Baekhyun was hiding again in the prefect’s bathroom on the fifth floor. Park Chanyeol, the Slytherin Quidditch captain had been trying to reach him again while he was studying for his N.E.W.T.s in the library and Madam Pince had hastily kicked both of them out because they were being too loud for her taste.

While the old lady was hitting Chanyeol’s head lightly with her wand and threatening to turn him into a ferret, Baekhyun had taken advantage of the situation and had run for his life to the said bathroom. Being Head Boy he had the right to enter and hope the taller didn’t thought of looking for him there.

He heard the front door opening and his heart started to beat fast, but the person just went to the stall next to his to pee and left as quickly as they had entered. Sighing, Baekhyun realised that he could not hide there forever and slightly opened the door, peeking outside and seeing no one. Encouraged by the sight, he stepped out of the cubicle, closing the door behind him only to be trapped against it the following second, blocked by a tall guy.

‘You really thought I wouldn’t know you were hiding here, Baekhyunnie?’ the deep voice of the red-haired boy sent shivers down his body.
‘Let go of me, Park, and don’t Baekhyunnie me. We aren’t even friends!’
‘And whose fault is that? It isn’t like I haven’t tried.’
‘You don’t want to be just my friend, Park.’
‘I like you, sue me,’ the giant smiled charmingly and Baekhyun had to think that Chanyeol was a Slytherin and that, as a Gryffindor, he shouldn’t find that smile attractive. ‘Come on, we’ll be late for Potions.’

Without giving Baekhyun any real chance to object, he grabbed his hand and dragged him downstairs to the dungeons. It took around four floors to Baekhyun to come back to his senses but, as soon as he did, he got rid of Chanyeol’s grip and ran in an attempt to lose him in the crowd. Sadly, he tripped with his own robes and ended up rolling down the stairs to the Main Hall to the amusement of their fellow students who were passing by.

‘Baekhyun!’

Two worried voices screamed his name, and soon he was being surrounded by two tall guys; the tireless Slytherin and his own best friend, Oh Sehun, Gryffindor’s Quidditch captain. The two captains looked at each other with zero emotion on their faces, thing that always made Baekhyun nervous.

‘I guess Baekhyun tripped because you were chasing him again, right, Park?’ Sehun snapped coldly. ‘He’s not the snitch you are supposed to catch next Saturday.’
‘Bumping into conclusions again, Oh,’ Chanyeol smirked, helping Baekhyun to stand up. ‘He tripped with his robes.’
‘It’s true, Sehun,’ Baekhyun added, trying to put some raven locks back to place. ‘I tripped, and now we’re going to be late for Potions.’

He tugged nervously at his friend’s sleeve and forced him to go with him to the dungeons, leaving Chanyeol behind them.

‘Why did you defend him?’ Sehun asked, bewildered. ‘Are you now friends with him?’
‘You know I am not,’ he whispered, entering the class.

He could never be Park Chanyeol’s friend. The reason was simple: Park Chanyeol was a Slytherin, and he was a Gryffindor. But that was something Park Chanyeol’s brain refused to process, and on their fifth year, he had confessed to Baekhyun. Fifteen-year-old Baekhyun was shocked and moved to find that tall, handsome and breath-taking Park Chanyeol had a crush on him, a shy Gryffindor Prefect, but he was not disgusted or astonished by that idea. In fact, he had already set his eyes on the lanky Seeker.

But before he could share with him his feelings, Sehun had kicked in and had said that there was no way a Gryffindor could date a Slytherin, earning himself some agreeing nods and murmurs from their fellow Gryffindors. Afraid that dating him would affect Chanyeol’s position in the Quidditch team (not to mention his popularity), the shorter had rejected him, alleging the very same statement, even though it broke his heart seeing the then still brunet boy’s face being struck by pain.

It didn’t help in any way that Sehun also confessed to him right after, blushing profusely and blaming Chanyeol for making him look like he was copying what he had done. Baekhyun rejected him too, kindly, and even though Sehun was disappointed, they remained friends. That added up to the whole Chanyeol matter, making him feel like he was not only betraying Gryffindor as a whole, but Sehun specifically, if he ever did anything but make eye contact with the giant.

So there he was, two years later and even more head over heels for the now Slytherin Quidditch captain, who had even went through the trouble of dying his hair red for him. Not that there was a soul capable of saying anything to him, since except for Baekhyun and some of his friends, the tall Seeker was mostly cold and distant. Anyway, he coloured his hair and Baekhyun knew it was for him and it hurt him inside. Nevertheless, he’d rather confront the Whomping Willow than admit he loved Chanyeol as well. He couldn’t do that to Sehun.

‘You care about your friend too much,’ said his friend Sooyoung, the Head Girl who preferred to be called by her nickname.
‘He’s my best friend, Joy, I can’t just throw him aside,’ he whimpered, leaning his crossed arms on the table and hiding his face between them.

They were at the Three Broomsticks Inn, drinking some butterbeer and enjoying their last minutes at Hogsmeade before going back to the castle. Joy had called him on the street to share a drink and talk about the worrying amount of fifth years trying to cheat on their O.W.L.s, but they ended up talking about Chanyeol’s not-so-unrequited love for Baekhyun.

‘You know, Hogwarts lasts only seven years,’ she said calmly, sipping the last drops of her beverage. ‘After this, you’ll never think about who was on which house again. You should think about what you want, not what people you’ll never see again think.’ She paused for a second before continuing. ‘Also, if Sehun is really your friend, he’ll understand.’

Baekhyun looked at her as if she was some kind of divine apparition.

‘I know understand why you are a Ravenclaw.’

She hit him on the arm, her half green hair waving.

‘I will take that as an insult, Byun Baekhyun,’ she said, but laughed and stood up.

They went outside and started to walk to the meeting point for the students to go back to Hogwarts.

‘Seriously though, Baekhyun,’ she said before they had to start shouting directions, ‘if you love him, tell him. Or you’ll regret it in the end.’

And as they directed the students back to the castle Baekhyun thought she was right. He had to confess to Chanyeol before it was too late.

---------------

Even though he had decided that, it wasn’t easy approaching Park Chanyeol. He was normally surrounded by his friends and a group of fangirls (and fanboys, Baekhyun couldn’t help but notice) that followed him everywhere, despite the look on the tall Seeker’s face that said he would rather be left alone.

The reason behind all that ruckus was the Quidditch match on the weekend. It was the final, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and everybody was excited about it. Sehun was also receiving a lot of attention, although he seemed to enjoy it.

‘I can’t wait to beat Park Chanyeol’s face on Sunday,’ he said, once a group of fourth-years had finally left their table in the Great Hall.
‘You aren’t saying that literally, right?’ Baekhyun asked, somewhat concerned.
‘Worried about your suitor?’ Sehun mocked him.

But Baekhyun was tired of all that bickering. He grabbed his stuff and left for Transfiguration alone. He didn’t want to tell Sehun he was going to confess to Chanyeol before he actually did it, but during the past week his best friend had been nagging him with subtle comments and fixed glances that made the Head Boy feel like his best friend already knew what he had planned. As if Sehun could read his mind.

‘Are you okay?’

A deep voice made him jump on the spot, turning his head to see Park Chanyeol looking at him with a worried look on his face.

‘Park,’ he sighed. ‘I’m fine, it’s just… exams are drawing near and I feel like I might fail my Defence Against the Dark Arts test…’ he invented on the spot.
‘You?’ the taller laughed whole-heartedly, patting him affectionately on the shoulder. ‘You’re the best in our class, Baekhyun, there’s no way you are going to fail.’

He looked at him right in the eye while saying this, leaning close to the shorter’s face, and Baekhyun felt his heart skip a beat before starting to beat rapidly.

‘But,’ the taller added, retreating back and stretching, ‘if you feel uneasy I guess I could volunteer to help you with the test.’

Chanyeol flashed one of his rare. big smiles to Baekhyun, almost blinding him, but before he could answer, Professor McGonagall appeared and the class started. Chanyeol mouthed him a ‘you can answer me later’ and went to sit down with Kim Jongin, his best friend and Keeper of Slytherin.

Sehun arrived just in time too and sat next to Baekhyun, who didn’t even turn his head to look at him. It hurt him inside, but he was determined to make the message get into Sehun’s brain, he was tired of the resentment and stupid behaviour of his best friend. He was going to ask Park Chanyeol out and accept his offer to help him in the exams. And Sehun would better understand it.

---------------------------------

Sunday dawned cloudless and sunny, perfect weather for a Quidditch match on everyone’s opinion. Breakfast was as silent as it had been the whole week between Baekhyun and Sehun, although the shorter muttered a brief ‘good luck’ under his breath to the other before trying to leave the table.

‘I suppose you’ll cheer for him?’ Sehun asked softly, slightly hurt.
‘I will cheer for Gryffindor,’ he answered shortly. ‘It’s my house, after all.’

And left before anything else could be said. He wanted Gryffindor to win, of course he wanted that, but it didn’t change anything. Quidditch was Quidditch, and Park Chanyeol was Park Chanyeol. And those were different things.

The pitch was already full when Baekhyun arrived, looking around searching for the Head Girl. Joy waved at him and pointed to the seat next to her, in which Baekhyun almost fell.

‘Saved you a good seat,’ she claimed happily, offering him her binoculars.
‘You are the best,’ he smiled, accepting the binoculars and directing them to the ground. Chanyeol and his flaming hair were exiting the dressing rooms followed by his team. The Gryffindor team followed suit and met in the centre of the field, where Madam Hooch was already waiting with the case that contained the balls.

She blew in her whistle, fifteen broomsticks reached for the sky and the game started. Even though he had said (and meant) that he would cheer for Gryffindor, Baekhyun’s eyes were fixed on the green spot that was Park Chanyeol, flying a bit above the rest of the players in the search of the golden snitch. Being a bit clumsy himself, Baekhyun wondered how Chanyeol had been chosen Seeker, since he was way too tall and built for that task. But had he barely thought that when Chanyeol sped like a hawk downwards, apparently chasing the snitch, dodging swiftly one player after another, as if he wasn’t controlling a broom but his own body. He lost the golden ball despite his brilliant execution when a bludger passed right before his nose, stopping him, and flew back to his spot when he couldn’t find any trace of the snitch again.

‘He’s really good despite being tall, huh?’ Joy voiced his own thoughts.
‘Where did that bludger come from?’ Baekhyun asked her. He had been too focused on Chanyeol to care.
‘I don’t know,’ she admitted.

The game went on, Gryffindors were a bit superior in their play and were winning ninety to sixty. Baekhyun had cheered and clapped for every single one of his team’s goals, but his eyes always ended wandering off to the Slytherin Seeker.

Suddenly, Chanyeol started to dash again, but this time the Gryffindor Seeker, a third-year, seemed to have also spotted the snitch and engaged themselves in a furious competition chasing after it. However, experience or gift gave Chanyeol an advantage over his rival and he stretched his hand, closing his fingers around the golden ball, when suddenly, a bludger impacted right on his head.

This time, Baekhyun had seen it. Sehun had directed the bludger.

The pitch was chaos after that. Chanyeol fell off his broomstick (luckily, he was near the ground), snitch still trapped in his fist but unconscious. Slytherins were shouting foul even though they had won, and some teachers had to intervene before anything more happened. Points were taken from Gryffindor as a penalty to Sehun, who accepted the defeat.

‘Baekhyun, look, Sehun is looking at you,’ Joy said, tugging at his sleeve, but Baekhyun couldn’t care less. They were taking Chanyeol to the Hospital wing.

He hurriedly said goodbye to the Ravenclaw girl and tried to run, which has hardly possible due to the amount of people going back to the castle at the same time. When he finally arrived at the entrance of the building, Baekhyun run upstairs to the first floor only to find Sehun already waiting for him, blocking his way.

‘You are going to see him,’ he said, looking hurt.
‘Sehun, move away, I don’t have time for this,’ Baekhyun snapped, wearing out of patience.
‘Why? So you can go and comfort him?’ Sehun laughed bitterly. Baekhyun noticed then that he was still wearing his Quidditch robes, and that he was covered in dirt and sweat. ‘He is a Slytherin, you shouldn’t…’
‘So what if he’s a Slytherin?’ Baekhyun cut him, annoyed of the same stupid speech he had recited over and over again during those years. ‘He has done nothing else than trying to be nice to me, to be my friend… However, you as a Gryffindor, have hit him in the face with a bludger.’

Baekhyun felt that he had said too much right after he had said it. He sighed, trying to calm himself and spoke again, softer this time.

‘Sehun, I love him. I have liked him for a long time and I haven’t said anything because I knew it would hurt you.’

Sehun looked at him, bewildered, but said nothing.

‘I like you a lot as a friend, but nothing else. We will never be anything else, and I realised that if I don’t tell Chanyeol I like him, I will probably lose him forever… Please, let me try to be happy with him.’

There was a silence. Baekhyun was dying to go see Chanyeol, but Sehun won’t move an inch. He was deciding if a Petrificus Totalus directed to his best friend was worth the shot, when Sehun opened his mouth.

‘I knew it,’ he muttered. ‘I have known that you liked him for ages now, even before he confessed to you. But I was scared you would leave me aside if you started to go out with him. That’s why I intervened before you could answer… Because I didn’t want to lose you.’
‘You won’t lose me,’ Baekhyun said, astonished. ‘How could you think that I was going to kick you out of my life? You’re my best friend!’

Sehun looked both ashamed and apologetic, and Baekhyun couldn’t help to feel pity for him.

‘Sehun, you are my friend, and I won’t start hanging out with you, even if it turns out you and Chanyeol really don’t get along with each other when you get to know him… I will still be your friend, and we’ll still be together.’
Sehun smiled timidly and moved to his right, letting Baekhyun pass. But before the shorter could reach the door, Sehun spoke again.

‘By the way, I never liked you romantically… I just wanted to keep you away from Park.’

With that, he walked away, leaving Baekhyun with his mouth agape and shocked. He shook his head and smiled softly, that was something he didn’t expect, but it relieved him to know he wasn’t going to hurt Sehun that way. Sighing, he finally pushed open the door.

The hospital wing was calm and quiet. Madam Pomfrey saw him enter and looked as if she wished to kick him out, but Chanyeol was awake and begged her to let him stay, to which she finally agreed, giving them five minutes ‘and not even a second more’.

‘Chanyeol? How are you?’ Baekhyun asked cautiously, sitting on a chair next to the bed.
‘Could have been worse,’ he shrugged, smiling at him. ‘Madam Pomfrey said I was lucky it didn’t break my nose, and apart from needing to rest, I’m ok.’

Baekhyun smiled brightly, he was happy to hear that and Chanyeol saw it.

‘Any particular reason behind that happiness, Baekhyun? Or should I ask why are you here?’

The taller was smiling and Baekhyun felt his face heat up, he bet his face now matched his robes. But they only had five minutes, and he wanted to be honest with the taller.

‘Well, I wanted to tell you… I will gladly accept your offer to help me with my N.E.W.T. on Defence Against the Dark Arts...’ that alone had already Chanyeol smiling brightly.
‘Sure, and I will help you with the others if necessary… Or maybe you can help me.’

Baekhyun scoffed and rolled his eyes, but smiled.

‘Also…’ Chanyeol looked at him intently, waiting for him to talk and it was making him more and more nervous. ‘I have been talking with Sehun and… turns out he wasn’t in love with me, but he believes that I would ignore him if I started dating you, and…’
‘You’ve come here to talk about Oh?’ he asked, half surprised, half amused.
‘NO!’ Baekhyun shouted, covering his mouth the next second and lowering his voice, wishing Madam Pomfrey hadn’t heard him. ‘I came here because I love you, and I have loved you for ages, but I wanted to explain why Sehun…’
‘Wait, wait, stop right there, Head Boy,’ Chanyeol interrupted again, his smile so wide it was barely believable. ‘You love me?’
‘Yes,’ Baekhyun said, and then he realised he had just confessed in the worst way possible and panicked. ‘Well, you know what, no, I take it back, I will go out and come inside and start again, because it was the worst confess-‘

He wasn’t able to finish his sentence, for Chanyeol had hugged him close and kissed his lips. Baekhyun looked at him startled, but then closed his eyes, let Chanyeol control him and kissed him back, the green Quidditch robes the tall was still wearing. After what seemed like an eternity and just one second at the same time, they pulled back, looking at each other’s eyes.

‘I have wanted to hear you say those words for ages, you are in no way taking them back, even less if you want to say them again in seconds.’
‘I am terrible at confessing,’ Baekhyun whispered, pouting. Chanyeol chuckled and kissed the pout away.
‘You won’t need to do it anymore, because I will not let you go.’

Baekhyun smiled shyly, kissing him again.

‘Also,’ Chanyeol interrupted, detaching himself again from the Head Boy’s lips again, ‘it is the first time you have said my name… And I like it.’ He smiled, pecking his lips again. ‘Say it again.’
‘I love you, Chanyeol,’ Baekhyun whispered, smiling, and Chanyeol kissed him again.

The moment was broken by Madam Pomfrey, who bursted in saying that they have been talking for ten whole minutes and that his patient needed rest. He was kicked out of the Hospital wing, but Chanyeol had shouted that he was counting on him to keep his promise and to study for his N.E.W.T.s together.

They were going to be together, and it was right. Because in the end, as Joy had said, it didn’t matter which house you were in.

He loved Chanyeol, and Chanyeol loved him back. And it was all that mattered.