Archive of Our Own

There was something about Hogsmeade that looked particularly beautiful covered in snow. The wizarding village had transformed for the holidays, with evergreen trees decorating the main street and the shop windows filled with new winter-themed products for shoppers to gaze at in awe. Hogwarts students crowded the sidewalks on either side of the street, their black winter robes billowing in the crisp winds. There was even the occasional horse-drawn carriage passing by, the hooves and wheels clicking by on the cobblestone street.

Jongdae and Lu Han were included in the masses on the sidewalk, walking side by side. The two boys had already raided most of the village, from the Three Broomsticks, a popular pub in town, to Honeydukes, a sweet shop overflowing with candies and sweet treats. Jongdae and Lu Han's robes were stuffed with everything they had bought and the two were eating their treats happily as they walked down the path back towards Hogwarts. It was not often the Hogwarts students got a Hogsmeade weekend, but when they were given the chance to, they always seized the chance for a break from all the studying and busy life in the castle.

"Oh! Look over there!" Lu Han was pointing across the street towards a huddle of students around their age in front of Zonko's Joke Shop. They were laughing loud enough to be heard from where the two boys were standing.

"Let's go!" Lu Han exclaimed and ran ahead of Jongdae. Jongdae broke into a grin and took off after him, dodging the other passerby as he ran.

The boys were unfortunately shorter than a lot of the other sixth years and seventh years that made up the mass blocking the path and had to crane their necks to see through the crowd. Once Jongdae had pushed his way beside a Slytherin seventh year that was much bigger than him, he saw what the fuss was about.

Two small snowmen were wrestling on the cobblestone path, bewitched by two students. The little wrestling match had gathered an audience, and it seemed the crowd had become very immersed in the little fight, reacting animatedly when one of the little charmed snow creations won the upper hand over the other with boos or cheers. Normally, he didn't pay attention to what the students would create to entertain themselves like this, but even Jongdae found himself interested in the cute albeit violent snow creations and cheered with the crowd after a few minutes.

Finally, one snowman punched the other hard enough so that a limb flew off and the charm broke, what once was a snowman crumbling onto the ground in a heap of harmless snow. The crowd burst into mixed reactions and Jongdae even saw a pair of Hufflepuffs near him trade coins, having bet on the outcome of the match beforehand.

"Alright Baekhyun!" Someone exclaimed and Jongdae looked up quickly, finally paying attention to the two wizards behind the snowman charm, one of them wearing a grin on his face that Jongdae knew all too well. He could feel his cheeks grow hot and he quickly turned his gaze back to the ground where he tapped his foot awkwardly. He should have known.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol were the most popular students in the sixth year - both of them were prefects, got decent grades, were on the Gryffindor Quidditch team as chasers, and were funny. The two of them were the best of friends, but their shared friend group was so large, Jongdae couldn't keep up; it was like everyone in the school knew them and they could be found with anyone of any year or house. It didn't hurt that they were both considerably attractive as well - both girls and boys had thrown themselves on the two ever since first year.

And Jongdae happened to have the biggest crush ever on Byun Baekhyun.

It genuinely wasn't his fault - Baekhyun was the prettiest boy Jongdae had ever laid eyes on. He had fluffy brown hair that had gone through many styles over the years (all of them looking unfairly beautiful on him. Jongdae had had a horrid haircut in fifth year, and Baekhyun looked like he had never had a bad hair day in his life), but was currently parted in the middle and framed his face. Baekhyun had a cute nose, clear skin, and the softest looking lips that Jongdae was guilty of obsessing over. His brown eyes, lined with long eyelashes, shone with life and Jongdae's heart never failed to flutter when he saw them. But arguably, Jongdae's favorite feature on Baekhyun was his blindingly beautiful smile that made his eyes mold into cute crescents.

It really was impossible not to fall for Baekhyun in Jongdae's eyes.

Baekhyun let out a loud laugh, Jongdae's heart jumped in his chest. The little crowd of students surrounding them was growing smaller as students broke away now that the fun had ended. Jongdae began to back out as nonchalantly as he could, ignoring the warmth creeping onto his cheeks as he searched for Lu Han. But Lu Han was already waiting for him with a small smirk on his lips and Jongdae knew he was about to be mercilessly teased.

The sun sank lower in the sky behind the surrounding mountains, creating beautiful streaks of color where the light couldn't reach, signaling that the night would soon fall over them. Jongdae and Lu Han turned to walk down the path towards Hogwarts again. Jongdae's feet desperately wanted to move even faster than the leisurely pace they were already taking - anything to stay out of Baekhyun's proximity and embarrass himself in some stupid way.

"Ooh, Jongdae!" Lu Han giggled obnoxiously once they were out of earshot and Jongdae swore his best friend could be such a teenage girl at times. Jongdae rolled his eyes as he fought back a grin. Even though he pretended to hate it, both Lu Han and Jongdae knew his favorite subject was everything to do with Byun Baekhyun.

"Shut up, Lu!" Jongdae smacked his friend on the shoulder and Lu Han just laughed, reaching over and ruffling Jongdae's hair. The latter groaned and reached up to try and smooth it out back to where it had been.

"You're so head over heels for him. I can see you blushing!" Lu Han teased and poked Jongdae's cheeks obnoxiously. To his dismay, Jongdae could feel himself grow even more red.

"Why do you tease me? I am not head over heels," Jongdae whined.

"Yes, you are. You have been since third year."

"No, I haven't-"

"Don't even try to deny it! You guys would look so cute together! Oh, Baekhyun, I love you-"

"Shut up about Baekhyun!" Jongdae smacked Lu Han on the top of his head and the boy immediately shut up and whined, even though he was laughing at their own light-hearted banter.

"Fine! Race you to the castle!" And with that, Lu Han shot off down the winding path towards the Hogwarts entrance for the second time that day and Jongdae groaned, racing after his friend back to the stunning castle rising over the forest treetops, the one that Jongdae had now happily called home for six years.

Jongdae sat at the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall, quietly munching on a breakfast roll as he read from his Charms book. He had woken up extra early to get some studying time in before his first class and had made good enough use of it already. He'd finished two assignments that were due later in the week.

A tired Lu Han collapsed into the seat next to him and sighed, taking one of Jongdae's rolls from his plate and taking a large bite. Jongdae set down his book and turned to look at his friend. Lu Han's hair was ruffled messily and his robes looked like they had been thrown on in a haste.

"Early morning Quidditch practice?" Jongdae asked, turning back to stare at a paragraph on the page his book was open on, though he was no longer able to properly concentrate with his best friend here.

"Yes," Lu Han sighed again. "I don't know why Minseok has us get up so early. The Quidditch Pitch is almost always open after our second class! We could get practice hours in then," Lu Han complained, continuing to wolf down Jongdae's food. Not that Jongdae minded; he'd already had a couple rolls and he knew Lu Han would be ravenous from the early morning workout. He pushed the plate closer to him.

"Yes, well, you don't mind anything Minseok does as long as you get to see him," Jongdae replied and Lu Han huffed - the boy had had a crush on the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain ever since he joined the team last year as Seeker. Jongdae teased him occasionally, but it was nothing compared to Lu Han's own teasing towards Jongdae about his crush.

"I do understand that we need practice. Our Chasers this year aren't as great as last year, now that Irene and Joy have left. Hufflepuff's Keeper is going to have an easy time at the game if we don't improve."

Lu Han had gone off into Quidditch land and was ranting now. Jongdae officially closed his Charms book and put it into his bag; there was no point studying anymore.

"Yeah, Junmyeon's a good Keeper, but how about their Seeker? Will you have any trouble beating her?" Jongdae retorted. Lu Han scoffed at him.

"You're doubting me now? I'm a great Seeker," Lu Han said confidently with a grin and Jongdae rolled his eyes at his friend's antics.

A silence fell over them as Lu Han finished off what were originally Jongdae's rolls.

"What's your first class today?" Lu Han asked.

"Double Potions," Jongdae replied. The NEWTs level Potions class had been notorious for its reputation of extreme difficulty and load of homework and many of the older students complained, but Jongdae didn't mind the class - he enjoyed the preciseness and sense of organization involved with potion-making. But there was only one issue with it and Lu Han knew what that was the second the answer left his friend's lips.

"Ooh, two full hours with Baekhyun! Have fun!" Lu Han patted Jongdae's shoulder teasingly. Jongdae wanted so badly to smack the silly grin off of his face. Even though he obviously shouldn't have, he hadn't been able to stop thinking of the two hours he would be in the dungeons with Baekhyun that day since he got his schedule for the week.

Maybe Lu Han wasn't so far off when he teased Jongdae for being head over heels for Baekhyun. Not that Jongdae would ever admit it, though.

Jongdae looked across the room to the Gryffindor table and he spotted him. Baekhyun and Chanyeol were seated with a big group, laughing together and talking loudly. Even though it was a little too far to see, Jongdae could picture perfectly the way Baekhyun's eyes were shining as he talked animatedly with a smile on his face, his hands gesturing. Jongdae looked away after admiring for a few moments - the last thing he needed was for the boy to notice him staring.

The bell rang and Lu Han and Jongdae jumped up, rushing to gather their things and head to their first class. They walked out of the Great Hall together in the mess of students that were leaving and exchanged quick goodbyes before they parted ways. Jongdae's stomach gave a nervous lurch as he turned down a separate corridor, towards the dungeons.

Jongdae was one of the first students to enter the dimly lit classroom - the only other student who had already arrived was a Slytherin girl near the front of the class who had already set out her things and was waiting. Jongdae didn't know her name.

He took a seat in the middle of the class, pulling his Potions book out from his bag and setting it on his desk. Jongdae had already read through most of it before school even started and he was fascinated by the complexity of the concoctions he would be studying throughout the year. He wondered with vague interest as he waited what potion they would be working on today with the extended class.

Slowly, more students began to trickle in and there was still no Baekhyun. Jongdae stared down at his desk and tried to ignore how anxious he was, the annoying voice in the back of his head constantly reminding him about the Gryffindor boy.

Then the same laugh he had heard just the night before in Hogsmeade reached the dungeon from a little ways down the corridor, the unmistakable sound that came from Baekhyun. He walked in and Jongdae's heart jumped. He kept his gaze trained on his desk, trying very hard not to watch the brunet through his peripheral vision.

Baekhyun sat in the row in front of him and Jongdae snuck a quick look as he said something Jongdae didn't catch to Wendy, a pretty Gryffindor he had walked in with. Baekhyun had that same blinding smile on as he giggled cutely at whatever it was that Wendy said and Jongdae broke his gaze quickly, trying to fight back a small smile. It was ridiculous how much of an effect Baekhyun had on Jongdae.

The Potions Master walked in and the class quieted immediately. She was a tall formidable woman named Professor Kang. She was firm and some of the younger students feared her, but Jongdae knew she was just strict. She was a good professor.

A couple of stray students wandered to an empty seat, including a Hufflepuff boy who sat down next to Jongdae. Jongdae recognized the boy named Yixing and gave him a little nod to greet him. Yixing smiled back and Jongdae noticed how he had a cute little dimple when he smiled.

"Can anyone tell me what this is?" Professor Kang held up a small glass vial filled with a liquid that shone pure gold. Jongdae's hand shot into the air.

"Yes, Mr. Kim?"

"Felix Felicis or more commonly known as liquid luck," Jongdae said in fascination. It had been one of his favorite potions to read about. Even though it was extremely difficult to make, his spirits soared with hope that the class would be focused on the concoction.

"Correct! Please open your books to the recipe for Felix Felicis. With a partner I choose for you, you will attempt to create this little potion. Be warned, it's quite difficult. The pair that create the best attempt will get a prize," She explained with a small smile. Jongdae sat up a little straighter in his seat. He was determined to make a perfect potion.

Jongdae waited as she went and paired off the class, hoping with everything that he didn't get a certain someone - he didn't know how well he would be able to concentrate with Baekhyun so close to him.

But of course, fate didn't particularly like Jongdae at that moment.

"Mr. Kim with Mr. Byun," Professor Kang said and Jongdae froze.

Fucking fantastic.

Jongdae's heart jumped and he looked towards Baekhyun, which turned out to be just the wrong thing to do. The other boy was already looking at him and smiled brightly when they made eye contact. Jongdae looked down quickly and blushed furiously, cursing himself. Could he be any more obvious?

Baekhyun made his way over to Jongdae's desk and set his book down on the table, remaining standing. Jongdae took a little breath to try somehow to prepare himself for two whole hours with Byun Baekhyun.

Jongdae stood up and repositioned their cauldron so they could both reach it easily. He flipped to the page in his book with the Felix Felicis recipe and read it over quickly, ignoring Baekhyun even though he was hyper-aware that the boy was standing just a few feet from him.

"Wow," Baekhyun muttered and he was definitely right. Jongdae remembered how difficult it had looked when he read over the directions earlier, but it didn't hit him until now when he was about to make it, how hard it would actually be. The directions were insanely specific and the room for error was miniscule; any little thing could throw off the whole potion. They would have to be extremely precise.

"Okay," Jongdae said and sighed. He looked up from the insane recipe and stared at his cauldron in thought, running one hand through his hair. Baekhyun and Jongdae looked at each other and Jongdae ignored his rapid heartbeat.

"I'll get the Squill bulb and you get the Ashwinder eggs?" Baekhyun asked him.

And it really was so unfair how beautiful his voice sounded when he asked that question, Jongdae thought as he nodded. Baekhyun turned and began to walk to the ingredient stores and Jongdae took another breath to calm his racing heart.

This was definitely going to be a long class.

To be fair, it went a lot better than Jongdae could have expected.

He didn't manage to embarrass himself too badly, which was a first for the socially awkward Ravenclaw. He had been clumsier than normal - Baekhyun had had to return to the ingredients table for extra Murlap twice when Jongdae had accidentally knocked it off the table. But other than his shaky hands and slight sweating from nerves, being with Baekhyun for so long hadn't been a bad thing.

Jongdae finished stirring the mixture in the cauldron and pulled the spoon out of the concoction carefully. He didn't know how sensitive the potion was to accidental extra stirs or other extra steps in the recipe, but it didn't change and Jongdae let out a little breath he didn't know he was holding.

Baekhyun had been watching him from the side and when the two's eyes met, those pretty lips that Jongdae loved so much stretched into a thin smile.

"Good job," His crush praised him, and he sounded like he truly meant it. The words might have been out of politeness but Jongdae's heart thought differently, absolutely melting. Baekhyun took Jongdae's spot in front of the potion to do the next step and the Ravenclaw stepped back, pushing his glasses up from when they had slid down the bridge of his nose with one finger as he watched Baekhyun's hands at work.

Truly it was a blessing they'd had Potions together, of all things - Baekhyun had the prettiest hands in the world. Jongdae watched as his elegant long fingers mixed ingredients precisely and dropped them into the cauldron and marveled at how flawless they actually were. It seemed Baekhyun knew just how nice they were as well - his nails were perfectly manicured and cut, like he had put effort into making them look nice. Jongdae couldn't help but smile at the little quirk he had found out about the Gryffindor boy.

Jongdae didn't realize the time was up until Professor Kang called for them all to stop, walking through the first row to inspect. He began to clean off the table and organize the ingredients to be put up as Baekhyun began to help him. They both reached for the same ingredient at the same time and their hands brushed. Jongdae immediately pulled back, muttering a quick sorry. His heart raced at the contact but Baekhyun didn't seem to be bothered by it. Once again, he felt just a little too lovesick for his own good.

"Of course, it needs six months to brew properly, but this is almost a textbook example of how it should look at this stage!" Professor Kang marveled at the two boys' potion as she finally inspected theirs, examining it with a spoon and pouring the contents back into the cauldron.

"Thirty points to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw! For a flawless potion!" The Potions Master exclaimed and Jongdae absolutely beamed.

He felt fingers wrap around his own and turned, startled. Baekhyun lifted their hands together in triumph, grinning equally as brightly as Jongdae felt in that moment.

"We did it! You're so good at potions, Jongdae!" Baekhyun praised and Jongdae was at a loss for words. Was Byun Baekhyun praising him?

Jongdae nodded and grinned even wider. His cheeks began to ache from the constant smile on his face, but in that moment the Ravenclaw was on the top of the world, absolutely glowing with happiness. Even Lu Han's teasing would be endurable after today, Jongdae thought as he looked in Baekhyun's bright brown eyes and fell just a little harder for the boy.

December had finally hit and the Hogwarts castle transformed overnight to prove it. Decorations were now everywhere you looked, ranging from the evergreen wreaths in the halls to the magicked snow gently falling from the Great Hall ceiling to the grand Christmas trees that were expertly covered in tinsel and ornaments from head to toe.

After wrapping up the last of the large load of homework due for the semester, Jongdae and Lu Han had spent their last few days together before their break roaming the grounds or playing games of Exploding Snap with fellow Ravenclaws in the common room. Lu Han would be heading home for the holidays but Jongdae had chosen to stay. He had been curious of how Christmas at Hogwarts was like, and when he had told his parents, the pair had given him permission to and were on a vacation to France for the holidays instead.

Jongdae and Lu Han conversed lightly as the two of them walked down to the Hogwarts Express together. Lu Han was hauling his trunk behind him and Jongdae had his hands in the pockets of his winter coat, silently cursing that he'd forgotten to bring out gloves for the cold.

They both stepped onto the platform, the sounds of the train humming in the background. Lu Han set his trunk down and turned to Jongdae.

"Have you looked at the list of people staying?" He asked casually. Jongdae shook his head. It didn't matter much to him - he planned to spend time in the library studying or cooped up in Ravenclaw Tower anyway.

Lu Han broke into a wicked grin. Jongdae's insides went slightly cold. Lu Han never looked like that unless it was something important.

"Oh, Jongdae!" Lu Han laughed, not giving him any clue as to what he was hiding and ruffled Jongdae's hair, much to the other's annoyance and confusion.

"I checked it before we came here. You're going to have so much fun. Make sure to tell me everything when I come back!" Lu Han exclaimed and oh no, Jongdae really didn't like this.

"Lu Han, what-" Jongdae started but Lu Han had embraced the confused boy in a quick hug and grabbed his trunk, turning and rolling away from him towards the train.

"Have fun!" Lu Han called, turning back and flashing a bright smile, before boarding the train. Jongdae rolled his eyes. He decided to just ignore whatever it was Lu Han had been hinting to. He really didn't understand his best friend sometimes.

Jongdae headed back up to the castle after the train had left. Jongdae was alone for the next two weeks and being more of a quiet person besides when he was with Lu Han, he was excited for the solitary time to relax and prepare for the next semester. There were always very few students who stayed over, so there should be no distractions.

Jongdae hummed happily as he walked the corridors. His footsteps echoed and he'd never noticed it before because of how many students were always occupying them. He decided to stop in the Great Hall since he knew they always had snacks there.

He was alone inside the hall when he noticed that the snacks had changed into cute winter-themed ones. Cookies were iced with snowflakes, pastries were set out, and platters of fruits and cheeses arranged on platters that looked like Christmas trees covered the tables. Jongdae smiled at the little snacks as he grabbed a couple cookies and foods off of the nearest platter and sat down.

"Aw, don't you love the little cookies?" A familiar voice said from behind Jongdae and he froze just as he was about to take a bite into his food. He turned and saw none other than Byun Baekhyun, sending him that beautiful smile as he walked closer to Jongdae, taking a seat next to him.

So that's what Lu Han meant, Jongdae thought frantically, clicking in his head. He tried to calm his racing heart, and really, what had Jongdae done to deserve this?

Baekhyun reached over Jongdae to take a few pieces of cheese from the cute platter, popping it into his mouth in a way that reminded the flustered boy of a cute little kid.

"Y-Yeah, they're cute," Jongdae replied, flustered. His face heated up as he stuttered and he stuffed the cookie in his mouth. God, this was going to be impossible.

"Well, almost all of the sixth year left for the holidays, from what I saw at the train," Baekhyun conversed lightly, sitting a little closer to Jongdae and he swore he couldn't breathe from the proximity.

"It might just be me and you, Jongdae," Baekhyun smiled and Jongdae was trying really really hard not to look down at those pretty pink lips. His heart was still racing as he broke Baekhyun's gaze and looked down at his plate, pushing his glasses up nervously.

Jongdae definitely was not going to get the relaxation he had hoped for.

Baekhyun had been right in thinking that it was only him and Jongdae out of the sixth years staying at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays. That little fact had been gnawing at Jongdae's mind, haunting him every time he left Ravenclaw Tower as his heart raced at the prospect of catching a glimpse of the other boy. Jongdae hated himself just a little for it - God knows he didn't need the distraction in the form of Byun Baekhyun.

Jongdae had managed to avoid him for a few days now by only making quick trips to the Great Hall to eat and being cooped up in the library or common room for the rest of his time (even though he had sneakily taken the long way back to the dormitories a couple of times just to pass Gryffindor Tower, but it definitely wasn't to see if he could spot Baekhyun. Not at all. He just wanted to take the scenic route).

When he thought about it, Jongdae didn't know how the boy was spending his Christmas vacation without Chanyeol and his friends. While Jongdae was much more solitary, Baekhyun was the definition of a social butterfly and always seemed like he had somewhere to be. As a matter of fact, Jongdae couldn't think of one time he'd seen the boy alone anywhere recently. But that wasn't Jongdae's problem, of course. He really shouldn't be worrying about Baekhyun at all, but he always managed to lose himself in thoughts of the Gryffindor.

Jongdae had spent the first few days of his Christmas break getting a good amount of homework done in the now vacant library. There was something about the library that he preferred over the Ravenclaw common room. Ravenclaw Tower was beautiful in its own way. The common room was circular because of its location in one of the higher turrets in the castle. There were windows built into the stone walls framed by royal blue curtains that were always open in the warmer months, the wind passing through the bright room and giving a beautiful view of the grounds. Jongdae loved the airy and light feeling of that room, but he much preferred spending his free time there instead of studying. The library gave him a heightened feeling of knowledge. He loved being alone with the books at his fingertips all to himself. He could wander the aisles of books old and new, and run his fingers over the different titles.

Jongdae was there now, sitting in one of the comfier lounge chairs in the corner next to the window that was almost always occupied during the school year as a prime study spot. He had his Potions essay laid out across the small wooden table and was absentmindedly biting his fingernails as he revised it, occasionally scribbling corrections onto the parchment.

He was so absorbed that he didn't hear Baekhyun until he was right in front of him.

"Jongdae-yah! There you are!" He was greeted cheerfully in Korean and Jongdae jumped in his seat, so startled he almost dropped his quill. Jongdae had known that Baekhyun was Korean like himself when he had first heard his name, but neither had attempted to speak in the language to each other. He tried not to think about how beautiful the foreign syllables fell from those lips as he looked up into his smiling face. He opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. Baekhyun was still smiling as Jongdae quickly looked down and gathered up his homework, putting it in order just to give his hands something to do.

"You do speak Korean right?" Baekhyun asked cheerfully, sitting in the seat next to him and watching him. Jongdae nodded as he closed his bottle of ink.

"Good! That would have been awkward, wouldn't it?" Baekhyun said again in Korean. Jongdae could hear the smile in his voice. It was such a contrast to the obvious English accent he normally spoke in, but it was one Jongdae fleetingly wished he could have heard earlier.

"Have you been in the library all this time?" Baekhyun asked him, switching back to English and continuing to talk to Jongdae even though the other boy hadn't answered with words yet. Jongdae muttered a small yes as he continued to pack up his thing. Baekhyun gave a short laugh and Jongdae's cheeks got hot as his heart betrayed him, skipping a beat at the wonderful sound. Baekhyun began to speak again as Jongdae stood up from the seat he had been in for hours now.

"I've been looking for you! We should do something together since it's only us two," Baekhyun suggested and Jongdae tried to ignore how much that sounded like he was being asked on a date.

"Oh, uh, yeah, sure," Jongdae replied dumbly and he desperately wanted to smack himself.

Wait until Lu Han gets an earful of this, Jongdae thought bitterly but of course, the thought vanished as soon as Baekhyun grinned even wider at him and his eyes shone.

There was a silence for a moment as the two of them crossed the library to the door and began down the corridor outside. Baekhyun slowed from walking in front of Jongdae so they could walk side by side and Jongdae stared down at their feet, fighting a small smile as they stepped in sync.

"Do you want to go on a walk on the grounds?" Baekhyun asked.

"Sure!" Jongdae replied eagerly, the short answer being the first proper answer he had spoken in front of Baekhyun that day. The latter smiled.

"I'll go grab my coat and then we can meet up at the front?"

Jongdae gave him a smile and a nod, his heart racing in his chest and he was shocked Baekhyun couldn't hear the frantic beating. Baekhyun turned the corner towards Gryffindor and gave a short wave which Jongdae returned.

Jongdae ran down the corridor in his joy and all he could think of was Byun Baekhyun and taking a walk in the snow and they would be alone together. He couldn't be happier, and he was certain of that as he raced to the dormitories for his coat. He didn't fight the smile from his face the whole way.

Baekhyun hummed under his breath as he waited in front of the castle gates. He was already bundled in his winter coat and his hands were covered with a pair of gloves. He'd never liked how cold England was most of the year. The pleasant warmth radiating from them would be helpful when he and Jongdae stepped into the crisp winter air.

Jongdae was definitely a change from Baekhyun's usual group of friends. Wherever Baekhyun was, there was always a large group of people in some sort of fiery conversation, talking loudly and laughing constantly. Chanyeol and him were always the middle of the fun and Baekhyun loved it - He had always loved being the center of attention and having people look at him.

But Jongdae was different. When he and Chanyeol talked, they would always be chattering, neither person's stream of words ever really stopping. However, Jongdae was quiet. The shy Ravenclaw almost never met Baekhyun's eyes and when he did, he would look away quickly as if he had done something wrong. He nodded quickly or gave short replies. He always let Baekhyun ramble instead and sometimes, Baekhyun worried he was boring to the other boy. But Jongdae never seemed bored or distant with him.

Baekhyun wasn't used to it, but he actually enjoyed the quiet and peace that came with Jongdae. He'd only ever talked to him before for homework or assignments in class, and he wanted to change that now that he had seen a little more of him. He had a sudden desire to get Jongdae to open up to him, to talk to him like he did with Lu Han, the Ravenclaw that Baekhyun had noticed he never seemed to be apart from. Ever since their Potions lesson that Jongdae had excelled at, making Baekhyun admire him for his skills in school, he had been noticing him more.

Baekhyun hadn't really noticed how pretty Jongdae was before. His lips had a natural curl on the ends and his smile only made the cute quirk even more obvious. He wore black framed glasses and pushed them up often; Baekhyun had noticed it was a nervous habit he had. His curly hair was so fluffy-looking and Baekhyun had laughed when he caught Jongdae whining cutely and giggling after Lu Han had ruffled it. Baekhyun made people laugh all the time, but there was something about Jongdae's laugh that Baekhyun wanted to hear again and again.

Now, Baekhyun wasn't stupid; he had an inkling of what these kinds of feelings towards Jongdae were. Baekhyun didn't feel at all ready to deal with the emotional stress of having a crush, even if right now, the feelings were only developing and it wasn't anything close to a crush yet. But he liked being untouchable and unbothered by people and any type of romantic feelings towards them. He liked it when he was stress free except for homework or Quidditch practice. Those were normal struggles and Baekhyun didn't mind them. They'd been pushed into his mind ever since he started school and joined the Quidditch team in his third year. But he didn't want to deal with the way his heart went spastic anytime he was near someone. He didn't want to be so vulnerable for someone else.

Of course, Baekhyun hadn't mentioned any of this to Chanyeol yet. He's putting it off deliberately, hoping that if he ignores it, it will go away. Baekhyun did have a lot of close friends, but Chanyeol was the only person he would ever share anything personal with. Chanyeol was the one who had comforted him after his mother died during third year. Chanyeol was the one who had known and teased him about his first crush that lasted through fourth and fifth year on their Hufflepuff classmate, Yixing, and Chanyeol was the only one who had seen him cry after he'd gotten his heart broken when he asked Yixing to the Yule Ball and learned he was already taken by Junmyeon, another Hufflepuff in their year.

He probably should send an owl to Chanyeol for advice - his best friend would want to know - but he didn't want to admit it just yet. Not only to Chanyeol, but to himself too.

Baekhyun was lost in his thoughts when he heard footsteps and looked up. His eyes met Jongdae's as he walked closer but the connection is broken instantly when Jongdae looks away, his gaze landing on his feet as he closed the distance between the two. Baekhyun wished fleetingly that he had been able to smile to the shy boy before he had turned away so quickly.

The two stood next to each other in a small awkward silence. Jongdae still hadn't looked up from his feet and Baekhyun wanted to see his pretty eyes that were always open so wide when he looked at him. Baekhyun turned and pushed open the front gate. A rush of cold air blew in through the doors and into the hall and Jongdae gasped at the sudden change in temperature.

Baekhyun turned back and looked at him. Jongdae was looking out at the snow with a small smile on his face. Baekhyun couldn't help but smile back.

"Have you gone outside in the snow yet?" He asked and Jongdae turned to look at him, opening his mouth to answer but closing it quickly and shaking his head.

"I haven't been out in the snow since Lu Han left. I don't really look through the window in the library that often, but it's not the same. I guess I forgot how pretty it was when you're actually in it," Jongdae explained. A snowflake blew in and landed on his nose, which he scrunched up cutely before he reached up to wipe it off. Baekhyun laughed a little at the cute expression. Jongdae even let out a short little laugh too and Baekhyun desperately wanted to hear more, to hear that gorgeous loud laugh he's only heard a few times.

"You forgot your gloves," Baekhyun points out. Jongdae looks down at his hands and groans.

"I forgot them when I said goodbye to Lu too," Jongdae exclaims, rubbing his hands together. Baekhyun steps closer to him.

"Here, take my hand. We don't want it to get cold, do we?" He asks, extending his own gloved one out to Jongdae. The other boy's eyes widen a little and Baekhyun watches as a flustered Jongdae reluctantly takes Baekhyun's offer. Baekhyun tries to ignore how delicate Jongdae's fingers feel held between his own gloved ones. He's not supposed to have feelings for anyone, not when it comes with so much emotional baggage. Baekhyun didn't want that.

But he knew in the back of his mind that Jongdae's hand felt really nice in his and he wasn't going to forget it anytime soon.

"Let's go!" Baekhyun exclaims instead of dwelling on the racing thoughts any further. He pulls Jongdae along as he runs out into the snow, even though it's difficult to trudge through in his heavy boots and the white layers on the ground pushing against him.

But Jongdae yelling "Baekhyun!" and letting out that sweet laugh as he's pulled along unexpectedly made it that much better.

Jongdae is actually going to freeze to death. He'd want nothing more than to go inside and curl up in his bed under the warm covers. But at the same time, that's the last thing he ever wants to do.

He didn't know how him and Baekhyun had ended up here, leaning against one of the few trees on the grounds that looked out on the lake together. Lu Han liked to study under these trees, but Jongdae had never seen the appeal in it; there were bugs and dirt and the students liked to hang out on the grounds too, so there was endless noise as well. But as he sits under one of the plants that was leafless from winter with Baekhyun, albeit freezing his butt off, he is quite certain that he loves the trees he'd never bat an eye at before.

The two of them had been talking about everything and anything: memories from their earlier years here, homework from their shared classes, what their respective houses were like. They had even shared deeper thoughts like what they were going to do after Hogwarts and how they pictured their future.

Jongdae had been so scared he would say the wrong thing to Baekhyun just less than a week ago but now he couldn't figure out why. Talking to Baekhyun was so easy. Jongdae thought he could listen to Baekhyun talk forever as he watched him thoughtfully, watching those pretty pink lips move and smiling widely when the Gryffindor let out a giggle because of something one of them had said. Jongdae had found it so incredibly easy to talk about his own worries with Baekhyun. He talked about how he was constantly so stressed about grades, that it got exhausting at times; he needed top grades to be an Auror like he wanted. He talked about Lu Han and how the other Ravenclaw had pulled Jongdae out of his shell when he first came to Hogwarts so shy. Normally, Jongdae would be incredibly embarrassed on sharing so much, but Baekhyun made it feel more normal than he would have ever thought possible.

And Jongdae heard about Baekhyun too. He listened as the boy explained how even though he had so many good friends, Chanyeol was like his own version of Lu Han. Baekhyun spoke with that charming shine in his eyes about how he could feel everyone's eyes on him and Chanyeol everywhere they went and how it was pressure as well as being fun. Jongdae had never seen Baekhyun in this light before; he'd always thought he was so perfect. But Jongdae couldn't help but think this side of Baekhyun, the side with worries similar to his own, was so real and raw and beautiful, that it was even more perfect than what Jongdae had thought before.

Baekhyun was perfect in Jongdae's eyes.

A comfortable silence had fallen over the two. Jongdae looked out at the scene in front of him. Jongdae had seen it so many times over the past six years here, but he tried to take it in as often as he could. It truly was breathtaking. The lake was frozen, the ice shining beautifully in the slowly dimming light. The mountains stood proudly in the distance, their tops covered with more of the pretty white snow from all around. The sun had started to go down while the two boys were outside, casting a pretty multicolored light show over the scene.

The silence broke when Jongdae shivered violently enough that Baekhyun looked over at him and let out a small noise.

"Oh my God, we've been out here forever and you forgot your gloves and scarf!" Baekhyun exclaimed with wide eyes and Jongdae grew flustered at the boy's worrying. He looked down at his lap as he shivered again.

Suddenly a warmth overwhelmed him as Baekhyun scooted closer and wrapped an arm around him, pulling the boy in so he could be enveloped with Baekhyun's own body warmth, wrapping Jongdae in his jacket too. Jongdae's heartbeat quickened and they were so close, he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Relax," Baekhyun whispered. Jongdae felt a hand run through his hair and unconsciously unstiffened at the touch, letting out a content sigh. His heart was still racing and he hoped Baekhyun couldn't feel it as he curled onto the boy, nestling closer to grab more of his warmth.

"Is this okay?" Jongdae asked quietly. He wanted so desperately to lay his head on Baekhyun's chest and take in more of the boy, but he didn't want to push him farther than he wanted. Thankfully, Baekhyun mumbled a small yes and Jongdae smiled, even though Baekhyun couldn't see it as he laid against him. One of Jongdae's hands rested on Baekhyun's stomach and his head was on his chest. Jongdae could hear the other's heartbeat and he loved being able to feel the other breathe. Jongdae was so close to him and he felt like he was suffocating but breathing fresh air at the same time. Baekhyun's touch was intoxicating to him; he wanted to feel him all over, to be held in the sweet way Baekhyun was holding him now forever.

The two boys stayed in the same position, keeping each other warm for just a little longer, the grounds becoming darker to see as time passed and the cold finally becoming too much for them both. And if Jongdae listened hard enough, he could hear Baekhyun's heart beat just a little faster too against him.

If Jongdae had thought he was in love before, he was certain now that Baekhyun had taught him what love actually was.

He couldn't help falling for Baekhyun. For the loud boisterous laugh he lets out. For the way his eyes squish when he's grinning. For the way he loves to wear lots of eyeliner and sometimes keeps Jongdae waiting because he's reapplying (not that Jongdae minds waiting, of course). For the way he sings loudly in the hallway when Jongdae hasn't shown up yet. For the way he can make all of Jongdae's troubles go away just by taking his hand and dragging him wherever they were going that day.

Jongdae doesn't think he's ever had so much fun during the holidays or done this much with anyone in such a short time before. Baekhyun had something new for the two to do everyday without fail. He often wondered if he did this with his friends; if he was just always up and about like this or if it was just for Jongdae. But Jongdae realized he didn't care. Because for right now, he had Baekhyun all to himself.

A few days after their talk under the tree, Jongdae had taken Baekhyun up to Ravenclaw Tower and watched the Gryffindor look around at the room in wonder.

"It's so open up here. It's almost like you're..." Baekhyun trailed off, looking around at the brightly lit room with his eyes shining and full of life. Jongdae's heart sped up.

"It feels like you're free," Baekhyun said, looking towards Jongdae and Jongdae nodded. He knew the feeling; not many places had an almost magical effect on him, but the Ravenclaw common room always would. He wouldn't easily forget the first time he'd first entered the dormitory as a first year. He had felt like he could breathe easy for the first time, and that feeling hadn't left him. Jongdae still felt it even in his sixth year when he was relaxing with Lu Han in one of the comfy armchairs near the window; he felt like for the time being, at least, he had no worries.

The two boys stayed up there together through the night. Jongdae had helped Baekhyun study a little and they even played a quick game of Exploding Snap before Baekhyun had gone down to his own common room. Jongdae dreamt of the beautiful smile on Baekhyun's face when he first stepped in Ravenclaw Tower that night.

Then another day, they had taken a secret passage Baekhyun and Chanyeol had discovered to Hogsmeade and spent the day there. The two boys had bought things from the shops and had a snowball fight near the woods on the outskirts of the town. They had snuck back into Hogwarts and stolen snowflake cookies from the Great Hall before going to their dorms in the very late hours of the night. Jongdae had heard Baekhyun's loud laughs the most that day. He fell even more for the beautiful sounds.

And just the next day, Jongdae followed Baekhyun out to the Quidditch Pitch and watched him fly around on his broom. Baekhyun had zipped around on his broom so he appeared to be little more than a blur to Jongdae as he practiced throwing the Quaffle around and scoring. Jongdae cheered every time, and Baekhyun would do the occasional backflip to show off, making him scoff even though he was smiling too.

"I told you, I can't fly to save my life," Jongdae whined as Baekhyun handed him the broom when he had finally walked out onto the field to join his friend. Jongdae grumbled as he swung a leg over the broom, trying not to think about how incredibly unsafe this was-

The broom took off when Jongdae accidentally shifted forward to adjust himself and he let out a yelp as his feet left the ground and he hovered in the air. He tried to lean forward again, hoping the deathstick he was sitting on would touch down but instead the broom started to speed forward and Jongdae tried really hard not to panic.

Suddenly Jongdae felt a sharp tug back and toppled off the broom as it jerked ungracefully toward the ground. He felt a hand on him almost immediately after he landed on the field in a heap.

"Are you okay?" The worried words were right next to his ear as he turned around to face Baekhyun who was looking at him with big eyes. Jongdae tried really hard to calm his heart as he realized how close the two boys were - Baekhyun had kneeled on the ground next to Jongdae and was bent over him, looking all over him for injuries. Jongdae blushed under his gaze. Of all the ways he could embarrass himself, it just had to be falling off a broom. Not for the first time, Jongdae thought of the laughter Lu Han would burst into after hearing this.

Jongdae let out a small chuckle before grinning up at Baekhyun, even though he was still laying on the ground. After a beat, Baekhyun's nervous expression vanished and he broke into a smile too, biting his lip a little as he laughed.

The week he had spent with Baekhyun had gone all too fast. Jongdae was holding on tightly to every moment, every word, every touch, but now it was Christmas Eve and Jongdae knew his little heaven would all be gone soon. He kept worrying about what would happen when school started again and everyone returned. Would Baekhyun treat him the same as before? Will something change between them? Had Jongdae fallen so hard for Baekhyun and now he was going to be pushed away?

Maybe Jongdae was paranoid, but the thoughts swirled in his head when he woke up that morning in his dorm all alone. He had gotten too attached to the other boy and he knew that. He knew it was probably going to end badly for him. He couldn't help it, though. His heart couldn't help but love so much.

But every time he looked into Baekhyun's eyes, his worries were gone.

"Jongdae!" His name was called. Jongdae perked up when he heard Baekhyun's voice, a wave of nervous energy going through him. Jongdae didn't think he would ever not be nervous whenever Baekhyun was around now.

Jongdae quickly threw on one of the warm Christmas sweaters he had and some jeans before walking down the stairs to the Common room. It didn't surprise him to see Baekhyun sat in one of the chairs, looking out the window. He had sat outside of Ravenclaw Tower for two days before the eagle knocker guarding the common room just let him in without question. Jongdae had laughed when he heard the story. The eagle knocker that gave each Ravenclaw student a riddle to enter the common room was known to be irritable and impatient. It seemed the Christmas holidays had made it lenient enough to make an exception for Baekhyun.

The quiet movement of his feet as he entered the almost deserted common room were enough to alert Baekhyun, who jumped out of his seat with a grin when he saw Jongdae.

"It's Christmas Eve today!" Baekhyun exclaimed, his smile unwavering and eyes shining with nothing short of pure happiness. Jongdae was certain he would be blinded if he looked at Baekhyun's bright expression for too long. He hadn't known his crush had had such a strong devotion for Christmas but the joy on his face proved otherwise, and Jongdae found it incredibly endearing.

"What do you have for us today?" Jongdae asked expectantly. Baekhyun's grin grew even wider as he walked towards Jongdae and took his hand, ready to take him off into the castle.

"You'll see!"

Jongdae had become completely captivated by the castle during Christmas.

Baekhyun had led him through hallways covered in tinsel and lined with impressively decorated Christmas trees. He took him down stairways where shining icicles hung from the banisters. The castle smelled delightfully of fresh pine and warm baked cookies, and Jongdae couldn't think of anything that smelled more of Christmas. They had passed by the suits of armour and Baekhyun had led them through a rendition of "Let It Snow", making Jongdae double over laughing when some of the suits revealed themselves to be less than mediocre singers.

And Jongdae definitely didn't forget to note that Baekhyun held Jongdae's hand almost the whole tour around the palace.

But the best part was the Great Hall.

Decorated with 12 of the largest Christmas trees Jongdae had ever seen lining each wall and tinsel spreading all across the room, he felt like he had stepped into a holiday dream. Jongdae marveled at the towering trees that looked like they were shining with all their decorations and at the enchanted snow falling from the ceiling. A stray snowflake fell onto his hand when he lifted it and disappeared into thin air in his palm.

"C'mon. Let's go have the best meal of your life," Baekhyun said and grasped Jongdae's hand, leading him towards the table. Jongdae looked down at their intertwined fingers and couldn't help but let his gaze linger a little too long. Baekhyun's hands were truly beautiful, with his pale long fingers that fit in his own so perfectly. Jongdae smiled.

The two boys sat together at one of the long tables. They were set up the same way they were year-round, but they were completely cleaned off. Even the cute little Christmas snacks were gone.

Jongdae began to say something. It had never been just empty like this but he was cut off before he could even open his mouth.

Two clean golden plates appeared in front of the two boys out of thin air. Jongdae waited a second longer but no food came to accompany it. He looked over at Baekhyun questioningly. He was already watching Jongdae, smiling a little at his cute confusion.

"Dinner!" Baekhyun said loudly to the table.

"It's not even that long past noon-" Jongdae started with a laugh but he was caught up by his own gasp of surprise.

In front of them appeared golden platters topped with mouthwatering assortments of food. A roast turkey, potatoes, dinner rolls, different buttered vegetables, cranberry sauce, and gravy all sat in front of the two and Jongdae marveled at the food. Jongdae had seen the various feasts at Hogwarts through the years and got excited for every one without fail, but he already knew this was going to be one of his favorites as he turned and met Baekhyun's excited expression, biting his lip between his teeth adorably as he smiled.

"We're only two people!" Jongdae exclaimed, a grin splitting across his own face as he looked between Baekhyun and the food.

Baekhyun reached across the table and started taking a piece of turkey off of the platter.

"Then eat up!"

And they did. Jongdae took samples of all of the food and set it on his plate, trying to eat in moderation but eventually failing. Everything tasted too good, and he ended up eating until he absolutely couldn't anymore. The two boys joked as they ate, talking loudly about the food and their break they'd had so far.

After the two were finally done, Jongdae was pleasantly full from the meal. He and Baekhyun had nowhere near eaten all of the things that had been set out in front of them, but had still managed to finish much of the vegetables and rolls and completely devoured the turkey.

Baekhyun rambled happily about a story from when he traveled to South Korea over the summer but Jongdae wasn't paying much attention. His eyes wandered from the other boy's eyes to his lips that pulled into smiles and bared perfect white teeth and to his hands that kept excitedly gesturing. Jongdae started to listen less to the words coming out of Baekhyun's mouth and more to his voice; the smooth voice that Jongdae could listen to forever was speaking eagerly and Jongdae listened to the rise and fall of his words.

They still hadn't gotten moved from their table and Jongdae had lost complete track of the time by the time Baekhyun realized the enchanted ceiling had started to darken and the magicked dry snow was falling a little faster. They both stood up and Jongdae reached for Baekhyun's hand unconsciously, not realizing he had done it until Baekhyun had taken it, his fingers wrapping around the other's and massaging his thumb. Jongdae's heart sped up.

"Look," Baekhyun whispered, pulling him out of his stupor. Jongdae watched the other boy as he walked over to some of the tinsel lining the entrance to the hall. He stood in front of it for a moment and when he returned, Jongdae gasped.

A tiny fairy hovered above Baekhyun's hand. She was stunning, wearing what looked like a small collection of snowflakes woven delicately to form a dress that fit her tiny body perfectly. Her features were ethereal, inhumanely beautiful, and she had flowy waves of silver hair cascading down her back. Her wings fluttered lightly as she hovered, with small intricate patterns decorating them.

She smiled brightly at Jongdae who was still staring, completely mesmerised. She flitted upwards from Baekhyun's palm and flew around Jongdae, who twirled, trying to keep up with her. When she finally remained still in the air in front of his face she let out a small laugh, that was the equivalent of a tiny bell and Jongdae couldn't help but smile with her.

Jongdae missed Baekhyun's fond gaze on him as he continued to be absorbed in the ethereal little fairy, watching her and laughing as she flitted playfully around him. After a few moments, she waved a small goodbye to him and flew back towards the tinsel, where other fairies must have been.

When Jongdae couldn't see her small figure anymore in the tinsel, he turned and stared at Baekhyun with a new smile, full of wonder and practically glowing.

"Fairies," Jongdae whispered breathlessly. He'd never seen them nor had he ever thought about or hoped to see them. But now he wouldn't be able to forget his encounter with the small beautiful creature. Baekhyun nodded.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Baekhyun asked. Jongdae nodded, sighing happily.

There was a pleasant silence surrounding the both of them as Jongdae looked up and watched the enchanted snow fall from the ceiling, a new peace taking over him as his thoughts lingered on the fairy.

"Hey! I have a surprise for you." Baekhyun said, his lips curling upward and eyes mischievous. He gestured for Jongdae to follow him before turning and jogging out of the hall, forcing him to catch up. Jongdae laughed and followed him out, wondering what in the world Baekhyun had planned now. And though neither of them could see her, the little fairy turned away from her friends and watched the two boys disappear down the hall. She smiled.

It turned out Baekhyun's surprise was the Gryffindor common room, decorated in its own way with Christmas decorations for the time of year. The stone tower walls were decorated with scarlet hangings and a large golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, bathing the room in a lovely warmth. There was the handsome mahogany staircase that Jongdae assumed led up to the dormitories. A fire burned in the chimney on one whole side of the room, adorned with gold and sitting under a portrait of a regal lion. The room was filled with a strong warmth and coziness. It was the perfect home for a Gryffindor.

The two boys sat down on a loveseat in front of the fire. Jongdae curled up against the armrest, sipping on hot chocolate they had stolen from the Great Hall after the feast. Baekhyun was silently sipping on his own as well and a comfortable silence fell over them as Jongdae continued to look around the room. He wouldn't get to return to it after this break. He tried to take it in as much as he could.

"How many years have you stayed here for Christmas?" Jongdae asked, curiously. He had been thinking on it for a few days now, but the tour today had only heightened his curiosity. Baekhyun had known so much about the castle in its decorated glory. He had even shown Jongdae the little fairies. And now that Jongdae thought about it, he had never noticed Baekhyun's absence on the Hogwarts Express to King's Cross for the Christmas break; he had always been too absorbed in returning home.

"Since about third year. I like it here during the holidays," Baekhyun said, his voice filling the empty room, the only other sound being the fire crackling in front of them.

"How come you don't go back? Don't you want to see your parents?" Jongdae looked over at him. The other boy was leaning against the other arm cushion like Jongdae was doing and his legs were crossed as he took another sip. He must have been able to see Jongdae through his peripheral vision, but he didn't turn to meet his gaze.

"My brother works for the Ministry in Asia. He graduated two years ago and moved to Korea. He's married now and I don't see him as much anymore. My dad is the only one at home most of the time. It gets lonely at Christmas," Baekhyun explained.

Jongdae caught the fact that Baekhyun hadn't mentioned a mother. He hadn't been planning to say anything but Baekhyun beat him to it.

"In the spring of third year, I got a letter from my father saying that my mother had died."

Jongdae looked over at Baekhyun, who was looking at the crackling blaze on the hearth with a hard expression, his jaw set and eyes unblinking. Jongdae went to open his mouth but couldn't think of something to say.

Jongdae felt ashamed that he hadn't seen a difference in Baekhyun around that time. From his expression now, Jongdae could tell this was hard for him to say this. He couldn't imagine continuing his studies after being informed a loved one died back home, let alone without anyone knowing or even suspecting anything. How much had it taken out of him to hide behind a smile?

"I didn't mean to say anything-" Jongdae finally found the words to speak.

"It's okay, I brought it up. Not your fault," Baekhyun said, his gaze falling to his lap where his hot chocolate was, watching the warm liquid slosh a little in the cup as he shifted his hands.

Another silence fell over them. Jongdae set his cup down on the coffee table beside him and scooted over towards Baekhyun. He didn't know how to initiate any sort of touch but just moved impulsively, taking Baekhyun's hand from the cup and holding it tightly, massaging his thumb like Baekhyun had been doing to his own happily just a few hours ago.

"You can tell me. I don't know how long you've held it in. I didn't even notice anything in third year. I don’t think anyone did," Jongdae lowered his voice to a whisper, but it still echoed in the empty room. Baekhyun looked up and met his eyes, his own swimming with sadness and Jongdae's heart broke just a little.

Baekhyun let out a small broken laugh.

"Most of my friends either don't pick up on how I don't mention a mother or don't say anything.The only person who I told is Chanyeol." Baekhyun said, talking to his cup still. Jongdae noticed and took the cup from his other hand, setting it down next to his own. Baekhyun let him and kept talking.

"I know it looks like we just joke a lot, but he knows so much about me that no one else does. He's the only person who's seen me cry," and Baekhyun's voice cracked on the last sentence and he paused, looking up at Jongdae. The other boy just watched and listened quietly.

Jongdae took that in. Through hardship, Chanyeol was the only person for Baekhyun. Through that, he was his only true friend. Jongdae's heart skipped a beat a little and a horribly timed thought passed his head that maybe he could become Baekhyun's friend too. But he pushed it aside and mentally scolded himself for being insensitive just as Baekhyun spoke up again.

"It was hard in third year. I skipped a few days of classes and Chanyeol said I was sick. I just acted like I was sick when the other boys were in the dorm. I cried a little in front of Chanyeol or when no one was around. Then I went back to classes and forced myself to stop thinking about it. Chanyeol and I haven't really brought it up since then.

“But home was so lonely. My brother and dad were there but they were quiet. There wasn't the happy voice of my mom or sounds of her cooking. That's when I realized she was gone. It hadn't even really kicked in until I got back home."

Baekhyun lifted his hand to wipe at his face and Jongdae leaned into him, cuddling a little and still massaging his hand. He hadn't known how badly Baekhyun needed a release. It wasn't healthy, how he dealt with it. He was letting it out now, something he probably had never truly finished doing.

"I just ruined everything, I'm sorry. I don’t usually just say stuff like this,” Baekhyun said, his voice breaking once more and Jongdae couldn't handle it. He put a finger under the other's chin and guided him, making him meet Jongdae's eyes. There was a hot tear rolling down the other's cheek and Jongdae wiped it for him wordlessly. He couldn't breathe from how close they were, but his heart ached for the other.

"When's the last time you've cried, Baekhyun?" Jongdae asked quietly. Baekhyun looked down at their hands and let out a shaky breath.

"I'm alright. Don't worry about me," He said. Jongdae shushed him and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in. Baekhyun leaned into him, putting his head on Jongdae's shoulder.

"I'm here for you, Baek. I'll be here for you and you don't have to bottle things up. Cry if you need to and if you don't, that's okay too," He whispered into Baekhyun's soft brown hair, threading his fingers through it.

He knew Baekhyun had heard him and he felt the other boy relax against him slightly. Jongdae continued running his fingers through his hair, remembering how relaxing it was when their roles had been reversed out in the snow.

It was strange to Jongdae. Baekhyun was the moodmaker, the always happy light at Hogwarts. Jongdae was one of the only people who could see him like this, broken from a heartache years old that had never quite gone away. Jongdae comforted him the best way he could, the best way he knew how. Because he loved him. And if everything were to go wrong, he would just want Baekhyun to be happy.

Jongdae realized how dangerous that last thought was just after it ran through his mind. It was then that he knew how deep his affections for Baekhyun were. It had grown so steadily over the years and in this short time, he had fallen so completely and quickly, he couldn't even catch up.

But before he could dwell on it more, he found his eyes closing in the quiet peaceful atmosphere the two had created and drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

Baekhyun felt the hands running through his hair stop moving and listened as Jongdae's breathing slowed. He sat up carefully and looked at Jongdae. He couldn't fight the small smile on his face as he saw the other boy had fallen asleep, his lovely features softer as he rested.

Baekhyun felt a little embarrassment from what had happened as he stood up from the couch Jongdae was sleeping soundly on. He could feel the dry tear streaks on his cheeks as he went up to his dorm, trying to keep his footsteps as silent as they could be on the wooden staircase. He took one of the heavy quilts from an empty bed and brought it down.

He set the blanket gently over Jongdae, watching him shift in his sleep as the warm weight was draped on his body. Baekhyun felt his heart speed up just the smallest bit.

Jongdae was different from what Baekhyun had been exposed to before. Sure, they had known each other for the past six years but Baekhyun had never truly noticed him before, and he felt bad now. He was always surrounded by loud people like himself. Jongdae was quieter, more of a listener than a speaker and Baekhyun couldn't help but fall for the cute Ravenclaw.

He didn't care anymore about not having a crush. He accepted that was what it was now; and he felt more happy than upset at himself. Jongdae had just watched Baekhyun crumble the smallest bit. That was something he didn't do at all often. And Jongdae had just held him. Cuddles were exactly what he had needed in that moment and Jongdae had known exactly what to give him. He was so incredibly nice and could read him perfectly.

Jongdae's body had felt nice against his. His hand fit perfectly in his own. Baekhyun hadn't relaxed in a long time more than when he was with Jongdae. He had laughed and smiled and made one of the best friends in Jongdae in the short time they'd had alone together.

And with a hope that surged through him, Baekhyun thought that maybe this crush wouldn't end in heartbreak.

After Christmas day, the days slipped by so fast that Jongdae could hardly remember more than a blur of the events that happened. He'd wanted to hold every moment with Baekhyun before school came in close and commit them to memory but it was as though the world was trying to defy him, making the time slip by impossibly fast.

Before he knew it, the term had started again. Hogwarts students crowded the corridors and filled them with noise, but Jongdae only wanted to hear the light sounds of Baekhyun's footsteps and his beautiful laugh filling it up again. Lu Han was back and smirked the second he got off of the train and found Jongdae, demanding to know what had happened.

"You couldn't even give me a warning before you left?" Jongdae whined and Lu Han had cackled, passing the other boy his trunk and making him drag it to the castle. He knew Jongdae was too nice to force Lu Han to carry his own bag and Lu Han bothered him for details the whole day they had to settle in, making Jongdae want to pull his hair out.

He loved Lu, but he wanted to keep the memories with Baekhyun as their own secret, even though it was foolish of him. Baekhyun had probably told his friends at least some of what happened, or had told Chanyeol at least.

Classes had started up again in full-swing and the sixth years were piled with homework like they had never left. Jongdae was stuck up in the common room with all his books and parchment, and even though he probably shouldn't, his mind was occupied with what Baekhyun could be doing even as he was writing about the properties or a bazoar.

Jongdae hadn't even seen Baekhyun except when passing him in the halls and it hurt him much more than it should’ve. He missed being with the boy everyday and to have him all to himself. Baekhyun was always with Chanyeol and some other friends, talking happily and laughing in the courtyard or outside as always with that beautiful grin on his face and Jongdae's heart only suffered. Baekhyun always waved and flashed a smile when he saw him and Jongdae returned it sheepishly, but more than anything all he wanted was to have him all alone again.

Jongdae really was screwed when it came to Byun Baekhyun and he absolutely knew it. But he couldn't help but like it at the same time.

The wind flew past Baekhyun as he pressed his body closer to his broom, looking for that last burst of speed he would need to score. He held the Quaffle tightly against him, swerving through his teammates as they played as obstacles, determined to score despite them.

With one last spin to avoid Chanyeol, who had been closing in dangerously on his left side, he managed to get the right angle and threw the Quaffle, watching as it soared right past the Keeper and into the middle hoop.

Everyone cheered and Baekhyun threw a fist in the air in celebration. It had been a difficult maneuver. They had been drilling with each of their Chasers and they'd all had trouble, but they'd need it to beat the smaller and much quicker Slytherin Chasers they would be playing for the match that weekend. Baekhyun had finally perfected it after an hour of missing crucial details.

"Good, Baekhyun!" Wendy flew over to him from where she had been playing Keeper with a smile. "We have that match in the bag with you. Chanyeol and Seulgi can back you if anything goes wrong," She started strategizing and Baekhyun knew she was going to go off on a rant or worry if she kept going so he hugged her while in mid-air to quiet her. She giggled in his arms.

The Gryffindor team touched down onto the field to call it a day, their muscles sore and breathing hard. This upcoming match was crucial in giving Gryffindor a chance for the Quidditch Cup, which Ravenclaw currently held. All the players had known it and given their all. Baekhyun was proud of his team.

As Baekhyun trudged to the locker room behind the others, he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Chanyeol, smiling too big at him like he always did. His Quidditch robes were dirty, his hair was windswept, and there was a bruise forming on his temple from when the two boys had smacked heads together at the beginning of practice when Chanyeol had first attempted the drill. Baekhyun couldn't imagine that he looked much better.

"We did good, Baek, don't you think?" Chanyeol wrapped his arm around the smaller's shoulder, the action teasing to the other boy's size and he normally would push him off but at the moment he was too sore to care.

"Do you think Jongdae will show up to the match?" He asked and Baekhyun was taken slightly aback. He had told Chanyeol about how Jongdae and him had spent the holidays the first day the taller had gotten back from break but they hadn't brought him up since. Baekhyun hadn't said anything about possibly having feelings for the Ravenclaw, but Chanyeol knew him so well he had probably picked it up anyway.

"I don't know if he follows Quidditch," Baekhyun answers truthfully. He knew Chanyeol was digging more with the question but Baekhyun didn't elaborate. The other boy, being the nosy shit he is, pushed for him to anyway.

"What if he comes to see you?" Chanyeol asks, lowering his voice a little as they enter the locker room. The smaller quarters always echoed horribly if the players talked too loudly when they were changing.

Baekhyun gave Chanyeol a look that told him to stop and the other smiled, reading the smaller boy's feelings just like he had known he would. Chanyeol nudged him and Baekhyun just scoffed.

Baekhyun was lost in thought as he changed, waiting for Chanyeol so they could go to the common room together. The two boys stepped out together into the night as they walked towards the castle in a comfortable silence as they got lost in their thoughts. Baekhyun's mind lingered on Chanyeol's questions and he tried desperately to ignore the thought of Jongdae coming to see him play, even though he knew he had failed when the Ravenclaw's smiling face appeared in his mind and his heart skipped a beat.

Lu Han had pulled Jongdae out of the dorm on Friday evening after classes, pulling him away from his Transfiguration textbook and out into the chilly air to watch the Quidditch match.

Jongdae didn't have anything against Quidditch. He hadn't been a fan at all, raised by parents who were focused on Jongdae's studies and didn't have an interest in sports either. It was only after he met Lu Han did he learn the rules of the high-speed game and found an interest in watching. He didn't understand any of the jumble coming out of Lu Han's mouth excitedly as he dressed to go out to the stands, however. He just enjoyed it when Ravenclaw won the Quidditch Cup and his best friend was ecstatic beyond belief.

The evening was chilly but it wasn't snowing, which was a relief. There would have been no way Jongdae would have left the tower if the grounds outside were blanketed in white. The two boys followed the mass of students coming out to watch the game through the front gates out to the Quidditch Pitch. The sun was barely beginning to lower, a beautiful array of red and pink sky in the distance from where the light was sinking. Jongdae didn't know why the game was going so late - in a few hours, the night would be upon them and it would be much chillier in the dark. He would have much preferred the game to be in the morning the next day since they didn't have classes. Lu Han shushed him and called him whiny.

"Jongdae!" He turned to see Kyungsoo calling him, the Slytherin's eyes impossibly wide as they always were and wearing his green scarf wrapped tightly. He hadn't seen the boy yet since break started; they hadn't had an Arithmancy lesson the first week back. Jongdae made sure to thank him for his gift.

"I didn't know you followed Quidditch other than to watch Lu Han," Kyungsoo said, falling in step besides the two as they neared the stands.

"I don't really. He dragged me out for this one too," Jongdae said with a short laugh as Lu Han waved from his other side. Kyungsoo smiled, his face squishing adorably.

They parted ways with a short goodbye as they began to search for an empty space in the stands. Lu Han pulled Jongdae up the wood stairs crowded with students to a decent spot and continued to talk his ear off about what the different outcomes would mean for each team and what each team needed to do to beat the other.

"Slytherin's Chasers are younger this year, I don't know if you remember from when we played them? Fresh blood, supposedly. Jongin Kim and Sehun Oh, they're the two new ones. They're both fourth years and they're fast. If it wasn't for us catching the Snitch, they would have beaten us easily. Minseok got onto our Chasers for weeks after that. Gryffindor's Chasers are gonna have trouble."

Lu Han's rambles didn't end until the whistle blew and the players walked out onto the field, the crowd going up in a roar. Jongdae stood and gave a cheer when he saw Baekhyun standing next to Chanyeol and Seulgi, the other Chaser and a pretty fifth year. The two captains shook hands and another long screech from the whistle signaled the start of the game as the players kicked off of the ground.

Jongdae listened to the commentator's endless stream of words as he watched the different plays between the Chasers. Lu Han had been right about the new Slytherin Chasers, who seemed to read each other's minds when it came to playing. Gryffindor stumbled, letting through the first two goals, and the stands to the right of Jongdae filled with students wearing red and gold scarves groaned in unison.

Jongdae's eyes were locked on Baekhyun as the boy zipped through the other players, expertly ducking onto one of the Slytherins to knock the Quaffle out of his hand. With a move he hadn't noticed him practice during the time he watched him over break, Baekhyun spun out of the way of the other team and hurled the Quaffle, soaring right past the Slytherin Keeper and into one of the side goals.

Jongdae jumped and cheered as the Gryffindors erupted into jovial yells. As the Chaser circled towards his teammates and passed his stand, he thought he could see that beautiful grin on Baekhyun's face.

The game had been fast-paced and hadn't gone for more than two hours, ending with Gryffindor catching the Snitch and winning the game. Lu Han had explained that Gryffindor’s win had kicked Hufflepuff out of the running for Quidditch Cup and put Gryffindor right behind Slytherin for first place as they walked back to the dorms, faces flushed from the cold but happy all the same.

For as much as Jongdae had been trying to ignore Baekhyun and the horrible fluttery nervous butterflies in his stomach every time he saw the boy, it had only gotten worse when he saw the boy's beautiful triumphant smile after they won. The Gryffindor team had clumsily hugged each other in the air when they won and Jongdae had heard Baekhyun's contagious laugh from the stands when they passed. His heart ached.

The two boys returned to Ravenclaw Tower in the masses of other students and Jongdae knew there would probably be a lot of people still in the common room for a while tonight. Normally he didn't participate in the festivities, but he knew Lu Han would stay down to geek over the Quidditch match.

They were silent and Jongdae looked down, watching his feet as they walked. He remembered how just a week ago, him and Baekhyun had been stepping in time down the hallways.

"You know, you should congratulate him," Jongdae looked up and met Lu Han's eyes. The other boy was looking at him expectantly. Jongdae's heart rushed.

"He's your friend now, isn't he?" Jongdae nodded and Lu sighed. "Go to Gryffindor Tower and congratulate him. It's not too far from here."

Lu Han was right, and Jongdae would have turned to go. The mass of students had walked past the two boys out of earshot and Lu Han decided this was the perfect time to push him towards the hall that led to the Gryffindor common room. Jongdae yelped and heard his friend let out a short laugh as he stumbled clumsily and righted himself, feeling a thousand times more clumsy in his layered winter robes and wrapped up in Lu Han's jacket that he had given to him halfway through the game since it had been so cold. Jongdae huffed and turned to see Lu Han with his evil smile on.

"You'll never get together with him until you try!" Lu Han yelled and Jongdae turned red, hoping to God that no one had heard as he gave Lu Han a death glare to which the other boy just cackled and turned to run down the hall, catching up with the other Ravenclaws.

Jongdae turned and started walking down the halls. Lu Han was right. Baekhyun was his friend now and Jongdae shouldn't feel nervous to see him or congratulate him, like friends do. Then why was his heart going frantic at the thought of talking to him again, even though it would probably just be a quick talk to catch up.

Christmas with Baekhyun had really screwed him over.

He reached the Fat Lady in her portrait, who looked at him thoughtfully.

"Jongdae, right? I assume you want to see Baekhyun?" She said and Jongdae tried hard not to turn red as he nodded. He didn't want to be even more obvious.

"I know you, but you don't have the password and you're a Ravenclaw, so I can't do much to help you unless someone wants to leave from the inside. I'm sorry," She said and even as Jongdae knew this was a decent excuse to go back and not have to face him at all, his heart sank at the same time.

"I understand," he said but before he could even turn around, she exclaimed,

"Ooh, you're in luck!"

To Jongdae's surprise, she swung open to reveal the inside of the Common Room which was erupting in sound as the Gryffindors yelled and celebrated. Just the boy he had wanted to see walked out, looking back over his shoulder and exclaiming,

"I'll come back with the firewhiskey!"

Jongdae laughed and caught Baekhyun's attention. The brunet turned and broke into a smile when he saw Jongdae.

"I didn't expect to see you here!" Baekhyun said happily, stepping to the side so the portrait door could close. The two boys were alone in the hallway.

"Oh, yeah," Jongdae started lamely. He berated himself mentally. Had he really forgotten how to talk in front of Baekhyun now?

"Congratulations! You guys have a chance at the Quidditch Cup," He said quickly and Baekhyun's eyes shone with pride. Jongdae really hoped he couldn't hear his heart from how loud it was beating. He had never really stopped being nervous around Baekhyun.

"Thanks! I saw you in the stands watching." Baekhyun paused for a moment before his next sentence. "You were cute, cheering and stuff."

Jongdae looked down at his feet sheepishly, unable to fight the smile off of his face. When he looked back up, Baekhyun was watching him, biting his lip slightly.

"There’s something I’'ve been meaning to tell you since the term started again but I haven't gotten the chance."

Baekhyun broke their eye contact, looking down at his feet like Jongdae had for a second. Was he nervous? Jongdae tried really hard not to get his hopes up.

"Thank you for spending so much time with me over the break. I'm normally alone, but this time around was definitely the best," Baekhyun smiled a gummy smile, watching the other. Jongdae nodded, his heart sinking just a little. That couldn't have been all he wanted to say, right?

It wasn't, because he kept talking.

"And we became good friends, didn't we? Well, I was hoping that would continue." Baekhyun paused a little and took a breath, tugging his bottom lip in between his teeth again. Why is he so cute?

"This might be a little too forward, and I don't know how you feel, but..." He trailed off and it was then that Jongdae realized vaguely that Baekhyun was stepping closer to him and suddenly he was so close.

They were almost exactly the same height, Baekhyun only looking slightly down to meet his eyes and they were so beautiful. He could see the way they looked into his own with uncertainty before he closed them, his long eyelashes fluttering. Jongdae unconsciously did the same and before he knew it, Baekhyun captured his lips with his own and Jongdae gasped into his mouth.

Jongdae's mind went fuzzy. He froze as he felt how soft Baekhyun's pretty pink lips he had stared at for too long were and how they tugged gently on his own. His heart was racing wildly and all too soon, it was over. Baekhyun pulled apart and Jongdae opened his eyes. Baekhyun was still close enough that Jongdae could count each of his eyelashes if he wanted and he grinned. He hadn't noticed how tense Baekhyun was until he saw him visibly relax, blinking once and letting out a relieved sigh, a beautiful grin splitting across his face. Jongdae let out a soft laugh.

"Did you just...?" Jongdae asked because his brain still hadn't caught up and was foggy. He was drunk on the feeling of giddiness bubbling up in him. Baekhyun laughed and nodded. They were still so close and Jongdae wanted to pull him back in and kiss him again, deepen it because he had wanted to have Baekhyun as his own and feel him for so long but he held back. He could hardly breathe with their proximity and with what had just happened. Byun Baekhyun of all people, the person he loved, had just kissed him.

They both laughed.

Jongdae was pushed up against the corridor wall, lips locked with Baekhyun, drinking in his taste hungrily. Like all the kisses he shared with his boyfriend, his mind was fuzzy as he felt Baekhyun's hands on him and claiming him as his. Baekhyun pulled away from him to breathe and their lips were pressed together again just as quickly, their tongues dancing. Every part of him felt like he was on fire, his senses heightened as he drank in every move Baekhyun made.

As much as he wanted to keep going, he knew that their privacy in the corridor wouldn't last forever. He pulled away from Baekhyun and they stopped, the silence only filled with the distant talking in the Great Hall for the feast and the two of them panting as they caught their breath.

"You are an absolute pervert, you know? Dragging me out of the feast just to do this," Jongdae spoke into the silence and Baekhyun let out a laugh, the pretty one that he had fallen in love with years ago, watching him shyly across the classroom.

"What can I say? We don't get enough alone time," Baekhyun whispered and Jongdae felt the other's lips connect with his neck and gasped. Baekhyun sucked on the sensitive skin and Jongdae pushed him away gently even as goosebumps rose on his skin from the feeling that lingered where Baekhyun's lips were.

"Pervert. Chanyeol and the others are going to know what we're doing," Jongdae joked, smiling as he did. Baekhyun complained with a whine and Jongdae scoffed at his boyfriend as he adjusted his robes and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose from where they had slid down. He stepped away from the wall and turned down towards the Great Hall. He was certain their friends had eaten all their food at this point.

Baekhyun's hand slipped into his as he walked in time with him, his fingers massaging Jongdae's own, a habit that Baekhyun had always had when they held hands and one that Jongdae found incredibly endearing. The two boys holding hands and walking down the lonely hall mirrored the image of the same two just last Christmas. They had acted so innocent then, during those two weeks. Jongdae smiled.

"I love you," Jongdae said and his heart sped up, just like it always did whenever he said those three words. His heart never calmed when he was with Baekhyun and he still was nervous around him, even now, when he knew his boyfriend returned the feelings he had had for so long. He hoped it would never change.

He could hear the smile in Baekhyun's voice when he said "I love you" back, squeezing his hand gently. And that alone, was the most beautiful thing to Jongdae. Baekhyun would always be beautiful in his eyes, even on the days when he was frustrating him by talking too much or kissing him while he's trying to study or embarrassing Jongdae in front of their friends just because he liked watching him grow all flustered and blush. Jongdae loved Baekhyun and Baekhyun loved Jongdae.

And it had all started one year before when the two were surrounded by falling snow and Christmas presents.