A/N: If you're a fan of the Office, then you already know lmao

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- February 26, 2010 - 

Rain drizzled down the windows of the Great Hall, making everything seem colder than it actually was. The fire was roaring in the hearth behind Minho, Kibum, and Analecia, but even then, a shiver ran down Minho’s spine as he glanced back at the gray sky visible through the raindrops racing down the windowpane. He grabbed a still-warm scone and the butter dish, slathering it on the scone before he reached for the dirigible plum marmalade. 

Analecia and Callum were bickering about something, but Minho didn’t care enough to figure out what about. It was way too early for that . He let out a sigh that drew Kibum’s attention, and his eyebrow rose in question. Minho smiled back with a slight shake of his head, and after nodding, Kibum returned his attention to the argument. 

“I don’t see why it’s a big deal,” he said, scooping up more of his eggs. “It’s just decorations, right? Who cares where it came from?” 

“Thank you!” Analecia said. 

Callum shook his head, and once he finished chewing, he swallowed and said, “I mean, I guess, but it’s just weird, that’s all.” 

Minho sighed. “What’s this about again?” 

“One of the fourth year boys has some weird art hanging up in his room. I think his little sister made it, and the other fourth years don’t like it and want him to take it down. There was a whole shouting match this morning. Woke me up.”

“Yeah, it was quite the row.” 

“Is it offensive?” Minho asked.

Kibum and Analecia shook their heads, and she said, “It’s just weird. Very clear that some little kid did it.” 

“I don’t see what the problem is then,” Minho said at the exact same time Kibum did. “Jinx!” Kibum called out before Minho could, then laughed when Minho grimaced. “You owe me a butterbeer!” 

… He bit his lip, sighing and rolling his eyes when Kibum wagged a finger at him, and Minho scrunched up his nose in response, which only made Kibum grin wider. “Let’s be sure to include Minho in the conversation, guys,” Kibum said, laughing as he turned back to the others after Minho flipped him off.

For the rest of breakfast, Kibum, Aaron, Callum, and even Analecia continued to ask Minho questions while he silently ate, all highly amused that he couldn’t talk now. It was a Friday, which meant that a trip to Hogsmeade for butterbeer was off the table...unless he used the secret passageway. He’d rather not, though, and Kibum knew it, so he continued this onslaught of teasing after they had adjourned to the library to study before their Defense lesson. 

“Minho?” Kibum asked, his voice dripping with faux innocence. Minho’s eyebrows shot up, but he didn’t even glance Kibum’s way. Instead, he turned the page of his textbook and tried very hard not to smile. “Can you find where Inferi are mentioned in Confronting the Faceless and read it out loud? I’d like to check our notes.” Across the table, Callum snickered, but Minho just continued to ignore him, though he couldn’t hide his growing smile.

The gang of Slytherins kept hounding him until O’Neely descended from his office, all grinning at him as he shook his head with an ill-concealed smile. “Where’d we leave off?”

Priyasha raised her hand several rows ahead of them. “With imps, sir!” 

“Imps…” He unrolled his scroll a little further, nodding before he set it back down. “Let’s open Confronting the Faceless to page two-hundred forty-seven, please? We’ll begin our review on what we know about acromantula.” Minho turned, reaching for his backpack to grab his book. “Yes, Mr. Kim?” 

He sat back up, turning to Kibum, who was definitely suppressing a smile as he lowered his hand. “Sir, I was wondering if it’d be okay for Minho to tell us about his experience with the acromantula, given that he’s probably the only one here who has actually dealt with them.” 

Aaron let out a muffled snort when Minho scoffed and stared incredulously at Kibum. 

O’Neely seemed to be none the wiser, given how his response was: “Minho, if you’re comfortable with that, you can go ahead?” 

Kibum, somehow, held his mirth back behind a mask of quiet encouragement, belied only by the twinkle in his eye. Minho, trying not to smile, turned away and slowly stood. He ignored Analecia, Callum, and Aaron’s expressions as he cleared his throat. He opened his mouth but didn’t utter so much as a squeak. Instead, he snapped it back closed again, furrowing his brow as his bottom lip trembled. He covered his face with his hand, shaking his head as he sat back down. 

“It’s okay, Minho,” O’Neely said, his voice soft and comforting. Minho almost felt bad, but the shocked looks of the others were making up for it. “I think all of us can understand why you can’t talk about it yet.” There were some nods and murmurs from the rest of the class before everyone returned their attention to O’Neely.

Everyone aside from Kibum. 

Minho waited a few more minutes before he looked over at his boyfriend. His dimples were showing as he pursed his lips to keep from smiling, then he picked up the quill and pulled their notes closer to him. 

Well played was all he said, and Minho couldn’t stop smiling until the bell rang, dismissing them for lunch. 

In the hurry to get downstairs, Minho didn’t notice that Kibum wasn’t with them until they arrived at Slytherin’s table. He looked around, confused at where he could be, but when he looked back at Analecia, she looked confused too. Until, that is, Kibum appeared in the threshold, a bottle of...was that butterbeer?.. in his hand. He sat beside Minho, setting the butterbeer in front of him and raising his eyebrows expectantly. Slowly, Minho slid the bottle back over to him, 

“Fake crying? Really?” Minho burst out laughing. “The game is over now, you can talk now.” 

Minho sobered up enough to say, “I think you just missed the sound of my voice,” as he picked up the sandwich off of his plate.

Kibum scoffed and unscrewed the cap off the bottle as he muttered in Korean, “You’re saying that would stab the king in the .” 

Minho nearly choked on his bite of sandwich, but he managed to swallow it before he started laughing again. 

“Merlin’s beard, you two are noisy,” Analecia said, shaking her head in amusement. 

“How about this?” Callum said, leaning toward them. “I know how competitive you two are. Let’s see who can stay quiet between you the longest.” 

Kibum stared at him while Minho shrugged. He’d done it for a few hours already, what were a few more? “I lose,” Kibum said immediately, which only started Minho laughing again.