Mar 30, 2024
Seojung's school uniform vs. casual clothes... he hates skirts and dresses.
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Seojung's school uniform vs. casual clothes... he hates skirts and dresses.
TLSQ: Valentine's Day: ...only to get blocked by Lockhart.
TLSQ: Valentine's Day (year / Seojung finally gets his shit together and asks Penny out.
HPHM MC PERSONALITY ASKS
Does anyone else think it’s fun to take personality tests and inventories as their MC? Here’s a bunch of them. Please note that some are not the official version, but they should be free and accessible. I wager they’re accurate enough. Also, some tests may take a while, but don’t take it too seriously!
And yes, I am a psychology major…
———
[1.] What is their Top Love Language? (acts of service, quality time, receiving gifts, words of affirmation, physical touch) https://5lovelanguages.com/
[2.] What is their D&D alignment? http://easydamus.com/alignmenttest.html
[3.] What is their highest Big Five personality trait? (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism) https://bigfive-test.com/
[4.] What is their Four Temperaments test result? (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic) https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/O4TS/
[5.] What is their Enneagram result? https://www.truity.com/test/enneagram-personality-test
[6.] What is their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) result? https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
[7.] Which Freudian defense mechanism do they most often use? https://psychologia.co/defense-mechanisms/
[8.] What is their HEXACO result? http://hexaco.org/hexaco-online
[9.] What is their Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) result? https://www.idrlabs.com/multiphasic-personality/test.php
[10.] Where do they fall on the Multidimensional Introversion-Extraversion Scales (MIES)? https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/MIES/
[11.] What is their Fisher Temperament Inventory (FTI) result? https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/FTI/
[12.] What is their Short Dark Triad (SD-3) test result? https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/SD3/
[13.] What is their True Colors test result? https://www.idrlabs.com/true-colors/test.php
[14.] Where do they fall on the Kinsey Scale? https://www.idrlabs.com/kinsey-scale/test.php
[15.] What is their 16 Personality Factors (PF) result? https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/16PF.php
[16.] Where do they fall on the Zodiac-sign Association Personality Scales (ZAPS)? https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/ZAPS/
[17.] What is their DISC personality test result? https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/ODAT/
fireandfolds' hphm mc ask list
i wanted to put together some new questions that i've not seen before. i hope you all enjoy! if you do use it, feel free to tag me or use the tag "fireandfolds' hphm ask list", i'd love to see your answers! <3
[1.] What is your MC’s full name? What do they mean, and why were they chosen?
[2.] What Hogwarts house were they assigned to? Which Hogwarts house did they want to/expect to be sorted into?
[3.] What is their favorite color and why?
[4.] Which is your MC’s dominant hand? (right, left, ambidextrous)
[5.] What is their favorite season and why? (summer, winter, spring, autumn)
[6.] What is their favorite music genre? How did they first experience it?
[7.] What is your MC’s favorite song? Why is it their favorite?
[8.] What is their favorite word? How did they learn about it?
[9.] What is your MC’s favorite fictional television/film character?
[10.] When is your MC’s birthday?
[11.] What is your MC’s favorite Hogwarts subject?
[12.] Who is your MC’s favorite Hogwarts professor?
[13.] Who is their favorite Golden Girl? (skip if you want)
[14.] Who is their favorite Designing Woman? (skip if you want)
[15.] Can they play any instruments?
[16.] Are they a cat person or a dog person?
[17.] Are they an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert?
[18.] How do they cut a sandwich?
[19.] How do they part their hair? (left, right, center, no part)
[20.] Which way do they put the toilet paper roll? (facing forward or backward)
[21.] Do they prefer pencils, pens, or quills?
[22.] What is their favorite area of Hogwarts?
[23.] What is their idea of a perfect Friday night?
[24.] What is your MC’s coffee shop order?
[25.] Do they believe in love at first sight?
[26.] Do they believe in the concept of soulmates?
‘deed i do [1/4]
read on ao3
wc: 4576
more info about this fic in this tumblr post
———
It hits you, out of nowhere, one Tuesday afternoon in the Hufflepuff Common Room.
You’re minding your own business, reading about how to turn the tiny owl hooting quietly in front of you into a pair of opera glasses, when you catch a rustle of fabric to your right.
Looking up from your secondhand textbook, you bite back a fond grin.
Sitting next to you is your study partner and best friend of five years, Penny Haywood. Your futures were forever intertwined when your paths crossed as tiny little first-years in the main Courtyard. She appreciated your lack of ass-kissing and down-to-earth introvertedness. You were grateful that she didn’t hold Jacob’s actions against you. You two had a lot in common and became fast friends.
You remember the sense of warmth and safety emanating from Penny. Your immediate thought was, “Yep, I’ve just met my best friend.” You could not put your finger on what made you so sure. You still can’t. But if there is one thing you are sure about, it is that Penny Haywood will always be in your life.
At the moment, Penny has a cute little frown on her face. It’s the face she makes when she hits a wall. As a perfectionist and someone with extremely high standards for herself, when she doesn’t grasp a concept right away, it frustrates her.
You know you should be a good friend and console her, but she is so adorable, you find yourself blanking on words for some reason. Your throat feels dry and raspy, so you say nothing and wait for her to speak first.
“I’m taking a break. This is doing my head in.” A sour scowl sits on her lips as she crosses her arms and glares daggers at the textbook in front of her.
Penny was a whiz at Potions and Herbology, but Transfiguration did not come as easily to her. She often joked, “That’s why I keep you around, so I get perfect grades.”
You both knew it wasn’t true. But what was love without a little banter?
Underlining a section in your textbook, you put down your pen, moving closer to Penny and gesturing for her to pick up her wand. “I’ve got you, Pens. Alright, so first we’re going to practice the wand movement. Is it okay if I grab your hand?”
She nodded.
Gently putting your hand over hers, you slowly move her arm and wand. “It’s like a violin bow. You keep your wrist flexible and make small circular movements from the wrist, not the elbow. Two loops, okay?”
If you weren’t so focused on teaching, you might have noticed the dusting of pink on her high cheekbones. But, you don’t catch it. Instead, you steamroll on.
“Next, the spell itself. Operaspecula. O-per-a-spec-u-la. Make sure to accentuate the first and fourth syllables, not the second and fifth. Common mistake.”
You take a moment to demonstrate, mentally crossing your fingers that you get it right. It would be awkward if the teacher flubbed up the demo.
The owl gracefully turns into a handsome pair of opera glasses, then back into an owl. She gives an indignant hoot and flaps her wings to display her discomfort at the situation. You quickly apologize to her and then turn to Penny. “Your turn.”
“Okay. I got this.” Squaring her shoulders, she exhales slowly, then raises her wand. “Operaspecula.”
Nothing happens. Penny’s shoulders slump.
“Try again.”
“But—”
“No, I have faith in you, Pens. Really mean it this time. You got this.”
A brief staredown happens. Both you and Penny are stubborn as hell, so it’s a common occurrence. Thankfully, this time, you win.
“Operaspecula.”
This time, the owl changes into a pair of opera glasses with feet sprouting from the bottom. It’s not a complete Transfiguration, but it’s certainly progress. That’s enough reason to celebrate for the both of you.
Penny nearly knocks you out of your chair with an enthusiastic hug. The warm scents of musk and amber hit your nose. You relax into the embrace and whisper quiet congratulations to your best friend. She tightens her arms around your neck, despite the awkward side position you’re both in.
One thing you learned quickly about Penny Haywood: she is touchy. Hands thrown around necks, hugs, pats on shoulders and heads, and if she’s feeling particularly in high spirits, hip checks. These are all things to expect from the epitome of Hufflepuff. Especially if you choose to be in her inner circle.
It’s not a huge problem, except for the fact that you’re horribly touch-starved from a less-than-stellar family life back home. The steady, non-judgemental contact makes your chest feel warm, every single time. Even after five years of it.
In the beginning, you shied away from the hugs, believing you were undeserving. But after a lengthy conversation about your family history, Penny fiercely set the record straight and made sure to give you as much physical contact as she could. And that is how you find yourself the constant recipient of hugs, back rubs, linked arms, and shoulder squeezes in passing. You’ve never been happier about anything.
When Penny pulls back, she looks back to her usual self. Her frustrated pout is gone, replaced with her usual sunny smile. You’re sad to see it gone, but also happy that she’s not beating herself up anymore.
“I’ve got to go to Runes, but we should pick this up after that. Will you still be here?” Her hands play with the hem of her school robes, adjusting her Prefect badge.
“Should be. I’ve got a DADA essay that I need to start and I’m done with classes for today.” Sighing, you pick up your pen again, closing your Transfiguration textbook and opening up your Defense Against the Dark Arts one instead.
Penny’s face brightens at the news. Her shoulders relax and her hands stop fiddling with the lapels of her robe. “Great! In that case, I’ll see you later. Thanks, Jung. You’re a lifesaver.” She stands from the table, slings her bag on her shoulder, and hugs you from behind. A hug, you expected. What you didn’t expect was a quick kiss on the cheek.
By the time you realize what transpired, Penny is gone in a swish of robes and blonde pigtails. All that’s left in her place is the lingering scent of her rose and sandalwood perfume.
Where did that come from? Sure, Penny’s always used physical contact as a way to show her affection, but she’s never kissed you before.
Your hand reaches up slowly to your cheek. Damn.
Before you can dissect this move, you feel a nip on the middle knuckle of your pointer finger.
Dropping your pen, you swear under your breath and cradle your left hand. Throwing a dirty look at the owl, who is innocently preening her feathers, you smart at the pain. “Okay, okay, I’m taking you back to the Owlery. Yeesh.”
—
Penny finds you a couple hours later, still in the same spot where she left you. You are surrounded by balled-up sheets of parchment and your hands are covered in ink. As it turns out, describing how hex-deflection works is harder than you thought it would be.
“Oh, what am I going to do with you?”
Her soft voice jerks you out of concentration, causing an ink blot in the middle of your sentence.
“Oh, sorry.”
“S’okay.” You sigh and wave your wand, whispering an undoing spell you learned pretty early on. The insistence to use antiquated technology for writing was laughable. And of course, no pencils; ink is a must. It took a lot of persuasion to convince your professors that a fountain pen would be acceptable. You were hoping for a ballpoint pen, but anything was better than a quill, so you took the win and didn’t push. Suffice it to say, you’re very good at removing ink blots and misspelled words from parchment. “How was class?”
“Interesting, as usual.” Penny’s voice was rife with sarcasm. “More grammar today.”
“That bad, huh?” You reach for her hands, but then think twice as you remember the stains. “Why’re you taking it, then?”
“It’s useful for reading old books, which is where all the interesting Potions recipes are.” She groans, plopping into the chair next to you and laying her head on your shoulder.
“Ah, yes. I should have known.” You want to wrap an arm around her shoulders, but your inky hands stop you again. You stand, jostling her head, and hold up your hands. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to wash my hands.”
Penny, who pouted at the loss of contact, breaks into laughter, wiping away tears. “Come sit back down, you idiot. Tergeo.”
You blink down at your now-spotless hands. “Oh, right. There’s a spell for that.”
The blonde rolls her eyes and pulls you back down into your seat, putting her head back on your shoulder and pulling your arm around her. “What kind of witch are you?”
“One that doesn’t like to depend on magic.”
“Hipster.”
“Lazy-ass.”
You both share a chuckle, looking at all the things strewn on the table in front of you. For the life of you, organization does not seem to be in your vocabulary. No matter how hard you try, chaos always finds its way.
“I know you said you wanted to work on Transfiguration stuff again…but what if we found our friends and went to supper instead?”
“That sounds like a grand idea.” With a wave of her wand, Penny organizes your books and parchment into neat stacks. Happy with her work, she tucks her wand away and loops her arm through yours. “I’m hungry and in no mood to study.”
You find Chiara and Skye in the dorms, Rowan in the Library, and send an owl for Tonks. There is no telling where Tonks is at any given moment. As a matter of fact, you would rather not know. Plausible deniability and all that. They don’t tell, you don’t ask.
The six of you meet up in front of the Great Hall before entering as a group. All six girls take your unofficial designated seats at the Hufflepuff table. Rowan on your left, Penny on your right. Tonks sits across from Penny. Skye’s seat is on Tonks’ left and Chiara sits next to her.
Today’s meal options feature different kinds of sandwiches, steaks, and soups. You have a hankering for soups, so you’re thankful that something is your way for once.
As you dip your roast beef & Pepper Jack sandwich into your chicken noodle soup, you listen to Skye, Tonks, and Penny excitedly catch up about a recent Quidditch match. You share a glance with Rowan and Chiara as they begin to use words and names that even you don’t know. Sure, you might be on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, but you don’t follow any actual games that happen outside of Hogwarts.
“How were your classes, Row?”
“I almost got trampled by an Abraxan in Magical Creatures. But other than that, it was largely uneventful.” Rowan dryly remarks, then takes a bite from her chicken sandwich.”How about you?”
“The classes are fine, but the homework is really testing my will to live. Especially the DADA assignments. I’ve never been more reluctant to write an essay!”
Rowan knocks her shoulder into yours. “I understand completely. The classes are getting real now… We’re covering topics even I have never heard of in History of Magic.”
“Speaking of which, have you started on that essay due next week?”
“Not yet. I was thinking of working on it tomorrow after Potions in the library.”
“I might just join you.” You sigh darkly, not looking forward to working on yet another essay. Words are hard.
As dinner begins to wind down, Professor Dumbledore stands and makes his way to the center of the raised platform. Amplifying his voice with his wand, he begins to speak.
“Greetings, students and staff. We are rapidly approaching the time of year when we shift our attention to happy matters of the heart.”
A buzz begins among the student body. The Headmaster clears his throat and continues.
“As such, it is my pleasure to announce that Hogwarts will be hosting a special Valentine’s Day Ball this year.”
The Great Hall explodes with chatter. All around, students are asking each other about outfits and food and dates.
Penny sighs dreamily. You can feel her warmth down the entire right side of your body as the blonde leans into you. “A Valentine’s Ball! What could be better? I bet it will be full of blooming flowers, colorful lights, and candy…”
Tonks, on the other hand, has a different idea in mind entirely. “And a killer band we can rock out to, with great music. No way this isn’t the best night of the year!”
“Maybe we’ll even get to bring a date! Ooh, I can’t wait.” Penny clasps her hands to her chest and giggles. For as long as you’ve known her, Penny has had a soft spot for romance and love stories. It’s one of her endearing qualities that you love about her. You resist the urge to kiss her forehead.
Professor Dumbledore wisely waits for the hubbub to die down before he continues. “For more details on the event, let’s hear from the teacher who will be in charge of every detail… Madam Pince.”
The six of you exchange confused looks. Wait, what?
Madam Pince does the same as Professor Dumbledore to amplify her voice. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I promise I’ll approach planning this ball as I do all things at the Library—with the utmost seriousness!”
You don’t remember what she says after that, but with each sentence she says the mood in the room sinks ever lower. Finally, she nods curtly and returns to her seat.
The excited buzz that filled the room quickly turns sour. There is much turbulence among the students. Madam Pince is not known for having fun.
Tonks puts their head in their hands. “Blimey, this ball just went from being a potential blast to a crushing bore!”
“Let’s hope that’s not the case. It’s possible Madam Pince has something fun planned after all.” Always the optimist, Penny is trying very hard to look on the bright side. It’s a valiant effort.
Both Rowan and Chiara are quiet, introverted girls, but even they know that a party should be the opposite of everything Madam Pince stands for. They silently nod in agreement with the more vocal members of the group.
You look for your friends in other houses around the room. Jae is glaring daggers at Madam Pince, Talbott has a very disappointed blank face, Tulip is face-palming, Andre looks like he’s going to cry, and you can almost hear Badeea’s wince. You find Merula at the Slytherin table, her fist shaking as she holds a knife.
Suffice it to say, no one is happy about this new development.
You sigh, picking up your mug of ginger tea. “At least it sounds like Madam Pince is taking this assignment very seriously.”
Tonks throw up their hands. “Too seriously. She said it would be chaste, uncomfortable, and we’d have to follow the rules!”
Penny wacks them lightly on the shoulder, reprimanding gently. “Let’s focus on the positive. There are so many great things about a holiday ball!” She turns to you, laying a hand on your upper arm. “Jung, what are you looking forward to most about the ball?”
You stumble on your words as you feel warmth emanating from Penny’s hand, through your whole body. What was happening with your brain? “Hm? I wasn’t planning on going.”
“Oh, come on, please?” The blonde pleads with her puppy eyes. She knows that you cannot say no to her pitiful blues. You wait a few seconds, but in the end you know you’re a goner.
“Fiiine.”
“Yay!” Penny leans forward and wraps her arms around your middle. “Thank you, thank you! I promise we’ll have a good time. We could all use a really fun night together.”
Skye is much in the same boat as Tonks. It doesn't help that she isn’t the biggest fan of the Librarian. “With Pince in charge, this night could end up being torture for all of us!”
Rowan nudges your arm. “You should do something about this. You’ve beaten much harder opponents in the past.”
“Yes, yes! Pretty, pretty please, Hero? You’re the exact right person for this job!” Penny’s face is back to her pleading pout. The use of her special nickname for you is certainly deliberate. She knows how to slip past your defenses and hit you in the heart with her persuasion.
You won’t lie; you were thinking up ways to trick Pince into relinquishing control. Now, with a very compelling reason sitting to your right, you find yourself speaking before your brain can fully catch up.
“Okay. I’m going to save the Valentine’s Ball from Madam Pince.”
Tonks and Skye raise their goblets and cheer loudly. “Alright, Jung! Three cheers for the Hero of Hogwarts!”
Chiara clinks her mug of tea with yours calmly. “I’m rooting for you, Seojung. You can do this.”
Suddenly, a Gryffindor sixth-year comes up to them. “Penny Haywood… would you go to the dance with me?”
“Oh hell, here we go.” Penny mutters this under her breath so quietly only you hear. She straightens up and smiles her best socialite smile. “Thank you for the offer, but I will have to decline. I hope you can find someone.”
The Gryffindor boy nods. “Cheers.”
You are aware of a burning sensation in the pit of your stomach. It’s hot and strong and totally alien. What is it? Anger? Fear?
Shit.
It’s jealousy.
But wait. Why are you jealous? If anything, you understand why people are so keen to ask Penny out. She is kind, friendly, warm, funny, smart, pretty—
Ah.
Because you want to ask Penny out.
Really, for someone so smart, you can be so dense sometimes. Falling for the popular straight girl? Of course you had to have the quintessential lesbian student experience. It could never happen. But now that you know, you can’t stop thinking about it.
All of the feelings you didn’t quite understand, the strange things you did, they all make sense now. You don’t know when your feelings turned from friendship to something more, but you’re certainly aware of it now.
You tamp down the fire in your gut and return to your sandwich and soup. You have no chance.
Another boy, this time a Ravenclaw, comes up to Penny and asks to be her date to the dance. Again, the offer is rebuffed. By dessert, five other boys have shot their shot. All five walk away without a “yes” from Penny.
You’re relieved. A dark part of you is happy that Penny hasn’t accepted an offer. If you can’t have her, no one can have her. Immediately, you lecture yourself for having such possessive thoughts. Penny is not an object for you to claim, she is your friend. Your best friend, in fact.
“Penne, are you going to accept an offer? What’s the hold up?” Tonks unleashes a disgusting belch. “People are practically lining up to ask you out!”
“I’m not interested in any of them! I don’t even know half of them. If I’m going to take a date to the ball, at the very least I should know who they are.”
Skye pipes up. “They’re just going to keep asking, then, unless you accept or something.”
As Penny opens her mouth to say something else, another Gryffindor comes up to her. “Penny, would you—”
“No. I’m already going with someone else.” This time, Penny snaps in an uncharacteristically curt tone. The Gryffindor nods quickly and practically runs away.
Tonks raises an eyebrow. “Why’d you say that?”
“I don’t know!”
“Well, now you need to say yes to someone.”
“Oh, Merlin…” The blonde starts unbraiding and re-braiding her hair. You put your hand on the small of her back. Her coping mechanism for stress is playing with hair. Usually it’s hers, but sometimes it’s yours.
Penny smiles at you, silently thanking you for the silent support. You smile back. You’re a sucker for Penny Haywood.
A throat clearing to your left makes you look up. It’s another boy, this time a Hufflepuff in your year. You sigh and roll your eyes internally, readying yourself for another suitor throwing himself at Penny.
“Erm, Seojung…” Wait, what? He’s asking you? “Will you go to the Ball with me?”
You’re not as nice as Penny. Laughing, you respond, “Dude, I’m a lesbian. But even if I wasn’t, I still wouldn’t. Fuck off.”
“Right. Sorry. Seeya.” The boy scrampers off.
The six of you sit in silence. Did that really just happen? Then, you all burst into raucous laughter.
“Did he just— No fucking way!” Tonks is pounding the table lightly with their fist in between fits of laughter.
“I could not possibly be more gay. There are very clear signs! What the hell!” This time, you really do roll your eyes.
Even Penny cracks a smile, despite her stress. And frankly, that makes it all worth it.
“Mates, I got it.” Tonks breaks you out of your haze. Immediately, Rowan, Chiara, and Penny cast wary glances at each other. They know much too well how most of Tonks’ ideas turn out.
“Yes?” Rowan takes one for the team and asks the question you’re all scared to ask.
“You two—” The pink-haired witch wags their fingers between you and Penny, “—should pretend to date each other, so people will stop asking you guys to the ball.”
The table falls silent. You scoff at the very notion, but shut up once you look at the other three girls. They aren’t objecting. You can’t believe that Rowan of all people is actually considering this.
“I think it’s an elegant solution.” Chiara pipes up quietly.
Rowan shrugs. “It does make sense. Benefits both parties.”
Skye grins manically. “You two do act like an old married couple anyway. Might as well play it up and use it to your advantage.”
You roll your eyes and turn to Penny, about to say, “Can you believe this nonsense?”, but you find her staring off into space.
“Pens?”
“Would you be okay with it?” She looks at you with imploring eyes. Classic Penny, always looking out for others. “It would be nice to stop having people come up to me, but only if you’re okay with the arrangement. I don’t want to force you.”
“The question is, would you be okay with it? I mean, you’re straight and all.”
Penny snorts. “No I’m not! Jung, how do you not know this?”
“You’re… not?”
“Jung, I’m bi. I told everyone last year!”
You blink. “Was I there?”
This time, all of the other girls respond. “Yes!”
“Oh. Huh. Alright then, I stand corrected. But, still, my other points still stand. Do you really think it’s a good idea?”
The blonde takes both of your hands gently in both of hers. “I am so tired of all the unwanted advances. I’ll make it worth your while. Think about it?” Her bright blue eyes drill into yours.
You sigh and squeeze her hands. “Let me sleep on it.” You glance down at your wristwatch. “Right. Off to Quidditch practice. Come on, Skye.”
—
Thankfully, the drills keep your mind off of Penny, Penny, Penny. By the end of practice, your limbs are sore and your robes are soaked with sweat. You hit the showers, and only then does the fake-dating scheme come to the forefront of your mind again.
Pretending to date Penny Haywood. Could you compartmentalize your feelings? Could your heart survive this?
You can’t keep this secret to yourself. You need to tell someone.
Thankfully, when you return to the Hufflepuff Common Room, you find just the person you’re looking for.
“Row! Can we take a walk?”
Over the years, you and the bookworm have come up with a set of code phrases. Her eyes instantly snap up from the book she’s reading. She closes the tome with a quiet thud. “Of course.”
Once you’re bundled up in appropriate coats and out walking the border of the grounds, Rowan speaks up. “What’s up, Jung?”
“So you know the fake-dating thing? There’s a problem with the plan.”
“What is it?”
“I may or may not… have actual feelings for Penny.”
Rowan halts in her tracks. “Oh, dear. That is a complication. How long?”
“I just found out at dinner. I realized I was jealous of all the guys asking her out. I wanted to be one of them. And then it all kinda hit me, and all the dots connected.”
The other girl nods. “Honestly, that makes a lot of sense. I did wonder sometimes. So… are you okay with fake-dating Penny with your real feelings?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I think so. I mean, I know I have no chance. She’s in a different league.”
The bespectacled girl frowns. “No, she’s not. You’re just as popular as she is, you know.”
“What?”
“Oh, yeah. Everyone wants to rub elbows with the great Curse-Breaker and sibling of Jacob Lee. You really don’t know?”
“Guess not. Explains a lot.” You roll your eyes and move on to your other pressing question. “Hey, when did Penny tell us she was bi?”
“Oh, she mentioned that sometime last year during breakfast one day. You probably weren’t awake enough yet.”
You nod. That makes sense. Everyone in your inner circle knows that you are not a morning person in the slightest. They’ve learned not to strike up conversation during breakfast, because you don’t talk.
“Well, that doesn’t change anything. There’s no way she likes me back. She sees me as her best friend, and I would hate to betray that.”
“O…kay. If you say so.” Rowan pushes her glasses by the bridge up her nose. “So, will you do it?”
“Do you think I should?” You fidget with the zipper to your jacket.
“Well, I was less sure than I was earlier, due to this new information, but I do think it would be nice. Like a trial period. Do you really want to be Penny’s girlfriend, and all that. She doesn’t have to know.”
You grin. Rowan has a knack for looking at problems analytically. “Thanks, Row.”
“Anytime, Seojung. Now, let’s get back inside. I’m freezing.”
As you troop back to the Hufflepuff Common Room, you notice your shoulders feel lighter. A good talk with your best friend always helps.
That night, as you turn in for bed, you stare up at the ceiling of your canopy. Tomorrow, you’re going to agree to the fake-dating scheme, for Penny’s sake. You might not be totally sold on the idea, but you have a bad habit of putting other people’s needs before your own.
If it makes Penny happy, then it will all be worth it. Fake-dating Penny Haywood and saving the Ball? Honestly, compared to the Cursed Vaults, it seems like a breeze.
Suddenly, the curtains to your bed open. On the other side stands Rowan in her pajamas, sans glasses. “Scoot over.”
“What?”
“I could hear you thinking from my bed. Scootch.”
You make room for the other girl, who slides in and shuts the curtains again. “Now, goodnight.”
“Night, Row.”
———
‘deed i do [4/4]
read on ao3
wc:
more info about this fic in this tumblr post
———
You pull open the door to find an extremely irate version of your best friend. You can tell because of how quiet, low, and monotone her voice has gotten.
Rowan’s anger is a quiet kind. Instead of exploding all at once, she focuses her energy into an extremely potent form and makes incisive cuts with her words.
She calmly closes the door behind and locks it. Then, she turns back to you. You brace yourself for the disappointment. There is nothing worse than an Asian’s disappointment.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Your best friend speaks slowly, but each word is clipped.
“What are you talking about?” There’s a sinking feeling in your chest. You suspect you know exactly what Rowan is talking about. You just don’t want to admit it.
“Don’t be smart with me, Seoj. You’re hurting Penny. Do you realize that?”
You sigh, dropping on the bed. “I didn’t mean to, I swear. It’s just… I can’t do this anymore.”
Rowan’s anger ebbs away as she sees how much the situation is hurting you, too. She sits next to you on the bed. “Talk to me. What happened?”
“My feelings. They’re— I’ve compromised myself. There’s no way I can keep going on like this. Every time I think of her, every time I see her face… I just want to spill my guts and tell her how I really feel! I want to kiss her, but if I do that, I’m going to ruin everything! I have to stay away from her until I can sort out my feelings. I can’t be a good friend to her right now, I just can’t!”
Somehow, you’re not sitting on the bed anymore. You’re standing in the middle of the room when Rowan stops your tirade and pacing, grabbing your shoulders forcefully.
“Seoj, you idiot. Have you considered for a second that Penny may feel the same way?”
“What? No, impossible.”
“Possible. You should have seen how she reacted when you fell off your broom yesterday. Based on her reaction alone, you would have thought you died or something! Chiara and I had to hold her back from jumping over the stands. She was crying and watching Madam Pomfrey carry you off the pitch. Then, she ran to the Hospital Wing, but Madam Pomfrey told her no visitors until you woke up. When she checked back a couple hours later, you were gone!”
Rowan glares at you, crossing her arms in front of her. Her facial expression says: “What have you got to say for yourself?”
The news hits you like a truck, straight in the chest. You sit down heavily in the desk chair.
“Do you think Penny has feelings for me, too?”
Rowan shrugs. “I mean… I don’t know for sure, but I feel pretty confident that it’s a possibility. Based on both your actions this week, and the fact that no one thought you were pretending, I’d say ask her out already. Or at least tell her how you feel. She deserves to know.”
“I’m sorry for being an ass.” You sigh, running your fingers through your hair. Rowan’s words mean a lot to you, and you realize just how dumb you’ve been acting these past couple of days.
“It’s not me you have to apologize to.”
“I know, I’m just practicing.” Shaking your head, you change the subject to something that’s not your stupidity. “So, have you asked Ben to the dance yet?”
You watch as your best friend’s face flushes. “No…”
“Oh, so it’s do as you say, not as you do, is it?”
She nods, turning her chin up. “Precisely.”
You stand and hobble over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I really think you should ask him, Row. If not as a date, then at least as friends. You deserve to have a good time.”
She chews on her lip. “All right, I’ll do it. Thanks, Seojung. It means a lot.” With her hand on the door, Rowan turns back to you. “Are you coming to dinner?”
“I don’t think I can do that tonight.”
Her face falls.
“But I’ll be there at breakfast tomorrow.”
Rowan smiles. “I’m holding you to that. Night, Seoj. See you tomorrow.”
You sleep fitfully that night. You spend the evening being tortured by your overly imaginative mind. Over and over, like a spectacularly disastrous blooper reel, your brain runs through a scenario where you confess your feelings to Penny. The endings range from disappointing to heart-wrenching. You wake up drenched in sweat, and don’t bother falling back asleep. Instead, you stare out the window and watch the sun rise. As the sky grows lighter, you pack up your things and slip back into your bedroom in the Hufflepuff dorms. Everyone is still fast asleep, soft breathing and snores filling the room.
As quietly as possible, you pull out your iron and press the wrinkles out of your clothes. Tonks, Skye, and Penny all like to rag you about using a piece of Muggle technology when an ironing spell exists, but you don’t care. The feel of the iron pressing into the board is comforting. Methodical sweeps across fabric make tiny zwip and szhhh noises. By the time you finish, everyone else is waking up.
“Morning, Seojung. Where’ve you been?” Chiara yawns and whispers at you as she gets dressed for the day.
“I’ve been… figuring out some stuff. Dealing with major life revelations. The usual. How about you? Are you looking forward to the ball?”
Chiara beams. “I have finalized the set list with Madam Pince. I’m looking forward to hearing the songs tonight. I have not heard how the instruments sound in the Great Hall, but I’m sure it’ll be much better than this room!”
From the other corner of the room, Rowan wakes up with a huge yawn. She stretches her back and reaches for her glasses on her nightstand.
“Seoj! You’re back! Thank Merlin. I was wondering if you would follow through.” She grins and gets out of bed as well. “You’re coming to breakfast with us, right?”
“Yep.” You smile tightly. Sitting next to Penny is going to be really, really awkward, but you owe it to the rest of your friends to be there.
The Great Hall is buzzing with students talking about tonight’s dance. Some people are asking dates at the last minute with grand, dramatic gestures. Others are making guesses about the theme, decorations, or music.
Tonks and Skye are already sitting at the table, enjoying a hearty bowl of porridge. Penny is nowhere to be seen. You breathe a sigh of relief.
“Wotcher, SJ. Fancying seeing your ugly mug! D’you come here often?” Tonks raises an eyebrow as you sit down.
“Pack it in, Tonks.” Rowan swoops to your rescue, sitting next to you. “Any update on the Ismelda-Barnaby situation?”
They shrug, belching loudly. “Guess we’ll find out at the dance. SJ, you got those Galleons handy?”
You snort, picking up your mug of Earl Grey. “It’s you who’s going to pay up.”
“If you say so…” They have a twinkle in their eye as they return to their breakfast.
“Heads up,” Rowan whispers into your ear. Coming down the aisle is Penny. You sigh, preparing yourself for the awkwardness.
“Good morning, everyone! What a lovely day it is! Are we ready for the ball?”
Four sets of “Yes” sound off in response. You don’t say anything, instead opting to drink your tea and drown the feelings that sit on the tip of your tongue.
Penny’s hand ghosts your back. You don’t react to it. Even when she tries to engage you with questions about your outfit, you don’t respond. Abruptly, you stand from the table, almost knocking over everyone’s drinks.
“I need to finalize some things for the Ball. Skye, I’ll see you later at practice?”
The Chaser cracks her knockles. “Hell yes. We’re getting that Cup again this year, I don’t care what day it is. Practice is always!”
“That’s the spirit. See you there!” you toss over your shoulder as you walk away.
Saturday morning Quidditch practice is usually the toughest you push your team all week, including yourself. However, your whole team is afraid to throw anything your way after what happened last night, so you are forced to stay grounded. From the Commentary Box next to Murphy, you run the team through the drills. You keep your eyes away from the stands, where Penny is sitting once again.
Why she even bothered when you are actively ignoring her, you don’t understand. It doesn’t matter, though. You can ignore her.
Finally, you’re fed up with your team walking on eggshells around you. On top of that, Penny’s gaze burns into the back of your head, slicing open all the neatly packed boxes of feelings you tucked away. You cut practice short and send everyone home early, the blonde’s insistent gaze tracking your every move. You can pick up the drills again next week. Besides, your leg is giving you trouble again.
Unfortunately, in your tiredness, you let your guard down. Penny corners you in the changing room.
“Do you care to tell me why you’re avoiding me?”
At the sound of her voice, you batten down the hatches and build up your walls. This is the difference between you and Penny—when a conflict occurs, she gets loud and you get quiet. “I’m not avoiding you.”
Penny stalks closer to you. “Really, Seojung? I’m not a dumb, clueless blonde. I have eyes! Do you know how much this is hurting me? I miss you! Why won’t you talk to me?”
With every word, she comes even closer, until she has you up against the lockers.
The jig is up. There is no point denying your avoidance any more. You deflate, taking down your emotional walls, one brick at a time. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” You rub your face with a tired hand. “I owe you an explanation. But first, I need a shower.”
Her eyebrows furrow, but she nods.
You have the quickest, most stressful shower in your life. Thoughts run through your head of possible outcomes. When you return to the locker area, Penny is still there. She sits on a bench and watches you pack your Quidditch gear with a stormy look on her face.
When you’re done, you finally glance her way. “D’you want to talk here, or somewhere else?”
She stands and silently leads you back to the main castle. Down a corridor, into a very familiar alcove in a quiet hallway. It’s Jacob’s room, which you showed Penny during third year.
Delaying the inevitable, you slowly lock the door and watch Penny take a seat in the sturdy chair at the desk. Filled with nervous energy, you remain standing.
“Look… I have to tell you something, but you have to promise to listen all the way to the end before you say anything. Promise?”
Penny nods. She’s always been so patient with you, even when she’s mad. It’s one of the things you love about her.
“So the reason why I’ve been avoiding you is because I’ve been dealing with some feelings. It’s a recent development, but I—I like you. And I think I have for a long time. I like studying with you and listening to you greet everyone in the morning at breakfast. I like being your partner in class and being your date to all the events. I want to sleep with you and dance with you and stargaze in the Courtyard with you. I love you as a friend, but I’d also like to be more than friends. I want to take you to the ball as your actual date, not just as your friend. Pens, will you go out with me?” You stand in front of her, baring your soul.
Blood roars in your ears and your heart feels like it’s about to jump out of your ribcage. You’ve never been this vulnerable to anyone before. Will it blow up in your face?
Penny stands and grabs both of your hands gently. She smiles, which gives you hope. But the words that come out of her mouth aren’t what you expected.
“I get why you were distant now. I don’t hold it against you. But I’m sorry, I’m not looking for a relationship right now. I like you as a friend. I hope you understand.”
Her words are robotic, short. It’s quite unlike her. Maybe it’s because she never considered a situation like this. She seems unprepared and disappointed, but you don’t know how to fix it. Instead, you watch silently as Penny returns your heart to you, shattered. You try your best to hide how hard it hurts. “It’s fine. Don’t worry, I won’t stand you up at the Ball. I always follow through when I say I’m going to do something.”
She gives you a lopsided smile. “We’re okay, right?”
You aren’t sure, but you lie through your teeth anyway. You can always lick your wounds later. “Yeah, we’re okay.”
She buries her face in your shoulder, which is good, because you aren’t sure you can keep a smile on your face for much longer. You use the hug to arrange your face into something more neutral. When she pulls away, she squeezes your hands again. “I’ll see you later?”
“Sure.”
Penny leaves you still standing in the middle of Jacob’s room, the scent of lemon and sandalwood from her perfume taunting you. Almost in a trance, you walk back to the Hufflepuff dorms. It feels like your whole world has been tipped off its axis.
“Seoj! Guess what! I did it!” As you enter the hallway of dorms, you hear Rowan’s excited yell behind you. Quickly arranging your face into something more normal, you turn to her.
“You asked Ben out, did ya?”
“Yes! And he said yes! Oh Merlin, what do I do now?!” She takes her glasses off and cleans them with a small cloth. It’s one of her stress-reliever tactics.
“Rowan, the hard part is over. You did it! Now all you have to do is pick out an outfit and enjoy the Ball!” Despite your crushed heart, you’re genuinely happy for your friend. You’ve been waiting for Rowan and Ben to get together for a while.
“How about you? How did it go with Penny?”
“She… said she’s not looking for a relationship right now. It’s alright. I’m fine.” You can feel your smile tremble like a lone tree in a rainstorm.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Seoj.”
The look on your face must be pretty sad if Rowan is initiating a hug. She pulls away quickly, but it means a lot to you that she reached out first.
“Are you still going with her to the dance?”
“Of course! A promise is a promise. We were always going to go.” You smile bitterly. “It’ll still be a nice evening.”
As the hands on your pocket watch tick closer to the seven and twelve, you slowly pull on each part of the outfit Andre assembled for you. First, the pants with the French fly; then, a crisp pink button-up shirt and a navy necktie; and finally, the jeogori shirt, with a traditional knot for the side tie. To finish off the outfit, you pick a pair of casual brown dress shoes, a matching color belt, and a simple white pocket square. You are once again grateful for the fact that there are no shoulder pads in the jeogori. Your upper body won’t be restricted by a thick, heavy blazer. The outfit is polished, but not too formal—perfect for a school dance.
To ensure your leg doesn’t bother you so much, you take another pain potion that Madam Pomfrey gave you. The last thing you do is pull out a small bag made of velvety material. It’s something you bought on a whim this summer at the shop back home because it reminded you of Penny. With tonight’s dance being fairytale themed, it’s a perfect time to give your best friend a gift.
With every step drawing you closer to the Great Hall, you feel your heart sink into your gut. You know that Penny isn’t going to kick you when you’re down, but you’re definitely still reeling from her rejection.
Never mind that. Tonight is when you will reap the rewards of your and your friends’ hard work. You can hear the sounds of a party already in full swing as you near the room. Walking through the open doors of the Hall, you gape at the decorations.
Cobblestones shaped like hearts snake from the doors through the middle of the room, leading to the dance floor, which looks like a large patch of grass. In the middle of the meadow is a ring of toadstools and flowers—Badeea’s work, certainly. Huge, thick curtains hung from the ceiling make the walls look like a thick canopy woven by trees. The entire hall looks like a clearing in a forest.
You’re so caught up in the room, you don’t notice Penny seeing you walk in. She politely leaves a conversation with Madam Pince and Mr. Filch and makes her way to you.
“Seojung, you’re here! Thank you again for being my date. I— Wow, Andre worked his magic, huh? Your outfit looks amazing!”
“Thanks, Pens. You’re looking pretty good, yourself.” You hold out your hand, which she takes easily. “Spin for me?”
Andre was right when he said Penny’s outfit complimented yours perfectly. She is wearing a beautifully pleated navy blue skirt with a classic 1940s A-line shape. On top of that, a checkered white-and-pink buttoned shirt, unbuttoned but tied at the bottom. There is a pink bow keeping her hair out of her face, and her white sneakers really pull the whole outfit together.
“I’m pretty confident in saying I have the best-looking date in the whole school.” As the blonde comes to a stop and stands in front of you again, you swallow your feelings and try your best to keep up the facade. You’re a gentleman, after all.
Penny’s cheeks turn a deep shade of pink, almost as deep as your shirt. “Thank you. You look stunning, too! A real knight in shining armor.”
You take the compliment in what you hope is a gracious manner. “Thanks! Andre was able to really wield some serious magic in making this outfit.”
“That’s nothing compared to the magic you wielded in making this ball come to life!” Penny gestures at the room. “It’s so beautiful!”
You bite back the, “Not as beautiful as you” that threatens to slip out, and instead give credit to all the friends who helped make the Valentine’s Day Ball come true. It wasn’t just you.
“I had a lot of help from my friends. Without you, I never would have thought to pair up Madam Pince with Mr. Filch. You helped me learn to listen with my heart, Pens.” You squeeze her hand. She ducks her head.
“If you ever need reminding, I’ll be right here.” Leaning forward, Penny gently kisses your cheek.
Before you can decipher what the hell she means by that line, Madam Pince and Mr. Filch interrupt your conversation.
“Good evening, Miss Lee. If Miss Haywood is finished batting her eyelashes at you, then I would like to extend my thanks for helping to make this Valentine’s Day Ball truly magical.”
Wow, Madam Pince, thanking you, smiling at you? You never thought you would see the day. “Thank you, Madam Pince. I’m so glad you’re pleased.”
“I’m more than pleased. It has surpassed my expectations. I doubt a soul will feel lonely or excluded this evening.” She smiles at the fairies hovering around, buzzing gently over the heads of students and staff alike.
Filch bows his head slightly. “Speaking for myself, I’ve never had better company. Except perhaps Mrs. Norris.”
“Coming from you, I know that’s quite the compliment, Argus.” A real smile stretches across Madam Pince’s face.
You grin proudly at the budding relationship. Your gut feeling was onto something after all. “It’s like Penny said: Valentine’s Day is about connections of all kinds.”
Penny leans into your side, hooking her arm around yours. “And I’m happy to see that we’ve all made one to celebrate!”
Madam Pince nods tightly, but still with a smile. “Quite right. Now, with all that fawning out of the way, you should take to the dance floor.”
“Despite your meddlesome ways and rule-breaking… Madam Pince thought you should get the first dance.” Ah, there he is. You almost forgot he was the caretaker. Despite his fine clothes, Mr. Filch’s mind was still the same.
“Thank you, but the ball wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t in charge, Madam Pince. I learnt a lot from you and Mr. Filch about listening and collaboration.”
“Every day is an opportunity to learn, Miss Lee. And what we’ve learnt is that Valentine’s Day is something everyone can enjoy.” She smiles directly at Mr. Filch. “Whether student, teacher, or staff.”
“You’re right. Everyone deserves to have a romantic storybook ending today.” Hopefully, your pointed statement hits the mark.
You hear somebody’s throat clear at the front of the Hall. Professor Dumbledore stands on the stage where the quartet hovers. He waits with a serene smile as people quiet down and turn their attention to him.
“Good evening, students and staff. Welcome to the Valentine's Day ball! I am glad to see so many happy faces.” He holds for applause. “Before we begin the festivities tonight, I wanted to thank and acknowledge the hard work of Madam Pince and her designing committee. She wanted to personally thank Miss Seojung Lee for assisting, Mr. Jae Kim for the scrumptious refreshments, Miss Badeea Ali for the lovely mural, Mr. Barnaby Lee for helping enlist the fairies, and Miss Chiara Lobosca for the wonderful music ensemble. You all have truly made this evening a night to remember for all.”
The crowd breaks out in enthusiastic cheers, whoops, and hollers. Tonks uses their fingers to whistle high and loud. Rowan, who is standing next to Ben, raises a glass in your direction with a small smile.
“And now, please enjoy the dance!” Professor Dumbledore bows slightly and walks off the stage.
The music strikes up, and Penny turns to you.
“I think that’s our cue, Seojung.” She holds out her hand. Oh, how you wish it meant something else entirely.
“So, are you asking me to dance, Penny?”
“I’m asking the most handsome witch at the ball.” She stands before, hand outstretched, gaze unwavering.
“Well, in that case, I accept.”
What else can you do but take her hand, and follow Penny to the dance floor?
You find the rest of your friends dancing around you. Tonks, Chiara, Skye, and Badeea come up to you, all with giant grins on their faces.
“Seojung! You owe me ten Galleons!” Tonks cracks their knuckles and waggles their eyebrows. Unsurprisingly, they are wearing their usual outfit, same as Skye.
“What?! She asked him out?”
Skye nods and points to the other side of the room, where Barnaby and Ismelda are standing close together, holding drinks and laughing. Barnaby is wearing a deep maroon leather motorcycle jacket over a black flower-pattern shirt. It’s the perfect amount of put-together but also casual. “Sure did. Right in the middle of lunch. Speaking of which, where were you?”
“My leg was bothering me. I skipped lunch.” It’s a believable lie. In fact, if it wasn't for that potion, your leg would be throbbing. You pour the coins into Tonks’ hand.
“Pleasure doing business with you, chum!” The coins disappear somewhere in one of Tonks’ many pockets.
You turn to Badeea next. “Congratulations again on your masterpiece. It looks great. How are you feeling?”
The artist beams. She looks positively radiant in her pink hijab and dress. A white leather jacket matches the stars on her headcloth. “It looks wonderful! I couldn’t have done it without your help, Seojung. I hope you and Penny enjoy the dance. You deserve it.”
You look at your best friend standing next to you. She smiles and leans into your side, playing it up for Badeea. “Thanks, Badeea. By the way, have you all seen Rowan? She told me earlier that she asked Ben out, so I hope she followed through.”
Chiara laughs kindly. “Don’t worry, she’s right over there with Ben!” The two were standing near the refreshments table. Rowan was dressed in a simple red shift and Ben has a matching long robe in the same color. Andre did excellent work with their outfits.
“Atta girl!” Skye whoops, high-fiving you and Tonks at the same time. “This calls for a drink in celebration! Seojung, Penny, are you coming?”
“I’m good. How ‘bout you, Pens?”
Penny shakes her head. “Maybe later. Thanks for asking, Skye.”
As your friends walk away, the fairies gather over you and Penny, arranging themselves into a heart shape.
“Jung, this is beautiful! Is this just for us?”
The light from the fairies creates a sort of spotlight over the two of you. Penny’s blue eyes light up in wonder and awe.
“It’s for the most important person here, who I have the pleasure of dancing with.” You put a hand on her waist. “I mean it. You’re the most important person in my life.”
Penny’s eyes are shining very brightly when you tell her this. She leans into your neck, swaying gently to the music.
For the next few songs, Penny is silent. You can tell she’s thinking about something very hard, so you don’t press her. That is the sign of a good friendship—you two don’t have to talk. Silence isn’t awkward.
Finally, Penny speaks.
“How does it feel to save the day once again, Hero?”
“I’m pleased as punch that everything came together in the end. The music, the refreshments, the mural…”
“Your wonderful outfit, our date.” She looks at you meaningfully. “Thank you for doing this, Jung. I know it was hard.”
“If given another chance, I would do it all over again. It was worth it to see you smile tonight. And stop all those annoying guys from asking us out. I mean, seriously…”
“Preaching to the choir, there.”
The band starts playing a new song. Penny’s head shoots up at the first few notes.
“Is that an instrumental version of ‘Do the Hippogriff’?”
“Sure is.”
“This is brilliant! I didn’t think the Weird Sisters could sound classy, and still so…”
“Punk rock? I know, Chiara’s a genius!” You bop your head to the beat. “Do you want to keep dancing?”
“Oh! Um, I need to…” Her eyes bounce around the room, landing on the table near the entrance. “I have to… erm, refreshment! Get one! Yes! I simply must try those fairy cakes before they fly away.”
Why is Penny acting so awkward and abrupt suddenly? You aren’t sure, so you try to roll with the change.
“Oh, a refreshment sounds great! I’ll go with you—”
“No! No. I can go by myself and get you one, too! You just keep dancing! Stay right here so I don’t lose you!”
You watch as Penny runs out of the Great Hall. Right past the table of refreshments.
“Well, that was.. a little odd.” You mumble to yourself.
“Was it? Perhaps you underestimate your fairy cakes.” Professor Dumbledore glides up to you with a slight smile hidden under his beard.
“Professor Dumbledore!”
“I wanted to congratulate you on a job well done, Miss Lee.”
“Thank you, Professor.” Your ego perks up a little at the compliment, against your will. It’s nice to hear words of affirmation from an authority figure.
“I believe your efforts to enhance this Valentine’s Day Ball were nothing short of marvelous.”
You bow your head graciously. “Thank you kindly, Professor, but it wasn’t just me. I had quite a bit of help from my friends.”
“I’m sure, but that wasn’t what I was referring to…”
“I’m… not sure I follow, Professor Dumbledore.”
There is a twinkle in the Headmaster’s eye. “You learned how to listen with your heart…and you helped others heal and grow.”
He nods his head at Madam Pince and Mr. Filch. The fairies form a heart over the both of them. They laugh and stand close together, looking up at their likenesses on the mural.
“Oh, look at that.” You’re glad that Penny and you had the right idea. Maybe it’ll soften both their hearts, but you doubt it.
“Indeed. You made a Squib feel as magical as Merlin, and someone who felt lonely realize she’s not. That is a very powerful gift, Miss Lee. More powerful than any spell.”
“I’m just glad to have helped create a memorable night for everyone.”
“And it’s a night that is far from over…”
“Which reminds me, where has Penny gone? Surely it doesn't take that long to get refreshments.” You look towards the entrance of the Hall again.
“Oh, you could say I’ve been helping her by stalling you.”
Of course! You should have known. There was something a little bit off about the whole situation.
“Perhaps you ought to check the Library for Miss Haywood. Something special is waiting for you there. Why not go see what it is?” A mischievous smile spreads across the wizened professor’s face.
“Thank you, Professor. Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Enjoy the rest of your enchanted Valentine’s Day storybook date, Miss Lee.” With a wink, Professor Dumbledore melts back into the crowd.
With every step toward the Library, your apprehension grows. What has Penny planned? Should you be worried?
As it turns out, no. The Library has been transformed into a room of hearts constructed from books. You wonder what Madam Pince will think of her beloved books being used in such a way.
At the top of a short set of stairs, overlooking a lazy river made from fabric, stands Penny. She is at the mouth of a tunnel made of books arranged into heart-shaped arches.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Seojung.”
You walk up the stairs, taking in all the details. The steps you climb are thick tomes from the Reference section. You make sure to tread carefully. The normal lanterns have all been replaced with a multitude of candles, giving the tunnel of books a warm, flickering glow. The tables that are normally used for study have been lined up end-to-end to create a path.
“What’s all this?” You can’t help but feel a little suspicious. Penny turned you down before the dance. What is the meaning of this?
She takes both of your hands, blue eyes boring deep into your soul. “Before Valentine’s Day ends, I want to properly ask you out.”
You sigh, taking your hands out of her grasp. “I’m sorry, but I can’t forgive you so easily. You need to explain how you came around. Because this feels like the beginning of a big prank from Tulip and Tonks.”
“Right. Well—” She worries her hands. “I went back to my room and ran into Tonks, and I immediately spilled everything. They listened and then called me a gigantic dumbass, because I had just ruined the best relationship in the whole school. They told me to think about the Cursed Vaults, the Celestial Ball, the Winter Wonderland Party, and that Festival we went to last summer. Everything we’ve done so far, we’ve done together.”
“That still doesn’t explain your complete 180.” You cross your arms, still not convinced. It will take more than this to get your guard down. Penny knows this.
“After you asked me out for real, I… did some thinking. I rejected you because I was afraid that saying yes would screw up our relationship. But then, I realized that was stupid. I figure, if we can fake-date, we can real-date. Dating is just really, really good best friends, right?”
The blonde squeezes your hands gently. “So, will you forgive me, Jung? And will you go out with me? Please?”
Your heart finally rises from its place in your gut. You can’t stay mad at Penny for very long, not when she is so earnestly asking you to be her partner. After all, this is what you wanted. It brings you comfort to know that Penny reciprocates your feelings.
You pull her in for a hug, which she completely melts into. “Okay, girlfriend, you’re forgiven. What’s this surprise you got for me?”
Penny laughs into your shoulder. “It’s a Tunnel of Love!”
She pulls away after a long moment, a bright smile on her face. “We’ve spent a lot of time studying here, and it fits tonight’s theme of a fairytale. What do you think?”
“Not bad, Haywood, not bad at all.”
Penny bounces on the tips of toes. “I knew that I had to do something big to make it up to you, for hurting you like I did. I got inspired to do something special for you with a little help from your friends.”
A fairy comes out from behind her. “Buzz!”
“Aili! You helped plan this?”
“Buzz! Buzz!”
You chuckle. “Guess the fairies really do understand Valentine’s Day, now.”
“Thanks to you!” Penny smiles at you and pecks your cheek.
“Thanks, Aili. And you too, Penny.”
Aili flies in a loop, then rejoins her group of fairies as Penny leads you under the first heart-shaped arch.
“You’ve done so much for Hogwarts today, that I wanted to give you a bit of storybook romance.”
You venture forward through the next arch to find the most beautiful sight. A small raised platform surrounded by hearts made of books, with candles lit everywhere.
“I hope you like it, Seojung!”
“You’re such a romantic, Penny. And it shows.” Your chest warms at the sight of her love and devotion. She really does love you.
“With you as my inspiration, how could I fail?” She comes to your side and clasps your arm. “I can’t wait to tell Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pince how much you like it!”
The mention of the strict librarian shocks you. She does not seem like the person who would agree to this surprise. “Pince was in on this?”
“Yep! Professor Dumbledore convinced Madam Pince to lend me the library. You really got Pince to open up her heart.”
“Damn, we should have a Valentine Ball every day if it’ll keep Pince happy.”
Penny leads you to the center of the platform. “It would be really difficult to top this dance and this date. You made this the perfect Valentine’s Day. Especially for me.”
“All I wanted was a magical Valentine’s Day with you by my side. I’m glad it’s with you as my best friend and girlfriend.” You smile at the way the candlelight softens Penny’s bright blue eyes.
“Me, too! Now, one last surprise. You know how much I like records of important events. I thought our romantic evening deserves its own storybook.”
With a wave of her wand, a beautiful book pops into existence before you. There is a necklace with a key hanging from it. On the cover, there are two hearts interlocked.
You whistle lowly at the impressive show of magic. “Let me guess… Is it a tale of a lovable potion maker and a curse-breaker, who throw the best party their school has ever seen?”
“Yes! And perhaps they share a storybook romance along the way.” She steps closer to you, handing you the book.
You run your fingers over the cover, fingering the gold border. “That sounds like a tale I’d read again and again.”
“You can! The key unlocks the book whenever you want to read it, and you can wear the key like a necklace so the story will always be with you.”
“That’s brilliant, Pens. Thanks.” You slip the chain over your head, smiling down at the key.
“I’m so happy to hear you like it, Jung. I keep our fond memories close to my heart all the time.”
“Oh! That reminds me.” You pull the small bag out of your inside jacket pocket. “I got you something this summer, but I never felt it was the right time to give it to you. Now feels like the perfect time.”
Out of the bag tips out three small objects: two lapel pins, a knight helmet and a queen’s crown, and one ring, shaped like a crown, on a gold chain.
“When I saw it, I remembered how you sometimes jokingly call me your knight in shining armor. So I bought it as a play on that.”
Slowly, Penny tips the items back in the bag. She gently sets the bag on the ground. Wordlessly, she takes the book out of your hands and puts it on the ground next to the bag. Then, she pulls you to her by the chain around your neck.
“Pens?”
She puts her arms around your neck. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
In answer, you cup her face with your hands and pull her lips to yours.
Her lips are warm and soft, just like her hands. They taste like honey and strawberries. It’s the best thing you’ve ever tasted in your life.
Finally, you both need to come up for air. Gasping for breath, you look at Penny with new eyes.
She grasps your hands and kisses you on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Pens.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Jung. Thanks for being my very own Valentine.”
Her grin is too tempting. You surge forward and kiss her again. “Sorry, I had to.” And another.
“I can’t believe we could have been doing this sooner…” You finally pull back and look at Penny with a small smile.
She hums in thought. “I like our timing. I don’t regret a thing.”
“You don’t regret anything?”
Her cheeks grow hot. “Okay, maybe a couple things I would have done differently, but we got there in the end, didn’t we?”
“I suppose we did.” You chuckle lightly at Penny’s indignance. It’s so easy to rile her up. “Do you think the dance is wrapping up?”
Penny glances at her wristwatch. “I would say so. Let’s go back. I want to catch the last dance with you.”
You offer your hand and lead her back to the Great Hall. There are even more people now, but you still find space on the edge of the dance floor. The quartet plays a slow ballad—Penny’s favorite. You can see the recognition from the way her eyes soften.
“May I have this dance?”
She nuzzles into your cheek, speaking directly into your ear. “You may.”
Too soon, the song ends, Professor Dumbledore thanks everyone for attending, and Heads of Houses are ushering students to their beds. You both follow the flow, making your way to the Hufflepuff dormitory.
“Can I sleep in your bed again tonight?” Penny’s voice is soft around the edges, like a worry stone weathered by constant use.
“Of course. But you’ll need to bring a sweater with you for tomorrow, since you stole mine.” You hold the door to the Common Room open for her.
“Aww.” Penny sticks out her lower lip. “Can’t I just borrow another one of yours?”
“Then I won’t have any to wear!” You push her lightly towards her bedroom. “Bring my sweater back, or you’re not allowed to get into my bed.”
Penny isn’t happy about it, but she complies. Skipping into your room with your house sweater in her arms, she flings it to the foot of your bed and jumps onto the covers. She is uncharacteristically restless and full of energy.
You look over from the diary entry you’re writing. “What’s gotten into you?”
“I’m really happy. I’ve dreamed about today ending like this.” In the low light, your best friend’s face is glowing like the hearths in the Kitchen.
You find yourself drawing closer, like a moth to a flame. Giving Penny a quick kiss, you return to your writing. The quicker you finish the diary entry, the quicker you can go back to kissing your girlfriend.
Part of you wants to stop writing and throw the notebook onto the nightstand, but you know yourself. There is no way you will finish if you put it off for later. Besides, it’s best to write down the memories while they are still fresh in your mind.
Penny settles into your side, watching you record the day’s events. Finally, when you finish and the lamp is off, she squeals quietly and buries her face into your neck.
The closed curtain muffles the sounds of your roommates turning down for the night. It’s been a very eventful day for everyone, including you. As your eyes grow heavy and you settle into the covers for the night, you feel Penny’s lips on your jaw.
“Goodnight, Seojung. Thank you for the best Valentine’s Day.”
“I had a good time, too. Now, shut up and go to sleep, babe.”
— — —
‘deed i do [3/4]
read on ao3
wc:
more info about this fic in this tumblr post
— — —
You fall asleep in the wee early hours of the morning, somehow. Probably exhaustion. When you wake, Penny is not there. Part of you is relieved, but there is a sinking feeling in your chest. You wonder what it would be like to wake up next to Penny Haywood. What does her morning voice sound like? How bad is her bedhead? What would her eyes look like in the morning sun?
You shake the yearning thoughts out of your mind. It didn’t help anyone to be caught up in your feelings. You rise at eight, washing up and changing into your uniform.
As Andre mentioned yesterday, clothes are a powerful first impression. You know that, and take pride in dressing well. Your morning routine of ironing your slacks, dress shirt, and tie brings comfort and peace.
Rowan loves to rib you for taking your school uniform so seriously. Unlike other girls, you insist on tying a new knot every single morning and untying it every night. Leaving the necktie tied can ruin the core and decrease the longevity of it. Taking care of your possessions is just as important as using them well.
She gave up trying to convince you to relax your high standards for yourself. But, she got you to compromise on one thing; no starched collars.
“You’re making the rest of us look bad, Seoj.”
“Nonsense. You do that to yourself.” You point at her tie, haphazardly knotted so that the blade hangs shorter than the tail. “Please let me teach you how to tie a tie, I’m begging you.”
Rowan sticks out her tongue. “You know what? I’ll continue to tie it terribly so you die inside every time you see it. Take that!”
You tuck your undershirt into your pants, then slip on your white dress shirt. Your tired fingers fumble with the buttons from bottom to top. Tucking the bottom of the dress shirt into your pants as well, you ratchet a thick black belt around your waist. Next, your favorite part.
Last year, you commissioned Andre to tailor the standard-issue Hufflepuff necktie into something better suited to your body type. The blade is thinner and the length shorter. This allows you to tie a perfect half-Windsor without any extra tail.
Now, where is your sweater? You left it at the foot of your bed on your chest… but it’s gone now.
Wait. You look closer at your large chest. There is a small scrap of parchment in the spot where your sweater sat. You pick it up and recognize Penny’s scrawl.
Jung, I hope you don’t mind, but I was cold this morning. I took your sweater, but I promise I’ll get it back to you. Love, Pens <3
Well, that explains a lot. You stop and think about Penny wearing your clothes for a moment. The idea is highly appealing. With a loopy grin, you pull out your cardigan and throw it on. You can’t wait to see her in your sweater this morning.
You find Chiara, Rowan, and Skye at breakfast. Penny and Tonks haven’t arrived yet, Rowan tells you. She pushes your bowl of oatmeal closer with a teasing grin and an eyebrow waggle.
“Morning, Seoj. Sleep well?” Her knowing tone tells you that she knows Penny slept over.
“Not really.”
Rowan nods and pokes your cheek. “You look like hell.”
You grunt into your oatmeal. She gives you a reassuring pat on the back. “You got this. Just a few more days.”
Luckily, conversation soon turns to other people’s dates. Chiara and Skye attempt to convince Rowan to ask Ben out.
“Come on, we know you’ve had the hots for him since second-year!” Skye waves her buttered toast in the air as she makes her point.
Rowan turns her nose up. “No, I don’t! What about you, Skye? Speak for yourself!”
The Hufflepuff Chaser snorts. “Relationships aren’t for me, thanks. I’m married to Quidditch, and that’s more than enough for me!”
Rowan looks at Chiara. “Chi, what do you think? Do you agree with Skye? I should ask Ben to the dance?”
She shrugs gracefully. “It can’t hurt, right? He’ll be nice to you.”
Finally, Rowan turns to you. “Seoj, thoughts?”
“I’ve been team RoBen since Tonks pointed it out in third year. You should definitely ask him.” You nod and raise your mug of tea. Leaning close to your best friend, you whisper only so she can hear. “If you ask Ben, I’ll ask Penny out. For real.”
She smiles softly, grabbing your offered hand. “Deal.”
“Keep me posted.” You knock your shoulders together. Then, you remember something.
“Hey, Chiara. Can you help me pick out music for the Ball?”
She grins. “Of course! Swing by my room after Potions?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Good morning!” Penny, as usual, is bright and chirpy, even at eight in the morning. If it was anyone else, it would be insufferable, but because it’s Penny, you can’t help but smile. She’s wearing your Hufflepuff sweater, and her Prefect pin is clasped right next to the seal emblazoned on the chest.
“Morning, Pens. How’d you sleep?”
Rowan snorts and gives you a look. She doesn’t say anything, thankfully.
Unfortunately, she is not the only one who catches on to your change of mood. Skye and Tonks notice as well.
“Aw, look! You’ve turned SJ from a morning grump into a cheerful bastard!” Tonks crows.
“You guys! Be nice. He’s doing us all a favor with the Ball. And for me.” She kisses you on the cheek as she sits down next to you. “I slept well. How about you?”
“Oh, fine.” You skirt around the issue. If Penny knew that you didn’t sleep much, she would insist on trying to fix it. “How’s my sweater?”
She blushes. “Really soft and warm. And it smells like you, which is an added bonus.”
Skye interrupts your conversation. “You guys know that you don’t have to act lovey-dovey around us, right? We know the situation.”
I’m not acting, you want to say. Instead, you take a crumb of Penny’s toast and lob it at her. “Shut up.”
She sticks out her tongue. “Tonks, are you taking anyone to the ball?”
The pink-haired witch shrugs, popping a piece of croissant into their mouth. “Nah. I’ll probably go with Chiara, Badeea, and Ismelda, unless Ismelda finally plucks up the courage to ask Barnaby out.”
You hum in thought. “I don’t think she’ll do it.”
“I think she will.” Chiara smiles. “They keep staring at each other lovingly. It’s really sweet.”
You scoff at the notion. If Ismelda and Barnaby supposedly have heart eyes for each other, what does that say about you and Penny? “Nothing’s going on with them.”
“SJ, I bet you ten Galleons that Ismelda will ask Barnaby out.” Tonks wiggles their eyebrows.
“All right, deal. I’ll take that bet.” You shake hands, then start packing up for class.
The classes slog by; there’s nothing to write home about. Your mind is lost in Valentine’s Ball decorations and Penny. Thankfully, classes end, and now you have the rest of the afternoon and evening to do Ball things. Walking back to the Hufflepuff dorms, you pull out a slim black Moleskine notebook and a pen and write down the list of things to do.
1. Music
2. Food and Drink
3. Decorations
4. Lighting
5. Outfit fitting with Andre
Then, you head down the hall, arriving at an open doorway. “Chiara? It’s me,” you say, knocking thrice on the open door.
“Oh, hey! Come on in.”
Chiara is surrounded by many, many, sheets of paper. Thankfully, the windows are all shut. You’re fairly certain that one good gust could scatter these sheets around the room and ruin her careful organization.
“Good job convincing Madam Pince to loosen up, by the way. I might shy away from people, but I’m fairly certain Pince simply despises people.”
“Let’s just say she doesn’t despise a certain Hogwarts caretaker…”
She gives you a double-take. “Mr. Filch?! You must be joking.”
You shrug. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”
“I suppose. Now, what can I do for you?”
“You have a good ear for this sort of thing. Whatever music we come up with needs to be storybook romantic, as well as good for everyone at the dance. And it needs to be classy but also fun. Do you think you can handle that?”
“Absolutely! In fact, I already have a few ideas.”
“Brilliant. Together, I know we’ll come up with something that both Pince and our classmates will love.”
Together, the two of you flip through Chiara’s collection of sheet music and vinyl records. You come up with a set list for the night with the musician, paying close attention to the vibes of each piece. You also find yourself asking, “Would Penny like this?” In the end, you both agree that the songs are perfect for a Valentine’s Day Ball. Chiara suggests enchanting an ensemble of musical instruments and having them perform on their own.
“I really like your idea of going beyond a piano but keeping things classy with a string quartet. It’s the best parts of live performance and recorded takes. And it’ll be fun to enchant them to play some romantic classic songs for Pince. Classy, but still fun.”
The silver-haired girl grins at your approval.
“Also, I like your woodland fairy idea. I’ll find other ways to incorporate that into the theme, because it’s perfect for Pince’s storybook romance wish.”
Chiara sighs and looks out the window. “To me, there’s nothing more romantic than a stroll through the woods. What kind of mood do you want guests to feel when they first walk into the ball?”
“Romantic, please.”
“Excellent. We have a lot to do to pull this dance off. And since music is very important… I better get working on enchanting the instruments!”
You leave Chiara to her repertoire and make your way down to the Common Room. Pulling out your notebook, you check your list, crossing off “Music”. What’s next?
Right, food. Time to visit Jae in the Kitchen.
“Heyyy, yeodongsaeng from another mister! What’s up, Seojung?” Jae raises his fist as you walk up to him. The Gryffindor is in the middle of making sandwiches for lunch.
“Oppa from another mother! Nothing much. I’ve been trying hard to stay out of trouble lately.”
Being one of the other few Korean students at Hogwarts, and having a common insatiable thirst for adventure, you and Jae fostered a close relationship. It felt very much like he was an older brother you never had. He confessed that as an only child, he used to wish for a sibling. He saw you as a younger sister, and also as a peer and Detention partner. Jae certainly didn’t hold Jacob’s actions against you like most of your cohort did, and you were grateful to have another friend who didn’t assume you were just like Jacob.
“If you don’t have detention, then what brings you to the kitchens? I’m relying on you to turn this ball into a blinding party!”
“I’m hoping you can help me with refreshments. Something that fits the theme of storybook romance, with a dash of woodland fairytale.”
Jae puts down the bread knife he is holding. “Blimey, how many themes can one dance have?”
“If this is too much of a challenge for you, I can speak to Pitts.”
“Woah, hold on. I never said it was too much of a challenge. In fact, as you well know, I love a good challenge! ‘Sides, Pitts is done for the day and I’m sick of making sandwiches. I’m in.”
“Gomawo. Any ideas for refreshments that say ‘woodland’, ‘fairy’, or ‘storybook romance’?”
“Let me think…” He clicks his teeth together. “Fairy cakes might do. They’re a bit like tiny cupcakes. I could decorate the frosting to look like toadstools! As for refreshments… can’t go wrong with Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice, right?”
“Brilliant! Fairy cakes will satisfy the woodland and storybook parts of the refreshment for sure. And if we put hearts as the buttons on the toadstools, that will really emphasize the romance of it all.” You grin, adding the new details to your notes.
“It’s a little soppy for me, but if soppy means we get to party at the dance, then let’s start baking!” Jae clears away the sandwich-making materials and takes down a bunch of mixing bowls and making supplies. “Here, catch!” He throws an apron at you and ties one on himself.
As you mix together dry and wet ingredients, you ask Jae about who he’s taking to the ball.
“Meh, I’m not into that stuff. Andre, Talbott, and I are going stag. How about you? Rumor has it, you’re shacked up with Miss Popular?”
“Rumor is right. Penny’s my date to the ball.”
“Heyo! Up top, mate! How long have you two been a thing?” Jae grins as he greases the muffin tray.
The lie slips easily past your lips. “Since last year. We wanted to keep it to ourselves at first, which is why no one heard about it until Penny let it slip to someone that she’s already going with somebody to the Ball.”
He nods. “I’m sorry that people found out the way they did, but you and Penny make a really good couple. I saw it coming since third year, honestly…” He trails off as he loads the trays into the oven and shuts the door.
“What?!”
“You guys are not subtle. She looks at you like you hung the moon and stars. And you look at her like she’s the most beautiful piece of artwork.”
You cross your arms and scoff. That’s, what, the fifth person to tell you the same thing? Maybe they’re onto something.
Jae tells you other juicy bits of relationship information. He talks about whispers of Professors Sinistra and Vector being together, as well as Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey.
“More than a couple times, I thought I saw Madam Pomfrey come out of Professor McGonagall’s quarters in the morning, all set and ready to go. It’s like she keeps clothes and toiletries there.”
He takes great interest when you mention seeing Mr. Filch and Madam Pince interact positively. “Filch and Pince, huh? Hm… I can see that! They have a lot in common.”
“I know, right? That’s what I said to Penny!”
The oven emits a shrill scream. Jae’s eyes light up. “Ah, they’re done!”
As the trays are set on racks to cool, Jae pulls out ingredients for the frosting. He whips together a quick buttercream and spoons it into two bags. Once the cakes are cool enough to frost, you and Jae have a mini competition to see who can decorate the most. Jae, of course, having more experience in the kitchen, wins by a long shot. He’s a good sport, though, acknowledging his experience.
You set down your bag and look over all the cakes. “These fairy cakes look absolutely magical, and we didn’t even use any magic!”
Jae clutches his chest dramatically. “What kind of wizards are we if we don’t use any magic?!”
“Not you too. Penny says the same thing…” You roll your eyes and pull out your wand. “Wingardium Leviosa!”
“Now that definitely puts the fairy in our fairy cakes.” He nods in satisfaction. “Say, you’re pretty handy in the kitchen, Jung. You been holdin’ out on me? You could be my sous chef!”
“Please. In this kitchen, we’d both be sous chefs to Pitts.”
The two of you laugh, watching the fairy cakes float in the air.
“All joking aside, we make a pretty good team. Thanks, Jae.”
“It was my utmost pleasure to help. I love a good excuse to bake!”
Suddenly, the door to the Kitchen opens with a swift bang. In strides Madam Pince. Boy, she sure knows how to make an entrance.
“There you are, Miss Lee. I’ve scoured the castle grounds looking for you. Tell me you haven’t been dilly-dallying.” The librarian glares at you over the top of her reading glasses.
You whip out your notebook and cross “Food & Drink” off your list. “Not at all, Madam Pince! Jae and I just finished the refreshments for the ball. Look!”
“These look like fungi! Explain how fungi pertains to storybook romance.”
“We— Mr. Filch had the idea to add a bit of woodland fairytale to the storybook romance. So we decorated the refreshments to look like toadstools in a classic fairytale Fairy Ring. Would you like to try one?” You hold out one of the cakes. As she takes a small bite, you and Jae are stiff with anticipation.
“Hmm… sweet, but not overly sweet. While this isn’t quite what I imagined, this confection will be proper enough for the ball.” A small smile sits on her lips. You mentally cheer. Jae definitely knocked it out of the park.
“Miss Lee, another reason I sought you out is because I’ve had an inspired idea. This ball deserves a mural to fit my ingenious theme. Something lovely, like Medieval romantic tapestries that depict great love stories or a romantic storybook castle. Now, to the matter at hand, do you know someone we can commission to complete this mural on time?”
“It will be hard on such short notice, but I know one artist talented enough for the job. I’ll go talk to Badeea.” You fist bump Jae once again. “Thanks for all your help again, Jae. Trust me, everyone’s going to love these fairy cakes!”
Before you go find Badeea, however, you decide to take a break from Ball prep. Luckily, the Common Room is quiet and vacant. You’ve unconsciously been avoiding a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed Hufflepuff since breakfast. Your feelings are not compartmentalizing like you thought they would. You’re getting too invested, and you know better than to set yourself up for disappointment. In the classes you share with Penny, you try to pair up with Rowan before she can ask you. Every time you ran into Penny in the hallways in between classes, you came up with an excuse for why you couldn’t spend time with her. It was pretty easy, because in truth you are busy with the Valentine’s Day Ball.
Rowan comes through the door. “Seoj! Gee, it’s been a while since I saw you. Where have you been?”
“Let’s see…” You pull out your trusty notebook. “First, I was planning the music for the Ball with Chiara. Then, I helped Jae bake some fairy cakes as refreshments. Next, I need to find Badeea. Madam Pince commissioned a mural for the Ball. And I’m betting she’ll have something else for me to do after that.”
Your best friend whistles lowly. “Busy day, huh?”
“I’ll sleep damn well tonight.” You groan, massaging your temples. “Oh, and I scheduled Quidditch practice tonight. Because I like pain.”
“It’ll be worth it.” Rowan pats your back. “Oh, by the way, why weren’t you at dinner yesterday?”
“Penny and I were so busy studying, we both missed dinner. Did I miss anything?”
“I figured as much. Not really. Ismelda still hasn’t asked Barnaby out. I still haven't asked Ben out. Classes were boring as usual. So, fill me in! How did you get Filch’s attention?”
“Merula came up with the idea to use Colovaria on Mrs. Norris.” You grin and nod at Rowan’s understanding. “She cast the spell and I took the fall. I got called to Filch’s office, and then persuaded him into speaking to Pince. Worked like a charm.”
Rowan shakes her head. “Why am I not surprised that Merula came up with this plan? It’s got her written all over it.”
The entrance swings open again and Penny walks into the Common Room. Ah, shit. Just the person you didn’t want to see. You stand. “Hey, Row, have you seen Badeea?”
“She was in the Courtyard last I saw. But that was about an hour ago.”
You shrug and head for the door. “Better than nothing. Thanks. See you later!”
Penny says something to you, but you’re out of the Common Room before she can finish. You hope that she doesn’t come after you. She doesn’t.
You find the artistic Ravenclaw exactly where Rowan said, in the Clocktower Courtyard, with a drawing notebook in hand. She is using a pair of ravens as reference and sketching using a stick of charcoal. Reluctant to startle her, you wait until she picks the charcoal off the paper. “Hey, Badeea? I need some artistic help in the Great Hall.”
She beams at the mention of art. “I’d love to help! You came at the right time.”
“I have to admit, Seojung, I far prefer the Great Hall this way—full of paint supplies and free of people.” Badeea claps her hands at all of the paint cans, rollers, palettes, and art knives.
“Well, as you may have heard, I’m helping Madam Pince organize the Valentine’s Day Ball this year…”
She nods. “I was just planning to stay home and paint that night, but now that I know you’re involved, I may rethink my plans. Have you managed to convince Madam Pince?”
“Yes, I have. Mr. Filch is helping in that respect. There’s a lot of stuff we’ve prepped, but Pince and I could really use your help painting a mural for the Ball.”
“There’s going to be a mural at the Ball?! Oh, that’s splendid!” She spins in a circle. “And it certainly explains all the paint supplies.”
“We’re hoping for a ‘storybook, woodland, fairytale romance’ vibe in the art. Do you think you can do that?”
“You’ve come to the right artist. What type of story do you think we’ll be telling with this mural?”
“A love story, definitely.”
She scans the large canvas in front of her. “Yes, I think this will make an excellent story for our mural. My creative ideas are already beginning to flow.” Turning to you, she winces. “I’ll get started straight away, but there’s just one teeny-tiny problem: this canvas, it’s enormous! I’ll never be able to complete a mural this grand in time for the Ball!”
“Don’t worry. You’re not alone. We can paint it together.”
“Splendid! In that case, pick up a paintbrush and let’s get to work!”
Under Badeea’s capable orders, the canvas begins to bloom with color. As you mix paints and rinse brushes in paint thinner, you talk about taking dates to the Ball. The Ravenclaw expresses her support for you and Penny’s relationship. Before the both of you know it, with a little bit of magic, the mural is complete.
You step back, admiring you and Badeea’s work. The deep colors and the rich details are eye-catchingly gorgeous. All credit goes to the Ravenclaw, of course. You don’t have an artistic bone in your body. She focused on the finer details while you did the wide swaths and the base layer of paint, things that required less skill and talent.
“Badeea, it’s beautiful! Royalty and gentry, unicorns, and a grand castle. This mural really captures the spirit of a storybook romance!”
“I may or may not have painted the Queen to resemble Madam Pince.”
“And I see you also painted the Knight to look like Mr. Filch. That’s a nice touch. I can’t wait to see all our friends’ faces during the grand reveal at the Ball.”
She bows her head. “Seeing how much you like it right now is all the reward I need, Seojung. Thank you.”
“Badeea, I really wish you’d reconsider attending the Ball. Have you given it any further thought?”
“Absolutely. I have faith that it will be worth going to, now that you’re on board the project.”
“That’s great! What are you going to wear, you think?”
Badeea thinks for a moment. “I bought a red dress this summer from a Muggle shop in my home city. I haven’t had the opportunity to wear it, but I think the dance would be perfect.”
“I agree with you.” You pull out the notebook, crossing off “Decorations” from the list. “Thanks for all your hard work. Now, I need to find Madam Pince for my next assignment.”
She grins and tilts her head toward the entrance of the Great Hall. “No need. Here comes Madam Pince now!”
“Miss Lee, Miss Ali. I’ve come to inspect the mural for the Ball. Have you completed it yet?”
“We’ve just finished! Don’t you think Badeea did an incredible job?”
“Seojung and I collaborated on it together. He deserves credit too!”
Madam Pince scans the work. “The mural will appear exactly as it is now on the day of the Ball? Not a single change? No further additions?”
Badeea nods. “Madam Pince, do you like the mural?”
There’s a tense silence as you both wait for her answer. Then, she smiles. “I absolutely adore it. There’s just one problem. A work of art like this needs to be seen by all, and the light in the Great Hall is far too dim!”
“Won’t the Ball be lit by floating candles?”
She shakes her head, gesturing at the canvas. “Oh no, Miss Lee, candles simply won’t do. They’re not bright enough for a mural of this quality.”
“Hmm.” You think for a moment. “I’ll go talk to the Fairies in the forest and see if they can help us shed some light on the situation.” You snicker at your awful pun. “And as Barnaby is excellent with all creatures, I’ll take him as backup.”
“That sounds excellent. I shall leave you to it, Miss Lee.” Madam Pince appears to float out through the doors, not a sound from her feet. Useful for a librarian.
You take your leave as well, exiting the Great Hall quickly. “I’ll see you around, Badeea. Thanks again for your help!”
You quickly scribble out a note and send an owl to Barnaby. Meet me at the entrance of the Forbidden Forest tomorrow at 3. I need some help with the Ball!
Then, you’re off to Quidditch practice. Penny is sitting in the empty stands, still wearing your sweater. Rowan and Chiara are at her side, bundled up against the cold in a similar fashion. You try very hard not to be distracted by her. It doesn’t go so well. You blame this squarely on a pair of sad and angry eyes staring holes into your back, your wandering mind, and the Bludger that you don’t see coming.
As you fall from your broom and watch the ground get closer and closer, you realize you’re so far gone. This crush on Penny Haywood is slowly getting out of your control.
You wake up in the Hospital Wing with a sore nose, bruised elbows, and a throbbing leg. Madam Pomfrey tells you about your broken nose and broken leg that she fixed. Considering you fell from your broom, you know you’ve gotten lucky. With the right words, you convince the Matron that you will be fine with a pain potion and insist to be discharged as soon as possible.
Unwilling to return to the Hufflepuff rooms and potentially be cornered by Penny, you snag a plate of dinner from Dory again and hobble yourself to Jacob’s secret room. After a couple hours of homework, you take your pain medication, fall into the bed, and you’re out the moment your head hits the pillow. Like Rowan said, you’ve had a long day.
The next morning, you snag a bowl of oatmeal from the Kitchen, drop off your dishes from dinner, and return to Jacob’s room. No classes will be attended today; you don’t have the energy to deal with your friend group, especially Penny. Instead, you work on the homework that’s due next week until it’s time to meet Barnaby at the forest.
Keeping your head on a swivel, you head out of a side entrance down to the Forbidden Forest. You can see Barnaby waiting as you come up the path.
“Thanks for meeting me, Barnaby. We need to think of some romantic lighting for the Valentine’s Day Ball.”
“I hear the Ball is shaping up to be quite the dance, so happy to help! But I’m still not really sure why we’re in the Forbidden Forest?” His forehead crinkles. With Barnaby, you have to be very clear and straightforward.
“I’m trying to find Aili. I’m hoping she’ll help me out with the Ball.”
“Oh. is Aili your date for the ball?”
You chuckle at his question. Classic Barnaby. “What? No. Penny is my date to the ball. Aili is the fairy in the Creature Reserve.”
“Right! Of course. Aili is a silly name for a person, isn’t it? But good for a fairy. I’m not trying to insult your choice in names. I mean, my name is Barnaby Abernathy Lee! Now that’s a silly name.”
You frown. What’s wrong with Barnaby Abernathy Lee? As a fellow Lee, you feel a little insulted. “I think that’s a magnificent name, actually. It suits you well.”
Barnaby perks up instantly. “Thanks, Seojung.”
You nod and bring the conversation back to the task at hand. “Madam Pince said floating candles are too mundane for the Valentine’s Day Ball, so we’ll use fairies instead, if they agree.”
“But you’ll need a whole flutter of fairies to light the Great Hall.”
“That’s why I was hoping Aili could help us.”
You and Barnaby reach a clearing in the middle of the Forest. A fairy comes up to both of you.
“Aili?”
Aili floats up and down, zipping happily.
“Do you think you and your friends could help us out for Valentine’s Day?”
She gives you a look. “Buzzz?”
Barnaby understands her better than you do. “I’m not sure she understands what Valentine’s Day is.”
“Aili, do you think you could call your friends so we can explain?”
“Buzz! Buzzzz!”
“Fantastic. Thank you so much.”
She zips off in a flurry of wings and soon, a whole group of fairies hover in front of you and Barnaby.
“So… many… lights…” Barnaby stares slack-jawed at the flutter.
“Barnaby?”
He doesn’t reply.
“Barnaby!”
Still nothing.
“Barnaby Abernathy Lee!”
“I didn’t mean to spill the potion, Professor Snape!”
What the hell is he on about? You make a mental note to check up on him later. You know Barnaby has a troubled past, and Professor Snape doesn’t seem to be helping matters.
“Huh? Oh, we’re in the Forbidden Forest. Right, of course.”
“Come on, we’ve got to explain to the fairies why Valentine’s Day is special.”
And thus begins an impromptu lecture on the history of Saint Valentine. You give an extremely abbreviated version, giving highlights all the way up to modern day.
“So you see, Valentine’s Day is about appreciating loved ones and connecting with those around you.”
Barnaby joins in. “Whether that’s your friends, your Valentine, or even yourself.” He turns to you. “What do you think the most important part of Valentine’s Day is, Seojung?”
“Cherishing your loved ones.” You wince internally. Maybe you should follow your own advice.
“Buzzz… buzz!”
“Sounds like the fairy likes that—as long as she’s still the center of attention.”
The other fairies buzz as well. It sounds like agreement. At least, you hope it is.
“Looks like your romantic heart really spoke to the fairies. Nice job, Seojung!” The personable Slytherin gives you a high-five.
“Thanks, Barnaby.” Another idea pops into your head. “Fairies, if you could create a magical fairy heart around a few important people at the ball, I’d be grateful.”
The fairies buzz happily. You drag Barnaby out of the forest by his arm to stop him from staring at the fairies for the rest of the day. The Forbidden Forest is dangerous to be alone in, even for someone as stocky and strong as Barnaby Lee.
After dropping off Barnaby at the Slytherin Common Room, you make your way back to Jacob’s room. Your leg is throbbing, so you gulp down another pain potion and pick up your notebook on the bedside table, flipping to the page of Valentine’s Ball tasks.
Music? Check. Food and Drink? Check. Decorations? Check. Lighting? Check. Outfit fitting?
Oh, dear. In all the hustle and bustle, you’ve forgotten about your outfit! You toss your notebook on the nightstand and hurry to the Transfiguration classroom as fast as your leg will allow you. It is time for your own appointment with the Style Wizard.
When you enter the room, you find Andre standing in front of two manikins.
“Just a few final adjustments, and… ah, yes… Perfection! Some of my finest work yet, if I dare say so myself.”
“Mind if I join you for a moment, Andre?”
He whirls around, a frenetic grin on his face. “Ah, Curse-Breaker! Your timing is impeccable as always. What can ‘Andre Egwu: Style Wizard’ do for you today?”
“Well, I’m going to the ball with Penny…”
“I had a feeling that might be the case. You two will be adorable together!”
“Thank you. But, I don’t have anything special to wear! Do you think you can help me out?”
“Sounds like you’re having a style emergency, Seojung. Of course I can help!” He gestures at the models. “As luck would have it, I’ve just completed two different outfits that I think might just fit your style profile. But only one of them is going to be perfect for you! Go behind the partition, and we’ll tailor both of these outfits!”
Andre has you try on both of the outfits, checking the details and making sure the hems fall at the perfect places. Finally, he leaves the choice to you.
“Which outfit do you want to wear to the Valentine’s Day Ball, Curse-Breaker?”
It’s a really hard choice. Outfit One features a deep maroon jeogori, a black button-up shirt, and light grey slacks. Outfit Two has a navy blue jeogori, a pink button-up shirt, and slate grey slacks. Andre even went the extra mile and added a subtle pattern on the jeogori. You can see traditional Korean tigers, bats, and wild geese, which are symbolic fixtures of Korean culture.
“Hm. I think this one.” You pick the second outfit. The rich pink works surprisingly well with the deep navy blue, and the grey pants grab your attention. The material of the jeogori feels sturdy but thin. Perfect for a dance. Andre thought of everything.
“Excellent choice, Seojung. You’re going to look fabulous at the ball. Penny’s going to be absolutely stunned! She came by earlier today to pick out her outfit—I think you’ll be pleased with how it matches yours!”
You wince again slightly at the mention of Penny, but thankfully Andre doesn’t notice. “You’re a life-saver, Andre. Thanks to you, I’m headed to the ball with only the finest attire.”
Back in Jacob’s room, you quickly take your clothes out of the paper bag Andre gave you. Thankfully, they haven’t creased too badly. You press the wrinkles out of everything as best you can with a stack of textbooks and hang it up in the wardrobe that sits in the corner.
After that, you pull out your notebook. Damn, everything’s done. Now, all you have to do is overthink your decision to fake-date your best friend.
Really, what were you thinking?! You throw your glasses on the desk and faceplant into the pillow on the bed. You can’t believe that you agreed to pretend to date the object of your real affection. The urge to kiss her pervades your mind all the time now. This isn’t good.
Should you even go to the ball?
“There is no way you thought this would actually turn out well…” You mumble to yourself.
Three knocks ring out on the locked door. You stand immediately and grab your wand, shoving your glasses on your face. Who could be at the door? Hopefully not Penny.
“Who is it?”
“Rowan. Open the door, or so help me Merlin…”
— — —