Jonghyun shot up and like a bullet he was in Taemin's arms.

"Aren't they cute?" Kibum happily watched the couple while Minho stared at them miserably "adorable"

"Can't you just be happy for him?" Kibum whispered angrily, lucky the couple were so caught up in each other; they didn't hear him.

"You just don't get it, Kibum" Minho whispered back but little did he know Kibum knew exactly what he was feeling. He knew the feeling of unrequited affection quite well. The two then kept to themselves and didn't dare to make eye contact.

 

Meanwhile Taemin and Jonghyun were talking amongst themselves, they released one another and opted to intertwine their fingers, their rings scrapped against each other and it filled Jonghyun with joy to know Taemin accepted the gift and was now wearing it.

"Taemin, I'm glad you're here, I've written some notes that could help with-" "can we not study today" Taemin looked expectantly at Jonghyun.

"Sure but what are we gonna do I have-" "i wanna show you something" Taemin dragged Jonghyun out of the library leaving a very confused Kibum and a very glum Minho behind.

 

Taemin easily dragged Jonghyun through corridors of the castle until they were finally outside. It was early January and the castle was still coated in snow.

Jonghyun was confused as to why he was being led outside but didn't say anything, Taemin was too excited and he'd rather not dampen his mood.

"You're going to love it" Taemin reassured, feeling his confusion. Jonghyun would often forget that he could do that and held Taemin's hand tighter.

They came closer and closer to the black lake and amongst the frozen trees was a patch of green, hidden and almost invisible. One would miss it unless they were looking for it. 

 

Taemin led Jonghyun to the patch of green where he was amazed. Caged in ice was a secret place that he assumed only Taemin knew about. He rubbed his eyes and squinted just to make sure it wasn't just his imagination. 

There was green grass, beautiful flower beds and trees that still had their leaves. 

 

Jonghyun wasn't as into gardening as  much Taemin was but the harsh winter at Hogwarts had started making Jonghyun depressed. He loved winter and the cold but seeing everything frozen and dead was unnerving for him. He told Minho all he wanted was to see one flower and he'd be happy. Minho suggested they visit the greenhouse, Jonghyun just shook his head and sighed, he would rather wait for spring and he would've waited too but Taemin felt what he felt; he knew his feelings and he delivered. Jonghyun breathed in the fresh, crisp air.

 

He turned to Taemin and only asked "how?" 

Taemin shrugged and with a smug expression replied "magic" 

They sat down upon the grass and Taemin explained how Shindong was responsible for tending to the garden when he was busy or away and used a spell in winter to keep it the way it is. 

"I guess you could say it's my happy place..........it can be yours too, if you want it to be" Taemin smiled and leaned against one of the trees. 

"Thank you" Jonghyun whispered, he stood up and started examining the flower beds. 

He came close to Taemin's favourite. Diphylleia grayi. But he missed them because they were so small.

 

"Come look at this" Taemin moved and crouched down next to them, Jonghyun was next to him in a second. He watched in amazement as Taemin cast a simple "aquamenti" wetting the flower to reveal their second form. When wet their white petals would turn transparent, the veins would remain white, making i

Them look like floral skeletons. Jonghyun reached out to touch them; just to see if it was real. 

 

"They are beautiful" Jonghyun breathed out and Taemin did the opposite by breathing in, they were completely unaware of their synchronised breathing. When one exhaled the other inhaled; filling their lungs with the same air as if it was the most natural thing on earth. 

Taemin didn't know what came over him then. It could've been unusual warmth he felt whenever he was around Jonghyun even in the cold of winter that made him feel comfortable enough to reveal his feelings; or perhaps it was the thought of his favourite person in his favourite place, admiring his favourite flower. 

 

His eyes wouldn't leave Jonghyun's face while Jonghyun wasn't faceing him. It was barely above a whisper but was still easily heard.

"I love you" 

Jonghyuns eyes widened and he faced Taemin in surprise.

Taemin was also in shock but didn't dare take back his words, not only would he be lying to himself but he would also be lying to Jonghyun.

"I love you too" 

Both of them felt a sense of déjà vu; that they've said the same words to each other at a different place, in a different time. Their feelings were always unexplainable but love seemed to fit them best. 

 

Jonghyun began to sniff as he was close to tears, his eyes were watery and they were also blue. Taemin stared as he remembered the first time he saw Jonghyun. He assumed the flash of blue was just a trick of the light or his imagination but now they remained blue until his left eye slowly faded to its usual brown. 

Jonghyun then frowned "why are you looking at me like that?"

Taemin gently grabbed Jonghyuns face and inspected his eyes closer.

"Jonghyun, your eyes are weird"

 

This seemed to set Jonghyun off. He lurched backwards, away from Taemin and covered his right eye with his hand.

"!" He hissed. It was the first time he heard Jonghyun swear and he decided he didn't like it. Jonghyuns voice was airy and soft and such language didn't suit him. 

He moved closer to Jonghyun and removed his hand from his eye to reveal the blue. 

"You weren't supposed to see that" Jonghyun kept his head down. 

"Why?" Taemin tried to meet his eyes. "You said yourself my eyes are weird" 

 

Taemin once again grabbed Jonghyuns face "hey, look at me. I only said that because I've never seen something like that and to me your eyes have always been brown, why do you hide them?"

Jonghyun went blank and started to speak in monotone "kids used to think it was a disease and that it was contagious, they would all run away from me whenever I got close. It got to the point where they started throwing things at me. One threw a stone really close to my eye" he pointed to a small scar right above his left eye "Before Kibum and I started school, my mother cast a charm on them; it's kinda faulty though and I'm not very good at casting it myself"

 

Taemin then blurted out "but it's not a disease right?" Before quickly shutting himself up and realising what he said was rude.

Jonghyun genuinely laughed leaned his head on his shoulder "no it's not, even though it can be; mine is a genetic mosaicism; it's called Heterochromia iridum" Taemin didn't understand what any of those words meant thankfully Jonghyun felt his confusion and explained it for Taemin in a simpler way. 

 

 

 

 

Taemin started to run his fingers through Jonghyuns white hair which caused him to turn around. 

"I love you" Taemin said, looking deeply into Jonghyuns oddly coloured eyes, growing more and more fond of them.

"I know" Jonghyun replied as he leaned into Taemin and closed the space between both of their lips.