Morning comes at Hogwarts, the sun now shining on the entirety of the castle including the quidditch captain who just left the darkness of the Slytherin dungeons, walking through the halls early in the morning while she greets every person passing by her, failing to hide the elated feeling the morning has brought her with a wide smile. Chaeyeon has left the dungeons very early in the morning, the same time she always rises from the Ravenclaw dorms but the only difference now is Chaeyeon left with a smile on her face. (Maybe, heavy bags under her eyes too, for not getting enough sleep; She thinks of sleeping some more at her own bed once she returns)

Whilst she goes on a short journey to the West Towers, Chaeyeon thinks about the night before. She thinks of how it was way different from these past few days, how she has finally taken a step closer towards Eunbi, how she got to know more about the head girl. 

Just as much as Chaeyeon would like to wake up seeing Eunbi’s gentle smile like the previous night, she left the dungeons without waking up the latter. Chaeyeon thought it was the least she could do after all the trouble she had caused. She knows later today, Eunbi will be tired again after a long day of just her and her responsibilities.

In just a span of a couple of minutes, Chaeyeon has finally arrived in front of the Ravenclaw common room entrance, adjusting her breathing slightly to match the weather and the exhaustion the stairs had given her. She then proceeds to answer the riddle password before entering the spacious common room, a sight refresher from the darkness of the dungeons. The common room was very quiet and waiting to be filled with awake students. 

With that, Chaeyeon takes the opportunity to indulge the serenity of the common room, her eyes scanning throughout from the dustless shelves to the fresh ashes at the fireplace. 

Chaeyeon suddenly realizes she was now moving like a prefect. She must have been adapting the habits already from hanging out with Minjoo too much. Maybe more if she hangs out more with Eunbi. (Which, she silently wishes would happen anytime soon)

Chaeyeon then goes down the stairs to their own room, first seeing Hitomi sleep as peaceful as ever then she sees Minjoo, currently enveloped in the embrace of the very familiar Ahn Yujin while papers were scattered around them, Minjoo probably too sleepy already to keep her parchments organized.

Chaeyeon smiles at the sight of the two best friends barely even fitting on a bed made for just one student, squeezing each other as close as possible but still making sure they both sleep soundly.

Chaeyeon knows that everybody gets this feeling of an unspoken thing between the both of them, very evident in how they move around each other, how they treat each other, how they are almost inseparable. Chaeyeon senses a connection from both Minjoo and Yujin that is unbreakable, how they complement each other being a key factor. 

Chaeyeon now wonders if the rest of them also feel the connection Eunbi has with her, like she feels it as of the moment despite being in separate houses. However, this connection may be a one-sided thing, as far as Chaeyeon knows, so instead, for what it’s worth, she expects the worst rather than hope for the best, that nobody but her feels and notices this fondness stirring up in her system. 

Chaeyeon now walks to her side of the room and fetches her own mug and bag of tea, her drowsiness from a while ago now relieved from her shoulders thanks to the adorable sight of Yujin and Minjoo.

While she sits quietly on her bed with her mug and tea bag in hand, Chaeyeon suddenly thought about the other day when Nako preached about meeting the one. Chaeyeon does agree that she was being too focused on Quidditch and many other things, that she never gets to appreciate whatever or whoever chooses to spend time with her. Chaeyeon has indeed never opened her heart to anyone yet and maybe, just maybe, it was already time to do so.

With these thoughts in mind, just as much as Chaeyeon would not want to admit to herself, she was thinking about just one person. Chaeyeon suddenly grows wary of what’s to come and if things will turn out great. However, she maximizes her enthusiasm and she hopes things will turn out just the way it is favored to be.

----------------------------------------------------

“You! Where have you been? I have been worried sick—” Minjoo looks back at the sleeping Yujin, afraid that she might have woken up with her sudden outburst on Chaeyeon. “—We have been worried sick!”

“Don’t worry, someone can vouch for me.” Chaeyeon sips her tea while she leans by her bedpost smugly. “I sure hope she’ll vouch for me.” 

“Chaeyeon, where did you go?” Minjoo asks, her voice sounding like she was about to burst.

“Yujin and I... I can say we traded places for the night.” Chaeyeon grins.

“You what?!”

----------------------------------------------------

Chaeyeon walks casually out of Potions class with Professor Im (Who eyed her with a slightly aggressive tone on her glare, like she knows what had unfolded the night before; Professor Yoo probably told her about it already), looking at a wrinkled parchment where her schedule for the day was written. Chaeyeon pats herself on the back when she sees nothing below Potions class which meant free time before Quidditch practice.

Chaeyeon thinks about maybe spending her time in the library again like she always used to, to read about Thestrals, Dittanies, or all of her current year's extent, or just lounge at their common room and read some more. However, Chaeyeon suddenly sees Eunbi before her, carrying books that towered up to her shoulders, barely even having to see anyone in front including Chaeyeon, who she was about to bump into.

All of Chaeyeon’s vacant time plans vanished in a blink of an eye as she ran to help Eunbi, grabbing half of the books from her vulnerable tower.

“I don't remember asking for your help.” Eunbi was indeed back to her own self again, the authoritative one. “I can manage.”

“Sure, like you didn’t look like the Whomping Willow for a moment there, swaying left and right and all.” Chaeyeon smiles as she imitates the willow and how it disturbingly sways, with a couple of books she finds very light.

“What are you doing, Chaeyeon? Really, I can manage.” 

“I insist.” Chaeyeon shakes away Eunbi’s hand from her. 

“But—”

“Again, I insist.” Chaeyeon now smiles gently, walking slightly ahead of Eunbi to avoid the head girl’s further nagging.

“You are to return this to the library, I suppose? That’s where I was going.” Chaeyeon looks through the stack of books she was holding, different kinds of books on Care of Magical Creatures fifth years like her are not familiar with yet.

“Yes. I needed a lot of reading after I saw how much homework Professor Yoo had given us.” 

“Does it have anything to do with last night?” Chaeyeon’s face turns sour as she abruptly stops her tracks, remembering meeting Professor Yoo by the hall the previous night. However, Eunbi just shakes her head and keeps on walking, letting her walk steps ahead from Chaeyeon and continue to the library. 

The dimness of the library soon envelopes both of them, Chaeyeon letting her eyes adjust for a bit before continuing to follow Eunbi who was now by an empty table.

“Don’t worry about it. It was just normal for Professor Yoo to give out that much homework.” Eunbi audibly whispers before she snatches the pile of books on Chaeyeon’s arms and puts it down the table along her own pile. 

Usually, the first thing that Chaeyeon lays eyes on are the flying books, amazed by how it’s floating to its place, how books of different authors are being contained in this place. However, ‘tis the day Chaeyeon changes the usual habit. It was the day her eyes were set on a whole new thing, a whole new person, which was this blonde girl fiddling with the books stacked beside her.

“Thank you for helping me, Chaeyeon. You may do you now.” Eunbi smiles at her before she grabs a book and proceeds to the shelf beside the table, letting the first book float