Chanyeol runs through the Hogwarts corridors and through staircases changing directions just so that he can reach his common room before the curfew. He has once again managed to stay so late at the library, and yes he was studying but unlike his peers from the same house he isn’t there to get ahead on his workload. He was there to catch up on it.

You see, Chanyeol is a Ravenclaw by some kind of miracle and with lots of confusion from him and everyone else who knew him. Although he isn’t stupid, he sometimes is very slow and would take a lot of time before he understands a concept that is considered a piece of cake for his fellow housemates. To his credit though, once he understands and masters a concept rest assured he will be the best on that field.

However, that couldn’t be applied on his common room riddles now does it? Since the riddles keep on changing to test their qualifications as a Ravenclaw. And so, slow Chanyeol is always taking lots of time before he gets to enter their common room. If he gets in, that is.

And this will probably be not one of those times. Maybe.

Panting from having ran many flights of stairs, Chanyeol slowly touches the enchanted knocker shaped like an eagle and waits for the riddle sure to come his way. Being this late in the night and being near curfew, he doesn’t see any other house member wanting to enter too so he is all alone on this adventure. He did ask his best friend Kyungsoo about the riddle and its answer earlier, but between breakfast and all his classes for the day, Chanyeol was set to forget about it.

“Welcome student, here is your riddle.” the eagle starts and Chanyeol starts to panic internally. This eagle really scares him the most, he thinks this object that isn’t even alive knows his deepest secret. In short, it is creepy.

“What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?” comes the riddle.

“Merlin’s beard, I don’t remember the answer.” He whispers to himself in the eerie silence of the corridor. He eyes the eagle, not letting it feel his unease and nervousness, and its bronze eyes stare right back at him with no problem. He shudders.

Chanyeol starts to walk back and forth in the corridor, racking his brain for the answer. “What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?” Chanyeol keeps on repeating to himself waiting for some kind of miracle. “Air? It could be because the air in the atmosphere - ugh no.”

After almost half an hour of just pacing, Chanyeol can feel the judgement from the eagle.

“Still no answer, student?” It gruffs.

Chanyeol swallows the lump in his throat, knowing full well he isn’t gonna get this right and will be humiliated once again. “A-air?”

The enchanted knocker snorts at his answer before saying, “Wrong.” and returning once again to its inanimate position.

“Ugh, why can’t I get it right tonight of all times?” He grumbles to himself, pulling his hair out of frustration.

Sighing, he gathers all his things once again and prepares to travel all the way to the dungeons to his boyfriend.

“I hope Baekkie doesn’t kill me this time.”

---

After successfully avoiding Filch and possible prefects roaming the corridors, Chanyeol arrives at the dark underground part of the castle. With only his wand to give him light he slowly walks towards where he knows the entrance is, having been here for a couple of times already. The possibility that he’s slept here more times than on his actual dormitory is very high too.

He whispers the password by the entrance and enters the common room draped in green. Luckily there is no student around and he celebrates for a little. Climbing the stairs leading to the rooms, he says a little prayer to the gods that his boyfriend doesn’t shoo him away.

Upon reaching the very familiar door, Chanyeol takes a deep breath and, whispers ‘lumos’ to his wand to turn it off, before pushing the door open. The lights are dark in the room and all of its residents are already sleeping.

Similar to his room, there are three four-poster beds placed side by side, each draped in silver and green colors. He takes the few, familiar steps to get to the bed located on the corner. Chanyeol quietly stands by the bedside and looks down to see Baekhyun - his puppy-like and beautiful boyfriend deeply asleep.

Baekhyun is on the same year as him and is known as the very epitome of a Slytherin student - cold, unreachable and a pure blood. So it came as a surprise to pretty much everyone when news of them dating came out throughout campus back during their first year. Now, they are on their fourth year and is still very much going strong.

Because although Baekhyun is like an ice prince to everyone else except for his closest friends and boyfriend - he is anything but that to Chanyeol. Except, maybe, during times when the taller has to disturb his sleep for times like this one.

“Baek?” Chanyeol whispers, slowly nudging the other one awake. Baekhyun just groans and turns over, snuggling more into his comforter. “Baekkie…” Chanyeol is whining now. He is sleepy and tired and the way his tiny boyfriend is sleeping is very much enticing.

Baekhyun’s famous puppy-like noises stop and Chanyeol feels him scooting over leaving a space for him. “Locked out once again?” Chanyeol hears his boyfriend ask before pushing the comforter in his freed space to let him crawl in.

“Yes.” Chanyeol answers and, even if it can’t be seen through the darkness, Baekhyun can still feel his pout. The Slytherin student chuckles and pushes himself a little to peck those pouting lips just because he can.

Chanyeol beams and feels a little bit better after that. He slowly gets into the bed and cuddles with his boyfriend. He places his head on Baekhyun’s chest and wraps his arms around his tummy. Baekhyun in return also wraps one of his arms around Chanyeol while the other one he runs through Chanyeol’s silver locks.

Just as Chanyeol was drifting off to sleep he hears Baekhyun whisper in his ear, “Why are you in Ravenclaw again?” The taller one grumbles to his chest causing Baekhyun to chuckle a little bit loudly.

“So what was it this time, huh?” Baekhyun asks while still running his fingers through Chanyeol’s hair that honestly just makes Chanyeol feel so at ease.

“What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?” Chanyeol mumbles through Baekhyun’s pajama.

“What? Say it a little bit louder babe.”

Removing himself from Baekhyun’s chest he repeats the riddle a little bit louder.

“What did you answer?”

“Nothing.” Chanyeol says, embarrassed.

Baekhyun full on laughs and disturbs the silence of the place. “Seriously, Yeol.”

“Fine, what’s your answer then?” Chanyeol challenges. “What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?”

“Baekhyun. Baekhyun is the answer.” An irritated voice comes from the other side of the room.

The couple both look at the direction of the voice to see an annoyed Sehun glaring at them. “Can you lovebirds please stop flirting and let other people in this room sleep.” The younger complains.

“And obviously, what gets wetter and wetter? It’s Baekhyun hyung to the thoughts of you, hyung.” Sehun says before turning his back on the couple and going back to sleep.

“Don’t listen to him.” A flustered Baekhyun tries to save himself, feeling his cheeks heaten up. He thinks of throwing one of his pillows to the cheeky maknae but figures it isn’t worth the effort, he’ll just have the younger pay tomorrow.

Chanyeol just laughs at this. “Okay.” He mumbles before going back to his favorite position of lying on Baekhyun’s chest. He can feel his boyfriend’s heart beat fast and can’t help but feel happy about it, knowing that he’s the reason for this. Has been for a couple of years now.

“It’s okay Baek, you make me wet with the thoughts of you too.” Chanyeol whispers to Baekhyun’s ear making him splutter and almost kicking him off the bed. Good thing Chanyeol latches on pretty tight to his boyfriend’s body.

“Cha-chanyeol you don’t do that to me at this time of the night, okay” Baekhyun whines.

Chanyeol laughs and reaches up to plant a kiss at Baekhyun’s jaw. “I’m sorry, I love you.” He whispers before returning to his previous position.

Baekhyun takes a moment to calm his heart down before wrapping his arms around his giant boyfriend once again. This time holding a little bit tighter. Sometimes he’s thankful that his boyfriend almost never gets the answers to the riddles right, really.

Because then he could whisper back an, “I love you too.”

----

edit: the answer is towel