They strained their necks to see what was going on, the spectator stands all gone quiet with anticipation.

“Did he get it?” Angie, one of the other two chasers, shouted out to Sungyeol. He shook his head shortly; he was waiting along with everyone else to see what was going on with Harry, who sat dazedly on the pitch surrounded by all the other players hovering close by on their brooms. The Ravenclaw seeker had tumbled ungracefully a few feet away onto the grass from her race for the snitch with Harry, and looked like she was hoping against hope that what they all suspected wasn’t true.

Harry retched once, twice, and then coughing, spit out the golden snitch, looking just as amazed as everyone else.

The Gryffindor supporters erupted in celebration as Darius nearly fell off his broom from astonishment. “Well! That’s one way to catch the snitch, I guess?” he said, surveying the new kid with disbelief.

Sungyeol landed with the other Gryffindor players, all rushing forward to get a piece of the hero of the hour. He ruffled the boy’s messy hair affectionately, and Harry beamed so widely at him it looked like his face was going to crack in half.

They took their victory lap around the pitch to the sound of the Ravenclaw side clapping for them together with the ecstatic Gryffindors, as classy as ever. The scoreboard showed the final points: Gryffindor 240 to Ravenclaw’s 110.

The Gryffindor house chants began, raucous and uncoordinated, as the supporters finally started to stream off the stands and back to the Great Hall for brunch. The game had been relatively short this time, lasting only slightly over an hour, but the students had worked up an appetite out in the crisp air and were looking forward to further celebration over hot food. There was a knot of people around Harry, their newest celebrity, and Sungyeol smiled to see it. Forty of their points had been his, but it was nothing compared to a hundred and fifty; still, he couldn’t find it in himself to be jealous when the kid looked so happy.

Sungyeol was tackled by a delighted Woohyun as he exited the locker room, Dongwoo doing his own version of a congratulatory dance as Myungsoo hung back, watching them and chuckling. They all turned towards the castle together, their stomachs being beckoned irresistibly by the delicious food awaiting them. Sungyeol ended up in step with Myungsoo, Dongwoo and Woohyun a few paces ahead as they were swallowed by the hungry crowd.

“New boy’s pretty good,” Myungsoo remarked, grinning a bit. “Not exactly how I would’ve done it, but…”

“What, you mean you can’t catch a snitch with your mouth?” Sungyeol asked, feigning shock. “I’m disappointed, Myungsoo.”

“Hey, I can do a lot of things with my mouth, okay?” Myungsoo instantly protested, and then blushed fire-engine red when he realized what a silly thing he’d said. Sungyeol burst out laughing, enjoying the little flare of heat in his belly as his mind immediately threw up images of just what other things Myungsoo could possibly do with his mouth.

“Really?” Sungyeol leered in between laughs, earning the shove he got from a still-blushing Myungsoo.

“Yes, really! And too bad for you that you’re never going to find out!” Myungsoo blustered in embarrassment and speedwalked away, making Sungyeol laugh even harder even as his heart started pounding. This is it, Sungyeol. You’re not going to get a better chance than this.

Jogging to catch up, he reached out a hand and caught Myungsoo above the elbow, slowing him down. This was the first time either one of them had touched the other, and Sungyeol reveled a bit in the feel of toned muscles underneath Myungsoo’s school robes. Not dropping his hand, he pulled Myungsoo to a stop.

“I would – really like to find out, actually,” Sungyeol managed to get out, immediately regretting his choice of words. “Uh, I mean, eventually! Not right now. I mean – would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me, maybe? For just – tea, or dinner? One of these days? Just to hang out, I mean?” WOW Sungyeol you are the most un-smooth operator on the bloody planet! he couldn’t help mentally scolding himself at the barrage of nonsense that had just come out of his mouth. First unintentionally propositioning Myungsoo – well, not unintentionally, if he was completely honest with himself – then blathering on and on like an idiot. It had not gone at all like he’d imagined, because in his head Myungsoo had definitely not had the absolutely speechless expression on his face he had now.

“Um,” Myungsoo said, blinking rapidly, and at once Sungyeol wanted to shrivel up into a ball of hopelessness and despair. He didn’t like boys? He didn’t like Sungyeol? Not like that?

“Oh, it’s okay,” Sungyeol quickly cut in, trying to put an end to his misery as fast as possible. “It’s fine if you don’t want to, really. Totally okay. I understand, it’s no biggie,” he smiled, beginning to walk backwards after Dongwoo and Woohyun. “Don’t worry about it!” Sungyeol all but ran towards his clueless friends, leaving Myungsoo looking confused where he was standing in the middle of the way.

“Wait, where’s Myungsoo?” Dongwoo asked, puzzled, trying to look around as Sungyeol frogmarched them both at double speed up the stairs and into the Great Hall.

“Feeding off the remains of my broken heart,” Sungyeol answered, trying to sound lighter than he felt.

“What?” Woohyun shook off Sungyeol’s arm. “What happened?”

Sungyeol put two fingers to his forehead, pretending to shoot himself with a gun like he’d seen in that one Muggle movie his Muggle studies teacher made them watch in third year, complete with sound effects.

“I don’t get it,” Dongwoo said.

“I asked him out, he had nothing to say,” Sungyeol translated, heaving himself onto the bench at one of the tables, momentarily distracted by a few Gryffindors congratulating him on the win.

“You asked him out? You’ve known each other a week, Yeol,” Woohyun stated incredulously. “No wonder he had nothing to say. I would’ve said ‘Boy, you crazy,’ and left it at that.”

“Really? You think it was too soon?”

“You don’t even know his surname!” Woohyun rolled his eyes exasperatedly. “Ah, whatever. Eat.” He put two cinnamon rolls onto Sungyeol’s plate and started to ladle out hot porridge for him into a bowl. “Honey?”

“Okay,” Sungyeol agreed sadly, too busy staring ruefully at his cinnamon rolls to notice the little folded paper that had fluttered over to them, hovering delicately in the air in front of him. Dongwoo nudged him in the side to make him look up, and Woohyun stopped ladling.

Sungyeol plucked the paper out of the air, and it stopped fluttering like a butterfly in his fingers. He opened it, not wanting to entertain the possibility that it might be from Myungsoo and yet wishing with all his suddenly-thumping heart.

Friday at three good for you? Meet me outside the main doors.

There was no question who it was from. Woohyun grabbed the hastily-scribbled note from him the moment Sungyeol sat up straighter to scan the crowd, and lit upon Myungsoo watching him from the end of one table over. Myungsoo immediately ducked when Sungyeol caught his eye, but looked up again a moment later; Sungyeol tried his best to mouth ‘OK’ without beaming too widely, but it was a futile attempt. Myungsoo sent him a quick nod and wave and ducked his head once more, the tips of his ears flaming red.

“This is either the cutest or the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen,” Woohyun muttered, smiling nonetheless for his best friend, and scooped in extra honey into his porridge.

“His surname is Kim,” Dongwoo told him helpfully. “Kim Myungsoo!” Dongwoo broke into his distinctive Dongwoo laughter, and Sungyeol couldn’t help but laugh along sheepishly. Oh, life was good.

*

Sungyeol dragged Woohyun back to their dorm after DADA that Friday where he absolutely couldn’t look Myungsoo’s way during class without his hands going clammy. He knew it was ridiculous, and normally he was pretty cool in most situations – he could calmly stare down another Chaser coming at him head-on and at full-speed to try to force him out of his flight path, but one thought of the impending date with Myungsoo and he went to pieces. He’d only ever felt the same with his ex-girlfriend when he was fourteen, but then he had been fourteen. He was so much more manly and grown-up now. Wasn’t he?

“What should I wear? Help me with my hair – and if you spit in it again you will not live to see the dawn of a new day, Nam Woohyun,” he warned.

“Just wear whatever you always do, for goodness sake. Don’t make it look like you obsessed over this, you’ll just make him awkward. Please don’t meet him with the light of love shining in your eyes for all to see, okay? Keep it casual.” Woohyun hopped onto Sungyeol’s bed, enjoying watching him fret over his outfit.

“Yes, oh wise love guru,” Sungyeol grumbled, digging in his trunk for something that would make him look drop-dead handsome but casual. Very casual.

“Here, just go with a button-down, jeans and sneakers, you can’t go wrong with that,” Woohyun said, taking pity on him. “And roll the sleeves up to your elbows. I know girls love that.”

“Myungsoo’s not a girl,” Sungyeol stopped short.

“What do you expect me to say? I’ve never dated a boy before!” Woohyun protested. “By the way, you’re taking this whole I’m-interested-in-a-boy thing rather calmly. You know I don’t care, but if I really think about it it’s still a bit weird. It’s like me dating you or something.”

“I know this isn’t the point, but why on earth would I date you?” Sungyeol asked, scandalized, continuing his dig for a white button-down he knew he had stashed somewhere in his trunk. “Don’t be gross.”

“What’s so gross about dating me? I know all your secrets, I put up with all your flaws, I encourage you, I support you, I even go and cheer for you at Quidditch even though you know I don’t give a about sports. I’d make you a damn good boyfriend.”

“Only the thought of kissing you kind of makes me want to throw up,” Sungyeol straightened with his shirt in his hands, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s true,” Woohyun agreed. “Platonic boyfriend, then.”

“I think that’s called a best friend, stupid,” Sungyeol couldn’t help laughing. “Which you already are. Could you at least try not to be so competitive?”

“I can’t help it,” Woohyun shrugged simply, pointing to indicate a dark pair of jeans that Sungyeol should wear. “Yeah, that one.”

Sungyeol stripped off his school robes to his boxers, examining closely how un-embarrassed he was to do this in front of Woohyun, who looked at his near- body with such a blasé expression Sungyeol knew he was right about what he felt for Myungsoo. The thought of Myungsoo being the one sitting on his bed watching him take off his clothes made something hot curl in his stomach and spread fire through his skin.

“Anyway… it’s just him, isn’t it? For some reason I don’t care that he’s not a girl. I’m attracted to him, I want to be around him. I want him to find me attractive, I want him to want to spend time with me.” He pulled on his shirt after casting a charm on it to iron out the creases and let Woohyun help him roll the sleeves up to the elbows, just as Woohyun had instructed.

“Okay?” he asked hopefully when he was dressed and his hair was acceptable.

“As good as it’s gonna get,” Woohyun answered, nodding. “Please don’t propose marriage tonight. Asking him out after a week was bad enough.”

Sungyeol hesitated, then pulled Woohyun into a quick hug. “Thanks, Woohyun. For supporting, and accepting, and going to all my games,” he grinned as he pulled back.

“Hey,” Woohyun said, shrugging as if his awesomeness was self-explanatory. “Myungsoo, Schmungsoo. This is the best you’re ever going to get, and don’t forget it. Platonic boyfriend number one, right here.”

Sungyeol pushed him so that he fell backwards onto Sungyeol’s bed, laughing anyway. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Remember, no marriage proposals!” Woohyun shouted after him as Sungyeol disappeared out the door.

*

The closer he got to the main doors the worse the hand-clamminess and heart-thumping got. He felt immediately like an idiot the moment Myungsoo turned around and saw him – dressed simply in a shirt, hooded sweater and tight jeans; wasn’t Sungyeol way too formal in his button-down shirt? He shook his fringe out of his face and tried to smile, but his face wasn’t having it. Gods, having an entire week to obsess over this date had really done a number on him. He wasn’t sure he could string a coherent sentence together, much less have fun.

“Hi,” he breathed, trying to drink Myungsoo in with his eyes. At least his vocal cords still work.  Myungsoo smiled, the little dimple in his right cheek too adorable for words.

“I’m sorry about Saturday,” Myungsoo started, and Sungyeol gratefully followed him down the steps because he had no idea if they should stand there and talk awhile or start walking.

“Saturday? What do you mean?”

“You took me by surprise, when you asked me – asked me out. I wasn’t expecting it and so I just clammed up. I didn’t mean to give you the impression I wasn’t interested,” Myungsoo explained, looking everywhere but at Sungyeol.

“Oh! I, uh. I didn’t want you to feel obligated or weird, you know. So I thought it would be better for me to just give you a way out if you wanted it,” Sungyeol said, not really sure what he was saying.

“No, I – I want to be here,” Myungsoo said, giving that shy laugh of his that had the ability to bend Sungyeol’s brain.

“So, The Three Broomsticks?”

“Yeah.”

They set off proper, Sungyeol already wondering what Woohyun would say to him planning to try to hold Myungsoo’s hand later on if things went well.

Their Butterbeers were warm and soothing, the pub thankfully cosy and familiar enough to set them at their ease as they talked about their different houses, their families, their friends. One Butterbeer turned into two, then three, then into windowshopping in Hogsmeade where they spent quite some time sighing over the newest broom models in Spintwitches and ogling the candy in Honeydukes. Sungyeol bought sugar quills for them both to eat as they continued their ramble around the village, Myungsoo laughing at him for trying to play the gentleman.

“I have money too, you know,” Myungsoo helpfully informed him.

“Fine, then buy me some toffees,” Sungyeol ordered, happily receiving the little bag of fat honey-coloured toffees when Myungsoo returned, shaking his head amusedly at Sungyeol.

“Look at how beautiful that is,” Sungyeol said, holding one up to the light to see it glisten in its promise of sweet, creamy deliciousness. He was about to pop it into his mouth when Myungsoo stopped him.

“Don’t I get one?”

Sungyeol knew he wasn’t imagining the mischievous look in Myungsoo’s eye when he said it, so Sungyeol readily decided to play the game; holding the toffee out to Myungsoo but just short of Myungsoo’s mouth.

Myungsoo leaned forward to take it from Sungyeol, wrapping his own fingers around Sungyeol’s wrist in the pretext of holding his hand steady. Dropping his gaze at the last second so that his eyelashes swept his cheeks before his lips brushed Sungyeol’s fingers deliberately, the toffee disappeared into his mouth.

Sungyeol was speechless for a moment; he was clearly in the presence of a master. The tips of Myungsoo’s ears were flaming again, though, giving him away.

“Good?” Sungyeol asked, enthralled.

“Mmm,” Myungsoo replied, quickly turning away to check out Gladrags’. Sungyeol grinned at his back. Damn, he was sold.

They finally decided to make their way back once the sun dipped below the horizon, after they’d had something to eat at The Three Broomsticks. Sungyeol didn’t want to leave, even while he wanted to run back and yell at Woohyun for three hours straight about how amazingly well the date had gone. There had been rough patches here and there when either one had gotten awkward or embarrassed about their growing mutual attraction, not wanting to address it head-on while trying to encourage the other to show some kind of sign of their feelings, but mostly it had gone swimmingly – they shared many common interests and they could talk about more or less anything without being worried that the other thought they were boring or talking about things they didn’t understand. The Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch rivalry they shared was something they enjoyed falling back on to use as bait to tease each other – Sungyeol was genuinely interested about how things would go when they actually played each other; a game that was coming up fast.

“Do you think we’ll hate each other after the match?” Sungyeol asked, the lights of the castle coming into view.

“I’ll try my best to spare your pride,” Myungsoo offered magnanimously, laughing when Sungyeol gave him an exasperated face. He hit Sungyeol playfully, hand sliding down Sungyeol’s arm as if he wanted to prolong the contact without being too obvious about it, and Sungyeol seized his chance. He caught Myungsoo’s hand before he could pull it away and tried to entwine their fingers together, only succeeding in getting them tangled. They got it right on the second try, Sungyeol highly grateful for the dark surrounding them so nobody could see how badly he was blushing at the botched attempt. Myungsoo had gone quiet, holding tightly on to Sungyeol’s hand, and Sungyeol found the courage to caress Myungsoo’s index finger lightly with his thumb. He nearly laughed out loud at the image of Woohyun shouting at him for rushing things again but managed to thankfully stop himself in time.

They let go of each other as they approached the castle grounds, walking up in companionable silence to the main doors where they’d have to separate; Myungsoo to the Hufflepuff basement near the kitchens and Sungyeol to Gryffindor Tower.

“Um, thanks for today,” Sungyeol said, feeling awkward once again. How does one say goodbye at the end of a date? With his ex-girlfriend they’d both been Gryffindors and had hardly gone out much, just meeting mostly in their common room; he had no idea how to end a date smoothly when both parties were going to separate dorms.

Myungsoo reached for Sungyeol’s hand again after casting a quick eye around to check if anyone was looking.

“I’ll see you again soon?” It was a no-brainer. Sungyeol may have nodded in answer a bit too emphatically.

Myungsoo smiled, releasing his hand and turned to go, smiling again over his shoulder. Sungyeol ran all the way back to Gryffindor Tower, suddenly bursting with supernova energy.

*