THE SLYTHERINS AND HUFFLEPUFFS

It was difficult for Sana to wake up the next morning, she had barely slept the night before because she felt a weird sort of energy in the pit of her stomach. She couldn’t help but wonder what hanging out with Momo at the crack of dawn would be like.

Slowly Sana slumped out of bed and yawned, slipping into dark wool leggings to brace the cold morning weather as well as a black long sleeve turtleneck. Getting out of the dorms was easy, all of the girls were the heaviest sleepers Sana had ever met in her life. Sana had even tripped over one of her roommate’s empty owl cages and not one of the four other girls moved in the slightest. They all slept like they were dead.

The morning was as chilly as she had predicted, if not colder-- the slight wind slapped her cheeks, waking her up just as well as a bucket of ice water could. She wrapped her arms around her thin frame and walked to the Quidditch pitch.

It was strange to see such a big outdoor space occupied by only one girl who sat in the very middle. Momo smiled as she noticed Sana coming up to her from afar, noting how silly and out of place Sana looked wrapped in her long sleeve sweater like some sort of human egg roll.

“Morning” Momo laughed as she got up from the grass, beginning to stretch her long arms.

“Hey,” Sana replied breathing lowly into the fabric of her turtleneck.

“You cold?” Momo asked her, meeting Sana halfway, gesturing towards her wardrobe. Sana nodded, giving Momo her own once over. Momo was wearing a pair of blood orange running shorts and a simple gray loose fitted t-shirt.

“You’re not?” Sana guessed raising her eyebrows. She was subconsciously aware of the relaxed smile on Momo’s face and the way her long hair swayed in the wind, blowing her high ponytail gracefully behind her. She oddly looked wide awake.  

“My body runs warm,” she explained simply, shrugging her strong but narrow shoulders. Sana nodded, not surprised at all. She obviously had only known Momo for about a little over twenty four hours but from what she could tell, Momo’s presence was overwhelmingly electric, her sweet and happy go lucky attitude constantly radiating genuine warmth. By just standing next to Momo, Sana’s arms began to thaw. By this Sana was slightly embarrassed for she knew she was the exact opposite of her new Hufflepuff friend. She was cold blooded.

    “That’s lucky,” Sana told her between her chattering teeth. She was unsure of what to do next as Momo continued to look over her with a kind gaze. She wondered what Momo was thinking. “So you do this every Saturday?” she asked, Sana’s eyes dropping down to a quaffle ball, a jump rope, and a broom on the ground next to where they were standing.

    “A few times a week actually. I like to be on top of my game,” Momo said, crossing her arms over her chest proudly.

    “By yourself though?” Sana questioned. Sana had always noticed Momo whether it was around the castle or in their classes together so she gathered that while Momo was an extremely nice girl, she really only hung around two or three people. She was curious if the Quidditch star ever got lonely but the thought quickly slipped through her mind once she remembered how many students pined after this girl. Maybe Sana didn’t see the entirety of her popularity-- considering that Sana was constantly distracted by her own clique.

“Practicing helps me clear my thoughts,” Momo sighed, a half smile gracing her lips. “And I don’t know if you noticed but I’m not alone now.” Sana pursed her lips with a grin.

“Very perceptive of you,” She replied stepping past Momo to sit beside her belongings in the grass. “Now get to practice. I don’t want to be the reason you aren’t warmed up properly for the match. It would be a bummer if I was the reason your house lost.” Momo playfully narrowed her eyes at Sana and picked up the jump rope from the ground.

“You want Hufflepuff to win?” Momo asked her, her tone full of suspicion. She unraveled the rope before stepping on the middle to stretch it out before using it. Sana brought her knees to her chest and buried her arms further into her sleeves desperate to find extra warmth.

“Yeah. I don’t think your early morning efforts should go to waste.” Sana said, practically rolled up into a ball. Her voice was unusually high pitched and more playful than she would ever dare in front of Nayeon and her other friends. There was no room for lightheartedness in the sen. Sana though found this new side of conversation relaxing. She realised that she didn’t really have to have her guard up with Momo. It was refreshing yet terrifying in it’s own way for a reason Sana couldn’t explain.

“Hmm…” was all Momo had to say for a moment as if Sana’s decision was that hard to accept. She skipped a few times over her jump rope before continuing. “But we’re playing against Slytherin. Would you really deceive your own house like that?” The way Momo asked this question was strangely serious as if a sports game was actually that important to Sana. She made it sound like Sana was agreeing to exchange her life for Momo’s. It was all a bizarre way of putting things. Honestly though Sana didn’t realise her house was playing at all today but she also didn’t really care. She found Slytherin needed to get off their high horse anyway. Besides, it would be funny to see the Slytherin team captain Won-Woo be a sore loser after the match. Sana shrugged.

“It will be fun to watch you teach us a lesson. We can’t expect to win every time, maybe you will inspire them to actually practice for once.” Sana covered her icy cheeks with the neck of her sweater. “Between you and I they are just expecting to be handed the game. They know you’re good Hirai but of course they think they’re better.”

Momo seemed to ponder this information expressionlessly for a while, continuing to jump rope for minutes on end. Sana watched silently and took note of every detail before her. Momo’s cheeks grew pink in color as the minutes of jumping added up, puffs of hot air escaping her lips into the chilled atmosphere. Sana’s eyes began to wander mindlessly down from M’s perfect face to her heaving chest and then further down to her strong legs that kept her jumping continuously even though Sana felt like she was doing so for hours. Sana felt a sudden pang of insecurity. What was she thinking? She shouldn't have come here. Momo must have thought it was so awkward for Sana to simply sit and watch her exercise but she was too undoubtedly polite to say anything about it. Should she leave? Maybe. But she found herself not wanting to go. At first she pridefully thought she was presenting Momo with her company but Sana realised that it was actually the opposite. Sana was lonely and she was tired of feeling that way.

Sana quickly looked away when Momo’s eyes met hers, realising that she must have been staring. Momo stopped jumping.

“Sorry if I’m boring you,” She apologised through long heavy breaths. A few strands of her light brown hair clung to her face with sweat. Sana shook her head.

“You’re not. If anything you’re making me admire your work ethic.”

Momo was standing close enough for Sana to smell her perspiration. Shockingly, Momo’s sweat didn’t make her cringe. Oddly enough instead she wanted to come closer. Sana blinked hard.

    “You know what’s funny though,” Sana said, stretching out her legs “Out here you seem like a different person. Don’t take this the wrong way or anything but when you’re out here on the pitch you seem so focused.”

Momo snorted as she choked back a laugh. Narrowing her eyes, Momo dropped the rope and sat beside Sana.

    “Excuse me are you trying to tell me I get easily distracted?” Momo accused, threading her slender fingers through the blades of grass beneath her sneakers.

    “Well…”

    “Hey!” Momo’s sharp shoulders forcefully nudged against Sana’s weak ones. Sana was slightly surprised by her strength even though there was absolutely no reason to be.

    “I meant it in a nice way-- you just seem comfortable here. That’s all. It’s cool.” Sana explained looking at her now, her chin resting on her knees she had pulled back to her chest. Momo’s expression was smug, taking a moment to wipe her face with the bottom of her shirt, briefly exposing her toned abs. Sana looked away.

    “Thanks. I think Quidditch makes me feel more normal, ironically. I’m not great at school and I’m… not like everyone else.”

Sana bit her lip in guilt. Momo was talking about her blood status. Sana idiotically assumed that because of Momo’s bubbly exterior she didn’t care or notice about being biologically different but it all seemed to make complete sense. Sana’s heart sunk. “But being good at Quidditch helps me fit in.”

It was a simple and honest confession and Sana wished she could say she understood but she didn’t-- she would never know what it would feel like to be the only muggle born in her year or the one who others must think is so stupid for not understanding seemingly simple wizard customs and culture. How could people living in this day and age still act so cruel? However on a much smaller scale Sana didn’t feel like she fit in either but the evidence shows through her short skirts, flirtatious demeanor, and ‘friend’ group that she had tried her best.

    “I’m sorry,” Sana blurted out before she could think about what to say. She didn’t think she had anything to offer Momo except an apology. It’s not like Sana single handedly could fix her problems even though she kind of wanted to.

    “Don’t be,” Momo sighed with a half smile, her warm hand overlapping Sana’s under her sleeve. “You’ve helped me more than you know.” Momo’s hand and eyes lingered, intimidating Sana despite her kind motives. Sana took a deep breath, breaking away the eye contact by looking towards the ground. Her hand relaxed at Momo’s radiating heat. Sana felt uncomfortable at the realness of Momo’s emotions-- honesty was not something she experienced often around Nayeon and the rest of her house nor back at home either with her parents.

    “So…” Sana croaked, becoming dry at the unfamiliar pleasant feeling of intimacy that she had never felt before. “I think I have to get back. I don’t want to distract you.” Of course this was a lie but Sana couldn’t think about any other excuse to avoid this strange dynamic. Momo nodded understandably and stood up again, reaching her hand down for Sana to grab and bring her to her feet.

    “See you at the game?” Momo asked tilting her head, her light eyes searching for an answer out of Sana. She sighed and nodded quickly.

    “I’ll be there Good luck.”

Sana realised how awkward it must have been for Momo to see her speed walk off the pitch after their heavy discussion. She also came to the conclusion of how insensitive she might have looked for leaving Momo alone almost immediately after she confessed about feeling isolated from everyone else. But Sana couldn’t help it, she felt like she just had  to leave despite how much she enjoyed Momo’s company. Overall Sana just felt… weird. She felt weird about how Momo grabbed her hand, she felt weird about watching Momo so closely as she exercised and she definitely felt weird about having a voice in her head tell her to move closer to the sweaty athlete.

Sana hurried back to the castle longing to get back in bed and close her eyes. She wanted to forget everything. Besides it’s not like the two of them could actually be friends right? Nayeon would bury her alive.

Sana rubbed her eyes and jumped down the steps into the dungeon. She was just about to whisper the password to open the common room door when the door opened from the inside, figures stepping out to block her entrance.

    “Woah hey,” Nayeon said dryly as she almost bumped into Sans on her way out. As usual Nayeon was accompanied by Jennie, most likely up to no good. Nayeon glared critically at Sana’s turtleneck-- she had always hated them on Sana. “Where did you just come from?”

Sana knew better than to tell her the truth.

    “Out,” she coughed stiffly-- she was never good at lying. Both of the girls also hadn’t spoken to each other since the Hogsmeade trip. Sana nervously twisted the sleeves of her sweater. “I went for a walk.”

Jennie looked like she couldn’t have cared less but Nayeon was unsurprisingly suspicious. Nayeon tipped her head from side to side and fidgeted with her perfectly polished nails.

    “This early? I mean I suppose that’s smart, exercising while no one is awake. You did need to lose a few pounds. Has someone been eating their sorrows lately?” Nayeon had spoken so casually despite the daggers slipping past her teeth. Sana clenched her jaw and took her backhanded insults like she usually did and nodded, complacently agreeing.

    “Right. You caught me.”

Nayeon exchanged an amused look with Jennie, her almost as evil partner in crime.

    “Good for you then. We can’t have a fatty hanging with us now can we? Come on-- although we’re headed to breakfast. Just try not to eat your weight in toast and porridge.” Nayeon laughed sharply, grabbing Sana’s arm to drag her to the dining hall. Jennie giggled.

    “Is it even possible to eat two hundred pounds of bread?” Jennie asked Nayeon, the two skipping in step. Nayeon didn’t even bother to whisper her response.

    “She’s obviously done it before.”

~~~

Sana’s stomach rumbled painfully in hunger but Nayeon was watching her like a hawk. Tiredness and hatred bubbled together in as she watched Nayeon and Jennie pick at their own breakfast. She felt like she was about to snap.

    “Party after the match tonight,” Nayeon bragged while chewing on a single raspberry. “Room of Requirement. All houses.”

Sana raised her eyebrows. A party with every house was a rare but wild occurrence. Those parties were one of the only situations where all houses get together by choice. Of course Nayeon made it mandatory for her squad to go. During these events Nayeon made it her mission to find the most desired student and sleep with them to establish and show her power over the student body. It was twisted, but it was a tradition and her favorite game to play. Overall it wasn’t a mystery why most students (with an exception of those in Slytherin) absolutely despised her. But of course there were the small few that worshipped her for hooking up, hanging out and being friends with the best of the best. The four house parties really had no other reason to exist except to launch Nayeon higher on the food chain and to get everyone (other than the first and second years) drunk off their asses.

    “Who is your lucky pick this time?” Jennie asked curiously as she stirred some weird and unnecessary laxative tea that she used to get rid of extra weight. Nayeon shrugged, a scary smirk stretched across her lips as she peeled the crust off of her one slice of wheat toast.

    “Not sure yet, but I still have a few hours to figure that out. Probably a Quidditch player this time. I’m in the mood for someone athletic.”

Sana held back a gag. Usually she never gave a damn about who Nayeon chose as her next conquest but due to her bitterness from the Hogsmeade incident, this time her reason for not caring skyrocketed. Sana scowled into her sugarless cup of coffee.

    “Hey, moron” Nayeon threw a packet of butter at Sana’s chest “Earth to Zaki. Are you even listening? Who do you think I should choose?”

Sana slowly lifted her gaze to meet Nayeon’s.

    “Yeah Quidditch player, whatever” she grumbled over her angry stomach. Nayeon scoffed, dropping her toast onto her plate.

    “What’s your deal?” she asked, her voice tightening with agitation. There was nothing Nayeon hated more than when someone wasn’t paying attention to her.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Sana had looked away from Nayeon but she could still feel her sharp glare slicing through her skin. She took a deep breath and sighed, deciding to just let go of the Hogsmeade thing because she really didn’t want to cause any more unnecessary trouble from her oldest friend. She owed Nayeon everything.

“I’m sorry,” she admitted, pushing away her coffee cup. “I’m just tired. An athlete this time around sounds good, perhaps the Hufflepuff Captain Woozi. I hear he is very popular.”

At Sana’s suggestion Nayeon’s posture and attitude relaxed and she smiled, agreeing. Beside her, Jennie seemed unamused but didn’t say anything.

    “You’re right. I’ll look into that, thank you.”

    “Anytime.”