Archive of Our Own ^beta

PRELUDE

Seeding expectations

“What’s with Durmstrang and quidditch players?” asked someone at the table with the morning edition of Daily Prophet in hand.

Some heads started to assemble around the boy who made the question. His friends and some housemates by his side, as well on the other side of the table, were trying to see the article in the paper.

Shoyo Hinata was one of those who reclined from his seat to look.

Right on the front page, a big headline saying: YOUNG STAR, ATSUMU MIYA, PLAYS FOR THE BLACK JACKALS IN THE NEXT SEASON.

“It’s a long headline,” someone said.

“Who’s Atsumu Miya?” another one asked.

While his housemate started explaining, scandalized, who the player was, Hinata kept reading. Having to stretch himself a lot, he put his hand by his side to get as close as possible to read the newspaper on the table. Other curious students tried to read it too.

On the front page, a black and white picture showed a boy with a side fringe and Durmstrang's Quidditch robes. The photo moved while he raised his hand with his bat like he was ready to hit an upcoming Bludger.

The article said:

“The Black Jackals from Norway hired the young and talented, Atsumu Miya. His abilities as a Beater are so impressive that the Quidditch world couldn’t wait to have him in its ranks. Despite still being a student at Durmstrang, he seems ready to be welcomed to the wizarding world. This way, we all can notice that the Norway Ministry of Magic and the Department of Magical Games and Sports must be proud to motivate their young wizards and witches. As well as welcome this new talent to the most loved sport in our community around the whole globe!

For the curious, rumours say that Atsumu’s identical twin, Osamu, was also contacted by a professional team. Still, he didn’t have the intention to follow the same path as his brother.

Let’s hope for a lot of great exploits coming from these two, soon.”

Hinata was impressed with how a Quidditch team could select someone who was still in school. Because he too, within two years, had the intention to play quidditch professionally. That was, if he managed not to fail his chosen subjects for his sixth and seventh years. But he was counting on the help of his fellow house and teammates, whose eyes were on him, judging his excessiveness of curiosity. 

He ignored that, if neither of them was at least a little curious, Slytherin wouldn’t be their house.

“WAH! You saw that?” Hinata said excitedly. Starting to summarize what he had read.

Kenma Kozume and Kei Tsukishima kept looking at him like nothing had changed, and the information wasn’t cool at all. Hinata couldn’t understand what those two were still doing in the Quidditch team with such a lack of enthusiasm for the game.

“Specialized magazines say he’s one of the best Beaters between the north countries,” Kenjiro Shirabu dropped the comment. Without caring to take his attention away from his food.

Tobio Kageyama, who was voluntarily ignoring Hinata, raised his eyes to give his attention to his teammate. Causing Hinata to smile with the indifferent face becoming competition.

“So, this should mean that he’s coming with the Durmstrang’s contenders,” a girl from the fifth year said, sounding pleased, after looking at the photo displayed on the first page of the Daily Prophet, that a friend of hers was holding.

Hinata heard someone saying it was going to be tough to compete against them at the Tournament. But his mind was already somewhere else. Picturing the possible tasks that the Ministry of Magic had prepared for them that year.

The Triwizard Tournament, after eighteen years from the last catastrophic attempt, was planned to happen that year once again. With different rules, and activities “less life-threatening” as pointed out by the Headmistress.

Hinata could feel his blood boil in anticipation. It hadn't been a week since the new year at Hogwarts had begun, and there were at least three more weeks before the contenders arrived at school. Yet, from the first night back to the old castle, after receiving the news about the most exciting event they would experience in their school life, the students had only one subject going on among them in the corridors and common rooms. Knowing that the Triwizard Tournament brought much more glory than a final cup to one of the schools.

One week before the arrival date, in the Entrance Hall a sign was put to inform that on the 30th of October, the classes would finish earlier so all the students could receive the foreign guests. The perspective of the Tournament finally happening was enough to bring the spirit and the expectations of the first week of lessons back.

And if the fulfilment of those expectations happened, it was something to discover after the feast Hogwarts was holding for the arrival of the two other schools taking part in the Tournament.

But the students could confirm at least one of those hopes for the year. Because, in fact, Atsumu Miya was one of the contenders of Durmstrang, as well as his twin brother. Both, who were together with their other companions, standing by the Great Hall door and looking at the tables, clearly confused about where they should sit.

Hinata couldn’t figure out how to act at the moment and where to stare. His eyes, however, seemed to have chosen for him when they kept darting between the twins, trying to fix in his mind which of them was the famous one.

In this small space of time, all Hogwarts students seemed to be restless waiting for the foreign ones to choose their tables to sit at. Hinata himself kept wishing in his mind the same words as one of the Slytherin’s Quidditch Chaser was saying out loud: 

“Oh, I hope they choose us.”  

And whether the Slytherin prayers were more effective than the ones from the other houses, Hinata couldn't say. But when the students from Durmstrang started walking, it was on the far side where the Slytherin table was, where they were looking and following.

The group from Beauxbatons opted for sitting on the Ravenclaw table. Whether because of the colour of the house or not, Hinata obviously couldn’t say either.

As soon everybody noticed where the guests were following, a succession of happenings took place in the Great Hall. Maiko Yonezawa —the cheering Chaser—, started signalling to her hufflepuff friend, Kanoka Amanai, proud and shameless because her house had been chosen; a girl from the fourth-year gasped loudly and almost choked on her juice, and then embarrassed kept asking her friend if any of the twins have seen that while hiding her face behind her hands; people hopping into their seats at all four extensive tables stopped, giving way to paralyzed looks. But for Hinata, the best part was the reaction of the Beaters from the other houses, especially Tanaka and Nishinoya, the Beaters from Gryffindor, who were shouting outraged.

With the Durmstrang group finally organized at the end of the table, some good ten places away from where Hinata, Tsukishima, and Kageyama were sitting, the closest students started to ask questions and have small talk. Hinata spent the rest of the feast, trying to figure out if the blonde or the grey-haired twin was the one who was becoming professional.

The fulfilment of the expectation came at the end of the feast, by the moment the Headmistress started explaining how the Tournament would happen that year. Informing that, after various conversations, discussions, and final agreements. The Heads from the different schools, the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Games and Magic Sports decided that an important tradition of bonding between the three schools, couldn't be put aside because of past events. 

Thus, after much discussion of what could be the best way of recreating the Triwizard Tournament, they decided to restart with a simple competition, with something that everybody could enjoy, be safe, and still show their many talents.

The Great Hall was in total silence and aware of every word that the Hogwarts Head was professing. But the moment she revealed they would have a Triwizard Quidditch Tournament, there was commemoration from everywhere. Together with the Quidditch players, the housemates filled the Hall with excited comments and the buzz of gossip. Everyone was conjecturing how it would be to play against Beauxbatons’ and Durmstrang’s teams.

Some students commented that it would be a little unfair with a professional player among them; others remembered that Atsumu was still a student; and some Beauxbatons students complained the unfairness was that Hogwarts had three more chances to win.

It didn’t matter, because Hinata and Kageyama were already elbowing each other with the new competition. With screams of “you better be with your eyes open for the Bludgers”, and “you moron, you’re the one who keeps the eyes open for that Snitch!”. But the quarrel didn’t last much because Kenji Futakuchi, their Captain, was already shushing both of them to remember they were sharing the table with their future rivals. Futakuchi didn’t care though that the Durmstrang students could listen to him, and added that the Slytherin team shouldn’t worry since the Durmstrang would have a hard time trying to pass through his defence. Hinata saw the moment his captain and, probably, the famous Miya shared a smirk in silent competition.

After minutes of pandemonium. The Headmistress, finally, managed to calm everyone to give the final information. Saying, the Tournament would be divided into five phases, with all the teams having matches against each other. And the finalists were going to be decided by a point system, based on losses and victories.

With the students dismissed to their common rooms, the chaos was back to its full course, with only one subject running around the students. And on Monday, all the captains would be fighting to have the pitch for the beginning of the training.

⸻☼⸻

ACT ONE

Rooting expectations

It was by the middle of November when the Tournament started. The first match being Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff. And the presence of the foreign delegations somehow helped to create a more friendly atmosphere. Easing the natural animosity between the houses when the matter was an Inter-house Quidditch Cup.

Usually, the Hogwarts’ students would go to the Quidditch matches, even if their houses have already lost. In the case Slytherin was out of the competition, they would go to cheer for the house which was playing against Gryffindor, it happened otherwise too. But it was also common for the students to go to cheer for their friends from different houses.

The Slytherin’s sixth-years, Hinata, Tsukishima and Kageyama, assembled with Hitoka Yachi, who was fully dressed in her house colours. While Hinata followed her steps using a funny hat of a badger head, to cheer for the Hufflepuff too, since Tadashi Yamaguchi, one of the best friends between that group, played as the seeker for the team. The friends had lost count of how many times Yamaguchi had fallen off his broomstick for getting overwhelmed with the attention.

Unfortunately, Hufflepuff lost to Ravenclaw. Even with the best Keeper between the houses, with Takanobu Aone giving a hard time to all the Chasers. Ravenclaw got lucky by capturing the Snitch before Hufflepuff made enough points that could give them the victory, even without the capturing of the most important ball in the game.

The Beauxbatons’ and the Durmstrang’s students on the other hand had no one to cheer for. Which made them go to the games only to appreciate the matches and understand who they would be playing against. But the Durmstrang students agreed that seeing Hogwarts students' tradition to cheer for each other and dress in their opponents' colours and symbols, was at least amusing.

Especially in the second week of the Tournament, when the scheduled match was Slytherin against Gryffindor. People seemed euphoric and not only, but they also showed it by transforming themselves into an ocean of green and red.

Atsumu Miya shared a glance with his brother and teammates. The number of people walking to the Quidditch field was absurd. In the previous week, Atsumu was certain that some students, even excited about the Tournament, didn’t show up for the match to focus on other activities. But for the second match, it was clear that everyone in the Hogwarts grounds had opted to watch it.

“Someone said on the Slytherin table that this match is a classic,” Suna commented in a louder voice than usual, because of the surrounding noises.

The Durmstrang group chose to be on the Slytherin side during the match, exactly because they have been sitting at the Slytherin table for the past 3 weeks. Atsumu actually had nothing to complain about that house’s students, or any students at all. But particularly with the Slytherin people, he could say he was having a good time.

He noticed that every morning two of the Slytherin students, came to breakfast in a hurry, not because they were late for the lessons, but because, from what it seemed, they had a non-stop competition. Also in the first days, it was easy to identify these students as part of the Quidditch team, when they appeared at the table after training, still dressed in their sports robes.

Atsumu didn’t have much interest in getting acquainted with the students, leaving a great part of the talking to his twin. However, he had the chance to talk with the only Slytherin player that he discovered the position. Tobio Kageyama played in the same position as him, and one night, at dinner, he started a conversation to ask some tips and share different visions they could have about their position. He wanted to discuss how he could be more helpful and attentive when defending the Seeker.

It was also fun for Atsumu to observe the team after training. Sometimes they were all quiet, sometimes they were fighting over something, but most of the time they were talking with excitement about something nice that happened during the day. Mainly, the little boy that was always quarreling with Tobio, was who performed the latter situation. But he didn’t seem athletic at all, which made Atsumu had a real hard time trying to picture how good he was to be in the team.

Now, Atsumu Miya felt like the stupidest person. Seeing the players walking into the field with their broomsticks wasn’t any surprise. But, seeing the happy orange ball climbing his broomstick, propelling himself in the air, and staying away from the other players, clearly as the Seeker, took Atsumu out of balance.

However, seeing the Snitch being released and the speed with which the boy launched himself behind the flying ball, was what made Atsumu feel like a complete moron.

The little Seeker’s reflexes were amazing.

With the match beginning at a swift speed. The Chasers from Gryffindor, with the Quaffles secured under their arms, passed to one another, not letting the Slytherins’ Chasers have a chance to touch the ball yet. The Gryffindor Beaters' strategy gave even more dynamic to the match pace, trying to divert the Slytherin Seeker's attention. It wasn't enough, with the redhead boy immediately tugging his broomstick up and out of reach of one of the Bludgers.

It was a breathtaking start, and Atsumu found himself astonished.

“And who’s the Seeker again?” he asked with his mouth a little slacked.

“The same that people have been shouting to since the beginning,” someone answered. The voice was pretty similar to his twin, but Atsumu couldn’t say for sure.

In the middle of the cheering, with a screaming name around him by the green wave. Atsumu couldn’t take his eyes out of Shoyo Hinata.

By the beginning of December, the scoreboard was one victory for Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Durmstrang. Gryffindor had won thanks to the points of catching the Snitch, with a score of 220 against 110. And Durmstrang the next week, won easily against Beauxbatons. Even though the students from the French school hadn’t taken the loss well, and been sulking since, choosing not to look at their sports rivals.

The first round of the Quidditch Tournament ended too fast for the taste of those involved. But there were still four more rounds before the finals, for them to look forward to. Causing some players of the four Hogwarts houses to hold their excitement and stimulation to play against the Durmstrang team, longer.

Still, with the year almost on its end, the students received the information, after the third match, that to maintain one of the Triwizard Tournament traditions, on Christmas night Hogwarts would be holding the Yule Ball.

However, so the school could organize everything and the students could focus on their lessons and homework before the holidays, the second-round Quidditch matches would be happening only at the beginning of January.

The idea of the Ball brought too many reactions. First, there were the broken-hearted students below the fourth-year, who weren’t allowed to take part at the ball for being too young; then there was those who didn’t care at all for a Ball, among the youngers or older; third, the enthusiastic reaction of those who wanted to spend a whole night partying; together, there were the ones relaxed with the idea of the Ball and having to find a plus-one, either because they already had somebody in mind or were in a relationship; then there was those who were both excited to party the whole night but were also anxious to find the perfect pair; some on other hand had only the anxiety of needing plus-one and didn’t know how to act about it; at last, there was the group who was so confused and lost, that end up feeling numb about the Ball. The last group was almost composed of all the players in the Quidditch teams.

It didn’t matter in what direction people looked. All the tables, with no exception, had their Quidditch players with the most desolated and terrified expressions.

The surrounding talk was only about one subject. There was a lot of giggling, sometimes jokes with someone’s rejection or when an accepted invitation formed a new couple. The boys were the ones who teased most of the time, but were also the ones sulking and whining after rejection with the same frequency.

But for the young athletes, the only hope was if someone was bold enough to invite them because none of them was exactly sure how to approach people with invitations, since all they had focused on the last few years was broomsticks, balls, goals, and points.

After a week with no luck, the competitions started. The motivation came from the gryffindor group, being them the bravest and the unabashed ones. Everyone got fired up when the smug Chaser, Yuuji Terushima, was the first to actually ask someone to the Ball without being rejected once. It even incentivized the Hufflepuff with almost no feelings for competition, and the uninterested Ravenclaws.

The things only got worse when by the end of the same week, all the Ravenclaw team already had someone to go to the Ball with.

“I swear if Koganegawa gets someone to go with him before me…” Futakuchi sat on the table one morning, already gloomy.

“Just the thought of someone accepting to go with Goshiki gives me shivers,” Shirabu said, as gloomy as his teammate.

“Well, the options are going to end soon, so I think you should stop thinking too much,” Maiko commented. 

She was the one on the Slytherin team who had already been invited, and was trying to help her hufflepuff friend to gather the courage to also invite someone too. Or anyone who wanted to listen to her advice.

“We are not obliged to have a plus one,” Kenma pointed, but with the look of everyone in his direction, he added nervously: “Right?”

The sixth-years sitting side by side only focused on their breakfast, seeming too baffled about their prospects to pay attention to what their seniors were discussing. Tsukishima wished Kenma was right.

Kageyama had pointed out some nights before while they were doing homework in the Slytherin common room that they should approach the problem like Quidditch. But once, when a girl from the fifth-year approached him to ask something nothing related to Yule Ball, he spilled almost all his milk on his clothes.

Hinata kept looking through the Slytherin table and the other tables during meals or around the desks during lessons to see if he could find someone who wouldn’t look disgusted at him if he tried asking. Still, almost like Kageyama, the only time he thought about approaching someone, right after, he felt an urge to go to the bathroom worse than the ones who happened before games.

“About what are y'all beating yer heads this morning?” Atsumu questioned, while he sat on one of the free seats and started pouring pumpkin juice in his goblet.

Hinata looked in the direction of the blonde boy who was displaying a thin smile waiting for someone to answer him. The arrival of the foreign group always brought a refreshing smell, that for Hinata was like the fur of an animal whose natural habitat was the snow.

When Futakuchi started explaining, Hinata kept observing the Beater from the opposite team. After listening, Atsumu started laughing at the worries that all of them were having. Hinata frowned at him, there was nothing funny, and of course it would be easy for him to laugh at it.

“Oh, Suna was the only one between us who was asked yet,” Ginjima said innocently while observing the Slytherin students.

All of them stopped eating and drinking, only to stare at Atsumu in a mix of surprise and judgment.

“I thought that you, of all people…” Kageyama said more to himself than the others.

That was a subject that went around the Slytherin common room since the announcement of the Yule Ball. Everyone was sure that Atsumu Miya was going to be out of the question, if not in the first hours from the next day, in the first week. And having heard girls and boys making whispered plans about it helped to contribute to the idea that Atsumu was in fact already out of the market.

“Well, in a month, it’s a bit hard to know someone well enough to invite them to a Ball.” Atsumu shrugged, looking around the Hall.

Osamu side-eyed his brother, before rolling his eyes.

“We thought you would be asked since the first day, honestly.” Kenma clarified.

“Oh, trust me, y’all would know,” Osamu muttered.

This time Osamu was the one who received a side-eye.

“Yeah, you could… I dunno… BAM a Bludger, and someone would accept going to the Ball with you,” Hinata said. Mimicking the movements of a bat hitting the ball, almost hitting both Tsukki and Kageyama at the same time on his sides.

“Yes, brilliant idea, give them a concussion, so there’s no way they’ll say no,” Tsukishima said.

“I wouldn’t doubt if Tsumu actually did it,” Osamu muttered again, receiving a kick in the shin as an answer.

This was enough for their traditional fights to start right in the morning. Kicking, elbowing, and shoving each other in the best way their separate seats allowed them. As usual, Suna was already with his photography camera on hand too.

The Slytherin students let the scene unfold without caring, used with the twins after a month with constant interaction. It was a lot easier speaking with the Durmstrang group after the first matches. Especially Atsumu, who Hinata could almost discern which of the twins he was, and who had approached him even after the loss against Gryffindor. Saying he would like it very much if he had the chance to play with someone like Hinata.

And like that, the process of getting closer to the Durmstrang team happened in a spontaneous form.

Hinata particularly had fun meeting with Atsumu in the castle’s corridors or even on the outside grounds after a lesson. Atsumu would stop Hinata and his friends in the middle of their walk, or run to them when they were coming back from a lesson on Care of Magical Creatures or Herbology. Thus, walking together with Hinata to the Great Hall for lunch or dinner.

There were those rare moments when Hinata had the chance to study with Yachi at the library. In the end, leaving with a tower of books in his arms, going back to the Slytherin Dungeon to make the use of those books for any necessary lesson. In these particular moments in which Hinata acted as a diligent student, Atsumu had the talent to appear out of nowhere, leaning on any close surface, putting himself between Hinata’s path and with a sing-song voice he would greet:

“Sho-yo… What have you been doin’ this afternoon?”

At first, Hinata had a hard time knowing how to react, but with time — not much, probably it took only two days —, he learned how to act like himself near the Durmstrang’s audacious boy.

And the proximity didn’t come only between the two of them. An easy atmosphere blooming between the snake house and the foreign team day by day. And the goal of the Triwizard Tournament was starting to be achieved among that particular group of students.

There were also those entertaining moments when Atsumu chose to provoke Kageyama without remorse. But more than seeing Kageyama being bothered in a way that sometimes not even Tsukishima could manage. There were also those magical and interesting moments when Atsumu acted like any normal student in their last year, trying to get the most of that unique experience in the best and worst ways possible.

That he wouldn’t be enjoying these moments alone, was clear since day one, with his biological partnership with Osamu. Being innate troublemakers, always causing problems together, or to each other. And their twin relationship was something that became familiar to Hogwarts’ routine.

Until the point when a specific happening made Hinata’s body and mind thrilled.

One morning, during breakfast — which was the usual time the two teams met with the totality of the groups —, Atsumu and Osamu seemed to have a boiling idea for the day. As Osamu pointed:

“Only to kill time.”

“We’ve been captivated by your daily competition spirit, ya know.” Atsumu complemented.

The competition between the two slytherin boys didn’t go unnoticed by their house's Head either, which always led to a scolding, at least. But the Miya twins’ ideas had the two rival friends interested anyway. They couldn't ignore after being referred to as responsible for whatever plan the rival brothers had in mind.

Atsumu explained The Miya plan with a huge smile. But as excited as Hinata and Kageyama were, Kenma recalled the day's busy schedule, and that neither could risk any kind of detention. And even Atsumu trying to argue that there were no risks, the slytherin boys, with memories and knowledge of past consequences, chose to leave the entertainment only to the twins.

“Not funny,” Atsumu mumbled.

But still, the twins’ ideas of pastime happened in the morning’s second period, right before the lunch break. For Hinata’s luck, he was taking the lesson on Care of Magical Creatures at that exact moment.

Yet, neither he nor Kageyama were the first to notice, too concentrated on their observation of a Knarl. It was two girls from Gryffindor, the first ones to point to something in the sky direction and say in half a giggle:

“Look!”

That was enough for all the group of students and the Professor to ignore their creatures and squint in the pointed direction. After seeing two blurs flying for a while, the minute they decelerated, Hinata managed to identify both of the twins flying on their broomsticks around the castle’s towers and then over the grounds.

As a consequence, the students’ commotion got the attention of the Durmstrang’s Headmaster after a few minutes. The agitation not only was coming from those students taking lessons outside the castle. But the event distracted those who were inside, away from their tasks, while they could see the twins from their classroom, common rooms, or library windows —with some even putting their heads outside. With that, even a little group started to gather at the castle’s front door.

From the prow of their school’s ship, the Headmaster yelled to the two boys, commanding them to stop whatever they thought they were doing and come back to the ground immediately.

While watching, Hinata knew well enough that neither of them would go down without a final exhibition. That way, Osamu went to another complete lap around the towers, while Atsumu opted to fly as close to the ground as possible and do some spins and turns on his broomstick.

That made some students of Care of Magical Creatures shriek with the dangerous proximity when Atsumu flew over their heads. But taking the chance, Atsumu waved and winked at Hinata when flying by.

As a reflex, Hinata waved back, but he wished to be there flying together with Atsumu instead. His hands itched to feel the wood of his own broomstick under his palms. And not only the envy of Atsumu at that moment, Hinata felt that day, once again, admiration for the free form Atsumu flew.

After the twins were back on their ship and at the beginning of a scolding, it was evident that there wasn’t any mood for finishing the lesson, which made the Professor release them earlier.

Restlessness immediately invaded Hinata's body to go wherever he could go. Inside the castle, to the Great Hall, closer to the lake, it didn't matter where he needed to go to meet with Atsumu and say his genuine thoughts and sentiments.

“Even though Kageyama could beat you during a Quidditch match, I still think the way you fly is awesome, Atsumu!”

“But ya know,” Atsumu leaned, his elbow on the wood of the table, staring at Hinata. “You’re the Slytherin sensation, shouldn’t ya be the one already invited to the Ball?”

And that was the problem of getting used to the Durmstrang team. Hinata started to think Atsumu sometimes was too comfortable in his provocations. Looking lost at Atsumu, opening and closing his mouth unsure of what to answer back, Hinata thanked Tsukki in his mind, for hurrying him and Kageyama to class.

Still lost for words, Hinata looked between his friend already up on his feet, noticing Yamaguchi and Yachi also waiting, and back to Atsumu who was comfortable smiling at him now.

“Gotta go!” Hinata said, jumping off his chair and moving away from the table fast.

Their first lesson of the day was Potions. Which the Slytherin sixth-years luckily enough shared with the Hufflepuff for some years now. They liked to agree it was a shared trauma, though Tsukishima enjoyed the lessons. But Hinata wouldn’t complain because that meant he could copy some of Yamaguchi annotations which he got from Tsukki before.

In fact, Hinata not even needed to keep with his Potion lessons, since for his dream career frequenting it for his N.E.W.Ts wasn’t extremely necessary, but almost no lesson was, beside the Flying one. 

For one side, not taking Potions meant he would have more free time, but also meant spending less time with his friends. So, taking the lessons wasn’t really a big burden and Hinata knew it would be fun, always with the chance of something exploding out of nowhere.

While heading to their class, the change of scenery wasn’t enough to change the subject. With Tadashi and Yachi curious to know what they were discussing with the Durmstrang crew, and Tsukishima —with a sigh— providing the explanations, prolonging the discussion.

“So, do any of you two already know…?” Kageyama was the one asking.

The mixed group entered the class, going to settle on close workbenches. With the students who were already sitting at other tables, they shared some greetings.

“Uh, yes, we’re going together,” Yachi said after sitting on one of the stools.

The Slytherin trio stopped sorting their Potion material to stare at her, trying to make their brains mesh.

“We who?” Hinata asked.

“Hm, me and Yamaguchi…”

Her brows twitched while she looked at her friends, trying to picture if she might have said something too strange. But the boys’ faces were motionless. One by one, after a few seconds, they reacted: Tsukishima nodded slowly, not changing his expression; Hinata let his mouth go slack and only said a short “oh… OK”, and Kageyama frowned his brows, letting a sort of shadow fall over his expression.

“You know, we thought we should go with someone we felt comfortable with, so we both agreed that going with a friend would be the best.” Yamaguchi tried to explain.

After studying his friends' faces, he and Yachi shared a shy and accomplice smile.

But the Professor ended the moment when he called their attention to the front of the class. Introducing the subject of the day, which was only a revision of ingredients and what they could cause when applied in the wrong way or quantity during the potions' process. These revisions were necessary, so they could make the reproduction of the potions the closest to perfect.

There were three cauldrons with potions already prepared on the top of the Professor’s table. Before he pointed to each of them, the easiest to identify was the Amortentia, not because of its aspect, but for its smell. The other two potions were Laughing Potion and Dreamless Sleep Potion, as the Professor said.

Still, something was odd for Hinata and the smell he was sniffing. He was almost sure that the Amortentia smell had changed since the first time they had the lesson for preparing it, two months ago. The traces of wax for broomstick and leaves after the rain were still there. But the third smell, which he was sure was of fried egg, was now gone, instead, he sniffed something like fur wetted after snow.

He looked at his side, ready to ask Tsukki and Kageyama if the potion smell had changed for them too. But once again, the Professor broke the enchantment, grounding him to the real world in the worst way possible. He said for the next week they had to prepare two of the three potions presented for that class.

The answer was a general groan.

It was later, at lunchtime, that the slytherin group met back with the hufflepuff duo at the Entrance Hall. The potion lesson and its homework were also back as the subject between the five of them. With questions such as:

“Do you already have in mind what potion you'll be preparing?”

Or suggestions like:

“We could try preparing it all together”.

And between the complaints of other lessons’ homework they had to deliver until the next week, the approach of the Miya twins interrupted the group conversation. They didn’t stop to talk, but Atsumu waved from some feet away, displaying his common relaxed smile.

Hinata grinned in answer and waved back. Thus, Atsumu started gesturing and mouthing the question: “Are you coming?”, to which Hinata answered with an expressive nod. And he could have walked to Atsumu's side, his body already moving alone, if a hand hadn’t held him back.

Looking at the hand attached to his robe and Yamaguchi as the extension of it, Hinata turned back to Atsumu. Waving again for him, and with the grin replaced by an apologetic smile, he said:

“We’re going in a minute!”

And with a nod of comprehension, Atsumu walked inside the Great Hall, followed by his twin.

Tsukki was the one asking what was the problem before Hinata could manage to wrap up his mind around what Yamaguchi was trying to do. Then, Tsukki’s childhood friend explained that with the Hufflepuff playing against Durmstrang next, he was planning to talk with his Slytherin friends to know if there was anything that could help his team in the future.

The Slytherin trio shared a worried look because there wasn’t anything they thought they could share. Since they weren't used to talking about any kind of Quidditch tactics with the other team, and they didn’t know much more than what everyone had seen in Durmstrang's first match.

Listening to that, the Hufflepuff boy only gave a resigned sigh, while Yachi approached to pat his shoulders in solidarity.

After some more seconds of quiet reflection, Kageyama was the only one who thought about something he could say. About once, when he was talking with Atsumu, sharing some ideas, but again, it wasn’t much different from what they already saw from the Beater’s plays.

“He scares me a little. Do you remember the way he hit that Bludger in their game against Beauxbatons? If it had hit any of the players…” Yachi shivered with the memory.

“Oh, I thought it was pretty awesome! For a moment, I believed the Bludger wouldn't come back!” Hinata answered, inflamed with the memory.

And like that, Hinata drove himself to a daydream. Picturing not only the said play, when Atsumu hit the Bludger with such strength that the ball went out of the field’s border and took a whole minute to come back. But Hinata’s favourite play, which made him jumpy only with the thought, was when one of the Bludgers came in the direction of Durmstrang's Seeker, and in the exact distance and moment, Atsumu put his bat in between, hitting the ball away, preventing Suna's head from doing it instead.

During the match, he screamed, amazed by the play, holding onto Lev from Gryffindor and shaking him from one side to another, the most their size difference could allow.

“Hirugami says that we don't need to worry. That we have a good defence to hold them and that there are more important things to care about…” Yamaguchi whined, shivering a little. “But —hng—, oh Merlin, I really don’t want to play against them.”

“I sure want to!” Hinata shouted.

Yamaguchi whined again. His worries made Hinata wake from his expectations and look at his friend with a little more carefulness, seeking an efficient way to help. Before he could notice, something lit in his brain, like a wand casting a Lumos spell on his mind.

“Oh, we could do like that time Kageyama went to the Ravenclaw's practice and spy for you!”

“We?” Tsukki scoffed. “And they spotted him.”

“Yeah, but this time it won’t happen!” Hinata complemented, his chest puffed. “I think I had one of those extendable ears from Wizard Wheezes.”

Thus, for a moment, there was silence. The pondering of the idea. The shared glances. The picture of what could happen. And in the end, the mutual agreement. It could work all too well, it could lead nowhere at all, or it could go all too bad. Yet, even with the varying scenarios going through each of their minds, when Hinata walked inside the Great Hall he was self-assured with what he had to do, changing the uncomfortable sentiments from earlier that morning.

⸻☼⸻

ACT TWO

Growing Expectations

Still, Hinata’s plan could only be put to practice after his afternoon lessons. During which he spent most of it wondering and defining the steps.

Earlier, at lunch, he discovered the Durmstrang team would be training during the afternoon. Then, making the hours calculations and checking his schedule, he defined a plan more or less like this: he would go to his Herbology lesson, the last of the day and in the greenhouses outside the castle. After, it would be easier to run to the pitch and by chance catch them finishing training.

With the basics of the plan set. He needed to decide the practical part, which consisted of two options: walk inside the pitch and try to listen to anything while they were still in the locker room —but that was a risk—; or he could wait outside the pitch, near the entrance and exit and try to listen while hidden between some trees or bush —that however could not work either because they could walk straight back to the castle.

Lost in his own thoughts of how to listen to the Durmstrang team, he had to deal first, not to be caught by one Venomous Tentacula’s vines. Making him pay full attention to his task or else he would end up at the infirmary and goodbye to any plans.

Right after the end of the lesson, he gathered his stuff, gave a quick look at the clock, and ran to the pitch direction —still deciding on what to do.

On his run, with his book still in his arms and his bag jumping with his movements, he spotted the group a few meters away. The Durmstrang students had already left the pitch, but were standing in the middle of the way back to the castle.

Hinata, caught by surprise, threw himself on the floor and rolled to the nearest bush, then crawled closer to some tree roots, before he could be seen. Hidden in the middle of plants, it would be then his official plan.

With difficulty, he fumbled with his things inside his bag, trying to find his extendable ears —the ones he decided to fetch after lunch, running back to his room before anything.  The sun was already setting and the shadow of the tree didn’t help much in his task. But when he finally grabbed it, Hinata bit his lips to not shout in commemoration.

“Anyhow, I might ask some girl from Slytherin. I think it would be easier.” It was the first thing Hinata could hear with his magic tool, guessing the voice could be from Riseki.

But the subject mooted was nothing about Quidditch. Hinata sighed, still deciding to accommodate himself better on the grassed ground, lowering his head and focusing only on his hearing.

“I guess you can ask the many people Atsumu already rejected,” it was Suna talking, his laugh joining with the others.

Hinata could imagine the exact face Atsumu was doing at that moment. But, what did Suna mean with the Beater having rejected “many people”? And wait, if he had been asked before, the real question was: why would he act like that in the morning? And why would he deny those invitations? There was someone he wanted to ask? Was it someone Hinata knew? Could he help?

Hinata held the end of the extendable ears closer to his own, as if it would change anything or make him understand better what was going on. Then, before he could listen to the rest of the conversation, a flash from a previous conversation of that day came to mind.

The sentences “Someone we felt comfortable with” and “going with a friend would be the best” were replayed inside his head and in Yamaguchi’s voice.

Maybe, it meant that Atsumu wasn’t comfortable going to the Yule Ball with someone from Hogwarts? Remembering what he said about being only a month since they were there. And then a crazier thought came to Hinata’s mind: would Atsumu be comfortable in going to the ball with him? Were they friends enough?

“What was that on the table in the morning, by the way?” it sounded like Osamu asking, his voice was similar to Atsumu though, so sometimes Hinata could confuse it. “What would you answer if he said ‘yes’ for already being invited?”

Oh wait, were they talking about him now? Hinata felt his heart beating against his rib cages. It was adrenaline? Why was he so nervous, but yet more curious to know where that was going?

“I know he hadn't,” Atsumu answered.

“But yeah, what if?!”

“Then he would-” Suna started.

But Hinata couldn’t hear the end, startled by a sound of feet coming from his west side.

As fast as he could, he retrieved his extendable ear to put it back in his bag. And rolling on the ground again, he looked in the direction of the sound, seeing a block of yellow and black approaching with their broomsticks in hands and at a calm pace. Then, peering over some bushes, he checked if the Durmstrang group had already seen the other Quidditch players. And as fast as he could, Hinata crawled away from where he was laying and got up.

If someone saw him, he could say the Herbology lesson ended a little late, and he was just walking to dinner, or something like this, without difficulty.

Thus, he started walking back in the direction of the castle. But even though he was sure he was far enough from both groups and was dissembling the situation like a normal walking after class. Pretending he wasn’t aware of the other’s presence, while straightening out his robes, Hinata saw the moment Yamaguchi noticed his presence. And before they could do anything, Koganegawa was screaming his name.

Both groups were looking in his direction and without a way to hide again, he opened a smile and walked in their direction. Not without sharing a desperate look with Yamaguchi, which let printed in his face what he was doing before they spotted him. 

Hinata avoided looking in the direction of Atsumu and his friends. 

“We just saw Tsukki and Kageyama heading to dinner…” Yamaguchi started, his voice a little strained.

Hinata opened his mouth and raised his eyebrows and with this expression frozen in his face, he nodded slowly, like he was acknowledging a very important piece of information.

“Yes, I was out late from my Herbology lesson… You know, stayed behind to…” he stopped for a second looking around. “Clarify some doubts.”

There was a silent moment between both teams while Hinata observed them. It was clear in everyone's face the confusion about Hinata's free will of staying and talking with a professor about the studied subject. But right after, Hirugami and Gao turned in the direction of the other team to say the Hufflepuff team was heading to the pitch to train a little before dinner, asking about the Durmstrang training too. Brushing off the awkwardness of the information given before.

With the captain from Hufflepuff exchanging some words with Atsumu. Yamaguchi took the chance to turn his body a little and this way none of his teammates could see his expressions. Then, glaring at Hinata again, without any other gesture, he moved his big eyes in the direction of the Durmstrang team, making the silent question.

As if something was restraining his head, Hinata barely shook it to answer his friend. No deal.

Yamaguchi made a pained face, that Hinata almost mirrored, but was only able to mouth a “sorry”.

However, that had to be put aside as well, after Hirugami turned to call Yamaguchi, so they could hurry to their last training session of the year. Hinata wished a good training to his friend, being left together with the other group, watching the Hufflepuff team distancing. It was like the universe was obligating Durmstrang to always be nearby.

With an awkward silence over the remaining students, Hinata looked at the group giving a nervous smile, and without waiting he started to walk back to the castle and stop losing time for dinner. He noticed he was starving when his stomach made a growl.

“Shoyo.”

He stopped in his tracks, with Atsumu’s abrupt call.

Hinata turned again to look at Atsumu, almost bumping him in the process, for being already closer and raising his hand in the direction of Hinata’s head. The hand Atsumu put in the middle of Hinata’s hair didn't stay there too long, showing a dry leaf between his pointer finger and his thumb, after retrieving it from between the orange mess.

“Ya got somethin’ here.”

Hinata could feel his face heating while he looked in the direction of the castle and muttered a “thank you”, his heart beating in his ribs again. Atsumu kept looking at him though, breathing a laugh, his shoulders shaking slightly, an amused smile to Hinata.

He laughed like a child sometimes, a mischievous one, ready to play up something. Hinata saw him laughing like that in the match before. And he thought this way of Atsumu was so contagious, he felt like giggling together.

“Herbology must’ve been tough, ya got a lot of twigs and leaves onto ya,” Atsumu said again, tilting his head lower, so he could look almost at Hinata’s eyes level.

“Ah, yeah… It was a tricky plant,” he gave a nervous laugh.

At dinner, after Tsukki almost spilled all his juice at the vision of Hinata’s state, the atmosphere got back to its usual way from the last weeks. But Hinata couldn’t stop glancing at Atsumu, between his bites, and wondering, while watching him talking with ease around his friends: why did he become a subject among the Durmstrang when they were not talking about Quidditch? And also, how that made him feel about it.

They won the cup! They had won the whole Tournament! Hinata could see the golden goblet sparkling in the light of day while the Headmistress held it to give it to him and his teammates. And they were surrounded with the sounds of cheering and shouts for their names and for Slytherin.

It seemed like the start of the evening, he wasn’t sure, but there were lights all over the pitch, and they shone like the flashes of cameras which with all the people and luminosity, he couldn’t see well.

But for some reason, he felt restless, more than only because of the victory. That was thrilling. But he could also feel his heartbeat so fast that it gave that sensation of it being stuck in his throat, like when he was almost catching the Snitch. And yet Hinata knew it was nothing about Quidditch, his commotion was because of something else.

Suddenly it was all dark, and he felt like he was walking in a long dark corridor. It was terrifying, he felt cold. And then, light. A very bright white light, that little by little transformed into Slytherin's common room, with the fire burning, and that faint bluish colour from being under the water.

He wasn’t alone any more. All his housemates were there, all his teammates, there was a big flag with the silver snake on it hanging above the fire. And among all of them, there were the Durmstrang students, or what it seemed like because Hinata’s vision was like a tunnel to one of them: Atsumu.

He was standing there, right in the middle of the room, there was only him. And Hinata’s heart was acting like he was furious, but with each beat, he could feel all over his body, it was like he was being drawn even closer toward Atsumu, who continued smiling at him.

Hinata could feel himself grinning back, as he walked right into Atsumu's direction. Actually, running. He noticed it didn’t make any sense for Atsumu to be there during Slytherin commemoration; he and his friends should be somewhere else, sulking about their loss. 

But Hinata was so happy, Atsumu was there to celebrate with him. When he ran for Atsumu and Atsumu held Hinata in his arms eagerly and naturally back, looking straight into his brown eyes, the only thing Hinata could do was kiss him.

And even though there was something strange in the sensation, it was the best feeling while Hinata’s mind kept thinking “oh I wished this for a while now.”

“Bloody hell?!”

The boy woke up in a jump. He grabbed the green curtain around his bed and yanked it open, looking around his own room, everybody was sleeping yet.

Hinata put his hand on his chest, trying to even his breath.

No way he would be putting that on his assignment for the Divination lesson.

As if it wasn’t enough for him having to deal with part of the goddamn assigned Potions task, spending all the hours between dinner and bedtime the night before. And the fact that he yet had to find someone to go to the Ball. Hinata still had to have the most despicable and nonsensical dream that made him feel ridiculously happy.

The fact that he kept tossing and turning for the rest of the night until listening to his friends waking up to get ready for the lesson’s day. Only built up with the actual state of his humour, which absolutely wasn’t any good.

Luckily, Kageyama felt as tired as him that morning, which made them agree in silence on not making their daily racing competition until the Great Hall.

This way, they walked, almost crawling, but still standing. Maybe acting with the vitality of a Ghoul. Dragging their feet, not even lifting them off the floor. If they had flannels on their shoes, they could even mop the stone floor, easing the work of those who had to clean that castle.

This way, they walked, almost crawling, but still standing. Maybe acting with the vitality of a Ghoul. Dragging their feet, not even lifting them off the floor. If they had flannels on their shoes, they could even mop the stone floor, easing the work of those who had to clean that castle.

However, when they walked through the door to their table, Hinata evidently saw that the divine hated him.

And at least the meaning of that dream he could put in his Divination assignment: bad luck! Very bad luck for the day. Absolutely horrid.

Hinata could feel his face blushing the moment he put his eyes on Atsumu and the boy waved back to him. He wanted to run away and spend the rest of the year hiding in his room, until Durmstrang was gone, even if Slytherin lost the Tournament.

He also knew, deep down, all of that was a lie he was telling himself.

Hinata followed Kageyama and Tsukishima to the table, still dragging his feet. Glancing everywhere but for the person who kept their eyes on him.

When they were about to sit, Atsumu asked why they weren't running and screaming with each other that morning. With a smirk as an answer coming from Tsukishima, and an incoherent mumbling coming from Hinata; Kageyama felt obligated to explain on his own.

Thus, Atsumu leaned forward, propping his arms on the table, like many times before, making Hinata feel so overwhelmed with the action. And to make matters worse, Hinata kept smelling the same scent from the potion lessons and the night before while making his Amortentia potion, one of the chosen ones for his homework.

“Goddammit, this bloody smell won’t ever leave me?” he grumbled out loud, still feeling heat with Atsumu's proximity and direct stare. “You know what? I'm not hungry. I'm going to my Charm lesson. See you two later.”

Before Atsumu could say anything or continue his natural provocations, Hinata was already out of the Great Hall, heading upstairs. And unusually, he was thankful for the free period after his lesson, so he could finish his pending homework in peace, alone, probably even going to the strange realm of the library.

He walked on tiptoes through the castle corridors, looking around just to make sure he wouldn't bump in someone undesirable. And believing that after the awful start of his morning, now the luck had begun smiling to him again, he walked to the North Tower to his second and last lesson of the day, thankfully.

Hinata spotted some people from Gryffindor upping the spiral stairs to the attic-like classroom for their Divination lesson. He greeted some of them and finished going up through their extensive and exhaustive path, talking with some other students from Slytherin.

Inside the cramped and hot class, he spotted Tsukishima and Kageyama and sat at the small round table with them. That was one of the classes they were doing for the sake of being together and because they got O.W.Ls enough to keep with it. Tsukishima however, for some reason, was the only one really interested in it.

So far, everything was good and fine. And his friends really didn’t seem to bother with his sudden storm off the table in the morning.

The Professor walked into the class a few minutes later, asking for them to put the assignments for the end of the period on her table. She also proceeded to explain the last exercise they would be doing before holidays. For the sake of apprehending the discussed content in their minds, she suggested that for that lesson they talked about their last dream with each other and tried to unravel its meanings to their friend’s current moment.

And Hinata thought that, nothing was fine, everything was, in fact, terrible. He wished he had woken dead by that morning, and then he could be having a great time with the other ghosts of the castle.

The three friends, as always, looked at each other, trying to figure out how they would be doing that. Hinata’s mind was still working on inventing some other dream, or simply saying he had forgotten it.

“I think since Tsukishima is the only… good at it. He should start?” Kageyama suggested, his mouth curling weirdly.

Hinata squinted at his friend. Unbelievable. It was an odd day if Kageyama decided to be nice and knowledgeable of his friend’s abilities. He groaned in the end, throwing his head backward and eyeing the ceiling.

“What’s wrong with you?” Tsukki asked. “Aren’t you a little stressed out today?”

Hinata held the urge to groan again.

“It’s nothing! I’m fine,” he answered instead.

“It must have been a hell of a dream if you woke up like this.” Tsukki provoked and kept pressing, a smirk appearing on his lips.

This idea caught Kageyama’s attention, who stopped darting his eyes from one face to another and was now looking at Hinata's face, static. It was definitely uncomfortable. They talked about Hinata's face when he was focused on something, but tried to be observed that way by Kageyama.

“My dream was fine!”

“Mind telling us then?”

Hinata was wrong. He wished Tsukishima had woken up dead that morning.

“Well… I dreamt that we won the Triwizard Tournament and…” he decided to start answering with anything that came to his mind and he would invent something else while he was talking. The first part wasn’t a lie, though.

But when he saw Tsukishima rolling his eyes and then clicking his tongue, Hinata stopped before even continuing it.

“That’s only your woken thoughts, no reason why you wouldn’t dream with that too.”

“I can understand why you would dream with this.” Kageyama interrupted thoughtfully.

“Of course you would.”

Hinata thought that with Tsukishima cutting him off, they could change to hear Kageyama’s dream instead. But Tsukishima paused, studying Hinata, waiting until he finished telling his dream. A little at a loss, Hinata opted to jump to the part where they were celebrating in their common room. Tsukishima proceeded to ask if there was any significant object or image he could remember. Hinata told about the goblet, the Slytherin flag, and maybe the nice colours and how they kept changing.

A memory formed in his mind at the moment he thought about the colours. A vivid red in the shape of a uniformed chest, appearing clear as a Daily Prophet’s photograph. Hinata felt the heat building up from his chest to his face.  He looked around, over his friends’ shoulder, moving about a little on his chair. Hinata wished that if he was looking vivid red, the others would think it was because of the heat in the room.

A memory formed in his mind at the moment he thought about the colours. A vivid red in the shape of a uniformed chest, appearing clear as a Daily Prophet’s photograph. Hinata felt the heat building up from his chest to his face.  He looked around, over his friends’ shoulder, moving about a little on his chair. Hinata wished that if he was looking vivid red, the others would think it was because of the heat in the room.

Yet, until the end of their lesson time, Hinata focused only on one thought and one thing that had been said. Definitely, there wasn’t anything too meaningful in his dream.

It was with great pleasure that Hinata welcomed the proximity of the end of the day. All that was left was dinner and bed. Because the next day he had a free day, which meant that even though he didn’t enjoy the idea much, he could leave to do all his remaining homework the next morning. And besides the fact that he shouldn’t be too relaxed with those two simple next tasks, there was nothing that could go terribly wrong. Right?

His restroom visit before he could head to dinner was calm enough, so it helped with his idea of a relaxed end to the night. Now, ready for dinner and the day would be wrapped up. It was perfect.

Until. 

A conversation happening in the next flight of stairs, drew his curiosity, on his way down to the Great Hall.

“… And I was thinking if you wouldn’t accept to go with me to the Ball, Atsumu?” It was the faint voice of a girl, nervous.

Hinata froze in the middle of the flight where he was, and propping onto the handrail of stones, he stretched out his head over it to peek at the couple talking below. He really shouldn’t be there, but also, there was no other path he could make unless he wanted to walk all through the castle. And he really wanted to know what Atsumu would answer since they were close to Christmas, it was natural that the boy would finally accept to go with someone. He felt jealous, why would no one invite him too?

He took a deep breath —suddenly annoyed— and stooped down, sitting in the steps with his back leaned against the handrail. Hinata decided waiting a few minutes wouldn’t hurt. It would be over soon, too. Though, his mind kept changing between not wanting to be there and his curiosity.

Hinata started beating his foot on the floor, not caring if they heard him there, feeling indifferent and prickly if something happened.

“Hm, sorry,” Atsumu started saying, not sounding sorry at all. “I already have someone in mind to ask…”

The pounding on Hinata’s ribcage was back in a minute and, mixing with the anger he was already feeling, it collaborated to form a lump on his throat. He felt choked on his feelings. 

It appeared, his theory the other day was right. Atsumu had denied the previous invitation —and this one— because he had someone else with whom he wanted to go with.

Hinata remembered that with the lessons and the homework, he didn't have time to try to discover who it was and try to help Atsumu. But right now, he didn’t want to help Atsumu at all. Why was he taking so long to ask that person? What if the person had already accepted to go with someone else?

The silence fell upon them, succeeding Atsumu’s answer. Then the girl hummed a few times, apparently looking for an answer or another question.

“But you haven't asked them yet, right?” she asked finally. “Because people say that you still have no one to go with.”

Hinata opened his eyes widely, and he waggled his head in concordance with the girl voicing his same thoughts. 

There we go , he thought.

“Uh, yeah… No,” the early assurance in Atsumu's voice seemed to be gone.

In the highest point of Hinata’s increasing bad mood, he thought that Atsumu was the stupidest. He could have asked anyone since the beginning. Hinata didn’t know how many invitations Atsumu had received, but obviously, it was enough for him to be booked with Balls an entire year. He didn’t know Atsumu’s reasons either, but he knew the person would be as stupid as Atsumu if denying the invitation. In short, anyone would say yes to go to the Yule Ball with Atsumu.

Hinata continued thinking. Atsumu was a hell of a Quidditch player, watching him was awesome. He was very extroverted, which made it easy to talk and to be around him. Perhaps he was a little temperamental, but he still had a good sense of humour. And Atsumu was in fact good-looking. Then whatever was the reason he hadn’t asked that person, Atsumu was being really stupid.

Lost in his thoughts, Hinata didn’t notice if the girl had gone already or if she was still standing in front of Atsumu in total embarrassment. He decided checking, gradually, getting up to his feet to peek over the handrail again. Atsumu was not only alone, but already was walking down the stairs. And deciding it was safe enough, Hinata did the same.

However, it wasn’t his lucky day, was it?

The moment Hinata reached the floor to the next flight of stairs, he still could see Atsumu’s back, in a distance Hinata considered he couldn’t hear anything. But the sinking relief didn’t stay, when in a swift movement, as if on cue of Hinata’s presence, Atsumu turned back. It made the younger one freeze in the middle of his step and almost fall the rest of the steps.

Atsumu froze too, looking up and directly at Hinata. Their brown eyes locked on each other's. Hinata felt his breath itchy a little in his throat, watching Atsumu’s face that seemed a little pink, but he assumed it was because of the candlelights.

Before Hinata could indulge his urge to turn around and vanish just like the breakfast scene. Atsumu’s eyebrows raised as he opened a smile and in response, Hinata couldn’t move.

“Shoyo!” Atsmu’s voice came out louder than necessary for just the two of them in that part of the castle. “I… I was meaning to talk to you.”

“Like, right now?” Hinata's voice was also a tone higher than normal. And only after he answered was when he noticed that he might have sounded a little rude.

Atsumu seemed to be taken unprepared with Hinata’s strange behaviour. But taking some steps forward to reach the end of the stair where Hinata was still at the top, he nodded before answer back:

“Uh, yes. I promise it will be quick.”

Atsumu kept his eyes attentively at Hinata, as waiting for the boy to say something back, but apparently, nothing was going to be said back, so he decided to go on:

“It’s a proposition,” a pause. “I guess.”

The agitation was starting to sink in Hinata’s body, asking him to react and move a little at least. He obeyed, changing his body’s support from one foot to the other.

“Hm, OK… What is it?”

Atsumu nodded again.

“OK, I was thinking about it and I think-” Atsumu started saying in a rush, pacing while looking at his feet, but he interrupted himself abruptly and glanced at Hinata still at the top of the stairs. “Could ya… Come down… please?”

Hinata raised his eyebrows, realizing that his actual position wasn’t the best either. He walked down the steps one by one, while Atsumu waited patiently. When he got to the end of it, he couldn’t look down at Atsumu any more, but somehow being there under Atsumu’s eyes, being observed, made more sense. He felt so nervous, for no apparent reason, and yet he held Atsumu’s gaze because he couldn’t look away either.

Thus, Hinata made a little movement with his head and hummed to show he was listening to what Atsumu had to say. Hinata felt strange with how quiet he was acting at that moment.

“OK, then, I was thinking. Since the Yule Ball is finally close… I thought we…” Atsumu took a deep breath and broke his eye contact, then he was back looking directly into Hinata’s eyes. “We could practise dancing together?”

Hinata furrowed his brows, proceeding to tilt his head. 

“What?!” he asked loudly, and yet he felt like giggling.

“Stupid idea?” Atsumu asked, his body leaned back slightly.

“No, but… Don’t you already have someone else to go with?”

They looked at each other again, both honestly confused with the situation and where the subject was leading to.

The realization came to Atsumu.

“Were you listening?” his cheeks seeming rosy again.

“Sorry… It was by accident,” Hinata answered sheepishly, shrugging and squinting at Atsumu, apologetic.

Atsumu waved off Hinata’s preoccupations.

“Yeah, look. I thought that maybe since we already knew each other, it would be easier to practise together, when… Uh, we came with our plus-ones to the Ball.”

Yes, that made some sense, but at the same time, Hinata still felt irritated. He opted to blame the fact that in reality he had no one to go to the Ball with and had no courage to ask as well.

But before Hinata could come up with an answer, his stomach growled. Atsumu squinted when Hinata’s gaze darted at him, the concerned silence whether the other heard the sound or not.

Atsumu chuckled.

“Yes, sorry, I guess you're hungry.”

Seeing Atsumu laugh made Hinata laugh too, making him quickly forget the anger which was knotting his insides. Hinata nodded, twisting his mouth to make a face like saying “ I was caught! ”, and they agreed to walk together to the Great Hall, finally.

Going down the last flight of stairs without saying anything or looking at each other, Hinata felt strange after so many minutes looking at Atsumu’s face, but he also noticed he left Atsumu's proposal unanswered. Hinata didn’t feel like answering, though.

Distracted and without the intention of letting that weird silence grow between them, Hinata tried to find the first subject to come to his mind.

“Has your brother invited someone?” he asked at least.

“Hm, yes… He invited someone from Ravenclaw, I think.” Atsumu answered back, sounding unbothered.

“Well, your brother is really handsome, so I bet it was easy for him,” Hinata said, still distracted, while observing the paints on the walls like he never had seen them.

Some seconds later, he in fact processed what he had just said. Again he froze in the middle of his movements, when he looked at his side to make sure if he was heard clearly, Atsumu was frozen three steps back.

They looked at each other just like the minutes before at the stairs. The red on Atsumu’s cheeks this time was definitely not because of the candlelights.

“Yeah…” Atsumu muttered.

“So…” Hinata said back, then sealed his lips and dragging them from side to side.

Hinata breathed a nervous laugh, opening a static smile, his thumb pointed backwards over his shoulder and quickly turned on his ankles, deciding to head to the Great Hall as soon as possible. He already had lost enough time before dinner, after all.

Few steps later, Hinata changed his mind, making another decision. First, he had indeed lost enough time; second, he had embarrassed himself enough for a day too; third, he would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about that; and fourth, Atsumu had already brushed someone off on that day.

Hinata turned on his heels again, almost bumping directly onto Atsumu’s chest. He put his hands between their bodies thanks to his good reflexes, preventing them to officially collide. Atsumu was there, but Hinata didn’t dare to look up yet. Focusing on the red uniform right in front of him. His dream was accurate, at least in that.

Hinata took a deep breath. It was now or never.

“Listen…” he said, but his voice was lower than he expected, stuck in his throat. “You asked about practising stuff because we knew each other… But I have no one to go with, actually. And as far as I know, you don’t have too…”

Hinata looked down, widening his eyes, wondering what he was doing. He felt nervous, and that made him feel strange under that situation. Although, it was common for him to voice what he was thinking or sensed in many other situations. But there, it was so hard —more than normal— to find the right words to express himself. Principally, when his heart’s sound appeared to be way louder than his own thoughts.

And with the increasing sensation of his face burning, he also felt ridiculous.

“Because you said that, and Yamaguchi said that it would be easier going with a friend, so I thought just now…” Hinata kept saying, still looking at the floor. 

He was not ready to look at Atsumu’s face, or his chin, since they were still closer than necessary.

Hinata wondered if he was starting to repeat himself, but he was also prepared to continue talking.

“Yeah, OK,” Atsumu said, unbothered again.

“Wait what?”

Hinata’s eyes got even wider when he raised his head in a flash to stare at Atsumu. He took two steps backwards, just to make sure when looking at the other boy, whether Atsumu was serious and understood what he had started saying or not.

“I didn’t finish what I was saying.”

“Well, ya didn’t hafta. It was pretty obvious where you’re goin’ to.”

They fell into a moment of awkward silence, still paralysed in the middle of the corridor. Hinata thought of just turning his back again and this time just go directly to his room, forgetting dinner. Atsumu on the other hand was standing there with a terrifying relaxed countenance, but as the minutes passed and as Hinata stayed staring at his face, he noticed Atsumu was gazing nowhere. Hinata leaned forward ready to click his fingers and ask for an answer since he realized it was better to have an answer before vanishing, when Atsumu started talking again.

“OK, honesty here?” Atsumu’s voice sounded more like his daily voice, but the pink on his cheeks was still there. “That before, it was sort of an excuse, so I could think of a better invitation later.”

“But you said to that girl…”

“Yes, it was you .”

Atsumu focused his eyes on a point on the ceiling. 

“Wait what?”

Then Atsumu started giggling. Oh, Hinata wished he was telling a joke just to pretend he didn’t act like a coward, but then, Atsumu nodded sheepishly confirming what he just revealed.

“And you make me embarrassed by asking you instead?!” Hinata shouted.

“I wasn’t expecting that!” Atsumu answered back in the same way. “It was embarrassing for me too, OK? Coming up with ideas to invite you and reject those people!”

Atsumu was even gathering the audacity to brag about all those people. Hinata was definitely angry again.

“I should cast a spell in the middle of your face,” Hinata continued shouting.

“Then you would lose your plus one for the Ball.” 

The smug look was back on Atsumu’s face, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back.

“Nah, the nurse would fix it in a minute.”

Silence again. This time wasn’t awkward, but defiant. Both pairs of brown eyes squinting at each other, waiting to know who would be the first to blink. And little by little their mouths started to contort, trying to keep their smiles from showing up. But soon, their laughs changed their expressions, pointing to their failure.

When both calmed down after a while, Hinata pointed his thumb over his shoulder again, this time as a silent question, which Atsumu answered with a nod going to Hinata’s side. Once they started to walk, hoping without any other reason to stop, Atsumu bent down to nudge his shoulder on Hinata’s.

“That’s a date, then,” Atsumu said in a sing-song voice, but still low, so only Hinata could listen.

Hinata answered by looking up at Atsumu with a shy smile. It was a date, then.

However, when they finally entered the Great Hall, the dinner was almost at its end, and they had to deal with the remains of a dinner table that was setted at least two hours before. In spite of that, at that moment, the disappointing dinner wasn’t enough to erase their satisfaction.

⸻☼⸻

ACT THREE

Blooming Expectations

Christmas night arrived upon the Hogwarts’ grounds. The whole castle decorated with the traditional symbols of the end of the year combined with the ethereal visual brought by the white of snow gave a particular peaceful atmosphere to the castle that evening.

The unusual silence that fell upon the almost empty corridors, in the hours before the beginning of the event of the night, couldn’t be applied to the Hogwarts’ houses’ secret places. Nothing could be said surely about the other houses, but the Slytherin Dungeon was far from being peaceful.

The ones who invited housemates as their plus-ones for the Ball were waiting before the rooms’ stairs or the fireplace, most of them unable to be still, were fidgeting or pacing. At the common room, the only students who didn't seem nervous but were yet very excited were the few youngsters that stayed at the castle for holidays.  

The first, second, and third-years were everywhere in the room, commenting about their seniors' choice of clothes and asking about who was going to be their date for the night. Some of them weren’t very interested in those silly date things, asking if some seniors thought they could bring some special food from the party.

The combination of scenes helped the room to be as loud as it could be at that time of the year.

However, nothing could be compared to the things that were happening in the rooms of those getting ready for the night. Both girls and boys making their rest place a total confusion, throwing clothes or strange cosmetics sent by parents for a use that wasn’t known everywhere.

In the sixth-year boys’ room, besides the natural mess and bickering. The confusion was taking place in the first moments of the evening more than usual.

Tsukishima was looking at his robes for at least ten minutes straight, trying to gather his courage to dress for this important event that, if it was his choice, wouldn’t happen. Kageyama was fumbling with his neckcloth trying to figure out how to knot it the best way, first with his hands and then giving up, decided to try it with his wand.

“Unless you want to show up without an eye or don’t show up at all, I’d recommend you to stop doing it,” Tsukishima warned.

Hinata was the only one who was already completely dressed, but he kept shoving Kageyama away from the mirror to check on his robes. If it was fitting well; or if it had any crinkles on the fabric; or if he was looking even a bit taller; or perhaps he should have asked his mother to get a more colourful robe instead of the full black with little details in orange.

Yet, his main problem was his hair.

“Will you finally tell who you’re going with?” Kageyama asked. 

Giving up on his neckcloth and putting it on his bed, Kageyama gave it a furious look, as if he could make it burn with his mind only.

“I’m sure he made up that person,” Tsukishima answered, starting to put on his clothes, apparently giving up too.

Inside Hinata's trunk, in the middle of the sounds of things being thrown, came a muffled complaint, sounding like:

“Let's wait to see your face then!”

A few seconds later Hinata resurfaced, his hair a lot more dishevelled than before, but now he had in his hands something his mom had put in his truck. He looked at the small jar, turning it in his hands for reading the use instructions, the label saying The Dragon Tamer . He thought that maybe when Kuroo was still studying at Hogwarts, it could’ve been helpful if he had one of those.

In front of their mirror again, Hinata opened the jar, smelled it, and put his fingers inside what seemed like a cream, taking a quantity of what he thought was enough to work on his hair. The texture of the cream was half oily and half sticky. He rubbed one hand on the other, feeling the texture of it on his fingers a little more before making a face to the mirror and with a deep breath sliding both of his hands on his hair.

The effect was immediate. The front and side parts of his hair, where most of the product was applied, got stuck down —just like when he tried to make an impersonating of Kageyama. But this time it was so slicked and shiny that it seemed like the fake hair of a doll. The back part on the other hand, where the product hadn’t been applied, was up and in a disarray as always, looking like a crown of feathers.

Hinata frowned at his image in the mirror and looked at the rest of the product in his hands. The conclusion that he had the stupidest idea, had an immediate effect on Kageyama and Tsukishima too. Both contemplating the scene were having a hard time not laughing.

With a scream and a grunt, Hinata ruffled his hair trying to take the product off, but it had the opposite effect, only helping his hair to be even more slicked.

“Oh, bloody hell!”

Both of the friends got closer to have a look at the product jar put aside on one of the beds. It said, if you —in a strange case of absurdity— didn't like the results, you could reverse the effect of the product with a simple reversible spell. Tsukishima was the one whom inform.

Hinata ran to take his wand and raising it to point to his hair, he stopped in the middle of his movement to look at Tsukishima, a question in his eyes. With a deadpan, Tsukishima said the name of the spell. And thanks to his friend, with a nod, Hinata executed the charm on his hair.

The effect was immediate again. Hinata's hair was back to its normal and naturally spiked state.

With another round in front of the mirror, so the three of them could have a last glance in their clothes, they seemed ready to go. Down the stair to the common room and then to the Entrance Hall, meeting with their plus ones on the way.

“Your shoes.” Tsukishima was again the one who informed.

“For Merlin’s sake!” Hinata yelled and got back to take his shoes, putting them on the way out.

It was only when they were walking on the dungeons, that Hinata thought that he should not have arranged with Atsumu to meet at the top of the stairs. It was easier to find each other, but at the same time Hinata felt so exposed, perhaps agreeing to meet inside the Ball would be easier.

He wasn’t sure if he was the first one to notice Atsumu at the top of the stairs, pacing. But Hinata didn’t want to look at his friends some steps behind and show up he was nervous as well.

A few more steps up and Hinata spotted Osamu leaning against one of the main staircase’s handrails. At least for that night, it would be easier to tell them apart. He saw Atsumu was using a robe similar to his daily uniform, but the red seemed to be a little darker —Hinata wasn’t sure in the dim special light for the occasion. Osamu, in the opposite colour of his brother for the night, was wearing navy blue robes with no capes and… Was that silk?

The steps necessary to climb and to reach his date for the night were over, and in what was becoming a habit between the two of them, Atsumu and Hinata shared a look. Sheepish smiles mirroring each other.

A gasp happened behind Hinata. 

“Oh no, …” was Kageyama's voice.

Atsumu pointed over his shoulder in silent question, his smile widening, that was apparently becoming a habit too. Hinata liked the fact they didn’t need to communicate in words to understand each other, it was like playing Quidditch and just having the trust in his team.

It was a confused and rushed moment when a Professor came to the Quidditch players before they could walk inside the Great Hall with their plus-ones, to inform them to gather with their teams and form a line. They should wait for the other students to go inside first.

Hinata thought his previous idea to meet Atsumu unnoticed wouldn't have worked anyway then. He also thought it was too uncomfortable to have Kageyama almost opening a hole in his nape from staring from his place behind Hinata in the line.

When they finally went inside the Hall, even with all other students applauding their procession, out of ordinary, he felt uneasy.

That could be one of the many moments of glory he would indulge himself in. To be watched and applauded by people was something he had always dreamed about since when he was a little boy and watched his first Quidditch game.

But now, the fact he could identify the people that had their invitation denied by Atsumu just by the way their eyes scrutinized him, wasn't something that let the proud feeling of an athlete come out. That only gave the chill of the disdainful envy. In addition, the shocked faces with mouths opened when he walked side by side with Atsumu, didn't help to make things easier.

With his mind lost trying to ignore the judgment looks, Hinata startled with the sensation of something brushing and tapping the back of his right hand. He quickly turned his head to look at Atsumu by his side, who was now with a thin but calm smile on his lips. But Atsumu too, quickly turned his face forward again, changing his expression to a proud and confident one.

Hinata felt like rolling his eyes. The cocky bastard. And still, he couldn’t resist smiling at Atsumu’s profile.

There were three round tables distinct from the others destined for the rest of the students, closer to the main table organized for the Professors and the Head of the schools. And as usual, the Durmstrang and the Slytherin teams decided to sit together. At the table on their left side, Hufflepuff was sitting with the Gryffindor team, giving the chance to Hinata for the first time to wave to his friends.

It took some time until the mood at the table started to warm up, with the subjects of conversation coming up at an awkward but still constant pace.

The transformations of the Great Hall to that special night, were the first shy comments. But the main discussion concerning the decoration was how those from Hogwarts couldn’t wait to see the adornments in the grounds outside. The Durmstrang group and —to Hinata and Tsukishima utter surprise— the Beauxbatons student, who was Kageyama’s plus-one, reassured contently it was indeed a view to be seen later.

After, came the moment to talk about the little menus available on the table, with some food suggestions, and which Osamu was the first to discover how to magically order, being followed by his plus-one. Both of them spoke the name of the chosen dish, clear and direct, to the golden plates in front of them. And that led to all the others to do the same.

Later, in the middle of their meal, with all of them more relaxed, the subject that was waiting to come up, made its appearance, Quidditch. That was also the chance some plus-ones took to ask and finally know more about the Durmstrang training habits or their own Quidditch competitions back in their school.

In particular, Hinata took the chance to indulge his own curiosity, which Atsumu gladly returned.

“Hold on there, Atsumu,” Suna called his attention. “Don’t you forget we're still going to play against them.”

Atsumu raised his hands, showing his palms as a sign of saying “my bad” .

“But something I can tell you.” Atsumu was back saying, giving his full attention to Hinata again. “During winter there isn’t much daylight, and it snows a lot, so it’s hard for us to be outside and enjoy the grounds, which are probably twice the size here at Hogwarts. But, during summer we can fly every day, over lakes and the mountains around.”

Hinata tried to imagine how it would be, being able to fly whenever they wanted through the grounds, besides the Broom Flight lessons and the Quidditch training that, at many times, he felt weren’t enough.

The closeness from Atsumu allowed Hinata to see how his eyes glistened with the shared memory. Hinata leaned closer, almost brushing their shoulders together, and Atsumu reacted to the proximity, leaning in Hinata’s direction too. Both of their bodies kept responding to each other's movements, with Atsumu’s pinkie brushing against Hinata’s hand again, since both of them were resting on the table side by side. And Hinata’s knee has decided to act on its own too, bumping on Atsumu’s thigh.

That was the simple way of their bodies’ language to react with the anticipation of sharing another memory.

“When I’m back home, sometimes I fly together with my little sister. We live in the mountains, you know,” Hinata said.

Atsumu didn’t know since that was the first time Hinata was telling him, but he kept his attention anyway, without interrupting.

“Mum doesn’t like when we fly too far from home, though. She always tells us to be careful with the boars,” Hinata proceeded. “But when I’m with Natsu, we rarely fly too high, since she’s still 10.”

Atsumu promptly engaged on Hinata’s subject, wanting to know more about where he lived and what other kinds of creatures he could find in the region Hinata was from, magical or not.

It was a reciprocated situation, with both of their enthusiasm flying to one another. And by the middle of their conversation, Hinata was even trying to convince Atsumu to go visit during holidays, which didn’t demand too much of his efforts to convince the boy, who was fast to welcome the idea and offer the same the other way around to Hinata.

Their particular conversation, with conspiratorial chuckles and forehead almost touching with the increase of proximity, was completely alienated from the rest of the group at the table. With the only thing capable of taking them out of their little bubble being the entrance of the band invited for the evening, making all the other students start to rise up and leave their tables. 

That was unnerving. Hinata was very aware of the hand on his waist and the other holding his own in a high position. His free left hand resting on the red fabric of Atsumu’s robe had its fingers tapping the shoulder rhythmically with the sound of the music they were put to dance to. The dance, that even Hinata and the others were conscious about, was not exactly what he or Atsumu were expecting.

It was another confused and rushed moment when they saw some older players of the teams rushing to the middle of the dance floor and started to dance what seemed like a waltz with their plus-ones, some other Quidditch players following calmly. This caused Hinata to look in panic around not only to his teammates —and apparently, only Kageyama was the only one as worried—, but to Atsumu too, the questioning look on both of their faces. Hinata had only time to whisper: 

“Did you know about that?” 

Atsumu answered by shaking his head in a short and frenetic way.

“We really should've trained this…” Hinata said, remembering Atsumu’s fake offer.

He still was with his face turned away from Atsumu, while watching his friends from his and the other houses dancing with theirs plus-ones. But even seeing them dancing, as uncomfortable as he was, wasn’t enough to ease his jitters. Especially when he kept feeling how close Atsumu’s face was from his side profile, by the moment, when he answered, sending his breath directly to Hinata’s ear.

“I think we’re handling this fine.”

“Your brother looks so embarrassed,” Hinata bit his bottom lip, before being spun away from the vision of Osamu clearly judging both of them.

“He’s envy because he doesn’t have the right moves and can’t impress his date.”

When Hinata finally looked up to scan Atsumu’s countenance,  he couldn’t hold the laugh that escaped from his throat. Seeing the last moments of a grimace that Atsumu was making in the direction where Hinata was looking at Osamu seconds before.

Immediately, Atsumu’s frown turned into a surprised face when he looked at Hinata’s open smiling face. 

“I don't know… I think if you straighten your back, you might get my feet off the ground.”

This time, it was Atsumu's turn to laugh, even though he tried to act displeased.

“Shoyo! You’re being mean now!”

Surprised by the laugh, Hinata lowered his head and in that position, he realized it was almost like when he invited Atsumu for the Ball. A little more, it could be exactly like his dream. 

However,  before he could panic with his unsolicited last thought, something else was realized, this time by his nose. The smell that terrorized him for an entire night while he was making the Amortentia potion, was right there, creeping to his nostrils again, the exact smell of fur wetted by snow, but many times stronger.

He felt heat extending through his neck and face. Yet, with a deep breath, trying to reconcile his thoughts and bring everything together, he looked up, almost hitting Atsumu’s chin. Atsumu was already watching him, and Hinata made sure that even if his face might be as red as his plus-one’s clothes, he could hold the look back.

“Hey, now you’re looking at me,” Atsumu said softly, but with a hint of the amusement of before.

“I am.”

The torture and embarrassment of the unexpected situation were happily and rapidly over. With the other students that weren’t members of the Quidditch teams, without losing time and the chance to join in the dance. But the increasing number of people that took the dance floor made Atsumu and Hinata lose the vision of their friends and other companions.

The slow music was also quickly substituted by a more agitated song, which made it, in both of their opinions, a lot easier to dance and enjoy.

After several songs and several minutes of crazy dance, Hinata and Atsumu agreed that it was starting to get too hot there, and perhaps it was time for something to drink and slow down for a bit.

Going around the crowd of students to go somewhere calmer,  Atsumu anticipated the offer to get their drinks. Hinata agreed, looking around to find a place to sit and wait, but instead had a different idea, informing his pair that he would be waiting and refreshing outside.

With their paths separated, Hinata went through some groups of friends and some couples —that he was sure were seeking a place to snog—, until he could leave the castle to go to the grounds covered in snow.

The cold air hit him on the face, dropping his body temperature almost immediately, causing Hinata to curl his arms around himself. Besides the cold, the vision of the ornaments was really impressive. With the little fairy lights shining and hanging around the made statue of Father Christmas and his reindeers, in what seemed ice? Or glass?

He went down the steps of the staircase to get closer and inspect it easier. The lights on the trees and simply floating in the air, Hinata identified as being real fairies, as well and the statue was definitely ice. Before sitting on the bench circulating the sculpture, he reached his hands to touch one of the reindeer’s figures.

Little by little, Hinata started to get used to the cold air, thinking that at least it wasn’t snowing, or it would ruin the night. With a deep breath, he let the cold air freeze his nostril, before letting the hot air inside his lungs leave his mouth and transform into the little cloud in front of him. Like that, he propped his arms by his side and leaned his body slightly backwards, letting his head hang back too, so he could look at the sky.

Luckily, the sky that night decided to be gentle and let its stars on display to anyone who wanted to see.

Hinata stayed there, getting the air in and out of his lungs, watching the sky and the condensation of hot air with cold. Closing his eyes for a few seconds, just enjoying the moment, he stayed still in that position. When Hinata opened his eyes again, Atsumu was standing by his side, two bottles of what seemed to be butterbeer in his hands.  

Atsumu was static, his eyes fixated on Hinata, his mouth hanging open as he had something to say but stopped in the middle of it.

With the vision, the Hinata’s only reaction was a breathed laugh, but it was enough to take Atsumu out of his trance, who blinked and quickly started to approach.

“Found you.” Atsumu said,  “Here.”

“Hello!” Hinata took the already opened bottle that was offered to him. “It’s colder than I thought it would be out here.”

Waggling his head and making a face of consideration, Atsumu shrugged.

“You are ridiculous, you know?”

Still, without saying anything, Atsumu only faked an offended expression in return.

“All this attitude of the cold doesn’t bother me ” Hinata changed his voice, trying to make it thicker and his accent stronger. “ Because back where I am from …”

He left the sentence unfinished, but puffed out his chest and made a face trying to mimic someone self-assured, apparently.

Seeing that, Atsumu’s laugh filled the quiet outside air.

“That was an imitation of me?”

“Maybe.” Hinata sounded unbothered.

“You’re so silly.”

Hinata furrowed his brows, making his version of a fake offended expression.

“For someone who I thought was going to faint for a second in there,” Atsumu added, containing his smile with a sip of his butterbeer.

“Hey!” this time Hinata sounded truly offended. “Who's being mean now?”

Atsumu laughed again, but nudged his shoulder on Hinata’s.

“I wasn’t expecting,” Hinata muttered.

“Lucky you, I was there,” Atsumu answered, leaning closer to clink their bottles together.

Hinata turned his head to face Atsumu, both of them with identical smiles.

Atsumu was insufferable sometimes, but Hinata had to admit it was easy to be around him, even when he happened to fall on Atsumu’s provocations.

Before they could say something else or anything at all, a thing popped above their heads and, with mirrored moves, both looked up to see a mistletoe hanging in the air.

Seeing the mistletoe over them was embarrassing. But Atsumu looked at that and then at Hinata and then finally away in a such an endearing way that Hinata couldn't help but wish that Atsumu was a little less embarrassed at that moment.

Hinata approached Atsumu slowly, who wasn’t looking back at him yet. But Hinata wanted to get close enough to touch him, still, there was something gut knotting about touching Atsumu at that moment.

They touched each other so many times over the last few weeks, but there, at that moment, seemed as if it held much more meaning than the other times. Even the dance in the last hours.

When Hinata was close enough to be heard with a whisper, he whispered and waited for Atsumu's reaction.

And suddenly it's there, the feeling of perhaps not exactly the first love, but still the first time you acknowledge the twinkling feeling of that sentiment you're waiting to feel at some point in your life. Although Shoyo didn’t recognize it right away, he was sure of the reasons his heart was beating in such an unstable way every time he was near Atsumu.

Atsumu without a second thought yanked Shoyo away.

⸻☼⸻

PROLOGUE

Wafting Expectations

Shoyo fiddled with the piece of parchment in his hands, reading the words forming sentences over and over again. He was trying to take everything possible from its meanings and information.

The school year was over, and Shoyo had spent the last fortnight remembering all of it, all the smallest and possible details, forcing his mind not to forget anything.

Even with the loss of Slytherin in the Triwizard Tournament, there were the thrilling moments of their last match. The memory of when the Snitch slipped out of Hoshiumi’s hands just to be caught a few moments later by Shoyo’s own hands, having his revengeful victory after losing in the first phase of the tournament.

But before winning against Gryffindor, the Slytherin team had their unexpected victory against Durmstrang during the third phase of qualifiers. Despite the loss, Durmstrang still won from all the other teams, which led them to be in the semi-finals. And it was bitter to remember that Atsumu's promise of winning against Slytherin, deciding which team was going to the finals, became true.

Both received the sweet taste of victory and loss. And at the moment, when Atsumu and Shoyo shook hands after the match —perhaps lingering in the touch more than necessary—, there were no grudges nor regrets, only satisfaction of a promise fulfilled, and the pride felt for each other.

At least, Shoyo could hold on for the third-place victory, as well as many other brighter memories concerning Atsumu during the rest of the semester.

Such as when once Shoyo decided to participate in one of Atsumu’s very appealing ideas, and how he gladly ignored his friends’ concerned looks, to listen to the plan. And well, the memories would be easier to enjoy if it wasn't for the part where he won a detention. Having to help to clean and organize the library books, during a whole quiet and lonely afternoon, with the risk of being taken out of the upcoming match against Hufflepuff.

Atsumu was waiting outside the library that day. Not to help him carry his study books that time, but sat on the floor leaning against the wall opposite to the library door, spinning something in his hands, making Shoyo notice a different expression on the face of his… friend. Remorse.

The Durmstrang’s Beater was fast to rise from his spot and, with a low “sorry” , offered to Shoyo the chocolate frog he was holding.

And Shoyo would remember telling Atsumu not to worry, that him being in detention was a common thing, and that didn’t erase the fun they had anyway. But Shoyo definitely didn’t forget Atsumu’s gesture over the rest of the month.

There were also all the other usual situations —transformed into memories— during meals, or between lessons, that Shoyo’s mind would insist on analysing later at night, the way Atsumu interacted with him.

After the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons departure. A few days later on the train on his way home, Shoyo would remember those matches neither Durmstrang nor Slytherin played, but yet Atsumu insisted on being with him and his friends cheering for whoever Shoyo’s acquaintances were playing that week. Or even when Slytherin was playing, and Shoyo could spot Atsumu standing on the front row, leaning against the railing, trying to watch them as close as possible.

Especially that match Slytherin won against Beauxbatons. And when his team was leaving the pitch, as soon as Shoyo saw Atsumu waiting outside, he ran to him to celebrate and was spun in the air by Atsumu’s arms.

The best part was that Shoyo felt like everything that Atsumu did was genuine.

But the most constant memory on Shoyo’s mind was precisely the Christmas night, which still made him toss, turn and squirm in his bed every time.

Thinking in retrospect, Shoyo was really shocked to remember he was the one who offered to Atsumu they should go back inside the castle, but not to the Ball per se. Even being the one pulled by Atsumu inside, Shoyo turned the table by guiding their way to one of the many hidden spots in the castle, hoping no professor got them there.

It was dark and a little cramped, Shoyo would remember. But he also would remember the way he felt the beat of his heart all over his body, the sensation of Atsumu’s skin under the pad of his fingers when he reached for the clavicle exposed between Atsumu's opened blouse collar.

He remembered the seconds when they stayed there for a moment, just hearing the sound of their heavy, anxious, frightened breaths. And what Shoyo would remember at so many other times —which happened in so many ways, but still Atsumu continued to act the same— when Atsumu put his fingers between Shoyo's hair, bringing them closer together.

Shoyo rolled in his bed, the same way he did on that winter night after the Ball. Looking at the ceiling of his room, previously at Hogwarts and now at his home. He sighed, picturing that awkward first kiss, but then the many others that got better and easier with time. Shoyo pictured the various scenes on the moments they sneaked in that same spot of the Ball’s night or any other they could find to hide around the castle. At first, with him had to take the initiative and drag Atsumu away between his walks to the Great Hall, coming from lessons, library, or training sessions.  

But Shoyo liked to remember too, when Atsumu later felt more confident and simply held the sleeve of Shoyo's robes, indicating a “ let's disappear from here” .

Hinata sighed again —something that also became a new habit—, and shook his head, trying to come back to his present moment.

He wanted to do that again, Shoyo thought. Maybe he should say that in the next letter.

Turning again to take back the last of Atsumu’s letter, he observed the signature, wondering if it was the way that Atsumu was signing his name for his fans.

An owl flew through Shoyo’s window, taking him out of his head momentarily, bringing with her a letter in her claws. Shoyo smiled, jumping out of his bed to receive the owl and in return receiving a loud shrike from his own owl in indignation for his happiness with another bird.

Shoyo took the envelope from Atsumu’s owl, the one he learned to identify even from afar, and quickly opened it. At least, that was one of the promises he could cling on to.

When the letter was pulled out of the envelope, a photograph fell over the desk. Shoyo took it in his hand to examine better and, recognizing the picture, he ran his eyes through the letter’s content. In a part, it said:

“Suna gave it to me, I want you to keep it.”

Shoyo looked at it again, and let a soft smile spread in his face at the exact captured moment he leaned to whisper in Atsumu's ear.