Gryffindor Mark Lee x Ravenclaw y/n
Side note: Ravenclaw's and Gryffindor's have some classes together
It's my first fanfic that is fully written in English (it's not my mother tongue), so please be understanding <3
And, lastly, I just wanted to say that I really love my best friend Karo. It's all thanks to her that I started writing again.
You were furious. You've been sitting in the history of magic, writing a really important (for most of the class) exam for which you've studied for the past week. And clearly, the boy sitting next to you was copying your answers. You acted like you didn't notice at all, but inside you felt like you were going to explode.
Okay, that guy, Mark Lee, was cute. Really cute and handsome. Moreover, you felt a little bit of satisfaction. He must know that you are wise enough to have good answers. Or maybe, you thought, he was just desperate.
Either way, you were unsure what to do so you just read the whole thing that you wrote again, correcting some minor mistakes. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Mark struggling, trying to see your paper sheet. His black hair was falling into his eyes and he was biting his lips. You noticed a tiny little mole on his neck and immediately looked away. He looked so lost and you just couldn't help the strange feeling that was starting to burn inside your chest.
You weren't furious anymore. All that you wanted was to brush the hair out of his eyes and maybe, just maybe, hug him. He was like a lost child that needed help.
You sighed a little bit too loud, causing Mark to flinch. You smiled involuntarily.
Poor boy – you thought, as you leaned back in your chair so that he could see your answer sheet clearly.
You looked around the classroom, making sure that your teacher wasn't looking in your direction. And then you looked at Mark again, noticing the dark circles under his eyes, unstable breath and wrinkled clothes.
Sure, he somewhat made you feel some things, but in fact, he was cheating. He probably didn't study at all and was using you.
So, with your best poker face, you crossed out some names of a few less important witches, wizards and goblins and replaced them with made-up ones. You also changed a few dates, pretending that you're struggling with recalling the correct information.
Mark didn't seem to notice at all, naively changing all the answers as well.
And then, when almost everyone finished and left the classroom he handed over his exam, avoiding looking at you and left as well.
Then you changed those answers again to the correct ones.
A few days have passed and you felt anxious thinking about the results of some of your exams. As a very ambitious Ravenclaw, you wanted to be at the top of your class and made your family proud. But you were doubting yourself, unsure if the effort you put into studying was enough.
You were taking a walk, trying to focus on your surroundings and escape from intrusive thoughts. You weren't sure where exactly you wanted to go, but somewhat you ended up in the courtyard near the Training Grounds Tower. You focused on the sound of your steps, your breath and the voices of the people in front of you to distract yourself. Focusing on the present was a really helpful method.
But then you passed another column and suddenly saw the boys that walked ahead of you. They were from Gryffindor (except for Renjun and Hyuck) and they were younger. But you knew them because they have always been hanging out with Mark. You had seen them many times, talking with him before his classes and almost every day in the Great Hall. One of them was one year older than you, he was a Prefect, and from what you've remembered his name was Jungwoo. The others were Jeno, Renjun and Hyuck. And, obviously, there was also Mark. At the sight of him, your heart stopped for a second.
You wanted to turn around and go somewhere else but your body was not listening to you. And then they suddenly stopped walking. Mark leaned against the wall and threw a glance at Renjun. You took a few steps towards them but then you heard him saying your name and it was like your whole world was tearing apart.
You quickly stepped back, hiding behind the corner, feeling nervous. It was so stupid, you knew you shouldn't be eavesdropping but you just couldn't help it. Why were they talking about you?
"No, I know she's really smart and stuff. But I'm telling you... I've got an Acceptable," Mark explained.
"Okay, but how is it possible for her to get an Outstanding while you have only got Acceptable? You both had the same answers, bro" this voice probably belonged to Renjun.
Someone laughed and you were sure that it was Donghyuck. His laugh sometimes got on your nerves, not because it was unpleasant to hear but because you heard it several times after the slightly annoying things that he said to you. You kinda liked Hyuck but at the same time, you thought that he was too annoying.
"She just tricked you. I mean, she has probably changed her answers afterward." He sounded somewhat amazed and you almost felt proud. Almost, because at the same time you were terrified. "I really like her."
"Or maybe you didn't copy enough or you just changed too much." This voice was quieter, and you were sure it was Jeno's.
"Or maybe it was because the professor knew that you'd never get a better grade by yourself," suggested Renjun.
There was a sound like something hit another thing and one of the boys groaned in pain.
"Anyways, next time you should just study, Mark," said Jungwoo. "You don't know if you'd be able to sit next to her again. Plus it would be fairer."
Mark sighed and you refrained from leaning out to see his face. This conversation was getting more and more interesting.
"You know that I couldn't." He sounded exhausted. "We were practicing Quidditch till the evening and then I had to study for Transfiguration. I just couldn't remember so many facts in such a short period."
You gulped, not knowing what to think anymore and clenched your hands against the cold wall. Quidditch was really important to him.
"Yeah but you had the entire month to prepare," noticed Jungwoo. "We're all very busy but it's not impossible to find some free time, bro. You have to be more responsible."
It was Jeno who answered.
"But we really were so busy. The whole team has been training genuinely hard and Mark is the team leader. It's a very responsible position."
Marked thanked him and added shyly:
"Besides, Transfiguration is hard. I've been trying to practice and follow the steps in our textbooks but I always fail. I'm hopeless and It would be a miracle for me to pass this exam," he groaned.
They fell silent and you started thinking about moving away from them. But then Donghyuck spoke again. And you just knew that he came up with some sly plan.
"Maybe you just need a tutor?"
It was getting dark as you were coming back to the castle from your Care of Magical Creature classes. It was almost supper time and you and your Ravenclaw friends were starving. You were thinking about the things that Mark and his friends said, feeling that strange warm sensation in your stomach remembering that he called you smart. And the way that he said your name. His voice was just so soft. Of course, it was unfair that he was using you. But after the things that you've heard about his training sessions and his responsibility as team captain you just couldn't be mad at him.
Suddenly you heard a grunt and noticed that someone was stubbornly following your every step. You looked over your shoulder and felt like your heart was about to stop.
It was Hyuck, that brown-haired, annoying friend of Mark. He smiled at you innocently and you started to feel uneasy. He wanted something but you weren't going to give him the satisfaction and ask what it was. You just kept going, ignoring his stare. You knew that was a little bit childish but you decided to pretend that he was not there.
"Hey, y/n!" He said loudly and you closed your eyes, praying that some Hippogriff will fly over and take him far away. You just kept going, speeding up.
You'd probably try to keep ignoring him but your friend Caroline poked your shoulder.
"I think Haechanie wants something from you," she whispered. She looked like she was having too much fun. Keeping you away from your comfort zone was one of her hobbies.
"I know," you whispered back, pursuing your lips.
"Hey" Donghyuck was now right behind you, he grabbed you by your cloak.
You looked at the sky and, unfortunately, there was no Hippogriff to be found. You jerked out of his grip.
"You heard me!" he sounded like he was hurt by your behavior.
"Yes," you agreed. "I think everyone heard you. But also I decided to ignore you."
He opened his mouth and put a hand on his heart as if someone had punched him.
"Why so rude? I was trying to befriend you..."
You continued to go towards the castle, suddenly feeling a little bit shy. What was that he wanted? To make some fun out of you? Was it a prank or bet or something? Or maybe, you thought, suddenly terrified, he was going to scold you for tricking Mark.
You looked at Caroline, seeking help but she couldn't help smiling.
"What do you want, Donghyuck?" she asked straightforwardly, straightening a crease on her Slytherin robe. "Do you want to ask her out?"
You looked at him, wanting to see his reaction. You expected that he would just laugh it off or say something stupid. But no.
His face suddenly turned red and he just went speechless.
"You girls are something else," he mumbled and his voice softened. "No, I was just going to ask your friend for help."
It was completely dark outside when you and Haechan arrived at the library. At first, you didn't want to listen to him at all, but he looked so hopeless that you just gave in.
Besides that, Caroline looked like she was going to kill you if you didn't go with him. After all, he was Mark's friend and she knew that you had a big, fat crush on Markie. She always gave you the best advice and you trusted her wholeheartedly. Besides, you believed that her stares could kill anyone. You listened to her but at the same time, you were regretting all of your life decisions.
"Listen," Haechan said, as you both sat at opposite sides of the table. "I don't know how to say that without betraying my best friend. But Mark is like a brother to me, so I just couldn't do anything."
You looked at him, trying to look as calm as possible. But your heart was racing and you started to have a hope that maybe, just maybe, he wanted to tell you that his friend had a crush on you. It felt surreal but Heachan seemed like the kind of person that could reveal someone's secret just for fun. At the same time, you were doubting yourself so much. Mark didn't look like a person who would be interested in someone like you. He was cute, liked Quidditch and had a lot of friends. On the other hand, you were a daydreamer and a hopeless nerd. You studied a lot to prove to everyone that you were worth putting in your House. Everything that Mark did... He did it naturally. He was talented and seemed so laid back while you were struggling with believing in yourself and were scared of others.
"Yes," Hechan looked at his hands, suddenly somewhat shy. "He's a captain of a Quidditch team, as you may or may not know. And I'm just really worried about him... I mean, he doesn't have much sleep nowadays and he's failing in some of his classes. So, uhm," he looked at you with his big, suddenly innocent eyes. "I thought that maybe you could help him?"
You opened your mouth, feeling like a fish pulled out of the water. You were daydreaming again and suddenly you felt so stupid for thinking that Mark could like you. Obviously.
"Of course, I'll make it up to you," he said hurriedly, his eyes getting even bigger as if he was scared that you'd decline. "In fact, I don't have much money." He scrubbed the back of his head. "But I'll figure something out, I promise. Just help us."
His confession surprised you. You were completely wrong. Haechan was a caring and loyal friend. It was really sweet, but why on Earth did he come to you? Why does it always have to be you? Fate liked to torture you and you felt like crying.
Of course, it was so painful to hear about the lack of sleep that Mark had. You wanted to help him, to just end all of his worries. You wanted Mark to be happy. But you knew that giving him some private lessons may ruin you. Just being around him was painful and made you think about lots of things that you normally won't think of. You wanted to be around him all the time and at the same time, you didn't.
"You don't have to pay me," you said, looking at a particularly old book that lay next to you. "I'll help him for free."
He leaned forward, really surprised. And he didn't seem like a person that could be easily surprised.
You stood up, taking a book in your hands, deciding that you'll look over it later.
"He seems like a nice guy. Besides, «While we teach, we learn» as this one guy said. Was it Seneca?" You shrugged your shoulders. "Nevermind. It could also be Gandalf. Anyways, I'll try my best. If he really wants to learn, tell him to wait for me after our Transfiguration class on Friday. It's no big deal, I have to study too."
And so you rushed out of the library, wanting to forget about this conversation as soon as possible. You lied – it was a big deal.
As it turned out, it was impossible. Even in the middle of the night, all you could think of was Mark and your conversation with Hyuck.
At first, you thought that Mark was not there. When you and your friends left the classroom there were so many people in the corridor that you almost missed him out.
He was standing there, casually leaning back against the wall. His hair was a bit messy and his black sweater was rumpled. He had a leather bag slung over his shoulder, books almost falling out of it.
When he saw you his face suddenly brightened, he smiled and walked toward you, which made your poor heart race like crazy.
Your friends looked at you with confusion as you left them with a short "see you later" and went to greet Mark. There were definitely going to be some questions afterward.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly and bit his lip. "I mean I'm sorry that Haechan was bothering you. But I do need help."
"That's okay," you replied, avoiding his gaze and starting to walk in the opposite direction than the rest of the Ravenclaws. "He wasn't rude or anything. And I'm glad that I could help. The exam is in two weeks so we still have time to practice."
At least I'm not stuttering, you thought, as you both started to talk about your classes while walking toward the empty classroom on the third floor. It was so weird, talking with the boy that you had a crush on since last year. He was a great listener. Besides, he was laughing at your jokes and kept the conversation going so when you reached the classroom you were out of your breath. It felt like you have known him forever and wondered why you hadn't spoken to him earlier.
"I've never been there," he confessed, as you walked into the room. "It looks like it has rarely been used."
You agreed with him, looking at the desks standing in neat rows and the emerald green blackboard.
"I'm sometimes hiding in here," you confessed. "When I need to be alone or practice some spells."
Mark sat on the top of the desk that was the closest. He scrunched his nose.
"Wait, so you just revealed to me your hiding spot?"
You shrugged your shoulders, praying that you won't blush because blushing was lame and you weren't that weak. You had some self-control, after all, right?
"I mean, it's kinda cool, y/n. Thanks. I promise I won't tell anybody about it" he added and you smiled broadly.
"Thanks." You placed your bag on the chair and looked at him, thinking. "Alright, we should start with something simple. But before that, I want to see what you can do."
That sounded a little bit ambiguous. But Mark didn't seem to notice at all, to your relief. He pulled out his wand and took the goblet that you handed him. You borrowed it from the Great Hall in the morning.
"Made it invisible," you ordered.
You didn't tell him that you knew what he was capable of. Mark was the main reason that you got distracted in professor's McGonagall class. You just couldn't stop glaring at him over your partner's shoulder. He was so cute when he struggled with trying to change his pen into a flute.
Nowadays professor McGonagall divided you into twos, the spells that you had been practicing included making things invisible and changing the appearance of your partner. It was getting harder, especially because it required staying focused all the time.
Mark pulled out his wand and mumbled a spell but the goblet only shook a little. He sighed with disappointment, looking as if he was expecting that.
"That's alright," you told him softly, getting closer. "Do it again, please," you instructed and watched him fail again.
Suddenly you clapped your hands, making the poor boy jump. He got off the desk, now standing in front of you. You gulped and stepped back. He was taller than you and you suddenly felt like a little child, even though it was only a 10 centimeters difference.
"When you're casting this spell you really do need to focus," you said, taking the goblet back into your bag.
Mark looked at you with an unreadable expression, his eyes suddenly darkened.
"It's because I can't focus in class".
You raised your eyebrows.
"Lucas is making fun of me," he added, not looking directly into your eyes.
"Oh," you suddenly went silent. "I understand." You really did, after all, he was your main distraction. "But there's no Lucas in here. You just have to relax and do it."
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Relax."
You smiled at him warmly and pointed your wand towards the backboard.
"The next step is pronunciation. You said it too fast and the accent was on the wrong syllable." You instructed. "It should be on the ab. It's very important to say it in the right way. I think that your wrist movement is okay, it shouldn't be too forced. And then..." you suddenly caught his gaze and got distracted for a second. Why was he looking at you like that? He looked so serious, completely different from the regular Mark. "Then you just have to imagine that the object is getting invisible."
You raised your wand and focused on the blackboard in front of you. You cast the spell, saying the words carefully.
The light flashed and suddenly the blackboard was gone.
"See?" You looked at the boy behind you. "Try to think about the thing that you want to be done. Not about the casting spell itself or the task that you have to do. Just imagine that the object is disappearing, I think it could be helpful."
The Gryffindor boy looked really lost, and you wanted to hug him so badly. Or to run away and never come back.
"Oh, come on. I know that you can do it, you're a great wizard," you tried to comfort him. "Be confident. I won't be laughing, I promise."
Mark shook his head with disbelief, laughing softly.
"Okay, but have you seen you? I'm certainly not great."
And there you were, blushing. Your self-control was a joke. It never existed.
"Bullshit," you said, shaking your head and thinking for a moment. Maybe he needed a better example. "Just imagine that you're playing Quidditch. You're not concentrating on the thought that you have to take care of the Quaffle, right Markie? You're just... Doing it."
"Alright," he said, suddenly smiling. He stood next to you and tried to cast the spell the way you showed him.
30 seconds later the hold of the chalk box disappeared out of your sight.
You hugged him out of joy and shouted "I knew it!" before you realized what you were doing. You wished that the earth would swallow you right now.
He was so warm, his sweater so soft and, yup, he smelled so nice. Like a fabric softener or some kind of hand cream. Like a safe place.
You stepped back, pretending that it didn't happen at all. Should you apologize? Was he mad?
"I like when you call me Markie," he suddenly confessed.
You moved your hand nervously and unfortunately, that was the hand in which you were holding your wand. Your bag exploded and there were pieces of paper everywhere.
You were a disaster even without Mark's presence. But with him, everything was harder.
It took Mark almost a week to master the basics which made you wonder what exactly he was doing in class. He wasn't bad but it seemed like he didn't listen to Professor McGonagall at all. But after practicing a few times, he was getting better and better and you felt proud.
It was almost exam time and thinking about it, it made you feel sad. That means that soon your help will no longer be needed. You liked spending time with Mark and that was coming to an end. But it also meant that the final Quidditch match was approaching.
The final match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff was the most anticipated event that was about to take place this school year. As a Ravenclaw, you could be cheering on either of the teams. However, almost everyone that you knew wished that Gryffindor wins. Caroline, who was in Slytherin, although had no interest in Quidditch, wanted them to win. Of course, it might have had something to do with the fact that she was in love with Lee Jeno, one of Gryffindor's Beaters. Who, you must admit, looked incredibly good in quidditch robes.
Watching the competition was exciting but on the other hand, Mark seemed to be more and more nervous because of the approaching event. He was wandering somewhere with his thoughts and just couldn't focus on anything. You couldn't get any idea what could help relieve his stress. You tried to cheer him up with some sweets from Honeyduke but that only worked for a few minutes and there he was, nervous and absent-minded.
"Are you sure that you're okay?" you asked him, as he unwrapped and wrapped one of the candies for the third time.
You were revising the spells that he mastered previously and it was like he did not learn anything. Fail after fail.
He was staring through the window like it was the most interesting thing in the universe. It was a hot, sunny day and you both took off your caps.
"Yeah," he said, and then he looked at your face. He frowned. "No."
You leaned in your chair.
"What's going on? Can I help?"
He shook his head, his dark hair falling into his eyes. You refrained from the urge to fix them.
"It's nothing," he turned from the window and sat on the table, next to you. "It's just all this pressure. I have to lead my team, study to pass all of those exams and lately, I couldn't sleep well. Sometimes I wish Quidditch never existed, you know?"
"But you love doing it," you protested quickly. "What's the point in getting stressed about the things that should bring you joy? I think that you should just enjoy the match, trust your teammates and do everything that you can to win. If it's not gonna work out, that's not your fault."
There was a few seconds of silence after that.
"I wonder... Are you an angel or something?" he asked quietly, moving his head closer to yours. "What time do you have to be back in heaven?"
You choked and your eyes widened. What was he trying to do? Were you hallucinating?
"You always help me," he said quickly, blushing. "You always know what to say to make me feel better. I should be offering you help to make it up to you. It's not fair."
"Wait," you weren't going to let that go. "What's with that angel part? Is that a pick-up line or something?"
Your heart was beating so fast that you were sure everyone in the castle could hear it.
He shrugged, cheeks getting a darker shade of pink. He avoided looking at you.
"Maybe, I dunno. Hyuck suggested that I said that."
You sighed, slowly calming yourself down. Okay, that sounded like something that Donghyuck could come up with. Completely normal behavior. No big deal.
"Listen, it's nothing. I really enjoyed helping you. Besides, I had an opportunity to practice more so it's a good thing and..."
"Will you come to the match to cheer me up, please?" he interrupted, spitting out words quickly. "Illtrywinningforyou."
"What?" You looked at him, slightly confused.
Mark covered his face with his hands and groaned.
"Don't let me repeat that, please. I'm already embarrassed enough."
"Wait," you gulped and tried to get your shit back together. "Of course, I'll come to the match to cheer you up! You worked so hard to win, I'm sure the cup will be yours..."
"No," Mark finally looked at you and leaned in, his warm breath reaching your face. "I didn't mean... I mean..." He closed his eyes for a second and opened them back again. You realized how long his lashes were, his hair looked so soft and fluffy. You looked at his lips for a second. "It's a date."
"Oh." That was the only sound that left your mouth. Your heart was racing like crazy, your breath was short and unstable, hands shaking, and your mind was a real mess. It took you a few seconds to be able to say something. "Y-yeah, sure."
"You don't have to come if you don't want to, of course," he added quickly but this time it was you who interrupted him.
"I do want to go out with you," you heard those words coming out of your mouth like it was someone else who was controlling you. Someone much braver.
Mark was smiling so broadly, that you could swear his shining eyes were smiling too.
"I'll never use Hyuck's pick-up lines ever again."
As the last exam approached your stress level was as high as the Astronomy tower. You couldn't stay calm with all of your fellow classmates always talking about the exams and with panicking Mark whose nervousness affected you. It was the last weekend before the Transfiguration exam and everyone in the Ravenclaw tower was studying really hard, some of the people missed meals to study instead. You were sitting in one of the blue stuffed armchairs in the circular common room, staring into the domed ceiling full of stars. Although you have never been to Gryffindor or Hufflepuff's common room you were sure this place was the most beautiful room in the entire castle. Sometimes you like to imagine that you were somewhere else, laying on the cold grass, watching the night sky, being a part of nature. But not right now. This time the loud noise of the crowded common room ruined everything.
Instead of imagining those things, you focused your thoughts on more current affairs. You thought about the exam that was approaching and about the lessons that you have been giving Mark for the past two weeks. Naturally, Professor McGonagall noticed the progress that he had made and seemed very pleased, although it was hard to tell because she rarely gave others praise.
Mark wasn't a bad wizard in any of the subjects that you two have been practicing. He just was easily distracted and didn't have much time to practice because of the constant Quidditch training sessions.
You sighed, trying to get more comfortable in the chair, and started repeating in your mind the things that you've been revising in the morning but it was a hopeless case. The noisiness was driving you crazy, your heart was pounding really fast and it was getting hotter in here. You decided that it was better to start getting ready for dinner as it was almost the right time. You left the common room and on the way to the Great Hall were so lost in your thoughts, that initially you didn't notice that someone was calling your name.
You stopped abruptly, searching for the source of this voice and when you realized that it was your favorite voice in the universe who was calling you, you smiled.
"Hey, y/n!" Mark looked like he was running to catch up with you, his hair was messy and his breath shortened. He was coming back from the grounds, probably just entering the castle. He caught up with you at the last minute, a few more tens of seconds and you would have disappeared into the depths of the Great Hall.
"Hi, Mark" you tried to fix your robe and straighten some wrinkles on your clothes. You looked at him, suddenly nervous. "What's up? Is everything going okay with your Quidditch practice?"
He pulled you aside, as some seventh years passed you and hurriedly entered the Great Hall.
"Yeah, I guess so. I mean," he scratched the back of his head, "we had Jaehyun as our Chaser last year. This year we had to replace him with that guy Michael. Of course, we still have Jeno as a Beater and he's great..."
"And you," you interrupted him.
"What?" he furrowed his eyebrows, clearly confused.
"I mean, you're also a great player to me... Probably the best Seeker in this castle, I think that you're amazing" you said, cringing so much at your own words. You hid your face in your hands. "Oh my, I'm so sorry, that was really cheesy."
He suddenly laughed and when you heard his laugh you felt the sudden urge to laugh too. His chuckles were soft and always made you smile.
"I think that's kind of cute," he confessed, his dark eyes shining. "It's always me who says embarrassing things though. My friends always make fun of me because of this... Not that you said something embarrassing, of course," he added quickly. "I'm honored that you think that way. It's just that for the first time it's not me..."
You looked at him, not sure what to do. If that was true, that meant that you two had much more in common than you thought. At times you were so chaotic, clumsy and said stupid things but your friends just accepted that as a part of your personality. To you, it was really annoying.
On the other hand, he thought that what you said was cute and it made you smile broadly.
"You know what," he said, looking at the door to the Great Hall. "It's almost dinner time so I thought that we could eat something together... I mean," he gulped, "you can sit at Gryffindor's table and get to know my friends. Those guys are really great, you know..."
It was really nice of him, nice and unexpected. He noticed that you were heading to the Great Hall all by yourself and probably thought that your friends won't be there because they were studying. It was true though, you planned to eat alone today. But was it essential for you to meet his friends? It was a little bit scary for you, as you didn't like to talk with strangers. Technically, they weren't strangers, but they weren't your friends either. You were afraid that they won't like you or that you'll say something stupid and embarrass yourself...
It was Caroline who came to your rescue. She was on her way to dinner and spotted you two standing in the corner.
"Hello, lovebirds," she grinned at you two. "The entrance is this way," she said, pointing in the right direction. "Whatcha up to?"
"We were just going to eat dinner together," Mark said bravely and you almost choked. Were you?
Caroline raised her eyebrows so high that they almost disappeared behind her cute blonde bangs. She looked mildly amused.
"Great, so let's go," she ordered and when Mark rushed to the door, she turned back and winked at you.
She knew that you didn't have the guts to go there all by yourself and you felt a rush of gratitude toward your best friend. What would you do without her?
You entered the crowded Great Hall and for the first time didn't head to the Ravenclaw table, but followed Mark and sat next to him at the Gryffindor table. It felt really weird, but also exciting. Caroline sat down in front of you and helped herself to some food, clearly unbothered. You looked at the staff table but there was only professor Trelawney and professor Sinistra. No real danger in the sight. Some teachers would tell you to sit at your House's table.
Mark was sitting next to you, your arms almost touching. You hid your hands under the table, they were shaking slightly. It took you a good minute to calm yourself down before you were able to start eating. It wasn't that bad after all, in the beginning, there were no of his friends to be seen. You spoke with Mark casually, joking about professor Snape's haircare and talking about the exams. You just couldn't feel bad in his presence. But after a few minutes, Jungwoo came, and shortly after him Haechan and two girls that you didn't know also arrived at the Gryffindor table.
"Hi," said Jungwoo, smiling nicely at you and Caroline. He was even cuter up close. But not as cute as Mark, of course. "I'm Jungwoo."
You just finished exchanging greetings when Haechan spoke up.
"So as I was saying to our pretty friends," he pointed at those girls who didn't introduce themselves at all, "this match will be phenomenal. Of course, if I was playing, it would be out of this world."
The girls giggled and noticed that one of them had long, nice red hair and wore Gryffindor robes. The second girl was a tall blonde with a slightly upturned nose. They both were quite pretty but also kind of intimidating.
"I'm sure of that, sweetheart," the blonde girl said. "You're the best player out there, after all."
You exchanged looks with your best friend and almost burst into laughter. Sure, maybe he wasn't bad but that conversation was going in a weird direction.
Haechan ignored her and looked at his friend.
"We're counting on you, Mark. Give us some entertainment."
You frowned at his words. Haechan was a Slytherin, he shouldn't be putting so much pressure on Mark, especially being in a different House. Even if he was joking, that wasn't right.
You looked at Mark out of the corner of your eye, trying to read his expression. His arms were tense, face suddenly blanked as he shrugged his shoulders, trying to look as if it didn't affect him at all.
"Not gonna disappoint anybody."
Haechan smiled with satisfaction and helped himself to some food, ignoring the meaningful look Jungwoo gave him.
"Oh, I'm sure if you were playing, sweetheart, it would be amazing. They should start selling tickets so that people could see you," said one of the girls that came with Haechan.
You tried not to laugh and noticed that Jungwoo was also trying hard to stay calm.
"I would gladly buy the ticket to see you in the circus, sweetheart," said Caroline mockingly, imitating that blonde girl.
Everyone except Hyuck and that blonde girl laughed. You noticed the soft chuckle behind your back so you quickly turned around just to see Lee Jeno who was listening to your conversation.
He smiled at your friend and came to the chair at your other side, clearly amused.
"So, there's some kind of House exchange meeting, I see," he said and took his seat. He always looked kind of intimidating to you but from up close he wasn't so scary. He was still smiling, his voice calm and soft, his dark hair falling into his eyes. "Hope that I'm invited."
"Only if you'd make Haechan shut up," said Caroline, raising her eyebrow and you almost choked.
"Hey!" shouted Haechan but at the same time Jeno spoke:
"I think that you did a great job in silencing him already," he smiled at her and took a large swig of pumpkin juice.
Haechan had a look on his face like he was going to kill somebody, same with his girlfriends. On the other hand, Jungwoo looked like he was having the time of his life. And Mark… Mark was clearly confused.
You tried to change the subject quickly before they started fighting.
"So how is your preparation for the exams going?" you asked and then took a bite of your chicken wing.
"So-so-," answered Jungwoo, but he was cut off by the loud laughter that came out of that red-haired girl.
"You, Ravenclaws, are really such nerds," she said. "Do you really think that someone cares about that useless exam?"
"Meghan," said Jeno with a warning in his voice.
You felt the rush of hotness coming to your cheeks, suddenly aware of the noise that was in the Great Hall. It was really crowded, full of smells and noise. You gulped, trying not to look at anybody. It was like a punch in the stomach, it hurt and you suddenly weren't able to say a word. Why did she have to be so mean? You didn't do anything to her.
"I was just trying to be nice," you started, avoiding her gaze but she interrupted.
"I just still can't understand why you have to study with her, Mark," Meghan said and you opened your mouth in amazement. "Do you really like cramming?"
Mark shuddered and you moved away from him a little bit to see his expression better. You were curious.
"What? It's not like that! I wouldn't be studying with y/n in the first place if I didn't have to…"
You felt like he had punched you, you were suddenly out of breath, looking at him with sadness. So all this time he didn't enjoy studying with you? And what about this date that he mentioned? Was it some sort of payment for teaching him? You receive a date with an amazing guy and he is going to receive some tutoring in exchange? Which he clearly wasn't fond of?
Everyone went silent, even Caroline, listening to your conversation. You suddenly felt that you didn't have an appetite so you moved your plate away from you. You had the urge to punch Meghan and you know that it was a really stupid idea, as there were professors in here. And at the same time, you were on the edge of bursting into tears.
"If you say so," Meghan continued, her green eyes gleaming. "I personally think that people who like to study are so boring. Why do they even do this? To impress someone? It must be so hard to study with her," she looked at Mark under her long lashes.
Mark, who looked kind of embarrassed, raised his hands.
You stood up so quickly that you knocked off Marked cup. No one was moving, even Haechan looked terrified.
"I understand," you said coldly.
You looked at Mark for a few seconds and then ran out of the Great Hall before any tears started falling. You ran as fast as you could, your eyesight blurred, face wet with warm tears. You didn't even know where you wanted to go, you just tried to escape, to be as far as you could from them, from the noise and humiliation.
You heard that they were screaming your name, even Jungwoo, Haechan and Jeno tried to stop you, but you didn't listen, you wanted to be left alone, to hide and cry in peace. Why couldn't you just stay here calm, and say something funny to loosen up the situation? Why did you have to be such a drama queen?
You turned another corner and opened the random doors that were in that corridor. Luckily, they were open and the classroom was empty. No ghosts, no teachers, no stupid red-haired beauties.
You wiped your face with a scrap of your sleeve and tried to breathe in and out but you just couldn't stop crying. You were hurt, maybe because something in her words was true. You did want to impress others, to prove that you were put in your House for some reason. You liked studying and receiving good grades but you also wanted to feel worthy, you sought acceptance. You feared that Mark didn't really like you too and your assumptions were confirmed. He didn't like spending his time with you and it seemed like it was all just a joke.
You heard footsteps at the other side of the door, and your heart was beating so fast.
"Y/n, I'm sorry!" Mark screamed, his voice breaking slightly and the doors opened.
You took a step back, surprised. He looked like he was about to cry as well, his hair was messy, eyes big and scared.
"I don't want your apology," your voice broke. "You did nothing wrong, just told the truth… It's… It's nothing, you can go."
But you were hurt and he could clearly see it. That was the problem. You didn't want to be so vulnerable in his eyes, you wanted to look strong and interesting and cool. Not like a boring nerd who cries at everything.
"I didn't mean it like that," he said softly, reaching his hand to the knob of the door that you were hiding behind. "No one really thinks that way about you…"
Your tears started falling again and you felt like you were on the edge. You had to hide, run away, no matter what. You wanted to believe him but at this moment you just couldn't.
"I got your point, Mark, so please stop pretending that you do care about me!"
You slammed the door behind his shocked eyes and leaned against the door, slowly sliding to the floor. Your face was wet, full of hot tears. You heard him knocking gently on the door but you just ignored him and hid your face in your arms. It was nothing, right? Just some stupid words, which were spoken in a crowded place so that everyone could hear them…
"Y/n?" you heard Mark's voice again and all that you wanted to do was to open that god-damned door, put your shit together and just hug him. But you couldn't.
You heard his footsteps as he walked away and then the silence fell. You sit there for a few minutes and then decide that the patch is probably clear and you can leave this empty classroom. You stood up and when you reached your hand to open the door, it suddenly burst open. You jumped back at the last moment.
"What do you think you're doing?" Caroline was outraged. "I thought that you're not that kind of guy!"
You opened your mouth, shocked but then noticed Mark standing behind her. He probably went to look for her and now they were back.
"It's okay…" you said but then closed your mouth, not knowing what else to say.
Mark was speechless and Caroline slammed the doors again, then rushed to give you a big hug.
"It's nothing to care about, really…" you started again.
"You're my best friend, of course I do fucking care! I would climb to this tower using my own hands and slap Mark in the face so that he could treat you better if I had to. I mean– I will always care about you!"
She stroked your head slowly, her words making you cry again. She was the best friend that you could ever imagine.
"But everyone probably thinks I'm a crybaby," you said, trembling a little bit. "That was pathetic, I overreacted and I'm fully aware of that. It's so embarrassing!"
Caroline looked into your eyes and then she sighed.
"No, you did not. That girl is just stupid, she wanted to make you look smaller in everyone's eyes because she has a crush on Mark," when she said those words, she tucked you closer. "Haechan told me. Mark stopped showing any interest in her years ago but she's still jealous. She has a right to have those feelings but doing that was fucking mean. And it wasn't okay. If anyone should have problems, they should have problems with her, not you."
A puzzled look came across your face. Maybe she was right, but there was also that tiny voice that was saying that Meghan was right and you really were boring. You tried to silence it.
"Okay, then that really was fucking mean."
Caroline laughed and bumped your nose with her finger.
"There's something good in this situation after all. When you were gone, Jeno was so angry at Meghan that I had to refrain him from doing something stupid. So we're friends now," she ended with a huge smile on her face.
"That was fast," you said. "But I'm glad, really."
You both sit there for a moment, still hugging. Your tears have already dried out when you spoke.
"I'm worried about Mark," you confessed, blushing slightly. "Tomorrow's that exam and the day after that Quidditch match. And he probably thinks I hate him, which is obviously not true. I care about him so much that it hurts and I don't want him to feel bad or to be distracted during the match or exam." You wanted to cry again.
Caroline sighed and stared at the black and white patterns on the floor.
"He'll be fine. After all, he had the best tutor in the entire castle... Maybe in the entire country."
The Transfiguration exam wasn't that bad, in fact, you were prepared as ever, maybe because of the hours that you've spent with Mark studying all those spells. However, you still weren't certain if you did great or not, your head full of words and formulas you couldn't get rid of.
You weren't in the mood for a Quidditch match, to be honest, but you just couldn't miss seeing Mark play. Even if it hurt, you just had to.
The day was bright and sunny as you took a seat at Ravenclaw's spectators tower. Caroline was sitting on the other side of the pitch, but it was okay. That way you could just focus on your feelings and suffer alone.
You opened your bag to get some snacks, but then you noticed one of Mark's friends sitting near you. It was Renjun, who was also a Ravenclaw. He had a Gryffindor flag in his hands and his face was painted in gold and red. You gulped and decided that you were not hungry anymore.
As seats were slowly filling up, the noise on the pitch was getting louder. Everyone was really excited – it was the final match, after all. There were no exams, at least for you, to study for and the summer holidays were approaching, so everyone had free time to watch the show. It was almost time to start the match – Madame Hooch already stood on the pitch, the wooden box in front of her. You stared at the field, awaiting Quidditch players to come out when in the corner of your eye you saw Hyuck who was entering Ravenclaw tower. You thought that maybe he was here to see Renjun, but to your surprise, he walked over to you.
"Hi," he greeted you shyly. "Do you mind?" he asked, pointing to the empty seat next to you.
You shook your head and he sat there, staring at the Quidditch pitch.
"The weather isn't that bad for the Quidditch match," he said but to your surprise, he was frowning slightly.
You looked at the clear sky and bit your lip. His appearance was weird and you started wondering what he wanted from you. After a few seconds of awkward silence, you opened your mouth to say something but then he interrupted you.
"Listen, I'm sorry that Megan turned out to be so rude," he blurted out, stroking his deep brown hair with a hand. "I think I just like when other people compliment me, when I think about it now… It's not like I'm friends with her and I knew that she makes Mark feel uncomfortable but I didn't do anything about her…"
You smiled at him lightly and then opened your bag to pull out a box with some cookies.
"Have some," you said, putting it under his nose.
"Wait, what?" his eyes got bigger and he looked at you suspiciously.
"My mum sent them to me by owl this morning," you explained and took a bite of one of the chocolate cookies. "And it's not your fault that she said what she said. You're not responsible for anything… " you added. "But when I'm thinking about it now, you shouldn't have said those things to Mark, you know, about entertaining us. He was pretty stressed out before, but this only made things worse, I guess…".
The sound of Madam Hooch's whistle cut the air and you both looked in that direction. The roar of noise filled the pitch as both teams mounted their brooms and the match started. The appearance of Haechan distracted you and you didn't notice that both teams had already entered the pitch. Your gaze naturally followed Mark's silhouette as he was cutting the air smoothly on his broom. His dark hair was swept by the air but he was too far to see if he was nervous or not.
Haechan took the entire box with your mom's cookies and put it on his lap.
"He really likes you, you know," he said slowly and you choked on your cookie. He was following the match with focus but you were staring at him with disbelief. "I know I'm betraying my best friend right now, but I feel like I have to fix that situation. He likes spending time with you, that's all I can say. And he looks much happier than before you two started studying together."
You smiled broadly and searched for Mark with your eyes. He was still circling the pitch in search of the Snitch.
"I like spending time with him too," you confessed and suddenly remembered the things you'd been thinking about before. "Do you know how his exam went?" you asked.
"He was pretty happy with how it went, I think," Haechan frowned. "Didn't transfigure the professor's hat, his own eyebrows, or anything like that from what I've heard. Mark may not be the best in class but he certainly is better than he was two months ago."
You shook your head happily and followed the commentary of the match. The Gryffindors were leading but the match could take a different direction if the Hufflepuff's team caught the golden Snitch. You spent the whole match talking with Haechan, him explaining to you the intricacies of some manoeuvers and the weak and strong sides of both teams. It was actually much more fun knowing all those things and you could clearly tell that Haechan was really into this sport.
The match was getting more intense and the air got hotter, causing you to take off your coat. You were pretty much relaxed, Haechan jokes made you feel much better. But then you saw something that made your stomach squeeze. As Mark took a sudden turn on his broom, you were sitting at the edge of your seat, tapping your leg nervously. He clearly saw the Golden Snitch and he was speeding up now to catch it before anyone else. But the Hufflepuff's Seeker must have noticed it too because he was following Mark.
Your heart was pounding so hard, cheeks warm from the excitement. That was it. If Mark catches the Snitch, he'd prove himself as a great leader and a great player. No one would say that he's worse than the previous team captain, and even if someone did, it shouldn't affect Mark at all.
You lean forward in your seat, clenching fists and praying that the Gryffindor team wins.
Mark was speeding forward, his silhouette blurred and he reached to capture the little golden ball with wings. But then the Bludger appeared and he had to fly upwards abruptly to avoid getting crushed by it. You held your breath and saw from the corner of your eye that Haechan's face was as white as chalk.
The other team's Seeker, Summerby, was following the Golden Snitch, his eyes focused on it completely. Mark let him overtake him and significantly lowered his flight.
"What is he doing…?" you said but at the same time you discovered what he was about to do and you smiled.
As Summerby was following the Golden Snitch, he wasn't aware of his surroundings and the fact that the Gryffindor team's Beater, Lee Jeno, sent a Bludger in his direction.
Few things happened in the blink of an eye. When Hufflepuff's Seeker reached out his hand, the Bludger hit him right in the chest, causing him to change his flight's trajectory. And as he was fighting with it to stay on his broom, Mark suddenly emerged from below him, sped up, and closed his outstretched hand on the Snitch.
The noise after this was unbearable but it was nothing as you were screaming at the top of your lungs too. You jumped from your seat, whistling and laughing with joy, the sun shining in your hair and happiness in your eyes. Haechan grabbed your wrist and pulled you towards the stairs and onto the pitch, not caring about your protests. The entire Gryffindor team was surrounded by a cheering crowd so you couldn't see the person that you wanted to see the most. But Haechan somehow managed to get you both through all of those people and suddenly you were standing face-to-face with Mark.
His dark brown eyes were gleaming, his hair was swept by the wind and messy and you wanted to fix them, to stroke them so badly. He looked really tired but also happy and seeing him like that made you chuckle.
He freed himself from the rest of his team members who were patting him on his back and took a step closer. He was right in front of you and suddenly you cannot breathe anymore.
"I…" you said but he cupped your cheeks in his big hands and kissed you in front of everyone.
The cheers got louder but at this moment you couldn't care less. The world must have ended because there you were, being kissed by Mark Lee and suddenly you felt like everything was in the right place.
You were melting under his lips, his warm fingers brushing your cheek slowly as he dived into that kiss and you closed your eyes. He smelled like fresh-cut grass and somewhat like a fabric softener. You put your hand on his back, feeling his body under the Quidditch uniform, and hugged him tightly.
It was somehow centuries and seconds later when you two broke the kiss off.
You chuckled softly as he rose you in the air and spun you in the air.
If all of this didn't mean that he really liked you then you didn't know what did.
"Mark…" you whispered, forgetting that he probably won't hear it because of all that noise, but he grabbed your hand and put the Golden Snitch in it.
"I caught this for you. I won for you," he said, looking at you seriously and you gulped, tears forming in your eyes, happiness filling you up completely.
The crowd was pressing onto you both, everyone wanted to congratulate Mark, to celebrate. You noticed Haechan standing nearby, there was a smirk on his face.
"You've embarrassed us both and that's why I like you so much, weirdo," you said, smiling broadly.
The whole week that happened after that felt like a dream to you. You felt like you were on cloud nine, everything was new and exciting and you were smiling so much. Hugging Mark, kissing him, holding hands with him and talking to him for hours – everything was just so surreal.
The weather was getting hotter each day and you spent every sunlit day with Mark, walking around the grounds, sitting in the library, or hanging out with him and his friends in the Great Hall. There was one last trip to the Hogsmeade planned to take place last Saturday at the castle before the summer holidays and, naturally, you both signed up.
There was no cloud in the sky that day, as you and Caroline were taking the route to the village. You couldn't find Mark in the crowd but it didn't bother you because you two were going to meet at the Three Broomsticks. Even though it was hot, you enjoyed your walk, you and your best friend chatting about everything and nothing, enjoying the fresh air and the rays of the sun. Caroline told you about her conversations with Jeno, who wanted to become a musician. Her uncle runs The Wizarding Wireless Network and she was really excited when he agreed to play one of Jeno's songs at his station. She and Gryffindor's Beater were getting along so well and you couldn't be happier for them, knowing how she secretly adored him.
You reached the Hogsmeade in a blink of an eye and parted your ways in front of the pub. You entered the Three Broomsticks and looked around the crowded space. You couldn't find your boyfriend so you decided to take a free table which was hidden behind a pillar. It wasn't long before Mark appeared and took a seat next to you.
"Hello, beautiful," he greeted you shyly and you blushed slightly.
"I'm embarrassed but also flattered," you confessed and he laughed softly, which made your heart skip a beat.
"Embarrassing you is kinda my job right now."
After you two ordered your drinks, you spent a nice time talking and observing other people who were getting in and out of the pub. After an hour you decided to move somewhere else as the place was getting more and more crowded. You really wanted to visit the newly opened bookstore Flourish & Blotts and Mark didn't mind it so you headed there. Almost immediately you got lost behind the numerous bookcases, browsing more and more books. It was only when the pile of books that you wanted to buy got really big, you noticed that Mark was standing aside, looking at you with a smile on his lips.
"Megan was right," you sighed and moved aside some hair that had fallen into your eyes. "I'm such a nerd," you said, looking at your pile of books.
Mark approached and suddenly hugged you, almost causing you to drop the book that you'd been holding.
"You're my favorite nerd," he corrected you and you burst out laughing.
"I'm sorry for my dramatic runaway," you said, suddenly serious. You reached out your free hand and touched the mole on his cheek gently. "I was really jealous of her… And also so insecure, I guess."
Mark laid his hand on yours and squeezed it.
"It was me who should be sorry though, y/n. I totally panicked and said some things that I shouldn't have."
"Like the fact that you don't like studying?" you raised your eyebrows. "I don't think that was a lie, you know."
He shook his head and took the book that you were holding, adding it to the pile. He sighed.
"I guess It's time to tell you the truth," he said and your heart sink into your chest. "Haechan asked you to help me with studying because I had a crush on you," he confessed, avoiding your gaze. "It was getting worse and worse and I got so distracted in classes because I tried so hard not to look in your direction… I couldn't focus and the lessons got harder. At the same time, I was falling behind because I didn't know the basics." He leaned against the bookcase and brushed his hair. Mark looked like he was pulling himself together to say something but you just couldn't stand the silence.
"Well, I got so distracted too because I had a crush on you," you confessed, looking at the floor.
"Really?!" Mark's voice crashed at the last syllable and you smiled. He cleared his throat.
"Well, I wasn't expecting that. But either way, I thought that you were smart and beautiful and all of that and Haechan noticed it so he came to you to ask for your help. That little bastard," he added silently. "And then we started to spend time together and I began to care more and more about you. So when Megan asked me about those things in the Great Hall I totally panicked. I didn't want Hachan to tease me and, most importantly, to tease you so I tried to avoid the right answer. Which is," he sighed again, '' I like you. I really do, y/n. And it's not just that I like you. As we were spending that time together I totally fell in love with you. I just love watching you getting excited over books or those Muggle cartoons that you've told me about. I love when you make me laugh or make me feel confident when I'm worrying about things because you actually believe in me. I love talking to you and I feel like you always understand me and know me even better than I know myself.
And I just couldn't imagine the world without you because when you're not in the room I always think about you and what you're doing and if you're happy. I'm a mess without you, not just in the Transfiguration field but, like, overall."
He said all of that with such sincerity that you just didn't know how to respond, every word hitting you right into your heart.
"That was the most beautiful monologue that was ever said to me," you said and took his hand, staring at it with eyes full of tears. "I didn't expect that you're such a romantic guy." You hesitated but decided to be honest too. There was no one in that part of the bookshop but even if there were tons of people, you would say the same thing. "I love you too, Markie. I'm so happy that I have you because I finally feel like I can be myself next to you and I'm enjoying every second of it. But please, don't make me say all the things that I love you for right now because we'll be late for dinner If I do."
Mark burst into laughter and hugged you, also causing you to chuckle.
"I just wanted to clarify one thing. I'm not like you, y/n. I'm not into studying at all. But I do like spending time with you and I'd do anything, even the most boring things, like studying, for example, to be able to stay close to you."
You rolled your eyes and dipped your hand in his hair, brushing it softly. But after a few seconds, he took a step back. You looked at him with curiosity as he pulled out something from his pocket.
"I've never thanked you for helping me to pass that exam, you know," he said. "So here I am. Thanks, babe. And" he reached out a small box in your direction, "this is a gift for you for that."
You took the box out of this extended hand and opened it. Seeing the content of it made you gasp. There was a Golden Snitch inside, intricately decorated and smaller than the original one and you realized that it wasn't just a ball. It was actually a necklace.
"Hope you like it," Mark said, looking at you from below his dark and long lashes.
"I love it so much I could marry it," you said, as he stood behind your back to fasten it around your neck. And as he did so, he left a soft kiss behind your ear.
"And besides that," he whispered, causing goosebumps all over your body, "I listened behind classroom doors when you said that you care about me… And you still have to tell me what you love me for, you know."
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