedly, ducking to avoid Professor Min’s flying hand. “I’m getting good at this!”

She deftly released the latches on the snitch and bludgers, watching them take off before picking up the quaffle. 

Like all the other times, the quaffle was tossed up in the middle, and the match began. “The quaffle is up!” The Gryffindor announced. “Gryffindor’s Lee Heeseung grabs it first, living up to his position as captain!”

Heeseung’s hair whipped around wildly as he flew through the air with the quaffle in his arms, deftly passing it ahead to a tall blonde haired boy. “Lee passes it to chaser Park Seongwha. Yoon Keeho makes a move to steal the quaffle but just barely misses! Better luck next time buddy.” If Sunoo saw it right, Keeho had flipped Beomgyu off, making him snort.

Sunoo watched as Seongwha weaved through other Ravenclaw defenders, getting all the way to the goals before failing to score against Jihyo. “Park Jihyo stops Gryffindor from scoring! What a save! Ravenclaw chaser Moon Hyungseo is now in possession of the quaffle. He passes it up to Hanbin.”

Sunoo moves his gaze upward, forgoing watching the game for a bit to search for Sunghoon. The clear blue sky made it easy to spot Sunghoon, who was quite a bit higher than his teammates but level with Gryffindor’s seeker. Sunoo couldn’t tell who it was. Sunghoon was slowly moving through the air, eyes sharp as he searched for the evasive little golden ball, and the other seeker seemed to be more focused on Sunghoon rather than finding the snitch himself.

Sunoo knew it’d probably be a while before anything happened, so he looked back down, jumping when the crowd around him erupted in cheers. “Keeho scores, redeeming his lousy defense from earlier! Don’t look at me like that,” Beomgyu protested, “It’s true!”

The game, much like the Slytherin versus Ravenclaw game, was a lot of back and forth. The keepers for both teams were performing exceptionally well this game, and the scores hadn’t gotten much higher despite the fact that it had been more than an hour. Beomgyu had checked on the seekers during that time, finding no more progress than Sunoo had.

“Both of the seekers seem to be at a standstill. Like I said, it’s going to be a long game!”

The thing was, Beomgyu was right. He just hadn’t anticipated how right he was going to be. The match stretched on with no visible end. Play slowed down and a couple substitutions were made for each team. Two hours became three and three became four. At some point, both teams used a time out.

The crowd had become quieter too, not much activity going on for them to shout about or celebrate. Most of them had tired themselves out. “Merlin, I didn’t think it’d be this boring,” Beomgyu bemoaned before letting out a large yawn. “Oh, Lee Heeseung scores again, tying the scores up once more,” he says unexcitedly, his dull tone not even incurring the wrath of Professor Min who’d gotten a little sleepy.

Sunoo chewed nervously at his lip, knowing both teams were getting tired. Sunghoon was still floating high in the sky, moving only a little faster than he had been earlier. 

And then he saw it. Gryffindor’s seeker flying at breakneck speed past Sunghoon, who was almost immediate in his reaction to follow. “And the seekers are off with Gryffindor’s Son Youngjae in the lead! Park is on his heels!” For the first time in a while, the crowd is excited again, watching intently as the two seekers race through the air.

“Park is catching up to Son!” Sunoo held his breath as he watched the two race neck and neck to grab the snitch, anxiety eating away at his insides. It was nerve wracking watching the same scene that had played out right before Sunghoon had fallen, the chase, the thrill, the grit as they continued to push themselves to the limit. 

“They change directions, presumably to follow the snitch, and now Park is ahead! I don’t know about you guys, but watching him fly never gets old! Talented bastard,” the commentator gripes.

Neither of the seekers slowed, getting lower and flying along the edge of the pitch before shooting up once more and weaving through the towers and over the crowd. Sunghoon weaved expertly, not a hint of hesitation as he flew directly through the open area of a tower while Youngjae opted to go around, losing a few more feet.

Sunoo felt like he couldn’t breathe, wide eyes following Sunghoon’s every move. No one was paying attention to any of the other players, solely focused on the two seekers.

“Park looks like he’s speeding up! Is that even possi— holy shit, he took a nosedive!” Beomgyu exclaimed, standing up with his mic in hand. 

Sunoo wanted to throw up, unable to blink as he watched Sunghoon steadily descend. He squeezed Jungwon’s hand harder the closer he got to the ground until finally, last minute, he pulled up and came to a complete stop. Everyone was quiet for a moment, watching, waiting, and then Sunghoon thrusted his hand in the air, and the snitch glimmered gold in the sun.

Loud cheers erupted from the crowd as Ravenclaws and supporters celebrated the victory. Absolute relief washed over him before he began to yell in happiness and excitement. “He did it!” He screamed to Jungwon over the noise, who was jumping up and down happily. “Oh, Merlin, he actually did it!” He felt a little like he was going to pass out, smiling so big his cheeks hurt.

“Go! Go see him!” Jungwon urged, Riki nodding in agreement as he gently pushed him towards the exit.

And so Sunoo did. He ran, clearing flights of stairs in record time as he raced to see Sunghoon. He paid no attention to how his lungs burned and his legs ached. He just ran.

In a blur, he arrived at the pitch, pausing only to find Sunghoon before spotting him and yelling, “Park Sunghoon!!”

His boyfriend turned to face him almost immediately, eyes bright and smile so wide Sunoo wanted to cry. He didn’t think as he bolted towards him, as he jumped into his arms, or as he laughed like a maniac while Sunghoon spun him around. 

Pale hands cupping Sunghoon’s face, he leaned down and kissed him out of pure joy. He didn’t care that Sunghoon was sweaty or still weighed down with quidditch gear. All he could think of was how proud he was of him, how happy he was that Sunghoon had succeeded. All his hard work had paid off. His lips were soft, and he immediately kissed back, arms tightening around Sunoo’s waist. Sunoo melted into his arms, laughing softly as they parted, out of breath but so very fond.

“You did it,” Sunoo breathed, hands still on his boyfriend’s cheeks.

“I did it,” Sunghoon whispered back, gently setting Sunoo back on the ground. Sunoo’s hands dropped from his neck, taking Sunghoon’s and intertwining their fingers. 

“I’m proud of you,” he said under his breath, raven hair blowing sideways with the breeze. They stared at each other for a moment longer before Sunghoon’s name was called.

“Congrats, man!” Heeseung said from behind, slapping Sunghoon on the back. “You flew really well today!”

“Thank you,” Sunghoon replied happily. “You played really well today too. It was a good match.” He didn’t hesitate to bring Heeseung in for a hug, separating a moment later. “I wish we both could’ve won.”

“Hey, none of that!” Heeseung scolded gently, “You and your team earned this!”

Laughing a bit bashfully, Sunghoon nodded, “I guess you’re right.”

“Hoon!”

Jay, Jake, Jungwon, and Riki had finally made it through the crowd to come and congratulate him. “That was awesome!” Riki gushed, jumping up and down in excitement. “You were so fast!!”

“You were incredible, Sunghoon,” Jake complimented sincerely. 

“You’re insane, dude,” Jay added on, shoving him in the shoulder playfully, “Best flying yet.”

“Did Sunoo promise you a kiss if you won?” Jungwon asked teasingly, yelping at the slap Sunoo promptly gave his arm.

Sunghoon blushed, chuckling at the insinuation. 

“No, but maybe if he had, the game would’ve ended earlier,” Heeseung jabbed, laughing loudly as Sunghoon sent him a dirty look. “Hey, don’t look at me like that! You got your kiss anyway,” the eldest argued.

Sunoo watched contentedly as his friends buzzed with excitement, sharing their favorite moments of the game and complimenting the two captains on their performances.

A few minutes later, Ravenclaw dragged Sunghoon away for a bit to celebrate their victory while Heeseung left to go talk with his team. Standing from afar, Sunoo could see how loved each team captain was. All of Heeseung’s teammates listened well and congratulated him on a season well played, even if they were a little misty eyed. On the other hand, Sunghoon’s team was full of barely contained excitement as they all began to huddle around him.

“I wasn’t expecting you to kiss him like that, but you really went for it,” Jungwon teased him, nudging his shoulder and wiggling his eyebrows.

“Keep wiggling your eyebrows and I’ll curse them off your face,” Sunoo grumbled playfully, trying to hide the grin on his face as he shoved Jungwon away from him. 

“Scary,” Riki mumbled, scooting closer to Jake and Jay.

Sunoo ignored him in favor of continuing to watch the Ravenclaw team’s celebration. They were all crowded around Sunghoon like a bunch of kids during storytime, having finally settled down a little. They listened intently and cheered every now and then when appropriate. He could see the triumph and the pride in their eyes as Sunghoon spoke, each team member comlimenting the silver haired boy once he was finished.

“Attention! We have an announcement to make,” Professor Jang’s voice boomed over the cacophony of voices. Everyone fell silent, curious about what she had to say.

“As you all know, this was the last game of the season. Since it’s the end, it’s time to announce this year’s Quidditch Cup champions,” Jang said, waving her wand. A piece of parchment appeared in front of her.

“Every year, the Quidditch Cup is awarded to the team with the most total points throughout the season, not the most wins. It just so happens this year, that this team has managed both. It is my pleasure to announce Ravenclaw as this year’s Quidditch Cup champions!” She finished, immediately followed by deafening cheers.

Sunoo’s eyes found their way to Sunghoon once more, heart pounding as he watched him scream and jump in celebration with the rest of his team. Sunoo felt joy like he’d been the one to win the Quidditch Cup, so unbelievably happy for him. 

Long after the game had ended and the sun had begun to set, Sunghoon and Heeseung had found their ways back to the group. They all sat together, still on the pitch and basking in the happiness of the day. There were so many smiles shared, laughs had, and compliments given. Sunoo’s heart felt fuller than it had ever been before as he laid his head on Sunghoon’s shoulder.

“I’m glad we all became friends this year,” Jake said earnestly, so sweet and so Jake. 

“Me too,” Riki chimed in excitedly. “It’s been really fun.”

“You guys have made my last year here pretty fun,” Heeseung joked, though the reminder that he’d be leaving soon made them all a little sad.

As Sunoo listened, he realized that the year was indeed coming to a close. The end had come so much quicker than he’d realized. Quicker than he’d wanted.

His fifth year had gifted him three new friends and a boyfriend, even if the journey there had been a bit uncertain. He’d been through some scares, made a few bad decisions, and had even fought with Sunghoon. But he’d also experienced good things too. He’d gone to the Yule Ball, made amends with K, and finally, finally confessed, even if it took a bit of pushing from his friends, old and new.

As he sat on the grass surrounded by his friends and his boyfriend, he knew that it wouldn’t get much better than this. They’d all carved out their own places in his heart. Heeseung, Jake, Jay, Riki, Jungwon, and of course, Sunghoon. Now, Sunoo couldn’t imagine Hogwarts without any of them. Sunoo knew that it wasn’t just him and Sunghoon, but all of them. They were all meant to come together.

“You alright, Sunoo? You’ve been a little spacey,” Jake asked, sounding just as motherly as he always was.

“I’m okay. Just thinking,” Sunoo smiled softly, looking back at Jake.

“About what?” His boyfriend questioned, glancing down towards him.

“About how grateful I am for you guys. I think we were meant to find each other,” Sunoo explained shyly.

“How sappy, Sunoo,” Heeseung grinned, no heat behind his words.

“I guess Sunghoon’s rubbing off on me,” Sunoo sighed dramatically.

“Hey!”

Night eventually began to darken the sky as they sat there, replacing burning orange with a velvet black and too many stars to count. There was a half moon in the sky illuminating the group of boys as their words and laughter continued to dissipate into the air. This moment will never come again, Sunoo thought, a little sadly this time.

Heeseung was a seventh year student, so he’d be graduating, leaving just the six of them. It was odd, imagining his time at Hogwarts without Heeseung now that Sunoo was friends with him, but he supposed it was inevitable. They’d all leave Hogwarts at some point. They’d all grow older and change.

Whatever happened though, whatever hopes and dreams he had for the future, he wished for all of them to be happy. Even if they weren’t together, even if they eventually grew apart, Sunoo only desired the best for them.

He wanted Heeseung to be successful in his future career, and he wanted him and Taehyun to work out. He wanted Jay and Jake to stay together and continue making each other happy. They balanced one another so well, Sunoo couldn’t imagine them with anyone else. He thought of Jungwon and Riki, his best friends. The two people who’d stuck by his side through all his ridiculousness and loved him unconditionally. He couldn’t ask for better friends, and even if he hated the possibility of them growing apart, his well wishes extended to them too.

And then there was Sunghoon. Sunghoon who adored his friends, Sunghoon who had a soft heart, Sunghoon who loved the stars like Sunoo did. There was Sunghoon who’d liked Sunoo for two years before they’d ever became friends, Sunghoon who was an absolute dork, Sunghoon who was one of the sappiest people Sunoo had ever met. There was Sunghoon who had pretty moles and a boyish smile, Sunghoon who’d sacrifice anything to make those he loved happy, Sunghoon who worked harder and cared more than anyone else. 

Sunghoon who Sunoo had come to love as the seasons changed and warmth returned to the air. Sunghoon who loved him back just as much.

He knew that he wanted him in his future, that he’d started seeing him there before he ever said ‘I love you.’

Sunghoon shifted beside him, hand squeezing his as he gave him a subtle glance of concern. Are you alright? His eyes asked. Sunoo let out a breath, almost laughter but not quite, and nodded. “I’m just happy.”

Sunoo let his eyes glance over all of his friends once more, a soft smile pulling at the edges of his mouth. There was no use in worrying about what the future would hold. All he could do was appreciate the moment for what it was.

How ironic, though, that all this love had resulted from a little revenge.