Tiny Victories [2/6]
Pairing: Byun Baekhyun x ReaderÂ
Summary: The Adventures of Baekhyun, his failing Divination classes, and his broomstick named Peanut. Â
Warnings:Â LanguageÂ
Authorâs Note: Please tell me what you think of it so far, I would love to talk to you about it :)
Saturday morning. After two hours of Quidditch practice, Baekhyun is soaked in sweat. He has a fuzzy head and nausea is clenching his insides. Chanyeol did not joke about preparing for their next match with Ravenclaw.
He groans as he flops onto his bed, towel drying his hair. He remembers the roasted chicken. Your lipsâyour pretty, pretty lips. The kitchens. Andâfuck, the donuts. The jam donuts he was supposed to be eating with you at midnight.
Heâs ready to throw himself into the Black Lake and get eaten by the Giant Squid or something.
He sits there for a few minutes. Would you still talk to him after he ditched you to sleep? And his classâProfessor Sinistra is gonna hang his ass from the Astronomy tower.
A while later, Jongdae comes into their room and gives Baekhyun a funny look. âDid you not see those?â
He points at a paper bag resting on his nightstand, with a note attached to it. Baekhyun sets the towel down and picks up the paper bag.
I figured youâd stood me up when you didnât come to eat these sugary beautiful donuts. Donât worry, I saved you two. And donât forget, youâre gonna buy me all the Cherry Syrup I want from Madam Puddifootâs. âș
Your writing is neat and scribbly. Heâs unsure of the huge smiley face that youâve drawn, it seems like a warning. Next time you ditch me, Iâll hex youâsomething like that.
But still, thereâs a grin on his face he re-reads it again. He looks up to see Jongdae with that funny look still on his face. âWhat?â
âShe asked you to meet at the Hogsmeade Station,â Jongdae looks at his wristwatch, âat 10 am.â
âOh,â Baekhyun says and chews his cheek. âItâs 9:45 am.â
Jongdae shrugs, plopping onto his bed. His cat, Blossom, climbs onto the bed, purring at Jongdae and gives Baekhyun a dirty look. That cat hates him.
He wastes no time as he huffs down the stairs, running through the corridors. He even considers flying to the station with his broomstick. But none of that can do.
He sees you talking to some third years by the time he makes it to the station. Although heâs bundled up in his warmest clothes, he feels almost as a cold sweat breaks out. He just doesnât want to disappoint youâagain.
âGlad to know you could make it on time, Baekhyun,â you tease, a smile gracing your lips.
Baekhyun is caught off guard as he puffs out laughs into the air, still trying to catch his breath. âIâm, Iâm so sorryâI fell asleep after practice. I also missed class,â
You didnât ask for an explanation nor do you look mad, but your lips still quirk up with appreciation as you nod. âJongdae was complaining about how you and Chanyeol wouldnât wake up. Letâs get going then, shall we?â
The carriage ride to High Street isnât anything notable, just a few pubescent boys trying to impress you as Baekhyun tried his best to keep a scowl off of his face. He should be getting all the attention.
However, ten minutes later, his hands are freezing as heâs gathering all the snow he can possibly collect to form the largest snowball he can make.
He aims directly for your face and shoots, and as the best Chaser in the teamâhe scores.
The snowball catches you off guard, as you yelp and fall on your butt. Baekhyun is chortling, hand on his knee, one hand on his stomach because thereâs a cramp from laughing too hard.
You laugh too.
âThat was so unfair!â you say, aiming a poorly built snowball at him. It lands three feet away from him.
âAlright,â he chuckles, âNow that weâve decided on whoâs the best snowballer, lets go drink something warm.â
âHey, I couldâve cast a charm to win but I didnât,â You sass. âBut now Iâm freezing, and I forgot to bring my gloves.â
Thereâs a million spells Baekhyun knows that can warm you up, but at this moment he doesn't need the feel to pick out his wand and cast a charm. Instead, he takes out his favorite gloves. The color is fading and there are strings hanging loose, but theyâre still his favorite. He hands you his gloves.
âBut wonât you be cold?â Steam blows as you speak ruefully. Baekhyun starts to see flecks of snow gently falling atop your head.
âI donât mind the cold.â Liar. He despised the cold.
Maybe you know that heâs lying out of his mouth. But you still put on his gloves, and theyâre a little big for you but thereâs a huge grin on your face and it makes Baekhyun feels a bit warm on the inside.
By the time the both of you make it to Madam Puddifootâs, he knows more about you: the socks that scream once Jongdae has worn them too much was a gift you gave to him last year. You would like to become a Curator, but you don't tell anyone about it because they might think that youâre a bit boring. You also hate going to the Forbidden Forest because spiders scare you a lot.
He also traded some secrets: he wants to compete in the Quidditch World Cup one day. He once cast a memory charm to make sure Filch didnât remember him sneaking out with his friends to drink Firewhisky. He also is terrified of owls.
Madam Puddifootâs is a dainty little tea shop. He feels out of place as he sits somewhat cramped on the chair.
âI know, the place is super⊠tacky. But I promise the drinks are really good,â you say hopefully.
âItâs okay, Iâve just never been here before.â He takes a peek at the other customers in the tea shop. They were all cuddled up against each other and⊠are theyâare they making out?
Baekhyun coughs and clears his throat, hoping his ears arenât red with embarrassment as he focuses his attention on you again. You are fidgeting with the lacy napkins on the tabletop, acting like you didnât see him witness the snogging couples.
âI guess this place is more popular with couples.â He comments.
âI guess so.â You admit, a shy smile on your face.
âMiss ___, you sneaky girl. I did not know that you had a boyfriend!â Madam Puddifoot greets the both of you.
âHeâheâs not my boyfriend!â Your eyes widen, cheeks flooding with warmth. Baekhyun is having way too much fun to see you flail over the accusation.
âYet,â the older witch winks, taking both of your orders. Baekhyun picks a black coffee and you go with a warm tea.
âGod, Iâm so sorry. I think weâre better off at The Three Broomsticks.â you snort. He gazes for a moment at the soft expression in your eyes, and nods.
âIf you want to.â
âWe could meet up tomorrow⊠if youâre free?â you suggest.
Baekhyun pauses. He picks up the freshly brewed coffee, thinking of how to reject you in the nicest way. âIâm, uh, not gonna be free tomorrow.â
âOh. Well. Thereâs always a next time,â Thereâs no anger or disappointment in your voice. Which is why he has been looking forward to spending more time with you. âThereâs an essay I have to complete by Monday, so Iâll just stay back at Hogwarts.â
Baekhyun feels bad. âI, uh, I feel like Iâm bringing the team down. So I want to practice more.â He admits.
There's a flash of emotions on your face, but a warm smile wins. He nearly faints as your hand covers his on the table. âI canât imagine how bad you must be feeling over losing, but I promise you that I always admired your skills.â
His lips part in surprise. âYouâve seen me play?â
âWell, I am in the same house, you⊠goober. Gotta be supportive and all that.â You say lightly, and draw your hand away from his. He nearly protests at the loss of contact.
âWill you come to cheer me on for the next match this week?â he asks coolly and pauses, âOnly if youâre free.â
Your eyes are glinting with a warmth and he feels cozy by it. âI would love to.â
â
Baekhyun breathes out a massive sigh and blinks his eyes. He can hear the snowstorm outside, and shivers in the dark of his dorm room.
He yanks off his blankets as Jongdaeâs cat meows at him. He gives the cat a good glare. What business is the dumb cat upto this late, anyway?
He sucks in a breath, swings his feet onto the hardwood floor and walks downstairs. He blinks at the fireplace, and finds his way onto his favorite armchair when he spots youâlaying on the carpet, scribbling away furiously with your quill.
He whispers out your name, and you nearly leap into the fireplace. âMerlinâs beard!â you gasp, âYou scared me,â
He snickers and slides down onto the warm, thick rugâright next to you. âWhy are you up so late?â
âI could ask you the same thing,â your voice is only a hush in the dim lit common room. The wind scratches against the windows, and Baekhyun sees the snow swirling furiously in the air.
âI couldnât sleep.â He admits.
You set down the quill, and curl up next to him. An embrace of seeping warmth from your body makes him sigh.
âYouâre nervous,â you state. Your eyes are closed. Baekhyun hums, he doesnât really want to agree with that. Especially to you. He doesn't want to seem⊠weak.
âHey, its okay, you know,â your voice is a soothing balm. âI used to think that purebloods were better than me. But honestly, it never mattered. Because at the end of the day, I became a prefect only âcause I worked my ass off for it.â
You chuckle. Baekhyunâs throat feels tight.
âWhat Iâm trying to say is that⊠you work really, really hard. And although you don't think so, I think that youâre the best Chaser in all of Hogwarts. I know that youâll do your best tomorrow, Baekhyun.â
Baekhyun is quiet for a momentâhe is wondering if youâre heaven-sent. He then shifts his body towards you. His lips lift into a loopy smile.
âI really hope we win. I heard that thereâs gonna be a scout for the National Quidditch Team tomorrow,â he sighs.
âThey better pick you, Iâll make sure they do,â you say. âIf not, Iâll protest outside the Ministry or something.â
Baekhyun laughsâit echoes in the open space of the common room. He yawns again, and closes his eyes.
âI know we just became friends but, thank you. For always believing in me.â
â
Baekhyunâs face is bright red when he enters the Gryffindor common room with his teammates. A cacophony of voices and laughter fill the overcrowded room. Students wearing blue, yellow and green pop out from the dozens of reds.
He feels a bit overwhelmed with everyoneâs eyes on him. He tries to hide away in a corner, but Jongdaeâs shrill voice thunder across the room.
âCoooongradulaaations!â
âGood lord,â Baekhyun mumbles, and his eyes catches a huge three tiered chocolate cake. It is smothered in chocolate frosting, and thereâs a huge CONGRATULATIONS! written on with red frosting. He licks his lips in anticipation.
The chocolate cake is placed on a small table and Baekhyun wonders how itâs holding up as he shuffles closer to Chanyeol. His teammates blows the candlesâand heâs worried for a second that Professor Dumbledore is gonna get annoyed for such a huge ruckus being caused at the common room.
Baekhyun can't help but snicker as he sees Sehun, a close friend from Slytherin getting tangled in a streamer.
Jongin shoves a plate with a massive slice of chocolate cake towards Baekhyun. He digs into it with a fork, and takes a bite. He swallows, and almost cries from how amazing it tastes.
âIsnât it good? Me, Jongdae, Minseok and ____ went to the Kitchens last night to help the elves bake the cake,â Jongin says. He has been a friend of Baekhyun ever since they were in the same train compartment on his first year at Hogwarts.
Baekhyun speaks with his mouth full. âItâs really good.â Jongin cringes at him.
He finds Jongdae tucked away in a corner, laughing as he speaks with Minseok. He hears Minseok complaining about an owl biting his finger. He shudders at the thought.
âHey, Baekhyun! I almost fell out of the tower from screaming out your name so loud,â Minseok jokes and slaps his back. âYou were truly the star of the match.â
âThanks, hyung.â
Thereâs a proud smile on Jongdaeâs face. Minseok tells them heâs going to the Ravenclaw common room to grieve over their loss.
âWhen did you have the time to bake a cake?â Baekhyun blurts as soon as Minseok leaves. âYou were dead asleep last night!â
âYou were asleep next to ____ when I woke up to my alarm,â Jongdae says impishly as he grins back at Baekhyun and wiggles his eyebrows.
Baekhyun clears his throat.
âThis is so good,â he says loudly to Jongdae over the scuffle, shoving another forkful of chocolate cake into his mouth. Jongdae does not tease him about it afterwards.
The cake is nearly gone by the time everyone gravitates to other places. Baekhyun waves to Sehun and Kyungsoo as they leave. Chanyeol is arm-wrestling with Yixing. Their voices hit the ceiling. Junmyeon couldnât make it to the party, considering that he was the Head Boyâand had to soothe his Housemates over their loss.
That was okay, he can meet up with the boys next Saturday.
Baekhyun watches you play rock, paper, scissors with a 4th year, and grins as you snatch the plate of cake away after winning. Youâre smiling as you catch his eyes, heading to sit on the same couch as him.
âYou did so great,â you say lightly.
âThanks,â Baekhyun replies, smiling a little. âYou didnât have to do this.â
He gestures at the floating balloons, pieces of paper scattered from the party poppers and what is left of the cake.
âOkay? But we did it anyway,â you shrug.
He scowls, and nudges you with his elbow. Thereâs a gleeful laugh, and you set the empty plate on a table top and collapse next to him.
Baekhyun shifts closer to you as you find the perfect spot to restâusing his chest to rest your head on.
His insides feel funnyâand it's not from the cake.
âSo, did you sneak into the kitchens without me?â Baekhyun says, pretending to be hurt.
âWhat makes you think Iâd make you decorate a cake thatâs meant for you?â you quip lazily.
âFine. I liked it. And I like you a lot better now,â Baekhyun mumbles.
âWell, I like you enough to make a cake.â you clarify. âIâm so proud of you, Baek.â
âI havenât felt this happy for the longest time. Maybe I was in a slump,â Baekhyun breathes in your familiar, warm scent.
âIâm glad you feel better now,â you squeeze his hand. Baekhyun feels his heart almost lurch out of his chest.
Baekhyun pulls you in closer with a fond smile.
âWonder whatâs for dinner tonight.â
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Ask the Cat Doc: Frequent Vomiting, Cats and Young Children, Hyperesthesia, and More
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Welcome to our regular âAsk the Cat Doc With Dr. Lynn Bahrâ segment! Once a month, Dr. Bahr answers as many of your questions as she can, and you can leave new questions for her in a comment.
Dr. Bahr graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. Unlike most veterinarians, she did not grow up knowing that she would become a veterinarian. âIt was a cat who got me interested in the practice and I am forever grateful to him,â said Dr. Bahr. Over the course of her veterinary career, Dr. Bahr found that the lifestyle of cats has changed dramatically. As the lifestyle of cats has changed, so did Dr. Bahrâs client education. In addition to finding medical solutions, she also encourages owners to enrich their home environments so that their cats can live long, happy, and healthy lives.
This new understanding led Dr. Bahr to combine her passion for strengthening the human-animal bond with her veterinary background and knowledge of what animals need and want to start her own solution-based cat product company, Dezi & Roo, inspired by two cats of the same names.
For more information about Dezi & Roo and their unique and innovative cat toys, please visit Dezi and Roo on Etsy.
Frequent vomiting
My Calico cat Lucky is 14 yo. She throws up hairball w/ bile. We hd bought Feliway to calm her itâs a plug-in, She gets Hartâs hairball remedy plus every day. She overgrooms herself. It seems as she gets older itâs mainly every day or maybe she skips a day. Otherwise sheâs healthy & her weight is fine. Can u give me any suggestions? Thanking you in advance! â Mary-Ellen
Hi Mary-Ellen, this is a commonly asked question and I am so grateful that you wrote in. It allows me the opportunity to alert owners like you to the fact that frequent vomiting is NOT normal. It makes no difference whether the vomitus consists of hair, bile, food, or otherwise â chronic vomiting is a medical problem. The fact that Lucky is healthy and her weight is unchanged is a good sign; however, she needs to be seen by a veterinarian who will take her problem seriously. Otherwise, it will be harder to treat as the condition progresses.
Bloodwork is a good place to start, but cats with gastrointestinal diseases typically require an ultrasound exam too. None of these tests are invasive so donât let that stop you from having Luckyâs problem diagnosed. Depending on what is found, will depend on how she will be treated. There are many options available to help her vomit less often and she will be so much healthier for it. Please donât be lulled into thinking there is nothing wrong just because she acts fine.
I appreciate you writing in to ask for suggestions. Unfortunately, the only one I have is to have her seen by a veterinarian with expertise in feline gastrointestinal issues. You, and Lucky, will be grateful you did. Let me know how it turns out.
Cat swipes at young children
My friendâs daughter has 2 children, age 2 years and 4 months and a 12 year old cat. She has had the cat 12 years, now enter the children. The cat swipes at the children and has scratched the 2 year old. The daughter has not tried anything to help the situation and at this point has given up. She keeps the cat in a room by herself all day and lets her out at night. The daughter is tired at night and does not play with the cat. She and her husband used to play a lot with the cat, but since the children came have not played much with the cat. She is at the point where she is thinking of rehoming the cat, though she loves the cat. I have suggested many things, but my friend said her daughter does not think anything will work. Is there anything I can suggest to her? â Jo Louise Klein
Hi Jo Louise, I am saddened to hear about the plight of your friendâs daughterâs cat. At one point in this kittyâs life it was loved and an important member of the family. Like you, it pains me to know that is no longer the case.
When my son was young, he would often run after our cats or try to pick them up when they did not want to be held. They expressed their displeasure by swatting at him and left several battle scars to prove it. I used those opportunities to teach my son how to properly handle and live with cats. He soon learned that unless he respected their space, he would get scratched. It took a while for him to learn, but he did eventually become a gentle, kind, animal-lover.
Children benefit from growing up with pets in so many ways. This is a good opportunity for your friend to help her kids become animal lovers. I would recommend that instead of rehoming her kitty, she bring it back into the fold and go back to treating it like an important family member. This is the best solution for everyone and will help her children learn the joy of living with, and loving, cats.
She can start by playing more with her cat in front of the kids so they can see how amusing and fun cats are as they jump in the air, run, chase and pounce on wand toys. This will also help the cat become more comfortable around the kids and vice versa. She should encourage the 2 year old to help feed the cat which will also get both kitty and the child used to being around each other in pleasurable ways. Let the 2 year old throw a treat across the room as this will also bond the two together. Allowing the cat to sit close by while reading to the young ones and encouraging the cat to be present more will be beneficial for everyone.
Using these opportunities to teach her children that kitty is an important member of the family and showing them how to treat her properly will benefit them in so many ways. She can turn her kids into cat lovers by example as opposed to giving this cat away. It would be a shame to discard her and miss out on the chance to have her children learn the joys of growing up with a cat, even, if it means getting scratched a few times before learning how to respect her space. Thank you for being a concerned cat lover and trying to help. I hope it works out well for everyone.
Cat chews on and ingests string
Hello Dr Bahr, Iâm a long-time cat owner, but took a 4 yr break after our last cat died. We recently adopted a kitten who is now nearly 6 months old. Sheâs a joy to have around, but she has two behaviors that are a problem. First, she bites a lot. Itâs always play-biting/play aggression. I have already read all the suggestions and do everything I can to not engage with my hands, to disengage from play as soon as she starts biting (she clearly thinks itâs just a fun game and I am her favorite toy), hissing, providing tons of toys and spending lots of time playing with her with those toys. I think she was separated from her mother and litter mates too young and never learned good cat manners.
However, the other problem may be related: She ingests strings. All kinds of strings. She has completely eaten the tails off of nearly every mouse we have, both rawhide/leather types and string types. She has swallowed quite a few lengths of string from toys sheâs played with. She chews on the strings and eventually something goes down her throat, she canât get it out herself, and unless I catch it happening, itâs gone. Iâm sure she swallowed at least 8âł of a heavy-duty thread that she used to play with, and Iâve found bits of floss that sheâs nearly swallowed. And those are the ones I know about. The problem is, string is her absolutely favorite thing to play with. I cut a toy off one of her wand toys recently, and she went nuts for it with just the string. Of course she ended up eating a few inches of the string before I realized and took it away. Iâm trying heavier cording, ribbons, etc. But it is such a concern.
And Iâm wondering if the biting behaviors could be related to this incessant string chewing. She also bites on the edges of cardboard boxes, furniture, the edge of our mattress, and various other items. I understand that she could be teething (at 6 months though?) and have provided chewy toys, which she isnât thrilled with. She doesnât care at all about catnip, FYI. She will chew on the silver vine sticks, but doesnât have any other reaction to them either â theyâre just good for chewing, I guess.
So how worried do I have to be about all these leather tails and lengths of string that have ended up in her belly? And is there anything I can do discourage her from swallowing the stuff? And can you suggest anything new for the play aggression. â Jan Wolfenberg
Hi Jan, cats that eat string scare me to no end because it can be deadly for them. Linear foreign bodies are extremely serious and dangerous, and many cats suffer painful deaths because of it. You should be very concerned about your kittyâs strong attachment to eating tails and string, and you will need to make sure she never has access to it.
Cats are born without teeth. Their baby ones erupt quickly and grow until approximately 5-6 months of age at which time the adult teeth emerge, pushing the sharp baby teeth out. Your cat is still going through the teething stage and her gums are still feeling sore.
She has discovered that chewing on string feels good and is oblivious to the fact that it can be dangerous. As you have observed, string catches easily on the barbed tongue, and because cats donât have fingers, they are unable to detach it. So, they try by swallowing instead. When it gets wrapped around the base of the tongue, it becomes anchored and turns into a linear foreign body that becomes a serious surgical problem. You definitely want to avoid this happening to your kitty under all circumstances.
Fortunately, she is exhibiting normal behavior for a kitten of this age. I would recommend you continue to play with her several times a day, making sure to remove all toys when you are done. Keeping her active will help engage her mind and body and is the key to successfully treating most behavioral problems. Consider growing safe grass for her to munch on, as well as, finding oral care treats that are meant to be chewed rather than ingested whole. Have you had a veterinarian give her a good oral exam to make sure she isnât dealing with a gum problem? Juvenile stomatitis is rare but something she should be checked for.
I have known many cats that enjoy using their molar teeth to chew on acrylic or plastic wands. Some even like plastic straws. You may have to hold it horizontally and off the ground so that it is positioned optimally for her. Cardboard is a much safer outlet and you wonât have to be as concerned about her chewing on it. She will always seek out things that feel good to chew so it is important that you find safer alternatives for her to indulge in. That will help deter her from seeking out harmful items like tails and string. Use your creativity to find safe items that will tap into her need to exercise the back molars and help satisfy her urge to chew.
You mentioned catnip and silver vine sticks. Kittens do not generally react to catnip, silver vine or other cat attractants until they become adults. It takes them time to develop the âsensibilityâ and your kitty may enjoy it when she gets older. Offer it to her again when she is closer to a year of age. There is even a chance she might grow out of her incessant need to chew string too. I hope that is the case. But if she doesnât, please make sure is never allowed to play with it unsupervised. I wish you the best of luck.
Hyperesthesia
Hi Dr. Bahr, I have a cat who is about 3 years old who has hyperesthesia. They say itâs a rare syndrome and there isnât a consensus of opinion about what it is or what causes it or how to treat it, yet there seem to be a lot of cat owners online who have cats with hyperesthesia. Is there any research being done? I have found a toy (Laser Tower) that helps distract my cat (Doodle) when sheâs having a âspellâ and I use it a lot. Sometimes a little catnip also calms her down. Her spells seem to be less frequent as she gets older but she still does have some severe ones that cause her to run around frantically like sheâs being chased and she attacks her tail so violently that it sounds like a cat fight. Oddly enough sheâs been more âtouchy feelyâ with me (which I like) but Iâve noticed that sometimes sitting next to me or on my lap causes her tail to start swishing which triggers a hyperesthesia spell. Weâre a multi cat household and weâve made adjustments so Doodle is supervised when sheâs around the other cats and it seems to be working fine. I am wondering if there is any more research being done or any trials for medications etc. I wouldnât want to sedate her but Iâd be interested in any tips on how else to handle her more severe spells. â Nancy
Hi Nancy, as you mentioned, hyperesthesia is not a common condition, but I have encountered enough cats who suffer from it to know that it is a complicated and frustrating problem. While it is a heartbreaking to observe, I am happy to hear that Doodle is growing out of it. It is my belief that providing cats with lots of playing opportunities and ways to stay active helps keep them happy and healthy and distracting Doodle when she is having a âspellâ is purrfect! It may also be helpful to avoid touching or petting her back area to avoid triggering an episode. Has your veterinarian ruled out other causes that may be causing her âattacksâ?
I am not aware of any earth-shattering research or break through therapies in regard to hyperesthesia. It is still a mystery and, unfortunately, there are still no definitive treatments for it. Several researchers and clinicians are working on it and hopefully, they will gain a better understanding of what causes it and how to treat it, soon. Fortunately, hyperesthesia is not life-threatening and Doodle is an otherwise happy, healthy, and enriched feline. She is lucky to have you as her caretaker and I appreciate your interest in trying to help her without resorting to administering sedatives. Especially since her symptoms appear to be on the milder side.
Thank you for being such a conscientious owner.
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