The Secrets We Keep From Friends (Irene x Male Reader Fanfic)

Chapter 1

Irene Bae Joohyun sighed and slammed the Herbology textbook shut, unable to take in any more information. Yes, she was Hogwarts' top student, but even she had her limits. Her eyelids felt heavy even though she slept early the previous night, evidently the toll of studying so much from the early morning, then going for her class and now revising the lesson proving too much. Clearly, sixth year at Hogwarts was not going to be the same as her earlier days in school, with far more complex topics boggling the minds of students.

Clutching the textbook close to her bosom, Irene stood and strode out of the library and into the hallway, headed towards a destination yet unrevealed. As she walked on past countless other students, many could not help but stare at the woman of unparalleled beauty walking by.

Irene ignored them, having gotten used to it over the years, and continued on. She had always been the subject of attention given her beauty, and many male students had tried.....and failed to win her affections. She was far too preoccupied with her studies to return their affections. Most of them were only after her for her outward beauty anyway.

Many whispered that she was an angel, her beauty matched only by her lithesome grace, but if they actually cared to monitor her in greater detail, they would see the slight signs of fatigue in her posture and movement, betraying the toll her sixth year was taking on her. This was not a good sign considering that it was only the beginning of the year!

Having descended to the first floor, Irene navigated Hogwarts' labyrinthine passageways until she reached the open doors of the Great Hall. It was not full yet, but it soon would be as students flocked to eat their dinner. Irene had purposely arrived earlier to avoid the crowd and also to spend much-needed time with her friends before her meeting with the prefects after dinner. Being Head Girl gave her much in the way of responsibilities to attend to that weren't required by most students.

Head students were usually picked from seventh year students, but none wanted to be Head students this year and so she was offered the role of Head Girl.

As she scanned the hall, her gaze settled on two particular individuals at the Gryffindor table. A wide smile replaced the tired frown that had previously marred her face as she recognized her two closest friends.

In a male version of the Gryffindor uniform, with all the suave of being Hogwarts' Head Boy, Kim Taehyung laughed at some joke or quip that Irene was too far away to hear. Her heart fluttered as his smile lit up her world, unspoken feelings welling up in her heart as the man she had feelings for animatedly continued the conversation with the other individual. They weren't dating but she still had a crush on him, and he actually had similar feelings for her too. It was clear in his words and actions towards her.

Taehyung had never asked her out though, and she had not taken any action either, their duties and studies taking up most of their time, and whatever free time they had, they just wanted to spend as tired friends or just simply rest. Most of the school expected them to get together after their studies and Irene tried to imagine a future romantic relationship with him, managing to conjure some brief images but nothing else. She was probably just too tired from studying. She laughed inwardly, snorting at the thought that some students questioned why they weren't together yet, try being Head boy and Girl and date at the same time.

Her reverie was interrupted by the sight of the other individual swatting Taehyung's hand away, hopelessly trying to stop the eager Gryffindor from continuing his antics.

Dressed in the humble regalia of Hufflepuff, the young man was one other person she could consider herself closest to. Where the dashingly handsome and brilliant Taehyung dazzled others openly, the other young man preferred to keep a low profile. Not that he was ugly or stupid, far from it. He was handsome in his own way and while his grades in certain subjects were not as high as Taehyung or Irene, they were still high enough for him to be considered as a smart student. Others categorised him in the lower tier of the top students, but Irene knew just how smart he could be in other ways. He was incredibly perceptive of human behaviour and emotions, as she found out on more than one occasion.