"Aren’t you coming back to the dorms?"

Chanyeol asked her while they walked out of the library. It was the first week of February and the days, even if they were getting longer, were still too short. Every time they would get into the library for their tutoring while the sun was a bit out and then, when they finished, it was already dark. The cold air strained through the sides of the old windows in the castle making the air in the hallways chilly and the stone walls turned it into a humid atmosphere. Most of the students were already at their respective common rooms and a few remained studying at the library, fifth and seventh years preparing for their upcoming exams. White snow kept covering the Quad and all the gardens, turning it into a real war zone during break time. The poor first year students were so afraid to cross it that they would walk for ten additional minutes just to avoid it. But no matter the weather or the cold, Roro was determined to keep the tutoring lessons. She wanted to do well on her O.W.L.S, even if what she planned for her future had nothing to do with them, she wanted to have an alternative in case her dreams wouldn’t be possible to achieve. A safety net, so to speak. Planning ahead was something she always did. Assessing the situation and planning, at least, 3 different case scenarios. That’s why she dragged poor Chanyeol to the library. Although, he kept saying that he didn’t mind but then again, she kept bringing sweet baked treats for him in order to thank him.

"Nah, I’m feeling a bit stressed today so, I’ll go to the kitchen and bake some cookies with Isha." She explained. "I haven’t been there since last Tuesday because this past week has been hectic." She sighed. "So I want to go and be catch up with her." Chanyeol hummed.

"I always wondered how did you two become friends."

"Well, it isn’t a dramatic and tearful story." She joked. "I just happened to visit the kitchen a lot and she was there most of the time too."

"I guessed that bit." He rolled his eyes at her. "I meant how did you two begin talking and all that jazz. She seems to love you a lot." They stopped near the staircase that lead to the lower part of the castle where the kitchen and the Hufflepuff’s dorm were.

"I’m an easy person to love, I guess." She smiled cheeky at him.

"Couldn’t agree more with that statement." He winked back and she blushed avoiding his eyes. He always got her legs to feel like jelly.

"A-anyway… The first we talked was because she had burnt a cake and was silently crying over it." Roro remembered with a soft smile. "I came closer and asked what was the matter, though it was pretty obvious, she explained it and I offered my help. The rest is history." She finished her tale with a shrug and a small smile. Chanyeol kept staring at her as if he was in deep thoughts to the point were Roro was starting to feel uncomfortable. She changed the weight from her right leg to her left one. His eyes never leaving hers.

"You are a really nice girl, Roro." Chanyeol said while tucking a strand of hair behind her left ear and grinning at her.

Roro’s heart fluttered. She could feel the blush on her cheeks, which were probably as red as a tomato, and she felt her legs trembling a bit. Everything happened in slow motion for her. His hand arranged her hair slowly with a smooth movement. However, instead of getting his hand right away, he kept his arm stretched. The tip of his fingers were rough and calloused, probably from playing the guitar and holding the quaffle at Quidditch, but the touch felt warm and nice. He caressed her cheek without moving his eyes from hers. It was so tempting to close her eyes and experience the touch with every single cell in her body. She knew he was able to feel the warm boiling under her skin but she didn’t care. That was what he did to her every time his gaze stood a bit longer on her, when he showed her that small smirk or every time he used his glasses and was really focused on explaining something she would have understood if she hadn’t been distracted by his cute dimple. The touch was barely a few seconds but for them it felt like years long. Chanyeol kept that soft smile on his face, a small red tint adorning his cheeks too. It was as if they were lost in each others eyes and Roro knew how stupid that sounded but it was exactly how she was feeling. Suddenly, the clearing of a throat startled them back to reality. Chanyeol removed his hand and both of them looked away from each other and into the person who had appeared from the stairs.

Baekhyun stood there, smugly smirk on his face and an eyebrow raised. He had that look that screamed trouble so, Chanyeol decided to talk first.

"H-hey Baek! What are you doing here?" His voice sounded strained.

"Oh, I’ve just been to the kitchen to check if they had an ingredient for my tomorrow’s potion lesson but unfortunately they don’t." He explained nonchalantly. "What about you two? Uh?"

"We’ve just finished out tutoring lessons! Right?" Chanyeol asked the girl who had been quiet. Roro showed a shy smile.

"Yeah…"

"I see. Well, it looked like you studied a lot each oth- with each other, I mean." He showed a naughty smile making the two Gryffindors blush even more. "Heading to the dorms now?" His voice full of innuendo.

"Yes." Chanyeol answered. "I mean!" He corrected himself quickly "I’m going to the dorms, Roro is heading to the kitchen now, like, she was going right now, she wants to cook, yes, bake."

Chanyeol was rambling.

"I’m sure she feels quite stressed, now." Baek smirked again. Chanyeol was trying to choke his best friend with his eyes.

"Well, yeah… I… should get going…" Roro mumbled, smiled and began running down the stairs without a goodbye. Both boys looked at her mumbling their own goodbyes. Once they were alone, Baek looked at Chanyeol with mischief written in his face.

"So, what have I just interrupted?"

A groan from Chanyeol was the only answer he received.

Could you please stop stupid heart? Roro whined internally to her furious beating organ. She felt her cheeks burning and her steps were hurried. She stumbled over her own feet a couple times getting down the stairs. She didn’t stop until she saw the Bowl Fruit painting. She stopped to catch her breath resting he hands on her knees. What the hell was that? She could deal with a compliment from Chanyeol, she eventually got used to it and her blushing wasn’t that exaggerated. Now, a caress? That was a new development she wasn’t ready to dwell on! How dare Park Chanyeol to attack her like this?! Sure. His hand had felt heavenly but still, she huffed, he couldn’t pull up a stunt like that without a warning! She was only a teenager, Merlin’s Beard!

She could admit to herself though, she felt a bit curious about what would have happened if Baek didn’t appear at that moment. She sledded down the stone wall, next to the portrait, until she was sitting with her knees pulled up. She let a grin took over her face. She just had a moment with Park Chanyeol. A giggle followed until she felt like the stupidest, giddiest girly teenager on Earth. She buried her face between her knees and let a soft squeal out. She was allowed to be happy, right?

After she had calmed down a bit and her heartbeat went back to normal, she decided to get inside the kitchen and talk a bit with Isha. Maybe she could help her little friend with some cooking or something, she needed her head distracted.

The interior of the kitchen was surprisingly silent. It usually was bursting with many Elfs working non-stop on the food, cleaning whatever had spilled on the floor or just doing something else in the kitchen. Most of the Elfs working there were refugees from the past Dark Era, when the Dark Lord arose and magical creatures saw all their efforts for equality dripping down the drain. The Castle had played a key place in the previous months to the Final Battle. These Elves had seen horror ensue in front of them but even then they decided to keep their activities and cheerfulness. That’s why the kitchen as such an appealing place for the red-haired girl. It felt like a healing and happy place with the extra addition of mouthwatering smell surrounding it.

When Roro got inside she couldn’t find Isha anywhere so, she approached a tiny grayish looking Elf and asked about her little friend.

"Excuse me, do you know Isha?" She asked with a soft voice. Elf were still quite adamant to talk with wizards and witches. Many years of oppression couldn’t be erased just like that. The small creature turned around and looked at her with big, round eyes and a trembling lower-lip. "It’s okay! Don’t worry I’ll search for her myself." Roro smiled sweetly, trying to calm the poor thing down.

"N-no, no Miss!" The Elf answered tugging at her shirt and letting go of it as it burnt him the moment Roro turned around. "I’m sorry eeek! I’m so, so, sorry Miss! So, sorry!"

"Don’t wo—"

"I KNOW WHERE ISHA IS! EEEK!" The poor thing shouted loud and proceed to hide behind his own hands. Roro sighed sadly. It wasn’t her intention to scare the poor Elf.

"Isha is in the pantry, Miss Roro." A deep but sweet voice answered instead.

Roro turned around to look at Mrs. Mitera. She was the Head Elf in the kitchen. She had been there for the longest time, even before the War. Nobody knew if the First or the Second. She was small and short, as all Elfs were, with round glasses and small patches of grey hair behind her ears. She was thin but still strong. She always reminded Roro of her grandmother Lisa. She had the same caring demeanor too.

"Thank you Mrs. Mitera. It wasn’t my intention to scare him…" She apologized.

"No worries my child." The old Elf smiled reassuringly. "Little Pit here arrived just a week ago, he is still adapting."

"Oh." Roro looked to the small elf. He was hiding behind Mrs. Mitera but he threw a weak smile her way. Roro answered with one of her own and a small wave. "I hope you feel happy here Pit and if you need anything I’ll like to help."

"T-Th-ankyou Miss!"

"Well, I’m off to find Isha. What is she doing in the pantry anyway?"

"She found a new toy to cook with." Mrs. Mitera answered. "That kid, she should be careful with that thing, it feels wrong." She shook her head in an all too Granny way that made Roro chuckle.

"Well, I should go and find her before she does a mess then." Roro joked and began walking to the pantry leaving behind the other two Elfs.

The pantry was exactly what you would expect to be like for such a huge Castle. It was as wide as her dormitory and full of shelves which were full of food, condiments and all the kitchen cutlery. However, what stood out the most was Isha standing in the corner in front of an old, dark-beige cauldron. The little Elf turned her head up when she heard Roro’s footsteps. A big smile adorning her face when she realized who it was.

"Miss Roro! What are you doing here? Do you want to cook today?"

"Hello Isha!" Roro smiled to the small girl. "Yeah, I needed to clear my head a bit."

"Oh, are you stressed because of the school, Miss Roro?" Isha asked with a worried voice.

"Well… something like that." Roro sighed sitting in the spot next to the Elf. "It’s more of a… problem of the heart. Kinda."

The small Elf’s eyes grew bigger and she gasped.

"Are you ill Miss Roro?! You need to visit Madam Pomfrey!!"

"No, no, no, no Isha! I’m fine!" Roro rushed to calm down the worried Elf.

"But your heart…"

"I meant my heart in a figurative way. My heart is okay, I’m not dying." She reassured the Elf who still looked a bit unsure.

"Then, what’s wrong with your heart?" She asked curiously.

"I… Hmm, let’s say I’m having “boy problems”, yeah?"

"Oh, is it about Mister Chanyeol?" The Elf asked nonchalantly.

"I, he, what? he… how did you know?" Roro stuttered nervously.

"Well, Mis Roro, you two are always smiling next to each other. That is how love works, right? Mrs. Mitera always says that when your eyes look like sparkling stars while looking at someone, then it’s love. Mr. Chanyeol makes your eyes sparkle a lot. That’s why I like him too!" She explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Roro was there, looking at her little friend with a bewildered expression and a blush on her face.

"You know what? You are a really perceptive Elf my friend." Roro chuckled when Isha beamed at her happy to have been called intelligent. She looked at the Gryffindor girl again with a sweet smile and soft eyes.

"You know what Miss Roro? I don’t think you should trouble your heart with this problem."

"Oh. And why is that?"

"Because Mr. Chaneyol’s eyes also sparkle when he looks at you, Miss Roro."

Roro choked on her own breath. Isha looked so sure and determine with a satisfied smile. Roro laughed. What a cheeky Elf her friend was!

"Okay, okay… I’ll give my heart a bit of a rest. Tell me, what are you cooking with your new cauldron? Did you buy it?"

"No! No! I found it!" Isha explained proudly. "I like to explore the Castle and I found it in one of the hidden corridors. I thought it was a shame so, I cleaned it and now is mine.

"Looks really nice."

"Thank you Miss Roro! Mrs. Mitera said I can keep it if I don’t forget about my chores but Isha never forgets about her duties so, it’s fine."

"What are you cooking now?" Roro asked trying to peek inside the recipient.

"I’m trying to make mandragora soup. I always mess it up but this cauldron is my lucky charm because I cooked it yesterday and it tasted good!"

"Oh, Mandragora soup, eh?" Roro forced herself to smile. It didn’t sound too appetizing. "Well, can I help then? Let’s see if you get it right again!"

Isha beamed at the student and both girls began to get occupied with the preparation of the ingredients. All in all, it helped Roro to distract her mind and heart. Even if she could still feel a certain warm near her cheek and ear.

"Wasn’t Roro supposed to meet us here?" Mina asked her friend while she turned another page on her Divination book. They were at the Library waiting for the Gryffindor to show up. Study sessions had grew increasingly after Christmas break.

"She had tutoring so, maybe she is running late." Yu asked with smirk on her face.

"Uhu. Tutoring class is what they call it these days?"

"Hahaha I dunno." Yu smiled. "But she certainly doesn’t look too bothered to study CMC anymore, if you know what I mean."

"She should just confess, really." Mina sighed.  "It’s painful to see them looking at each other with sparkling eyes when they think no one notices it."

Yu snorted at this.

"Same sparkling eyes Baek and you do, you mean?" She friend.

"Ha, ha… very funny. And no, we don’t do that. Not anymore at least." She grunted.

"I still think you should at least talk with the boy, he just made a comment Mina."

"I know, I have no right to feel jealous or whatever." She sighed. "I mean, it’s not like I’m dating him. I just, it’s one thing to think or know that your crush has interest in someone else or that he finds other people attractive. It’s a different thing having him admitting it in your face. I know it’s petty, okay? I just can’t help it." She pouted.

"Well, you finally admitted you have a crush on him so, I guess some progress is being made." Yu winked and side hugged her friend trying to cheer her up a bit. Mina groaned but let herself be comforted. "However, avoiding him in such an obvious way won’t make things get magically better."

"I doesn’t hurt to try, right?"

"It does Mina. It hurts both of you so, just talk to him normally and work from there."

"Well and how do I explain myself and my weird behavior, eh?" Mina asked putting again.

"Maybe you should just confess." A third voice answered her. Both students turned around to look at a beaming Roro. "Sorry! I had to visit the Kitchen urgently."

"Something happened? " Yu asked frowning. Roro just visited the kitchen when she was either inspired or stressed. She hoped it was the first option.

"Oh well… I don’t know? I mean, yeah… Argh!" Roro plopped herself in the chair next to Mina with a frustrated groan. "I’m a mess." She whined.

"Okay. Tell your amazing besties what the hell happened and then we can talk." Mina said patting her shoulder.

"Ok, here goes nothing…"

The Gryffindor girl related to her friends what happened before she parted ways with Chanyeol. As it was expected, the squeals and wide eyes were very present during the retelling of the events. Both her friends were really immersed in her tale, asking for more detailed questions and analyzing every move, word and breath that had been made, said or took.

"Oh-my-god Roro!" Mina squealed half whispering because they were still inside the library.

"I know, I know!"

"So, are you going to confess?" Yu asked excited. "I mean… he caressed your face. That’s basically a confession."

"No, it’s not." Roro argued. "I mean it was nice, weird yeah, but nice. However, he looked so awkward once Baek appeared. What if it was just that? A moment?"

"Well, if he wants to have any chance with you he better won’t be having “moments” around with anyone." Mina said sternly.

"Aish… I don’t know how to act next time." Roro pouted.

"Well, I think you should roll with it. Like, you act as you always do and if something changes you can work from there." Yu offered.

"Yeah, Yu is right. You be yourself and everything else will work out fine, you’ll see."

"I hope…" Roro sighed. "I can feel my heart still beating, ugh…"

"Hahaha well, that’s what loves does to you." Mina teased. "Right Yu?"

"Ha! I wouldn’t know!" She shrugged. "I haven’t been able to hang out with my boyfriend since he is so preoccupied practicing Potions with his new Slytherin friends." She explained jokingly though there was a bit of bitterness in her words too.

"Slytherin friends?" Mina asked. "I didn’t know he was being helped."

"Yeah, they are a couple of Sixth years. I can’t remember their names… Purebloods, both of them. Apparently they are like Top Potion students or something."

A couple of Purebloods sixth year students? From my house? Mina didn’t want to follow the path her mind was building. It couldn’t be. Slytherin was the house with more Purebloods in it. It was just a coincidence… Even so, she needed to made sure. Yixing shouldn’t be hanging with such evil people.

"Are you sure you don’t remember their names?" Mina pressed the issue.

"Hmm… I think it was Lever something, maybe."

"Leveratag? Purtrefs?" Mina asked more agitated this time. That peaked her friends attention.

"Yeah! Those ones! Do you know them?" Yu asked surprised. Mina didn’t talk to many people from her House.

"Yixing has to stop! He can’t be meeting them!" Mina suddenly began saying with a loud voice and a fearful expression.

"What’s wrong, Mi?" Roro asked worried.

"They are bad people!"

"Well, I know they are Slytherin Purebloods but, really, they don’t seem bad. They are helping him a lot so–"

"You don’t understand! They are evil, they are mean and bad people!" Mina insisted. Yu crossed her arms, she was starting to get upset.

"Have they done something to you?" Roro tried to reason with her agitated friend. Mina turned to look at her with wide eyes.

Lie Mina, lie!

"N-not me but… others. Yeah. I heard them badmouth other people and, like, talk like Purebloods do. " She whispered. Yu huffed.

"Oh! And how do we, evil Purebloods, talk eh? Tell me Mina." Yu asked with hurt in her eyes.

"You know I don’t mean you! But they are bad!"

"Yixing has been practicing with them for weeks and he speaks really well of them. Are you saying that he agrees with evil Purebloods?"

"No!"

"Then?!"

"I just don’t want anything bad to happen to him! Or you! I’m trying to help!" Mina explained herself.

"Hey, let’s calm down girls…"

"No, you know what?" Yu said gathering her things and standing up. "You always talk about how Purebloods are so bad or how they think better of themselves but, that’s not true. A lot of us, are normal people. Not everyone is out to beat you Mina. Maybe it’s you who has prejudices after what happened to you." Yu smiled bitterly. "But if you keep putting all Purebloods in the same bag, maybe we can’t be friends. Perhaps that’s why you are mad at Baek, because you are afraid he will hurt you. After all, he is a Pureblood too, right?!"

"Yu…" Roro tried to butch in.

"This is not about me going against Purebloods! I’m trying to protect you! You just don’t want to hear me out because you don’t like being wrong. God forbids smart Yu, first of her year, admits she can be wrong!"

"Well, if that is what you think then I don’t know what I’m doing here." Yu turned around and began running to the door of the Library.

"Yeah, run!" Mina shouted, tears building up in her eyes.

"MINA!" Roro interrupted her. "What the hell just—"

"Shhh!" Someone behind them ushered to shut up.

Roro looked around, they were still at the Library and some people around them were giving them nasty looks. She gathered her things and looked at Mina.

"C’mon let’s go and walk around a bit. The fresh air will do you good."

"You go." Mina huffed standing up. "I’m gonna head to my room. I’m tired. Bye."

"Mina…"

But the Slytherin student didn’t turn around. She kept walking, head hanging low and hugging her books tightly to herself. She felt the hot tears b in her eyes. She sobbed. She just wanted to sleep and be done with this horrible day.

Uh-oh. What happened to our magical trio? \(O_O')/

Also, Chanyeol and Roro had a moment. YAAAY! \( >.<)/

Well, I know this chapter doesn't advance much plot but it will come, no worries :) I've been working on this story the whole morning (it's 11 p.m right now) and I'm gonna work some more. So far I have 21 chapters done and I'm feeling so happy with how this is turning out~ 

Thank you for your lovely comments and subscriptions! I can't believe I have 25 people subscribed! 

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Love

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Roro