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If there is one thing that Jisung remembers from History of Magic on the rare occasion that he wasn’t asleep at his desk, millimetres from poking his own eye out with his quill, it’s that power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Jisung himself knows this to be true because as Prefect, he has the authority to control what goes on in the Hufflepuff Common Room, and this power means he will absolutely be playing every single Celestina Warbeck Christmas album of the last 30 years over the communal gramophone. Even if the first years complain that they have no idea who she is.
Especially if the first years have no idea who she is. That kind of cosmic injustice cannot be allowed to continue and what is the giving spirit of Christmas for but to bestow upon the spiritually blind, sight and the knowledge of they who came to be the saviour and light of the world?
“I think,” Jonghyun had begun wearily as he poured himself another goblet of pumpkin juice at dinner the other night, “that you’re confusing your beloved singing sorceress with Jesus. Again.”
Jisung had just sniffed and put another of his carrots on Jonghyun’s plate.
But now, as he sits before the Common Room fire with a book in hand, even the dulcet tones of timeless classic A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love are unable to pull him out of his slump.
That morning, Jisung woke up to an empty room and for the first time in a long time, it didn’t really feel like Christmas. Sunlight streamed in through the window, lending the air a dream-like quality that made it seem as if time had stopped, but Jisung knew that the stillness was only a result of the flurried movement of yesterday when the other seventh year boys had packed their trunks and headed home for the holidays.
Of course, it’s not uncommon for students to spend their two weeks holiday away from Hogwarts with their family - it’s kind of what the break is for - but for Jisung that’s never been an option. His parents are always travelling; after all, what kind of magizoologists would they be if they weren’t trekking to the ends of the earth in pursuit of knowledge and whatever bizarre magical creature was next on their list. They make sure to send him letters and photographs whenever they can but given the delayed nature of owl mail, he’s never quite sure where they are at any given time.
Sometimes he resents the fact that if something were ever to happen to them, he probably wouldn’t know until days after. He worries about their safety in their work, just as a parent might be concerned for the welfare of their child who has decided to take up competitive Quidditch. But he’s seen firsthand just how much they love what they do. He knows that, even so, they would give it all up for him in a heartbeat if he asked - which is why he hasn’t.
Besides, first year Jisung had revelled in the attention he received from telling the story of how he’d met a dragon when his parents were volunteering at the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, and now seventh year Jisung longs for something of his own to be passionate about, to dedicate his life to, just as his parents have theirs.
His parents’ occupation means Jisung has spent his Christmas holidays at Hogwarts every year. While in previous years those of his friends who have stayed and gone has varied, he was never the only one to stay behind, but this year everyone has other plans.
After several years of boycotting conservative pureblood family Christmases, Sungwoon is finally at a point where his parents have invited their son’s muggleborn boyfriend to their annual festive gathering and Jisung is too entirely, wholeheartedly happy for him and Taehyun to be bitter about them leaving him on his lonesome.
Minhyun, who can always be counted on to live up to the Ravenclaw reputation and remain at Hogwarts during the holidays to study, is no less studious this year except he’s now on exchange at Mahoutokoro School of Magic. Jonghyun, Jisung’s fellow Hufflepuff and the school’s Head Boy, will be spending a few days with his family before he joins his boyfriend for Christmas in Japan.
Youngmin did offer Jisung a place at his family’s table for the holiday season too but he’d already agreed with Seokhoon, their Head of House, that he would staying behind to help supervise. Sejeong, their female Prefect, isn’t able to stay because her grandmother has taken ill and Jisung would have been around anyway.
So, in the end it couldn't be helped but that didn't stop him dramatically bemoaning their betrayal as they left for the train and threatening to send them all howlers for Christmas.
His reverie is disrupted when someone clambers into his lap, as if they’ve sensed the tone of his thoughts and seek not only to fulfil their own wish for closeness but hope to cheer Jisung up at the same time. He already knows who it is without looking up but the crumbs that scatter across the pages of his book are confirmation. Jisung loops his arms around Seonho’s waist as the first year wriggles until he’s content with his position, comfortably tucked with his head on Jisung’s shoulder, long legs hanging over the arm of the chair as he munches on a biscuit he’d no doubt picked up from the kitchen. The positioning is a little awkward but Jisung’s used to babying Seonho, treating him like the younger sibling he’s never had.
“I hope Minhyun stays in Japan forever,” Jisung declares, contradicting what both he and Seonho know to be the truth of his feelings. “When he comes back he’ll steal you from me and I won’t get any of these cuddles anymore!” His pout is exaggerated enough to make the younger Hufflepuff boy giggle.
“When he comes back, you’ll stop moping and I’ll get twice the number of cuddles; from you and him,” Seonho insists smugly, voice muffled around a mouthful of food. “It’s a win-win!”
“So that was your plan all along!” Jisung exclaims, theatrically aghast, poking him in the ribs teasingly. “I can’t believe I’ve been manipulated like this. How could I have been tricked so easily? Maybe you should’ve been in Slytherin!”
Seonho swallows the last of his biscuit with a gulp and instead of denying the accusations of blatant exploitation, chooses to comment, “The Slytherin Common Room is in the dungeons. There’s no way I was going to let that stupid hat sort me that far away from the kitchens.”
Jisung’s not really sure how it happened. Not Seonho’s sorting, that is; he knows that the boy can weasel his way into anything, but there’s no doubt his loyalty to his friends and dedication to whatever he puts his mind to make him more than a worthy candidate for the House for which he was selected.
No, what Jisung isn’t entirely sure about is how he’s ended up essentially adopting a clique of younger students, not only from within Hufflepuff but the other houses too.
Maybe it’s the Prefect thing? Or it could be because of Jisung’s parental protective instinct, shiny badge or not. On the occasional evening when Seonho or Guanlin falls asleep in the Common Room and Jisung has found himself carrying the younger boy up the stairs and tucking him into bed, he wonders if his childhood of absentee parenting has led him to ensure that no one else experiences the same deprivation, especially when moving out of home to attend boarding school can be more of a shock to the system than a Billywig sting.
("Don’t go adopting any more kids while we’re away; we’ve already got our hands full and Seonho is attention-starved enough as it is," Sungwoon had cautioned him as he packed his trunk.
“When have I ever?” came Jisung’s feigned disbelief as he pointed out a pair of socks hiding under the bed that his friend had missed.
Sungwoon decided it wasn’t worth stretching his arm under the bed in vain and, with a flick of his wand, murmured a lazy accio so that the missing socks shot straight into his waiting hand, before turning back to face Jisung.
“In all seriousness, though, you do too much. You’re, like, the definition of a helicopter parent-”
“A what parent?”
“One of those flying things? The Muggle transport…” Sungwoon trailed off, giving up.
“Not all of us have the benefit of a Muggleborn boyfriend, you know,” Jisung argued in his defence and then lamented- “or, a boyfriend at all, actually.”
“Jisung. Didn’t you get like...an E in Muggle Studies third year?”
He shrugged. “That’s only because I wrote my final essay on the Spice Girls.”
Sungwoon muttered under his breath before placing his hands on his friend’s shoulders. “Five ft parchment thesis on the greatest Muggle pop phenomenon of our time aside, what I’m saying is that you need to look after yourself. We have less than seven months before our final exams, you’re taking six NEWTs-”
“-Minhyun’s taking seven-”
“-and you can’t afford to burn yourself out. All you do these days is go to class, study, tutor Jinyoung in potions, study, sleep, teach Daehwi advanced Charms, study, go to all of Jihoon’s Quidditch practices-”
“Okay, now that’s not true, I don’t go to all his practices,” Jisung interrupted again.
Sungwoon just fixed him with a look. “Merlin knows how you’re able to go to any . The Slytherin Captain is scarier than a lethifold and normally doesn’t let anyone from a rival House within 200 ft of her precious team.”
“I’m not sure Jieqiong would take kindly to you referring to her as a carnivorous airborne stingray. But speaking of lethifolds, did you know that Celestina Warbeck’s parents-”
“ -wouldn’t have met if one hadn’t disguised itself as a stage curtain, ” finished Jonghyun from the other side of the room without even looking up, his nose still buried in his book. “Yes, we know. I’m surprised you think you can distract Sungwoon with trivia about Madame Warbeck when we’ve roomed with you for seven years and have heard everything there is to know about her.”
“Maybe you should just hear Sungwoon out,” piped up Youngmin.
With a deep sigh, Jisung flopped backwards onto his bed dramatically and stared up at the dorm ceiling. “Is this how the kids feel when I’m on their ass about staying up past curfew?”
“We wouldn’t have to nag if you looked after yourself half as well as you looked after your so-called kids,” remarked Sungwoon dryly.
Jonghyun continued more warmly, “We just want you to make winter break a time for yourself; temporarily give up parenting duties to their, y’know, actual parents and just relax. Have fun.” Youngmin offered a hum of agreement.
Sitting up quickly, Jisung locked eyes with Sungwoon before casting a glance at the other boys. “So what you’re saying...is that I need to spice up my life? ”
Jisung hadn’t even bothered trying to dodge the pillows flung in his direction.)
**
Jisung doesn’t mope, no matter what Seonho had called it earlier. While he was a little down, the collective impact of several hours of Celestina’s serenades, cuddles from Seonho (and then from Guanlin too when the lanky kid had come along to fling himself into the family hug) has improved his mood immensely. Not to mention the festive splendour of the Great Hall is something that would impress even their dour Potionsmaster, what with its 12 towering Christmas trees, dazzling with red ribbon, crystal baubles and everlasting candles amongst the branches. At the peak of each is a glowing star, pulsing with light, that Jisung finds himself staring at every so often, mesmerised. The atmosphere is so enchanting, both literally and figuratively, that Jisung doesn’t think he could mope even if he wanted to.
Fortunately, it is one of those un-mesmerised moments in which Insun sends Jisung a casual nod from the Gryffindor table, the signal from one Prefect to another going unnoticed by everyone else despite the sparsity of students gathered there for dinner. Leaning forward with his chin resting in his hand, Jisung waves his wand under the table surreptitiously, murmuring the rehearsed incantation under his breath.
A sputter and a series of sharp cracks are the only warning students receive before the ceiling of the Great Hall, normally charmed to display the appearance of the sky above, explodes into colour as fireworks scatter sparks across the night. Blooms of scarlet, topaz, emerald and sapphire blossom amongst the stars above the House tables, each according to their respective colour, and Jisung can’t stop himself from reaching out, offering an upturned palm to catch the golden sparks as they fall and tingle with magic where they land against his skin. Even knowing what it would look like, having planned the event himself with the other Prefects as a way to start the holidays with a bang, the sight is still breathtaking.
Insun sends him a wink, happy with their success. Biting back a smile, Jisung turns to watch the reactions of the students around him, heart warming at their expressions of wonder and giggles of amazement. Glancing over to the Gryffindor table where a group of first years have gathered to eat together, he spots Seonho with his mouth wide open, miraculously free of food, paying no mind to the chicken drumstick clutched in his hand as he gapes at the sight. Beside him, Guanlin is hitting Seonho on the arm repeatedly as he laughs in delight, watching the House mascots, animated out of the fireworks, glide across the ceiling, tussling with each other. Other than the kids, there are only a few other Hufflepuffs who have stayed behind but all their faces are upturned in the same way; except for one.
Jisung jolts when he makes eye contact with a pink-haired boy who looks old enough to be a sixth year, sitting on the other side of the table a little way down. Like a lot of other students, the boy’s chin is in his hand as he gazes intently but unlike everyone else, he isn’t staring at the display above.
He’s staring at Jisung.
There is a beat, as the firework show comes to an end and the last of the sparks drift downwards in a sparkling haze - a beat in which the other boy comes to the realisation that his attention is now being returned; when his eyes widen, his cheeks flush to match his hair and he abruptly turns away, the surprised smile tugging at Jisung’s lips too late to be seen. Jisung turns back to his food as well and supposes he wasn't as inconspicuous with his spell casting as he thought.
The urge to tell Sungwoon about it rises within him but his mouth just opens and shuts as he remembers Sungwoon isn’t there. Nor is Youngmin, or any of his other friends, for that matter. Even Taewoong’s quiet presence on the days he’d come over from the Ravenclaw table to sit beside Jisung, head buried in a textbook; even that is missed. The silence around Jisung is not the right kind of silence, the comfortable one between friends where no words are needed. For Jisung those are few and far between because there is always something he wants to say on the tip of his tongue but he knows how to appreciate them nonetheless. He knows how to distinguish them from this black hole where he can suddenly move his elbows freely without bumping into someone and the only conversation he can have is with himself inside his head like this.
Sure, he’s seventeen - almost an adult - and it’s not like he’s never had to be alone before. Merlin knows that an only child like Jisung with parents like his has spent a lifetime entertaining himself. Which is why he enjoys the company of others so much. Why a mealtime without friends and without even meaningless chatter feels like an opportunity missed.
He’s just starting to wish Jonghyun was there to eat the carrots out of his stew when he feels a prickling feeling, like someone is watching him and after trying to ignore it for a few moments he casually glances around as he reaches for more mashed potato. Sure enough, the boy with the pink hair is staring at him again. He’s not even trying to be subtle but there are so few other people at the table that he supposes there's no point.
Jisung doesn’t try for eye contact like last time, instead pretending he hasn’t noticed. He doesn’t want to embarrass him (as cute as the sight of his growing blush had been) and Jisung’s starting to wonder if he should be the one that is embarrassed. Did he forget to brush his hair? Did somebody jinx him when he wasn’t paying attention? Does he have gravy on his nose?
He tries to check his reflection in the brassy shine of his goblet without looking too narcissistic. Nope, nothing out of the ordinary that he can see. He hopes it’s the distortion of the improvised goblet mirror that’s making his nose look that big, though.
Maybe, Jisung thinks, maybe he isn’t looking at him at all. Under the guise of stretching his back, Jisung twists around to check who might be sitting behind him at the Slytherin table that would make more sense as a candidate for unsolicited staring.
Ah.
Yes, well.
It’s hard to miss Euijin now that she’s dyed her hair blonde. She was unfair levels of pretty before but the hair colour has certainly had an impact. Specifically, the impact of increasing the number of times a week Sumin has broken down in tears, unable to handle how ‘divinely beautiful she is [that] her smile alone could have prevented the need for the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy (1692)’ . Not that she smiles all that often, from what Jisung can tell but honestly, he hasn’t been paying all that much attention. Not when the seventh year Slytherin Prefect is Kim Seokjin.
Jisung’s shallow aesthetic-based crushes aside, or perhaps in light of them, he can’t blame the kid for staring at Euijin every meal. He just hopes she doesn't notice or he’ll end up puking slugs. Merlin help him if he ever gets up the courage to actually talk to her. Jisung makes enough visits to his injured kids in the hospital wing as it is without adding another. As the Slytherin seeker, Jihoon is a natural target for bludgers and Woojin is just bloody accident prone. Kid has bull-in-a-china-shop syndrome that he’ll never grow out of. Jisung’s so caught up in snickering at the memory of Woojin somehow nailing himself in the nuts during a friendly Quidditch match over the summer last year that he leaves the staring issue at that.
Until the next day, that is, when he’s feeding Seonho a spoonful of bread and butter pudding at dinner and the first year says - with his mouth full, of course: “Hyung, why is Daniel-hyung staring at you again?”
“Huh?” is his intelligent reply as he offers the next spoonful to Guanlin. The question ‘Who’s Daniel?’ is on his lips as he tries to look over his shoulder while the spoon finds its way into Guanlin’s dimple instead of his mouth.
He shouldn’t be surprised when he meets eyes with the pink-haired boy from yesterday but, well, he is. He saw Euijin get up to leave fifteen minutes ago.
Seonho must be right that it’s Jisung who the boy, Daniel , is staring at. This time, it’s Jisung whose cheeks flush, embarrassed about being seen spoon feeding two first years at the dinner table but Seonho eats like he’s getting a world record for being that messy (eligibility calculated in the number of crumbs on his jumper, flecks of gravy on his tie and the circumference of food smeared around his mouth) so it’s something that Jisung is duty-bound to save him from. Sure, Guanlin is more adept at eating like a human being and therefore shouldn’t need help but damn it they are cute so he’d like to see Daniel try to resist caving into their wiles.
Technically, he’s probably breaking his promise to his friends about trying to live for himself for once and stop acting like the kids’ parent. Although, in his defence he doubts that either Seonho or Guanlin’s parents spoon feed them.
“ Again ?” Jisung repeats, recalling the word Seonho had used before whipping back to stare at the speaker. “How could you have seen him staring at dinner last night, weren’t you at the Gryffindor table?”
Guanlin pipes up, “Yes, but we’ve seen him giving you googly eyes every other night of the week.” Jisung splutters. “I’m surprised you haven’t noticed until now.”
“There’s only, like, 5 people at the table now,” adds Seonho, leaning into Guanlin’s side. “We know you can be a bit dense sometimes hyung but I’d be worried about you if you didn’t notice something that obvious.”
“Don’t be cheeky,” he growls, brandishing his spoon. “And- he’s not giving me ‘googly eyes’. Come on Seonho, who even taught you that expression, Jonghyun ?”
“How did you know?”
He was joking but somehow he’s not surprised. That’s definitely something Jonghyun would say and Jisung briefly wonders which habits and turns of phrase the kids might have picked up from him.
“So...Daniel,” he begins, clearing his throat. “That’s his name, the guy with the pink hair?”
Jisung doesn’t understand the weird looks he receives, as if identifying the boy by his hair colour doesn’t make a lot of sense. But what other characteristic is he meant to refer to? His broad shoulders? His adorable bunny teeth? His biceps that Jisung kind of wants to wrap his hand around?
Yeah, no; there’s no way he’s saying any of those things out loud. Probably shouldn’t be saying any of those things in his head either.
It’s Guanlin who answers, saving him from his downward spiral of inner conflict about the questionable morality of finding someone he doesn’t know attractive. “Uh, yeah. If you mean the guy staring at you; that’s Daniel, yeah.”
“He’s not staring at me!” The two first years look a little stunned at the outburst so Jisung hurries to continue. “He just, I don’t know. Maybe he’s staring into space. Daydreaming.”
“Yeah, about you.”
The spoon brandishing makes a threatening return but part of him is grateful none of his same-age friends are here to witness this. They would give him so much shit for it, he’s lucky all that the kids know how to do is tease him lightly. Jaehwan would never let him hear the end of it and his laughter would probably scare Daniel away.
Not that he wants Daniel close enough to be able to be scared away. But-
-whatever.
That’s when Seonho and Guanlin decide they’ve had their fill (read: decide to go plunder the desserts on offer at the other tables) and Jisung can’t help but smile fondly as he watches them run off hand in hand.
There are now a few options available to him:
A) Heading back to the dorm immediately to avoid any potential awkwardness because it’s highly unlikely that Daniel didn’t notice the three of them talking about him (with so few people at the table it is not only hard to hide your staring, but also your gossip - it works both ways.)
B) Staying long enough to finish his bread and butter pudding by himself without looking in Daniel’s direction once, before making a quick exit.
C) Staying long enough to try the lemon meringue pie he’d spotted a few dishes down the table earlier. (The pie is sitting right in front of Daniel but details like that aren’t important.)
The lemon meringue pie looks really good, though, so Jisung’s on his feet before he fully realises. After all, as much as Jisung has been missing his friends and bemoaning having to eat alone, Daniel has also been sitting by himself. As Prefect, Jisung has a responsibility to ensure that all Hufflepuffs are happy and healthy and enjoying their winter break. That’s why he stayed behind, after all.
"Hi!" he says brightly, plonking down opposite Daniel.
Daniel chokes on his bite of lemon meringue pie.
Oops.
Jisung’s never been too crash hot with timings. The table between them creates too much of a distance for Jisung to lean over and pat Daniel on the back to ease the situation, let alone execute the heimlich maneuver, so all he can do is watch anxiously as the other boy momentarily struggles for air before swallowing.
“Hi,” Daniel croaks out in reply. His eyes are wide, fixed on Jisung as if the older boy might suddenly materialise at a closer, more threatening distance if he relaxes and allows himself to blink.
Jisung’s really starting to wonder if there’s something on his face but decides it’s better not to ask, and to instead apologise for nearly, inadvertently causing fatal asphyxiation.
“S’okay, I was just surprised,” Daniel reassures him with a tentative smile.
“I’m Jisung.” He manages to stick his hand out for a handshake without dragging the sleeve of his robe through any of the applesauce. “You’re Daniel, right?”
The aforementioned boy briefly shakes Jisung’s hand, a shy smile tugging at his mouth, most likely fuelled by amusement at the formality of the gesture. “I know who you are!” He pauses and blushes, as if the overly confident tone was not the one he had intended to use, before justifying, “I mean, you’re a Prefect, so…” Daniel’s eyes flick down to Jisung’s shiny badge and then back up again. “But, how do you know my name?”
“I mean, I’m a Prefect, so…” mimics Jisung goodnaturedly, as if he didn't have to rely on an eleven year old who’s only been at Hogwarts for four months in order to learn Daniel’s name. To Jisung’s credit, he does know most of their House by name but he misses a few every now and then.
Especially because Daniel doesn’t look like much of a troublemaker nor the kind of person he’s had to haul out of a broom closet for snogging his girlfriend after hours. Although it’s possible the task has fallen to Sejeong on one of her rounds instead.
Daniel laughs at Jisung’s mimicry which, even he can acknowledge, wasn’t all that funny but the way Daniel’s face brightens, eyes creasing into a smile, is so endearing that Jisung finds himself prepared to do anything to make him laugh like that again, even if it means losing his reputation as an Above Average Funny Guy But Definitely Not As Funny As Ong Seongwu. (The person who had coined the title should be obvious.)
There’s a lull in conversation and Jisung wonders if he should mention the Staring Thing. He can tell by the look in Daniel’s eyes after the mirth fades that he too is wondering if Jisung will mention the Staring Thing but he doesn’t want to embarrass the boy after already causing him to choke on his dessert. There’s only so many hits someone’s pride can take.
So instead he says, “Do you mind if I sit with you? All my friends ditched me this year and if I spend one more mealtime alone I think I’ll end up eating an entire pie dish just by myself.”
"No- I mean- yes- I mean, no I don't mind!" is the laborious answer he receives and Daniel’s mildly flustered state strikes fear into Jisung’s heart that he has somehow, against all odds, earned a reputation as being scary.
He’s not an easy-going Prefect by any means; he doesn't let people get away with breaking the school rules so his attempt at an intimidating tone of voice has definitely made an appearance but it pales very much in comparison to the more scathing Prefect personas of some people he knows. Like Wooseok, for example. When Daniel would have been subject to it and just why it would have inspired fear in him is something that puzzles Jisung.
Fortunately, though, when Jisung sits next to him at breakfast the next day, and then at every other mealtime after that, Daniel only looks mildly surprised until the familiarity between them grows enough for Daniel to wave him over or for the two of them to walk down to the Great Hall together.
They slip into a bit of a routine until one morning a tawny owl drops a distinctive red envelope onto Daniel’s plate at breakfast. He just stares at it as if willing it to go away and Jisung wonders if maybe he should give him some space to open it but the boy just breaks open the seal, resigned to his fate.
"Kang Daniel!" roars the howler in the indignant voice of Gryffindor Quidditch Captain Ong Seongwu, easily recognisable even when disembodied from the handsome face. "It’s been a week! A whole week! And I haven't heard a word from you, you bastard! You said you were going to do it- that's the only reason I let you stay behind by yourself! I’m not asking you to suck his dick or propose! Just! Introduce! Yourself! I’m sending you a kick up the ass all the way from Incheon and if I don't hear of some progress by the end of the week I swear on Merlin’s unbleached asshole that I will come back early and give it to you in person!"
The envelope is quickly engulfed by flames and Jisung is left dumbfounded. So is everyone else in the Hall, which, fortunately for Daniel, is even less people than for dinner because the likelihood of teenagers waking up early enough to have breakfast is significantly diminished when they don't have compulsory morning classes to get to.
And then Daniel shakes himself out of his stunned state when he begins to laugh.
Jisung clears his throat. "Does he, ah, do that often?"
"Sometimes," Daniel manages to force out between laughs, leaning forward and laying his forehead against the table in an effort to quell them. "Merlin, he’s so dramatic," he wheezes. "I’ve never gotten one before but you should have seen the look on Dongho’s face when he got one for blowing off Daehwi.”
Watching on in amusement, Jisung asks, "And what was this one for, then?"
That seems to sober Daniel a little. "Ah, nothing important," he answers evasively, picking up his goblet and gulping down a bit. "Just something I’ve been promising I’ll do for a while now."
It’s nice that Daniel still thinks he can be vague about it even after Seongwu’s yells about dick-sucking and other related matters have reverberated through the Great Hall.
"Oh, I see." Jisung isn’t stupid, it sounds like Seongwu has been rooting for Daniel to get up the courage to talk to someone, a crush maybe. He’s curious as to who it could be, he doesn't really know Daniel well enough to come up with any likely candidates, but he doesn't want to pry. "Good luck with it then!"
Daniel chokes on his pumpkin juice.
**
It takes a day or two for Jisung to realise that he only ever sees Daniel at mealtimes. He’s never in the Common Room except in transit to the Great Hall and Jisung briefly contemplates going down to the Quidditch Pitch to see if that's where he is before deciding he’s better off just asking Seonho. Which turns out to be a mistake because the younger boy swiftly commandeers the conversation onto ‘more important matters’ after suggesting Daniel is probably just in the dorm.
"The real question is, what are you guys doing tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Christmas, hyung."
"I know it’s Christmas but what I don’t understand is why Daniel and I - I’m assuming that’s who you’re referring to - would be doing anything special."
"C’mon! How special would it be for him if he got to spend the day with his favourite hyung?"
"I’m pretty sure Seongwu is his favourite hyung, they are best friends after all."
"Okay, fine! How special would it be for him if he got to spend the day with his crush?"
Jisung flounders. "He- I- what?"
"Best Christmas present ever!"
"What are you talking about? I’m not his crush ."
"He wouldn't have been staring at you like that if he didn't like you."
"People don't like people they've never met." He knows it’s untrue the moment the words leave his mouth but for some reason he can't stop himself from clinging to any defence against Seonho and Guanlin’s Daniel-Has-A-Crush-On-Jisung agenda.
"That’s never stopped Guanlin pining after Wooseok-hyung," replies Seonho a little sourly.
The difference being that Guanlin’s little hero worship crush on the Slytherin keeper is relatively harmless. Whereas Daniel and Jisung are almost the same age and they are almost, he would like to think, friends. What the kids keep advocating for is not without consequences, especially if Jisung lets them fill his head with ideas that turn out to be wrong.
Jisung sighs and pokes Seonho’s cheek in an act of exasperated affection. "I love you but I’m not about to take romance advice from a first year."
The first year in question crosses his arms. "Suit yourself, hyung, but don't come crying to me when you’re faced with a confession you could have had time to prepare for."
"You’re never this cheeky with Minhyun, I swear to Merlin," Jisung accuses before stalking off to find Daniel on his own.
Cheeky or not, Seonho is right about Daniel’s whereabouts and Jisung supposes he hadn’t thought of it himself because spending all day in the dorm must be terribly boring without something or someone to entertain yourself with so he hadn’t even considered it.
His polite knock on the door to the sixth years’ room receives a puzzled sounding permission to enter and Jisung opens the door to find that Daniel is indeed there, just not as alone as he’d thought he’d be. Jisung had assumed Daniel was like him, and that all his friends had left for the break too, but now he realises this isn’t strictly true.
“Oh, hi hyung!” Daniel calls out cheerfully when he sees who it is. Jisung takes a few tentative steps forward, feeling like he’s intruding. “Come sit with us, I don’t think I’ve introduced you yet, have I?”
“Uh, I don’t think so, no.” He can’t help but smile at Daniel’s enthusiasm as he goes to sit down on the end of the bed.
“Well, it’s about time I did! This,” he nods his head to the side, “is Peter, and this is Rooney.”
Jisung looks down at the cat Daniel has placed in his lap and then up again to the one resting on Daniel’s shoulder, giving each a little wave as he says, “Hello Rooney! Hello Peter!” Then to Daniel he comments, “They’re beautiful.”
“They are!” Daniel looks like a proud Dad and it gives Jisung a funny feeling in his chest. The Prefect has his ‘children’ and, he supposes, so does Daniel.
“I’ve missed this,” he sighs contentedly, stroking softly down Rooney’s back. He sees the question in Daniel’s expression and elaborates. “Longguo has two kittens, Tolbi and Rcy, but they went with him when he went home for the holidays and I’ve been deprived of our quality time together.”
“I’m sure Longguo will be happy to hear just how much you’ve been missing him ,” Daniel teases from where he’s lying on his side on the bed.
They spend the afternoon playing with the cats and Jisung now wholeheartedly understands why Daniel is happy to spend his days off with them and although he’s a little jealous, oddly enough, he’s glad that Daniel hasn’t let his affections for his cats keep him from eating regular meals.
They’re lying on Daniel’s bed, both Peter and Rooney curled up in their chests asleep, purring away, and the warmth and comfort is almost enough to send Jisung off to sleep too if he weren’t so hyperaware of Daniel lying next to him.
Turning his head to the side, Jisung studies the metallic stud embedded in Daniel’s earlobe, the line of his nose, the way his eyelashes kiss the soft skin of his face when he blinks. He doesn’t notice the gentle smile that graces his own face as he stares but Daniel does, when he turns his head in a similar manner towards Jisung.
They’re close now, closer than they’ve ever been before and the moment is comfortable, intimate in the most innocent of ways and as they look at each other, eyes boring into one another, Jisung is reminded of when they’d made eye contact for the first time, the air clouded with golden sparks nowhere near as bright as the eyes of the pink-haired boy sitting further down the table.
"Do you want to go out tomorrow?" Jisung blurts out before he can stop himself and this is one hundred percent definitely Seonho’s fault. "To Hogsmeade or something, for Christmas?"
He distracts himself by focusing on petting Rooney, unsure why he’s so nervous because it’s not as if he’s asking him on a date or anything. It’s just a proposal for a friendly outing in celebration of the festive season and Jisung will be damned if he lets his nonsensical nerves manipulate him into some kind of heterosexual foolishness like qualifying his question with ‘no homo’. He does, however, throw in an "If you’re not busy," just for good measure.
“Sure, I’d like that,” says Daniel and the trembling in Jisung’s chest ceases at his words, replaced with something less anxious and something more eager, akin to the excitement of a child looking forward to the promise of presents on Christmas Day.
**
It’s quite likely the stairs to the Hufflepuff boys' dormitory decided to pull a prank on Jisung because he’s only two steps from the bottom when he stumbles, lurches forward, arms pin wheeling, only to find his fall halted by an arm wrapping around his waist.
“You really shouldn’t be running down the stairs like that,” admonishes a low voice in his ear. Ignoring the warm breath that flutters against the nape of his neck, Jisung marvels at how it only took Daniel a week to become comfortable enough to start showing Jisung cheek. “That’s rather irresponsible for someone of your position, isn’t it?”
“Hey!” he chastises, swatting at Daniel’s chest as he rights himself and pulls away. “You’re really going to sass me like that when I nearly fell and died because I was excited to see you?”
“You were excited to see me?” There’s a grin on his lips and his hand is still on Jisung’s waist. Daniel seems to have forgotten he placed it there and Jisung wishes he was capable of doing the same.
“No, I’m just that clumsy but I was trying to make both of us feel better,” he insists with a sniff.
"Well try not to slip on any ice today, but if you do I’ll catch you, don't worry," Daniel assures all too genuinely.
"If you were a seeker I might have more faith in your reflexes."
"I caught you just now, didn't I?"
"Beginner’s luck."
“If you’re as clumsy as you say you are, you’d better hope not.” Daniel starts to head off, expecting Jisung to follow, but the latter stays and calls out, "Wait!"
Daniel turns back in bewilderment. "What?"
"Merry Christmas!"
There’s a pause in which Daniel’s gaze sweeps over Jisung, who is bundled up in his winter coat and scarf, expression still full of the joy of cheerfully offering seasons greetings, in what looks like appreciation and the look makes Jisung shy as much as it causes tingles to run up his spine.
“Merry Christmas!” Daniel’s smile is like sunshine and Jisung thinks he probably doesn’t need his layers of warm, winter clothing after all.
Except, all sentiment aside, he really, really does need it because it is really, really cold and as a covertly formed snowball thuds against his back Jisung thinks he should have seen this coming.
It makes him feel old to admit it, but his snowball warfare skills are a bit rusty; a result of having little time to play around in the snow thanks to the rigours of academia, on top of letting the young ones win whenever they have managed to drag him outside for a snow day.
“I’ll go easy on you, hyung,” Daniel teases as he crouches down to start making ammunition, giving the other boy time to do the same after the initial attack.
“Don’t you dare!” Jisung points a finger at him as he walks past to stake his own claim on a patch of snow strategically placed by a bush in case he finds himself in need of cover.
And need cover, he does, because Daniel is relentlessly competitive - Jisung should have expected as much from the guy he now knows is the heir apparent to the Hufflepuff Quidditch captaincy - and goes so far as to tackle Jisung to the ground when he crouches down to try to make more snowballs to refill his artillery.
As Jisung has the breath knocked out of him he almost wishes they hadn’t agreed on Muggle rules ー if he’d been able to charm his ammunition he wouldn't have been left undefended ー until he looks up at Daniel who is sitting atop him giggling and breathing heavily with exertion.
Heart-thudding in his chest, Jisung realises that Sungwoon has absolutely nothing to worry about. As he looks up at Daniel whose eyes are sparkling with glee at having won a supposed victory, all Jisung can do is stare; at the flush on his cheeks, pinched from the cold, and at the rosy hue of his mouth that matches that on his cheek bones.
If Jisung is going to be ‘adopting' any more kids this winter break, it certainly won’t be Daniel. He’s had a sneaking suspicion for a while now that Daniel will never fit into his life the way Guanlin, Seonho and the others have. Instead it looks like Daniel will be forging an entirely new place, all of his own, in Jisung’s heart just as the warmth of their bodies is melting an impression into the snow.
Now, it’s Jisung who’s worried.
Developing a crush on a cute underclassmen who is way out of his league and not to mention already has someone he likes, all in the middle of his final year?
Bad idea.
Worse idea than approaching a Hippogriff without bowing.
But for now he’ll pretend that the freezing cold is the biggest shock to the system at the moment.
“Daniel,” he croaks out from beneath the weight of the Quidditch player. “I can feel the snow seeping through my coat, I think I’m already 40% icicle.”
“Oh! Oh I’m sorry, hyung!” Daniel exclaims in genuine concern as he helps the older boy up and Jisung is thankful that they’re both wearing gloves because if he’s missing the warmth of Daniel’s body on his already, then if they ever held hands, skin to skin, he’s not sure he’d ever be able to let go. Nevertheless, he allows himself a few seconds of Daniel brushing the snow off the back off his coat before suggesting they head somewhere to warm up.
“I don’t admit defeat easily, but I think you probably won that round so I’ll shout you a drink,” Jisung says as he pushes through the door of the Three Broomsticks. Thankfully, at this time of year it isn’t as packed as mid-term Hogsmeade weekends but there is still a pleasant buzz of activity.
“Even though,” Jisung adds pointedly as they sit down at a table with a couple of butterbeers between them, “you promised to catch me, not be the one to make me fall.”
“All’s fair in love and war,” Daniel justifies and then seems to realise what it is he’s said.
“Oh, is that so?” Jisung teases.
They lapse into easy conversation and Jisung is recounting a story about a student who started b-boying in the middle of their victory party after winning against Ravenclaw in Quidditch a few weeks back and raving about how impressive it was (if a little unexpected), when Daniel shyly admits, “That was me.”
“That was you?” Jisung asks, surprised. “I didn’t know you danced!”
“Not very often, so I was a bit rusty. I used to be in the local club but...it’s kind of hard to keep up attendance when your only option for magical education is boarding school in Scotland.”
Jisung grimaces sympathetically and gushes, “You were incredible, honestly! It was almost more exciting watching that than watching us win!” There’s a pause. “Sorry, that’s probably akin to blasphemy please don’t tell Hyunwoo.“
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
“Did you not have pink hair back then? I definitely would have recognised you if you had!”
Of the two, Daniel is the more viscerally surprised. “I have pink hair?”
Jisung nearly spits out his mouthful of butterbeer. “You don’t know what colour your hair is?”
Daniel rubs at the back of his neck, looking distinctly embarrassed, like he wants to dig a hole and bury himself in it but Jisung doesn’t entirely understand why. Is his masculinity so fragile that he hates the colour pink on principle? And that’s why his friends pranked him and charmed his hair that colour without him noticing?
Jisung doesn’t think Jihoon will allow him to date someone who loathes his favourite colour, he’ll say it’s a reflection of poor moral character; someone not to be trusted. (Not that dating Daniel is a realistic option.)
He takes another sip of his butterbeer, pretending he didn’t just contemplate Daniel receiving the approval of his friends in a scenario not unlike Boyfriend Meets The Parents.
“You probably didn’t recognise me because my hair’s normally brown.”
“Normally? Did your friends charm it like that as a holiday prank?”
Jisung’s about to open his mouth to ask another question when Daniel speaks.
“Close your eyes.”
The older splutters, surprised at the request and the way Daniel’s voice had dropped with those three hushed words, but complies nonetheless.
“This better not be a prank,” he chatters, waiting for the signal to open his eyes again or for whatever Daniel is planning to happen. “If I open my eyes and you have your wand out and I have a frog on my face I will be very, very mad and I will not hold back on using my Prefect powers and privileges to seek vengeance on your a-”
“Shut up,” laughs Daniel and Jisung can’t see him but he doesn’t need to in order to picture the smile on his face. Daniel’s smile is so beautifully bright that it’s burned itself onto the back of Jisung’s eyelids. “I can’t concentrate.”
Too curious and too impatient, Jisung opens one eye to see Daniel across the table, his own eyes screwed shut, wand nowhere to be seen - and neither is his fairy floss head of hair. Shock causes Jisung’s other eye to open of its own accord because there he is, Kang Daniel, with chocolate brown hair. Jisung kind of wants to touch it, run his fingers through it, and he thinks about how unfair it is that every hair colour no doubt looks incredible on Daniel and somehow they all have associations with delectable dessert food.
“Okay, you can open them now-” The two make eye contact, the younger realising that Jisung had given up following his instructions long ago. “Hyung, you cheated! That’s cheating!” he whines and Jisung allows a smug smile to stretch across his mouth.
“It suits you.”
Within a few seconds of the words leaving Jisung’s mouth, he is watching with incredulity as pink rises on Daniel’s cheekbones and, to Jisung’s utter shock, from the roots of his hair - the chocolate brown colour swiftly replaced with its familiar sugary pink before Jisung can so much as curse on Merlin’s beard. The saying ‘blushing to the roots of one’s hair’ has never been so true, or so literal.
Jisung’s confusion must show on his face because Daniel offers a few words by way of explanation. “I’m a Metamorphmagus.”
Jisung knows the textbook definition of a Metamorphmagus, he’s just never met one - someone whose appearance can be transformed at will, or involuntarily when affected by their mood.
“But if you usually keep your hair brown, why have I only ever seen it pink?”
If possible, his newest question has made Daniel even more embarrassed, prompting the younger to bury his face in his hands as the moment of silence gives Jisung enough time to come to the answer on his own. He wonders what emotions would have caused Daniel’s hair to turn pink whenever Jisung was around, whenever he so much as looked at him or gave him a compliment-
Oh.
Some more things click into place; not only why he didn’t remember seeing Daniel around before, but also why Seonho and Guanlin had been confused by his description of him, and, if Jisung dares to assume, he now understands why Daniel was staring in the first place.
He thinks about how much he’s enjoyed getting to know Daniel over the past few days.
He thinks about the envious twist in his gut when he sees Jonghyun and Minhyun flaunting their Castle’s Cutest Couple status in front of everyone.
He thinks about the fluttering feeling he’s started to notice whenever he and Daniel make eye contact, or when they’re simply near each other, or even when Jisung finds his thoughts wandering to the sixth year when he’s alone.
And he remembers the advice of his friends not to spend his final winter break, let alone his final year at Hogwarts, prioritising everyone else above himself.
Humiliation weighs more heavily on Daniel’s shoulders the longer Jisung is silent so the latter scrambles for something to say to reassure him that his affections aren’t unwelcome.
In the end, it’s typical of Jisung’s nature that his concern not to unnecessarily hurt Daniel’s feelings pushes aside any reservations he has so that he can pursue something they both like the idea of. After all, Daniel is sweet and funny - and definitely rather fit because Jisung has eyes - and most importantly, Daniel likes him and Jisung wants to give him a chance.
“Thank Merlin! Here I was thinking I was the only one who felt like we were on a date.” He tries for nonchalance, swirling the last remaining drops of his butterbeer at the bottom of his glass but in reality the fear of having misread the situation and mislabelled it so plainly is making his heart thump so loudly in his ears that he’s worried he won’t be able to hear Daniel’s reply.
The sixth year peeks out from behind his hands and squeaks, “We’re on a date?”
“Do you want to be on a date?”
“Yes! I mean- yes!” His tone is no less enthusiastic the second time and Jisung, relieved in spite of himself, finds the younger’s excitement incredibly cute.
“Then we’re on a date!” Jisung announces cheerfully, gesturing for Daniel to clink his glass against his own in celebration, eliciting a giggle from the other boy.
"Wait," Daniel starts and Jisung’s heart stops. "You didn't know I liked you? Seriously?" He begins laughing again as if it’s the funniest thing he’s heard all week; as if he doesn't laugh like that about something every ten minutes. "Why did you think I was staring at you?"
"So you were staring at me?"
"Wasn’t it obvious? I mean, I wasn't trying to get noticed or anything but I’ve heard I’m not very subtle," he adds sounding a little sheepish.
"Well, I’ve been told I’m not terribly perceptive so I guess we’re a good match."
Daniel seems to glow at the suggestion they’re suited to each other and Jisung thinks he can relate as he feels his heart swell when the younger boy shyly offers his hand for him to take as they head back to the castle.
"So, um- how …for how long…?" Jisung is almost embarrassed to ask but his curiosity gets the better of him. (So does eloquence, apparently.)
"How long have I liked you?" Daniel helpfully supplies and Jisung just nods, politely ignoring Daniel’s sweaty palms. "Since third year? You probably don't remember but you were the Care of Magical Creatures assistant when I first took that class."
Despite being only a fourth year student at the time, Jisung’s background gave him valuable insight so he’d been recruited as a helping hand for the Care of Magical Creatures classes. He remembers that very clearly, still helps out every now and then, but he’s sad to say he doesn't remember Daniel from any of those classes. Which, in hindsight, is probably a good thing because it’s likely to mean Daniel never did anything stupid. Jisung’s not surprised, after all, Daniel has a good head on his shoulders. (And good shoulders, too.)
"It was the day we were being introduced to Hippogriffs for the first time and there was this one idiot" - There always is, Jisung thinks wryly - "who either thought he was too good for bowing or just hadn't bothered to listen to…basically anything you or the Professor had been saying."
"There was about three seconds in which his death seemed pretty imminent but you pulled him out of the danger zone and calmed the Hippogriff down, bowing and talking to it softly. It was simultaneously the most brave and the most Hufflepuff thing I have ever seen and it helped me realise that the two aren’t mutually exclusive. I always looked for you after that." Daniel ducks his head shyly after he finishes talking and Jisung squeezes his hand, in thanks, in reassurance.
He vaguely remembers the incident but the younger’s recollection is more dramatic than his own, likely due to the rose-tinted perceptions of a boy in the beginnings of a crush.
"Thank you for sharing that with me," Jisung murmurs sincerely before the implications hit him. "Wait if that- if you were in third year and I was in fourth, then that means…"
"That I’ve liked you for three years?" Daniel supplies again, as if his nerves can't handle the time it takes for Jisung to get his thoughts together. To be fair, that sometimes takes a while.
Like right now, as the timing when Jisung is supposed to reply passes, and then some, and as much as Jisung wants to fight the uneasiness that’s infiltrating the formerly giddy atmosphere, he can't force himself to open his mouth.
Daniel anxiously rambles to fill the silence. "Sorry, I don't want you to feel pressured or anything. That’s a lot to take in, especially from someone you don't really know-"
The sickening lurch of his stomach at hearing Daniel apologise, as if he’s about to go back into his shell, provokes Jisung to cut him off. "Don’t be silly, of course I know you. We’re friends, at the very least, and for what it’s worth I want to get to know you even more."
That seems to assuage some of the younger boy’s fears and Jisung continues, albeit a little haltingly. "It’s not that I find it uncomfortable or anything of that sort, I just…I’m not sure I’m worthy of having held your affections for so long. Without knowing." The guilt he feels, that has been building up like bile in his throat for the last hour or so, seeps into his words and he looks away.
Daniel stops walking and drops his hand in favour of placing both palms gently against Jisung’s upper arms, encouraging him to look at him as he speaks earnestly. "Don’t think like that. It’s not your fault I was too shy to talk to you. I’m willing to make an Unbreakable Vow to prove that you are deserving of all the affection in the world, from me or anyone else, and I have not for one moment regretted my feelings for you.”
They’re not far from the Common Room now and Jisung damns the cold, drafty corridor for making his eyes water. “Don’t make light of binding magical contracts, especially ones for which the death penalty is inherent upon contravention,” he sniffs, talking like he's quoting a textbook in the hopes of diffusing his sudden spike of emotion.
All Daniel does is laugh at how Jisung’s concerned about his safety even in a moment like this. “Then how else am I meant to convince you of my sincerity, if not by invoking such a ritual?”
“You could just hug me, idiot,” Jisung pouts and Daniel complies, enveloping him in an embrace so warm and solid and secure that Jisung can’t remember having felt anything like it. He wraps his arms around Daniel’s waist and rests his head on his chest, willing his eyes to dry. Despite chastising Daniel for speaking lightly of serious matters, Jisung is sure that You Know Who could return in all his reptilian, nose-less infamy and he wouldn’t care, for all that the outside world has dulled in this moment.
“Thanks,” Jisung clears his throat and pulls away.
“Anytime,” is Daniel’s soft assurance.
But when the two turn to move, intent on closing the final distance between themselves and the warmth of the Common Room fire, they find that they are rooted to the spot.
Jisung looks around in confusion and then up. “Ah.”
Daniel follows his gaze. “Oh.”
The Hufflepuff Prefect can just imagine the glee on Kim Jaehwan’s face at the knowledge that the mistletoe he had hung about the castle has trapped one of his friends so effectively. It was a tradition that Jaehwan himself wasn’t responsible for, of course, but one that the Slytherin had been all too happy to indulge, delighting in the opportunity to cause mischief. The memory of Jaehwan’s maniacal laughter cackles in his ear. After all, it isn’t ordinary mistletoe. It is, of course, enchanted so that the two people caught under it can’t move until a kiss has taken place.
Jisung wonders if Daniel’s face is as red as his own feels. The other boy, whom Jisung would have expected to laugh out of nerves or genuine amusement just as he laughs at everything else, is uncharacteristically silent and a quick glance at his face reveals this is because he is staring down at Jisung with a quiet intensity emanating from his dark eyes that makes Jisung’s stomach flip and his cheeks grow warm.
Oh.
In theory, and unfortunately in practice, there are worse people to be trapped under the mistletoe with; like a teacher, or Kim Jaehwan himself. Maybe Jisung should be grateful he’s in this predicament with the boy that he likes. He’s sure Jaehwan would commend himself for giving Jisung an excuse to kiss on the first date.
He holds his breath as Daniel inches closer and his heartbeat stutters when he feel the dry warmth of his lips brush against his cheek. It’s chaste and so unassuming, so Daniel, that Jisung’s heart swells. He is spellbound as he watches Daniel draw back and murmur, “Merry Christmas.”
It’s certainly enough to free them but before the other boy can step away, Jisung is leaning forward and pressing a light kiss against Daniel’s mouth, barely there, just as chaste and just as careful but with the weight of a promise left lingering.
“Merry Christmas.”
**
For all that Jisung harps on about the importance of studying to his kids, he’s doing a particularly poor job of committing to it himself today. He almost, almost , wishes he could focus on the ancient runes translation he’s supposed to be working on but doing so would rob him of the pleasure of taking in the sight before him. The sight of his surprisingly studious boyfriend sitting across from him in the library, round wire reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, hair now a soft golden blonde making him look every bit the angel that he is. Even in the dim light of the library the picture is breath-taking and Jisung will never get tired of it.
Seonho, on the other hand, is a little miffed at the fact his scheme to receive more cuddles didn't go according to plan, even though Minhyun’s back, since Jisung has found somebody else to cuddle but he and everyone else are generally happy for Jisung and Daniel. Complaints about their ‘offensive lovesick behaviour’ are common but Jisung considers it a rite of passage.
As Daniel reaches the end of the paragraph he’s reading he lets out a sigh and looks up, meeting Jisung’s gaze. Jisung wonders if he’s imagining the hint of pink that flushes at the roots of his hair.
A knowing smile tugs at the corner of Daniel’s mouth. "You’re staring."
"I have my fair share to catch up on."