The Wrong Sort | m.yg & l.jh ; Hogwarts!AU ✓

03. | Blush

"I did not even commit any rule breaking though... So why?"

Letting me off? This time...? What sort of jinx is he playing at me? I said I was running late, not just running around the halls to fool around.

In the first half of the class, she lets her mind drift away in her thoughts. Minding the tone of the older Slytherin earlier, even as she clearly stated she won't let it. But it did, as the words their professor said seemed like white noise (she had done some advance reading the night before on the same topic, so no worries on her part here).

What a weird Slytherin senior...

Though her thoughts were snapped back at the voice of her professor calling out her name.

He is calling out my name!—

She frantically shots up from her seat, voice shaky. "Yes, Professor?"

"Miss Byul. I hope I'm not interrupting your daydreaming but do you have any idea what Amortentia is?"

"N-not at all, Sir— no daydreaming here." She lets out a shaky laugh, feeling some snickering within her peripheral vision. She bit off her lower lip to ignore the gnawing disgust on her gut, trying not to let some blood pierce through. Ignore them.

The professor just shots her a smile. "If so, mind telling your input on it, dear?"

She regains her composure, at least the topic lifts her up a bit. She plasters a smile across her lips. "It's a love potion, Professor, practically the most powerful one there is. The smell can differ from each person, as it can smell of things they love the most, in this case, what attracts them."

"Precisely, dear." Professor Slughorn smiles. "Thank you, Miss Byul— Op, op, op... not so fast."

She was this close at escaping him, but alas she was made to stand in front of the coal cauldron. The sight of the people in her class in this perspective made her throat dry, legs jelly. The revulsion she feels slowly turns into this melting pool of cold sweat in her palms.

The thumping of her chest right now is deafening. She heaves in a breath.

Actually, she feared standing up in front of class, I mean, she did overcome her fear of public speaking already. But having to be in front with another house around, the Gryffindors; the people whom she tries to avoid are also around at this very moment. They already bat me an eye as they saw me come in late here, maybe even saw me with that strict prefect adding the burning stare they have on me, what do they have against me this time, I—

"So can you kindly tell what you smell, dear?"

At that, she was out of her trance again.

Lumi nods absentmindedly not minding her surroundings. But it came off easily to her as she was lured back to a dream-like state. The scent from the sheen potion erupted into her senses. The smoke turned into different shades of brown...

"Smell of wood... coffee and," she had to smell from the cauldron again, she furrowed her eyebrows. "And..." She was still not sure really but the last smell came off a bit pungent. She gave a small smile. "Freshly washed clothes, Professor."

Her wave of thoughts did not leave her even as she made her way to her next class by the adjacent building. Still preoccupied with the trivial matters of how she definitely saw them bat a lash at her, that unpleasant feeling as if they're picking up hairs from her skin. Even the way they snickered as she brushed past them.

What did I ever do to you, Caitlyn?

It shouldn't really bother her but the feeling in her guts shows how much she knows the way they nitpick on people they take great dislike of. And the thought of how sharp their comments on her may be now that she's on their bad side. It still gives her chills and a jolting feeling down her throat that she might throw up. It's as if I'm swallowing metal...

Though, at the sight of the familiar blonde haired male made the blood leaving her body came rushing back her system, more so as Jihoon gives her a smile.

"Oh? Byul, have you eaten?" Jihoon asks, looking closer to her, his smile fades. "You look pale."

For a moment there, her breath hitched. She thought he would brush his hand on the side of her face with the way he gestured at her.

Lumi scratched the side of her mouth sheepishly.

"I might've skipped breakfast earlier." She lied, she still can't quite open up her fears. Also the fact that she did stay up late the night before. Ah, she can't help but still be bothered. Her body clock is out of whack.

"You slept in huh?" The way Lumi shyly nods made him chuckle. "Well, it did rain heavy loads last night. It was nice to stay under the covers some more earlier too, but I had classes."

It was one of these few instances the Slytherin would be talkative and it's giving the younger full of delight. Just the sight of him smiling, laughing vigorously with those crescent eyes of his would have her stomach filled with butterflies every time.

He seems to also get to her in the right time as she did need to lessen some troubling thoughts. And he managed to wash away that anxiety as he filled the room with his presence.

Warmth and sun rays brush through her, and that familiar fresh fabric scent.

"Ah, it sure is nice to take a rest." Lumi says, tiredness evident in her tone, though her voice sounded lighter as she directed to the older male. "I hope you're getting some though, Jihoon-oppa."

"You seem to be the one who needs it." Lumi didn't even notice but Jihoon took something from the pockets of his cloak. He hands her a snack, much to her surprise.

She looks up at him. Jihoon looked like he was already taking off with his heel in the other direction, much to her dismay. "Don't tell Mingyu I gave you mine. Do well on your next class, okay?"

With the wave of goodbye from the older, Lumi could only do a slight bow of her head with a failed attempt waving back to him.

She really had taken liking on the older male, for like her, he can be quite observant. Much to these instances and how much Jihoon can be caring to others. In the first years of getting to know him, that stage of curiosity had her wondering how Jihoon could really be, besides being a quiet fellow. Though the more she got to know him, she passed by that cold demeanor everyone seemed to label him as. He can be warm and as charming, a prankster even, despite leaning more on that reserved type. Jihoon brings warmth to everyone he can get near his parameter. Much like the effect he has on the younger, even if he's not quite aware that that warmth reached Lumi's heart.

Looking back at Jihoon's figure heading west, Lumi smiles to herself again as she holds on to the treat he just gave her.

And there goes the raging butterflies.

Though for many reasons as her stomach's acting up again.