Chapter Text
Something wasn’t right, Minhyuk concluded as he stared at his best friend who kept staring at his parchment paper in return.
Hyungwon has been staring at nothing in particular for 10 minutes now and that wasn’t normal, sure the tall Ravenclaw's mind would wander and be lost in thought at times when he's doing homework, which mostly means he’s stuck on a particular question but he would usually think of an answer after a minute or two, or get up to get a book – unlike Minhyuk who would rather bull shit his answer or ask others than get a book. So Hyungwon just staring at nothing for more than ten minutes with his brows furrowed means something was wrong, and it wasn’t the Potions essay that he’s working on, which was more than half-way done.
“Hyungwon,” Minhyuk whispered as to not surprise the other out of his reverie, and also because he was in the library and he really didn’t want to deduct Slytherin’s house points just because he was inappropriately loud.
Hyungwon seems to shake of his daydream off before turning to Minhyuk, “What?”
“Is something wrong?” Minhyuk directly asks, he was never one to skirt around an issue.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Hyungwon answers a little too abruptly and turns back to his paper, which just proves to Minhyuk that something is wrong. When he could still feel Minhyuk's concerned eyes on him he sighed and added “I’m just thinking about things.”
“I can see that, and it’s obviously not about your Potion’s paper,” Minhyuk states, his sentence is only proven more when Hyungwon bites his lower lip – a childhood trait he does whenever he ponders whether to talk or not – it seems his decided though when he turns and pulls Minhyuk closer.
Hyungwon looks serious as he stares Minhyuk in the eyes, “You have to promise not to make a big deal out of what I'm about to say okay?”
It was only when Minhyuk nods, albeit a little reluctantly, did Hyungwon move and grab his bag to reach into it. Minhyuk honestly didn't know what he was expecting Hyungwon to pull out, but a pear didn’t even flicker in his mind, and yet that’s what sits on their table now.
“You’re hungry?” Minhyuk slowly asks, not really sure what reaction he should give.
“No, I,” again with the biting of the lip, he really should get rid of that mannerism, before he comes clean as to what the pears are. “I saw them on my bed after I washed up this morning, no one was in the room anymore, cause you know I'm always last, and I thought someone left it by mistake or it’s an early Christmas present from one of them, but there’s a note attached.”
Minhyuk nods to show that he’s listening and forgets about his homework completely, because this is clearly more interesting, Hyungwon then pulls out the note from his bag and Minhyuk couldn't help but notice the pinkness blooming on Hyungwon's cheeks as he discreetly shows him the note.
‘Chae Hyungwon,
Someone said we’d make a great pear, and I'd like to think that’s true.
Hopefully the next presents would make you think that too.’
“Oh my-” Minhyuk almost screamed in glee if not for Hyungwon’s hand over his mouth, which he’s honestly thankful for cause the librarian seems about ready to deduct 20 points from Slytherin.
“Don’t make a big deal,” Hyungwon says slowly, emphasizing each word through his teeth as he lowers his hand.
“How can I not?” Minhyuk keeps his voice low but the excitement is making it hard. “Don’t you see what this is Hyungwon? You have a secret admirer, oh my god!”
“You don’t know that.”
Minhyuk can’t help but roll his eyes at that “Wonnie please, the person clearly states you’d make a great pair, in the most lamest punny way but it’s cute. And he’s gonna send you more gifts to help you see that, that’s so cute, they’re courting you.”
Hyungwon couldn’t help the shy smile from his lips because it’s true, if this person really was courting him through little gifts and lame puns then the only word he could describe these actions is cute.
“I wonder what they'll give tomorrow," Minhyuk wonders clearly excited for his friend. “You’ll have to tell me at once.”
Hyungwon nods cause that was already a given honestly because Minhyuk will keep asking about this now that he knows, “You’re the only one who knows okay, don’t tell anyone else, I don’t want this spreading.”
“I swear to Merlin I'll keep my mouth shut about this,” Minhyuk promises but receives a scoff from behind when another student joins their table.
“That’s practically impossible Min,” Kihyun Yoo, Minhyuk’s fellow Slytherin and one of the few purebloods Hyungwon doesn't find has a stick up their ass, sits down across their table, eyeing the pear in front of them. “Were you taking a snack break? I don’t think Ms. Cresswell would want to see food in her library.”
“Ms. Cresswell trusts me enough to not sully the books here,” Hyungwon says – the number of hours he spends in the library to read for leisure has helped create a friendly relationship between him and the librarian also because Hyungwon, being a muggleborn, has recommended her muggle books from the muggle section of the library she might like (and actually did like, who knew muggles has such wild imaginations she said) which helped her be closer to her muggle fiancé – but he hides the pear nonetheless.
“Didn’t think pears would be your snack of choice though,” Kihyun inquires as he brings out his own parchment and inkwell to start on his homework.
“I just thought fruits would be a healthy snack from time to time,” Hyungwon lies.
Kihyun snickers at the reasoning “A healthy snack shouldn’t be from time to time, you’re like a kid.”
Hyungwon blushes at that comment and Minhyuk teases, "Ki's gonna nag you till you start eating healthy Wonnie.”
“Shut up Min or else I'm not helping you with your Transfiguration essay anymore," Hyungwon shoves the other away from him then returns to his own Potions paper, ignoring Kihyun’s chuckles at Minhyuk’s whining of how mean he was, a soft chuckle which seems to tickle his ears pink.
☆ . ✧ . ☆
Whatever Hyungwon was expecting to receive as a present the next day surely wasn’t the turtle shaped cat bed on his own bed when he returns from his morning shower.
‘Chae Hyungwon,
Sleep well.’
It was a short note but Hyungwon can still feel the butterflies form in his stomach at how delighted he feels to receive the present. He places the bed on the windowsill where he likes to laze around in his animagus form and keeps the note in his drawer where the note from yesterday was also kept before going down to eat breakfast, already excited by the cat nap he’d surely take later in the afternoon.
(When Minhyuk came looking for him in the Ravenclaw dorm rooms that afternoon – how he got in makes everyone in the tower wonder how he was sorted in Slytherin instead of Ravenclaw – to disturb his afternoon nap he’s surprised to see the pretty white ragdoll cat form sleeping on the turtle cat bed.
He approaches quietly and then starts to stroke through Hyungwon’s soft cat fur when he’s near and receives soft purrs in return, a fond smile form on his lips at the response.
“This secret admirer of yours really knows how to win you over huh," Minhyuk whispers, his hands going through the soft fur one last time before he turns away and decided to bother Changkyun at the third-year Ravenclaw dorm instead.)
☆ . ✧ . ☆
The gift he received on the third day didn’t contain a note but he knew the plate of French toasts that appeared before him during breakfast was from the same person that’s been sending him gifts.
“Where’d you get the French toasts?” Changkyun Im, a third year Ravenclaw Hyungwon practically adopted into his friend group as soon as he sat next to him when he got sorted, asks while searching the table to get himself some.
“I, uh, mentioned it to the elves last night that I'd like a plate of them this morning,” Hyungwon lies, he hates lying to Changkyun but he doesn’t really know how to explain the gifts to him in such a crowded place without someone overhearing, he doesn’t want that kind of attention.
Changkyun looks at him with a touch of surprise in his eyes “You can ask the elves for special orders?”
Hyungwon chuckles a little at the younger’s reaction, remembering how he as a fellow muggleborn was the same when he found out new things about this wizarding world he was suddenly presented with “House elves are more than willing and happy to serve you your favorite foods as long as you ask nicely. They’re well informed of their rights so as long as you’re nice they’re willing to serve you.”
“I’ll take note of that,” Changkyun happily stores the information in his head and makes a note to ask for scrambled eggs instead of the usual sunny side up.
After breakfast Hyungwon makes an excuse of thanking the house elves for the toasts when he bids Changkyun goodbye for the younger to go to his class. When he gets to the kitchen the elves immediately turn all their attention to him, a bit worried they did something wrong but Hyungwon eases their worries with a warm greeting smile.
“Good morning mister Chae,” an elf wearing a soft blue dress greets him and Hyungwon immediately recognizes him as one of the elves assigned to Ravenclaw tower, Foddey was his name. “What brings you here, would you like to bring snacks to class?”
“No Foddey thank you, I just would like to thank you for the French toasts this morning,” Hyungwon explains. “And also, if you could tell me why you gave them to me? Or, um, who gave them to me?”
“Foddey and the elves are very welcome and thankful that mister Chae likes his gift,” Foddey replies and the other elves nod. “But Foddey is afraid he can’t answer mister Chae's question."
Hyungwon pouted at that but can’t find fault in the elf’s answer “I figured as much.”
“If it helps ease your mind, Foddey thinks this person likes mister Chae very much," Foddey encourages. "And Foddey thinks you’d like him as well.”
The other elves all nod encouragingly and that does ease Hyungwon a bit. A smile forms on the wizard’s lips at the elf’s words “Thanks Foddey, I hope you’re right.”
Foddey only smiles and Hyungwon bids him and the elves farewell and goes out of the kitchen to walk towards his class, upon backtracking on his conversation though he stops in his tracks when Foddey’s words really sunk into him.
“And Foddey thinks you’d like him as well.”
The secret admirer’s a he.
(When Hyungwon goes and tell Minhyuk this information he isn’t really surprised that Minhyuk isn’t the least bit fazed by that information "I’m calling him Christmas boyfriend from now on.")
☆ . ✧ . ☆
Hyungwon was walking towards the courtyard alone to meet with Jooheon Lee, a fellow fifth-year in Hufflepuff who practically taught Hyungwon everything he should know in the wizarding world being the half-blood that Jooheon is, so that they could work on the Charms to be asked on their OWLs exam when he received his fourth gift.
Four paper birds were approaching him while holding a long white scarf. Three of the birds proceeded to wrap the scarf around him while one opened up in front of him to reveal a note. A blush forms on his cheeks as he read the words the note held.
‘Chae Hyungwon,
Keep warm love.’
The note folds itself and flies into Hyungwon's robe pocket as the other three flew off to different directions leaving Hyungwon a bit dazed and shy at the endearment the note held making him not hear the footsteps approaching him.
“Hyungwon?” Kihyun called out as he walked towards the other. “What are you standing there for.”
Hyungwon is pulled out of his daze as he thinks of an answer, “Oh, I, um, was lost in thought,” if Kihyun notices the stutter in his voice he doesn’t mention anything.
“Are you going to the courtyard too?”
“Yeah, me and Heonnie are gonna work on our Charms for OWLs,” Hyungwon easily explains, thanking god the stutter is gone.
“At least you have Jooheon as a study partner, Minhyuk kept declaring he’s done with the wizarding community and will go home to be a dentist or something,” Kihyun sighs at the memory. “Me and Wonho had to have him explain some of the occupations he mentioned, how the was I supposed to know what an ophthalmologist is?”
Hyungwon chuckles at that, “He’s been saying that since I started wearing glasses when I was 7. Kept saying he’ll be my doctor in the future if I'm gonna wear glasses forever.”
Kihyun was silent for a moment and Hyungwon wonders if he said somethin weird making him a bit self-conscious, is it the glasses thing? Wizards have glasses, don’t they? Harry Potter has a pair in every painting he's in even up until now that the boy who lived is 30. Before he can ponder anymore though Kihyun speaks, “You wear glasses?”
Hyungwon blinks at the question but then remembers that ever since he found out about the temporary vision charms offered at St. Mungo’s he’s never wore his bug-eyed glasses in Hogwarts “I always go to St. Mungo’s for an annual vision charm at the start of every school year so I guess you never saw them on me, it's more convenient too since I don’t have to wipe them or have them falling off, plus I can sleep anytime. I still wear them at home during summers though.”
“You have glasses,” is the only thing Kihyun says and Hyungwon tilts his head to the side at him, his cheeks press against the soft white scarf around his neck, the small action seems to pull Kihyun from his thoughts on his glasses and onto his scarf instead. “Where’d you get the scarf?”
“It’s a gift,” Hyungwon smiles shyly as he holds the ends of the scarf, it was so soft and warm, just how he likes his winter clothing.
Kihyun smiles at Hyungwon before reaching for the scarf and undoing the messy twirl the birds did around his neck “It’s on so messily though, maybe you need to renew your vision charm.”
“I did it in a hurry,” is the explanation the Ravenclaw gives as Kihyun re-wraps the scarf around his neck more neatly.
“There,” Kihyun pats his scarf and gives him a fond smile, the butterflies return to Hyungwon’s stomach at that look. “Now come on or else Jooheon will whine your ear off for leaving him waiting.”
☆ . ✧ . ☆
The fifth gift came in the form of food at breakfast again and this time Changkyun didn’t believe him when he said that he asked for five glazed doughnuts for breakfast.
“You have the appetite of an ant Hyungwon," Changkyun states, a look of concern on his face. “And even you looked shock at the number of doughnuts on your plate, did you even know about them? What’s going on?”
Hyungwon knows it’s useless to lie anymore plus he really hates lying to Changkyun of all people so he just sighs and nods before whispering, “We’ve got the same free period today so I'll tell you then.”
Changkyun eyes him one last time before nodding and agrees to his condition. When his Transfiguration class before his free period ends Hyungwon is not surprised when he finds Changkyun waiting outside for him. They go to the courtyard and finds an empty bench by the lake, Changkyun looks at him with anticipating eyes, patiently waiting for Hyungwon to start explaining.
“Simply put, someone’s been giving me gifts,” Hyungwon starts.
“Simply put,” Changkyun repeats. “Elaborately put?”
“At first I got two pears, then the turtle cat bed by the windowsill,” Hyungwon tells.
“And then the French toasts!" Changkyun exclaims in an act of enlightenment.
Hyungwon nods at that, “Then this white scarf and today glazed doughnuts, and they’re mostly accompanied by a note addressed to me with little messages like sleep well or keep warm.”
“Oh my god,” Changkyun says excitedly. “You have a secret admirer.”
“That is exactly Minhyuk’s initial reaction too,” Hyungwon commented.
“But that's what it is, this is so cute," Changkyun states excitedly but then his face morphs into an amused confusion. “The gifts are kinda weird and random though.”
“They are,” Hyungwon chuckles in agreement because there's no denying that. “First off was a pear and now five doughnut rings.”
Something then clicked in Changkyun's mind at what Hyungwon said “Wait, you receive one gift each day?”
“Yeah,” Hyungwon says unsurely, a bit worried at the sudden seriousness in the younger’s voice.
“What did you receive again? Chronologically?"
Hyungwon raised a brow at the request but obliged nonetheless “A pear, then the turtle bed, French toasts, a scarf and today the doughnuts.”
“And there were three French toasts,” Changkyun says as if he’s found the secrets of the universe and looks at Hyungwon with wide eyes. “It’s the 12 Days of Christmas.”
Hyungwon’s jaw automatically falls slightly open at Changkyun’s words, he’s right, “The scarf was sent to me by four paper birds.”
“Holy shit this just got cuter!" Changkyun cried happily, grabbing Hyungwon's hands. “This is the cutest way to court someone, the lyrics of that song literally says my true love gave to me.”
His words and the excitement in his eyes are the only things Hyungwon needs to know that this secret admirer of his has Changkyun's full support, Hyungwon can already hear the exciting chatter Changkyun and Minhyuk will have when the Slytherin finds out Changkyun is in the loop now too.
Hyungwon can’t deny it though, his secret admirer just got cuter indeed.