Seventh Year

Before long, Kyuhyun had only a few months left before he graduated from Hogwarts. He had already taken and passed all the required exams so he was free most of the time. The reason why he still stayed at the school unlike some of his friends was to be a coach for his house's quidditch team. And because Jongwoon hadn’t left Hogwarts yet… Ever since their encounter at the Shrieking Shack, he stopped pursuing his boyfriend altogether in hope that he wouldn't bring more sadness to his boyfriend.

"... I'm sorry, Kyu, I can't do that, not the pathetic me right now…"

He still remembered what the Hufflepuff boy said that day. He said; sorry, I can't do it, not the pathetic me right now. The keyword was, right now, which meant that Jongwoon might come back to him someday. What his boyfriend needed was some time and space, for what, he didn't know, but he was willing to wait. Even though he wanted to hold Jongwoon so badly, he had to stop himself from reaching out and quietly watched his boyfriend smiling at Choi Siwon. Yes. The two students were still as close as ever and the rumor was still going strong at the school, though he no longer cared about it. Those people can say whatever they want. He knew that Jongwoon's heart only had him and that was enough.

Still…

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"Choi Siwon, can I talk with you?"

"Cho Kyuhyun? Sure."

Kyuhyun didn't even bother to explain more and led the Hufflepuff student to a deserted passageway out of curious passersby' eyes. Once they were out of everyone's sight, he went straight to the main topic.

"Woon-ah might avoid me now but he only loves me, and he's still my boyfriend."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"Informing, reminding, or threatening, feel free to choose. I just need you to know that."

"Wow, you really are a possessive boyfriend just like what Jongwoon told me!"

Choi Siwon laughed boisterously and it got on his nerves. He didn't like the way the taller boy looked at him, as if he was a little child who knew nothing. The Hufflepuff student's laughter quieted down but he still smiled brightly. Choi Siwon shook his head.

"You can rest assured. I only think of Jongwoon as a good friend. Plus, I already have a girlfriend back home."

"Then, what are you doing with other people's boyfriend? Being chummy to the point that rumors spread everywhere?"

"Hm, what day is the practice day for the Slytherin quidditch team?"

"Monday. Don't change the topic."

"Then, what about Hufflepuff?"

"Thursday. Are you doing this deliberately?"

"I don't know," Choi Siwon grinned, "why don't you come to take a peek during our practice? You might find something interesting!"

He tried to pressure the other boy to spill the secret but Choi Siwon just kept chuckling and left without telling him anything…

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In the end, Kyuhyun secretly came to the quidditch pitch on the next Thursday. If he got caught, he could be accused of stealing the other team's tactics. So, he went under the stadium and looked at the Hufflepuff students through the gap between the stands. There, Jongwoon was with the players even though he didn't take part in it. His boyfriend greeted each player and Choi Siwon amicably, before sitting down at the stand. After that, the practice started and he almost fell asleep watching the boring practice. His Slytherin team was way better. He inwardly criticized the Hufflepuff players but stopped when he noticed something.

While the players were flying in the sky, Jongwoon kept his eyes up and watched them without blinking.

When a player pulled off a dangerous maneuver, his boyfriend would flinch and look away. Then, he would shake his head and force himself to look up again. Kyuhyun was stunned. Is his boyfriend…? He still remembered Jongwoon telling him that his acrophobia was so bad that he couldn't look up to watch a match. So, the Hufflepuff boy had been practicing behind him? And he wouldn't come back to him unless he conquered his fear? Of course, he was happy that his boyfriend didn't give up on their love and even pushed himself for their sake. However, he also thought that his boyfriend was an idiot. A big one! They could have practiced together without the bull breaking up. But of course, Jongwoon's mind always worked in a mysterious way. Shaking his head, Kyuhyun continued to watch the black-haired boy. After the practice ended, the players left the pitch one by one except Jongwoon and Choi Siwon. Jealousy flared up but it quickly died down once he saw that the Hufflepuff captain only helped teach his boyfriend how to fly with a broom. To his surprise, Jongwoon could ride a broom now and even flew a few meters above the ground for a few minutes. How long has his boyfriend been practicing? Kyuhyun thought back to when the rumor about his boyfriend and the Hufflepuff captain started spreading. Around the end of their fifth year? Then, his boyfriend had been practicing ever since the fight that day? Jongwoon… Kyuhyun rubbed his face and sighed.

You idiot, why did you have to choose a roundabout way to get back together?

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After knowing what his foolish boyfriend had in his fifth-dimension mind, Kyuhyun's heart was more at ease and he gave the boy the space he needed. He didn’t stop Jongwoon when they ran into each other but he still smiled at the Hufflepuff boy. He didn't go to see the shorter boy. However, he went to the quidditch pitch every Thursday and hid under the stand to watch his boyfriend practice. The Muggle-born boy gradually got better each passing week. Right now, Jongwoon was able to fly at the same height the quidditch players did which was a huge improvement. Kyuhyun immediately knew that it was almost time for them to get back together. Not only because of the amazing result of his boyfriend's practice, but also because he often caught Jongwoon sneaking a glance at him lately, as if the boy had something to say to him. He was way over the moon and beyond excited. Many times, he wanted to just carry his boyfriend up and ran to his bed chamber but held back. Although he thought the whole ordeal was stupid, he knew that it meant the world to the Hufflepuff boy so he respected the boy's decision and waited impatiently…

The sign that he had been waiting for came to him in the form of a beautiful snowy owl named Melo, his boyfriend's messenger owl.

Can we meet? I need to tell you something. If you're okay with it, come to the Owlery now with Melo. I'll wait for you.

—JW

"Your master finally makes a move~"

Kyuhyun rubbed the owl's beak and let her perch on his arm, before heading to the west tower where the love of his life was waiting.

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"What do you want to talk about with me?"

"...Do you happen to be free tomorrow in the evening?"

"Why?"

"Um, if you can, please come to the training ground about an hour before dinner. I want to show you something…"

Kyuhyun bit the inside of his cheeks to stop a smile from showing. Although he already knew what his adorable boyfriend planned, he couldn't help his old habit and decided to tease the smaller boy a bit. He pulled off an aloof look and stared at the Hufflepuff boy coldly.

"What if I don't have time?"

"Oh, well, um, that's not surprising, to say the least, I mean, consider what I did to you, I understand if you didn't want to see me again, but, Kyu, I mean, K-Kyuhyun, this is very important to us, so, even if you don't want to, please reconsider and—"

"Just kidding, Woon-ah. Of course, I'll go."

Seeing the saddened boy who looked like a soaking wet kitten melted his heart and he couldn't pretend anymore. Kyuhyun touched the soft cheeks that had become slightly hollow and smiled. Jongwoon's beam was so bright that it hurt his eyes but he refused to look away. The Hufflepuff boy had grown up while he stepped back to give him some space. In the past, Jongwoon would never tackle his fear and relied on his protection only. Similarly, Kyuhyun always held Jongwoon tightly and refused to let the boy step out of his comfort zone. He thought that everything would be alright as it was and that he could protect Jongwoon all the time, believing that it was the best for them. However, that incident had proven that their mindsets were wrong. Love alone couldn't save them and they both needed to grow up. When he looked at his boyfriend right now, seeing the boy flying in the sky bravely, it reminded him of what Professor Sprout told him not long after Jongwoon broke up with him…

He was pursuing his boyfriend as usual when the Herbology teacher called him to help her tend to the magical plants. During the task, the kind professor asked if everything is alright between him and Jongwoon. Professor Sprout is the Head of Hufflepuff and Jongwoon is her favorite student, so it is normal for her to catch on to the tension between them. Kyuhyun said that there was some misunderstanding but he would take care of it soon. Listening to his answer, the old lady smiled motherly and put a pot plant in front of him.

"Dear, although plants need to be cared for with love, sometimes, you need to give them some space to grow."

The professor took out the plant. Its roots were tangled and couldn't grow anymore in the small pot. The Hufflepuff Head then put it in a bigger pot and covered the roots with soil, before smiling at him.

"See? If you tend to it with love and allow it to grow naturally, it'll become a beautiful plant in no time."

At that time, he didn't understand why the professor had to teach him the basics of Herbology that he had learned in the first year. Now, however, he understood that she actually referred to his and Jongwoon's relationship. And she was right. Jongwoon… His beloved Jongwoon had matured so beautifully during their separation and he had become a lot more patient too. Now that they had overcome their weaknesses, their love would grow a lot stronger than before and…

"And I won't repeat the same mistake…"

"Huh? Kyu, did you say something?"

"Nothing. See you tomorrow, Woon-ah."

Kyuhyun smiled and kissed the shorter boy's cheek, earning him a cute blushing boyfriend. The Hufflepuff boy touched the kissed area and looked at his good mood suspiciously.

"Did Siwon tell you something…?"

"No, he didn't tell me anything."

Technically, Choi Siwon didn't tell him about his boyfriend's plan. He just told him to visit the Hufflepuff's practice!

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The next day…

Kyuhyun would have used Apparition to arrive at the training ground instantly had it not been for the rule of no Apparition within Hogwarts. So, he resorted to a primitive method and ran as fast as possible. Just as he was about to arrive there, a girl came to block his way. He openly sneered after realizing that it was none other than the Ravenclaw girl who still stubbornly pursued him. He ignored her and stepped aside, but the girl came to stand in front of him again, much to his annoyance.

"Move."

"No! Senior, you're being deceived by him! You're of a pure-blood wizard family. Don't let the lowly mud blood taint you!"

"...If you dare to call my boyfriend with that disgusting name again, I won't go easy on you even if you're a girl. MOVE."

"Never!" The girl took out her wand, "I'll stop you even if I have to—"

Kyuhyun waved his wand and cast the disarming charm without speaking. The girl's wand flew into his hand and he broke it into half, before throwing it away. He didn't even glance in the girl's direction and walked into the training ground excitedly. Standing in the middle of the field were Jongwoon and Choi Siwon, with an old Cleansweep model-six broomstick lying by his boyfriend's feet. When Jongwoon looked up and saw him approaching, the boy beamed happily and his heart jumped ten times faster.

"Kyu! You came!"

"Of course I'd. Hello, Woon-ah, what is it that you want to show me?"

"I've something very important to tell you but first thing first, watch me!"

The Hufflepuff boy put his hand above the broom and said ‘up!’ confidently. The broomstick immediately jumped into the boy’s small palm which really impressed him. He still remembered how much Jongwoon struggled with this simple trick in their first year but now… Kyuhyun smiled proudly at his boyfriend who mounted the broom and lightly kicked off from the ground. The broom took the black-haired boy into the sky, just right above the other two students’ heads, and he controlled it to fly in circles. Jongwoon smiled excitedly and Kyuhyun gave his boyfriend a thumb up. Seeing his approval and proud smile, the Hufflepuff boy puffed his chest and made the broom fly higher until he was many meters above the ground.

“Kyu! Look! I can fly on a broom now!”

“You’re amazing, Woon-ah! But don’t force yourself.”

“I won’t, I won’t!”

His boyfriend stopped the broom mid-air and looked at him, his chubby cheeks getting redder, and Kyuhyun couldn’t smile any wider. He knew it just from looking at those determined eyes what his boyfriend wanted to say next but he still waited patiently for the boy. Jongwoon took a few deep breaths before speaking up.

“Kyu, the truth is— AHH!”

All of the sudden, his boyfriend’s broom acted up and shook violently, trying to shake off the boy. Kyuhyun quickly looked around and found the Ravenclaw girl whom he coldly rejected sitting far away from them. Her gaze never left the Hufflepuff boy and her lips were mumbling something— a curse. He took out his wand to stop the vicious girl but his boyfriend’s frightened scream distracted him. Looking up, he saw Jongwoon fail to regain control and the broom suddenly took him into the distance where the Forbidden Forest was located. No!

“Accio Firebolt! Choi Siwon, catch that girl and hand her to the headmistress!”

He summoned his broomstick and shouted orders to the other Hufflepuff. The tall student nodded and dashed toward the girl who was now laughing maniacally. He didn’t wait for the Firebolt to stop in front of him and jumped onto the broom, instantly chasing after his boyfriend. Because his broomstick was a newer model, he caught up with Jongwoon in no time. Right now, they were flying among the clouds several meters above the large forest. Kyuhyun controlled his Firebolt to soar below his boyfriend’s broom. His heart dropped once he saw that the Hufflepuff boy was shaking in fear with a paper-pale face. The small hands gripped the broomstick so hard that blood couldn’t circulate there. Jongwoon’s eyes were closed and his breathing was abnormally fast and short, hyperventilation.

“Woon-ah! Let go of your hands! I’ll catch you!”

“No! I-I can’t do that!”

“Of course you can! Woon-ah, you’re a lot braver and stronger than you thought! You trusted in yourself to conquer your fear and you did it! Now, it’s time to trust me! Jump!!”

At first, the Hufflepuff boy kept shaking his head without opening his eyes but after his encouragement, Jongwoon resolutely let go of the broom. The old Cleansweep kept soaring into the distance while the smaller boy fell down. Kyuhyun his broom forward and caught his boyfriend in his arms. The Firebolt gave in to the sudden added weight and dropped a few meters. He gritted his teeth and controlled the broom with only one hand to quickly descend. His arm wrapped protectively around the trembling body. His boyfriend clung to him and hid his face in his shoulder while he landed on a clearing in the middle of the forest. He hurriedly cast a series of protection charms around them before putting the Hufflepuff boy down. He held the smaller boy closely and whispered in his ear, guiding him to breathe properly. It took the boy in his arms a while to calm down and look at him with teary eyes.

“Woon-ah, it’s okay, you’re with me—”

“KYU!”

Jongwoon suddenly lunged at him and captured his lips. The still-trembling arms hooked around his neck and pulled him even closer until their breaths became one. The shorter boy’s lips moved desperately against his own and the little tongue invaded his mouth with haste and impatience. If it was the past him, he would have responded just as eagerly and probably d the tempting skin by now. However, he had grown up and realized that his boyfriend needed more than passionate love. He needed someone to support him while he stood on his own feet. So, instead of kissing back heatedly, Kyuhyun slowed down and rubbed the small back gently, focusing on and nibbling the luscious lips. Under the guidance of his patient kiss, reassurance gradually replaced desperation and Jongwoon’s panic subsided. Still holding the slim waist, he pulled away and kissed between the brows while checking up on his boyfriend.

“How are you feeling now?”

“Still shaking but much better than before…”

Jongwoon pushed himself up and looked at him with a down expression.

“I’m sorry, Kyu. In the end, I’m nothing but your burden… I promised to never leave your side but I couldn’t do it. I hurt you because of my own weakness and kept hurting you while pushing you away… And I almost endangered you just now… E-Even though I wanted to make up with you. The truth is, I regretted what I said that day almost immediately. I wanted to run back to you, to apologize and beg you to never let me go, but how could I be so shameless to you who has done nothing but showered me with love? I-I can’t do it, Kyu, my conscience won’t let me. The kinder you were to me, the more you chased me down, it only made me feel more ashamed of my pathetic self. T-That’s why I thought that I need to be a better person before I see you again. I asked Siwon to help me and I gambled; I won’t meet you again until I can get rid of my acrophobia but I’ll also let you go if you meet someone else better than me, you deserve it. But I’ll always love you as I told you that day. I practiced hard while praying that you would forgive my unreasonable and selfish excuse. Do you have any idea how happy I was when you agreed to meet me at the Owlery? When you looked at me and touched my cheek so endearingly, I was so happy that I could cry, because you still waited for me… That’s why I wanted to show you that I’m not the same pathetic person. I wanted to show you that I can fly proudly by your side now. B-But, in the end, I still can’t get over my fear a-and bother you… until the end…” 

After a long monologue, Jongwoon cast his gaze down and his shoulders slumped sadly. Kyuhyun caressed the chubby cheeks and gently wiped off the tear stain. Then, he cupped his boyfriend's face and made the man look up.

"You're wrong, completely wrong, Woon-ah."

"Eh…?"

"Aren't you the one who decided to overcome your acrophobia? You also jumped off a broom despite your fear of heights. Woon-ah, you see yourself as a pathetic man but I see you as the bravest man I've met, with a beautiful soul to boot. Be more confident in yourself!"

"But…"

"On that note, I have more than enough confidence and I'm happy to share~"

"Kyu… Really…" Jongwoon giggled, "You're still so full of yourself! You didn't change at all…"

"So does my love for you."

Kyuhyun tasted the sweet lips and secretly smiled when his boyfriend returned the kiss confidently, even taking the initiative to hold him tighter and moan. The cute cry ignited the hidden desire in his heart. He deepened the kiss while feeling his palm along the slender body, all the while carefully pushing the smaller boy to lie down. When his hand slid under the uniform, Jongwoon realized what he had in mind and blushed darkly.

"W-Wait, Kyu, we're in the middle of the Forbidden Forest and it's probably past the curfew now…"

"Once, just once," he begged hoarsely, "I promise to be quick but gentle."

"..."

He thought that his boyfriend didn't want to do it so he stopped. However, the Hufflepuff boy suddenly hooked his legs around his hip and tugged him closer until their crotches were pressing. While he stared at the smaller boy in surprise, Jongwoon took out his wand and cast another layer of various protection charms on top of his.

"Woon-ah…?"

"...No need to hurry up now."

Jongwoon said with a deep-red flushed face but his dark eyes were burning with desire as intensely as his. Kyuhyun quickly recovered from the shock and pounced on his boyfriend who welcomed his attack with open arms.

Tonight, their touches of reunion burned so blazingly that their bodies and hearts melted into one.

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"Why is it that whenever I catch students who stay outside of Hogwarts past curfew to flirt and play around, it's always the two of you? Mister Cho? Mister Kim?"

Standing before the kind but strict headmistress, the two students lowered their heads guiltily but their hands still held together seamlessly. Seeing their connected hands and the way the Hufflepuff student leaned on his boyfriend for support, Headmistress McGonagall who had seen everything there is to see sighed tiredly and waved her hand in a dismissive manner.

"I already heard about what happened from Mister Choi and punished Miss Leviah. She intended to harm another student with a curse so she was expelled. As for your punishment for breaking the curfew, since you two are going to graduate soon and you just 'reconcile', I'll overlook what happened tonight. It's two in the morning now. You should go back to your dormitory and rest."

""Thank you, Headmistress McGonagall!!""

"However, you must go back to your respective house immediately. If I found out that you stay idle and flirt in the hallway, I'll see to it that you shall not be able to touch your partner for a week. You're dismissed."

Kyuhyun and Jongwoon bowed deeply to the old professor and hurriedly left. They quietly walked hand in hand until they arrived at an intersection leading to their dorms in separate directions. They reluctantly let go of their hands and walked away. However, Kyuhyun suddenly stopped and spun around. He ran to the Hufflepuff boy and called his name. When the shorter boy turned back, he picked up his boyfriend by the waist and grinned.

"Woon-ah, do you want to visit my family with me during the upcoming Christmas holidays?"

Jongwoon grinned back. His eyes gleamed with tears of happiness as he nodded.

"Of course! What about you? Kyu, do you want to visit my family during the latter half of the holiday?"

"Sure thing! I can't wait to officially meet the parents-in-law!"

Kyuhyun brushed the tip of his nose with his boyfriend's. The Hufflepuff boy giggled and hit his shoulder lightly.

"Kyu! The headmistress said we can't flirt in the hallway!"

"Just one kiss… She'll let it go…"

He kissed the pinkish lips and quickly pulled away before any of them got a funny idea. He put his boyfriend down and bid farewell again.

"I love you, Woon-ah."

"I love you too, Kyu."

They stared at their reflections in their beloved's eyes and felt a sudden pull toward one another. Their eyes fluttered shut and their faces slowly inched closer…

"MREOWWWWWW!"

They jumped apart and looked down to see a gangly mean-looking cat hiss at them— Mrs. Norris, followed by hurried footsteps. Kyuhyun stole a quick kiss from his boyfriend and they quickly ran in different directions, heading back to their dorms before Argus Filch caught them.

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Author's note:

There are some parts I wasn't satisfied with so I decided to rewrite this chapter, hence the late update. Sorry!

In the old ver, Kyu walked into JW practice while he still wasn't good at it. The jealous girl incident happened, Kyu rescued his bf, and JW confessed that being apart from Kyu is scarier than flying. But I think that makes JW too weak? I want kyusung to be on equal ground in their relationship (though JW will always be under Kyu in bed lol) so I rewrote it and added:

- Professor Sprout part (my personal fav!)

- JW calling Kyu to meet

- JW showing off the fruit of his hard work

- Kyu realized that he held on JW too tight

Not sure if you guys will prefer the old ver or new ver more, but hey! I finished this story! That's what matters the most right?  xD

There is a short epilogue tomorrow about their lives after this. Plz look forward to it~

Take care and love you!  <3