"Tell me why, why does my heart keep shaking? I'm right here, right next to you. Snap out of it, lion heart"

SNSD - Lion Heart 

 

Jimin couldn’t stand a lot of things, and one of it was definitely studying. 

“I just don’t get it,” he groaned and rested his chin on an open book, “Seriously, ancient runes is just so difficult. Nothing makes sense, doesn’t matter how often I look at it.”

“You really should have taken care of magical creatures with me,” Taehyung mumbled and flipped through his book, “It’s really interesting – we’re still working with the kneazles. Cracker likes me a lot.”

“But I thought ancient runes looks good on my résumé,” Jimin sighed and stared at the rune charts.

“The one thing I learned after all those years,” Hoseok cut in and leaned over, arm resting on his shoulder, “It only looks good on your résumé when you actually pass your OWLs in it.”

“We don’t have our OWLs this year anyway,” Jimin mumbled but his face turned a few shades paler, “I’m sure I’ll manage to pass them.”

“Ah, we’ll talk about this next year then,” Hoseok grinned and ruffled his hair, “Have fun studying boys, I’m sitting over there with the other prefects. If you have questions, ask us – not necessarily me though.”

Jimin nodded and watched him sitting down across the room at a large table on the left side of the library, the other prefects already huddled together. Time before the exams was rare and almost all students used it wisely for studying, even though Jimin couldn’t really get the reason why studying two weeks before his exams will actually help him to remember anything.

It was finally warm enough to stay outside for hours, the sun shining brightly, perfect weather for strolling over the hills or Quidditch training. And definitely not being stuck in the library with his books.

“Where are you looking at?” Taehyung asked and poked his cheek, “The prefects? Is it true you’re now going out with this prefect?”

“W-what?” Jimin blinked and gave his best to resist the urge of taking another glimpse at the table, “No I’m not. I mean, I’m still single … I guess …”

He gave up. It was definitely too hard, Jimin admitted to himself and allowed his eyes to wander over the prefects’ heads until he found the distinct reddish coloured hair. Jimin bit his lower lip hard while he stared at Yoongi, watching the other sitting right next to Slytherin’s female prefect, a stack of books in front of him and a certainly bored expression on his face. The light inside the library made his pale skin look almost snowy white and his dark eyes seemed deep and with a certain glow in them.

“I just,” Jimin sighed and pressed his cheek on the book in front of him, “It’s like hanging somewhere in mid-air, you know? I’m not sure, should I just ask him, or will I break everything if I force him to put a label on it? I’m afraid he’ll turn me down …”

“If you wait forever you’ll never win,” Taehyung said wisely and reached out to run his fingers through the short hair over Jimin’s neck.

“Sorry,”

Someone cleared his throat loudly next to them and Jimin looked up to see Jeon Jungkook’s not exactly pleased expression next to them. The black-haired blinked rapidly, then coughed and managed a small smile.

“Can I sit with you?” Jungkook asked and gripped tightly on the books in his hands, shifting his weight with a slightly uncomfortable look, “My friends aren’t here yet – and we’re friends, right Taehyung? Jimin?”

In all the months Jimin knew Taehyung’s admirer Jeon Jungkook, it was definitely the first time he saw him this uncertain and hesitant.

But the expression on Taehyung’s face was even more memorable – the oblivious, indifferent and blank Taehyung blinked rapidly and then covered his face with a hand, not able to hide the soft blush spreading over his cheeks.

“Taehyung?” Jimin asked and nudged his side.

There was a silence for a few seconds and Jimin’s gaze wandered from Jungkook’s very reluctant to Taehyung’s very flustered face. What was going on? Jimin thought they were stuck in the nothing is happening forever, at least that’s what Junhong told him. This definitely didn’t look like nothing is happening forever to him though.

“Sure,” Taehyung finally mumbled and nodded, “You can sit – over there, next to Jimin.”

Or probably it was. There was clear disappointment on Jungkook’s face he failed to cover and Jimin nudged Taehyung’s side again.

“What?” Taehyung whispered and rearranged his books on the table.

Jimin quickly shook his head and wasn’t sure whether going or staying was appropriate. There was tension in the air, so thick it made Jimin feel slightly uncomfortable and leaving Taehyung and Jungkook to sort things out amongst themselves seemed highly appealing to him. But then, there was Taehyung’s tight grip on his wrist and Jimin took a deep breath.

“You did well on the last match, Jungkook,” he said as in to say anything, “That was a great catch.”

“Thank you,” Jungkook’s gaze wandered so slowly from Taehyung to Jimin as if it was physically hurting him to look away, “You did also well in the match against Ravenclaw – either that, or their seeker is just extremely bad.”

“Why thank you,”

Jungkook’s head shot up and he winced when he looked right into Junhong’s laughing face.

“As if I expected anything less from you,” Junhong shrugged and patted Taehyung’s shoulder, “You guys studying here? We’ll come over – all fourth years should study together, shouldn’t they?”

Before they could stop him he already gestured over his shoulder for the other guys to come and soon three more person huddled around their table, Junhong pulling Xero with him and another, fourth year Gryffindor in their company Jimin wasn’t quite familiar with.  

“Yugyeom?” Jungkook asked and stared at the tall Gryffindor in mild irritation, “What –“

“They just grabbed me,” Yugyeom said helplessly and allowed Xero to pull him down on a chair, “Studying together doesn’t sound that bad to me though, right?”

“Exactly,” Junhong nodded animatedly and flopped down in between Taehyung and Jimin, “Especially since I heard McGonagall is gonna make it hard this year. Hopefully will make all the Slytherins fail.”

“Sh Junhong,” Xero leaned over and twacked the back of his head, “How dare you talk bad about Slytherin when Jimin here is present?”

The whole table erupted in stifled laughter and Jimin felt his earns burning. “Shut up …”

“So is it really true?” Yugyeom asked curiously and leaned forward, “I heard Slytherin’s prefect is head over heels for Hufflepuff’s seeker and made his team lose on purpose against them.”

“As if this is even necessary,” Xero rolled his eyes and ruffed Jimin’s hair, “But use your connections well, ok?”

“What is that even supposed to mean,” Jimin mumbled and hid his face behind a book.

He tried to focus on all the runes he still had to memorize for the exams, but instead of making this a study circle the others obviously had plans of turning this into a catching up group. On what, Jimin thought, they never interacted in a group like this before.

“Is your head okay though?” Yugyeom asked and reached out to touch Junhong’s bright hair, “That head dive looked seriously dangerous. I was surprised you survived that.”

Junhong furrowed his brows. “With all the beating Seokjin gave me afterwards, I was too.”

“Your captain beat you?” Jimin asked with wide eyes, “Because you lost? Seriously?”

“I did not,” Seokjin suddenly stopped by their table with Hoseok next to him, giving Junhong a twack on his head, “Don’t tell lies, kiddo.”

Jimin blinked up at him, the tall and handsome figure of Ravenclaw’s captain looking still quite intimidating to him. Seokjin wasn’t quite hostile towards him or the whole Hufflepuff team anymore, but with the glares he gave Jungkook and Yugyeom on their table Jimin wasn’t so sure if this already applied to the Gryffindors.

“Well, you did hit my shoulder –“ Junhong started to protest and raised his arms.

“As if this hurt you,” Seokjin rolled his eyes and glanced at Taehyung’s books, flipping through the pages quickly, “So I heard you guys need help with your studies?”

“Which studies,” Xero mumbled and avoided the high five Hoseok offered him.

“Namjoon offered to come over and help me later,” Jungkook said to no one in particular and noticed Seokjin flinch, “Or – are you good at transfiguration?”

“If you have Namjoon to help you, why do you need me anyway?” Seokjin retreated and grabbed Hoseok’s wrist, “Come on, let’s go.”

“Whoa easy there, are you still fed up because you lost?” Hoseok raised his hands and waved at the table, “See you, guys. Xero, let’s talk later ok?”

“Why,” Xero mumbled and deliberately focused on his books. Junhong nudged his side with an eye roll but the white-haired just huffed and hid behind his books.

Jimin turned his head to watch them go back to their table, the prefects looking way more studious than them, all buried in books and notes and charts. Jimin bit his lower lip when Hoseok sat down next to Yoongi and grinned at him, the prefects exchanging a few words. They seemed so comfortable with each other. Jimin wondered if it could ever be like this, him sitting on the table with Yoongi, casually chatting with each other.

“Hey,” he nudged Taehyung’s side and tilted his head, “Do you think I could be a prefect?”

“What?” Taehyung furrowed his brows and started poking Junhong with his quill, “Why would you want to?”

“Jimin with responsibility doesn’t exactly sound like a good idea to me,” Xero helpfully cut in and slung an arm around his shoulder, “So what about we drop the studying now and get some food?”

“Just for how long did we even study?” Jimin puffed his cheeks, “You came here like five minutes ago and disturbed us, that’s all you did.”

“Oh please, as if I didn’t see staring at that one rune chart for like ages,” Junhong rolled his eyes and grabbed Yugyeom’s wrist, “Come on, you’re hungry right?”

“I actually am,” Yugyeom nodded and tugged on Jungkook’s sleeve, “Studying’s always better after lunch, right?”

“I like him,” Junhong declared, “Let’s make him a member of our group. Jungkook, you can join too.”

“I’m utterly honoured,” Jungkook muttered and freed himself from Yugyeom’s grip, eyes darting to Taehyung, “Are you coming, too? To get lunch, I mean.”

The tension was back almost immediately, with Junhong, Xero and Yugyeom quickly turning back to them to watch whatever was unfolding between the two of them, Taehyung’s eyes everywhere but the Gryffindor and Jungkook’s gaze pleadingly, all most desperately.

“Let’s go ahead, ok?” Yugyeom said and pressed a hand on Xero’s and Jimin’s back.

“Why?” Junhong whined, “It’s about to get all interesting –“

“You gonna get food?”

It was ridiculous, Jimin thought, how people kept on appearing randomly around them. Soon Gryffindor’s chaser Kim Namjoon and their beater Jung Daehyun appeared next to Yugyeom, books loosely in their grips and tousled hair, as if they slept on their books instead of studying. Which was probably true.

“Seriously, this was enough studying for the whole day if not week,” Daehyun announced and yawned, “I’m all in for some food now.”

“Now? More like always,” Namjoon rolled his eyes and tugged on the back of Junhong’s robes, “Hey aren’t you Ravenclaw’s seeker? Choi Junhong?”

“Aren’t you the one distracting our captain during training?” Junhong retreated and furrowed his brows while finding himself in between the Gryffindors, “Look, there he is –“

Namjoon’s head immediately turned to the prefects’ table but he only got one quick glance at light brown hair before Seokjin ducked his head and hid behind his partner.

“Oops, doesn’t look too happy to see you,” Daehyun noted and chuckled, throwing one arm around Junhong’s shoulders, “What about we leave and you two sort out whatever lovers quarrel you’re in?”

Namjoon sighed and shook his head, “Never mind, let’s just go.”

Daehyun gave him a look but then shrugged and pushed towards the exit, right after Xero, Yugyeom and Jimin. “Come on come on I’m hungry.”

“Xero!” someone suddenly called and Hoseok stood up from their table, Yoongi right on his tracks.

“Oh no,” the Hufflepuff groaned and grabbed Jimin’s wrist, “Come on, hurry up a bit I don’t want – Jimin no. It’s not the right moment to freeze.”

Jimin swallowed hard and nodded, gaze still glued on the prefect behind Hoseok and Yoongi wasn’t quite helpful, giving Jimin a warm smile which made his whole face flush.

“Xero, why are you always running away from me?” Hoseok pouted and reached out to grab the white-haired’s collar, “I told you I want to talk, didn’t I?”

“And I said no,” Xero muttered and freed himself from the elder’s grip, “What do you even want, don’t you have – I don’t know, Jane? Yoongi? Friends?”

“But I want to talk to you,” Hoseok said and pushed Yoongi in Jimin’s direction, “Why don’t you two go ahead and we talk?”

Xero shot a pleading glance at Jimin which was useless anyway with Yoongi holding onto the small of his back and Jimin blushing all kinds of red while the other laughed about something he just said. Xero rolled his eyes and cursed under his breath.

“Why are you so mad at me anyway, a little talk won’t hurt right?” Hoseok said cheerfully and held onto Xero’s collar again, dragging him into the other direction down a hallway, “I actually just want to ask you some questions.”

“What?” Xero groaned and almost crashed into the other when Hoseok suddenly stopped at a bench close to the high windows.

“Just – you know we’re friends, right?” Hoseok said, “You know you can trust me?”

“Huh?” Xero blinked, totally not expecting the direction in which this was going.

“Xero,” Hoseok said and rested his hands on the younger’s shoulders, “I want you to know that you can tell me everything – just like you told me you’re a parsel mouth. You trusted me back then, right? Why don’t you trust me now?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Xero declared and shook his head, “Please, let me go.”

“There is nothing you want to tell me?” Hoseok asked and went so far to cup his cheek with a hand, “Absolutely nothing?”

There were things Xero wanted to tell him, many things, thoughts which were running in his head whenever Hoseok was close with Yoongi or smiling at Jane, dreams he had when he allowed himself to imagine what was never going to happen anyway, the feeling that he was probably so in love with him that there was never any hope of it going away.

But instead, he just shook his head.

“Nothing.”



It’s prohibited to be loud inside the library but Jungkook didn’t even have any intention for yelling or shouting. Instead, he rested his head on the table and stared at the lavender haired boy in front of him. Taehyung didn’t look up, gaze focused on the same page of a book about the care of kneazles for a good five minutes now. Long strands of his hair fell in his forehead and his eyebrows were knitted together.

“Hey,” Jungkook mumbled and registered the other flinching.

Taehyung looked up at him, their eyes meeting for a second and there it was again – a blush on his cheeks, Taehyung swallowing hard and then quickly darting his eyes away.

“Hey,” he whispered and poked his book with a quill, “What um, what is it?”

Jungkook cleared his throat and then reached out to wrap his hands around the other’s wrist, stopping him from violating the book once more.

“Taehyung,” he pleaded and held tightly onto his wrist, “Taehyung please – I want to apologize –“

“What?” Taehyung’s head shot up and he furrowed his brows, “For – for what?”

“For the match of course,” Jungkook sighed and tried to calm down despite his heavy heartbeat because of their closeness, “I caught the snitch – I defeated Ravenclaw – and I didn’t realise … Taehyung, I’m so so sorry. I know how upset you must feel, it was horrible of me to do that. I can’t apologize enough –“

“What?” Taehyung interrupted him with utter confusion on his face, “You’re sorry – because of the match? I don’t understand ...”

“Wait, you’re not mad at me because we defeated Ravenclaw in the Quidditch match?” Jungkook asked and tilted his head.

“Why?” Taehyung asked and stared down at Jungkook’s fingers around his wrist, “I don’t care about Quidditch much anyway …”

“But you – your face turned red whenever you saw me!” Jungkook declared and his grip on the other’s wrist instinctively tightened, “Because of rage, wasn’t it? You were so mad at me –“

“No,” Taehyung muttered and slowly shook his head, “No I’m – not mad at you.”

“Seriously?” Jungkook breathed out in relief, a wide grin spreading on his face, “I’m so glad, I can’t believe it – I was so worried Tae, I don’t want you to be mad at me, never ….”

Taehyung looked at him and it was only then that Jungkook noticed his face was still flushed, cheeks hot and burning.

“Hey,” he whispered and reached out, fingers grazing over his soft cheek, “What is it then? Why are you like this, Tae?”

There was a silence with Taehyung holding his gaze for longer than before, his dark eyes glowing with something that made it impossible for Jungkook to look away.

“Junhong,” he finally mumbled, “Junhong – told me –“

“Told you what?” Jungkook asked almost desperately, instinctively moving closer to him.

“Jungkook,” Taehyung began almost hesitantly, “The thing you did on Valentine’s Day – was this really for Junhong…?”

Jungkook swallowed and reached out, his fingers softly running through the other’s hair, settling on the base of his scalp with Taehyung’s lavender strands falling through the gaps of his fingers.

“No,” he finally whispered, “No, it wasn’t. Of course not.”

It was magical, the smile that spread on Taehyung’s lips and made his eyes sparkle. It was magical, almost hypnotizing, the way Taehyung looked at him, the blank expression on his face gone and instead emotions on his face, emotions that gave Jungkook hope. Hope that Taehyung finally understood. Maybe not all of his heart, but most of it.

And it was definitely enough for Jungkook to lean forward and press a chaste kiss on Taehyung’s lips.
 

/Throws bottles/ hello everyone and welcome back :) I’m sorry you guys had to wait for this so long but I hope the chapter made up for it – somehow? Even though it was mostly talking and not much plot?

I can’t really promise for the next chapter to be earlier, until my internship isn’t over (only four more weeks ._.) I have basically no time to sit down and write /sigh. Just be patient everyone, I give my best for long and enjoyable chapters, promise!

As usual, I adored your comments to bits so thanks a lot everyone, I still can’t believe all of this support *big hug*

xxx