Chapter 1
Nayeon’s head jerks up at the sound of her name. She hears a voice--- that damn voice--- pierce through her ears before she, herself, can protest.
“What!?” Myoui Mina’s voice is loud enough to deafen people. The classroom quiets down almost immediately. McGonagall does not seem bothered, though. The girl's scowl only deepens.
Huh, Nayeon almost scoffs, Myoui Mina raising her voice?
Professor McGonagall only shakes her head. “Ms. Myoui, I suggest you tone your voice down---”
“I can’t work with---” Mina pauses, glancing at Nayeon, “her.” She sneers, disgust creeping up on her features.
Nayeon shoots her an offended look before rolling her eyes, the same look of disgust on her face as well. She almost speaks up when McGonagall beats her to it.
“This is a perfect opportunity to reconcile differences,” she averts her eyes towards Nayeon, who gulps in return. “Ms. Im is doing very well in this class; you both would do a splendid job at finishing this task. It’s a very simple project,” she turns to the rest of the class, the smallest smile tugging on her lips. “So I expect all of you will try your best, as well---”
She gets cut off. Again.
Nayeon thinks no one is going to get through the day without being interrupted.
"But this is murder!" Mina is so fucking dramatic that Nayeon just wants to shoot a quick jinx at her to shut her up. She does none of that, of course. "You can't seriously be pairing me up with the mudblo---"
Nayeon shoots a harmless spell at her, her wand hidden under her robe. It's weak but enough to make Mina yelp. Nayeon watches in satisfaction, though she can feel McGonagall glaring right at her. She pays no mind.
"You're really asking for it, aren't you?" Mina practically growls at her, reaching for her own wand. She pulls it out in a swift motion. They're both on their feet in a heartbeat.
"Expelliarmus!"
Both their wands start flying out of their hands.
"Ten points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin!" McGonagall stares in disbelief. Nayeon can hear Jihyo chuckle behind her. It makes her feel less tense, her shoulders relaxing. She then remembers that McGonagall is staring right at them. Shit. She was so screwed. Curse Myoui Mina for trying to duel in class. "Have you really have no manners? Starting a duel in class?" Nayeon can practically hear Mina roll her eyes.
"Professor, she challenged me by basically pointing her wand at me!" Nayeon defends herself uselessly.
Mina huffs. "Professor, you must believe me when I say that she jinxed me first," Mina retorts.
Nayeon feigns shock. "I did no such thing! You were the one who was about to call me that- that infuriating term for muggleborns."
"What?" Mina smirks her signature smirk. "You mean mudblood?"
"Enough!" McGonagall raises her voice, though it still sounded soft. Nayeon and Mina both snap their heads at her. Nayeon has to admit, she completely forgot McGonagall was even there. "Both of you will be working together and that's final." She shakes her head. "If I ever find out that one of you ever so much lays a finger on each other during this project, we will have to proceed to more severe punishments."
Nayeon nods defeatedly. She can't risk suspension. Her annoyance quickly turns into uneasiness when she feels everyone's eyes on her--- on them.
Nayeon is first to sit down once again. Mina looks as if she's still trying to process what was about to unfold. Nayeon was going to be her partner in a project, a project that would take a month to finish.
If Nayeon actually cared about Mina, she would have felt a pinch of hurt by the look of horror on Mina's face. How could Mina hate her so much that she can't even spend a month working with Nayeon?
Nayeon swallows down the lump in her throat, wishing she could swallow down the emotions (she dare calls it hurt) that suspiciously taste like bile, as well. It doesn't work.
Nayeon thinks and think and thinks about how she's going to finish her time with Mina as quick as possible. She feels as if a light bulb has appeared on her head as she'd just thought of an idea. Nayeon's just going to finish it as quick as possible! Yes! They both are exceedingly smart, they should finish it in no time!
Nayeon smiles as the bell rings and she's off to her next class.
She catches sight of Minatokakai- Minato- whatever the girl's last name is, nudging Mina with a laugh. She walks past them and swears she heard Minatokaki Sana whisper something along the lines of "I'm sorry, about this. Don't worry, your time with her will be over in no time. Anyways, how was..."
Nayeon walks away and straight into the girls bathroom. She wants to vomit.
____________
"Hey," Nayeon walks towards the hufflepuff table--- mostly in Jihyo's direction but she acknowledges Momo too.
"Hi," Jihyo smiles shyly. Crap, It's too cute. Nayeon wants to hug her but she knows that would be stupid. "I already prepared your plate," Jihyo points at the plate full of food. Nayeon only stares at it like the idiot she is. She appreciates it so much she swears her poor little heart is about to burst---
Jihyo coughs nervously. "If you don't like it you don't ha-have to---"
"I love it." Nayeon smiles. She must look like an idiot, smiling at food. She hears Jihyo's sigh of relief.
"Great."
Nayeon was about to dig in when a hand taps her shoulder. Quite aggressively, she might add. She turns around with a polite smile, her face immediately crumples into a frown when her eyes meet Mina's.
There's tension. She feels eyes on her. She feels attention. There's people looking.
It's a staring contest, she knows this. First to back down is the weaker witch. She can hear whispers, murmurs, and people's breaths hitching. Great, now the whole hufflepuff table is probably staring.
Nayeon feels dizzy, her lips drying up. She quickly gives it a lick in hopes to moisturize it.
For a faint, faint second, Nayeon swears to her life that Mina's eyes lowered down to eye the motion of her tongue scraping against her bottom lip. Nayeon thinks she's gone insane when she notices--- well, maybe imagines--- a pinkish tint to Mina's cheeks.
Before she can question it, Mina clears her throat.
"Im."
Nayeon really thinks she needs to seek help when she thinks she almost heard Mina's voice waver. Her eyebrows furrow, a smug smile almost tugging on her lips.
The moment is short-lived.
"What the fuck are you staring at?" Mina smirks. "No one of your kind is allowed to be graced by the sight of me."
Nayeon's fist clench under her robes. She sighs. "Look Myoui, can we please n---"
"Don't talk to me." Mina barks out.
Nayeon can feel the anger stir up in her stomach. She takes a breath.
Not here, there's people, Nayeon.
She only stares at Mina, waiting for the girl to say whatever the hell she wants to. Mina seems to be satisfied with the silence.
"We will start the project tomorrow, you understand?" Nayeon doesn't respond. "Great. And I don't want any..." Mina glances at Jihyo for a second too long before continuing. "Distractions."
Mina turns on her heel, robe swaying in the air, before leaving.
Nayeon gives Jihyo an apologetic look, which Jihyo only shakes her head at, a sad smile on her lips.
'It's okay," Jihyo tells her, so painstakingly sincere.
Momo gives Nayeon a look. "What's up with you two anyway? The whole school has been talking about how you almost had a duel in McGonagall's class." Momo snorts at her. Nayeon only rolls her eyes.
Great. The whole school has been talking.
____________
When she arrives at her dorm that night, Yoo Jeongyeon is already blabbering to her about how Mina pulled a stupid prank on her in Slughorn's class. Nayeon shakes her head, a fond smile on her face. "I know, Jeong. I was there."
She takes a warm shower, clearing her head of anything Myoui Mina. Her mind drifts dangerously to first year.
Mina's giggles are light. Nayeon thinks they sound better than any musical instrument. Ever.
"You look like a chipmunk!" Mina points at her chocolate filled mouth. They snuck in extra chocolate cauldrons that a 5th year had bought for them from Honeydukes.
Nayeons pouts. Mina made a comment about her looking adorable.
"I like being friends with people like you," Mina randomly blurts, filling her mouth with bits of chocolate. "You're very funny."
Nayeon likes the sound of that. '"Then it's settled, we should be friends!"
Nayeon twists the handle of the shower a little to hard. She mutters a curse word before waving her wand at it. "Reparo."
Sleep doesn't come very easily. But when it does, Nayeon dreams of chocolate cauldrons.