« God, not again. »

Byulyi runs water on her stained white shirt. She was feeling hot during the Potion class and took off her sweater, unfortunately she forgot to put her work robe back on and ended up staining her shirt.

The Slytherin looks around. No one is here. She quickly takes off her shirt, now standing only in her bra and puts her shirt under the running cold water, trying to clean off the stains left by the cheese potion which exploded on her.

« Come on, now. »

The girl keeps rubbing under the cold water, but it seems like the stain is getting bigger instead, she hates it; this is her last clean shirt because of the incident on Valentines Day and the laundry isn’t coming before this evening. In her desperate state, she doesn’t hear that someone is entering the bathroom, the person walks toward her, watching her as she tries her best to clean off her shirt.

« Do you want some help? »

Byulyi suddenly turns around, Yongsun, a smirk on her lips, is in front oft her, Byulyi clearly notices how her eyes quickly go up and down her body. She covers herself with her wet shirt. It doesn’t do much since the shirt is wet and so transparent.

« I don’t have another shirt. »

Byulyi explains, she turns around and puts the clothing back under the water. She feels Yongsun approaching, the girl stands right next to Byulyi, she turns off the tap and takes Byulyi’s shirt in her hands. Yongsun longly inspects the stains, before looking back at Byulyi, the Slytherin tries to hide her body as best as she can; she forgot her sweater and her work robe in the Potion classroom.

« I have other shirts in my room. Class aren’t ending before another thirty minutes, so no one should be in the corridors. »

Yongsun nods to herself, she lends her work robe to Byulyi before heading out of the bathrooms. Byulyi fails to think, Yongsun’s perfume is hugging her and the warmth of her body still englued in the work robe is now warming her skin. She blindly follows Yongsun out of the dungeon where the Potion classroom is situated and toward the stairs.

« If we meet with any Head Boy or Head Girl we are so done. »

Yongsun takes Byulyi’s hand in hers so the girl follows her closer. Byulyi bites her lips, she tries to get her head straight, her thoughts must focus on the important matter: not being caught in the corridors. But she fails miserably.

Yongsun guides them to the third floor and down a corridor toward Gryffindor tower, they walk fast, their hands joined together. The Gryffindor pronounces the password, they walk past the common room and towards the dormitories, Byulyi stumbles while climbing the stairs toward Yongsun’s bedroom.

Yongsun pushes a wooden door, Byulyi discovers a large room with only two beds. One part of the bedroom is well kept, even the bed is made in a tidier way than the way Hogwarts house-elves do it, nothing is out of place; but Yongsun directs herself toward the other side. There, parchments, books and a collection of letters are littering the floor. Yongsun opens her wardrobe and gets out a perfectly ironed white shirt.

« I think we are the same size. It should be okay. »

Byulyi takes the clothing from Yongsun, she takes off the black work robe at the colors of Gryffindor and quickly puts on the shirt. Yongsun pretends to order her books and parchments but her eyes aren’t missing a second of Byulyi’s skin. She has a small smirk on her lips when Byulyi looks at her after buttoning up the shirt.

« Perfect! Now... Oh. Where is your tie? »

« God no... I surely left it in the bathroom. »

Byulyi grunts, Yongsun chuckles. She walks over to Byulyi on the other side of the bed, her smile and her eyes don’t let anything show through; Byulyi steps back but her back quickly hits the wall. Yongsun has something behind her back, she is almost in Byulyi’s personal space when she shows her a tie. A gold and scarlet tie.

« I can’t wear that. »

Byulyi keeps her hand in front of her, trying to maintain a distance between them. Yongsun chuckles more, she puts the tie around Byulyi’s wrist in a quick move and pulls the girl toward her. Their nose are almost touching.

Byulyi isn’t even breathing properly by now, her cheeks are a deep shade of red and sweat is dripping down her neck. She closes her eyes and opens them again, something…

« Hehe. Relax, I won’t do anything to you. Hyejin told me about you, Moon Byulyi. »

Yongsun lets go of Byulyi’s hand and sits on her bed. She crosses her legs in an elegant way Byulyi has seen Wheein do before. The Gryffindor girl runs a hand through her short hair, she pats the bed next to her for Byulyi to sit.

« Hyejin told me you were really important for her. I thought it would be a good idea to get to know you better. I mean, except for our interactions concerning Quidditch, we rarely talk. Yet, I always thought you were someone I would like to be close with. »

Yongsun plays with her fingers making them pop quickly, she only throws glances to Byulyi from time to time as she speaks. The Slytherin girl is disoriented. It isn’t easy for her to focus. Hyejin told Yongsun about her. Yongsun thinks of her. Yongsun always wanted to be closer to her. But more importantly, Yongsun wasn’t trying to kiss her or anything; Byulyi doesn’t even want to imagine herself explaining to Hyejin that the girl she is going out with kissed her.

« Yeah? »

« I mean… Who doesn’t want to be your friend! You know, I was so scared to become captain of the Quidditch team… But when I thought of you managing the position ever since you were fourteen, it really helped me to make the decision. »

« Really? »

Byulyi thinks it is so hard to believe because Yongsun has been leading the Gryffindor Quidditch team way before officially becoming the captain. The Gryffindor laughs it off.

« Back to Hyejin. Ah… Since you two are really close. I wanted to have your opinion on something. »

« Congratulations on your Quidditch performance. »

Byulyi lets out a proud smile and nods toward Mrs. Vera. They are in her office, attending the different parchments; while Mrs. Vera correct them, Byulyi has been tasked to track every spelling and grammatical mistake. She has always been good at English and Mrs. Vera is very satisfied with her work.

« I admit, you and Miss Jung do know how to make a match interesting. »

Mrs. Vera chuckles at her own words, Byulyi snorts; ever since she has started correcting papers with Mrs. Vera, the woman has been showing more of her personality to Byulyi. The Slytherin believes the teacher is a funny woman with an impeccable sense of humor, she also has to admit she adores their little talk around a cup of tea once they are done.

« Wheein is a wonderful player. Affronting Ravenclaw can be nerve wrecking but the sensations I get from it are wonderful. »

Mrs. Vera nods to herself, a little chuckle is heard, but the woman is quick to become serious again. Byulyi busies herself in with the papers, her eyes track all the mistakes and her plume gently puts red notes down.

There is a comfortable silence between them. Until, someone smashes the door open.

« Mrs. Vera! There is a fight happening in the common room! Mrs. Vera! »

Byulyi and Mrs. Vera raise their head at the same time, they exchange a quick look before standing up and following the desperate Gryffindor who is running back toward Gryffindor tower. As they arrive in the corridor leading to the tower, Byulyi sees a bunch of students in front of the entrance of Gryffindor’s common room. Mrs. Vera pushes them away, Byulyi follows her in the common room; inside two girls are throwing everything they can put their hands on to each other.

« You liar! ing liar! »

« You just don’t know how to lose! »

« Me? Have you seen your dirty face! »

One of the two Gryffindor girls reaches for a book and throws it in the other girl face. Byulyi recognizes Lily Carter; the girl just caught the book the other student threw her way and throws it back. Her blonde hair are a mess, and there is few bloody scratches on her cheek. It seems like they used their hands earlier but went back to throwing stuff to the other face. Lily’s brown eyes are a pool of anger, her friends on the other side of the room; are too scared to interfere.

« You just can’t handle losing! Not my fault if your crush is dating another! »

« Say it again! I will kill you! »

« You lost to a stupid Slytherin! You just always lose! Loser! »

Mrs. Vera uses her wand, Byulyi hears her throw a stunning spell on the two fighting girls. The spell has been thrown at a gentle dose. They both fall unconscious on the floor; Lily’s friends run to the girl, carrying her away from the scene, while Mrs. Vera walk to the other student.

Byulyi recognizes her, she is a fifth year student, named Théa; one time Hyejin told her about the girl but she can’t remember what it was about. Mrs. Vera orders to the students to scatter or she will starts to gives sanctions. Most Gryffindor find their dormitories, the students from the other houses walk away; they all fear Mrs. Vera hard grey eyes.

« Ah… Miss Moon, please help me with Théa. »

They carry the girl to a sofa, then Mrs. Vera throws a general spell to the room, cleaning the absolute mess in a few seconds. She asks Byulyi to tell Lily’s friends that the girl is expected in her office as soon as she wakes up.

Byulyi has only been in Gryffindor’s dormitories once, a few days ago when Yongsun kindly lended her a shirt. She walks up the stairs toward the girl dormitories, but once in front of the corridor, she doesn’t know which room is Lily’s.

The Slytherin walks slowly, listening for a clue; she quickly notices the only opened door where a bunch of Gryffindors are reunited. She hears them disapproving of Mrs. Vera’s way of putting an end to the fight. Byulyi enters, they all stop talking, their eyes suspiciously looking in her direction.

« Mrs. Vera wants to see Lily in her office when she wakes up. »

« I am coming. »

Lily is already sitting on her bed, the small girl is so angry the spell barely had effect on her. Her friends whisper words to her, before letting her go with Byulyi. They walk back to the common room, Mrs. Vera and Théa are gone already.

Byulyi groans internally when she realizes she will have to walk to Mrs. Vera’s office with Lily. The Slytherin dislikes Lily, she knows the girl from the times she helped Mr. Humso during his DADA class. She thinks the Gryffindor is full of herself and all talk, she often responds unkindly to people older than her and enjoys being the center of attention way too much.

« You think Mrs. Vera will be mad? »

Byulyi turns toward the girl, she is looking down, her long blonde hair covering most of her face, she walks behind Byulyi like she is scared to reach Mrs. Vera’s office. Byulyi stops and waits for the girl in the middle of the stairs.

« Mrs. Vera is mad. »

« It isn’t my fault. Théa started it. »

« Sure. »

Byulyi continues down the stairs, she matches her pace to Lily but the girl is walking so slowly she has to stop almost every step. She does her best to keep her annoyance inside her, Lily continues to defend herself.

« We were playing chess with my friends, and she kept talking about me with her friends. I could hear everything, I had enough and told her to stop. »

« And it is then that you started to throw furnitures to her face? »

« No! I just… I insulted her too, but I didn’t think she could hear me! And then she walked to me and my friends and threw the board in my face! I only fought back. »

« Well Mrs. Vera will be happy to hear you out. »

« Please, you have to trust me. Mrs. Vera likes you, can’t you tell her I am innocent? »

Byulyi sighs exasperated, Lily jumps in front of her, giving her pleading brown eyes. Byulyi coldly pushes her out of the way and keeps walking. Mrs. Vera’s office is just around the corner, but Lily stops her again.

« Byulyi, please, I will do anything you ask me in exchange. Please… I know Mrs. Vera will listen to you. »

« Okay, then you have to tell me the truth. What was this fight really about? Why did she call you a loser? »

Lily nervously sighs, her brown eyes are begging Byulyi to help her once again, but the Slytherin is standing emotionless waiting for an answer. It is a quick fight, Lily gives up, bowing her head to the older girl.

« I don’t know how, but Théa learned I had a crush on someone. But this person is now…. This person is now dating someone else and ever since, she has been teasing me about it. I guess I had enough today. I just snapped. »

« I see. »

« You have to trust me. I was playing chess with my friends and she entered the common room and started to push my buttons… I threw the chess board in her face, and then… Well, you know. »

« Out of curiosity, can I know who is this someone? »

Lily feels her cheeks heat up. Byulyi titles her head to the side, waiting.

« If I tell you, you have to promise me you will help me in front of Mrs. Vera and you won’t tell anyone else. »

« Seems okay to me. »

« It is Yongsun Kim… I bet you know her. »

Byulyi feels her jaw touching the floor. Lily looks away, a bit ashamed to admit it out loud to someone for the first time.

« The word around the school is that you fought two Gryffindors younger than you because you were bad at chess. »

Byulyi raises her head toward Hyejin, a clear bored and annoyed expression fixed in both her eyes; Hyejin chuckles before sliding in the seat next to her friend. The Great Hall is busy with student working on their homework. Byulyi goes back to her paper, she seems to be struggling; Hyejin opens her work robe and a curious Layon slides on the table.

« So… You did fight two Gryffindors? »

Hyejin tries again, she is clearly amused by the situation. Byulyi groans, she closes her parchment and organizes her books before looking at Hyejin. The older girl doesn’t look good, dark bags under her eyes, a disinterested look and a tired crease on her lips.

Byulyi needs sleep more than anything else, but her teachers have been giving her mountains of homework, she has been spending most of her night writing papers and reading books at the library. She also has the usual classes where she helps Mr. Humso and her afternoons in Mrs. Vera’s office correcting papers. Needless to say, she hasn’t been sleeping much this past days.

« I fought no one. They fought each other. »

« But you were there? Were you the reason of the fight? »

« No… Your girlfriend was. »

Hyejin chocks on the answer Byulyi gave her. The latter watches as Layon decides to hid inside one of her parchment, but his tail is still visible. Byulyi pokes his scale, the snake quickly hides his tail too.

« Apparently, Lily Carter has a thing for her. »

Hyejin puts a hand on Byulyi’s arm. They exchange a long look, something intimate, only between them. Hyejin sees how the girl hasn’t healed completely from her heartbreak, she rubs Byulyi’s arm under her work robe. Byulyi nods, she takes deep breathes and tries to ignore the ache in the middle of her chest.

Byulyi pats Hyejin’s hand, she knows she will need more time, but she doesn’t want to ruin Hyejin’s experience. She doesn’t want the girl to feel guilty about her choice, Yongsun is Hyejin’s first relationship and despite the pain, she promised herself to be very supportive of the younger girl.

« Don’t feel sorry for me. I told you already it was okay. »

Hyejin nods, she grips Byulyi’s wrist, she doesn’t want to cry. Byulyi puts an arm around her shoulders, Hyejin leans against her, it feels safe there.

« Anyway, Lily Carter and Théa Smith were fighting in their common room. To be honest, the funniest part was when Mrs. Vera threw them both a Stupefy. They fell on the floor immediately. »

« I bet Mrs. Vera didn’t go soft on them. »

« Well… Lily asked me to plead in her favor. »

« You did? I thought you didn’t like her. »

« … I understood her pain. Anyway, she only got to write a paper where she reflects on her behavior. Théa got much worse, on top of the paper, she has to help Mr. John with the magical creatures every weekend until Mrs. Vera puts an end to her sanction. »

« That’s rough. But she deserves it. This girl is a plague. »

« I think you told me about her once? »

Hyejin nods, she indeed had a different with Théa last year. The girl has a clear contempt for Slytherin in general and Hyejin had the worst luck of all has she was sitting next to her during Potion class. One day, the girl was once again annoying Hyejin with her comments and Hyejin couldn’t take it anymore, she spilled her entire cauldron on the girl. Théa spent an entire week in the infirmary from the burns and the effect of the Ageing potion Hyejin had spilled on her.

« Ah… I guess she got what she deserved. »

« I don’t want to pressure you… But I hope you have my birthday gift ready. »

Byulyi turns around, behind her is Yongsun, a cocky smile on her lips as she moves her eyebrow toward her. Byulyi rolls her eyes and turns back, she tries to follow the History of Magic class; contrary to Wheein, she finds it hard to build any interest for this subject. Her parents forced her to take it anyway.

« You still have a few days, and I saw this really cool broom the other day at Hogsmeade. »

« I am not buying you a broom. »

« So you already have an idea? »

Byulyi sighs, she tries to focus on the boring class the best she could, but Yongsun is distracting her. Ever since Hyejin and Yongsun have started to date, the Gryffindor has been trying to become closer to Byulyi; Byulyi believes she should rather leave her alone, but Yongsun is stubborn.

« See, I am not difficult, anything Quidditch related should be okay. »

« I am listening to the class. »

« Lying is very bad, your plume has been dry for the past minutes. »

Byulyi groans, she closes her eyes, opens them and turns to Yongsun. The girl is leaning over her table, trying to be closer to Byulyi’s ear so she can keep the volume of her voice low. Byulyi pushes her back in her seat, Yongsun chuckles at the action.

Right now, it is a veritable problem for Byulyi; the black haired girl is absolutely attractive with her sincere smile, her glowing eyes and her messy hair. She looks at Byulyi in such a way the latter has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her thoughts in control.

« I know it is your birthday soon. But if you continue like this, nothing is what I will be offering you. »

Yongsun smiles harder, her dimples are showing and Byulyi turns away immediately. She needs to focus on the class, on the totally not interesting course on the Owl Airforce. She must ignore Yongsun, she must writes down every single word from the teacher’s mouth so she isn’t distracted by-

« Unlike other people, I will cherish your gift. »

Byulyi doesn’t respond, she is writing the course. Her plume hesitating on the paper because one ear is listening but the other is with Yongsun. She wonders what is the girl talking about, she makes a stain on her parchment, yet she doesn’t realize, too distracted by one Gryffindor.

« Where is the sweat I gifted you on your birthday? Are you never going to wear it? »

« Like I would wear Gryffindor colors during a Quidditch game. »

« I want you to promise me something. »

« No. »

Yongsun pokes Byulyi’s back with her finger, the girl wiggles on her chair; she turns around and threatens Yongsun if she ever does that again. The Gryffindor gives her a pink tongue in response.

« Promise me you will wear it for newt week match. Come on, it is not like you will support Hufflepuff anyway. »

« No. »

« I am so glad to hear you will support me. »

« I said no! »

« Miss Moon, can you share with the class why you disagree on the matter? Owls did played a big deal during the First World War, but maybe you have an interesting but different opinion, in this case I would like for you to share it with us. »

Byulyi throws a dark look in Yongsun’s direction, the girl response with a smart smirk. The teacher waits, his small brown eyes fixated on Byulyi who stays quiet for a few seconds; fortunately for her, her ability to find excuses in order to get out of difficult situations, that she puts herself in, saves her, she is quick on her feet and manages to answer.

« Can’t wait to hear you cheer for me. »

« KIM YONGSUN! KIM YONGSUN! »

The cheers are as loud as the one during the Quidditch games, Yongsun loves every second of it, she puts her left fist in the air as the entire room is chanting her name while she is trying to out drink a guy twice her size and older than her.

It is the 21^st of February and Kim Yongsun is turning seventeen, because she is born at 00:00 she believes in celebrating her birth in the night of the 20^th of February. It is now way past midnight and most of the students celebrating with her are drunk. Not wasted yet, just drunk.

It started slowly after dinner, Mrs. Vera told her she didn’t want to see any outbreak in public and so the event started in Gryffindor’s common room. Yongsun wanted everyone to be dressed to celebrate, she herself had a sinful dress which hugged her forming curve in a very y way. Her hair were for once done in a chic bun and she even had some make up on for the occasion; Hyejin had even begged Yongsun to wear some red lipstick.

The Gryffindor common room had been decorated for the occasion at the color of Gryffindor with Yongsun’s initials instead of the coat of arms of her house. The balloons have the Kim’s family armory on them: an elephant head inside a circle of seven amaryllis. The white elephant for the wisdom, the number seven for the good luck, and the amaryllis for the pride, the flowers are red to represent authority and pursuits of happiness. Yongsun is very proud of her family’s armory.

The youngest Gryffindors have been prohibited to participate in the celebration and were all in there room. Yongsun had invited her fellow Gryffindor classmate, each of the Quidditch team members over fifteen, her different friends in the other houses and obviously Hyejin. They were a lot of students but Gryffindor common room was big enough to welcome them all.

It was around eleven that things started to go south, Yongsun already a few drinks down had started to make bets with every person she could think of. It had started gently with things like “the first one to spot this person”, “the last one to stand on one leg”, and slowly moved to “the first one to drink ten shots without vomiting”.

Anyone who has lived at Hogwarts and participated in at least one party knows that Kim Yongsun is the worst drinker, she gets drunk with only one beer and tends to fall asleep anywhere once her battery runs out, which happens quicker than expected. Somehow, she is currently battling George, a seventh year Hufflepuff who is way bigger than her and hasn’t shown any sign of drunkenness despite the seventh shots they both drank.

« KIM YONGSUN! ONE MORE! ONE MORE! »

Hyejin is watching her drunk girlfriend down another shot, fortunately she is sitting down. Hyejin turns to Wheein who is watching the battle with excited eyes, she isn’t even half as drunk as Yongsun but she adores the chaotic atmosphere of the party which often make her act recklessly.

« She will regret this tomorrow. »

« She always does. »

Wheein chuckles and takes a sip of her plum wine, Yonghee sent it to Yongsun as a birthday gift, yet Wheein is the one enjoying the beverage. Hyejin sighs, she walks through the crowd of drunk students and easily reach Yongsun who is way too drunk to handle another shot.

« She is done. »

The crowd lets out a scream as George celebrates his victory, he slaps his torso in a manly way before finishing his shots and Yongsun’s. Hyejin believes he is crazy; the Hufflepuff stands up proudly but seconds later hits the ground, completely beat down.

« Dumb . And you… »

Hyejin looks at the drunk girl in front of her, she stretches her arm toward Hyejin and hugs her waist, her face against Hyejin’s belly. The younger girl pets her hair gently, she doesn’t have the heart to scold Yongsun for the state she put herself in. Instead she rubs her shoulder fondly.

« Are you okay? We didn’t even give you your birthday cake yet. Can you hold on until then? »

Yongsun nods against Hyejin’s belly, it is a lie, she has too much alcohol in her system. Hyejin forces her to look at her, she sighs and helps Yongsun standing up, they walk together toward the bathrooms. There it is a bit colder, and the music is less loud, the air is easier to breath; Yongsun runs toward a toilet.

Hyejin waits patiently for the girl to finish, she half expects her to fall asleep there but she eventually comes out, a sheepish grin on her face. Hyejin helps her clean up and makes her drink some water. Yongsun stands with her head down while Hyejin is busy with her hair, she styles the short locks down and gives a few on Yongsun’s dress.

« Are you ashamed of me? »

Hyejin wonders where is it coming from, she takes Yongsun’s hands in hers, they are cold and so Hyejin puts them on her belly to warm them up. Yongsun is looking at her feet, half of her face hidden by a curtain of hair.

« I am not. Are you feeling this way? »

Yongsun shrugs, it is a miracle that she is still awake and standing despite the amount of alcohol in her system; the purging in the bathroom makes it easier, but still. Her thoughts are a bit fuzzy, and her lips let out words without her knowing. But Yongsun is an honest person and even more when under the influence of alcohol.

The questions and the concerns she has been having are coming back to the surface; she wonders why Hyejin always seems to escape her. She didn’t lie when she said she liked the girl, that she wanted to know her more and that she wanted to go out with her. But Hyejin is evasive, they rarely share moments together and Yongsun wonders if Hyejin has something to reproach her.

« You never want to spend time with me. »

Yongsun feels like she barely sees the girl, she is always busy somewhere with something else. The Gryffindor leans against Hyejin’s touch when she her cheek. Hyejin is soft and warm in her gestures and Yongsun yearns for her.

« I want to know you more, I want to spend more time with you. I don’t want to just have a small moment here and there. »

Yongsun feels something falling down her cheek, Hyejin wipes it away. She leans in, their forehead touching and their breath mixing with the other. Yongsun breathes deeply, she finds comfort in physical touches; Hyejin understands this is her love language.

« Let me know you more. Please. »

Hyejin’s lips are so soft on Yongsun’s the girl lets out a moan. She reaches for Hyejin, wraps her arms around her waist and brings her closer; another kiss just as soft. Yongsun feels like a bubble is growing around them, it is a nice and warm bubble which englobes only them. She feels Hyejin’s body against her, the girl has a hand in her hair and it feels different from every person Yongsun has ever kissed. There is something about Hyejin which Yongsun can’t pinpoint, it makes her feel grounded.

« Hey! It is time to blow your candles, Don Juan. »

Yongsun reluctantly lets go of Hyejin but the girl gives her a precious smile before leading her out of the bathroom. When they step inside the common room, everyone sing or rather scream the birthday song. Wheein is walking toward Yongsun, a round chocolate cake with seventeen lighted candles in her hands. She has the happiest smile, Yongsun closes her eyes tight before blowing the candles while thinking of her wish.

« KIM YONGSUN! »

« Happy birthday, unnie! »

Wheein is trying hard to not drop the cake as she is bouncing on the tips of her toes from excitement. Yongsun hugs Hyejin before jumping in Wheein’s arms, the smaller girl tries to balance the cake, fortunately Remy, who was standing near them, helps her and catch the cake before it fall on the floor.

« Happy birthday! »

Yongsun jumps around, the excitement of celebrating her birthday over power the alcohol running in her system, she hugs anyone who opens their arms to her. Hyejin and Wheein are busy cutting the cake, and giving out pieces to the hungry and drunk students. Hyejin worries there will not be enough cake for everyone but Wheein tells her there are two others on the table over there.

« Byul! »

Yongsun jumps in the Slytherin’s arms, she hugs her strongly, Byulyi is more hesitant she puts shy hands on Yongsun’s side. The birthday girl is a hugger, even more right now, Byulyi tries to relax but her mind is racy. She feels how warm Yongsun’s body is against her, her mature perfume mixed with the alcohol she consumed, her short hair tickle Byulyi’s cheek and her hand squeeze Byulyi even harder against her.

« Where were you! I barely saw you! »

« I had a matter to take care of before coming, when I got here you were busy trying to outdrink George. »

Yongsun lets out of laugh, she keeps Byulyi close to her, her hands resting on the girl’s shoulders. It doesn’t do anything to help the Slytherin. To be honest Byulyi begs her heart to calm down, she knows Yongsun is very touchy, Hyejin more or less told her but right now it is too much. The dress the girl is wearing is hugging her body in such way Byulyi has the hardest time looking away, she tries to focus on her face instead and sees her make up is a bit messy on the edges, she can’t help but to wipe under Yongsun’s eyes.

« I am so happy to see you! Hehe. Now, it is my birthday today and you have to do everything I say! »

« I don’t think it is how it works. »

« Shh! Moon Byulyi, you have to promise me to wear my gift at next week match. Promise it right now! It is my birthday and you can’t say no. »

« I won’t do that. »

Yongsun pushes Byulyi’s shoulder playfully, she lets out a cute whine Byulyi has never heard before. She rocks Byulyi by the shoulders, trying to look threatening, but the effect is not here, Byulyi finds her rather adorable, she bites her lips.

« Come on, Byul. »

Byulyi doesn’t know where does this familiarity comes from. Yongsun pouts, red lips in a pleading crease and big brown eyes looking at her. Byulyi is too focus on the girl who is holding her by the shoulders to notice Hyejin coming their way.

« Is everything okay? »

Byulyi lets go of Yongsun’s side almost immediately, the Gryffindor turns around and breaks into a happy smile when she sees Hyejin, immediately throwing her arms around the younger girl’s neck. Hyejin looks at Byulyi longly, her questioning eyes make the girl uneasy.

« Byulyi doesn’t want to support me during my Quidditch team. »

Yongsun whines to Hyejin while pointing an accusing finger to Byulyi.

« That’s- »

« It is my birthday but she doesn’t want to make me happy. Hyejinnie…. »

Yongsun hugs Hyejin closer to her, the younger Slytherin sighs and wraps her arm around Yongsun’s waist; she looks at Byulyi rather amused than anything else. She waits for the older Slytherin to answer but Byulyi is scratching her cheek, a clear sign of awkwardness.

« Come on, unnie. It is Yongsun’s birthday, you can promise her just this one thing. »

Yongsun nods in Byulyi’s direction, agreeing with Hyejin’s words. The blonde girl rolls her eyes, she heard Hyejin’s playfulness in her tone and feels lighter; this whole situation with Yongsun makes her more anxious than she would like to admit.

Yongsun and Hyejin are a thing, and Byulyi would rather die than hurt Hyejin in anyway because her behavior toward Yongsun is judged out of place by Hyejin.

Byulyi breathes out, but Hyejin sees the small smile on the edge of her lips.

« Okay. I will. »

« You have to promise, Moon Byulyi! »

« I promise. I promise I will wear Gryffindor sweater during your match. »

Yongsun happily jumps in Hyejin’s arms. She kisses the girl on her cheek before walking away, another target in head, the Gryffindor has been using her birthday to force people into promising her various things. Hyejin is impressed she manages this well despite being completely hammered half an hour ago.

« Are you okay? You were so nervous when I arrived. »

« I don’t want you to misunderstand the situation. »

« Well… Yongsun is very touchy in general and right now she has alcohol in her blood. »

« Still… »

« Byulyi… I don’t want us to be awkward when it comes to Yongsun. »

« I wish it was less complicated. »

« I know you need more time. I just wish I could share with you...everything. »

Byulyi nods, she wants the same thing; to be here for Hyejin, to hear about her feelings and her worries, to be a comfortable ear for her friend. She opens her arms, Hyejin is quick to find warmth against the familiar embrace; it is funny how Byulyi smells like the forest, but she doesn’t comment on it.

« We should get something to drink. After all it is Yongsun’s birthday and we must celebrate. »

Byulyi and Hyejin join the already drunk crowd of students, beverage in hand, the music carries them until the dawn hours of the morning. Yongsun passes out after trying to take another drinking bet against Remy this time. The two captains end up wasted in one of the couch, Wheein wishes she could take a picture of the duo.

Hyejin is a responsible drinker, and for a change Byulyi doesn’t end up hammered but finish the night with dignity, she even helps the standing Slytherins to walk back to their dungeon. Wheein, full of plum wine and butterbeer, is more drunk than usual, Dana in a barely better state escorts her and a few other Ravenclaws back to Ravenclaw tower in the morning; the numerous stairs are a nightmare for them.

Eventually, the Gryffindor common room sinks into a peaceful silence as the morning sun is peaking through the cloudy sky.

« My head… Water, water. »

« Here. »

Remy, his short brown hair in a disheveled state is handing Yongsun a glass of water. Only one of his shirt buttons is holding the clothing, most of his skin exposed to the world, his trousers are stained and he has lost a socks but still has his two shoes on. The bet against Yongsun was a bad idea, he realizes now.

« I will lose my eyes if the sun doesn’t shut it. »

Remy chuckles, her gently closes the curtain for Yongsun’s sake. The girl is sitting in the couch they both spent the night on, she is holding her head in her hand, clearly a victim of her own actions. Remy stretches, the couch is a horrible place to fall asleep in, he feels pain in his back, even his legs are aching from the position he was in.

« Happy birthday, Yongsun. »

« Thank you. »

« It was a really nice night. But I will never bet against you ever again. »

Yongsun lets out a faint chuckle, her state doesn’t allow her to do more. She finally looks to Remy, his warm hazel eyes looking around the room which is a total mess, but he smiles at the state; which is concerning when he is known for his tidy nature and his need for things to look perfectly neat.

« God… I need to clean this up. »

« I will help you. »

The Ravenclaw boy holds out his hand, his wand bursts through one of Gryffindor common room’s window, it scares Yongsun who lets out a scream. Remy gently explains Wheein put a spell on it, making his wand come to him whenever he calls it. Yongsun nods, barely registering the informations. Remy throws a general charm on the room, most of the furnitures come back to their places, but the ground is still full of litter.

The two captains spend half an hour cleaning up the floor, picking up the alcohol bottles, the different plates, the glasses, the lost clothes and more. When it is done, they throw another cleaning charm, this time the Gryffindor common room looks like a decent place. They both crash on a couch when they are done.

« What is it like to be captain? »

« Too many responsibilities. »

Remy chuckles, Yongsun follows him. They are currently laying their aching bodies in the most ungraceful way, but it doesn’t matter since no one is there. There is some tension between them, Remy is waiting for Yongsun to finally speak up, he knows it won’t happen if he tries to force it out of the girl.

« How many girl have you dated? »

« Three. »

« I thought it was more. »

« I had some adventures here and there. But I only had three serious relationships. »

« How was it? I mean, you know… »

« My first relationship was during my third year, I was thirteen and didn’t really know what I was doing. It was Sam, I think you might know her. Anyway, she was the one interested in me and I liked the attention. »

« Understandable. »

« At the end of my fourth year, I met Hai. She is really discreet, and I felt like I had never seen her before. I spent half of my fifth year courting her, I didn’t know what to do, she was the prettiest girl but so hard to reach. Ah… »

« Hai is your first love? »

« Yes. I was very much in love with her. »

« How did you know? »

Remy closes his eyes, diving deep into his memories; it is hard to put words on it but he wants to be helpful to Yongsun. He saw it during the night, how her eyes always searched for Hyejin in the crowd, how her shoulders dropped the tension when Hyejin touched her, how she yearned for the younger girl lips without ever succeeding.

Remy turns to Yongsun, she is looking at the ceiling, head resting on the edge of the couch, a small tear going down the corner of her eyes.

« I think it is different for everyone. I think you have to trust what your heart is telling you. »

« What if my heart is confused? »

« Your heart is never confused. It is your mind. Yongsun… It is okay to have many concerns when it comes to feelings. »

Remy pats the girl on the leg, Yongsun nods in response. A comfortable silence gains the room, the ray of sunshine now bursting in the room despite the curtains. Yongsun kicks an invisible ball with her feet.

« What happened with Hai? »

« Ah… It is not my proudest moment, but I cheated on her. She ended up things shortly after, and I started to date Elisa, the girl I cheated with. This time, I wasn’t in love. I am not very proud of this relationship even if it lasted quite some time. Anyway, you should cherish your girl. »

Yongsun chuckles, Remy his lips, a bit uncomfortable to mention those moment where he didn’t shine by his actions. Their conversation is broken by the students entering the common room, they all finished their breakfast now. The duo is surprised to realize they have slept such a long time and didn’t even hear them when they went out of the common room earlier.

« I have to go. See you around, captain. »

Remy makes his way out of the common room, he notices how some girls give him a long look; surely because of his exposed chest. He likes the attention, but those girls are way younger than him, he walks past them without even giving them more than a glance. He almost runs to the Ravenclaw tower when he sees teachers making their way to the upper floors.

Hogwarts policy allows student to dress as they please during the weekends and during the week in some parts of the castle. But Remy opened shirt and his general state is not something allowed at any given moment. The teachers may have been kind enough to let Yongsun celebrates her birthday the whole night, it doesn’t mean they will be lax with Remy now.

« Mr. Adams. »

The boy runs faster, forces his way past Ravenclaw’s common room entrance and speeds inside his room. Here, he is safe from any teacher’s scolding.

« Hyejinnie. »

Yongsun wraps the younger girl in her arms, Hyejin smiles and lets herself be held for a moment. She likes the warm way Yongsun always greats her, she thinks it is interesting how the girl as never been in a relationship before yet she so easily feels comfortable displaying attention in public. Hyejin enjoys it, there is something comforting about it, it assures her the girl’s attentions are true.

« Are you doing okay? »

Yongsun nods in Hyejin’s neck, it gives goosebump to her skin. The Gryffindor has been practicing hard all week long for the Quidditch match, on top of her busy schedule with studies and classes, she is exhausted.

« You aren’t doing anything now, right? »

Hyejin feels Yongsun’s hold around her tighten, she lets her do but she sees how some students are whispering to their friends while looking her way. The Slytherin girl can’t get used to the way people always seem to look her way when Yongsun and her are together.

« Can we go somewhere more private? »

Yongsun lets go of Hyejin, but still she needs the physical contact and holds her hand in hers. Hyejin leads them inside the castle, and up a set of stairs, they reach the fourth floor and turns in a corridor Yongsun didn’t even know existed. Hyejin enters an empty classroom, she walks to a shelve and pushes it on the side, revealing a secret entrance.

« How? »

Hyejin pulls Yongsun inside, it is a small room with a green couch in the middle. The Quidditch pitch can be seen from the large window covering one of the walls, the other three are , yet it doesn’t feel cold. Hyejin explains that the pipes from the Prefect’s bathroom passe through one of the wall, which explains the unusual warmth of the room.

« How? »

« It is a secret. »

Hyejin chuckles at Yongsun’s adorable pouts; it is funny how Wheein also shares the same habit, when not given what she wants she also pulls this face. She pulls the pouting girl toward the couch, the couple sits down, Yongsun still hasn’t let go Hyejin’s hand.

« I don’t really like how people keep looking at us when we are together. »

« … It isn’t me who make you uncomfortable, right? »

Hyejin shakes her head strongly, Yongsun sighs, a relief for her heart. The older girl leans back in the couch, Hyejin’s hand on her lap. The pressure of the week is slowly getting a toll on the Gryffindor, she feels drowsy, her eyes are closing on their own.

« Tired? »

Yongsun nods, she lets her eyes close; the sunlight is peaking through the window, mixed with the warmth of the room, Yongsun can’t fight her sleeping state. Her head falls on Hyejin’s shoulder, the girl finds the small noises Yongsun lets out adorable. She would have prefer for them to talk about a matter which have been bothering her but she likes the trust the girl has in her to so easily fall asleep.

Yongsun throws her arm around Hyejin’s waist, bringing the girl closer to her. Hyejin caresses the arm, she lets out a content sigh before closing her eyes too.

« Hyejin? Isn’t it the name of the girl dating Yongsun? »

Brian, a fourth year boy from Hufflepuff, kicks one of the rocks present on the way between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. He is with a group of three girls, his girlfriend Elsa told him they would be enjoying a date only the two of them but somehow he finds himself among a group of noisy fourteen years old girls.

« Don’t you find it strange for them to be dating? »

« You are only saying that because you are alone. »

« Brian, shut up. »

The boy groans, he dislikes when the girls all talk together like this, they tend to ignore him or push him to the side. He decides to walk faster, leaving behind him the group of noisy teenage girls.

It is the late days of February and the weather is just starting to get better, Brian welcomes the change of seasons happily, he prefers to play outside than staying inside the castle due to harsh weather. The group of girls way behind him, he walks through Hogsmeade alone, he will enjoy time with his girlfriend later on if he is lucky.

The boy stops in front of the Honeydukes, strangely the shop isn’t very crowded; most students are rather buying more furnitures or enjoying a glass of butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. Brian enters, just like most kids, he enjoys sweets. He walks through the aisle, looking at the new creations, maybe something will caught his curiosity.

« You don’t have it anymore? Oh… Well thank you for looking anyway. »

Brian throws a look on his right, a girl barely taller than him is bowing to the owner of the shop. He sees how it makes the owner awkward as he tells her she doesn’t have to. The girl smiles before walking away, Brian is sure he knows her but he can’t seem to remember her name. Her long black hair, her small eyes and tanned completion associated to her behavior make no doubt she is asian.

« Excuse me, I heard you were searching for something. Maybe I can help you? I spend most of my time in this shop. »

The girl turns toward him, Brian is a bit surprised to see her from so close. Her eyes look so kind it almost makes him uncomfortable. Her eyebrow raises asking a wordless question.

« I think I could help you? I…. I know…. »

« Oh. Do you know a lot about chocolate? »

Brian nods, he feels excited when he sees the sparkles in the girl eyes, she speaks softly in a very polite way, he is shy to maintain her gaze, there is something profound and calm about it. He walks the girl to another aisle where chocolates are presented under different packagings, he crouches down and looks for a while at the different products.

« I heard you describe it to the owner when I entered the shop. »

Brian tries to find excuses, before standing up with a blue chocolate box in his hands but the girl doesn’t seem interested in how does he know, she takes the box of chocolate from him; Brian hiccups at the warmth and kindness of the movement. She inspects it, opens it and looks at the different chocolates before looking at him again.

« My girlfriend offered me chocolates for Valentines Day. They were so delicious. Thank you for finding them for me. You really know this shop better than the owner. »

They both laugh, Brian feels hypnotized by the girl in front of him. She looks at the box of chocolate for another moment.

« I am Hyejin, what is your name? »

Brian opens his brown eyes even bigger at the name. This is Yongsun’s girlfriend. He immediately feels even more shy, for some reason he takes a step back. The girl is waiting, her head titled to the side, curious to know his name.

« Brian. Brian Edwards. »

Hyejin nods, pronouncing the new name firmly to be sure to not forget it. Brian bites his lips. He isn’t one to give any interest to the rumors around the school, but his girlfriend often tells him about the stories she heard despite his protest.

« Thank you Brian for helping me. Maybe I could… offer you a drink? »

« You don’t have to! »

« But…. I really want to. »

Brian doesn’t protest more, after the girl has paied for her chocolates, they both exit the shop. To his surprise, Hyejin doesn’t lead him to the Three Broomstick but to a shop a little bit more down the street called Rosa Lee Teabag. Brian realizes he has never noticed the existence of the shop before.

Hyejin leads them to a small table and immediately orders for the both of them, telling him he will adore the beverage. Brian nods, surprised by the girl’s behavior, he likes having caught the attention of such pretty girl but he feels like all of this is a bit too much. Moreover, he doesn’t want to be in trouble with his girlfriend, Elsa or worse, Hyejin’s girlfriend, Yongsun.

« You are a Hufflepuff, right? »

Brian nods, a proud sparkle in his gaze. As he isn’t wearing his uniform, he wonders how Hyejin knows, but then again there is something about the girl which make him careful in his words. She lets her face rest on her hand, her mellow gaze fixed on his face.

« When I was under the Sorting Hat, it told me I would do great as a Hufflepuff… I wonder how would have it been this way. »

« Then, why are you a Slytherin? »

« I asked. »

Brian nods, he welcomes the two cups of steaming tea and the plat of sweets the waitress puts down on their table. Both their eyes shine with excitement, they each take one of the sweets and yum in pleasure at the taste. Somehow, they both manage to drink a few sips from their boiling hot beverage.

« You like it? »

Brian nods, putting another sweet in his mouth. Hyejin chuckles at the sigh of his face dirtied by the sugar of the little cake.

« My girlfriend will kill me if she sees me with you. »

« Because I am Slytherin? »

« No! Because you are a girl. »

Hyejin realizes the situation, a sudden blush warms up her cheeks. The girl didn’t really think about that, as often, she follows her own train of thoughts; Brian scratches his cheek, some of the sugar falling on his clothes.

« Surely your girlfriend would think the same thing? »

« Yongsun? You know her? »

Brian almost laughs. Where is this girl coming from? Yongsun is one of the most known student at their school; at first she was known for her fantastic Quidditch skills; obviously the time she refused the Seeker position was also hugely talked about. Brian clearly remembers his second year, when Gryffindor won the Cup, Yongsun’s face was first page in the school’s paper. Well, he also saw the pictures of Yongsun swimming in the Great Lake… He remembers how flustered he felt when he saw those pics; most of his friends have a crush on the older girl, Brian thinks she is way too out of his league and never bothered. Yongsun becoming the Quidditch captain of Gryffindor was wildly talked about too, and her general reputation had build the girl as a strong, charismatic and mighty character. Moreover, the Gryffindor has been for the last two years the most talked about student of the entire school, so yeah he does know her.

« She talked to me once. She wanted me to give a note to a girl in Hufflepuff common room. »

Hyejin doesn’t think it is necessary to ask more about the story. She takes another sweet, and sips on her tea. Brian is amused, his smart eyes detailing Hyejin’s face. Everyone is a bit curious about what in Hyejin made Yongsun decide to date her. Brian believes Hyejin is pretty, but many pretty girls have been rumored to be interested in Yongsun. The reason isn’t related to Quidditch since Hyejin… Well.

Hyejin isn’t even a Gryffindor, maybe it is thrilling to date someone out of your house. Brian has only ever been interested in two girls, both Hufflepuff. Hyejin isn’t either a good student she is average just like Yongsun. Maybe because she is Asian too?

« Are you Korean? »

Brian is caught off guard by the question, Hyejin’s eyes are genuinely curious. The boy runs his hand in his messy black hair, his long eyes escape Hyejin’s gaze.

« You bowed to me after giving me the chocolates, and again when you tried to refuse my offer. »

« Ah… »

« I just took a guess, you could have been Japanese too. »

« My mom is Korean. Me, I am British. Since we spend every holidays at her family’s in Korea, some of it must have rubbed off on me. »

Brian laughs it out, running a nervous hand in his long hair. Hyejin looks longly at him, deep brown eyes shining with curiosity, her mysterious smile doesn’t make it easier for the boy to relax. He feels like Hyejin has pulled a trap on him and it slowly shutting around his neck.

« … You miss the food sometimes? Don’t you? »

Brian drops his smile, Hyejin is playing with the spoon inside her cup, her eyes focus on the movement. The boy straightens up on his seat, something… He walked right in a trap, he is sure now.

« I am sure your mom sends you some. Especially kimchi, right? »

Brian doesn’t answer, he is almost standing up but a strong hand pushes him back on his chair. Byulyi is standing right next to him, a blank look on her face as she maintains the boy in place. Brian feels his heartbeat rises, sweat dropping down his back. The situation isn’t funny anymore.

« It wasn’t me! I just helped but…. I don’t even know Slytherin password! »

« Lying is a wrong thing to do. »

Byulyi’s hand on Brian’sshoulder seems to be weighting thousands of kilograms, Hyejin has stopped playing with her spoon. The girl’s eyes aren’t kind and warm like earlier, but rather menacing, the soft brown now pulling on a dark one. Hyejin has a devilish smirk on her lips, her sharp canine showing through, the visual not helping Brian to calm down.

« You know how hard it is to get kimchi stains off? Impossible. »

Brian closes his eyes, the two Slytherins are terrifying, Hyejin’s shift in demeanor is giving him sweats, and Byulyi’s sole presence is making him tremble. He knows the girl, captain of the Quidditch team but also mighty wizard, no wonder she won the dueling tournament while only being a third year.

« We hope this will be good lesson for you. Don’t mess with us. »

Byulyi lets go of Brian, the boy immediately runs out, on his way out he notices Byulyi is waiting a waitress uniform and the sign open sign on the door is facing the inside of the shop. He turns toward the two Slytherins, panic crowding his thoughts, the Hufflepuff suddenly catches something orange in a reflective surface.

« My head… MY HEAD! IT IS A PUMPKIN! »

Hyejin and Byulyi watches as he runs out of the shop, holding his pumpkin head in his hands. Byulyi lets out a satisfied laugh, Hyejin finishes her tea, her calm mind reflecting on the consequences of their action.

« He deserved that. »

Hyejin nods. Earlier in the month, on Valentines Day, a box of chocolate from Honeydukes had been delivered to Byulyi and Hyejin’s room. A room they share with two others Slytherins. As Hyejin had opened the box thinking it must have been her girlfriend, an explosion of kimchi had happened, painting the whole room in a beautiful red with cabbage leaf and radish bites.

This day, Hyejin had been so angry she had almost turned the school upside down to find the culprit. Byulyi just as angry had searched for them too, using sneakier way than her friend. Eventually, they found out it was Brian and with the patience of a psychopath they had waited the right moment to avenge themselves.

The effect of the Pompion potion won’t last an eternity, but with Wheein’s help they had managed to mix a Manegro with duplicated effect to it; after the pumpkin head, Brian should experience an impressive growth of hair. Byulyi made Wheein spike it up and the effect should be out of control. Hyejin wonders how did her friend managed to get Wheein into doing it without much protest but Byulyi refuses to tell her way with the Ravenclaw.

« I hope he learns. »

Hyejin finishes her tea, Brian’s cup is empty, it is a wonder the boy didn’t realize it wasn’t just tea he drank. The two Slytherins exit the shop, closing the door after them, Byulyi quickly gets ride of the apron at the color of the shop and they walk back to Hogwarts, innocent smile plastered on their face.

Author's note:

Hello, I am author. Hehe. I hope you liked this chapter. Maybe you didn't, in this case it is okay too, I am open to critics.

Anyway, I wanted the main point to be Yongsun's birthday. I failed. Actually, I hate myself because I realized time was going too fast! I wanted to write about Valentines Day! But I made the Quidditch match happen late February before Yongsun's birthday and now I can't go back and... Aaaaaaaaah. Anyway. Valentines Day was a bad day for the two Slytherins so they don't want to talk about it.

Now, Yongsun is seventeen! Congrats! Hehe. She has grown up a little, right? Ah... We should all be proud of her because she is trying her best right now. I think her relationship with Hyejin will shift in the next chapter. Right now it is strange, right?

I am sorry for people who like Wheein, but this chapter wasn't about her, it was more about Byulyi actually because she deserves everything for being the best and sweetest person ever to everyone. Let's all wish to have a wonderful friend like her. Awomen.

I don't plan to make my characters suffer more than needed, nor play with betrayal and jealousy as emotions driven them. Each of the four girls have different emotions and goals driving them. BUT the others characters might have mean motives so... Watch out? I don't know what am I syaing. I am rambling. ANYWAY.

Thank you for reading. Hehe, happy to know it seems to catch people attention since some of you are bookmarking it, I guess you are reading, so that's cool. Lol. Have a good day!