Chapter 15

Hu Yetao grunted the next morning as someone shoved him in the shoulder in an attempt at tearing him from his very pleasant dream; which replayed the bed scene in Oscar's room yesterday.

"What?!" he demanded tetchily, not even bothering to open his eyes as he pressed his face deeper into his pillow. It felt as though he'd only just fallen asleep, who on earth could be disturbing him already?

"Hu Yetao! Bloody hell," Zhang Xinyao swore under his breath before continuing in a much louder voice, "get up, you're going to be late for class!"

"Huh?" Hu Yetao dragged his eyes open as he lifted his head and stared fuzzily at Xinyao looming over him. "What are you talking about?"

"You missed breakfast and you made Oscar talk to Jing-Long because he's worried about you and you have ten minutes to get to Potions."

Hu Yetao lifted his head and blinked owlishly, trying to wrap his brain around Xinyao's words, he felt heavy and slow with a threatening unconsciousness that just wanted to drag him back under. He dropped his head back onto his pillow and closed his eyes. "Go without me," he mumbled. "Too tired."

He could hear Xinyao hesitating, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Okay, if you're sure. I'll… I'll come to get you after Potions, yeah?"

Hu Yetao mumbled something incoherent and didn't wait for a response before drifting off to sleep again.

An hour later, Hu Yetao was standing under a cold shower in a futile attempt at waking himself up. Zhang Xinyao had promised to bring him some hot coffee before DADA, which he did not want to miss as it was his favorite subject and he liked the new professor.

Hu Yetao rubbed at his face and groaned; he was still utterly shattered and couldn't figure out why. He hadn't been up that late and he didn't think his outing last night had exhausted him to this extent.

He reluctantly shut off the water and got out, quickly throwing on his uniform and then grabbing his bag and making his way down the stairs to the common room, rubbing at heavy eyelids that didn't seem to want to stay open.

"Hu Yetao, here's your coffee."

"Thanks, Xinyao." Hu Yetao gratefully took the hot cup of liquid caffeine from his friend and then fell into step beside him as they made their way out the portrait hole towards the DADA classroom on the main floor.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Xinyao asked, glancing at him. "I've never seen you so tired before. Are… are sure the Wang didn't…?"

Hu Yetao would've rolled his eyes if he'd had the energy. He gulped down some of his coffee, burning his tongue in the process. "Ouch, shit. No, Xinyao, the Wangs didn't poison me with some sort of… sleepy… poison thing," he said; sluggish and inarticulate. "If it makes you feel better, I didn't even eat or drink anything in their home."

"Spell," Xinyao muttered under his breath but Hu Yetao studiously ignored him.

He swallowed another large gulp of coffee and remembered something. "Hey, what did Jing-Long find out this morning?" he asked, suddenly recalling the significance of his friend's birthday.

Zhang Xinyao grinned. "Beta."

Hu Yetao smiled over the rim of his cheery red and gold Gryffindor cup. "That's what he wanted."

"Yup."

Hu Yetao flicked some spilled coffee from his thumb as the staircase suddenly moved beneath their feet. "Did Oscar talk to Jing-Long about me this morning?"

Zhang Xinyao rolled his eyes as he shifted his bag upon his shoulder. "Yeah, the git stared at our table all through breakfast - I don't even think he ate anything - and then he just got up and walked over to Jing Long, demanding to know where you were."

Hu Yetao hid a smile in his cup but Xinyao caught it.

"Oh, you think that's cute, don't you?"

"No comment," Hu Yetao smirked. "Though you can shut your gob now about him having some sinister plot to murder me."

"No promises," Xinyao muttered as they walked towards the classroom door.

"What did Jing-Long tell him?"

"Just that you were tired and decided to have a late start," Xinyao replied with a shrug.

"And what did he say?"

"Oh for… Ask him yourself in about twenty seconds," Xinyao said with an exasperated sigh.

Hu Yetao smiled at his aggravation. "And did you tell Jing-Long that you were in love with him yet?" he needled. "Or shall I tell him for you in about twenty seconds?"

Zhang Xinyao shoved his shoulder with a friendly glare just before they rounded the corner and strode into the classroom.

Hu Yetao immediately sought out Oscar as he entered the large room and was surprised to see the blond seated at his usual table on the left-hand side of the room. He walked towards him with a slow smile stretching his lips, knowing that he really shouldn't have been that surprised.

Oscar's features relaxed as soon as Hu Yetao made eye contact and Hu Yetao could visually see the tension leave his body upon confirmation of his mate's well-being.

"Hi," Hu Yetao said in greeting as he casually slid into the empty seat next to Oscar. Xinyao took the seat next to Jing-Long across the aisle, staring distrustfully at Oscar all the while. Some of the other eighth years noticed the change in seating arrangements as well and were openly staring at the bizarre spectacle of Hu Yetao calmly taking a seat next to Oscar Wang.

Oscar's eyes tightened when he took in the shadows under Hu Yetao's eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked immediately, then lowered his voice. "Did last night… upset you?"

Hu Yetao smiled and placed his hand on Oscar's thigh under the table. "No, nothing like that. I dunno, I guess I just didn't sleep very well."

"Are you sure?" Oscar asked, his brown eyes searching his expression intently.

"Yeah," Hu Yetao replied, glancing up at Professor Chao as he entered the classroom, then looked back to Oscar with a smile. "I'm sure."

Oscar's lips twitched into a brief smile before he turned his attention to the Professor.

Hu Yetao squeezed his warm thigh and then let go, knowing that his body would react inappropriately to touching Oscar like that if he left his hand there much longer. He turned his attention to the front and tried to concentrate through his thick fog of exhaustion.