Chapter 1: Part 1
Chapter Text
Oh, no.
Almost immediately upon setting foot in the staffroom at Hogwarts, you saw him. And you froze.
What was he doing here?
I mean, presumably, he was sitting in the staffroom talking to Professor Longbottom because he, himself, was a professor. Why else would he be here?
But… really?
Eric Nam, the most popular Gryffindor of your year, a professor? At Hogwarts? Not some high-falutin’ Auror or a well-known broadcaster for the Wizarding Wireless Network or… well, something with a bit more status than a mere teacher?
And then you heard quite the impatient ahem behind you before a voice next to your shoulder made you jump: “Isn’t it a bit early for pranks, Ms. Y/L/N?”
Your heart skipped a beat as you turned, your wide eyes landing on Headmistress McGonagall. “P–pardon, Headmistress?” you stammered.
“No students have even arrived and yet someone seems to have transfigured your feet into blocks of concrete,” she said in that tone of hers. You know the tone. The tone which made you wonder if she was annoyed or amused. …Or both.
Probably both.
“I…” you began, but you were still quite in shock from not only seeing Eric Nam in the staffroom but by your boss’s accusation regarding your feet.
“What I’m trying to tell you, in not so many words, is to get moving, Y/L/N,” McGonagall added with something which could have been a chuckle but which also could have been another impatient ahem.
Without another word, you scrambled inside the staffroom, allowing the headmistress to pass by you so she could begin the annual beginning-of-year meeting, the reason why all of the current professors were here in the first place.
She took her spot at the head of the table so everyone could see her; you, on the other hand, slunk to the farthest corner, trying to keep out of Eric’s sight so he had no chance to recognize you.
…Who were you kidding, though? He wouldn’t recognize you even if he did see you.
As previously mentioned, he had been the most popular Gryffindor of your year. One of the most popular Gryffindors since Professor Longbottom – since Harry Potter himself, even! Everyone had known him because he… well, he was Eric! He was nice and friendly and outgoing and funny and smart and fearless, and there was just something about him which made him popular.
And you? You had been a stereotypical Ravenclaw. A glasses-wearing, nose-in-book, people-fearing nerd.
You’d had two friends, maximum – not including your professors, of course. Your professors had always loved you, and that was a huge reason why you’d wanted to come back here as a professor yourself. But as far as friends your own age? Two.
You’d been shy and quiet and scared, and probably the first time most of your classmates had even heard your name was when you were recognized at the end of your seventh year for academic excellence. You had taken ten N.E.W.T. classes and had received an Outstanding mark on all ten of your exams, so Headmistress McGonagall had seen fit to award you with a Medal of Magical Merit. (And when you had come to her with an interest in filling the History of Magic professorship left by Professor Binns several years later, she had hired you almost instantly - but that’s neither here nor there.)
So, really, you and Eric had been about as opposite as opposite could be. In fact, he hadn’t even spoken three words to you during your entire seven years at Hogwarts.
He hadn’t spoken three because he had spoken exactly two: Excuse me.
You had been standing in his way once in the hallway during your fifth year, and he had murmured those two words in your ear as he’d weaved through the crowd.
And just how did you remember this, you ask? It’s not like the two words had been something as memorable as You’re beautiful or Date me or Be mine…
Okay, fine! You remembered the exact two words he’d said to you – and the exact time and place – because you’d spent all seven years with a major crush on him. As cliche as it may be, you had been charmed by his good looks and his warm personality and his penchant for taking risks.
And his good looks.
And, as you took your seat as far away from his as you possibly could… you were able to deduce those good looks had not faded. They’d done the opposite, actually.
His shoulders were a bit broader. His jawline was a bit sharper. His hair, rather than being shaggy and constantly in his eyes as it had been during his teenage years, was now combed back neatly from his forehead.
In other words, the years since graduation had been nothing but kind to him. Of course. Why would you expect anything else? Eric was just that kind of guy. If anything the least bit unfortunate had ever happened to him, you’d never heard about it.
“…Ms. Y/L/N, returning to History of Magic for her third year,” McGonagall announced, her voice bursting through your daydreams. You jumped a little, eyebrows raised as your fellow professors clapped politely for you.
A very tiny smile quirked at your lips, but you didn’t even have time to sneak a glance at Eric before McGonagall moved on.
“And, finally, we are lucky enough to welcome back another former student this year. Mr, Nam will be taking over Defense Against the Dark Arts. I have assured him the position is no longer cursed, as its last occupant was here for eight years, but let us wish him luck anyway.”
The staffroom filled with more polite applause and Eric lifted a hand in greeting, looking around at as many fellow teachers as he could with a friendly smile on his lips.
He made eye contact with you for a brief moment, and your heart leaped up into your throat. Before he had a chance to look away, you forced yourself to smile at him.
And, much to your surprise, he smiled back.
You had no reason to be surprised because he was an incredibly polite and friendly person. Of course, he would smile back at you.
But it was the first time you’d ever received a smile from the biggest crush you’d ever had in your entire life, so it was just a little bit exciting.
But also pathetic.
You were no longer a teenager; you hadn’t been for quite a few years. You hadn’t even seen Eric since you’d left Hogwarts as a student. By all intents and purposes, you should be over him.
But your reaction to seeing him here in the staffroom and to seeing him smile at you?
You were definitely not over him.
“I trust we will have a wonderful year,” Headmistress McGonagall announced at the end of the meeting. “We will, yes. I know you all will have a wonderful year. It’s the students we must worry about.”
A low rumble of chuckles filled the room, and when McGonagall nodded her head to dismiss everyone, the vast majority of the professors stood and headed toward the door to finish getting ready for the feast later that evening.
You stood, too, but you didn’t move from your spot in the corner. You found you couldn’t make your legs move even one inch because Eric was walking over to you. And you knew he was walking over to you because the other professors around you had left already, and… he was looking right at you.
Oh, god.
You were not prepared for this.
Eric Nam was about to say his third word to you – and, most likely, his fifth, sixth, seventh, and who knew how many more – and you had no idea what they were going to be or what you were going to say back to him or what –
“I thought I recognized you when you walked in,” he began when he reached you, his lips curved into a lopsided grin. “And then McGonagall said your name. We were in the same year, right?”
You nodded. “Yes,” you replied breathlessly. To be honest, you were surprised you even managed that.
“You won the Medal of Magical Merit,” he continued, nodding and looking rather pleased with himself for remembering. “Was it nine N.E.W.T.S.?”
“Ten,” you told him with a somewhat panicked smile.
“Ten! And didn’t you get Outstanding on all your exams?”
Again, you nodded, though you couldn’t quite get any words past your lips at the moment. The fact that he remembered all of this was too overwhelming. In the best way possible.
The lopsided grin on Eric’s lips transformed into a full-blown smile, one which pierced right through your heart. “Wow,” he chuckled. “No wonder McGonagall snatched you up to teach here.”
A soft, somewhat strangled chuckle escaped your lips, and you shifted a bit awkwardly. “I wanted to, actually. But, you’re right, she didn’t hesitate in hiring me.”
He slid his hands into his pockets then, turning and making it clear he was about to leave. You jolted into action, taking a step toward the door and trying to control your breathing as he walked beside you.
“It’ll be nice to have a familiar face here,” he said as you dodged one of the armchairs on the way to the door.
A… familiar face? Really?
“To be honest,” you began, your voice a bit shaky. “I’m surprised you even remember me.”
You glanced over at him, and you saw his brow had furrowed slightly with confusion.
“Really?” he asked, and now your brow furrowed slightly with confusion.
“Well… yeah,” you chuckled. “I don’t think we ever even spoke when we were here. As students, I mean.”
You decided not to mention the two words – the only two words – he had said to you during those seven years.
“Ah,” he murmured, his tone filled almost to the brim with guilt. “I mean, yeah – I didn’t –”
Rather than hear whatever his excuse would be for not ever noticing you in school, you decided… it was all water under the bridge now, right? Teenagers were a whole different species, and the two of you were adults. If he wanted to make your acquaintance now, did it really matter that he hadn’t back then?
No. It really didn’t.
“It’s okay,” you interrupted with a soft laugh. “No one really noticed me. I was even more shy and quiet back then than I am now. I literally had, like, two friends who weren’t teachers.”
“It’s not like I didn’t notice you,” Eric corrected as he held out an arm to usher you through the staffroom door. “I did notice you.”
And, unsurprisingly, your heart skipped a beat.
“I just… noticed that you were shy and quiet,” he admitted with a guilty chuckle. “Plus, we were in different houses, so… – we were in different houses, right?”
“Yes,” you laughed, nodding. “I was in Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor.”
“Ah, so you know which house I was in,” he replied a bit teasingly.
“Of course,” you said as you felt your cheeks warming. “You were the most popular student in our year. Everyone knew who you were back then.”
“Okay, not every –”
“Everyone,” you confirmed. “I was invisible, so if I knew who you were, then everyone knew.”
“Well,” Eric said with what sounded awfully like a bashful chuckle. “Now it’s the opposite. I’m the new guy, and literally, all of the students and teachers know you.”
“This is true,” you replied. It’s funny that you hadn’t thought of it that way before.
“So… maybe you could kinda… take me under your wing? Be my mentor?”
Truly, you almost stopped walking. You almost froze right there on the spot, just as you had when you’d first seen him sitting in the staffroom next to Professor Longbottom.
But, somehow, you managed to keep your composure.
“Really?” you asked, your eyebrows halfway up your forehead in astonishment.
“If you want to,” he answered quickly. “If you don’t, I totally understand. I haven’t even taught a single class, and already I can see how much work it’s going to be. If you won’t have time, it’s really fine –”
Oh my god. He was rambling, and it was one of the most adorable things ever. He was rambling much like you would have rambled if you’d ever had a conversation with him back when you were any age from eleven to seventeen.
Obviously, you didn’t think his rambling meant he had a crush on you, but still. It was… oddly satisfying to hear the most popular student of your year rambling as he talked to you.
“No, I would love to,” you assured him. “I was just surprised. But, yes, I will gladly show you the ropes. And… the first thing you should know.”
“I’m listening,” Eric replied curiously.
“The Potter kids and the Weasley kids.”
“Ooh.”
“Don’t mention anything about… the Potter and Weasley things. They don’t like to be the center of attention that much. At least, not because of who their parents are,” you explained.
“Got it,” Eric nodded. “Any other students I should watch out for?”
“Oh, you’ll learn who soon enough,” you chuckled.
“Come on!” Eric laughed. “I thought you said you were going to help me!”
“I am! But it’ll be way more fun to let you figure that particular part out on your own.”
“And here I was thinking you were nice,” he teased.
Truly, you couldn’t believe this was happening.
Eric Nam. Most popular student in your year. The one you’d had a crush on all throughout school. (The one you have a crush on now.)
Eric Nam was teasing you. He was laughing and smiling and asking you to help him and basically wanting to be your friend.
The welcoming feast that evening went as well as can be expected: there were no mishaps or pranks, no loose trolls, no basilisks… Even though you had come here long after all of the terrifying events of Harry Potter’s time, you still liked to measure the success of a Hogwarts event by the absence of a lethal creature.
Quite a few of the first-years had gotten sorted into Ravenclaw, which still made you happy despite the fact you were not the Head of House. And, of course, the food was delicious.
But one thing which stood out to you was the fact that Eric sat next to you at the professor’s table at the front of the Great Hall. He smiled at you, talked to you, laughed with you. He even expressed his relief after Headmistress McGonagall introduced him and made him stand up, saying all those adolescent eyes on him made him incredibly nervous.
“They’re not so scary once you get to know them,” you whispered, resisting the urge to reach over and pat his arm reassuringly. You felt more comfortable in his presence, yes, but not that comfortable.
“Yes, but you’re used to Ravenclaws,” he reminded you with raised eyebrows. “Gryffindors…”
“…Oh, yes. You’re quite right about that. Well, I can’t help you there,” you sighed, trying your best to keep a smile from forming on your lips. “You’re on your own.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You’re welcome!”
If you could go back in time right now and tell your seventeen-year-old self that, one day, you would be sitting next to Eric Nam and conversing playfully with him… Well, obviously, you wouldn’t believe yourself.
When McGonagall dismissed everyone after dessert, both you and Eric stood and began to make your way to the side door as all of the students headed out through the front of the Great Hall.
“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Eric asked as you filed out with the rest of the professors.
“I guess,” you sighed. “As ready as you can be.”
“So, it gets easier, then?” he asked with a nervous twinge in his voice.
“What, the first day of classes?”
Eric nodded, and a smile quirked at the corner of your lips.
“Easier, yes,” you assured him. “But it’s never easy. You’re a Gryffindor, though, so that shouldn’t scare you.”
“No, of course, not,” he chuckled.
You began to walk toward the part of the castle which housed all the teachers’ rooms, the two of you falling into a companionable silence for a few minutes. But then your curiosity got the better of you.
“Can I… ask you a question?” you inquired, your brow knitting together gently.
“Ask away,” Eric replied.
“Why did you become a teacher?” And when he didn’t answer right away, you continued. “I mean – you were so popular, I figured you would become something… I don’t know, like a broadcaster for WWN. A politician, maybe even run for Minister of Magic. You were as popular and well-liked as Harry Potter – okay, almost. But, still. You know what I mean.”
“I know what you mean,” he said softly, nodding. “But… the thing is… Harry Potter wasn’t popular because he was well-liked. He was popular because he overcame all these crazy challenges. And because he was a cracking good wizard. I was popular because I was nice.”
And good-looking, you thought to yourself.
“But being nice doesn’t get you as far as you think. When it came down to it, I was just an average wizard. I am an average wizard.”
“I highly doubt that’s true,” you declared, shaking your head. “McGonagall wouldn’t’ve have hired you for Defense Against the Dark Arts if you were just an average wizard.”
“Okay, maybe I’m slightly above average,” he relented. “But the truth of the matter is, I wasn’t popular for a specific, special reason. When I left Hogwarts, I realized that people knowing your name doesn’t get you too far unless it’s because you’ve actually done something. I tried to get a job in the Ministry, but there just wasn’t anything I was particularly good at. I always liked learning about Defense Against the Dark Arts, so I wrote to McGonagall on the off-chance she needed a new professor, and… here I am.”
It shouldn’t have, but it actually made you feel better that someone as popular as Eric Nam had discovered that… popularity wasn’t everything. It didn’t automatically make your life better or easier. In the back of your head, you had always wanted to be more popular, but your shyness had won out – obviously. And now you were glad of it.
“I should actually be asking you the same question,” Eric said, interrupting your thoughts. “Why are you here when you could have any career of your choice? Ten Outstanding N.E.W.T.S.!”
A flush warmed your cheeks, and you did your best to hide a bashful smile. “I’m here because this is my career of choice,” you answered. “I loved school, and I loved learning. I couldn’t think of anything else I wanted to do besides helping kids who love learning, too. And even those who don’t.”
“Which, I assume, there are a lot of,” Eric said with a smirk.
“Absolutely,” you chuckled.
“I have to say, that’s really admirable,” Eric told you as the two of you shuffled along down the corridor. The teacher’s wing was not far off, now, so you would have to say goodnight pretty soon.
And you realized that you really didn’t want to. You wanted to keep talking to him… for hours.
“Is it?” you murmured shyly.
“To have the potential for any career, to be able to have so much power and status, and you choose to help the younger witches and wizards of our community. I –”
He cut himself off, and you forced yourself to wait ten whole seconds before speaking.
“You… what?” you asked.
Eric slowed, eventually stepping to the side of the corridor and coming to a stop. You followed him, of course, your heart pounding with anticipation.
He took a breath, his brow furrowing before he looked up and made eye contact with you. “I’m just starting to realize how sorry I am that I never got to know you back then.”
“What?” you replied without hesitation, laughing softly. “Why would you be sorry?”
“If I had known how cool you were, we could’ve ruled the school together,” he said as his lips curved into a grin.
“Oh, I did not want to rule the school,” you chuckled. “And what do you mean ‘cool’?! I’m the furthest thing from cool, I can assure you.”
Eric simply studied you for a few moments before shaking his head quickly.
“You’re wrong,” he said. “Trust me, I know.”
You were about to refute him yet again, but… you decided not to. If Eric Nam wanted to say you were cool, then why should you disagree? It was a good thing! He was seeing you in a positive light – he was seeing you. Period. That had been all you’d ever wanted all those years ago, and now… it was finally coming true.
“Well,” you said a bit breathlessly. “There’s nothing we can do about the past now. We only have control over the present and the future.”
“Very true,” Eric nodded. “So… will you let me make it up to you?”
“Make it up – what do you mean?”
“We’re back at Hogwarts again,” he shrugged. “I was a jerk the first time we were here together, so I want to make up for it.”
“You weren’t a jerk!” you assured him with a grin. And if you were a bolder person, you would have playfully swatted at his arm.
“Okay, maybe not a jerk,” he admitted. “I was just… blind. An idiot.”
“Oh, stop,” you chuckled, shaking your head.
“Anyway,” he interjected. “Whether or not you let me, I’m going to make up for it. I’m going to be your friend.”
You lifted your hands up in mock surrender, doing everything in your power to keep from smiling like a complete goofball.
“All right,” you told him. “I won’t get in your way if you’re that intent on it.”
Eric leaned in just a hair, one corner of his lips lifting into the slightest hint of a smirk. “I am that intent on it.”
And now, of course, your heart was racing so quickly you were surprised it hadn’t burst right through your ribcage.
But then it got better.
Or worse, depending on how you looked at it.
‘Better’ because Eric’s next words made the future very promising, indeed. ‘Worse’ because you weren’t sure if you were going to be able to breathe properly for the rest of the night.
“…Were you always this pretty?” he asked quietly, his forehead wrinkling in thought.
Somehow – you weren’t sure how, and you would never be sure how, but –somehow, you were able to keep up your playfully teasing tone, and you rolled your eyes at him. “Oh, please,” you scoffed. “Come on, let’s go. We need our rest if we’re going to make it through the first day of classes tomorrow.”
“What? I’m serious!” he retorted, though he still followed you when you moved toward the teacher’s wing just ahead.
You simply shook your head, chuckling softly to yourself and severely hoping Eric wasn’t able to hear just how quickly your heart was racing.
If tonight was any indication… this school year was going to be interesting.
Very interesting, indeed.
Chapter 2: Part 2
Chapter Text
“Friday,” you sighed to yourself just after the last student left your classroom. It wasn’t quite the end of the school day yet, but it was the second-best time of the day: Lunchtime.
One thing you hadn’t enjoyed about being a student here was meal times. The Great Hall had always been full of people, and there was almost nothing you enjoyed more than a quiet meal to yourself – or, at the very most, only a few close friends with you.
That, obviously, was never the reality at Hogwarts.
So, now that you were a teacher and could legally use magic to apparate food from the kitchen to wherever you were, you took lunch in your classroom every single weekday.
And it was marvelously lovely.
As the sounds of shuffling footsteps died off out in the hallway, all of the students making their way down to the Great Hall for their own lunch, you reached for your wand lying on your desk, preparing to conjure up a cornish pasty with some mashed potatoes and gravy. …And a treacle tart for dessert. It was Friday, after all!
With a swirl of your wand and a silent incantation, the food popped out of thin air, appearing on your desk where your wand had just been.
But before you could sit down and tuck in, you heard a soft and relieved-sounding chuckle.
“There you are,” a familiar and heart-pounding voice said.
Your eyes quickly shifted to your doorway, landing on a very exhausted-looking Eric.
“I’ve been looking for you all week during lunch,” he admitted as he took a step inside. “Don’t know why I didn’t think to look here…”
Oh, dear.
Eric… had been looking for you? All week? Like, specifically seeking you out?
The two of you had become friends this past week, ever since that first staff meeting before the students arrived, but you never imagined he would actively look for you.
“Oh!” you said breathlessly, unable to hide your surprise. “I – Well, I – I tend to eat in my classroom during the week. It’s just… quieter. There are less… people.”
Eric had taken a couple of more steps into your room as you’d spoken, but when he heard your last words… he paused. His face fell just a little – not too much, but enough for you to notice.
“I’m sorry,” he said immediately. “I didn’t – I’ll leave you alone, then, I’m so –”
“No!” you interrupted as you shook your head and moved toward him. “No, it’s fine. Please, of course, you’re more than welcome to join me.”
Eric paused, and even though he wasn’t standing all that close to you, you could tell he was looking adorably hesitant at the moment.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” you nodded. And, to reassure him even more, you waved your wand and conjured up an extra chair for him to sit in. “What would you like to eat?”
Eric let out a soft exhale, his lips curving into a grin as he began walking toward you again. “What are you having?” he asked.
“Cornish pasty and mashed potatoes.”
“Hmm…” he hummed, arriving at the chair you’d summoned for him. “I think I’ll have the same.”
You nodded once before waving your wand yet again, lifting your shoulders pridefully when another plate appeared on your desk.
“I added a treacle tart, too,” you explained with a shy smirk. “It’s Friday, and we have almost survived our first week of teaching for the year. We deserve it.”
Eric simply let out a whew and shook his head.
Your brows raised curiously, your lips curving down into a concerned frown as you slid into your chair. “That bad?” you asked gently.
He nodded slowly, shooting you a look which clearly said ‘yeah, that bad.’
“Is it the kids?”
“No, not the kids,” he told you. “Well. Not most of the kids. There are a few –”
“Trust me, I know exactly who you’re talking about,” you chuckled.
“It’s just… a lot more work than I realized.”
A sympathetic sigh escaped your lips, and you almost reached out to place a comforting hand on his arm… but you stopped yourself before you worked up the nerve.
“It gets easier,” you assured him. “A little… I guess you really just get used to it. But the beginning of the school year is always the hardest.”
“That’s nice to hear,” Eric murmured before picking up his fork and digging into his meal.
You took a few bites yourself, eating in silence until you came up with an idea.
“If you want… I have the perfect place to go to help ease stress,” you said hopefully, eyebrows raised just slightly. “I mean, it helps me, at least.”
Eric glanced up at you in-between bites and said, “Yeah? What is it?”
You took a breath, preparing to answer him, but… “It’s a surprise,” you said instead.
“A surprise?” Eric smirked.
You nodded, your lips curving into a grin. “A surprise. Can you meet me in front of the teacher’s wing at… 10pm?”
Eric jerked his head back slightly in wonderment. “That late?”
“I want to lessen the chance of us running into any students,” you explained. “They’re the reason for our stress in the first place, so it’s better if it’s a completely student-free experience.”
“Ah, gotcha,” Eric chuckled. “That makes sense.”
The two of you ate the rest of your meal talking about nothing in particular – not work, though. You hadn’t seen each other a whole lot during the week since you’d both been busy with your classes, so you took this opportunity to talk about what you’d been up to since graduating from Hogwarts.
When the clock in your classroom warned you that students would be here in ten minutes (a very handy charm you’d invented and passed on to the rest of your fellow professors), Eric stood and waved his wand to clean up his plate and utensils.
“Thank you,” he said with a soft, very friendly grin. “That was really nice.”
“You’re welcome,” you replied. You could feel your cheeks warming, but you still added, “You can join me anytime, really. I don’t mind one person’s company.”
“Okay,” Eric chuckled. And before he turned to leave, he said, “Tonight? 10pm?”
You nodded, your stomach already filling with anxious butterflies even though that wasn’t going to be for another nine hours or so.
“All right, see you then,” he said, lifting one hand in a wave before turning and heading out the door.
Since you were you and you felt like you were late if you got anywhere on time, you were waiting outside of the teacher’s wing at 9:50pm that night, trying to calm your racing heart as you clutched your wand in your hands.
…Now that you were here, arriving ten minutes early had clearly been a bad idea. Ten minutes was more than enough time to overthink everything and become even more nervous than you already were.
Oh, god, you should just turn around and go back to your room, shouldn’t you?
You were honestly just about to – your foot was even lifted up ever so slightly so you could start walking back to your room. But then Eric turned the corner, his face kind of lighting up when he saw you.
And, boy, did that make you feel wonderful.
You had no expectations that Eric had or would have any sort of romantic feelings for you, but it was enough to just know the guy. Enough to be even somewhat friends with him.
Enough to be someone who made him smile.
“So, what’s this special secret surprise of yours?” he asked in hushed tones when he got close enough to you, sliding his hands into his pockets.
“Come with me,” you grinned.
You then turned on your heel and began making your way to the other end of the castle. Your feet were quiet as you guided Eric through the corridors and up staircases, finally leading him to –
“The astronomy tower?” he asked, brow furrowed as he gazed up at your final destination.
“I find it calming,” you explained a bit bashfully, hoping he didn’t think you were totally lame. “And seeing the stars always reminds me that the universe is so massive, so how big are my problems, truly?”
When Eric turned his expression to look back at you, you saw immediately that he didn’t think you were totally lame. He actually seemed… impressed.
“I’ve never thought of that before, but it totally makes sense,” he said with a soft grin.
“You Gryffindors need to learn how to use your head more,” you teased.
“If we did, we would hardly be Gryffindors now, would we?”
“This is very true,” you conceded. “You have a very good point.”
Eric simply beamed at you, and you wasted no time in turning away and heading up the winding stairs to the tower. Your heart was absolutely no match for one of Eric’s beaming smiles.
“Oh, wow,” Eric breathed as the two of you came to stand at the railing of the tower. His head was tilted up toward the night sky, and even just glancing at him made your lips curve into a giddy smile and your heart skip a couple of beats.
“Imagine when it’s not so cloudy,” you said. You were a bit disappointed that the sky wasn’t as clear as it could’ve been, but you could still see more than a few stars. Enough to impress your guest, at least.
“No one else really comes here?” he asked, still very much in awe of his surroundings.
You shrugged, bending one knee and letting your toe tap on the tiled floor behind you. “I haven’t come across anyone.”
“You’re so right, though,” he said as he bent to rest his forearms on the railing. “It’s so… I’m not even thinking about whatever it was that was stressing me out this week.”
“See?” you chuckled, leaning over and nudging him gently with your shoulder. “I told you.”
A smirk tugged at one corner of Eric’s lips as he shifted his gaze to look at you rather than at the sky. “You realize you’re now at risk of running into someone up here, right? I’m pretty sure I’ll want to come up here as much as I possibly can.”
Your cheeks positively burned at the way he was looking at you, and you simply shrugged again. “That’s all right.”
But what wasn’t all right…?
It was starting to rain.
Those clouds in the sky had grown darker, and they were now sprinkling water droplets onto the ground.
“Don’t worry,” you assured Eric preemptively. “I have a backup plan.”
“…Why didn’t I have more Ravenclaw friends back in school? You guys could’ve helped me out of a lot of tight spots,” he said with a chuckle.
“To be honest, most of us probably would’ve come up with a plan to help and just kept it to ourselves so we could watch you suffer.”
Eric paused for a few moments before he burst out laughing. “What?! There’s no way you’re that diabolical.”
“Oh, no, I’m not,” you confirmed as you began to lead him back to the staircase. “But some of us are. We’re not Hufflepuffs for a reason.”
Eric followed you back down the spiral stairs and into the castle, keeping quiet until you approached your next destination.
“Ah, the Room of Requirement,” he murmured, standing back as you began to pace in front of the door three times. “Clever. Does it turn into the astronomy tower or something?”
“Patience is a virtue,” you reminded him.
“Okay, to throw your earlier words back at you, I wasn’t a Hufflepuff for a reason.”
You burst out laughing as you passed the door for the third time, watching as it magically shifted into a sleek, bronze door.
“Touché ,” you nodded. “Come on, let’s go.”
You opened the newly-transformed door, holding it so Eric could follow you into the small, dark room with a domed ceiling. In the middle of the floor were some of the largest and fluffiest pillows you’d ever seen. Apparently, Eric couldn’t help himself because he jogged over there and practically jumped onto the pillow pile, landing with a soft but delighted ooph.
I mean, you had to admit: the pillows were extremely inviting.
You held yourself back, though, walking over and bending down to sit quietly on top of the plush mountain. Eric was already laying on his back, cradling the back of his head in his palms with his arms bent, elbows pointing out in opposite directions.
“What am I supposed to be looking at?” he asked as you cautiously laid down beside him – but not too close.
Instead of answering, you simply lifted your arm and pointed your wand toward the ceiling.
“Astrellus Lumos,” you murmured.
Immediately, a bright light shone from the tip of your wand, and a replica of the night sky was projected onto the dome above you.
You heard Eric let out a gasp, and you grinned goofily to yourself.
“That is awesome,” he marveled quietly. “I’ve never heard of that spell before.”
“I made it up,” you admitted, feeling shy but also quite proud of yourself.
Eric was quiet for a few moments, but then you felt him turn his head to look at you.
“Remember earlier this week when you said you weren’t cool?”
“Yes,” you answered with a breath of a chuckle.
“You’re such a liar!” he grinned, his tone nothing short of admiring and playful at the same time. “I honestly think you’re one of the coolest people I’ve ever met.”
You simply rolled your eyes instead of answering, and you let out a soft sigh as you settled further into the pillows.
There was no earthly way you would ever let this show on the outside, but on the inside… you were dying.
You were fairly sure you could live off this happiness for the rest of your life. Just knowing that Eric Nam thought you were one of the coolest people he’d ever met?
You had no idea what you’d done to deserve this luck, but you weren’t going to question it.
At least, not right now.
Chapter 3: Part 3
Chapter Text
You had told Eric that the beginning of the school year was always the hardest, and that was incredibly true.
Professors and students alike were busy preparing for lessons, doing and grading assignments, getting used to new schedules. So much went on, and it truly seemed like there was barely a minute of downtime.
Naturally, this meant the beginning of the school year also went by in the blink of an eye. Or the flick of a wand, if you want to be more appropriate.
After that first week, both you and Eric got caught up (and, frankly, overwhelmed) with work… but you still managed to see him every day without fail. In fact, your daily lunch breaks in your classroom were what kept you sane, and he felt exactly the same way – he’d told you so on multiple occasions.
The two of you had also managed to spend many a night up in the astronomy tower or, if the weather dictated it, in the Room of Requirement with your trusty Astrellus Lumos charm.
Unsurprisingly, you had become pretty close friends. The intimacy of stargazing had led you both to some pretty deep conversations, and after two and a half months, you were fairly certain he knew everything there was to know about you.
Well. Except for the fact you’d harbored a crush on him for seven years. And still did even now.
But that wasn’t something he needed to know because it had been two and a half months, and there hadn’t been one single moment where you’d wondered if maybe he felt something more. Not one. Not even half of a moment.
So, apparently, that would be a secret you took with you to your grave.
But it was now another Friday afternoon, and you realized things had been slowing down over the past week or so. Or maybe you were just getting into the swing of things so being busy simply felt normal. Either way, you still felt like welcoming the weekend with open arms.
“Happy Friday!” Eric greeted when he appeared in your classroom doorway for lunch.
Without missing a beat, you waved your wand, summoning two plates of food and the chair from Eric’s classroom. You then lifted your head and grinned at him, trying to ignore the thumping in your heart (as you always did). “Happy Friday,” you replied. “This week went by quite quickly, didn’t it?”
“The past couple of months have gone by quickly,” Eric chuckled as he arrived at your desk and pulled out his chair to sit down.
“This is true,” you agreed with a laugh. “I can’t believe it’s already November.”
“It seems like just yesterday we had the Welcoming Feast, and now it’s the first Hogsmeade visit.”
“Wait, what?” you asked, your eyes wide with surprise. “Is it really?”
Eric had just taken a bite of his shepherd’s pie, so he nodded instead of answering verbally.
“Wow,” you marveled softly. “I can’t believe it’s already that time of year.”
After a few moments, Eric looked up at you and asked, “Are you going?”
“To Hogsmeade?”
“Yes, to Hogsmeade,” he chuckled, his lips forming into a playful smirk.
“I didn’t plan to…” you told him. “But, then again, I didn’t know about it.”
“You should come,” he said casually.
…He said that like he wanted you to join. Come with him.
“Are… you going?” you asked, mentally kicking yourself because you hadn’t been able to keep the timidity out of your voice.
Eric nodded, humming positively as he continued to eat his lunch.
Okay, you knew he hadn’t just asked you to go with him, but –
“Yeah, come with me,” he said, interrupting your thoughts. “I kind of just assumed you were going, so I was planning on asking you to be my Hogsmeade buddy anyway.”
Even though you were mentally freaking out because he had, in fact, asked you to go with him, you still laughed softly at his last words.
“We’re professors now,” you reminded him. “We don’t need Hogsmeade buddies anymore…”
A tiny, almost bashful smile appeared on Eric’s lips, and you could have sworn his cheeks were turning pink.
“You know what I mean,” he retorted.
It took you a few minutes to compose yourself, but you were finally able to muster up some normalcy to respond with, “Well, I won’t carry you home if you drink too many Butterbeers, if that’s what you mean.”
Eric burst out laughing, and your heart positively soared.
“I won’t, I promise,” he chuckled.
You ate the rest of your lunch with a smile on your lips, and when the warning on your clock sounded, Eric stood and waved his wand to clean up.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning?” he asked before turning to leave. “I think McGonagall said the students should meet at the front entrance at 10.”
“Yes, I’ll be there,” you nodded, cleaning up your own meal, as well. “I bet Neville will be glad for the extra help. I don’t think he particularly likes having the Hogsmeade visit responsibility.”
“Who else would McGonagall pick, though?”
“Exactly,” you shrugged. “I mean, he literally fought in the battle of Hogwarts… No one else could handle supervising all of those students.”
Eric smirked, and just before he spun around on his heel to head toward your classroom door… He winked at you.
Are we surprised that you were still thinking about that wink the next morning at 9:55am?
No?
No, I didn’t think so.
A rather large group of third-years and up had already gathered by the front entrance, and Professor Longbottom was checking to make sure they’d all turned in their permission slips. You had offered to help, of course, but he insisted there was no need. You were attending as more of a personal thing rather than a professional thing.
Eric arrived just before 10, and your heart honestly stopped beating for a second because he just looked so handsome and nice in his Autumn coat and scarf and not in his professor robes and just – ugh.
And also because you were still thinking about the wink.
Your crush was getting bigger by the week, apparently.
“Morning,” he greeted quietly, not wanting to draw too much attention to his arrival.
To absolutely no one’s shock and awe, Eric had quickly become one of the students’ favorite professors. When you had brought it up once, he’d tried to insist that you were also a student favorite, but you assured him your interactive history lessons were no match for his open, friendly demeanor… and incredibly good looks. But you didn’t include that last part.
Anyway.
If Eric had strolled on up to this large group of students, letting his presence be known, he surely would have been bombarded and Neville would have been none too pleased about it.
“Good morning,” you replied with a little grin, shoving your hands into the pockets of your jacket. “I already offered to help with the permission slips, but Neville insisted I stay out of it so I could enjoy my weekend.”
“Good for him,” Eric nodded. “I know it’s a school visit and everything, but I was going to try and not involve ourselves with the students as much as I possibly could.”
And there went your heart skipping a beat again. Because what Eric just said sounded awfully like he… wanted to spend time alone. With you.
I mean, the two of you did spend time alone together. Quite often, actually. Every weekend, and during lunch every weekday.
But, still.
This just seemed… different, somehow.
It probably wasn’t, but oh well. You’d already got it in your head that it was, so there was no turning back now.
Once the clock struck ten, Professor Longbottom announced that they would be leaving now. The students all began walking toward the train station, and when you started following them, Eric reached out and put a hand on your arm.
Oh, no. Was he about to ask you to stay behind so he could talk to you and confess that this was actually a date and he wanted to spend alone time with you because he viewed you as more than a friend now?
“Why don’t we just apparate?” he asked quietly, brow furrowed.
…Ah.
Yes.
That made a lot more sense.
“Oh, right,” you chuckled, shaking your head as if you hadn’t a clue where your sense had gone. “Of course.”
As the students and Neville started their journey to Hogsmeade on foot, you and Eric quickly apparated to the small village, both appearing in the middle of the village square.
Since the group from Hogwarts hadn’t arrived yet, the village was fairly empty, so the two of you had your choice of where to go and what to do.
“What would you like to do first?” Eric asked, looking around at the nearby shops. “Three broomsticks? Fancy a drink to help you unwind?”
A somewhat awkward smile crossed your lips, and you lifted your shoulders up toward your ears. “Actually… can we… go to Honeyduke’s instead?”
“Honeyduke’s?”
Rather than drown your worries in alcohol, you were the type to drown them in sweets. You had quite a massive sweet tooth, and you much preferred the taste of chocolate frogs and lollipops to that of alcohol. Butterbeer was delicious, yes, but… so was candy.
“I just have a sweet tooth, and I really like sweets, but if you want –”
“Honeyduke’s it is,” Eric interrupted, obviously catching on that you now felt somewhat embarrassed for your more juvenile choice of destination. He grinned at you and held one arm out toward the candy store nearby, ushering you over there.
As soon as you walked into Honeyduke’s, a smile tugged at your lips. There was just something about candy stores which made you feel… I guess the best word to describe it was happy.
The smell of sugar and freshly baked goods and the beautiful pastel colors and candy as far as the eye can see.
Eric, being the perfect friend he was, followed you around, insisting you look at all the candy you wanted for as long as you wanted. You were scooping out some red licorice bites into a paper bag (after careful consideration of what you wanted) when the door opened and some students trickled in.
Two sixth-year girls came in first, Cassandra and Phoebe – two of your favorite students, actually. You knew you weren’t supposed to have favorites, but you did, anyway. They noticed you, of course, and you shot them a small smile in greeting. Eric followed suit, and almost immediately, the two girls hid behind their hands and giggled.
Eric didn’t seem to notice, though, and he suddenly reached out for your bag of candy.
“Wha –”
“I’ll be right back,” he announced quietly before turning and heading to the register.
Was he… buying your candy for you?
Your brow furrowed deeply, and when you turned back around to face the wall of candy, Cassandra and Phoebe had suddenly appeared next to you.
“Oh!” you breathed, startled by their presence. “Hello, girls.”
“Hi, Professor Y/L/N,” they greeted in unison. “We didn’t know you were coming to Hogsmeade this weekend.”
“Well, yes, I – Professor Nam – we wanted to spend some time outside of the castle.”
You had been about to say he had invited you, but that would surely give them the wrong idea.
Except… they had gotten the wrong idea anyway.
“Ooh,” Cassandra smirked, one eyebrow raised almost devilishly. “A date?”
“No, no, of course not,” you chuckled. “Just two friends and co-workers enjoying their weekend.”
Phoebe screwed up her face in thought and then shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, I think it’s a date.”
“It’s not –”
“He likes you, though,” Cassandra piped up.
“Oh, yes, he definitely likes you,” Phoebe agreed, nodding knowingly.
You really, really, really wished they hadn’t said that. Because you had already thought this in the back of your head, and hearing other people say it just made you think it was actually true. Could actually be true.
But you knew better.
There was no way someone like Eric Nam would ever have more than friendly feelings for someone like you. It just didn’t happen! You weren’t living in a fairy tale or a romantic movie where the quiet, nerdy heroine gets the cool, popular guy.
“He’s buying your candy,” Cassandra said, standing on her toes and peering over toward the register.
“I bet he’ll ask you to eat lunch with him,” Phoebe added.
“We eat lunch together every day,” you told them. “Him asking me that would signify nothing.”
“You eat lunch together every day?!” both of them squealed.
“Oh, hush, and go buy your favorite professor a chocolate frog,” you said, reaching out and pushing their shoulders away from you.
“Okay, Professor Y/L/N,” Phoebe giggled before adding, “But Professor Nam still likes you.”
You let out a half-amused, half-irritated sigh and shook your head at their sixteen-year-old antics.
“What’s so funny?” Eric’s voice suddenly popped up behind you, and you inhaled sharply, jumping and quickly turning around to face him.
“Oh – nothing,” you said breathlessly. “Just – you know how sixteen-year-olds are.”
“You know, being a professor now, I sometimes shudder thinking about what I put our professors through back then. I thought I was hot stuff, but I think I was just annoying.”
“You were not annoying,” you assured him with a chuckle. “Everyone liked you, even the professors.”
Eric scoffed playfully, finally remembering to hand you your bag of licorice bites. You took them gratefully and reached in immediately to pop one into your mouth. Eric reached in at the same time, his hand brushing against yours. He grinned when you felt his fingers knocking into yours, and he mischievously fought you for the piece of licorice you were currently trying to pick out.
“Hey!” you laughed.
“I bought them,” he reminded you, still attempting to knock your fingers out of the way.
“You offered to buy them,” you pointed out with the biggest, cheesiest grin on your face. “I didn’t ask you to. Stop!”
Eric finally grabbed a piece, smiling triumphantly and wiggling his hand out. He threw it up slightly in the air and caught it in his mouth.
“I am not impressed with your candy-catching skills,” you sighed, hoping you would be able to keep up a serious facade.
Because, unsurprisingly, on the inside… you were jumping for joy.
You still weren’t going to entertain the idea that he liked you as more than a friend; Phoebe and Cassandra would not get in your head. But… still.
You were thoroughly enjoying this friendship, and nobody could take that away from you.
After exploring Honeydukes, you and Eric wandered around Hogsmeade until your stomachs began to grumble. You ate lunch at the Three Broomsticks, despite the fact it was filled with students, and then you decided to head back to the castle.
When you returned, you ran into the Ravenclaw quidditch team on their way in from practice.
“Oy, Professor Y/L/N!” the captain, Emmaline, called out to you.
“I think you should try that again,” Eric warned with raised eyebrows.
Emmaline pressed her lips together and looked incredibly put out when she said, “Hello, Professor Y/L/N,”
“Much better,” Eric nodded.
“Hello, Emmaline,” you greeted her with a chuckle. “How was practice?”
“It was perfect,” she nodded. “We’ll definitely beat Gryffindor this year. But that’s not what I wanted to tell you. It’s why I said ‘Oy’…”
You pressed your lips together to keep from laughing, and then you motioned with your hand to urge Emmaline to go on.
“Headmistress McGonagall said she’s going to make an announcement at dinner tonight, but she wants to tell the staff beforehand. She said if I saw you I should tell you to go to the staffroom, Ma’am.”
“Thank you, Emmaline, I very much appreciate the message,” you smiled.
“And what about me?” Eric asked.
“…What about you?” Emmaline retorted. And then she quickly added, “Sir?”
“You only called out Professor Y/L/N’s name… you weren’t going to tell me?”
“Well… I mean, you’re a Gryffindor, ain’t ya? Sir?”
You couldn’t hold back your laughter any longer, and you reached out to pat Emmaline on the shoulder.
“Thank you, Emmaline,” you repeated. “You guys go get something to eat.”
As the team headed off toward the school, you turned to Eric and furrowed your brow slightly. “I wonder what this announcement is.”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” Eric shrugged.
The two of you made your way into the castle and headed straight to the staffroom, your heart thumping just a little both from anticipation and from walking so quickly.
McGonagall was there, and when the two of you entered the staffroom, she lifted her hands and chirped, “Aha! There you are! Besides Longbottom, you are the last staff I need to tell.”
“Tell what?” you asked with wide eyes.
“Next month we will be having a Celestial Ball,” she explained.
She kept speaking, but you honestly didn’t hear anything.
A ball.
You’d always hated balls. They were a shy, quiet person’s worst nightmare -- or at least your worst nightmare.
You’d thought you were done with them, but… you’d thought wrong, apparently.
Chapter 4: Part 4
Chapter Text
When McGonagall announced the Celestial Ball at dinner that evening, the Great Hall instantly filled with excited gasps and murmuring. Just about every student turned to chatter to their friends, though you quickly spotted the ones who didn’t. That would’ve been you. (You made a mental note to have a talk with those particular students in the upcoming weeks to let them know you would cover for them if they wanted to skip and stay in their dorm all night.)
The Ball was set to take place in a month, right after the end of exams and right before the start of Christmas break. And while it was good there was plenty of time to prepare… it also meant there was plenty of time for you to be anxious about it.
“Are you okay?” Eric asked softly once dinner was over and everyone was making their way out of the Great Hall.
“Hmm?” You blinked, turning to glance at him as the two of you headed to the side door. “Oh… Yes, absolutely.”
Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Eric quirk one brow. “Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” you told him with a soft chuckle. “Just… Balls are not my absolute favorite thing. But this one is a Celestial Ball, so it should at least be beautiful.”
“Ah,” Eric murmured. As the two of you slipped through the side door, you briefly felt his hand on the small of your back, and your heart sped up. “I can see why you wouldn’t like balls.”
Even though his tone was one of pure understanding and gentleness, you couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. “I just –” you stammered, bringing your hands up and hugging your arms close to your chest. “I don’t like dancing, all those people watching you… But now that I’m a professor, I highly doubt the kids will be paying any attention to me, so – It’ll be fine.”
At least, you were telling yourself that.
“Don’t worry,” Eric assured you in a very cheerful tone. And then he brought his arm around your shoulders, squeezing you gently as a show of comfort. “You’ll have a friend there. If you want, I will attach myself to your side and never leave.”
Oh, if only he knew. If only he realized how his offer made you both incredibly anxious and incredibly happy.
“Thank you,” you replied as a small grin tugged at your lips. “Plus… I get to wear a pretty dress.”
“Exactly! You’ll look beautiful, and we’ll get to make fun of how awkward the fourth-years are.”
You tried to laugh thinking about just how awkward the fourth-years would be, but… the fact Eric had just said you would look beautiful had sucked every single breath right out of your lungs.
So, you simply nodded, a strangled chuckle making its way through your lips before you said, “It won’t be so bad.”
But then… you realized… if you were wearing a pretty dress that meant… Eric would be wearing a nice suit. With a tie.
You had a month left, apparently. A month left until your soul left your body.
During that month, the Celestial Ball was basically all anyone could talk about. Many of your female students (and some of your male students, too), asked your advice on what they should wear – even asked what you would wear. They shared their fears with you about who would or wouldn’t ask them, who was already going together, if anyone would ask them to dance…
You also made sure to pull aside those few students who were as shy and quiet as you had been at their age, assuring them it wasn’t absolutely necessary for them to attend. Two of them took you up on your offer to cover for them so they could stay in their dorm all night, while the rest said they felt better just from having spoken with you.
To be honest, that made you feel more proud than earning an Outstanding on all ten of your N.E.W.T.S exams had.
By the time the ball arrived, you were quite thoroughly exhausted. Even though you hadn’t done anything to help prepare for it, all the conversations with students and all the worrying you’d done had drained you.
But, on the bright side, you had conjured up quite an exquisite gown, if you did say so yourself.
You now stood in front of the full-length mirror in your room, your brow furrowed as you turned from side to side and examined yourself. Your gown was long, the edge of the midnight blue velvet just brushing over the floor and the top of your feet. It cinched right at your waist, the skirt flowing out gently and the V-neckline showing off the bejeweled necklace your grandmother had gifted you many years ago. Your gown was also bejeweled, the majority of the sparkling, silver gems gathered at your waist and dispersing both up and down the dress. The gown’s short sleeves hit the middle of your upper arm, and while some nice, long gloves would’ve finished the look off perfectly, you had opted out, instead choosing to wear a gauzy shawl the same color as your gown.
Once you’d waved your wand to sweep your hair into a smooth chignon, you let out a deep breath. You looked pretty amazing, but you were still nervous.
McGonagall had informed you that all professors had to arrive before the students, so about ten minutes prior to the official start time of the Ball, you apparated down to the Great Hall.
As soon as you opened your eyes, your breath caught in your chest. The Hall was decorated more beautifully than you’d ever seen it. The ceiling had been transformed into the night sky, the color of the faux sky the same midnight blue as your dress. The stars were sparkling and twinkling like Christmas fairy lights, and soft, transparent clouds floated across them every now and then. Probably a thousand or more candles were floating ten feet above your head, and the walls were swathed in velvet. If you didn’t know any better, you would’ve thought you had known about the decorations beforehand and created your dress to match.
Of course, the large Christmas tree was still standing in the corner of the room, but the decorations had been transformed to match the theme and blend in more with the surroundings. Star and moon-shaped baubles adorned the branches, and the lights twinkled softly.
“Wow.”
You jumped a little at Eric’s sudden declaration, your eyes wide as you looked down and over at him. You hadn’t noticed him arriving at your side because you’d been too busy admiring the Great Hall.
“I know, I’ve never seen it so beautiful in here,” you replied.
When your eyes landed on him, though, you almost choked on your own breath.
He was, indeed, wearing a suit; a sleek black jacket and pants which fit him like a glove, and a black bowtie contrasting against his crisp, white shirt.
But the best part?
His dark hair was slicked back and combed away from his forehead, a style you truly hadn’t known you’d needed to see on him. But now you never wished to be parted from it from this day forward.
“No,” he said, breaking your concentration on just how wonderful he looked. “Not the decorations. You look beautiful.”
Your cheeks warmed instantly, and you shyly looked down at your dress. “Oh – thank you. I – you look great, too.”
Eric simply stared at you, his mouth slightly agape. Your cheeks grew warmer by the second until you finally reached out and pushed his shoulder gently.
“Stop,” you said with a soft chuckle. “Come on, the students will be here soon.”
The two of you made your way over to where the other professors were standing, and when you joined them, many commented on your appearance just as Eric had. Your cheeks were perpetually pink from all the compliments, and whenever you glanced over at Eric, he looked like a proud friend.
You weren’t used to so much attention, and frankly, it made you a little uncomfortable, so you breathed a soft sigh of relief when the doors opened and the students began pouring in.
Soft, orchestral music started playing, and the Celestial Ball had now officially begun.
McGonagall allowed a few minutes for the students to settle in before she tapped her wand against the podium at the front of the hall.
“Good evening students and professors alike,” she began, her lips pulled into a small, soft grin. “You all have worked incredibly hard this semester, and I hope tonight is a welcome reprieve from the stresses of work and school. This evening is about enjoying yourself and celebrating everything you have achieved so far this year. And now, without further ado, let the Celestial Ball commence!”
She waved her wand through the air, sending a shower of sparks out into the hall. The sparks dissolved into glitter, slowly floating through the air and landing on the heads and shoulders of the students and faculty. The music then got louder, and Professor Longbottom led McGonagall out to the middle of the dance floor.
Applause swept through the crowd, and you watched as a few more staff and some of the senior students joined Neville and McGonagall, dancing to the lilting waltz now playing.
You shouldn’t have been surprised when Eric held out his hand toward you, but for some reason, you were.
“Would you care to dance?” he asked, one corner of his lips lifted into a tiny smirk.
Your heart began to race, and your stomach turned over a few times as you raised a shaky hand and slipped it into his. “Sure,” you whispered. You’d wanted to be more eloquent than that, responding with something like ‘I would be delighted.’ But a ‘sure’ was about all you could muster right now.
Eric grasped your hand and led you out onto the dance floor. He pulled you close, sliding a hand around your waist and pressing it firmly against the small of your back. Your heart leaped up into your throat when he began to lead you in a waltz, and you were honestly surprised your legs were even working properly.
You were so concentrated on controlling your breathing and not stepping on Eric’s toes that when he spoke, you almost let out a startled cry.
“It’s not so bad, is it?” he asked softly.
“Wh– what’s not so bad?” you stammered.
“The dance,” he grinned. “You can’t even tell that everyone’s looking at you. I mean – they’re not looking at you. But if they were, you wouldn’t be able to tell.”
You simply chuckled awkwardly in response; you had no idea what to say because it wasn’t the thought of everyone else looking at you that made you nervous. It was the fact that Eric was so close to you, the fact he was looking at you.
You honestly weren’t sure if you would survive the night if he kept this up.
After a few more dances, one with Neville, two with Eric, and one with the Ravenclaw Head Boy, and some chaperoning, you were beginning to feel quite tired. All of the socializing was draining your mental energy, and you were on the brink of excusing yourself to go back to your room.
It was a lovely ball, actually, and you were having a much better time than you’d anticipated… but still. There was only so much you could take before you needed to recharge.
Just before you made the decision to sneak away, though, Eric appeared by your side and leaned in, placing his mouth next to your ear.
“Will you come with me?”
“Come with you?” you murmured. “Where?”
“Just come with me,” he said with a barely detectable grin, taking your hand and leading you over to the side door you always used to exit the Great Hall.
“Where are we going?” you asked once you’d stepped through into the empty corridor.
You had barely finished the end of your question when Eric apparated, pulling you along with him.
When you arrived at your destination, your head was spinning just slightly from the unexpected journey, and you clutched Eric’s arm to steady yourself.
“Sorry,” he chuckled. “I should have warned you.”
“No, it’s –” You trailed off when you opened your eyes and realized he had taken you up to the Astronomy Tower. “It’s fine… The Astrono – Why are we –”
“It’s the Celestial Ball,” Eric said with a somewhat cheesy grin. “I thought it would be appropriate. And you looked like you needed a break from all the people.”
He stepped away from you then, letting go of your hand and moving over to the railing to look up at the actual night sky.
“I did, actually,” you confirmed, waiting a few seconds before joining him. “Thank you, that was very thoughtful.”
The two of you gazed up at the stars for at least a minute in silence before Eric’s quiet voice cut through the darkness.
“Have I told you already how beautiful you look?”
“Stop,” you chuckled bashfully, already feeling a blush creep onto your cheeks.
“I’m serious,” he urged. “You always look beautiful. I… I want to tell you all the time how beautiful you are, I just…”
He trailed off, and you discovered you were holding your breath.
“You just what?” you whispered.
“I don’t want to ruin what we have,” he said as he avoided your gaze by staring at his hands grasping the railing. “The past several months have been some of the most difficult and best months of my life. Getting to know you, I… To be honest, I never thought I could feel this way about someone before.”
Oh my – was he…? Surely he couldn’t be saying what it sounded like he was saying.
“I like you. A lot. Since the beginning of the school year, even, I’ve thought you were one of the most incredible people I’ve ever –”
You weren’t sure what took over you, but when you heard Eric say the words ‘I like you,’ it stirred up some sort of confidence in you. He was still staring down at the railing, speaking to his hands, so you reached out to cradle his cheek in your palm and forced him to look at you.
And then you wasted no time in pressing your lips to his.
Like I said, you had no idea what had taken over you.
It took Eric a couple of seconds to respond; apparently, you weren’t the only one shocked by your actions. But when he did, you felt his lips curve into a smile and his hands move to hold your waist.
You had imagined Eric confessing feelings for you countless times. All throughout school, you had daydreamed about it. Since the beginning of September, you had thought about what he would say and how you would react and how you would feel.
Out of all the emotions you’d thought a romantic confession would stir up… relief was not one of them. But that was exactly what you were feeling right now.
You were utterly and incredibly relieved.
You suddenly realized it had been exhausting holding your feelings for him in all this time. And now that you could share them, release them into the wild, you’d never felt so free in your whole life.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he murmured against your lips when you pulled away from the kiss. “I’ve just been too scared to tell you.”
“Scared?” you chuckled, your hand still resting on his cheek as you gazed up into his eyes. “You’re a Gryffindor, you’re not supposed to be scared of anything.”
“I am, apparently, when it comes to you. You’re a whole different kind of intimidating.”
“Nonsense,” you smiled.
“No, really,” Eric assured you. “You’re smart – a genius, really. You’re generous and kind-hearted and witty and clever and just as gorgeous on the inside as you are on the outside.”
“But I’m also shy and quiet and awkward and nervous and anxious and –”
Eric cut you off with another kiss, and you gladly let him.
But then you realized what he had said before he’d admitted to being too scared to tell you how he felt.
“You’re wrong, though,” you said softly.
“Wrong about what?”
“I do have an idea of how long you’ve wanted to kiss me.” Your heart began to hammer inside of your ribcage because you were about to admit something you never, ever, ever, ever thought you would.
Eric’s brow furrowed gently, and he frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I…” You stopped to take a deep breath, though it did nothing to calm your nerves. “I’ve liked you for a long time, too. Since… the beginning of school.”
“Well, that’s how long –”
“No, the beginning of school. Like… our first year at Hogwarts. As students.”
Eric simply blinked at you.
“I had the biggest crush on you all seven years,” you said quietly, though it actually did feel pretty great to finally say it out loud.
“What?” he asked with a breathless laugh. “You – did you really?”
You nodded, feeling your cheeks warm under his incredulous gaze.
“Why didn’t you –” But he cut himself off, most likely because he already knew the answer to that question. So, instead of asking why you hadn’t said anything back then, he simply leaned in and pressed his forehead to yours. “I was such an idiot back then.”
“No,” you replied immediately, a confident urgency in your voice. “You were not.”
“If I had noticed you, I would have liked you,” he continued, seemingly ignoring your protest. “How could I have not liked you? I was just too stupid to –”
“Eric, please,” you pleaded. “If you were that stupid, I wouldn’t have liked you.”
He chuckled at that, and your lips curved into a smile.
“And if you had noticed me, I would have been too shy to actually do or say anything. And I was too focused on my studies. I liked you, yes. Tremendously. But I probably wouldn’t have actually dated you.”
Eric lifted his head, a quizzical look forming on his features. “I… don’t know how to take that.”
“I just think things were meant to work out this way,” you told him with a soft laugh. Though, to be honest, you were even surprising yourself with your words. You hadn’t actually ever thought that before because you hadn’t let yourself dream about getting together with him. But now that you were, it was crystal clear to you. If he had noticed you while you were students at Hogwarts, if he had fallen for you then, you probably would have rejected him. You wouldn’t have wanted him to get in the way of your studies, and he most definitely would have distracted you.
But now you no longer had to worry about exams and grades and O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts and all that. You had work now instead of school, but it wasn’t nearly the same. Now you had time and, frankly, now you had a bit more confidence and security with who you were.
“I wasn’t ready for it back then,” you explained.
“But… you are now?” Eric asked somewhat hesitantly.
“Yes,” you replied immediately. “Oh, yes. And, trust me, I think you’re worth the wait.”
Eric’s cautious expression left his face, and a teasingly surprised one replaced it. “Oh, you think?” he asked. “You think I’m worth the wait?”
You shook your head, a playful smirk on your lips as you rolled your eyes. “I’m pretty sure.”
“Well,” Eric huffed, tightening his hold on you and bringing you even closer to him. “I know you were worth the wait.”
Instead of replying bashfully or teasingly or rolling your eyes again… you stood on your toes and kissed him. You captured his lips in exactly the kind of kiss you’d always wanted to share with him: soft, tender, sweet… loving.
And it was everything you had imagined it would be. Everything and more.
As you kissed him, you couldn’t help but think back to September, back to the staff meeting when you’d first seen him sitting next to Neville. You had been so shocked, frozen in place until McGonagall had forced you to move.
To you, Eric had been sort of like an unreachable dream. Someone so far out of your league you hadn’t ever entertained the idea of any sort of relationship with him, friendship or romantic.
You realized now that hadn’t been fair. He was just a person like anyone else, and he didn’t deserve to be put on such a high pedestal. He was perfect, yes, but he was still human. A wonderful human. A lovely, handsome, fearless human. Your human. Your person.
He had been an unreachable dream, and you? To him, you had just been a familiar face. Someone he’d seen but never met. Someone he’d known of but never actually known.
And now the two of you had managed to meet in the middle somewhere. You had found that sweet spot, and things had worked out exactly as they should have.
Yes, it was definitely worth the wait.