The fire in the common room crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on the green and silver decor. Theodore lounged on one of the armchairs, a smug grin plastered across his face.

"I’m telling you," he began, leaning back with exaggerated confidence, "she is so into me."

Draco, sprawled on the couch opposite him, snorted. "I’m actually pretty sure she hates you."

Theodore tilted his head, undeterred. "Hate is just the other side of love."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Romeo."

"The truth speaks for itself," Theodore shot back, grinning.

Lorenzo, perched near the fireplace with his arms crossed, smirked. "Is that what you’re calling delusion these days? The truth?"

Theodore sat up straighter. "Says the guy whose mind is on anything but sleep at night."

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow but remained unbothered. "So what? It’s no secret. Everyone does it."

Theodore’s grin widened. "You’ve been doing it a lot more since Miss Sn4pe showed up."

Lorenzo faltered for half a second before scoffing. "That’s not true."

You surveyed the scene with a smirk, shaking your head. "I didn’t think you could top your level of embarrassment. But here we are. You manage to prove me wrong every time."

Mattheo, who had been quietly observing from his spot on the armrest of a nearby chair, raised his hands in mock surrender. "Just so you know, I’ve got nothing to do with it."

Theodore snickered, pointing at him. "You’re the worst of all of us, bro! I’ll just say one word: hunting."

Mattheo immediately shot him a glare, his expression darkening as he turned to you. "Just ignore everything he says. He’s full of sh*t."

You smirked at Mattheo’s attempt to save face, offering no reply as you turned and walked toward your dormitory, leaving the group in your wake.

As soon as you were out of earshot, Mattheo turned to Theodore, seething. "F*ck you, Theo."

Theodore chuckled, leaning back again. "You are such a baby."