Read my heart, not my mind

21. Infinity

"Jagiya," the word was whispered over the top of my book, making me jump slightly as my gaze focused on the dancing firelight in the warm, barrel filled alcove. "How come you aren't at dinner?" Hoseok asked in his normally cheerful tones as he hopped onto the barrel next to me, leaning over my shoulder to read a few lines from my book.

I shut the book with an embarrassed little snap before shrugging nonchalantly. "I wasn't very hungry." I said, not admitting that I wanted to read more than eat. "Besides, isn't this your Quidditch practice Wednesday?" I asked, turning toward him slightly.

"Gryffindor verses Slytherin on Saturday so Hufflepuff got voted off the pitch." He settled more comfortably against the warm wall and sighed. "Since my game isn't for another two weeks, I didn't really fight them about it."

"Will you get to have their practice slot next Wednesday?" I asked, wondering if the professors even bothered to make such situations as this fair.

He chuckled and patted my knee, "Truth be told I am a little grateful that our practice was cancelled, but don't tell the rest of my team that. Besides, don't you want your house team to win? You know that my first game is against Ravenclaw, don't you?"

I shrugged, fighting a wave of butterflies as his hand stayed on my knee. "I don't actually, since Namjoon doesn't play, I'd rather my friend's win. And you don't have to worry about me spilling your secrets anyway, but why are you glad it was cancelled?"

"I'm a little tired." He smiled with his eyes closed as he moved until he could rest with his head in my lap. "I've been practicing and studying and doing my prefect duties so much lately that I don't feel like I get any time to myself."

I blushed as I tentatively began to run my fingers through his dark red hair, certain he couldn't be comfortable like this. But he just sighed and wiggled into a different position. "Why are you here then, if you finally got a free moment?" The question popped out of my mouth before I could stop myself, not wanting to remind him that he could simply fall off the barrel and run away to be alone.

He frowned a little before he wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his face into my stomach. "I wanna be with you, noona." He said in a cute, little voice. I blushed and rubbed his back, unsure how to respond. Even after my birthday when he learned I was older than him, he hadn't actually called me that and it made my heart feel a little strange. "Besides, I have something for you but I wanted to give it to you when we were alone. Which is increasingly difficult these days since all of my friends love you so much." He pouted, squeezing me again. "Even though you're mine."

I ignored that whispered comment with all of my will power, certain he could feel the way he was making my stomach jump and flutter. "What could you have to give me when we are alone?" I asked instead, not really sure this was a safer subject.

"Your birthday present. Since I can't tell any of them about it, I didn't want to give you your gift with them around." His voice was still slightly muffled as he refused to move from his position of hugging me. He released one hand and reached into the pocket of his robes, his fist held tight when he removed it. He sat up carefully and ran his free hand through his hair, disheveling it into careful, sexy disarray.

He said nothing as he held his closed fist out to me. Tentatively, not really sure why I was so afraid, I opened my palm and closed my eyes when I felt something small and cold touch my skin. It was about as heavy as a small pebble and felt no longer than my thumb nail. Curiosity outweighed my strange fear and I opened my eyes to see what it was.

At first I was a little confused as I turned it over in my hand, examining the curves and edges. "An '8'?" I asked, not wanting to hurt his feelings.