Archive of Our Own ^omega

“Hey,” Yeosang called, tossing a shred of newspaper at the boy sitting on the ground, though it simply fluttered to the ground between them. He ripped another and crumpled it into a ball, tossing it harder, this time bouncing off of Wooyoung’s head and onto the floor. “Hey!”

Wooyoung finally looked up, grinning like he’d heard him since the beginning. “What?”

“You’re not helping,” Yeosang laughed, readjusting himself on the counter where he sat. The stack of books between them spanned from the checkout counter to the floor, the spines all different shapes and colors.

“Neither are you!” Wooyoung laughed back, still sitting cross-legged and hunched over a book on the floor. He waved an arm in Yeosang’s direction, pointing out the fact that he was also clearly not helping. 

“I’m planning.” Yeosang grinned as he shrugged. 

“For what?” 

“How to organize them,” he said, just teasing at this point.

“If your Auntie comes back and we haven’t finished, that’s on you.”

“Says the one reading on the floor!”

“It’s interesting!” Wooyoung shrieked, pushing himself up to his feet and shuffling over to him. Yeosang leaned over to see from his perch on the counter, the boy holding the book up to show him. “It’s an old Herbology book, about plants from Scandinavia. This one can eat toadstools whole.”

Yeosang giggled, nudging his shoulder with an elbow. “Yeah, that’s cool.”

“Shut up, it is.”

“Let’s just start cleaning, okay? We have like two hours left.” 

Wooyoung didn’t seem to listen, already setting his book down to hoist himself onto the counter beside him, tugging it back into his lap.

“Look,” he said, motioning excitedly to another page with a leafy purple plant, flowers small and blue. “This one can heal grindylow bites. It’s cool, okay?”

“Yeah, it’s cool,” Yeosang said, still smiling at the book. “Is that one of the new ones?”

“Yeah, it was on top of the stack,” Wooyoung murmured, motioning somewhere in the piles of books on the floor. “You think she’d let me borrow it?”

“Maybe,” Yeosang murmured, relaxing a bit so their arms brushed together. “She loves you, so probably.”

Wooyoung gave him a shy smile, looking back to the book and flipping to another page. Yeosang rolled his eyes and leaned back on his hands, kicking his legs a bit as he looked around the shop.

He would’ve assumed that during summer it would be packed with customers, witches and wizards having the time to come in for their trinkets or books or herbs or whatever else his aunt had collected over the years. But they hadn’t had a customer since just after the boys had arrived, and maybe it was a good thing, considering the current state of the room. Not that it looked much different than normal, honestly. 

Colorful books lined the few bookcases around the room, the checkout counter underneath them a glittering rose stone that matched the soft pink color of the walls. In every area of the small shop that wasn’t a door or a window the walls were lined with shelves of magical things, mainly small plants in their pots or trinkets that held meaning for someone in another time. He’d always felt comfortable here, spending so much of his youth with his aunt who’d been delighted by him even before he’d started showing his own signs of magic. The idea of him helping around the shop when he was home from school simply made sense. And Wooyoung tended to go where he went, even in the summertime. 

He just breathed for a few minutes, Wooyoung’s hands running soft over the pages beside him, enthralled by the text and its pictures. The boy loved many subjects, but Herbology was his clear favorite, always insisting on helping Yeosang with his lessons even when he didn’t need it. 

The piles of new books looked a little daunting around them, but he truly wasn’t that worried. It wouldn’t take too long to sort once they actually put in any effort. It was hard not to get distracted by the trinkets in the room, always something new and exciting to play with. Hogwarts allowed them a great deal of magic, but it was sometimes a little more interesting to see it outside of the castle walls.

The thought of Hogwarts made his heart stutter a bit in his chest, leaning back harder on his hands as he frowned at his shoes. In only two weeks they were starting their seventh year, the last time they’d ever be students or have the comfort of their normal routine. Everything felt different, this time. Everything seemed to carry more meaning, their last summer, their last time with their studies, even though the year hadn’t even begun yet.

He glanced back at Wooyoung, the boy still entranced by the book in his hands, and hopped off the counter at last.

He could see Wooyoung look up at him from the corner of his eye, already frowning back at him. 

“I’ll just do it, don’t get up,” Yeosang said gently, already kneeling down to pick up the first book. Divination, it appeared, so he started a new pile.

He glanced up when Wooyoung still hadn’t replied, the boy just frowning down at him, book halfway to the counter as he seemed to be making up his mind. 

“I mean it, I’ll just do it, it’s okay,” Yeosang laughed as he worked, hoping his voice sounded as sincere as he felt. He didn’t want to interrupt his reading, truly. 

Wooyoung was already leaping off the counter, Herbology book forgotten as he knelt beside him, grabbing a book from a stack Yeosang had already sorted without realizing. Yeosang giggled and tugged it from his hands, quickly explaining the system he’d started, the boys eventually managing a quick rhythm of getting the books into their correct piles. 

Yeosang was busy pushing the last of their books onto the already packed shelves, careful to keep them organized by both subject and color when Wooyoung spoke up behind him, still cross-legged on the floor.

“Summer went fast this year,” he said softly, fidgeting with a knob on a cabinet beside him. “It feels weird.” 

Yeosang peeked back at him from the bookshelf. “What do you mean?” 

“I don’t know,” he said gently, pausing a bit. “I should be happy school ends this year, you know, but I mostly feel weird.”

“Weird like, sad?”

“I guess,” Wooyoung shrugged. “Yeah.”

“That’s okay. It is sad,” Yeosang assured him, shrugging as he hefted the last stack of Charms books into his arms. “And it’s not just any school,” he chuckled, balancing the pile as he scanned for their proper place. “I’ve been sad too.”

It was quiet for a while, Wooyoung pouting up at him when Yeosang finally glanced back, looking a bit pitiful where he sat. He quickly finished fitting the books onto the shelf and stepped to the register behind the counter, tugging the Herbology book still sitting there towards him.

Wooyoung watched him warily from the floor as he pulled his wallet from his pocket, not realizing what Yeosang was doing until he had already put his money into the register.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Wooyoung said sheepishly as he got to his feet, stepping over to him right as Yeosang shut the drawer. 

“I know,” Yeosang said, pushing the book into his hands as he came around the counter. “Let’s go get ice cream or something.”

“She doesn’t get back for twenty minutes,” the boy replied, still pouting as he cradled the book in his arms. 

“I’ll text her, she won’t mind,” he said with a small smile, reaching up to poke at his cheek. “She loves you, remember.”

Wooyoung frowned harder, already whining as Yeosang dug in his pocket for the shop key to lock up as he led him to the door.

~~~

“You’re not even listening,” San whispered with a laugh and Yeosang blinked himself out of it, looking to the boy beside him and rolling his eyes at his smirk. 

“Yes I am,” he hissed back, eyes returning to Wooyoung’s across the Great Hall. The boy was making stupid faces right at him, clearly not paying attention to Headmistress McGonagall as she explained the Sorting Hat to the first years for their seventh year in a row. 

“No you’re not,” San whispered with a laugh, poking him hard in the arm until Yeosang tore his eyes away to glare at him. Wooyoung was just chuckling at him from the Hufflepuff table, wiggling his eyebrows when he finally met his eyes again. Yeosang tried to look angry and mouth for him to stop, but he couldn’t stop his grin as Wooyoung just laughed harder.

He watched Mingi reach up across the table to smack the side of Wooyoung’s head and had to stifle his laugh, the boy finally looking away to whine at Mingi angrily. 

Yeosang turned back to the front of the Great Hall, the group of first years gathered in their new robes all listening to the speech intently. 

He still remembered clearly how it felt to arrive his first year, barely eleven years old and both nervous and excited to enter the world his aunt had described so much to him in the years before. Everything was so, so big, so many people moving around him as he looked around in wonder. When the Sorting Hat named him a Ravenclaw he had smiled so hard his cheeks hurt, a tiny boy named San smiling up at him from the long table beside an empty spot on the bench.

He glanced back at San at the memory, noticing instantly that he wasn’t looking up at the first years either, following his line of sight to the dark-haired Slytherin smiling back at him across the room. Yeosang chuckled, shoving his shoulder gently.

“Who’s not paying attention now, bitch,” he hissed, San breaking the eye contact to frown at him. 

“Shut up,” San whined in a whisper. “He was with his brother in New York all month, I haven’t seen him in forever.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Yeosang giggled, waving at Seonghwa as he laughed at them both. He hadn’t seen Seonghwa in even longer, not since the beginning of summer when the three had met up to teach Seonghwa about Muggle video games. The boy waved back with a grin just as the Gryffindor table erupted in applause, the Sorting Hat ceremony properly beginning. 

He watched as dozens of students were sorted into their new houses, each with delight or wonder on their faces as they stepped to their tables, the older students welcoming and cheering them on as though they were already members of their families. 

When the ceremony had finished he beamed at the table before him as it suddenly filled with endless food, one of the things he’d missed more than anything over the summer. The small shrieks and gasps from the first years scattered around the room only made it better, living vicariously through their excitement. 

He didn’t hesitate to pile his plate with heaps of meat, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and biscuits as though he hadn’t eaten in months. San picked up a conversation with a Second Year Yeosang recognized across the table, Yeosang listening halfway as he ate. It wasn’t until he was nearly done and only three-quarters full when he finally rose up for air, looking around the Great Hall and attempting to take the moment in.

Candles glittered from where they floated at the ceiling as they did every year, the professors lined up at the head of the room eating just as gratefully. His eyes found their way back to Wooyoung at the Hufflepuff table, the boy engaged in some wild conversation with Mingi as he seemed to only barely pay attention to the huge turkey leg still in his hand. 

Yeosang took another bite of carrot as he watched, Wooyoung motioning wildly with his free hand throughout the story. It had only been two weeks since they’d last seen each other at his aunt’s shop, but he hadn’t had a chance to talk to him yet after they’d gotten back to school. Not like they hadn’t been texting constantly in the last few days regardless. 

He didn’t even realize he was still looking until Wooyoung glanced directly at him mid-sentence as though he’d meant to find him, closing his mouth quickly and smiling back. Yeosang lifted a hand to wave a little, feeling strangely like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. Wooyoung grinned a bit, picking up a green bean from his plate and waving it back at him. Yeosang laughed just as Mingi turned around looking confused, eventually finding him and laughing back with his own wave, followed immediately by throwing a hazelnut at Wooyoung’s head. 

~~~

His dorm was just as he’d left it, empty and clean, his trunks piled in the corner waiting for him to unpack. Deep blue curtains hung from the back of his high bed frame, matching the color of the blankets already made on his bed. He was tempted to just fall asleep without unpacking but knew that he’d hate himself for it in the morning, his first class starting earlier than he’d like. 

One of his roommates had already unpacked, little possessions already littering his section of the room, though there wasn’t anyone around but Yeosang at the moment. He’d probably come between dinner and heading off to see some friends, really not a bad idea. 

Yeosang lugged his first trunk onto his bed, hanging up his robes before getting to work on sorting his clothes, tossing his cat plushie onto his bed. He piled his books on top of his cupboard, setting out the photo frames of his family and friends beside them. One still photo of his parents beaming bright beside him, one of himself, San, Seonghwa and Wooyoung laughing in an endless loop in the grass on their last day of Sixth Year, one of Yeosang shrieking as Wooyoung bit his shoulder on the day they’d found a magic camera in his aunt’s shop. He placed his wand on his bedside table along with the tiny potted succulent Seonghwa had given each of their friends as a “dorm-warming” gift. 

He’d just changed into his pajamas when he heard a soft tapping sound at the window, stopping short where he’d been pulling the blankets back to climb into bed, recognizing the sound instantly. He was on the third story of the castle, it was unlikely to be anything else.

He tugged the curtain back from the window, smiling soft at the dark brown owl perched on the sill outside, rolled letter clasped tight in her beak. 

“Hi Honey,” Yeosang murmured, tugging the small window open from the bottom and reaching out to run a finger over the feathers on top of her head. He pulled the note from her beak, holding his arm out so she could hop on for a ride inside, settling at the foot of Yeosang’s bed.

He laid back as he unfurled it, the page scribbled with Wooyoung’s familiar handwriting.

“I miss my phone
Meet by the tree tomorrow after you’re finished Dark Arts? 
Why don’t we have any classes together”

Yeosang giggled at his bluntness, almost feeling sorry for the bird having to run it over to him, but this late they really didn’t have much other way to communicate. 

He dug through his school bag for his quills, using a new sheet from his journal to scribble out his reply.

“Sure, I’m done around 3. This is you, ” he wrote, focusing on a beautiful drawing of Wooyoung holding a turkey leg, mouth full of food as he spoke animatedly. 

He tucked it back into Honey’s beak and led her to the window, sending her off into the night.

He lay awake for a while, long enough that both of his roommates had finally made their way back from the Great Hall or wherever they’d been, the sound of a beak tapping the window eventually returning. He snuck the owl back inside, waving off the other boys’ gentle teasing as he curled up in bed to read it. 

“I’m done at 2, I’ll wait for you. This is you, ” he’d written at the top of the page, the rest filled by a messy stick figure drawing of Yeosang scooping what had to be mashed potatoes into his mouth, looking even uglier than the drawing Yeosang had done. He chuckled into his knee, settling back against the headboard to respond. 

He drew what he hoped looked like himself with Honey tucked under his arm, eyebrows devilish as he smiled smugly on the page. 

“This is me, kidnapping ur bird. Let her rest, I’ll see you tomorrow, ” he scribbled, tucking it into her beak and sending her back. 

This time he waited only a bit to be sure Wooyoung wasn’t going to reply, eventually passing out under the covers to the murmur of his roommates settling in around him.

~~~

The day was long but as exciting as usual, Transfiguration, Divination, and Defense Against the Dark Arts all more or less the normal routine. He was with San for the last two, at least, so that made them more bearable. He didn’t have Potions until the following day, the one class he was truly excited for. 

The sun was out when he made it onto the lawn, summer not quite gone yet, a few dozen students finished with classes wandering around the castle. 

He could see Wooyoung sitting on the grass as he got closer, the boy hunched over a book below a tree they’d claimed as their own with San back in fourth year. It overlooked both the forest and the lake behind the castle, almost always peaceful. 

“Hey,” he said when he was close enough, plopping down beside him in the bit of shade, both boys still in their robes after coming straight from class. 

“Hey,” Wooyoung lit up as he noticed him, leaning back on his hands with the book in his lap. 

“Homework?”

“Magical Creatures,” he said with a grin, rubbing over the page with an illustration of Bowtruckle anatomy, the page in his notebook already half full beside him despite it being the first day. The little creatures looked like sticks walking upright, some with leafy growths on their heads. 

“I had that one last year,” Yeosang grinned back at him. “They can be mean.”

Wooyoung laughed, pointing to the section about how they can gouge out eyes when threatened. “Sounds like it.”

“Just be careful,” Yeosang teased, Wooyoung nodding along with a grin as he scribbled something more onto the page. 

“How were classes?”

“Fine,” Yeosang hummed, playing with a blade of grass nearby, looking out over the scenery around them. “We’re starting crystal-gazing in Divination, and I’m shit at it.”

Wooyoung laughed loud, looking up at him from his book. “Is your Inner Eye not relaxed, Yeosang?”

“Guess not,” Yeosang grumbled, but huffed a laugh as he tugged at some of the grass by his feet. “San swears he could see on the first try, but I think he’s just fucking with me.”

“Probably,” Wooyoung snorted, drawing a tiny crown onto the head of his Bowtruckle. Yeosang watched him with a grin, tossing the handful of grass he’d pulled out onto the page. Wooyoung gasped with a giggle and brushed it off, shoving his arm in return. 

Yeosang took the moment to grab at his quill, drawing little gems onto the crown, a little heart in the center. Wooyoung cooed at it for a moment before snatching the quill back, tucking his things back into his bag and leaning back on his hands, legs stretched out onto the hill. 

They sat quietly for a while, Yeosang cross-legged as they looked out over the water so far below them. The Forbidden Forest stretched into the distance beside it, containing mysteries that spooked him but only excited Wooyoung. Yeosang understood his love for Herbology, the boy always liking to discover new things, liked doing the research for himself. Yeosang felt the same about potions, more interested in the way ingredients could blend together to make something entirely new. 

The two had met in Charms in Second Year, Wooyoung latching on to him and San in one of their very first lessons. Yeosang met Seonghwa the next year in Arithmancy, the two becoming close quite easily. The four had really only formed a proper unit in the last year, just after San and Seonghwa had started dating. He was grateful to have the three so close altogether now. 

Wooyoung pointed out some large animal moving in the water, both gasping as it surfaced a bit to spray water from its blowhole. He assumed it was just a whale, but so close to the school grounds he honestly couldn’t be sure. They watched as it swam by slowly, the water glittering behind it as it went. 

“This year feels different,” Wooyoung murmured after a while, Yeosang glancing over to him. The boy was fidgeting with a flower from the grass, reaching out to pluck another one and beginning to thread them together.

“Yeah,” Yeosang nodded, looking back out at the lake. 

“It feels like we’re running out of time or something,” he said quietly, still staring down at his hands where he played with the flowers.

“We’re not,” Yeosang murmured, not even sure what he meant. “We still have all year.”

“But it’s the last one,” Wooyoung said with a slight shrug. “There’s more pressure, or something. I keep thinking about it.”

“Yeah,” he nodded along, looking back at him. “We’ll make the most of it, though.”

Wooyoung looked up at him, then, smiling a little weakly before looking back down at his hands. “It’s not your last year though.”

Yeosang’s brow raised as he glanced at him. “What do you mean?”

“When you become the Potions professor and come back forever,” he said, grinning up at him and Yeosang laughed.

“Yeah, okay,” he murmured, chuckling as he looked back at the grass, seeing another flower and plucking it to hand to Wooyoung. The boy took it and threaded it into his chain.

“It’s kind of sad, but we’ll be okay,” Yeosang said, speaking halfway to himself as the reality sunk in. He’d been thinking about it too, lately, especially now that they were back on campus. 

Wooyoung looked back up at him, holding his eyes for maybe a moment too long before he looked back down. “I know,” he said, holding a proper chain of flowers now. He paused for a moment, not even bothering to grab the next flower as he stared down at them. “Will you still be my friend once it’s over?”

Yeosang laughed a bit, ready to tease him, but the look on his face made him stop. “Yeah, Woo,” he said softly, nudging his shoulder when he didn’t reply. “We’ll always be friends, Woo. I know we will.”

Wooyoung finally nodded a bit, looking back up at him.

“You’re my best friend,” Yeosang muttered, feeling the need to reassure him. Wooyoung was usually so filled with light, it felt awful to ever see him dimmed a bit. “Graduating won’t change that.” 

“I know,” he spoke soft, taking in a breath before playing with the flowers again. “It’s just weird to imagine everything after school.”

“Yeah,” Yeosang murmured, handing him another flower and smiling a bit. “Are you sure you’ll still be my friend when you’re some world-famous Herbologist backpacking through Europe?” 

Wooyoung finally snorted at that, grinning up at him from where he’d finished tying the chain together in a loop. “Probably.”

“Probably?” Yeosang laughed, throwing more grass at him. “All that and I get a ‘probably?’”

Wooyoung laughed harder now, not bothering to brush off the grass as he lifted the flower crown to place it on Yeosang’s head. He secured it gently, tucking the hair behind both of Yeosang’s ears while he was at it. “Let’s go back, the sun will set soon.”

Yeosang just watched him, fighting the urge to take hold of his hands as they lowered from his hair. The look Wooyoung gave him was a bit suspicious, like he was hiding something sad underneath his smile. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked quietly, tempted to fiddle with the flowers on top of his head. 

“We don’t have classes together, it’s weird,” he said with a shrug, already reaching for his bag.

Yeosang watched him as he reached for his own, noting the fact he hadn’t really answered the question. “Then we’ll meet after class when we can. And we have the weekends.” 

Wooyoung nodded, hoisting himself off the ground and reaching down to pull Yeosang up. “Yeah, you’re right,” he said as Yeosang stood, brushing the grass hastily off of both their robes. Yeosang gave him one last look, silently daring him to say whatever was really wrong, but the boy just took his hand and set off up the hill. 

~~~

School continued on as it always had, Dark Arts kicking his ass more than usual this year but his other classes were relatively fine. Either he or Wooyoung waited for the other at the tree after their last classes had ended, San joining whenever he was free, Seonghwa usually tagging along with him. On weekends they made it a point to meet up in the dorms, sometimes going to town together. The first few weeks of September passed easily, the trees beginning to turn golden and orange, chilly breeze through the air. It became too cold to meet outside most days, usually settling for hanging out at dinnertime at the very least. 

Now Yeosang sat with San and Seonghwa at the Ravenclaw table, plates empty after dinner as those who weren’t too full yet ate dessert happily. Yeosang was starting on his second brownie when Wooyoung clambered down onto the bench across from him and beside Seonghwa, reaching out for one of the crystal bowls of ice cream at the center of the table. 

“Hey,” Seonghwa giggled at him as the boy quickly shoved a full spoonful into his mouth.

“Hi,” Wooyoung said with his mouth full, grinning back despite it. Yeosang laughed and fit the last of his brownie in his mouth, San speaking up beside him.

“We were just talking about you,” he hummed, just finishing his own bowl.

“What,” Wooyoung grunted, looking between them as they grinned.

“Seonghwa said you were almost bitten by a Fanged Geranium in Herbology,” he giggled, Seonghwa looking only a little guilty for telling.

“Oh,” Wooyoung said with a snort, gathering another spoonful. “Yeah.” 

“They’re nasty, it wasn’t even his fault,” Seonghwa said with a disturbed look.

“I moved in time, it was alright,” he chuckled around the spoon in his mouth. Yeosang raised an eyebrow and Wooyoung simply laughed back at him. As Seonghwa and Wooyoung were both studying Herbology for their N.E.W.T. exams that year they encountered more advanced plants than the others, and Yeosang was honestly grateful he wasn’t doing the same. 

“Did you get dinner?” San asked Wooyoung, the boy nodding and motioning back to the Hufflepuff table. 

“Ate with Mingi and the others,” he said, still eating. “Do you know Jongho, in Gryffindor?”

They all nodded, the Sixth Year was one of the best beaters Hogwarts had ever seen. They’d all seen the articles on how he was expected to make it to the World Cup some day. 

“We’ve adopted him,” he beamed, reaching out for a brownie despite not even being done with his ice cream. “He’s our son.”

Yeosang laughed loud, not even questioning it as he peeked over at the Hufflepuff table, Jongho and Mingi laughing together with some of the others.

“I’m happy for you,” he laughed, Wooyoung smiling cheekily as he ate. 

After a moment San spoke up again. “Hwa and I are thinking of going to Hogsmeade this weekend, you guys want to come?”

“Sure,” Yeosang said easily, shrugging as he met Seonghwa’s smile across the table.

“We want to try those new color-changing truffles at Honeyduke’s, and Seonghwa needs new quills,” San spoke again. “And I heard some fourth years talking about these scented sparklers at Weasley’s, apparently they smell like whatever you’re thinking of when you light them,” he said in a rush, Seonghwa bursting into laughter as he spoke up to agree, adding in something he’d heard as well. 

Yeosang grinned as he listened, glancing at Wooyoung a moment after realizing he hadn’t replied. The boy looked more distracted than genuinely listening. Yeosang followed his eyes down to the table, meeting the spot where San and Seonghwa held hands beside their plates. 

He glanced back up at Wooyoung’s face, only a moment before Wooyoung seemed to notice and met his eyes, the look in his gaze seeming to clear as he smiled soft at him, looking down.

“It might just be stupid,” San laughed, “But I don’t know, it sounds fun.”

“Yeah, I’ll come,” Yeosang confirmed again, glancing back at Wooyoung who nodded along with a small smile, reaching out for a strawberry from the tray on the table.

~~~

The boys met on Saturday after breakfast in the Great Hall, leaving together to make the trek down to Hogsmeade. Yeosang was sure to bundle up beforehand, knowing he’d be shivering like hell otherwise. 

Seonghwa was quick to find his quills and Wooyoung found the sparklers, grabbing a few along with some screaming yo-yos for them to try out later despite Yeosang’s many protests. They stopped at Honeydukes, each picking out some sweets and the truffles, Yeosang getting the sugared orange slices he’d been craving in the last few weeks. 

Yeosang stuck close to Wooyoung once they’d left, having noticed the way he’d been looking at Seonghwa and San giggling over some strawberry candy at Honeydukes. 

“Hey,” he said finally, cornering him in a section of Dervish and Banges near the broomsticks, away from the other boys. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah?” Wooyoung asked like a question, giving him a strange look.

“You keep looking at them weird,” he said quietly, nodding over to their friends. 

“Oh,” he said soft, glancing over, still across the shop. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he murmured. 

“I can ask them to stop being so public with it, I’m sure they’d be fine with-”

“No, no,” Wooyoung cut him off, laughing a bit as he shook his head. “Don’t. It’s okay.”

“Just tell me if something is wrong, okay?” he murmured, glancing back as well. “You seem off.”

“I’m fine,” Wooyoung said shortly, brows furrowed as he gave him a look like he was trying to convince him of it. 

“Okay, fine,” Yeosang said back, not sure why the conversation felt like it hurt more than helped anything. He backed off, the boys wandering over to catch back up with the others. 

Yeosang ended up buying an extra scarf for the weather, wearing it happily as they made their way back to the castle. They all settled in the Slytherin common room, playing a game of cards on the rug near the fireplace with only a few other students around. Yeosang gave up about halfway through, Wooyoung and San both so good at the fast-paced game that it was a little startling, Seonghwa struggling to keep up. Every time either boy won they shrieked and laughed hysterically, Yeosang laying down on his stomach and giggling as he watched. 

It was a few hours before they finally gave it up, all lying around eating their sweets and talking about whatever came to mind. Seonghwa told a very illustrious story of juicing a Flobberworm in Potions the day before, a disturbing and unsettling feat that Yeosang had performed too many times in his upper level classes. Wooyoung countered it with an even more disturbing story of the time he had to de-pus a Bubotuber, all shrieking laughing as they told him to please shut up. 

It was late when Yeosang ended up lying on his side on the rug, San having climbed into Seonghwa’s lap as the fire flickered beside them. Yeosang watched with a small smile as Seonghwa played with San’s hand as he spoke, seemingly not even aware he was doing it. Yeosang was still happy for them after what they’d gone through in the year before, secretly rooting for them long before they’d even started talking properly. Seonghwa was telling some soft story about his time with his brother over the summer, all of the boys quiet and sleepier now. 

Yeosang looked up to where Wooyoung sat beside them, honestly curious if he’d fallen asleep sitting up, but found that the boy’s eyes were already on him. Wooyoung startled a bit, looking quickly back to Seonghwa and then down at the fire. Yeosang’s brow furrowed, reaching out with his foot to nudge at the boy’s back. 

Wooyoung met his eyes again, frowning and looking a little sleepy as he pouted back at him. Yeosang kicked at him a bit more, eventually just rubbing at his side with his foot despite the weird angle. Wooyoung cracked a smile finally, shivering at the weird sensation and grabbing at his foot to pull it back down to the floor. 

Seonghwa noticed them and laughed, stretching his arms and saying they should probably just head to bed as San stifled a yawn to match. Wooyoung kept Yeosang’s foot in his hand, starting to tickle it until Yeosang yelped and kicked at him, finally pushing himself up off the floor. The three said their goodbyes to Seonghwa, San and Yeosang walking Wooyoung to his hall on their way back to Ravenclaw.

~~~

The days passed quickly, September turning to October too fast. Yeosang began to finally feel the pressure of his N.E.W.T. exams coming at the end of the school year, Potions the most nerve-wracking as he truly wanted to succeed for his life after Hogwarts. He tried not to stress regardless; the year was still new and he knew it would work out like always, but he couldn’t help feeling like he needed to try his best for it.

The other boys seemed to feel the same in their own ways, meeting up when they could but spending a bit more time studying before even any minor exam. He saw San daily as they shared a house and some classes, but he couldn’t be with Seonghwa and Wooyoung as often as he’d like, even mealtimes a bit more sporadic with their different schedules. He was missing the beginning of the year already, when the weather was nice and their school work wasn't quite as hectic. 

Perhaps the hardest thing was remembering how close he’d felt to Wooyoung over the summer, texting constantly despite not being together nearly as often as at school. He missed having a phone to communicate, just like he missed their meet-ups under the tree, just like he missed knowing he’d definitely see him at the table every dinner. 

It seemed like Wooyoung was stopping by their table less and less lately, even less than Seonghwa, who was undoubtedly trying his best to shape his schedule around the time he could spend with San.

Yeosang kept an eye out for Wooyoung most meals, usually seeing him over at Hufflepuff when he wasn’t with them, but some days he wasn’t even in the Great Hall at all. It was hard not to miss his presence when he wasn’t around, the boy was always so bubbly and warm and filling up the room. When they’d finally gone a full week without him stopping by their table he tried to believe it was because classes were getting harder, but it was difficult not to feel a bit uneasy. 

It was a Saturday when Yeosang noticed him sitting alone across the Great Hall eating breakfast, San and Seonghwa together on a date somewhere. He wouldn’t mind it normally, but sitting alone while Wooyoung was just across the room felt completely unnecessary. 

He grabbed his plate of eggs and balanced it across the room to the Hufflepuff table, setting it down and climbing onto the bench beside the boy. Wooyoung startled a bit, seeming surprised as he blinked back at him.

“Hi bitch,” Yeosang said cheekily, grabbing a fresh piece of toast from the table. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Sorry,” Wooyoung said quickly, looking a little shy as he poked at a sausage with his fork. “Classes are all harder this year.”

“That’s okay,” Yeosang said, trying to sound nonchalant. “Me too.”

“Sorry,” he said again, looking up before he looked down. Yeosang took a bite of toast, watching as Wooyoung just poked around his plate. He’d been feeling strange about his distance for a while now, and his demeanor now was only proving it. It wasn’t like him. 

“Are you okay?” he asked gently. “Is something going on?”

“No,” he said too quickly for it to be true. “No, I’m okay.” He smiled at him, weak and small. 

“We all miss you,” Yeosang said, starting to not feel hungry anymore. “We can eat over here if you want, if it’s easier for-”

“That’s okay,” he said, poking at his food as he waved it off with his free hand. “Don’t, it’s okay.”

Something small clicked in Yeosang’s mind, stomach dropping as he hesitated to say it, chewing at his eggs in the silence. After a moment he nearly whispered it. “Woo, is it San and Seonghwa?” 

“No,” Wooyoung shook his head, brows furrowing. “Seriously, I told you before, Yeo.” 

His stomach dropped even further, regretting eating at all. 

“Is it me?”

“No,” Wooyoung said abruptly, almost sounding annoyed. “No, Yeo. It’s just classes, seriously. I’m having trouble this year, but I’m okay.” 

Yeosang frowned back at him, finally looking at each other intently. “Okay,” he said gently, fidgeting with his fork. “I just miss you,” he said, trying not to feel annoyed in return. “I can help you with your schoolwork, if you want.” 

“It’s okay,” Wooyoung said, shaking his head a little. “I miss you too,” he said quietly. “I’ll try to stop by more often. I’m sorry, Yeo.”

“Okay.” Yeosang nodded weakly, looking back at his plate. They sat for a while, Yeosang trying to come up with something that wouldn’t make it feel so awkward.

Wooyoung spoke first, nudging Yeosang’s elbow on the table with his own. “How have your classes been?”

“Oh,” Yeosang said, looking down at his plate while he ate. “Dark Arts sucks ass,” he said, smiling a little. “But that’s normal.”

Wooyoung gave him a teasing smile as he nodded along, the boy always having liked the subject more than him. Yeosang hated any confrontation at all, let alone studying how to fight off horrible spells and creatures. Wooyoung excelled at it though, finding it more of an adrenaline rush than anything. 

“Divination is getting easier, though,” he continued. “Potions is okay, just more pressure than normal. The others are fine,” he shrugged.

Wooyoung chuckled. “That’s good, sounds like.”

“Yeah,” Yeosang nodded back. “What about yours?” he asked, though he could assume the answer.

Wooyoung huffed, smiling a little as he rested his chin in his hand, food forgotten. “Herbology’s fine. Fun, really. The others are shit. I hate Ancient Studies.” 

Yeosang laughed, mirroring his hand on his cheek. “Most do.”

Wooyoung smiled a little, glancing back at him. “I’m having trouble with Transfiguration, for some reason. Magical Creatures is harder than I expected. Charms isn’t that hard but it’s a lot of work. And Potions sucks, like always.” He looked intently at Yeosang, definitely taunting him, the boy just laughing and nudging his arm. 

“I can help you Woo, seriously.” 

“No, don’t bother, you’re busy too,” Wooyoung said, huffing a little as he rested his face in both hands and slouched down in his seat. “I’ll just drown.”

Yeosang chuckled again, reaching up to mess up the back of Wooyoung’s hair. “I can make time to help you, Woo. Seriously.”

Wooyoung groaned, letting himself lean onto the table, nearly knocking over a glass as he lay face-down with his arms under his head. “I’m gonna fail my N.E.W.T’s,” he groaned, muffled into the wood.

Yeosang laughed harder, hand still in Wooyoung’s hair as he played with it now. “No you won’t.”

“Yes I will,” he murmured. “I’ll fail and I’ll never find a job. I’ll live in the forest and collect leaves and eat berries til I die.”

Yeosang’s smile grew even wider, hand moving from his hair to scratch over his back. “I’ll visit you in the forest.” 

“I’ll live in a tree,” Wooyoung murmured into the table. “You’ll have to climb my tree.”

“I’ll climb your tree,” Yeosang said, giggling as he rubbed circles over his back. A moment passed quietly, few students eating around them. “You’ll be okay, Woo,” he murmured. 

“I know,” he said softly, face still on the table. “Just sucks.”

“I know,” Yeosang said gently. “But we’ve got you.”

The boy turned his head at that, resting his cheek on the back of his hand as he looked up at him. They held eyes for a moment, Wooyoung looking over his face as Yeosang scratched his lower back. 

For a moment Wooyoung looked as though he was going to speak, mouth opening and brow furrowing a little, Yeosang waiting for him. In a second he seemed to shake himself out of it, though, looking away and sitting back up. “Wanna play cards or something?”

“Sure,” Yeosang said, smiling soft at him as he reached up to fix his hair.

~~~

After their time together over the weekend Yeosang had genuinely expected to see Wooyoung more often, but nearly another week passed without him visiting their group at dinner. A few nights he spotted the boy at the Hufflepuff table with his house friends, stomach getting fidgety as he realized he might not come by as often as he’d said he would. He wanted to just go over to him, but he felt weird about it, for some reason. They had ended up being fine that day, he’d thought, but their initial conversation still made him uneasy.

Seonghwa asked if he was okay one night, noticing Yeosang staring at Wooyoung across the room. 

“He misses Wooyoung,” San said, smiling at Yeosang who rolled his eyes back at him.

“He never eats with us anymore,” Yeosang said, frowning down at his meal. “It’s weird.”

“Yeah,” Seonghwa agreed gently, glancing back at the Hufflepuff table as well. “He seems fine in Herbology, though,” Seonghwa shrugged, frowning back at him. “I haven’t noticed anything different besides at dinner.”

“Same in Charms,” San agreed, shrugging as well. 

“I tried to talk to him,” Yeosang said quietly, swirling his spoon in his pudding. “He’s just busy with class stuff,” he murmured. 

“Go talk to him again,” San said, shoving his arm a bit. “Steal him back for us.”

Yeosang laughed a little, looking back at Wooyoung. He was enthralled in some conversation with Mingi, looking genuinely happy. Yeosang shrugged. “He’s with his friends, I’m not gonna bother him.”

“Okay,” San murmured, looking back at him intently. “You’re his best friend, though. I don’t think he’d mind.”

They finished eating, Seonghwa walking them back to Ravenclaw before heading off to Slytherin, San following Yeosang straight into his room. There was no one around, his roommates probably studying or still at dinner.

“What,” Yeosang asked bluntly, frowning at San as he leaned on the bed frame at the foot of his bed. Yeosang climbed under his blankets regardless, genuinely feeling like he could fall asleep without even changing his clothes.

“I’m here if you want to talk,” San murmured. 

“I’m fine.”

“No you’re not,” San said gently, smiling down at him. “You’ve been getting sad after dinner.”

“It’s just weird,” Yeosang huffed, tugging the blankets up to his chin and staring at the ceiling. “I think he might have lied to me,” he nearly whispered. 

“About what?”

“About it just being school,” he said softly, pouting a little. “I feel stupid for worrying, though.”

“I don’t blame you,” San said, rubbing at the bed frame. “You’re the only one who doesn’t see him in class,” he said. 

Yeosang looked over at him, knowing how pitiful he must look just lying there. “We’ve never really spent this much time apart,” he said, almost into the blanket. Not really. They’d always had classes together, or spent the summers talking in whatever ways they could. And school hadn’t felt quite so overwhelming in a while. 

San frowned back at him, finally stepping closer and tugging at the blankets. Yeosang braced himself to fight back if he tried to tug him out of bed, but San only shoved at his arm to make more room, climbing in beside him. They lay facing each other, San adjusting his head on the pillow.

“I think you should talk to him,” San said eventually.

“I tried,” Yeosang said softly. “He said he’d come by more, but he hasn’t. It’s only been a few days, though.”

“It’s been more than a few days,” San chuckled. “It has been weird. He’s been normal in class, though.”

“What if it’s me, then,” Yeosang said sadly, feeling like an idiot. San just frowned back at him, clinging at the pillow under his head.

“I don’t think it’s you,” he said gently.

“I can’t think of anything I did wrong.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” San said, brow furrowing a bit as he frowned. “Sangie,” he said gently.

“What,” Yeosang said when he realized he was waiting for a response.

“Wooyoung loves you,” he said gently, smiling a little. “You’ve known that since second year. Everyone knows that.”

“Shut up,” Yeosang huffed, face halfway in the pillow as he pouted at him. 

“I’m just saying,” he murmured. “I don’t think you did anything wrong. I don’t think you even could do anything wrong, honestly.” 

“Yes I could.”

“Not to Woo,” San laughed a little, reaching up to tousle Yeosang’s hair. “You could blow up the sun and he’d still love you.”

“Then why is he avoiding me,” he muttered.

“I don’t know,” San said with a frown. “I don’t think it’s on purpose.”

“Maybe he likes them more than me,” Yeosang whispered.

“Literally impossible,” San chuckled. 

“No it isn’t,” Yeosang frowned. “Of course it isn’t.”

“Do you love him back?”

“He’s my best friend, Sannie.”

“But do you love him back?”

Yeosang frowned, heart slowing down as he stared back at him. The answer was obvious, maybe. He couldn’t see himself without the boy, even after they left school, even despite all their differences. He didn’t think about it all the time, but it was sort of just a given fact. They’d always been by each other’s side, for the last five years and hopefully for many more. 

“You know that,” he replied in a murmur.

“No I don’t,” San said, smiling a little.

“Yes,” he whispered finally, wilting a bit. “I love him.” 

San grinned back at him, looking genuinely a little crazy. Yeosang groaned and tried to shove him off the bed, the boy just scooting closer, giggling into the sheets.

When they finally calmed down San propped himself up on the pillow, smiling gently down at him. “It’ll be okay, Sangie. It’s going to be.”

“Yeah,” he said, feeling otherwise. It had just been too many days of the insecurity building up, too many days without actually talking about what was wrong. He wanted to believe him, he wanted to trust that the boy was just busy, that they’d see each other more again soon, that nothing had changed between them, but he couldn’t help the feeling in his stomach. 

“I’ll just love you if he won’t, anyway,” San said, giggling as he scooted closer to nearly lie on top of him. Yeosang groaned, struggling to push him off but San just secured himself further, halfway on top of him and still giggling.

Yeosang gave up eventually, letting the weight of the boy settle over him, just breathing together.

~~~

The next day Yeosang took his regular seat beside San in Divination, flipping open his book to the new lesson on Ornithomancy, the drawings of birds and the omens associated with them staring back at him as he glanced it over. Other Ravenclaws and Gryffindors shuffled into the classroom with a murmur of voices as class was about to begin, but one name in the noise caught his ear.

His head whipped to Jeong Yunho at his desk a few feet away as he spoke softly to the girl beside him, both with wide and worried eyes as they discussed something that Yeosang truly didn’t want to believe.

“Sorry, what did you say?” he asked them, completely disregarding the fact that he’d never spoken to Gryffindor’s keeper in all of his time at Hogwarts.

Yunho looked back at him with sad eyes, glancing at the girl beside him who was looking just as shocked. “In Herbology this morning,” he started, San turning to listen as well. “We were collecting plants in the Forbidden Forest, but somehow Wooyoung got separated from the group,” he said, Yeosang’s stomach literally dropping to his chair. “We didn’t see what happened, but we heard him, and when Sprout found him he was rushed to the Hospital Wing.” 

“What the fuck,” San said beside him, sounding like Yeosang felt. 

“Heard what?” Yeosang asked, time standing still.

“He sounded hurt,” Yunho said, eyes wide and sad. “We didn’t find out what happened, I’m sorry,” he said, frowning deeply.

Yeosang realized his hands were clenched into fists in his lap, trying to breathe as he looked back to San, staring just as shocked. 

The Professor started the lesson abruptly, then, Yeosang’s leg bouncing as he thought of a thousand excuses to leave the room, but ended up just sitting through it, his mind and heart racing the entire time. 

He thanked fuck as soon as it was over, deciding that he was skipping Dark Arts entirely and nearly leaving San behind with how quickly he raced out of the room, book clutched tight to his chest.

They both headed straight for the Hospital Wing, a spike of fear before a blanket of relief settling over them as they couldn’t find him inside, a nurse assuring them that he had been given some healing herbs and was okay, just recovering in his own room. 

San opted to head to Dark Arts anyway, leaving Yeosang alone to decide what to do next. He thought of standing outside Hufflepuff and begging until someone was nice enough to let him in, but he realized he may have an easier way in, if his timing was lucky.

When he made it to the Great Hall he scanned the Hufflepuff table quickly, sucking in a breath as he spotted Mingi eating lunch alone. He walked quickly over, still holding his school bag, the boy noticing him and instantly looking sad. 

“I heard something happened,” he said in a rush, out of breath.

“Yeah, in the Forest,” he said, clearly knowing what he meant. “He’s okay though, I was just with him.”

“What happened?”

“He tripped on Venomous Tentacula,” he said with a grimace, Yeosang’s heart stopping in his chest. “He got away before it stung too deep, and they got him to the Hospital Wing fast enough to heal him,” he said, frowning deeply up at him. “He’s okay now, thank god.”

“Can I see him?” he asked, trying not to sound frantic.

“Sure,” Mingi nodded, already standing and pushing away his plate. 

They walked together to the Hufflepuff Common Room, the distance feeling much longer than normal. Yeosang had only been inside a couple times this year, something strange for him. 

Mingi walked him to Wooyoung’s room despite that he knew the way, peeking his head in as well to check that he was still doing alright.

“Hey,” Wooyoung said, surprised as soon as he saw them, eyes locking on Yeosang.

The boy sat propped against some pillows, one leg under the blanket while the other lay outside of it, wearing shorts that exposed the two welt-like sting wounds on his leg. They looked duller than Yeosang had expected, though, only a softer shade of red, the healing herbs visibly helping.

Mingi seemed satisfied with his state and said his goodbyes before he headed out.

“Are you okay?” Yeosang said instantly, dropping his bag on the ground as he stepped closer and glanced back at his leg.

“I’m okay,” Wooyoung said gently, smiling a little back at him. “Promise.”

Yeosang looked at him warily, once again doubtful that he could believe him.

“What happened?”

“I got distracted,” he said, looking shameful. “I saw something and fell off the path, I didn’t see the Tentacula and I got too close. But it’s okay,” he said, shrugging meekly. “They got the venom out, the herbs are helping, I’ll be back to normal in a few days.”

“Wooyoung,” Yeosang breathed, genuinely trying not to cry. It could have been so much worse. 

“I’m sorry,” Wooyoung murmured, frowning back at him. 

“Why are you sorry?” Yeosang said, confused.

“I didn’t want to scare you,” he said gently, shame on his face only growing. 

“It’s not your fault,” Yeosang said, shaking his head as he stepped closer.

“I shouldn’t have gotten distracted,” Wooyoung whispered.

Yeosang looked up at his face, the boy looking so genuinely sad back at him. “I’m happy you’re okay,” he murmured, hands resting on the bed beside him. 

“Me too,” he said, smiling small.

“Does it hurt?”

“Not as much anymore,” he said, looking down at the leg. “When it happened it was awful, though.”

Yeosang frowned at him, genuinely not knowing what to say. 

“I’m sorry,” Wooyoung said again.

“I said you don’t have to be-”

“No,” he murmured, tugging the blanket higher on his lap. “For not coming by lately.”

Yeosang’s mouth opened a bit, the emotions he’d forgotten welling back up. “It’s okay,” he said softly.

“No it’s not,” he said, frowning at his lap. “I’m shit.”

Yeosang wanted to reply, thoughts racing through his mind, but he paused a moment. “We just miss you, Woo.”

“I know,” he said quietly. 

“I’m glad it wasn’t worse, though,” he said, motioning down to his leg. 

“I miss you too,” he murmured back, reaching up with his closer hand. Yeosang took it gently, as though his whole body was injured, not just his leg. When Wooyoung spoke again it was barely a whisper. “I’ve been dealing with some stuff, I’m sorry.”

Yeosang breathed deep, nodding a little back at him. “It’s okay.”

“I’ll tell you soon, I’m sorry,” he whispered, looking down at his chest. 

“Okay Woo,” he said, his chest almost hurting as it swelled. He squeezed his hand a bit. “Have you eaten?”

“No,” he said, smiling a little up at him. 

“Mingi and I can get you something.”

The boy grinned, squeezing back at his hand. “I can walk already, I’m just being a baby.”

Yeosang laughed. “Oh.”

“I’ll go in a while, I kind of just want to lie here.”

“Okay,” Yeosang said with a nod, looking down at their hands together.

“You don’t have to stay,” he said softly, looking up at him. 

“Do you want me to?” Yeosang murmured.

“Yes,” Wooyoung whispered, looking almost guilty as he ran a quick thumb over the back of his hand.

“Okay.” He glanced around for a place to sit, ready to settle for the floor when he felt a tug on his hand, Wooyoung looking sheepish as he patted beside him with his free hand. 

“If you want,” Wooyoung whispered.

“Okay,” he murmured, finally letting go to climb into the bed on the side opposite his injury, not even wanting to risk making it worse. They sat close under the blanket, talking about anything that came to mind.

~~~

It took a few days for Wooyoung to fully heal, Yeosang stopping by to check on him every day after class, longer on the weekend. He could tell it hurt more than Wooyoung let on, but he swore the herbs really were helping until he finally didn’t need them anymore. Yeosang had insisted he could brew him an extra potion to help with the pain, but Wooyoung assured him he didn’t need it.

Yeosang worried in his clinginess that he was pressuring him into spending time together, hovering too close and not letting Wooyoung have the space he’d clearly been needing, but the boy seemed genuinely grateful to have him around, so he tried not to linger on it. He was thankful for the sudden push to spend time with him even if they were busy, despite how guilty he felt for the circumstances. 

Wooyoung made it a point to eat with them whenever he could, often splitting his meals between the two tables, until one night when Seonghwa vehemently insisted it was silly not to just all eat at Hufflepuff. When their schedules lined up they were often all together, Mingi grateful for the extra company and latching onto Seonghwa quite easily. 

The October days passed in a whirlwind, classes getting harder as more work piled up, but it was energizing to have his friends so close again. It was easier to deal with all of the stress when they could laugh about it on the weekends. He began to forget why he’d been so worried in the first place. 

Eventually Wooyoung grew tired of Yeosang begging him to visit Honey in the Owlery, the two climbing the stairs in the West Tower one Sunday afternoon, wrapped in thick coats and hats and scarves.

Yeosang had only been inside a few times before, never having a reason to before Wooyoung’s parents had given him Honey as a birthday gift the year before. 

“Hi baby,” Wooyoung cooed as soon as they made it inside, the soft brown owl asleep on her usual perch. The tower was lined from floor to high ceiling with little nooks for the owls to rest in, free to fly about whenever they wished. The room had a particular smell, nothing like bird poop and their old meals to welcome them, but he didn’t mind it once in a while. Most of the owls were sleeping now as it was still daylight, but Honey peeked up at the boy as soon as Wooyoung ran a finger over the feathers on her head.  

She looked up at him, wide eyes taking them both in and letting out a small peep. Yeosang giggled, genuinely in love with the little bird. 

“We missed you,” Wooyoung cooed again, the bird just staring back at them with round eyes as she looked between them. Yeosang muffled his laugh as she eventually began to nibble at Wooyoung’s hand when he got too close. “Fine,” he grumbled, escaping her beak to let her climb onto his arm, holding her up in front of Yeosang. 

Yeosang pet the feathers on her back, cooing at her and resisting the urge to give her a kiss as he’d learned how that ends before.

“She’s always liked you more,” Wooyoung said through a smile as he watched them, Yeosang laughing back at him.

“That’s not my fault.”

“Not like I blame her,” Wooyoung murmured, Yeosang meeting his eyes and shoving his shoulder. Wooyoung just laughed, reaching up with his free hand to pet at her head. 

Eventually he handed her off to Yeosang entirely, letting the boy baby her as he walked around to look at the other owls. There were so many it was truly amazing, most perched with their eyes closed as they slept, all different shades and sizes. Yeosang balanced the bird on his arm as he watched Wooyoung look, the boy peeking closer at one every now and then, making soft noises under his breath when he found one he liked. 

Yeosang guessed most wizards thought of owls as little more than their delivery system, but he didn’t know how anyone couldn’t be fully endeared by them, each with their own quirks and personalities. Wooyoung stepped gently around the tower, Yeosang just watching him as he took in each bird as its own, watching them carefully and admiring them. 

Yeosang was so lucky, he knew. To have found this boy at only twelve years old. To have him so close as his friend even now. Someone so bright and special, bringing light to his life whenever he needed it, and even when he didn’t. It was more than a relief to be spending so much time together again, not really worrying anymore that anything wasn’t alright. Wooyoung had never told him what had been going on in those weeks, but he wasn’t going to pressure him. It was okay. 

Honey let out a soft hoot on his arm and Yeosang beamed down at her, Wooyoung catching the noise and coming back over giggling. 

“You’re still my favorite, baby,” he cooed at her, this time more careful not to let his fingers close to her beak as he pet her head.

Yeosang grinned at him, Honey fluttering her wings a bit until Yeosang lifted up his arm, expecting her to fly away, but she only hopped up higher onto his shoulder. Wooyoung laughed so hard he had to hush himself to make less noise, stepping away giggling to the stone window, looking down through the cloudy daylight outside. Yeosang followed him with a grin, peeking out at the view of the castle and the nature around it, all so small from so high. 

They stood for a while, Honey seeming to fall back asleep where she stood on his shoulder. The lake glittered under the sky, trees fluttering a little in the forest, grass green as ever as it rolled down beside the castle. It struck him again how much this place felt like home, how attached he felt to this incredible life he could only ever dream of while hearing stories in his youth. He really wouldn’t mind returning as the Potions professor some day, no matter how much his friends had begun to tease him about it. Helping students become excited by the lessons he loved, wrapped up in this magical place. It wasn’t the most realistic dream, but it stayed in the back of his mind nonetheless. 

He glanced at Wooyoung beside him, the boy’s hands resting on the stone ledge as he stared out at the scene in front of them. He looked as wistful as Yeosang felt, taking it in just the same.

Something inside himself couldn’t stop him from reaching a hand up, Wooyoung startling just a little as he placed a hand on his back. The boy peeked back at him, smiling almost sad as he met his eyes. Yeosang rubbed at his back, stepping a little closer as they stood together looking out. 

“I’ll miss it,” Wooyoung whispered, mirroring how Yeosang felt.

“Yeah,” he hummed, peeking back at Honey on his shoulder. She’d woken back up, looking between them both before chirping and hopping a bit, eventually landing up on top of Yeosang’s head.

Wooyoung yelped again, stifling his laugh in his hand as he watched Yeosang wince at the claws on his head, no doubt messing up his hair entirely as she stomped around. Wooyoung was in a fit of giggles as he reached up to grab her, trying to tuck her under his arm until she grew restless and flew out the window, soaring brown against the greens and blues outside. 

Yeosang giggled, rubbing at his head and only making it worse before Wooyoung swatted his hands away to put his hair back into place, grinning all the while. 

“She doesn’t like me that much,” Yeosang grumbled, Wooyoung beaming at him as he finally pulled his hands away. 

“That’s just how she shows it,” Wooyoung murmured, pushing at his shoulder before he turned back to the window. 

They stared out at it all, clouds moving slowly, trees fluttering in the wind. 

“The Halloween party is this week,” Wooyoung murmured after a while.

“Oh, yeah,” Yeosang said, smiling small as he looked over the hill.  

~~~

It was sometimes still strange to celebrate Halloween the way they did here, Yeosang subconsciously expecting to be surrounded by the costumes and trick-or-treating of his childhood. There wasn’t much need to dress up like magical creatures in the wizarding world, though, not when they were constantly real and among them as it was. 

The Halloween parties at Hogwarts were always grand and exciting regardless, Great Hall decorated with dazzling candles and pumpkins from ceiling to floor, the house ghosts happy to be flying about overhead, a seasonal feast before a dance to celebrate October’s end. 

The boys met up in the Hufflepuff dorms before dinner, San, Wooyoung and Mingi laughing hysterically as they debated ridiculous outfits. Seonghwa and Yeosang sat together against the wall beneath Wooyoung’s window, watching the ruckus. Wooyoung was currently trying to convince Mingi to wear the rainbow sequin sweater he’d found in his closet, the boy shrieking and insisting he wear it instead. 

Yeosang wore a simple black turtleneck, a stark contrast to the clothes the others were debating, despite that he knew they’d all settle on basic and comfortable clothes anyway. The event was never too formal, just meant to be some fun for the students, a break from their usual routine. 

At some point San and Wooyoung started actually fighting over a floral button-up in a fit of laughter, the ruckus revealing a bit of Wooyoung’s tummy as his shirt was jostled up. It was nothing Yeosang hadn’t seen a hundred times, so he didn’t even realize he’d sucked in a breath until Seonghwa laughed quietly beside him, nudging their knees together.

“Shut up,” Yeosang mumbled, nudging him back. 

“It was cute,” Seonghwa whined.

“Shut up.”

“How’s it going, by the way? Between you two,” he asked quietly, the others too distracted to hear. “You had that rough patch a few weeks ago.”

“It’s good,” Yeosang said, glancing back at him and shrugging, genuine. “I sort of forgot about it, honestly. I don’t know. The last few weeks have been good,” he said, the boys still scrambling. 

“Good,” Seonghwa nodded, resting his chin on his knees, curled into a ball. “I was so scared in the Forest,” he murmured, Yeosang turning to look at him now. He was frowning, staring at Wooyoung ahead of them. Seonghwa had been in the forest with him, he’d heard the boy in pain. If it was difficult for Yeosang to handle he could only imagine how it felt for Seonghwa, the event a different kind of memory for him. “I didn’t know if he’d make it when I heard what happened, honestly.” Seonghwa whispered as he turned to him, cheek pillowed on his knee as he frowned. The boy took in a small breath, reaching out to rest a hand over Yeosang’s on the floor.

Yeosang nodded, looking down at their hands. It hurt to think about, but it had been on his mind every day in the last few weeks. Venomous Tentacula was known to kill in minutes, it was still unreal that Wooyoung made it out okay. They had all been acting normal, staying closer than before, but he knew they were all shaken up. 

“I’m just glad he’s okay,” Seonghwa said quietly, his eyes wide and genuine. “And I want you guys to be okay." 

Yeosang nodded, understanding that he meant more than just alone. 

A loud crash broke their eyes apart, looking instantly to the boys who had somehow knocked a lamp halfway over in the fiasco.

“Let’s go!” Seonghwa said instantly, standing and pulling Yeosang up after him, the boys scrambling to make sure they hadn’t broken anything and then continuing to giggle. “Just put something on already, I want food.” 

~~~

The dinner was warm and familiar, the boys all sitting at their own packed house tables as it was more formal than the average meal. San and Yeosang joined their head boy Hongjoong in telling a few first years about the niffler that had gotten loose on campus a few years before, Yeosang giggling as both Hongjoong and San exaggerated some parts for the kids’ eyes to widen dramatically. 

He made sure not to eat too much, remembering well that the dance afterward usually involved extra sweets for the holiday and he wanted to pace himself. After most of the room had finished eating the entire room transformed into a grand dance hall at the flick of a wand, light dimming to near-darkness lit mainly by the hundreds of candles floating throughout the room, a purple and orange-ish glow cast over the walls. The pumpkins overhead turned to jack-o-lanterns, and spooky but bass-heavy music washed over the space as the students chattered in awe.

Those who wanted to dance rushed to the center, Yeosang tugging San’s hand as they weaved through the crowd to find the others. Seonghwa had already found Mingi and Wooyoung at the side of the room, the boy laughing at them as they cheered over a table of cupcakes. The Gryffindor Jongho had found them as well, a cookie in each hand as he laughed with them. 

“Hi boys,” San cooed, stepping over to wrap a hand around Seonghwa’s waist and peck at his cheek. The boy blushed through his smile, Yeosang just grinning at them. The boy truly never looked like he was used to it, even after almost a year.

“Cookie,” Wooyoung chirped next to him, grinning as he held it right in front of Yeosang’s face, Yeosang laughing and thanking him for it. 

They ate a bit and watched the party from the sidelines, a majority of the students dancing like maniacs, the rest moving a little awkwardly as they looked around. The music was exciting and loud, heart thrumming as he watched the whole room move in the darkness.

Dancing was not exactly Yeosang’s favorite thing, but Mingi and Wooyoung working together were an incredible force, each taking a hand and tugging until they’d dragged him to the center of the room. Seonghwa began leading San in some silly dance, the boy bubbling with laughter as he followed his movements.

“Dance with me,” Wooyoung whined beside him, still holding onto his hand and flopping it around between them. Yeosang laughed at how silly it was, reaching up to take his other hand and laughing harder as Wooyoung turned it into a stupid octopus dance that hardly matched the beat of the song. The room was all movement around them, students finally able to be wild and have fun. When they finally broke apart Yeosang saw Mingi and Jongho dramatically doing the robot at each other’s face’s, San and Seonghwa’s hands clasped together as they just stood and laughed at them. 

Over an hour passed easily, all out of breath from moving and laughing, glittering candles and pumpkins dancing above them in the dark. At some point Wooyoung had taken his hand again, giggling into his shoulder about something he’d seen another student do in the crowd, the whole room swaying with happiness. Yeosang realized they weren’t really dancing anymore, hand coming up to smooth against Wooyoung’s back, not even sure he was hearing the boy’s entire story through the sound of the music around them but still giggling at the bits he could hear. 

Yeosang pulled back when he was finally finished, just beaming at him so close, hands tight together. Wooyoung was still grinning, smile faltering just a bit with their faces just inches away. 

“Do you want to sit down for a bit?” Yeosang asked, leaning into Wooyoung’s ear so he could hear him.

“Sure,” Wooyoung replied with a nod, Yeosang pulling him back over to the benches on the side of the room. 

They sat and watched, just observing the party almost as entertaining as being a part of it. He watched some younger students very enthusiastically start a conga line at the side of the room, screaming at others to join, Jongho and Mingi eventually joining in as well. Yeosang smiled soft as Jeong Yunho joined right behind Mingi, the boy not even noticing yet. In their time eating together at the Hufflepuff table Yeosang had learned very quickly that Mingi’s small crush on the boy was not exactly small at all. As in, seven years long not-small. He watched as Mingi must have heard the boy’s laugh behind him, turning around to check it was him, snapping back around and leaning into Jongho quickly, probably absolutely screeching in his ear.

Wooyoung burst into laughter as he leaned back in his chair, apparently having watched the exchange as well. 

“Good for him,” he murmured, Yeosang giggling.

“He’ll conga line into his heart,” Yeosang murmured, Wooyoung laughing back at him.

They watched as the line broke apart at the end of the song, Mingi looking like he was going to strangle Jongho outright as the boy led him by the hand straight for Yunho, clearly introducing them as they were both on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Yunho was beaming right back at Mingi, though, the boys instantly starting up a conversation, having to lean into each other’s ears to hear over the music. Mingi looked shier than he ever did, easy to tell even from so far away. After a bit they began to dance together, Yunho leading Mingi by the hand into some incredible slut-drop as Mingi laughed loudly. Jongho left them alone then, a proud smile on his face as he slunk back into the crowd. Yeosang made a mental note to congratulate him properly; he’d done what they had never been able to do. 

A few more songs passed, Yeosang tapping a hand on his leg to the beat as they watched over the crowd, eating a few more sweets in the meantime. Yeosang found himself watching San and Seonghwa after a while, the boys insisting on slow-dancing to the fast-paced song playing, moving in slow motion within the chaos around them. They couldn’t stop giggling, though, both boys beaming and happy each time they turned around.

“I want to show you something,” Wooyoung said after a while, just loud enough for Yeosang to make it out over the music. He turned to look at him, the boy looking weirdly shy as he stared back at him.

“What?”

“It’s not here,” he murmured, standing and pulling on Yeosang’s hand. 

“Where is it?” he asked, suddenly being tugged up and pulled away from the wall.

“Outside,” he said, having to speak louder now from up ahead of him.

They made it through the doors of the Great Hall, the party fading to a quiet murmur as they walked through the halls, but after some time they still weren’t there yet. 

“Wooyoung,” Yeosang whined, tugging on his hand. “Where is it?”

“Just wait,” he said, voice still soft. 

It took a few more moments before Yeosang was sure they were headed for the Hufflepuff common room, not surprised when Wooyoung said the password and led them through the doors. There was hardly anyone inside, only a couple students in their rooms as they passed them, nearly everyone still at the party. 

Wooyoung let go of his hand once they’d made it into his own room, rummaging through the closet for something. Yeosang sat down on his bed, ready for whatever it was that he needed to show him so badly. Right now, in the middle of the party.

“Here,” the boy said finally, tossing a thick sweater at him.

“Your sweater?” Yeosang asked, raising a brow as he grinned at him. “Thanks,” he murmured, smiling down at it.

“Put it on, stupid,” Wooyoung hissed, but smiled a little as he tugged out another one and pulled it on.

“Why?” Yeosang asked, clutching it in both hands and feeling completely lost.

“It’s outside,” Wooyoung repeated, head popping out of his sweater as he tugged it over his head. 

“Wooyoung,” Yeosang said, shocked. “We’re not going outside.”

“That’s where it is,” he said, smiling a little as he grabbed two more coats and threw one at him. 

“It’s past curfew, Woo, we can’t even get outside.”

“Yes we can,” he said, grinning back at him as he pulled his arms through the coat, reaching out to help Yeosang put the sweater on over his head. He complied, not even sure why he was letting himself. 

“No, we literally can’t,” Yeosang said once his head popped out, staring at him a little dumbly. Wooyoung just tugged the sweater down over Yeosang’s tummy, lifting up the coat beside him. 

“I have ways,” he said, looking far too mischievous for Wooyoung On Halloween, which was truly saying something. 

“Woo,” Yeosang said soft, almost hating himself as he allowed him to push his arms through the sleeves. “What’s out there?”

“You’ll see,” he murmured, lips soft in his hair as he leaned in to help him get his arms through. 

The boy looked satisfied enough now that he was bundled up, standing again and grabbing his wand from his bedside table.

“Wooyoung,” Yeosang said firmly now, knowing already that he was losing whatever battle this was. He knew it was stupid, and he didn’t even know what it was. 

“Sangie,” Wooyoung just smiled back at him, tugging him up by his hands. They were eye-level now, the boy’s face softening as he smiled. “It’s nothing bad, I promise. I just really want to show you tonight.”

“That’s not ominous at all, Woo,” Yeosang said, heart beginning to pick up in his chest as he realized this was happening. He followed him a little bit in awe as the boy led him straight into Mingi’s room, Yeosang only more confused. It wasn’t until Wooyoung got on the floor and began tapping some pattern into the stone with his wand that the pieces finally clicked. 

“Wooyoung,” he whined, just as the panel of floor slid out of the way, revealing some sort of ladder to a tunnel underneath. “I’m not doing this.”

Wooyoung stood up, taking his hand again. “Please?” he asked, far too gentle. “It’s nothing bad, I promise.”

“It’s Halloween, you creep,” he said soft, eyeing the stupid giant hole in the floor. “It feels bad.”

“It’s not,” Wooyoung said, eyes nearly begging him at this point. “No one will notice us gone, tonight. And I really want to show it to you.”

“Tell me how that sounds like a good thing, Wooyoung,” he said, squeezing his hand tight as if it could help his point. “It sounds like you’re about to fucking murder me in the woods.”

“I would never!” Wooyoung said with a gasp, giggling when Yeosang frowned harder, but he calmed himself down at his reaction. “It’s nothing bad, Yeo, I mean it,” he said softly. “I just really want to show you.”

His eyes were big, and genuine, and he looked so sincere. Yeosang felt himself cracking whether he wanted to or not.

“Fine, but it has to be quick,” he said, trying to sound ominous as he glanced back at the floor. 

“An hour, tops,” Wooyoung insisted, squeezing his hand back. “Thank you,” he murmured, and then they were climbing down the ladder. 

It wasn’t long before they hit the floor, clearly some sort of underground stone passageway. It was tall enough for them to walk down, at least, definitely one of the secret pathways within the castle that he’d always heard rumors of. He’d just never had proof it was actually true. 

Wooyoung made sure to close the patch of floor above them with his wand, lighting it up as they began walking. It reminded Yeosang that he didn’t have his own wand, feeling suddenly naked in the circumstances. 

“How did you even know about this, anyway,” Yeosang asked quietly, afraid to speak too loudly. He didn’t know where they were going, but he knew they were breaking the rules. It made his stomach turn. 

“Mingi’s roommates showed him,” he said, turning back to smile at him. “They use it to go outside, sometimes, just to feel cool,” he said, laughing a little. “They took me down here once.”

“Cool,” Yeosang said as dryly as possible, Wooyoung picking up on it and laughing at him. 

“It’s safe, I swear,” he said, reaching back out with his free hand. 

“That’s literally what someone who’ll murder me would say, Wooyoung,” taking his hand gently as they walked.

It felt like hours but had to be only minutes before they made it to another door, this one only needing to be pushed gently to open up. A wave of fresh and cold air hit them, Yeosang following Wooyoung where he climbed out, taking a moment to even understand where they were. 

It was so dark, lit only by Wooyoung’s wand, the moon and stars above them, and the soft glow of the castle, looking so high on the hill above them. There was only grass under their feet, the doorway Wooyoung was now closing looking like just a normal patch of grass on the hill.

Yeosang looked around again, his surroundings hitting him all at once. They were only a short walk from their tree, lower down on the hill facing the lake and the forest. It was familiar, at least, and he breathed a little bit deeper.

“Why are we here, Woo,” he murmured, glancing back at the boy just as he took his hand again. He put the light in his wand out, now, eyes adjusting to the light as he smiled shyly back at him.

“I have something to show you,” he said, tugging on him a little as they began walking further down the hill.

“Yeah, I got that part,” Yeosang said softly. He genuinely was beginning to regret being his friend, maybe it wasn’t worth it after all. 

They walked closer to the lake, therefore closer to the Forest, but Wooyoung insisted they weren’t going inside when Yeosang frantically asked. He sighed, then, just looking around as they walked, trying to take in the scenery despite feeling like he might literally die. 

The stars spread so wide above them, reflecting pretty in the lake. It looked terrifying, if he was being honest, but he tried to appreciate it if it was going to be the last thing he’d ever see.

“Okay,” Wooyoung said finally, stopping them near some bushes just beside the lake, where the grass met the sandy ground beside it. The water reflected soft as it moved, pitch black and filled with unknown creatures.

“Don’t tell me we’re skinny dipping or some shit,” Yeosang said in a huff, hoping to god he wasn’t quite that crazy.

“No,” Wooyoung laughed, swinging his hand a bit. “Only if you want to.”

Yeosang just glared at him, the boy grinning again before his face suddenly began to fall a little sadly, hand tugging gently away from his. He fidgeted with his wand in both hands, looking out at the lake. “I wanted to surprise you with this,” he said softly, expression growing more nervous now. Yeosang was afraid to even wonder why. “It’s stupid, I know, it was really dumb, but I did it for you,” he murmured, still not making any sense. Yeosang glanced around, trying to figure out what he was even talking about. “Just,” he said soft, glancing up at him and looking away. “I hope you like it, but it’s okay if you don’t.”

“What, Woo,” Yeosang whispered, just staring at him. He watched as the boy lifted his wand to the bushes beside them, murmuring what he knew instantly was an uncloaking charm. His eyes went wide as he realized what was happening, the bushes evaporating into mid-air as they faded away, revealing the soft glow underneath.

“Holy shit,” Yeosang whispered. 

A patch of flowers grew in the grass, little round bulbs each a few centimeters wide, all emitting a soft glow, blues and greens and some pinks glowing in the darkness. Strangest of all was that their light seemed to be moving, fluttering between the bulbs, creating a wave of color.

“They’re Borealis flowers,” Wooyoung said softly, watching him as he looked. “I read about them in that book you bought for me, in your aunt’s shop.”

Yeosang looked up at him, mouth still fallen open. 

“I saw them in the Forest, that day,” he said, fidgeting on his feet, looking back down. “I shouldn’t have gone after them, I shouldn’t have gone off the path, I’m an idiot,” he murmured, staring intently down at the flowers. “But I saw them and I thought of you. I wanted to pick the seeds and plant them for you,” he said softly, hands clasping around his wand. “It was stupid, I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“Wooyoung,” Yeosang murmured finally, staring at him instead of the flowers now. The light reflected against the boy’s face, fluttering blues and greens moving over his skin. 

“I’m sorry,” he said again, meeting his eyes before looking away. “I shouldn’t have, it almost got me killed. But I still planted them,” he said with a small shrug, motioning to the garden. “I didn’t even know if I’d be able to show them to you, they only glow at night, and I cloak them so no one will see them but-”

“Wooyoung,” Yeosang said again, just faintly now. Wooyoung finally met his eyes again, Yeosang still just gaping at him. “Holy shit,” he breathed.

“What,” Wooyoung said weakly.

“They’re beautiful,” he said soft, looking back down at them. He’d never seen anything like it. 

They were quiet for a moment, only the sound of the lake sloshing a little beside them, the small sounds of animals far away. Light moving soft in the dark. 

“Yeosang,” Wooyoung breathed, staring down at his feet when Yeosang looked at him. “I need to tell you something.”

“What,” Yeosang murmured, heart picking up in his chest.

“I need to tell you,” he said again, almost to himself, hands still clutching around his wand. Yeosang just looked at him. 

“Okay,” he said gently. 

“I have to because I’ll regret it if I don’t,” Wooyoung said quickly, just a murmur. “And I’m tired of worrying I’ll regret it if I do.” 

Yeosang didn’t even know what to say, heart moving up to his ears. 

“I can’t graduate without telling you, I need to tell you,” Wooyoung said, biting at his lip, brow furrowing like he was about to cry. “I can’t stop thinking about it because we’re going to finish school and I still won’t have told you.” He breathed deep, looking out at the lake, Yeosang just staring back at him. 

“Wooyoung,” he finally whispered, and the boy kept going.

“I just don’t want to go all year without telling you, and I know it won’t be the same after I do. And I’m afraid I’m going to lose you if I tell you, but I don’t want to lose you without telling you-”

“Wooyoung,” he whispered again.

“-Because it’s been making me crazy and I’m tired of wishing I could just fucking do it instead of-”

“Wooyoung I love you,” Yeosang murmured, the boy stopping immediately, looking directly at him. 

“What,” he said, just a breath.

“I love you, stupid,” Yeosang breathed, stepping the smallest bit closer. “I love you.”

Wooyoung just gaped at him, really looking like he was going to cry now. Yeosang felt like he needed to keep going. 

“I don’t know when I realized it,” he murmured, so soft. “I probably always have. Since we were kids,” he said, breathing a laugh, shoe fidgeting in the grass. Wooyoung just stared at him. “I just know that I always want you safe and happy and in my life,” he said, wrapping his arms around his own stomach, clinging on. “I always have.”

“Yeo,” Wooyoung said, finally, still just staring back at him.

“You won’t lose me after school ends,” Yeosang murmured, tugging his sleeves down over his hands against his stomach. “I kind of always want to be with you, whatever that means.”

Wooyoung just stood, hands no longer fidgeting as he stared, blues and greens reflecting over his face. It was dark, but Yeosang was sure he could see tears welling in his eyes, stepping a bit closer and reaching out to him with both hands. 

Wooyoung looked down, almost shocked out of himself, tucking his wand into a coat pocket and meeting his hands, holding his cold fingers and staring down at them.

“I love you too, Yeo,” he said quietly, so quiet. Yeosang felt himself inhale. He knew it, he’d always known it, but hearing it out loud felt like being hit by a wave.

Yeosang clung onto his hands tighter, moving even closer, the aurora still moving beside their feet.

“I’m sorry,” Wooyoung nearly mumbled, still staring down. “I was so scared,” he breathed.

“Why?” Yeosang asked, looking back up at his face now. He really was crying.

“I was so scared of losing you,” he whispered. “If you didn’t feel the same.”

“Of course I do,” Yeosang said gently.

Wooyoung’s hands were nearly shaking where he held them, beyond just the cold. “I didn’t know,” he said, swallowing. “I got too in my head about it,” he said, looking back at the flowers, chin finally wobbling as he closed his eyes. “I wanted us to be like San and Seonghwa,” he said, a tear finally falling in the dark. Yeosang felt like his chest was caving in. “But they’re soulmates,” he breathed, finally opening his eyes to stare back at their hands, and Yeosang held on tight. “For them it’s different. And I was scared you wouldn’t want me the same.”

“I do,” Yeosang said instantly, Wooyoung finally meeting his eyes. Yeosang didn’t want to stop himself from reaching up to wipe at his cheeks, so he didn’t. Cold fingertips tugging from his hands to smooth over his cheeks, resting under his jaw. “I do, Woo.”

Another tear dropped, Yeosang just smoothing it away, Wooyoung’s hands coming up to hold at Yeosang’s wrists. “I shouldn’t have distanced myself from you so much,” he said, breathing shaky. “But I kept thinking about it. I didn’t want to make things weird by being too obvious, I wanted to tell you the right way when I was ready, but I messed it up anyway,” he said, chin wobbling. 

“You didn’t mess anything up,” Yeosang giggled a little, squishing his cheeks in his hands for Wooyoung to smile a bit. “And you’ve always been obvious, Woo.”

“What?” he asked, brow raising as he pouted at him, hands still on top of Yeosang’s on his cheeks.

“I’ve had a hunch since second year,” he giggled, squishing his face again before rubbing his thumbs over his cheeks. “I’m sorry I haven’t been nearly as obvious.”

Wooyoung stared back at him like he was looking for something, eyes moving over his face. 

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah,” Yeosang murmured with a smile, hands moving down to the boy’s waist, tugging him closer with his sleeves pulled over his hands. He buried his face in Wooyoung’s neck, feeling his head rest on his own shoulder, arms wrapped around his back. “I love you, Woo.”

Wooyoung huffed into his neck, squeezing tighter into the hug. “Fuck.”

“I love you,” Yeosang said against his skin, grinning now as he rocked them back and forth a bit.

“Shut up,” Wooyoung mumbled, pressed against his skin.

“I do, though,” he said, giggling a bit. “I love you.”

“Stop,” Wooyoung whined through a giggle, sniffling a little with his face pressed into his neck. His arms clung warm to Yeosang around his back. 

“I’m sorry you worried,” Yeosang whispered. “I was scared you were mad at me or something.”

“No,” Wooyoung said, soft and small. “I’m sorry. I should’ve just told you.”

“It’s okay,” Yeosang said with a giggle, squeezing him and looking up at the lake beside them. The aurora reflected against the water, moving with the gentle waves. “This was kind of worth it.”

Wooyoung huffed, pressing his face even harder into Yeosang’s neck. His skin was cold but he didn’t care, holding him tighter and feeling warm tears melt against his skin. It hurt him a little, knowing how much it had affected him, but he only held him closer for it. 

“Sorry for dragging you here in the dark,” Wooyoung whispered against his skin, and Yeosang laughed. 

“I forgive you, dumbass,” Yeosang laughed, attempting to squeeze at his side with a hand while pressing his face against his skin. After a moment his lips found his shoulder, pressing a kiss into it gently. He felt Wooyoung freeze and relax below him. 

They stood still for a while, holding each other in the cold, calm together. When they finally pulled back Yeosang giggled at Wooyoung’s expression, the boy just pouting back at him.

“What,” Yeosang said, Wooyoung wiping his face with a sleeve and giggling wetly back at him. 

“I’m just happy,” Wooyoung whined, shoving at his shoulder. Yeosang still held onto his waist, grinning as Wooyoung leaned forward to rest their foreheads together. He let his eyes close, breathing in the cool air. 

“Do you want to go back inside,” Wooyoung asked after a moment, Yeosang opening his eyes, his face right in front of him.

“Not really,” he whispered. 

Wooyoung smiled a little, face softening in a moment as he looked at him, eyes wide and almost pleading.

Yeosang felt like time stood still, heart picking up in his chest. The lake moved quietly beside them, the boy’s hands soft against his hips. 

“Please,” Wooyoung breathed.

It wasn’t even a conscious choice, Yeosang leaning instantly to meet his lips, warm together. He felt a shiver run over Wooyoung, tugging him in as tight as he could. 

It felt overwhelming, chest aching as the boy wrapped his arms around his waist, kissing him like he’d been wanting to for most of his life, like he was letting it all sink in. They moved together, the feeling spreading a warmth over him. Yeosang reached a hand up to cradle his jaw, feeling it move as he kissed him, the boy pressing soft against his skin.

He didn’t feel the cold anymore, just holding him as they kissed and kissed and let the last few years wash over them. They were always together, always close, but never like this. Never showing just how much they felt, how deeply they felt it. Never so physical or pouring themselves into each other in the most sincere way they could.

Wooyoung kissed him intently, every move of his lips insistent with how much he felt, how much he had always longed for him. Yeosang held him close, thumb smoothing over his cheek and kissing him back with all of the love he’d held over the years.

It was a while before they pulled apart, their surroundings finally coming back as they opened their eyes, Wooyoung leaning in to kiss at Yeosang’s cheek and jaw once more before resting their heads together. They stood still, just breathing in the world around them as they calmed down, hearts beating hard in their chests.

“I love you,” Wooyoung finally breathed, smiling big as Yeosang moved a hand to pinch at his waist.

“I love you,” Yeosang said gently, laughing back at him as Wooyoung’s smile only grew.

“I’ll be more annoying than San and Seonghwa, you know,” he said with a grin, beaming at him as Yeosang rolled his eyes through his grin. “If you thought I was clingy before, bitch,” he laughed, the sound dancing into the night. 

Yeosang laughed with him, patting against his waist as they grinned back at each other. “I sort of figured.”

Wooyoung leaned into him again, nose against his temple as he grinned. He calmed a bit, pressing another kiss into his cheek. “I love you, really.”

“Me too,” he said, humming as he looked back down to the flowers, still glowing bright in the dark, light moving in waves the way his heart felt in his chest. 

“We can go in again, I’m getting cold now,” Wooyoung said, pressing more kisses into his cheek before pulling back. Yeosang beamed at him, leaning in quick to press a kiss to his lips for a few moments before he pulled away. Wooyoung just smiled soft at him, looking a little starry-eyed.

“Do you remember where the path is?” Yeosang asked, Wooyoung finally pulling out his wand to cloak the flowers again.

“We’ll figure it out,” he said with a snort, Yeosang smacking his arm but laughing back with him, not even caring anymore. When the flowers were fully hidden Wooyoung took his hand, swinging it between them as they set back up the hill, Hogwarts glowing high on the hill above them. He led them directly to the secret door, remembering it exactly, the boys far less hesitant this time as they made their way back through the tunnel.

When they climbed through the opening in Mingi’s room they were greeted by the spectacle of Mingi lying in bed with an arm over his eyes, San sitting on his pillow as he patted his head, and Seonghwa sitting on the end by his feet.

“What the hell?” Seonghwa asked, shock evident as he gaped at them.

“I’ll tell you later,” Yeosang said, not wanting to say it with the risk of anyone around to hear. “What happened?”

“He’s recovering,” San said, his smile easing Yeosang’s worry at the boy lying there like he was in pain. He looked at Mingi again, noticing the smile on his face, the boy blinking against the light as he pulled his arm back. 

“Yunho asked me to dinner tomorrow,” he said, Yeosang nearly seeing stars in his eyes as he blinked back at them, pure awe on his face.

“Shit!” Wooyoung shrieked, rushing over and nearly bouncing on top of him as he kneeled on the bed to shove at his chest. “I’m! So! Happy! For! You!” he yelled between pushing at him, Mingi just laughing loud and reaching up to try to grab at his hands. 

Yeosang’s heart filled warm warm warm in his chest, hugging himself tight as he looked over his friends.

~~~

Wooyoung lay with his head on Yeosang’s lap, Yeosang running soft fingers slow through his hair. The last few months had rushed by, almost strange to already be back in Yeosang’s house for the winter holiday. 

Yeosang’s parents had welcomed them with loving arms, always having treated Wooyoung like their son and not at all surprised when they caught on that the boys were finally together. 

Wooyoung’s eyes were closed but Yeosang was sure he hadn’t fallen asleep, just enjoying it as Yeosang scratched through his hair, his own notebook almost forgotten on the bed. 

School hadn’t been quite as difficult leading up to the holiday, classes not seeming as daunting now that he had such a strong force beside him to ease the stress. Wooyoung had finally let Yeosang tutor him in Potions, though he knew his acceptance was probably just an excuse to spend extra time with him, sneaking kisses or cuddles whenever they studied. Yeosang gave up trying to hide the way it always made him blush. 

Wooyoung helped Yeosang with Defense Against the Dark Arts whenever he could, even if that sometimes just meant helping him to stay calm and keep his focus when preparing (or recovering from) demonstrations with creatures in class. And though Yeosang didn’t need it, Wooyoung continued to help him with his Herbology course, giving him more background on each plant and the things that made it unique. 

Yeosang told San what had happened by the lake the day after it happened, the boy nearly tackling him to the ground with his excitement. Seonghwa’s reaction was only a little less wild, giving him the tightest hug and repeating how happy he was for them over and over. 

Yeosang had never really been desperate to be with Wooyoung despite his feelings, but he hadn’t known how happy it would make him to have crossed that line when they did. He hadn’t guessed how much the physical comfort would impact him, how happy he would be to have the boy caring for him so freely and holding him so close. 

Yunho had slowly begun to join their group at the Hufflepuff table, fitting in seamlessly with the rest and making friends so easily. Mingi was ecstatic, always even bubblier than he normally was. They were all so happy. It felt so right.

Yeosang focused on the boy in his lap, scratching his hand through his hair. It was afternoon and snowing outside, sleepy and peaceful. His room was the same as it always was, his old books and hobbies littering the room, a few magic gifts he’d been given or purchased over the years. His familiar clothes hung in his closet, old posters on his walls. Wooyoung’s shoes beside his in the corner of the room. 

He looked back to the notebook beside him on the bed, fidgeting with the pen as he looked it over. He hadn’t taken the time to think of Christmas gifts for his family while at school, finally kicking himself for it and trying to think of something last-minute. So far he was failing, though, barely even two ideas for his parents on the page. He glanced over at the flower pot on his dresser, a few Borealis bulbs growing in the soil after Wooyoung had potted them as an early Christmas gift. After sunfall they would glow each night, blues and greens moving gentle over the room.

He focused on his list again, not really sure of the point anymore if the holiday was only a few days away, hoping they would forgive him, but he figured he needed to at least try. He let his hand rest still on Wooyoung’s head, scribbling out a few shitty ideas just to get something down.

Wooyoung seemed to notice that the scratching had stopped, reaching up blindly and trying to grab at Yeosang’s wrist with a tired hand. Yeosang giggled down at him, the boy’s groping finally landing on the hand that was holding the pen, moving it in a scribbled line on the paper beside his list. 

“Hey,” he whispered, still giggling. Wooyoung just patted his hand, eyes still closed but a slight smile on his face. He tried to play with his hand despite that he was still holding a pen, Yeosang finally dropping it as Wooyoung ran fingertips over his hand. “Tickles,” Yeosang whispered, other hand picking up in his hair again, smoothing over it as their hands wove together. Wooyoung squeezed at his hand, eyes still closed as he pulled it to his lips to kiss the back. 

Yeosang watched as Wooyoung’s eyes finally opened against the light, blinking up at him as the smile spread on his face. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Yeosang murmured, still playing with his hair. “I haven’t thought of anything.”

“You don’t need to get them anything,” Wooyoung said, voice sleepy as he rolled over a bit in his lap, free hand clinging gently to his thigh. “Your presence is enough, Yeo. They are lucky to have you as their beautiful son.”

Yeosang flicked the top of his head, Wooyoung flinching and grinning straight up at him, laughing harder at the look on his face. He pressed a few more kisses to the back of his hand, fidgeting a bit and whining up at him. “Come kiss me.”

“Come here, then.”

“You’re comfy,” Wooyoung said with a pout. Yeosang grinned down at him, pushing the hair back from his forehead. 

They looked at each other in the quiet, Yeosang finally leaning down to attempt to kiss him at the odd angle, Wooyoung moving a bit so he could meet his lips. Wooyoung’s hand came up to the back of his head, scratching through his hair as Yeosang smiled against him.

Soon hunching became uncomfortable, Yeosang shoving at Wooyoung’s chest through the kiss until he finally sat upright, facing him as he smoothed a thumb over Yeosang’s cheek before leaning in and kissing him again. Soft and gentle, unlike some of Wooyoung’s kisses. Yeosang smiled into the kiss, fumbling to set his notebook on his bedside table and reaching up to cradle Wooyoung’s waist with a hand. 

When Wooyoung finally pulled away he leaned back in to kiss at Yeosang’s neck, slow and gentle, his jaw, his cheek, his forehead, his shoulder, Yeosang cradling his back gently as he just breathed it in. Having this boy in his lap, his best friend and the one he hoped to have in his life for so long after. The one who made him feel like he could do anything if he was there by his side. 

“I’ll help you later,” Wooyoung murmured against his collarbone, kissing once more against his neck. “We can make them macaroni bracelets or something.”

“Stop,” Yeosang huffed against his hair. 

“We’ll think of something,” Wooyoung said, pulling away and kissing Yeosang on the lips. He sighed into it, taking it in.

“Thank you,” Yeosang murmured, Wooyoung giggling against his lips and moving to kiss more of his skin.

“I love you, flower,” Wooyoung said against his skin, Yeosang’s heart picking up in his chest. He found his cheek with a hand, tugging him back to kiss him again.