When Jeno returns home for Christmas at the end of his sixth year, he didn’t expect to already have guests over. Though he’s home a day later than usual for he stayed behind at Hogwarts for an extra day to file some paperwork. (Being head boy of Gryffindor was a demanding job).

But Christmas wasn’t in for another two days, and though the Lee’s ridiculously large mansion could house almost half the neighborhood, Jeno still wonders why there is still an unknown couple sitting in his living room. 

He puts down his suitcase on the table by the moving portrait of his late grandfather and removes his coat, mumbling a quick thanks when one of the house elves takes his things to his room.

Jeno eyes the strangers who are seemingly having an amusing conversation with his parents as he titters through the hallway. He knows they aren’t some random couple his parents offered to house for the holiday because they’re dressed in luxurious clothing as similar as his parents, pearls glistening around the women’s neck and wrists.

The chattering stops and suddenly all eyes are on him, the clicking of his oxfords to blame for announcing his presence. Jeno receives a warm smile from his mother before she gets up from her seat to pull her son in an embrace.

“Welcome home, son.” She greets, tiptoeing slightly to gently kiss the boy’s cheek.

“Who are these people, mother?” He asks softly, grinning awkwardly when he makes eye contact with the man sitting next to his father. His mother places a graceful hand on Jeno’s back, guiding him towards the center of the room where he could clearly see their guests.

She introduces the couple as Mr. and Mrs. Na, fellow investors with their own company. Apparently they were a pureblooded Slytherin family who are equally as influential in the wizarding world as the Lee’s, yet he wonders why he has never heard his parents talk about them.

Jeno straightens himself out when he hears about their status, greeting them formally and introducing himself with a polite 90-degree bow.

“Oh he’s such a fine young man, Tiffany.” Mrs. Na comments, eyes twinkling as she gazes at Jeno oh so fondly. “He’s perfect for our Jaemin.”

Jeno almost chokes at this. He turns to look at his mother, confused. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Jaemin is your future husband.” His father explains with a slight chuckle. “We’ve agreed with the Na’s to join our companies and build up an even larger empire. You’ll be wed with Jaemin once you’ve both graduated from Hogwarts to seal the deal.”

Jeno doesn’t have the chance to say a single word. He is speechless, his mouth hanging open slightly.

“Mother, when is this Jeno boy coming?” A voice resonates from the hallway, and Jeno turns to look at its owner. “I’ve got my own things to do – oh.”

Jeno would think that getting married to this future husband of his wouldn’t be too bad if not for the sly smirk gracing his lips as he eyes him from head to toe. They’ve literally only just met yet this Slytherin boy was already getting on his nerves.

“Ah, Jaemin, there you are.” Mrs. Na exclaims, getting up and making her way next to her son. “This is Jeno, but I’m sure you already know each other from school.”

“I’ve never seen him before in my life,” Jeno mumbles under his breath. It was true though, for Jeno was someone who preferred to keep to himself. As head boy, he only knew things within his own house and his own people, rarely socializing with others. He was one of the best students, yet choosing to stick with his own small group of trustworthy friends, for those who knew of his status would only take advantage of it. 

“Me neither,” Jaemin shrugs. “I’m always busy with Quidditch anyways.”

On the other hand, Jaemin was a pretty outgoing kid. Better known as one of the chasers for Slytherin, he was always socializing, though he’s never come across Gryffindor’s head boy. He wasn’t surprised that Jeno has never heard of him – because even if they did know each other, they wouldn’t exactly be friends.

Jeno sighs exasperatedly, wondering what on earth he’s done in his past life to have been cursed with an arranged marriage this way.

-

The two boys sit awkwardly in the quiet living room, both their parents leaving them alone to “bond”. They’ve been silent for almost ten minutes, the only sound in the room being their teacups refilling themselves.

Jeno sighs for what seems to be the hundredth time that night, hand curling around the ceramic teacup as he sips on his tea. Clearing his throat afterwards, he decides to break the silence.

“Look,” he begins; pausing slightly to make sure the other boy was listening to him. “We don’t care about each other, obviously, and we both don’t want this but –“

“Who says I don’t?” Jaemin cuts him off in a teasing manner, smirking when he catches the Gryffindor off guard. “This might benefit the both of us.”

“How on earth is this arranged marriage beneficial to us?”

“We’ll figure it out,” Jaemin shrugs. “I don’t have any plans after Hogwarts, anyways.”

“Seriously?” Jeno deadpans. “You may not have a plan but I do. I planned to ace the NEWTs, graduate happily and then work my way up the Ministry of Magic; but looks like that’s not gonna happen anymore with this stupid marriage.”

“Oh you poor little thing,” the Slytherin coos, patting the other’s dark hair for the fun of it.

Jeno scoffs and brushes him off, scooting away from him slightly. “Anyways, we still have another year at Hogwarts, and I don’t plan on having any distractions so if you could kindly not talk to me at school, that’ll be great.”

“We will carry on living through our seventh year the same way we did for the past six, not knowing each other.” He adds on.

“No promises, Lee.” Jaemin winks.

“I mean it, Na. I don’t want to be seen associating with you.”

“You’re such a square.” 

- 

Seventh year comes along quickly, and Jeno finds himself cooped up in the library more often than usual. He tells himself that he’s just working extra hard for the upcoming NEWTs, but really, he’s just trying to avoid a certain someone.

Said person has been a pain in the ever since the Christmas break, poking fun at him and constantly calling him a square. He’s been blatantly forgoing Jeno’s request of pretending to not know him on campus, shamelessly sitting next to him in classes and bravely calling him darling right in front of his friends.

(His friends wouldn’t stop teasing him ever since they found out about the arranged marriage. Mark even offered to be his best man.)

Which is why he hides away in this considerably secluded spot in the corner of the library, wrecking his brain to concentrate on the parchments spread out in front of him. But his mind seems to continuously recall a pair of large doe eyes and a blinding smile.

“Found you!”

Jeno groans, throwing his head back in disbelief. He tugs at his hair frustratingly, burying himself face-first in his potions book as he ignores the presence behind him. He begins to repeatedly knock his forehead against the pages when Jaemin doesn’t stop talking.

 “Oh don’t do that to your handsome face, honey.” The Slytherin taunts, giggling when Jeno lets out a dramatic sob into his book. “I’d like my future husband’s face to be in one piece when I marry him, thank you very much.”

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Jeno questions in a muffled voice, still face-planted into his potions book. “And how did you even find me?”

“Nope, practice is cancelled.” Jaemin replies with a smack of his lips, pulling out a chair and plopping his down next to the boy. “And Jisungie said I’d find you here.”

Jisungie? Seriously? That boy is dead to me.

“In the name of Godric Gryffindor will you please just stop this?” Jeno complains, finally pulling his face away from his book to face the younger with a frown. “Stop talking to me and stop talking to my friends. You’re being such a pain, Na.”

Jaemin gives a playful smile and his head to the side. “What kind of pain? The good kind?”

Jeno scoffs, resisting the urge to hex the boy. He diverts his attention back to his books, aggressively flipping through the pages.

ing Slytherins and their damn mouth.

“You know,” said Slytherin speaks once more, to Jeno’s distaste. “You should smile more. That constant frown is gonna wrinkle you up like a prune before you even turn thirty.”

“I do smile, just not when you’re around.” Jeno grumbles. “What’s it to you?” 

“Oh nothing. I just want my future husband to actually look like my husband and not my father when we’re older.” He teases, resting his chin on the Gryffindor’s shoulder before whispering into his ear. “Unless you’d like me to call you daddy?”

Jeno reddens and smacks him with a roll of parchment.

-

“Come watch my Quidditch match tomorrow.” Jaemin requests, no, demands when he openly approaches the Gryffindor in the grand hall.

Jeno ignores him, continuing to nibble at his pumpkin pasties while scribbling in his notebook. Jaemin impatiently pokes his cheek for a response but the older pays no mind.

“Hey, I’m not a ghost.”

Mark quirks a seagull brow from across the table at Jeno’s lack of response, nudging him under the table with his legs. The head boy wordlessly picks at another pumpkin pasty and flips to another page on his notebook.

Jaemin pouts. “You better r