Minho

For a Gryffindor, Minho had a surprising amount of patience.

It is only due to this patience that he found himself still sitting in the hospital wing, days after Jonghyun had been injured, watching him sleep.

Jonghyun had woken up a few hours after he was knocked unconscious by a rogue Slytherin but had been sleeping about 14 hours a day since that time due to a certain healing potion Madam Pomfrey continuously administered to her (extremely docile) patient.

To a less informed observer, what Minho was doing could be interpreted as creepy. Minho was not unaware of this. However, he tried sleeping in his dormitory the night after Jonghyun was injured and layed in bed awake the whole time. At least this way, he could get some modicum of sleep.

(Amber had approached him about this one night, as he paced the Gryffindor common room, trying to tire himself out.

“Jonghyun?” she asked. Minho only nodded glumly.)

Truth be told, Minho wasn’t entirely sure why he was there in the first place. There was something weirdly appealing about Jonghyun, despite the verbal diarrhea and general lack of social grace. Jonghyun possessed a certain oblivious warmth that Minho found somehow appealing, and he couldn’t deny that Jonghyun was attractive, but it was more than that.

Minho had always had a protective streak, and Jonghyun was bringing it out in him more than usual.

“Still here?” called a voice from the doorway. Minho turned in his seat next to Jonghyun’s bed to find Key leaning against the doorframe of the Hospital Wing entrance, staring at Minho and Jonghyun.

“Well, denying it would be pointless,” Minho replied.

“It would,” Key agreed, before walking into the room and pulling a chair up next to Minho. The metal of the chair against the stone Hospital Wing floor made a horrible screeching noise, and Minho privately wondered how Jonghyun was still sleeping.

“I don’t know what I’m doing here,” Minho remarked blandly.

“I do,” Key singsonged, smiling a little at his friend. “And if you don’t, you’re dumber than I thought.”

“I’m not dumb.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Key soothed, voice patronizing.

“But I’m not sleeping at night,” Minho said.

“That sounds like a ‘you’ problem, not a ‘Jonghyun’ problem.”

“What are you, Mr. Miyagi?” Minho asked.

Key stared at him. “I don’t know what that is but I’m assuming it’s stupid. Regardless, you need to own up to some stuff. Sitting and sulking isn’t helping you, or him.”

Minho stared blankly ahead for a few long moments, then finally said: “So, I like Jonghyun.”

“Wonderful,” Key said dryly, picking at his cuticles, “you are now aware of what we all already knew.”

“You’re kind of a jerk,” Minho replied.

“Yeah, but you deserve nothing less,” Key said, crossing his leg to retie his shoe. “Owning up to your feelings will help in the long run, I swear.”

“Really? How’s that going with Amber? Still pretending you hate her?” Minho asked lightly.

“You shut your mouth,” Key snipped back, foot landing on the floor with a loud thud before turning to look at Jonghyun. “At least my unrequited lust object has an IQ over 70.”

“Hey! Jonghyun’s not that dumb! He just spazzes out a bit more often than a normal person. You know, like a puppy.” Minho said defensively.

“, you do have it bad,” Key laughed, causing Minho to smile as well. Key clapped him lightly on the shoulders. “Come on, it’s late. Let’s go harass some house elves for a snack and head to bed.”

“Fine,” Minho said, taking out his wand and muttering something under his breath.

“What’s that, what did you just do?” Key asked quickly, suddenly looking nervous. “If my nose falls off or I grow a tooth out of my no no square --”

“I just want to know when Jonghyun gets up,” Minho replied sheepishly, which prompted an eyeroll from Key.

“So pathetic,” Key muttered, grabbing Minho’s arm and tugging. “Let’s go.”

The two walked out in silence, closing the door behind them. As the door shut, Jonghyun’s eyes opened.

“What. The. ,” Jonghyun said out loud, the question echoing against the marble walls as he scooted further under the covers and let out what could only be described as a girlish squeal.

Luna

On any given Sunday afternoon, sometime between lunch and supper and during the warmer months of the year, one could always count on Luna to be sitting under the large tree next to the Great Lake, studying as the Giant Squid splashed happily in the water. She found the spot to be peaceful; as much as she loved her friends, she also needed small respites of silence. Krystal knew this, and mostly left Luna alone during this time. It was entirely hers.

Smiling to herself, she leafed through her Divination notes from the week before. She was considering the topic of her next paper, blank parchment in hand, when a sudden loud noise coming from the direction of the hill up to the school interrupted her thoughts.

“Luna?” a voice called. Luna sighed, put her notes down and turned to see Onew approaching her, smiling sheepishly and brandishing a croissant.

“Yes?” she asked slowly.

“Hi...Luna. Sorry. Um...listen, I know it’s your study time, but I was hoping we could have a chat...you know, Hufflepuff to Hufflepuff.” He paused, sticking out the croissant. “I brought you this as a peace offering.”

“Your offering has been accepted,” Luna said, tone benevolent, before grabbing the croissant and shoving it in . “Proceed,” she said through a mouthful of bread.

“So...I’m having some issues getting over the whole...Seamus thing.”

“I thought you were done with that?” Luna said inquisitively. “Remember? The whole announcement at breakfast thing?”

“Oh my god you were listening!” Onew exclaimed happily.

“Yes. So I’m not sure what the problem is.”

“Well,” Onew continued, “it’s just that...he’s still most of what I think about, even though I know intellectually it’s not going to work. He sat on me. Twice. And I don’t think that’s what love is.”

“That’s not even what human decency is,” Luna added helpfully.

“Right! So I just...need to move on. But I’m not sure how.”

“Listen,” Luna said gently, “I take a pretty strict policy of noninvolvement in my friend’s love lives. Meddling helps no one, despite what Krystal thinks. But, if you want my advice, Huff to Huff, I say you’re not gonna move on until you find someone new. LIke...someone you feel comfortable with. Someone who does nice things for you, and is nice to you. Someone who you like spending time with.”

“I see,” Onew said thoughtfully. “Do you have anyone in mind?”

“Think about it,” Luna said grinning.

“Oh, there you guys are,” Amber called from a distance, jogging up to where the two of them were sitting.

“Amber….hi! I didn’t expect to see you here,” Luna said, tone confused.

“Yeah,” Amber wheezed, slightly out of breath. “I just wanted to run something by you, and I figure...you’re smart and insightful, you’ll get it.”

“That’s very kind,” Luna said, “however, I have no idea what you’re talking about, so you may need to shed some insight.”

Amber looked suddenly panicked, glancing from Onew to Luna, and back again. “Um...so...I know all about your policy of not interfering --”

“Noninvolvement,” Luna corrected gently.

“Right. That. So...I’m sorry to ask about this but…” Amber slowed as she looked at Onew. “Can you like, cover your ears or something?”

“What? No! Why?” Onew asked, and Amber huffed out a breath of annoyance.

“Fine. Whatever. Okay, so I’m sure Krystal told you about the thing...you know, the thing. I have. With someone...a person you know. That thing. Anyway, so the thing is being so...you know...and I just can’t with it because it’s like, why? And also what? But I’m not sure like, how to show how I...you know, think or whatever, and it’s like...confusing…”

“It’s definitely confusing,” Onew said, scratching his head a little.

“Even if I knew exactly what you were talking about, which, incidentally, I don’t, I really can’t help you. You’re going to have to just figure it out.”

“Oh, so Krystal didn’t tell you?” Amber asked. “Huh. That’s surprising.”

“She might have,” Luna admitted. “I sometimes tune in and out of her gossip rants.”

“What a great relationship,” Amber remarked sarcastically.

“MY RELATIONSHIP IS DOOMED,” Sulli cried, appearing suddenly from behind them with a look of pure despair on her face.

“Now where the hell did you come from?” Luna asked, growing irritated.

“I was walking and saw you dumb dumbs sitting over here. I just had to get away from Draco for a minute,” Sulli sulked, plopping down in the grass next to them.

“Not okay,” Luna muttered.

“What were you doing with Draco?” Amber asked.

“Dating him?” Sulli said, though it came out as more of a question than anything else. Luna simply pinched the bridge of her nose in response.

“Gross,” Onew said, with feeling.

“He’s not gross!” Sulli replied. “He has y moments! Like when he’s not talking, or when he’s just finished re-bleaching his hair! Come on Luna, back me up.”

“Thing one: lesbian. Thing two: POLICY. OF. NONINVOLVEMENT.” Luna replied bruskly.

“Goyle introduced us!” Sulli continued, as though she hadn’t heard her. “Although, I don’t think this is exactly what he had in mind…”

“Gee, and it’s not working out? Color me shocked,” Amber said. Sulli glared at her.

“Move on,” Onew said.

“Agreed,” replied Amber. “He’s nasty. Date someone better. Like a Gryffindor!”

Sulli thought carefully. “Hmmm….is Seamus still single?”

“NO!” barked on Onew, clapping a hand over his own mouth in surprise.

“Hey, isn’t that Minho?” Amber said, pointing into the distance. “Let’s look at Minho...and forget this conversation has ever happened.”

“Luna,” Minho said, smiling as he approached. “How are you today?”

“I’ve been better,” Luna said, voice thin and impatient.

“Right! So...I like Jonghyun.”

“POLICY OF NONINVOLVEMENT!” Luna shrieked.

“Pardon?” Minho asked, startled.

“Enough of this!” Luna hissed. Her friends stared at her in mild alarm as Luna took out her wand and muttered sonarus under her breath.

“KRYSTAL!” Her voice boomed over the Hogwarts grounds. Several long moments passed before Krystal flew overhead on her broom, landing softly in a patch of grass near where they sat.

“Greetings! The doctor is in the house,” Krystal leered, pulling a stack of Luna’s textbooks over and sitting down on them. “What ails you all?”

“Um…” Onew trailed off, eyes shifting hesitantly between the two girls before him.

Luna glared at him. “I wash my hands of all of this. Talk to Krystal, or talk to no one.” Krystal nodded solemnly in response.

“Fine,” Onew said, turning to Krystal. “So, this Seamus thing is still bothering me, and it’s starting to hurt my feelings that’s he’s so indifferent and so--”

“I’ve heard enough,” Krystal replied. “You were never dating him and are verging on stalker status. Time to move on. Bang a young hottie. Someone who’s got that dancer bod, yo!”

“Who would that be?” Onew asked, and Luna slapped her own forehead in frustration.

“Can’t spell out for you , figure it out!” Krystal replied happily before turning to Amber. “Next!”  

“Okay,” Amber started slowly, “you know the thing we talked about? With the thing?”

“Sure. The thing!” Krystal said. “How’s that going?”

“How’s what going,” Onew hissed to Luna, who shot him a death glare back.

“You have brought this upon me,” Luna muttered angrily. Onew fell silent.

“So,” Amber continued tapping the tips of her index fingers together, “it’s just...making me crazy, and I’m wondering if it’s time to, you know…”

“Oh, it’s totally time!” Krystal said.

“You think so?”

“It’s been that time for about a year now,” Krystal said soothingly, patting Amber on the back. “Godspeed.”

Behind them, Onew blinked frantically, opening his mouth several times as if to ask a question before his jaw finally clamped shut.

“I think Draco and I are going to break up!” Sulli interrupted.

“Sulli! Come on! You know better!” Krystal said, rolling her eyes before turning to Minho.

“I like Jonghyun,” Minho repeated.

“That seems self-explanatory. And also super obvious.”

“I should ask him out?” Minho asked. Krystal went over and patted his head.

“My work here is done,” Krystal said, picking up her broom and saluting them all. “I leave you with my wisdom. Good luck to you all!” She kicked off the ground and flew away, blowing Luna a kiss and singing as she flew off.

“Your girlfriend is insane,” Amber said.

“Get the hell away from me, all of you,” Luna replied.

“Done,” Onew said, standing and grabbing his bag. “Remind me to never ask you for advice again.”

“AS IT SHOULD BE!” Luna called to their backs as they retreated, rather quickly from where she sat.

Too agitated to focus on her work, Luna slammed her notes shut and saw that the Giant Squid was watching her sympathetically.

“I guess they’re not that dumb,” Luna said, and the squid blinked before swimming away, dousing everyone near the lake with its splashes. “Classic squid,” she said to herself before grabbing her books and following in the direction of her friends.