A/N: Usual rules: flashbacks in italic, double lines to signalize a big time skip (a day), single lines for small time skips. This fic is a special gift to some friends, birthday girl Geri ,and as an early gift bday gift to Sev and Pooh just in case I fail to delivery anything in time! Good read!

Minjoo checked her phone screen one more time, her lips curling up in displease – phones were useless in Hogwarts or almost it. Her older sister, Arin, had helped her and twin sister, Yerim, to get their phones to work there, but there was no signal or wi-fi, so she could only use the apps and files she already had there. Battery wasn’t a problem since they could manipulate it too, therefore Minjoo would always bring it with her to school, just like her sisters did.

Right now, she wasn’t sure if it was the best idea.

The device on her hand was filled with pictures she loved, from people she loved. Like her loud, loving family – her moms, the powerful witch who would teach her jinx to repel bullies, and her muggle mom who liked to tell silly jokes and had bought the phone to help them keep in touch if she ever got lost in the muggle world, her twin-sister with whom she shared almost everything, and her older sister who was always looking after her even though they belonged to different houses at school…Those were some of the pictures she loved the most, but not the only ones. A bunch of pictures of her friends, pictures of food and even landscapes were also part of her gallery, but a file in special was the one bothering her.

As expected of someone like Minjoo, she loved to keep the things and people she loved closer to her heart, and her girlfriend was no exception. Hence why she had a ridiculous amount of pictures of Chaewon on her phone, as well as a bunch of pictures of them together and even a selfie of Chae on the back of her phone –  in times like this she couldn’t really blame her sisters for teasing her, she was feeling pretty foolish at the moment too.

Kim Chaewon and her annoyingly cute face didn’t deserve her affection after acting like such an idiot two nights ago. So different from the loving girl who was even willing to buy a phone she would barely use just so they could keep in contact during the summer…But that was a long time ago and clearly things had changed ever since.

Putting down her phone, Minjoo let herself fall onto the soft bed, allowing her mind to travel back to over two years ago, when all she worried about was getting into the Hufflepuff quidditch team.

The Kims – the other Kims, Chaewon’s parents – had a huge backyard, surrounded by the green forest and a special barrier that wouldn’t allow any muggles in, making the place just perfect for quidditch practice. And of course, Chae and Minjoo didn’t waste the chance of using it. It was summer and they had plenty of time to perfect their flying skills and train for the quidditch try outs that would happen as soon as they went back to school next month.

Minjoo and Chaewon didn’t belong to the same Hogwarts house, actually, they were placed in the most contrasting ones – Hufflepuff and Slytherin, respectively. Regardless, it was never a problem for them. Having known each other pretty much since birth, the house rivalry never looked like such a big deal – especially considering Minjoo had two family members from the same house as Chaewon, making it easier for her to look past the bias and ignore any prejudice her housemates could show to the green and silver house; at least most of the time.

Now that they were heading to their fourth year in the magic school, both girls had decided to take the chance and try get into the teams of their respective houses – for Minjoo’s muggle mother wonder and for her wizard mom absolute horror, she had decided to try and become a keeper. As for Chaewon, she had picked a good position for someone as light and fast, but with enough aggressivity build inside, and would try to become a chaser – and just like Minjoo, her parents were divided between complete joy and worry, although Jiyeon had found the best broomstick she could buy and Luda only relaxing after having bought Chaewon all sort of protective gear she could get; Jungeun did the same for her own kid.

Since Chaewon only had an older sister who was currently busy studying for exams – and everyone knew how much Yena loathed studying, but she wouldn’t be able to escape this time –, she could only rarely count with her help and had to rely on her mother to help her practice during the weekends. But whenever Minjoo and her sisters came by, they would use this time to practice together – they made Yerim and Arin tag along once in a while, even though the first was too busy trying to get a pet dragon and the latter always claimed to not have much free time as her exams would happen soon and she also had to prepare to deal with her prefect obligations now.

What meant that most of the time they would be on their own, training until the sun disappeared in the horizon and they were both too sweaty and tired to properly function – it was terribly tiring, but they loved every moment, moreover, they loved playing together.

That day was one of those days, where they end up laying side by side in Chaewon’s green lawn, as the sky slowly turned navy blue and their breaths became calmer. The girls exchanged glances, silly, happy, smiles on their faces. “You’re getting good at it. I could barely score any goals today.” Chaewon was the first one to speak, complimenting Min’s increasing ability at protecting the three hooped posts that served as a goal where the chaser should try to shoot a ball through it. It wasn’t like the young Slytherin to not go all in and make things easier for her, so Minjoo knew her compliment was as honest as her efforts to score today.

The younger brunette’s smile grew wider, a light blush on her cheeks. She was trying her best to get better to be accepted on the team, and it was good to see her efforts were paying off. “You still scored a bunch of points. You’re really fast, maybe you should be the seeker instead.”  She was just teasing her, after all she knew how determined the other girl was to make it into the team as a chaser regardless of her lean frame – and she would, because being stubborn runs in her family and Chaewon definitely had inherited the gene.

“And spend the whole game doing nothing but seek for something that will most likely never be caught?” Scoffing, Chaewon shook her head in a negative. She liked the thrill of the game, the emotion of trying and managing to score each point – the idea of a having a crowd cheering her up as she brought the team to the victory was enough to make her want to do her best. Dressing the colors of the house that her parents belonged to and she was now a part of, and making them proud was something she really wanted to try. “Make sure to make into the team, so I can score my first goal on the Hufflepuffs!”

 As expected, her teasing worked and Minjoo’s smile turned into an unpleased pout as she shoved her lightly. “As if I would let you!” She shoved her by the shoulder once more and would have continued to argue, telling Chae about how great the Hufflepuff team was and how she wouldn’t let Chaewon score a single goal, but she heard the distinct sound of music playing – muggle music, a very familiar one – and she ran to go get the backpack she had left on a bench, searching for the electronic device inside of it.

It was her mother asking when she could come to pick her up and Minjoo replied she would stay over for dinner, but she would text her as soon as it was over.

Chaewon only watched from the distance, still sitting on the grass, resting her weight on her hands as she waited for Minjoo to comeback. Her sharp chestnut eyes noticed the small, rectangular device in her hand as the girl approached her again. “A cellphone.” She commented as she watched Minjoo putting it back on her pocket.

The younger girl blinked in surprise, before giving her a smirk. “Don’t tell me you actually pay attention to muggle studies?”

With a scoff, Chaewon shook her head. “Nope! But one of my moms is muggle born, remember?” She shrugged her shoulder. She didn’t have to pay attention to those things in class when she would see it at home one way or another – oddly, for a wizard, her mother was still very connected to technology, even though they lived in the wizard part of the city, Luda insisted on keeping some of her favorite items. “Mom doesn’t use it often, but I also see the muggles walking around with this kind of stuff stuck in their hands.”

Minjoo nodded, her smirk turning into a smile. Of course, if a Slytherin were to know about muggle things in such a natural way, it would be Chaewon. “Well, it’s pretty nice to use. My mother took me to buy it last summer.” Getting the phone out of her pocket, she handed it to the older brunette so she could take a better look at the device. “I love my owl, but it’s faster than her.”

“Hm, interesting. I don’t think Kriesha would feel very happy to hear it though.” The Slytherin girl said as she inspected the phone, thinking about the little brown owl Minjoo owns. It was a quite a smart and mischievous animal and she didn’t doubt it would snatch Min's phone away if it had the chance... Lifting her head up, Chaewon gave Minjoo a look as she handed back the phone. “Should I also get one?”

“I don’t know.” It was the younger Kim turn to shrug. Did Chaewon even need one when both her parents were wizards and she lived in a fully magical neighborhood? But a phone would still be nice to have if she ever needed to call a muggle relative…Or even Minjoo herself – Maybe she should get one. “Do you want one? It has other cool things you can play with and we could use it to communicate more often.”

Biting back a smile, Chaewon leaned back to rest on her palms, looking up to the sky in a falsely relaxed posture. Minjoo was always candid with her answers and she was very pleased with that one. “If I can use it to talk to you...Maybe?” Risking a look at the brunette who still watched her with curious eyes, she couldn’t help but to show her that silly smile that insisted on appearing on her face. “As long as my allowance can pay for it and you promise to not laugh if I at using that thing.”

Minjoo chuckled softly, nodding. “You get your allowance in galleons, I don’t think it will be a problem at all.” She clapped her hands in excitement – it was a silly thing to do, after all they already talked pretty much every day, but she was excited about the idea of being able to talk at all times without worrying about risking her owl's safety or getting nagged by her parents; a phone was much easier to hide than a stubborn owl who liked to act mischievous and peck her hands. “You are the one who teases me more, so we would only be even! But it’s pretty easy to use, you will get used to it in no time. Just tell me when you want to go, and I can ask my mother to drive us there.”

“No need, we can take the bus. I heard it can be pretty fun.” No, actually her mother Luda had called it a hell in wheels and it was the one thing about the muggle world she loathed – but it wasn’t relevant in the moment, she was sure her mom would forgive her for this little lie just this once. “Tomorrow morning, I will come to your place. Is it fine for you?” Minjoo only had time to nod before Chae continued. “So it’s a date!”

A date? As in a real date or a friendly one? Minjoo was pretty sure she could hear an undertone, slightly nervous, but excited in Chaewon’s sweet voice – and she knew her all too well to know she wasn’t one to say anything without thinking. Averting her gaze to the same blue sky Chae had been looking at before, she smiled to herself before saying: “Sure, it will be our date.”

The next morning, they had rode the bus – as Minjoo’s muggle mother, Haseul, instructed with very little excitement –, following the GPS on Minjoo’s phone to not get lost.  They still got a little lost, what Chaewon blamed on the bus for making her feel a little ‘carsick’. Minjoo didn’t comment on that, but they both knew the older Kim was just bad with directions.

They spent more time getting to the store than actually buying anything, with Chaewon not really bothering looking around before picking a phone that was just like Min’s – but in a pretty ugly shade of yellow that made the younger girl have to hold back a grimace, suggesting her to buy a phone case right away. As soon as they were out of the store, Chaewon already added her number to the device, claiming she was getting the ‘hang of it’ and would text Minjoo later – Minjoo had a suspicious it might not have been the first time she used that kind of device. “But for now, let’s enjoying talking in person!”

And she surely had, dragging Minjoo to every store she could find, under the excuse of being curious about the muggle world, when it was clear she just wanted an excuse to hold Minjoo’s hand and extend their date – Minjoo didn’t say anything though, actually she held a little tighter to Chaewon’s hand and enthusiastically showed her favorite places, enjoying every moment they spent together.

She enjoyed it so much, that she didn’t even tease Chaewon later when she contacted her though her owl, claiming to be having ‘trouble’ using her phone, and asking her to come over for a visit the next morning to help with it – Chaewon was incredibly obvious, but that was another thing the young Hufflepuff would never complain about. Instead, she agreed right away – or almost, having to bribe Kriesha with some food before the owl agreed on delivering her message –, anxious to see Chaewon again.

That summer they spent a lot more time together, be it under the excuse of teaching Chaewon to use her phone, or practicing quidditch, or even going on dates to explore the muggle and wizard world – she didn’t mind either, as long as Chae held her hand all the way, and the older girl never failed to do so.

They shared the interest for many things, being quidditch the most frequent topic, but that summer Minjoo realized that the sport wasn’t the only thing she was interested in – and she was aware it was the same for Chaewon.

It was the start of one of the best school years for them.

They hadn’t started to date until their fifth year, still they were already so close and there was no one else in Minjoo’s mind or heart back then – it was still true to this day. Chaewon and her were together for almost two years and she loved her to pieces, no matter how stubborn her girlfriend could be sometimes.

Nonetheless, Minjoo still had her pride and for this once, she wouldn’t back down. It was more than just a couple fight – okay, maybe it wasn’t that serious, but the topic of the discussion was important for her. She couldn’t just give in when she wasn’t the only one in the wrong. It was hard to believe that the very thing that had brought them together so many times before was now the one thing breaking them apart – quidditch, more specifically the rivalry between their teams.

And all because for the first time since they had become members of their teams, they would be playing against each other instead of side by side.

“Sis? Not allowed to fall asleep again, we have to go down to eat breakfast!” Yerim said in her usual cheerful tone, coming to give her a bear hug. They shared a room ever since they had came to Hogwarts, having been placed in the same house, the twins were never away from each other. She was lucky to have Yerim’s company always, with time the two of them had made many friends there, like their other roommate Yuri, but there was something really special about the sisterly bond. “Are you alright? Still haven’t talked to Chaewon?”

Refraining from grimacing, she just shook her head in a negative, hugging her sister back. “I won’t be the one to apologize first. She went too far this time.” Pursing her lips in a line, she thought about what happened two days ago and albeit she could admit she also went a little overboard, she couldn’t simply brush aside their argument.

Yerim nodded in understanding, patting her back gently. “I hope you guys can fix things, I don’t like seeing you like this.” Giving her a small smile, her sister tried to comfort her the best way she could – She wasn’t exactly known for being good at it, after all Yerim was the sunshine of their house 24/7, dealing with any negativity was just out of character to her. “But if it serves of any comfort, Arin said she is looking like now.”

The unexpected sentence made Minjoo laugh, she couldn’t help it when Yerim delivered the line with such a serious expression, although she could bet Arin had just been mocking Chaewon when she told her about it – their older sister was a senior and belonged to the same house as Chaewon, her dorm located in the Slytherin dungeons, and she was probably giving her girlfriend a tough time now. Minjoo almost felt bad for her girl. Almost. “I don’t want her to feel bad, she might be a snob Slytherin, but I still love her.” She admitted with a sigh – that’s what she gets for dating someone from the opposite team –, standing up and pulling her sister with her, so they could leave the room and head to the great hall for breakfast. “I just want to prove her wrong tomorrow. Just want to show her that our team is as good…No, that we’re better than the other teams!”

The slightly younger girl nodded in agreement, raising her fist to cheer for her Minjoo. “You will! You can do it, fighting!”  As usual, Yerim was being the best supporter anyone could ask for and it was enough to give the keeper a little boost of confidence.

Giving her sister as easy smile, she quickened her steps, determined to not allow her girlfriend to ruin her mood today and keep her focus on doing her best at the game.

The game would be tomorrow and she wasn’t sure of what the result could mean to them – regardless, she would still try her best.

Sitting by herself at the Slytherin table for breakfast, Chaewon watched her girl make her way to the Hufflepuff table. Minjoo’s lips were put together in a thin line as she looked over to her, a frown on her face – she wasn’t even trying to pretend to not be mad and Chaewon couldn’t really blame her. Minjoo was the sweetest person she ever met, but she could also be quite a stubborn one – a flaw they both shared.

Averting her gaze to her own seat mates, she greeted them weakly, receiving the usual compliments in return and some good luck wishes for the next quidditch game. All, except her sister-in-law who just give her a judgmental look – of course, Arin wasn’t happy with her either. If you mess with one Kim, all sisters come for your head and at the moment, Chae’s head was the target.

The argument the couple had two days ago was still haunting her, making it difficult to focus on doing her homework and even now, it was all on her mind.

Chaewon loved quidditch, she always did. She loved to be able to fly fast and give her best to win, more than that, she loved the feeling of freedom and adventure that the sport could bring her – one of the few times she didn’t feel like she had to refrain her magic, where there were no limits for what she could do regardless of how young she was. Still, probably all her love for the sport only existed thanks to the good memories she had from it, memories that involved her family and Minjoo.

Memories she might taint if she didn’t find a way to fix things with Minjoo.

With a sigh, she focused her gaze on her girlfriend seating with her sister and friends, she could tell by her posture she was also tired and probably as stressed about it. But the fact that she insisted on ignoring Chaewon’s presence made it clear she wouldn’t be the first one to make an effort, at least not for now.

Chae loved that girl with her whole heart, an affection that had only grown with time and as they became ever closer, something way more important than quidditch games and house points – and she knew it was the same for Min. Nonetheless, it didn’t mean it was easy to push aside the issue when all eyes were on them for the next game, when both houses were counting on them to win and grantee them the title of that year.

Until the game was over and done with, the tension would be there and it was something they couldn’t ignore.

Usually, they would sneak out to practice together at the early hours of the morning, spending more time joking and trying to steal kisses mid-air than actually playing. Of course, Chaewon loved those moments. Different from the strict, boring practice she had with the Slytherin team, where she had to be always in her best form or else she get be screamed at, training with Minjoo was a relaxing moment that she cherished deeply.

Unfortunately, those moments were becoming more and more rare as the quidditch cup continued and suddenly their teams were the only ones left, meaning they would have to face each other in the pitch. Considering their positions, it was even worse.

Slytherin was practicing religiously, every day, be it after classes until night or even in the mornings, since both teams had to use the same quidditch  pitch and organize things in a way there was no conflict – actually, trying to do it already generated enough conflict, with complaints about the time and alleged ‘unfairness’ about how it was allocated. Chaewon didn’t bother with it, she may be a Slytherin and her cunning nature demanded her to win, but she also knew Hufflepuffs were known for their honesty and good heart, what meant if anyone was trying to cheat there it was her own team and not the other way around – hopefully none of them.

With practice stealing any chance Chaewon had to spend time with Minjoo and having to deal with the pressure of having to win the game, no wonder their relationship wasn’t in its best in the moment.

They would only see each other for a few minutes every day – at least outside class, and what could she really do when their potions teacher was glaring at her all the time, ruining any chance she had to try to spend quality time with her girl? –, time that was definitely not enough for her.

For the first time in her life, she wished quidditch wasn’t such a big deal at Hogwarts and they could just push back the game and give her some breathing room.

It was a Wednesday night, and like so many times before, she sneaked out of the Slytherin’s common room to meet Minjoo at an empty classroom. Having just finished another tiring session of practicing, she could use a long bath and some sleep – if she could ignore all the homework she still had to do. However, she had only taken a quick shower and ran to meet her girlfriend. 

Unsurprisingly, she found an equally tired looking Minjoo.

Just like Chaewon, Min had to work hard to escape her teammates and the surveillance of her sisters – both prefects, just her luck –, to meet Chae. She had to hid a yawn, giving Chae a lazy hug and sinking into her familiar warmth, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. The slightly older girl did the same, her arms hugging her back without a word. They were both too tired to talk right now and having each other’s company was enough.

Long minutes passed before they moved. Chaewon leaving a gentle kiss on Minjoo’s soft lips and the slightly taller girl pulling back a little too soon, before dragging a confused Chaewon with her to the wooden floor, so they could sit against the wall and cuddle. “I think I have a cold. I couldn’t stop sneezing earlier.” Minjoo explained with an apologetic look that wasn’t really needed.

The Slytherin nodded in understanding, pulling the girl a little closer, so she could leave a kiss on her forehead. “Are you okay? Are you sure it’s just a cold?” Her eyes inspected the brunette’s face with attention, noticing all the little details, like the reddish eyes – probably due to the lack of proper sleep –, her nose also had a pink shade to it and she looked paler…Chaewon hugged her better, feeling frustrated to not be able to take better care of her. “You could’ve cancelled our date. I will walk you back to your common room.”

“No, I don’t go back now!” Minjoo was quick to deny her suggestion, clinging to the older girl, resting her head on Chaewon’s shoulder. “It’s just a cold and I miss spending time with you outside that smelly classroom.” She made a face, sinking even more on Chaewon’s body, hiding her face on the crook of her neck. “It’s just because of the rain. It was raining pretty bad earlier, but we couldn’t stop practice and I got drenched.”

Chaewon’s chest was heavy now, and it had nothing to do with Minjoo’s warm weight against her body. Slytherin had afternoon practice that day, so Hufflepuff had to practice in the early morning under pretty bad conditions, conditions she hadn’t even thought about since she had been so glad for skipping morning practice for once. “Oh, the rain…I thought you guys were using something for it.”

“We were, but you know Impervius can only protect you so much, and it’s our third day in a row dealing with rain.” Minjoo sighed, turning slightly so she could look at Chaewon – a different emotion in her eyes as she continued to speak. “If the Slytherin captain wasn’t so greedy we wouldn’t need to worry about it so much. I can barely see the quaffle, moreover the bludgers.” She uttered the last word clearly annoyed, probably remembering all the times the said ball almost hit her and she barely had time to avoid it.

“What do you mean?” Chae blinked in confusion. She knew their team captain could be a hand full at times, but at the end they had reached an agreement, haven’t them? “I know she is kind of annoying, but it was a fair agreement.”

“Not only annoying.” Minjoo frowned, straightening her back to look at Chaewon directly. It wasn’t like her to make a big deal out of things, but being rained on the whole week was starting to affect her usual good mood, particularly when she knew it wasn’t a simple coincidence. “I think they tricked us into agreeing. She set things up so we would only practice when it’s raining.”

Now it was the older Kim’s turn to frown, her own posture getting stiffer. Of course, she knew her team was competitive, and she had heard a few jokes here and there about the rain, but it wasn’t like they could control it. The thought left a bitter taste on , Slytherin already had enough dealing with the other house’s prejudice. “Your team agreed with the arrangement, we didn’t even know it was going to rain.”

“But didn’t they really?” Minjoo arched an eyebrow, disbelief all over her face. She trusted her girlfriend, she really did, but it wasn’t like she didn’t know how sly some Slytherins kids could be, especially when there was something important in play. She had no doubt the other team plotted against them, taking Hufflepuff’s kindness for granted and using it against them. “Your teammates were bragging about it and making fun of us for getting drenched!”

“They were just talking, it doesn’t prove anything!” Or did it? Chae couldn’t really say she trusted all her teammates to that extent, but it hurt her house’s pride to admit the chance of her team to be playing dirty even before the game started.

“I find it hard to believe.” Minjoo insisted, breaking the embrace to cross her arms over her chest, in a defensive posture. She knew how much Chaewon loved her Hogwarts house, just like every student did to their own, but it was no excuse to overlook what her housemates did. “They knew about the weather because of some muggle TV channel. I never thought I would see someone stupid enough to brag about stealing information from the weather channel.”

Grimacing, Chaewon averted her eyes from her girlfriend to the door – that luckily was still closed, not allowing anyone to eavesdrop their conversation. The weather channel, out of all things? Her teammates were getting creative and ridiculous at the same time. They couldn’t even access it from inside the school. “And what if it’s true? It’s not against the rules to check the weather forecast and try to use it to our advantage.”

“So, you knew about it.” Now Minjoo looked disappointed in her, sitting in a way they could face each other directly. She didn’t expect that kind of thing from Chaewon, they may be rivals on the field, but they weren’t outside. “You know, out of all people we didn’t think Slytherins would cheat using muggle technology!”

“I…Not like this.” Biting down on her bottom lip, Chaewon swallowed her words. She didn’t know they were serious about that, she had taken it as a joke and not given it much thought, it never occurred her to tell Minjoo about it – for crying out loud, they barely had any time together, the last thing she wanted to do was to talk about the weather when they finally managed to meet. “It’s not cheating, it’s just…Just rain! It might not be the nicest thing to do, but it is-”

“Just rain to get my whole team sick so you guys can win without put any effort? Just because it’s not illegal, doesn’t make it okay.” Minjoo’s voice was very far from her usual gentle tone, her arms hugging herself as if she was trying to control her temper – what wasn’t a hard task most of the time, but she was under a lot of stress right now. She had to see her whole team struggle under the cold rain just because the other team decided to not play fair. Hufflepuffs efforts were often downplayed by the other houses, overlooked and devalued, but she wouldn’t accept this mistreatment – even if it meant arguing with her girlfriend. “I never agreed when my colleagues called Slytherin team a bunch coward and cheaters, but this is starting to make me think they might be right.”

The insult was enough to affect Chaewon’s pride, after all they both knew that for her Slytherin was indeed like a second house, one where most of her family had been a part of. Therefore, she couldn’t really control her sharp tongue. “I also heard your teammates bad mouthing us, accusing my team of just doing well thanks to our parents’ money. However, your dearest captain Mark was the one walking around bragging about all the new equipment your team got this year.” She reminded, refusing to back down. Hufflepuffs may be known as the nicest people, but it didn’t make of them saints and it definitely didn’t allow them to go around saying nonsense. “But yeah, us Slytherin cowards still have consistently won over your team for so long. I guess Hufflepuffs just need a way to blame others for their failure, as usual.”

Minjoo didn’t reply right away, her breath hitching in as she stared at her girlfriend in disbelief. She wanted to give her an answer at the same level, but something made her hold herself back – her rational side kicking in as she noticed Chaewon’s expression slowly changed to one of regret, guilt hitting her just like it hit Minjoo for starting it all.

Maybe the two of them had gone too far – and all for some stupid sport.

“You’re a good player, I would say even better than our own keeper. But you can’t win on your own.” Closing her hands into fists, Chaewon forced herself to look Minjoo in the eyes, wanting to make sure she could see the sincerity in her words. “You called my team and me cheaters, but Slytherins are no cheaters or cowards. I am not. Even if some of my teammates can be idiots sometimes.” Shaking her head ever so slightly in disapproval, she looked for something in the taller girl’s gaze, but couldn’t see past the cold onyx exterior.

“And you thought you were just making things even?” Minjoo finally broke the visual contact, unable to face the cold glass that were Chaewon’s chestnut orbs right now, unable to look past her harmful words and focus on anything else. She couldn’t think straight in the moment and what was once a nice escapade for the couple, had turned into a sorrowful encounter. “I don’t think it will be until the game is over.”

The Hufflepuff girl didn’t wait for a reply, standing up and walking towards the door to leave, feeling her nose itchy – she would like to think it was just her cold acting up, but it was probably her disloyal body wanting to show how upset she felt right now and the last thing she wanted was to cry in front of Chaewon. She wanted to go back to her room as soon as possible.

Minjoo only got half her wish.

She indeed went back to the Hufflepuff common room, but Chaewon followed her all the way there, an uncomfortable silence between the two of them. The only time the girl spoke was when Min glanced at her and all Chae said was “I told you I would take your back. I keep my word. Slytherin or not.” And they both knew it was true, that’s why Minjoo didn’t insist on telling her off, accepting this silly act of chivalry even if it wasn’t needed.

They parted ways with muffled goodnights, avoiding each other’s gaze. Now that the fight was over, both started to feel the weight of their own words, guilt burdening their shoulders that were already so heavy.

It was the start of a silent war between the two of them, one only broken when Chaewon sent Minjoo an owl with a small bottle of medication and a note about how she should take it for her cold – Minjoo had replied with a dry thank you, albeit she did as she was told.

They still cared and love each other, their pride was just in the way at the moment.

Grimacing, Chaewon tried to focus on her food, not feeling any hunger after another awful morning of practice under the rain – she had pretty much forced the captain to reschedule their practice time for today and now she could completely understand Minjoo’s reaction. She still had a full day ahead and she couldn’t afford skipping a meal.

However, she barely managed to eat anything before a body fell on the empty spot beside her at the bench, the person giving her and the others at the table a lifeless greeting – very atypical of this person. It didn’t surprise Chaewon at all though.

“Yuri again?” Chaewon asked, receiving as an answer just a long sigh out of the Gryffindor girl, Yena. The older girl was her only sister and also her closest friend, and she would often join her at the Slytherin table to eat – Yena wasn’t the type to mind any protests from the green and silver house, and by now everyone was already used to it –, albeit she was rather quiet today, her prominent lips forming a pout. She was sulking.

“She told me they’re going to Hogsmeade together. I thought we were going together.” Of course, as usual her problems were all about the sixth year Hufflepuff, Jo Yuri – who also happened to be friends with the cause of Chaewon’s problem. Maybe it was a Hufflepuff thing. “Even told me I could 'tag along if I want'. Of course, I’m not tagging along!”

Chaewon made a face, feeling bad for her sister and a little annoyed. It wasn’t like Yena and Yuri were dating officially, but everyone knew Yena liked her and they even went out a couple of times last year. The thing was, Yuri was also pretty close with another senior, the Ravenclaw with a monotone voice and mischievous smirk, Kang Hyewon. So close that Yuri has favored her company lately, for Yena’s dismay.

Usually Chaewon would talk to Minjoo about it and they both would try to get their friends to work things out, but at the moment she couldn't even work out her own issues with her girlfriend. “You should’ve asked her before. You can’t take her for granted.”

“I did! She said she forgot and accepted Hyewon’s invite since she wanted to go the new bakery there. She forgot about me.” Listening to her sister’s words she couldn’t help but feel sad for her – and now all her annoyance was directed towards Jo Yuri. Sighing, Chae hugged Yena by the shoulder and allowed her to cling to her arm, pressing her cheek against hers like the duckling Yena’s Patronus was.

Her sister was always the clingy type – sometimes Chaewon wondered how Yena could be related to her, not only she had a very different personality from the rest of the family, she was also a Gryffindor in a house full of Slytherins, but the older they got the more she could understand the reason why. Patting her sister’s back, she rubbed her cheek on Yena’s, hopefully bringing her some comfort.

It looked like they would be staying at the castle this weekend.

Or not.

“Just go with me.” A clear, nice and feminine voice sounded, as calm as ever. The owner of said voice was sat opposite to them at the table, her usual place, watching their conversation with her intelligent eyes.

“Me? W-With you?!” Yena stuttered, opening wide her dark eyes to face the girl. Oh yeah, of course she would stutter. Yena wasn’t the greatest when it comes down to dating, even though she was a senior and she was far from being shy, when it comes to girls she was still as hopeless as everyone else – Chae thought she inherited it from their mother.

“Don’t you always say we should go out? Don’t tell me your jokes didn’t have any truth to them?” Arin’s expression was serious, but Chaewon knew her sister-in-law well enough to spot the playful glint in her eyes, the corners or her lips slowly going up to form a small, charming smile.

Just like she knew Minjoo all her life, their sisters also know each other – and they couldn’t be any more different. As kids they used to be together and even now, they still spent some time together during summer, making Yena and Arin's relationship a comfortable one, allowing them to joke around freely. Right now, Arin was probably just trying to help a friend out– even if she had been giving Chaewon the stingy eye for the last couple of days, Minjoo’s sister was still pretty cool girl.

“Y-yeah! No, I mean, yes!” Finally, Yena managed to answer, her head bouncing up and down as she nodded. “Of course! We can go and buy some candy at Honeydukes and then visit Zonkos to get some things for pranks…” She interrupted herself, remembering she was now a prefect – it’s been two years, but Yena was still Yena, and being a prefect didn’t make her an angel. “Okay maybe not the pranks, but we can get those monster board games you like!”

It was impressive how her older sister’s mood had changed so fast, but it was a relief for Chaewon to watch her talking so excitedly again.

Arin chuckled, standing up and signalizing for the Gryffindor to follow. “Let’s go, duck girl. We have a prefects meeting now and you’re not bailing on me this time!” As to make sure, the Head Girl grabbed Yena by the arm as they walked away – Yena looked over her shoulder just to mouth a 'can you believe it?’ to Chaewon before happily following her outside the great hall, to wherever the prefects had their boring meetings every week. Those two were an odd pair, but one that worked well.

Wasn’t her sister so easy to cheer up?

Scoffing to herself, Chaewon looked over to the Hufflepuff table, watching in amusement as Yuri noticed the duo leaving with horror on her face and a confused Minjoo beside her – that was a particularly adorable sight to Chae, but the moment the dark chocolate eyes met hers, she averted her gaze right away, with a blush on her cheeks.

Different from Yena, she couldn’t rely on anyone else to help with her problems – after all, it was all on her and Minjoo –, but she was still unsure of how she could do it, especially when there was only one day left before the game.

That damned game.

Right now, she just wanted it to happen already. Winning or not, she felt like she had already lost more important things.

Minjoo and Chaewon’s plans of focusing on the game and trying to ignore the problem between the two of them only worked to some extent. Potions was the last class of the day and they had to sit side by side and work together, the awkward silence as thick as the castle walls. Chaewon would steal glances at Minjoo, while the younger Kim pretended to be reading the instructions for their potion without really concentrating on it – no wonder the liquid that was supposed to be of a rich golden-brown color turned into a mushy purple mess, that earned them a good scolding and a paper to write.

Luckily, or not, Minjoo didn’t have practice that afternoon as they were supposed to rest for the early morning game tomorrow, meaning she could work with Chaewon on their paper. She wasn’t quite sure about how to feel about it – she didn’t need to read minds to know it was the same for Chae, the awkward atmosphere made it pretty clear.

They used to come together to the library quite often, be it to just keep each other company while they did homework or just to sneak out after hours and have some alone time – being here now, under such different circumstances made Chaewon want to sigh; she was sighing way too much today, maybe Yena had passed it onto her. She wanted to talk to Minjoo, wanted to at least make things a bit better before the game, but it was hard to do.

“I will just do the herbs part, you can write down the incantations.” She offered, trying to get any reaction out of the other. She really hated potions, but at least it gave them the chance of spending some time together and maybe she could use it.

“No need. I’m better at herbology than you.” Minjoo denied, already opening one of the heavy books and passing another one to the girl. She knew Chaewon was just trying to be nice and part of her felt guilty for acting cold, but she knew that it was a matter of time until she couldn’t help but melt under the Slytherin woman’s gaze and she wanted to be done with this paper before all her resolutions were crushed under the wishes of her heart. “Thanks, but it will be faster like this.”

She could hear Chae sigh, but the other girl didn’t try to argue, starting to work as well.

Minjoo felt her heart skip a beat – but not in a pleasant way –, disappointment washing over her just like the silence that involved them. Her brain insisting on replaying old memories of them at this same place, months ago, when quidditch was the last thing on their minds.

“Stop giggling!” Chaewon whispered to her girlfriend as Minjoo chuckled lightly. The two of them trying to hide in the corner of the library, the soft moonlight as the only source of light, only enough for Chaewon to discern Minjoo’s fine features with her bright eyes reflecting the smile on her lips – she was ridiculous cute even in such time. And of course, Chaewon was very aware of it, even though she tried to glare at the girl for being loud when they could get caught at any time. But then again, how could she stay mad at the person she loved so much and who also happened to have the softest hands caressing the sensitive skin of her neck and appeasing her with a peck?

She would have to scold her another time.

Minjoo bit down on her bottom lip, a playful glint in her eyes as she replied. “Sorry. You know I can’t help it.” She was talking about the ticklish feeling Chaewon’s light kisses had given her – the feeling was more connected to how giddy she felt on the inside, rather than any sort of discomfort. “Sorry, sorry.” Her apologies didn’t carry any weight, although she didn’t plan on getting caught kissing in the library, she surely didn’t regret all the nice, fluttering feelings it brought.

Not wanting to waste the opportunity, as she noticed Chaewon’s tentative glare failing terribly at being intimidating and only making her look like a cute, grumpy tiger cub, she pulled the girl closer to leave a trail of kisses on her cheeks – she didn’t need to look to know Chaewon’s expression was changing, her slightly heavier breath and the way her arms hugged her a little closer, said it all. Smiling to herself, Minjoo directed her lips to the girl’s, leaving a gentle kiss on it. “Chae, I love you.”

The older Kim knew her words were sincere, and it never failed to make her heart skip a beat, but she also knew they had an ulterior reason at the moment – her suspicions were proved right as Minjoo once more let out a giggle, hugging her a little too tight and hiding her face on Chae’s neck. Sometimes her girlfriend was just like a kid.

“You’re really going to get us caught.” She tried to complain, but now there was a silly smile on her face, her lips kissing Minjoo’s soft hair as she hugged her dearly. Being in different houses, they didn’t have that many chances to be on their own, therefore she cherished every single moment they had, the sound of Min’s soft laugher resonating with her heart. “Sometimes I wonder why, but I love you too.”

It was a lie – of course she loved Minjoo, but she also knew all the reasons really well, so many reasons that she wouldn’t even be able to count.

Minjoo knew it too, after all she had a similar number of reasons to love the slightly older girl.

Grinning like a fool, Min left a chaste kiss on Chaewon’s neck, her hands hugging her waist, involving her in a bear hug. She could stay like that forever, but they only had a few minutes before one of the prefects spotted them and they were forced to go back to their respective dorms.

Not wanting to waste any more time, she left her safe spot on Chaewon’s shoulder to face her. Being impulsive was such a Gryffindor thing and not at all like her, but she thought it was worth the risk just this once.

They exchanged a look, warm chestnut and bright chocolate orbs sharing the same glint, a silent agreement as they both leaned in for a sweet kiss. Keeping her hands a little lower on her hips, she made sure she was comfortably resting against the wall, with Minjoo glued on her – hopefully out of the line of sight of anyone else –, as she focused completely on the kiss. Chaewon bit softly on her bottom lip, kissing it before taking the upper one in , receiving a slightly surprised, but pleased sigh in return.

Minjoo wasn’t one to stay still, her hands quickly finding their way to Chaewon’s face, thumbs brushing against the soft skin as she cupped her jawline and tried to direct the kiss, pulling her to deepen the contact. Of course, Chaewon accepted her silent request to make the kiss more intimate, her tongue touching Minjoo’s lips before entering to taste the sweetness she knew so well.

The kiss, however, didn’t last as much as they would like.

“Oh-Oh!”

Oh-Oh? The simple sentence – was it even a sentence? – sounded awfully familiar, and Minjoo’s eyes fluttered open right away as she heard it. Just in time for her to see Chaewon’s chestnut ones sparkling with confusion and embarrassment as she looked to a point behind her – she didn’t need to turn around to know what was going on. Hiding a grimace, she turned around to give her twin-sister the most apologetic smile she could master.

Chaewon was doing the same, trying to not look very flustered – and failing – under her sister-in-law’s gaze, as the young Hufflepuff prefect watched the two of them awkwardly broke the embrace.

“Hi!...I mean, hey! Sorry, Arin said to check here first.” A cheerful Yerim said, waving her hands in an apology, with the usual overly friendly way, that was a little too nice for a prefect. “I hate interrupting, but I have to lead you guys back to your respective dorms or else I will get points deducted and I really, really want Huffle to win this time!” She signalized for them to follow her, still talking about how the house points were important and how much she wanted to help her beloved house – Yerim was truly a Hufflepuff at heart, the sweetest and most caring one…And the most determined one. “…and you know how Arin can be stingy with points! So you two better not do it again or I will take some points from Slytherin too!” 

“Ei, it’s not fair!” Chaewon tried, but another voice, the calm and slightly cold one that was familiar to all of them sounded first.

“2 points deducted from Slytherin and Hufflepuff, for being hormonal brats.” It was Arin, the Slytherin prefect who was the current Head Girl, – and also Minjoo and Yerim’s older sister – someone who took her job very seriously. “Minjoo goes with you, Yerim. I will take this one to the common room before joining you again…After we have a talk.”

The couple exchanged a look before both sighed in defeat. Well, at least it wasn’t one of the house ghosts – later on Chaewon almost wished it had been, at least the ghost wouldn’t make fun of her and scold her at the same time

Definitely, acting like a Gryffindor wasn’t worth it, was what the younger Slytherin thought on the way back to her dorm as her sister-in-law lectured her about making their house lose points and poking fun at Chaewon for deciding to make out with her little sister in the dumbest place. As for Minjoo, it wasn’t that different – ironically her sisters had very similar priorities, regardless of house.

Minjoo sighed once more, shaking her head as she tried to concentrate on the paper, unaware of Chaewon’s gaze watching her.

Looking at the brunette who worked diligently in writing down everything from an old book about healing potions, Chae could feel her chest tight, a sharp pain that she knew well by now. She just missed Minjoo. Three days wasn’t much, but if felt like it when the warm looks and kisses were now translated into disappointed glances and dry words.

Should she just apologize? It would be the easiest way, however it would also mean she would have to admit she was the one in the wrong and crush her ego. Was her pride worth losing the comfort and love she always found on Min’s arms?

The answer was obvious.

“Min…” Chaewon tried, her voice small as to not attract the attention of the others at the library.

“Chaewon, please.” Sighing – this one was a new habit they shared now –, the Hufflepuff girl finally looked up to meet the chestnut eyes she loved and that seemed so vulnerable at the moment. It was a good thing it was early and they were surrounded by people, or else she wouldn’t be able to resist and would’ve pulled the girl into a hug. Chaewon looked like a little tiger cub in the moment, the face that never failed to make her heart soft – only that she couldn’t fall for it now. She wanted things to go back to normal, she wanted to cuddle with the Slytherin girl and just enjoy her love and care. Still, for once, she didn’t want to give in to the Hufflepuff stereotype and let her heart lead the way. “Don’t say it now.”

Chae’s shoulders were curved in defeat now, her eyes gazing up as she tried to not feel frustrated. She was about to throw her pride aside for them, yet Minjoo would rather to be stubborn. This new side of her girlfriend was impressive and frustrating at the same time. “When then? Tomorrow things might get even worse.” She voiced her worries. It didn’t matter who would win, during the games many things happened, from silly jokes, to serious insults and even injuries. “I don’t want to have you as an enemy.”

“Then don’t think of me as one!” Min’s voice was a little exasperate, pleading as she impulsively reached for Chaewon’s hand. The feeling of the touch, the slightly colder skin under her warmer one gave her a small, pleasant electric shock. One she tried her best to ignore. “We are rivals, just that. And just there, on the pitch. Can’t you keep it in mind tomorrow?”

The Slytherin’s hand naturally moved to accommodate Minjoo’s, squeezing it lightly. No matter how competitive she could be, Minjoo was still far more important than any title and it was always clear to her – she couldn’t promise the same regarding their teammates, but it was out of her hands. “I will, and you too. No tricks tomorrow.” She promised with a solemn tone, deicing to make of that game just another one of their training sessions, where the rest of people were just extras in their own, personal game. “I won’t go easy on you, so do your best.”

For the first time in days, Minjoo graced her with a small, yet determined smile. “I surely will!” The glint in Min’s eyes showed how much she wanted it, a mix of determination and optimism only a proud Hufflepuff could have.

Chaewon knew that girl would give her a run for her money tomorrow, still all she could feel was admiration. “I will be waiting for it!”

That night they worked in silence, a comfortable one now. It was their truce, their own agreement to make of tomorrow’s game, one to be remembered.

Hell.

It was absolute hell – if in hell there was chilling rain and raging quidditch players flying in full speed to score some points for their teams when they could barely see anything in front of them.

As a keeper, Minjoo was struggling to block the other team of scoring any goals while avoiding any lost bludgers from hitting her – what wasn’t the easiest task when the Slytherin team seem to be aiming for her. However, her biggest problem took form in Chaewon’s slender frame who was flying towards her once more, a quaffle in hand, ready to try to score another goal – she had only managed to score two so far, a low score for the Slytherin’s star chaser, but still a higher one than any of her teammates so far.

The match had started over half an hour ago, both seekers disappearing into the fat clouds on the sky, while the rest of the teams tried to hold their own. The Hufflepuff team was winning by only ten points at the moment – as if it was karma, the Slytherin team seemed to struggle more under the rain than the Hufflepuffs, giving them a chance to attack more times, even if Chaewon’s commanding voice would shout over the strong wind to try to get her teammates in shape every once in a while.

“The Slytherin team is back on the offensive with Kim Chaewon going for it! She is living up to her fairy nickname and flying across the pitch without fearing the rain! But will she be able to score?” Ahn Yujin, a young Gryffindor, was doing the honors as the narrator of the game today.

 Thanks to a spell, her cheerful voice was heard clearly above the merciless wind and the cheers of the crowd that didn’t get intimidate by the terrible weather – it included Yerim and Yuri back in the Hufflepuff’s bleachers, who would wave at Minjoo every once in a while, screaming some encouraging words Minjoo wasn’t really able to hear. She had spotted her older sister sitting with Yena in the Gryffindor bleachers, probably using it as a neutral ground where both could cheer for their respective sisters – Yena was so loud in comparison to the quiet and collected Arin that Minjoo couldn’t help but smile whenever she glanced at the duo.

Minjoo was doing a good job at ignoring the cold water drenching her yellow uniform, eyes focused on the green blur that was her girlfriend, putting years of training in practice to predict Chae’s next moves and block the girl before she could score another goal – Like her, Chaewon was right handed, so she tended to look for a good angle to throw the quaffle towards Minjoo’s left side, knowing well it was her best chance; Fortunately for the Hufflepuff, the wind wasn’t helping the other girl, slowing down the quaffle and making it go slightly sideways, changing its angle and making it easier for Minjoo to knock it out of the way and towards one of her teammates.

“I guess the rain is weakening the Slytherin’s fairy powers! Our Froggie Kim Minjoo isn’t afraid of the water and saves the day for the Hufflepuffs once more!”

Min could barely see Chaewon’s face under the huge protective goggles she was using and her damp fringe, but she didn’t have to see it to know how frustrated the other girl was.

It was a weird feeling, she was proud of herself for doing well, yet she also wanted Chaewon to do be able to do her best. They both knew there would be a winner and a loser today, still wanting to win didn’t exactly mean she wanted for Chae to fail…

“Minjoo wake up!” Her conflicting thoughts were getting in the way, making her distracted and it wasn’t for Chaewon’s high pitched voice screaming at her, a bludger might have knocked her down to the ground below. Thankfully, Chaewon was able to hit the ball out of her way first, sending it right back at the guy who had tried to hit Minjoo. “You aim that bludger at her head again and I will personally beat you!”

It wasn’t everyday you would hear a Slytherin player fighting another one for doing their job and attacking the other team and Chaewon would definitely get scolded for doing that – later, now she couldn’t care less. Giving the bat she had borrowed – more like stolen from her teammate Sihyeon – to the rightful owner, she flew away, back to the other side of the pitch.

“Whoa! Are my eyes fooling me or did Kim Chae just come to the rescue of the other team? I guess she also thinks Minjoo is a real keeper!”

Rolling her eyes at Yujin’s silly remarks Chaewon made a mental note to smack the girl on the head once the game was over – lightly, after all the dog-like girl was her cousin and she wouldn’t get rid of her teasing anytime soon.

Her team wasn’t playing well.

Turns out that her captain wasn’t smart enough to check the weather forecast for the game day and they were completely unprepared for the sudden storm, having just trained once under a much lighter rain, even Chaewon herself was having trouble keeping up. Her throws were all over the place thanks to the wind, making most of her attempts to score completely useless.

They weren’t losing by much, but at this pace, they might as well do. They couldn’t count on the seeker to win it, and it was clear that the pressure was affecting her team – hence why she had to keep an eye on some of her teammates now, like the one boy who aimed for Minjoo’s head instead of broomstick with the bludger just now.

Not only she had promised Minjoo for a fair game, she also wouldn’t allow anyone to harm her girlfriend, even if for this she had to act against her own team. They would win all fair and square, or nothing.

“Stop messing around! Park, go to your position and help do defend the goal posts!” She called, once more trying to organize the team since their captain was somewhere in the clouds, trying to catch the golden snitch without any success. There wasn’t a time limit for the game, but under such weather conditions, it was bound to be over soon. She had to turn the game around now. “Don’t let them near the posts!”

Regardless of Yujin’s jokes, Minjoo was indeed a great keeper and she knew Chaewon’s techniques well, it wouldn’t be easy to score any goals. Nonetheless, it goes both ways, Chae also knew her weak spots and it was up to her to make good use of it – it the wind didn’t fail her again.

Therefore, the game continued, Chaewon stealing the quaffle from one of the Hufflepuff chasers and flying across the field, trying to avoid a bludger sent her way while keeping her balance,  having to resort to pass the ball to a teammate to avoid colliding with the bleachers after been followed so closely by two members of the other team. Of course, they were keeping an eye on her and she wouldn’t be able to move freely.

The same happened a bunch of other times, Chae’s efforts frustrated by the Hufflepuffs defense, with rare occasions where she was able to get close enough from the goal posts to throw the quaffle, only for Minjoo to skillful block it.

It didn’t mean the Hufflepuff team wasn’t having their fair share of struggle.

Having two people following Chaewon around, meant their team was on the defensive now, unable to reach the other side of the quidditch pitch without being interrupted by one of the Slytherin players and having to come back right away. Minjoo was having to deal with new bludger attacks – none of them aiming for her head this time – and eventual throws, the rain was even stronger now and it was making her moves slow and difficult, weighting her down and making the task of protecting the three hooped posts even harder.

The game was exhausting to everyone, none of the adrenaline or excitement she expected was there, only the need to finish it quickly. Minjoo wanted the house cup title, but she wanted even more a hot bath and cuddling with Chaewon.

One hour into the game, she was finally able to spot Chaewon approaching again, her green robes sticking to her lean body as she leaned over the broomstick to give it extra speed, the quaffle in her power. Minjoo could sense her determination all the way from here, and she moved to a new position, ready to defend the posts from the attack she knew was going to happen soon.

She expected another throw at her left and she almost anticipate the move, only to notice Chae’s instance was different this time – she was trying to trick her, misguiding Min so she could score in the free hoop at the right. Minjoo was trying to change the direction of her movements to reach for the quaffle Chaewon just threw to score another goal, however she stopped mid-motion.

Chaewon was aiming for the right goal this time, in a risky play as she tried to go against the wind and use the hoops in her favor, a strong enough throw could grantee them at least a tie – and she did it perfectly, only to have her arm snapped like a stick as the heavy iron ball hit it before she could do anything about it. The bludger not only hit her strongly enough to break her arm but also to disestablish her, making her fall off her broomstick as the excruciating pain invaded her senses, turning everything red, her head spinning and the air leaving her lungs.

“Kim Chaewon makes a perfect throw and…She was hit by a bludger! Who was the motherf-… Dammed Lee!” Yujin cursed, her words censored thanks to the spell the teachers had casted. “Kim Sihyeon, the Slytherin’s beater, is counter attacking! A bludger is coming his way, well done, Sihyeon! Hit him!” Yujin continued, completely ignoring her job as an impartial narrator.

Slytherin scored another ten points with Chaewon’s throw, but no one paid it any attention, not even the Hufflepuff keeper who had dived right in to try to reach Chaewon before her body could hit the ground, desperation on her face as she frantically tried to use her free hand to grab ahold of Chaewon’s arms, only to just touch her cloak and it escape from her fingers.

Luckily, one of the teachers had already cast a spell to ease Chaewon’s fall, her body stop a few centimeters from the ground, without any further injuries.

The audience had gone quiet, or maybe it was Minjoo’s perception, as she landed beside Chaewon and tried to check on the girl who was groaning in pain with blood staining her green uniform, coming from the broken limb the bludger has mercilessly hit. She had her eyes barely open behind the thick lenses of the goggles, her face contracted in pain and Minjoo felt her own eyes fill up with tears. “Chaewon! Chae you will be okay! Please, please…” She said more to herself than to the girl, her hands hesitating to touch the Slytherin girl, afraid of causing her even more pain. She managed to touch her face, her fingers clumsy thanks to the gloves. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I don’t care about the game anymore, just be fine please!”

Right now her pride didn’t matter at all, she couldn’t even bother to look up and see if the game was still going, only focused on the hurt girl.

Chae’s senses were still numb by the pain and the sudden change of pressure, making it hard to even acknowledge her surroundings, but she still could hear Minjoo’s voice and she tried to look at the girl, but instead she heard the cries of someone else – her sister, coming to hug her and try to lift Chaewon just to have the teacher stopping her. Chaewon couldn’t see well through the veil of tears and the goggles blurry lenses, yet the last thing she head before she drifted off to sleep was Minjoo’s voice asking for the teachers help and older woman’s whispering a healing spell. “Ferula!”

“Kim Chaewon has left the pitch to be treated. Get well soon, Chaewonie!” Yujin informed, trying to get back to her work. “Slytherin is now ten points ahead, but Kim Minjoo is back to her position!”

Minjoo leaving the goal posts without any protection allowed the other team to still score a few more points while the game kept going even with the Slytherin chaser hurt, obligating Minjoo to go back to her position despite how shaken she felt right now.

However, she wasn’t forced to play for long. Without Chaewon in the field, the game ended quickly – albeit not in the way Minjoo expected.

“S-she did it?! Oh my good Merlin! Jung Yein just caught the golden snitch!” A very surprised and excited Yujin sounded, her voice echoing through the stage at the seekers came into view, with one of them proudly showing her catch. “Jung Yein from Hufflepuff caught the golden snitch! Hufflepuff wins the quidditch cup!”

Be it for luck, or the fact that they had practiced so hard under the rain, Hufflepuff was awarded with the win that day and all their keeper could feel was relief the game was finally over.

Minjoo could only give her friend a thankful smile, not joining the rest of team who was crowded around Yein to celebrate their win, the loud cheers of the crowd screaming Hufflepuff’s name – her name too, she could hear Yerim and Yuri cherishing for her and waving the signs they had managed to make for her. Finally, all her work had paid off, finally their team was getting the recognition they deserved. She felt a sense of pride hitting her, still it was small near all her other emotions.

Flying down, she landed on the ground, avoiding everyone who tried to greet her with a stiff, polite smile, trying to make her way out of the Quidditch pitch. She needed to be somewhere else now.

Her mind was still on Chaewon and she would be able to enjoy this moment until she was sure her girl was okay.

She actually tried to go and see the girl at the infirmary, but she found the doors locked as Madam Abbott was still working on healing the girl and not even her sister was allowed inside. She had exchanged a look with Yena before they shared a long hug, both needing some comfort as they waited for news.

It took an hour until they were allowed in, and once she entered the place, she could only spot a still unconscious Chaewon in bed, her face pale, her arm now safely involved in bandages. She was still in her quidditch uniform, albeit the mediwizard must have casted a spell to dry it, her hair still sticking to her head.

The Hufflepuff could feel her heart sinking into her chest, tears in her eyes. Regardless of the mediwizard’s words about Chaewon’s injury being a ‘minor one’ now that it has been properly treated, she couldn’t help but remember the scene that happened on the field and how at that moment she thought she was about to lose her girlfriend for good. While Yena talked to the doctor, Minjoo had taken a seat by Chae’s side. Trying to control her sobs, she took hold of Chaewon’s left hand, her other hand coming to caress to cold skin of girl’s face, pushing aside her bangs and gently fixing it.

It wasn’t the first time Chaewon got hurt playing, Minjoo herself sustained a few injuries once in a while, but this time it was different. Maybe because she couldn’t stop thinking about how petty their fight had been and how she wouldn’t forgive herself if anything bad happened to Chae, especially now that the girl may still think she was mad at her when Minjoo was actually worried to death.

Chae hadn’t shown any signs of waking up by the time the students were asked to go back to their dorms and Minjoo was forced to leave her side – she did it unwillingly, leaving a kiss on Chaewon’s forehead and promising her to comeback soon.

The Hufflepuff dorm was in chaos when she arrived, the team still celebrating their win at the top of their lungs, with even her sister and friend being dragged to do the same. She was pulled in as well, having to force a smile as her colleagues praised her for her fantastic defenses and telling her about how having her as their keeper made all the team more confident. She thanked them, but refused to stay, not in the mood for celebrations.

She was pretty tired and maybe she could use some rest, yet her mind insisted in replaying the scene of Chaewon getting hurt and it was driving her insane – luckily for her, Yerim and Yuri were there for her. Her roommates sneaked some food out of the party and insisted for her to eat.

“I know you’re worried, but she will be fine! Hogwarts has the best wizards, even mediwizards!” Yerim granted, nodding and giving her that bright smile that was able to cheer up anyone. “You can heal completely any bone within twenty-four hours, sometimes even less. Chaewon is healthy, she will be just fine tomorrow!” Her words were even more effective considering Yerim had a special love for healing magic, therefore she was talking with complete confidence – enough confidence to put Minjoo a little at ease.

“Yerim is right. I sent a note to Yena and she told me Madam Abbott said the same.” Yuri added, taking a seat beside Minjoo to give her a side hug. Her friend knew really well about everything that was going between her and Chae, she also knew how much she cared for the Slytherin girl and how much it was affecting her. Yuri was a good friend, actually, a great one, considering she even contacted Yena to ask about it when the two girls were still in a pretty awkward situation. “It was the same when Hyewon got hurt last summer.”

Minjoo only nodded, she remembered hearing something like it from the mediwizard earlier, but she had been too busy bailing her eyes out to listen properly. Rationally she knew Chaewon would be fine, after all the bludger only hit her arm, but her heart wouldn’t be at ease until the saw the girl awake.

“What about we do something to distract you?” Yerim suggested, walking around the room as if she could find something useful to take her sister’s off of the unconscious girl at the hospital wing. “Arin lent me one of her board games, she will get new ones tomorrow with Yena…And Yujin.” She completed, glancing at Yuri with an apologetic smile – Jo just sighed in return.

“Your sister couldn’t be just pretty, tall and smart, she also had to be nice. So let’s abuse her kindness!” Yuri jokes in her husky voice, squeezing Min’s shoulder in a comforting way – Minjoo knew well there were no ill feelings between any of them, just a lot of awkwardness at the moment, but it was a topic for another time. “Let’s do it. We can bet some flavored beans, like the old times!”

A small smile made its way to Min’s face, there with her supportive and loving friends, it was impossible to not feel a little better. She wouldn’t be able to see Chaewon until the next morning, so it would be better to try to cheer herself up and hope that everything would work out.

“Okay, let’s do it! But first, I need your help with something.” She asked, glancing at the both girls who just looked back at her with curiosity. “I need to make things right with Chaewon.”

Chaewon looked through the windows of the infirmary, an yawn leaving as she walked around the room, unable to leave – Madam Abbott, the school’s mediwizard, had pretty much confiscated her clothes and she couldn’t walk around the castle in her pajamas, the only reason she didn’t try to escape; hopefully Yena would bring her a new change of clothes soon.

She looked at her own arm, the one the mediwizard had treated yesterday, the pain was gone and it was almost healed now, but she would be able to play quidditch or write for a couple of days – she wasn’t excited for neither at the moment, so it didn’t really bother her. What bothered her though, was the fact that she was yet to see her girlfriend.

It was Sunday and almost everyone went to Hogsmeade, maybe Minjoo had gone too. Maybe she would be out all day celebrating Hufflepuff’s win – Chae couldn’t really blame her if it was the case.

Yesterday was like a blur to her, they had put her to sleep while fixing her broken arm and even after it was done, she still needed a lot of sleep to help the healing process. She knew Yena had accompanied her to the hospital wing, but she couldn’t remember anything about it, only waking up early the next morning with her arm in a sling and dressed in those ugly blue pajamas. Fractures weren’t as bad for wizards compared to muggles, but even magic had its limits and she still had to endure eating Madam’s Abbott tasteless food and drinking all the healing potions she would urge her to gulp down.

She still felt pretty tired, even after such a long nap and medicine. All the stress over the last couple of weeks had taken its toll on her, and maybe that was the reason why she didn’t protest when the mediwizard told her she would have to stay one more day there – this and the fact that she was pretty sure her moms wouldn’t be happy if they heard about her not following medical orders; she had woken up with a Howler from them and Luda was anything but happy. Che had to deal with all her mother’s nagging and worry as the woman sent a bunch of instructions regarding how to take care of her daughter – Madam Abbott wasn’t really pleased to receive instructions of the younger mediwizard either, but mothers would be mothers.

Chaewon knew Yena probably already wrote back informing about her situation to their parents, but she would do it on her own too – as soon as her arm was working again.

Some of her teammates had stopped by earlier, with yellow smiles and some flowers, apologizing for losing the game. It wasn’t really necessary, after all it wasn’t like they hadn’t tried their best – except that idiot Lucas, she wouldn’t forgive him for aiming that bludger at her girlfriend anytime soon. Therefore, she just sent them off, alleging she needed to rest.

It was too bad she didn’t really get the chance to play until the end. Oddly, she didn’t really feel bad for losing – of course she would have loved to help her team to win, but Hufflepuff had done a great job and from the start she knew the odds weren’t on Slytherin’s favor. She was happy to have given her best on the pitch and stay true to her promise, even if she never got the chance of watching how it ended.

Well, there was still next year and she would make sure to win then.

Her sister had stopped by to visit earlier, Arin and Yujin coming along, since the three of them would be out visiting Hogsmead that day – Chaewon wasn’t sure how Yujin had inserted herself in the date, but knowing her cousin, they wouldn’t be able to get rid of her without feeding her some free food before. “Kim Chae don’t die! I got scolded for worrying for about you!” Was the way she greeted her – Ahn was actually scolded for trying to curse one of the players, but it was just a detail.

“I almost had a heart attack!” Yena said, her hands coming to grab Chaewon’s face, pulling on her cheeks as if to make sure she was still indeed alive. “That bastard Mark can expect some dungbombs on his face soon!”

Her Gryffindor relatives tackled her into bear hugs, their loud voices earning them a scolding from Madam Abbott. Chae tried to protest, but it was useless and she had to accept to be squished in between the two girls, reassuring them she was definitely not going to die unless they suffocated her with their hugs.

Yena had brought her an extra coat and some candy – that Chaewon hid under her pillow before the mediwizard could confiscate it –, promising they would bring her more stuff later and asking if she wanted anything in particular. She would love to have her girlfriend by her side and a non-broken arm, but those weren’t thing her sister could give her, so she just told them to get her some chocolate instead.

Yena had given her another bear hug before leaving. “Take care, little sister. Mom would kill you if you died playing quidditch after she bought you all that protective gear!” The older had said, giving her a playful smile that didn’t quite match the fondness in her eyes as she hugged Chaewon once more – she didn’t need to say she was worried, it was clear. Yena could be a little clumsy and impulsive at times, like all Gryffindors, but she was a pretty good sister.

“Get well soon, Chaewon. Don’t make my sister worry too much, she already spent the whole afternoon here yesterday.” Arin said, a small smile on her face as she patted the younger Slytherin on the back lightly – it looked like she had finally forgiven her. However, the information about Minjoo was the thing that caught Chae’s attention, Minjoo stayed with her yesterday? For the whole afternoon? Kim’s heart grew a little bigger with affection, it was such a Minjoo thing to do and she cursed herself for making the girl worry so much.

The trio of girls bade Chaewon goodbye, walking toward the exit as the Gryffindors waved in a dramatic manner and the Slytherin girl just chuckled at their antics. “Oh, and Chaewon?” Her sister-in-law called from the door, stopping to give her mischievous smile. “If I were you, I would keep the windows open.” She winked at her, making sure Chae understood the message before dragging the other two outside with her, before they could ask what was going on.

Chaewon smiled to herself, she could understand Arin’s words perfectly.

Kriesha, Minjoo’s owl, appeared just a couple of minutes later as to prove her theory. The small, brown owl, carried a small cotton bag. The animal looked at Chaewon with expectancy and the girl looked both sides, checking if Madam Abbott was on sight, before reaching for one of the candies Yena had bought her, struggling to open it, before offering the sweet to the owl in exchange of the bag – Kriesha had her own work ethic and trying to get the package out of her without any payment would only result in painful pecks in her hand.

“Great making business with you as always, Kriesha.” Chaewon said to the owl, scoffing as the animal flew away without paying her any attention.

Now in possession of the white bag, Chaewon went back to bed to try and open it with her left hand. The content of the bag made her chuckle softly, her chest full with warmth.

Yes, definitely Minjoo wasn’t mad at her anymore.

Chaewon was distracted looking through the photos in the phone – it was what Minjoo has sent her. The device filled with old pictures of them, including ones from the day Minjoo made into the Hufflepuff team and Chaewon had given her a kiss as a gift for succeeding; their very first kiss had happened at the same quidditch pitch they played on today. The pictures brought a smile to her face and hope to her heart, hope that only grew with the little note that accompanied it: ‘A keeper is only important if there is a chaser. Get well soon, I miss you.’

Needless to say, Chae was even more willing to see her girl now, albeit she was trying her best to remain patient – quite literally at the moment. Madam Abbott must have noticed her restlessness, giving up on nagging her for playing with the muggle device and focusing on her focusing on her paperwork back at her small office at the end of the infirmary.

“I thought sending it as a peacemaker could be a good idea.” Minjoo’s familiar voice sounded, the girl approaching her bed with careful steps, making sure to avoiding making too much noise and attracting the mediwizard’s attention. She had deep dark circles underneath her eyes probably due to the lack of sleep – it wasn’t hard to guess the reason she didn’t come before to visit.

“Just in case I was being a sore loser and was holding a grudge about your team winning?” Chae crooked an eyebrow at her, putting down the phone to watch the girl who had reached the bed now. The need of jumping off the bed and involving her in a hug was almost unbearable, but she controlled herself.

Minjoo could see right through her façade and shook her head lightly, sitting at the edge of the bed – Madam Abbott wouldn’t approve this behavior, fortunately she wasn’t there in the moment. “No, I know you wouldn’t be one.” She reached out to cup Chae’s face with her hand, the girl leaning into the touch – they both just missed each other’s presence and touch, there was no point in denying. Now Chaewon’s skin was warm and nice under her touch, her cheeks lightly tinted with a healthy pink, just as it should be. Chestnut eyes stared back at her with the usual glint on them, the one Minjoo loved. Chaewon was fine now, and that was all that matter. “You know I wouldn’t mind losing if it meant I wouldn’t have to see you hurt.”

The Slytherin chaser shook her head in a negative. “You played really well, even better than I did. You deserved that win, your team did.” Maybe just not that idiot who hit her with a bludger, but Chaewon wouldn’t ruin the moment by mentioning it now. Instead, she opened her arms in an invitation. “I am fine, Minjoo. Really. I just miss you, so would you mind?”

Minjoo was already in between her arms before the girl could finish her sentence, carefully hugging Chaewon in a way she wouldn’t hurt her arm.

She had barely caught any sleep that night, even though her roommates tried their best to distract her with games and conversations, once she laid down on bed, her mind was still running in circles, making it hard to fall asleep. Min only managed to sleep a few minutes before sunrise, waking up just a couple of minutes ago and running as fast as she could to meet her girl – thanks Merlin for Yerim who kept her promise and made sure to send Kriesha do Chaewon’s meeting just in time.

Sighing, this time a relived, happy one, she cuddled up to Chae. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I realized I love you a little too much.” The young brunette admitted, leaving a kiss on Chaewon’s soft skin, nuzzling into her neck. “So much I can’t believe I let my pride almost ruin us.”

“I can’t believe it either. But I’m also to blame here. I guess we both were under a lot of pressure and we ended up saying dumb things. Stupid things.” Chaewon replied in the same tone, closing her eyes to inhale the familiar sweet scent of Minjoo’s shampoo, enjoying the warmth of her body and the light, fuzzy feeling of having her girl back in her arms. She didn’t want to think about their fight now, she just wanted to put it past them, and enjoy being with Minjoo again.  “So, can I say it now?”

The younger woman nodded, not leaving Chaewon’s arms. Yes, it was time now, for the both of them.

“Alright. I admit Hufflepuff doesn’t at Quidditch. Actually, it’s quite the opposite.” Chaewon didn’t waste time to say, ignoring any silly pride and prejudice to admit the facts. The Hufflepuffs had proven themselves. “I’m sorry for undermining your efforts. I’m very proud of you.”

Minjoo shook her head, pulling away only enough to look into Chaewon’s eyes. “No, I’m the one who is sorry. In the end of the day, practicing in the rain actually helped us.” The Slytherin captain might have been a pricky, but in the end it had worked on their favor and if anything it made her team more determined to win. The game also had showed her how hard the other team had worked, how most of the players were doing their best, no tricks needed – most of them, but Hufflepuff had proven to have some bad apples too. “Slytherins may be a little sly, but they’re definitely not cowards or cheaters. I know you are not.” Giving her a small smile, she pecked her lips lightly in a silent apology. “You did your best not only to score some goals, but you also helped your team the best way you could. And you were so, so good at it!”

Listening to her girlfriend’s words really made Chae feel a little prouder of herself, a little more confident about having done all she could, but moreover, it made her even more proud of Minjoo. It had been a huge mistake to fight when they should be supporting each other instead, a mistake that hopefully none of them would commit again.

Chaewon’s answer was pulling Minjoo in for a kiss, a little longer this time. Min’s lips were soft and nice, the smooth skin against hers pressing so gently, only enough to make Chaewon’s heart flutter. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, it was their way of showing all their fondness and care for each other, officially ending the tension between them.

Finishing the kiss with a peck, she rested her forehead on Minjoo’s. “No more fighting over quidditch until next year?”

“What about no fights over quidditch ever again?” The Hufflepuff offered with a smile that was mirrored by Chaewon as the Slytherin girl nodded.

“I think the idea of not fighting over anything might be the best.” She kissed the smile on Min’s face, only to make it grow even bigger.

Minjoo hugged her girl better, her heart content to finally be back to the place it belongs – just next to Chaewon’s. “Do you think it’s possible?” Maybe the idea was too unrealistic, but she still loved to think that from now on they would be able to handle their issues better, learning from this whole situation instead of repeating it.

Chae kissed her cheek before replying, facing the pretty brown orbs that now reflect all the love that could be seen in her own chestnut ones. “I think we can try our best.”

A week later, the first sunny Sunday of the year, Chaewon and Minjoo were outside the castle. The couple was sitting by a tree next to the lake, waiting for their friends to come so they all could go together to visit Hogsmeade.

Minjoo looked up from her place on Chaewon’s shoulder, searching for the girl’s gaze and finding her calmingly contemplating the lake – luckily with no giant monster in sight at the moment. “Are you sure you want to go?” She asked, intertwining her fingers with Chaewon’s, the older girl’s arms that back hugged her, pulling her a little closer to her chest in return.

“Of course, a promise is a promise and I owe you some hot chocolate after all the help you gave me this week.” Chaewon had quite a bothersome week with a recovering arm, meaning Minjoo had to help her with notes and explanations, since some of the teachers still didn’t allow Chaewon to use spells to take notes during class or do homework. Nonetheless, her arm was completely healed now and although she would have a lot to catch up the next week, for today she just wanted to spend some quality time with the people she loved.

The girl in between her arms nodded with a smile, leaving a kiss on her jawline before sweetly informing. “I hope you remember the other part of the promise as well.” The other part of their promise? Nothing less than quidditch, but not quite like they always played. Minjoo wanted to try being the chaser for once and she was pretty sure Chaewon would be quite a sight as she struggled to protect the goal posts as a keeper – she would go easy on her just to make sure no accidents happened, but her girlfriend didn’t need to know it.

Chaewon rolled her eyes at her girlfriend’s words, still nodding in agreement. She wouldn’t admit it just yet, but she was pretty excited with the idea – no, definitely not with playing as a keeper, just the fact that it would be just the two of them having fun together again. The type of quidditch she really loved. “As long as the after-practice activities are still going as planned.” She added, leaning in to kiss the corner of Minjoo’s lips.

Refraining from giggling, Minjoo gave her girlfriend a knowing smile. “Don’t worry, today is Yena’s turn to patrol the school and I have a feeling we won’t have any problems.” Their ‘after practice activities’ were nothing less than sneaking into the kitchen for some food and find a comfortable place to snuggle up and just enjoy being in each other’s company – and if it included one or two kisses, it just made things better.

Their conversation was interrupted as they spotted a group of girls approaching. Yujin was running in front of them, playing with an equally tall Ravenclaw girl that Minjoo recognized as Jang Wonyoung, a fourth year. Behind them were Yerim with her usual smile, clinging to her Slytherin best-friend, Hyejoo. And finally, the oldest members of the group were at the back, walking slowly – Hyewon, Yuri, Arin and Yena. It was easy to see there was still some awkwardness between the group, but it was easily broken as Yujin come to hug Yena and Hyewon by the shoulders, prompting them to engage in whatever shenanigans she was up to now.

Minjoo smiled at them, waving at the group.

Chaewon did the same, resting her chin on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “So, what do you think, Slytherin or Hufflepuff will win this time?”

“I just want them to be happy.” Minjoo just shrugged her shoulders, she could only wish for it to end the best way possible.

“Yeah, me too…Enough talk about our sisters, let’s get going.” Nodding slowly, Chaewon left a final kiss on Minjoo’s cheek before nudging her lightly so the two of them could stand up. “I miss spending some time with my star quidditch player. You know, I heard she is a real keeper.” She repeated Yujin’s old joke and as expected Minjoo’s musical laugh could be heard.

Stepping away from the Slytherin girl, Min gave her a playful grin, starting to walk backwards in the direction of where her friends were coming. “Then I hope you don’t mind chasing after her again!” She warned before running to meet the others, leaving Chaewon no choice but to chuckle to herself and run after her girl.

It took them days of misunderstandings, a quidditch game, a storm and a broken arm just to realize something they should already know: Being together was what really mattered, and as long as they were together, everything would be better – and much more fun.

A/N: Hello there! For something done purely for fun, this was surprisingly tiring.  I actually had to research quite a bit to refresh my memory for this one, so I apologize if it still turned out not-so-great.  I actually had plans for a much more serious AU, but I couldn’t located the creator of the original prompt, so I drop the idea for now.

This one was a suggestions of some friends, thanks Jin, Jen and Pooh for the prompt!

Again, happy birthday Geri and an early bday to Sev and Pooh! I hope you all have a great year!

Thanks everyone who read it ‘till here, thanks for your time and I’m sorry about any mistakes. See you next time :)

*Ferula is only a bandage spell that also helps to ease the pain. Chaewon passed out due to the sudden change of pressure since she free fell from a relative higher altitude, this added to the pain and stress ofc.