- February 4, 2010 - 

"Minho," Kibum murmured with a weak chuckle. "You should go to class." 

Minho pressed the back of his fingers against Kibum's clammy forehead, shaking his head. "I've still got another hour." 

"Do you want to get sick, too?"

Minho rolled his eyes, sighing. It had snowed over the weekend — the first time in weeks — and so he and Kibum showed Gil and Analecia the pond behind Hogsmeade. Kibum, despite Minho's nagging, only wore a sweater and one of Minho's hoodies for the excursions into the snow. Because of that, he was stuck in bed, sniffing and sneezing and shivering. 

Really, he knew that if he wanted Kibum to rest, then he did actually need to leave, or else he would be too stubborn and refuse to sleep, like he was doing right now. 

"Of course, I don't want to get sick," Minho said, picking up the cup of tea he had brought in and passing it to Kibum. "I think it's cool enough, now." 

"Unlike you," Kibum said, grinning blearily at him when Minho let out an amused gasp. 

"Good to know you're still sarcastic when you're sick." 

"I can't let you get too big of a head, can I?" He took a tentative sip, then another, longer one.

"I suppose not." 

"Besides, it's just a little cold."

Minho hummed then made to stand only to freeze at Kibum’s protesting whine. “What?” he asked, laughing. 

“You’re leaving?” Minho’s eyebrows rose in the center as he nodded, amused. “Without a kiss goodbye?” 

He let out an exasperated sigh and leaned forward, kissing Kibum’s hair. “That’ll have to do, for now. Don’t pout at me,” he added as he turned and started for the door. “I’ll be back with some lunch if you’re not feeling better by then, okay?” He paused in the doorway, looking back at the disgruntled Kibum who was busying himself with arranging his blanket around himself. “Okay?” 

“That’s fine, yeah.” 

“Try to sleep.” 

“Just for you, I won’t.” Minho shook his head, smiling, and closed the door behind him. 

He made his way up to the library in search of the others who were all undoubtedly reviewing the reading that Crowell had them do on human transfiguration before their test today. It was the last subject in The Guide to Advanced Transfiguration, which meant that the review of their entire curriculum over the past seven years was coming up soon. It was unfortunate that Kibum was sick today, but it just meant he’d have to retake the test before their next class. 

Minho continued to read until Crowell told them to put their books away so she could distribute the test. It wasn’t bad. Well, not too bad. It turned out to be half multiple choice and half essay questions. He barely had enough time to finish up his answer on how a witch or wizard could untransfigure themselves if they changed into an inanimate object — without the aid of another witch or wizard — before Crowell called time and collected their tests. 

He collected his things, stuffing them in his backpack before he headed out the door and back to the library, only…

“Minho!” He froze at the sound of Damien’s voice, his backpack strap slipping to the edge of his shoulder before he adjusted it as Damien came around to stand before him. “Can we talk?” 

Blinking slowly, he stared mutely at him. What did he want? Surely, he couldn’t be here to antagonize him again… It had been years since he had last done so, and he couldn’t imagine that he’d want to start up again all of the sudden. But even if he did...it was just Damien, not a dragon, or a host of acromantula and dementors. He could handle whatever he was about to do, now. 

“Sure.” 

Damien relaxed a little, sighing as he turned away from Minho, glancing around at the fourth years who were filing into the room. “Come on.” 

Tentatively, Minho followed him out of the classroom and up the Grand Staircase, stopping just inside the doorway of an abandoned classroom on the second floor. “What’s this about?” he asked, his brow furrowing when Damien closed the door behind him. 

He moved past him and settled into one of the dust-lined desks a few paces away. “I... Well, I wanted to apologize.” Minho’s eyes widened, and he leaned against the former teacher's desk across from Damien for support. “I was a bloody prat to you for years and, well, as much as I wish there were, I don’t really have a  reason. I mean, I know why I did it but that doesn’t excuse any of it. I should have taken my problems out on you.” He shook his head, looking away from Minho and rubbing his hands over his face.

“What--” Minho’s voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “What changed? Why now?” 

“Uh...O’Neely...O’Neely has been helping me sort through my ,” he said with a nervous chuckle. “Ever since, well, you know.” Minho nodded. Yeah, he did. The day back in fifth year, where Damien hexed him on purpose and Kibum lost his Prefect status for fighting. “And, do you know how rare it is to find you without Kibum by your side? I can’t imagine that he’d want me anywhere near you, even to apologize.”

Minho looked down at the floorboards between them with a small smile. That was definitely true. In fact, he’d probably be upset when he found out about this little meeting. 

“I really am sorry for what I did to you,” he said when Minho met his gaze again. “I can’t even imagine how much more difficult I made things for you, and for that, I’m truly, deeply sorry.” He closed his eyes for a second, letting out a long sigh before he looked back up at Minho. “I’m not expecting friendship or even forgiveness, but, I just needed, for my own conscience, to apologize.” 

Minho nodded, gulping as he averted his eyes. It was true, he could never be friends with Damien, not after everything, but there didn’t need to be any animosity between them either. There hadn’t been, since that day. In fact, Damien barely met his eye, let alone joked around with him like a friend would. But... His apology seemed genuine, and Minho couldn’t blame him for wanting closure. It was something he also yearned for.

He pushed off the teacher’s desk and went over to sit at the desk beside Damien. The weight of his gaze was on him until he looked up, meeting it. “I don’t think we can ever be friends, and you know that,” Minho said, chewing the inside of his cheek for a second before he continued. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be, well, friendly, right?” Damien’s eyebrows shot up. “I mean, I can tell that you’ve changed and that you mean what you say, so it’d be kinda rude on my part if I didn’t forgive you.” 

“Not really. I was a complete dickhead for no real reason, on your end.” 

Minho let out a sniff of a laugh. True. “Still…” He stuck his hand out, waiting until Damien clasped it to shake his hand. “I forgive you.” 

Damien’s grip tightened for a second, and he let out a heavy sigh. “Thank you.” 

After brushing the dust off their robes, they parted ways at the door, Minho watching Damien until he disappeared behind the banister leading up to the stairs. He adjusted his backpack straps before he headed downstairs toward Slytherin instead of Hufflepuff. He let himself inside and went straight back to Kibum’s room. 

He stirred as soon as Minho opened the door, blearily sitting up and watching his progress into the room. “No lunch?” he mumbled. 

Minho shook his head and sat on the edge of Kibum’s bed, checking his temperature with the back of his fingers when Kibum settled against his pillows. Still warm, though that could have just been from sleeping all bundled up like he was. “Not yet. Something interesting just happened, that’s all.” Kibum hummed in tired interest, but his eyes were already drooping closed again. “It can wait, though,” he added with a smile when Kibum let out a quiet snore.

Leaning forward, Minho kissed his forehead and tucked the blankets back around him. “Sleep well, sweetheart,” he said softly before he slipped out of the room to go put his books away.