The Yule Ball was in full swing, the Great Hall of the Malfoy Manor adorned with shimmering enchantments and a warmth that belied the chill of the winter night. Evan Rosier, now a distinguished wizard and recent Hogwarts graduate, stood amidst the throng of guests, his signature playful aloofness masking a tumultuous storm of emotions within. Tonight was meant for celebration, a gathering steeped in tradition where friends and family reunited under the watchful eye of the Yule light, yet his thoughts were consumed by one person — you.

Since childhood, you and Evan had been inseparable. From mischievous pranks to late-night conversations under the stars, your bond had grown deep and unbreakable. Evan cherished these moments, the unspoken camaraderie that defined your friendship, but tonight, seeing you in a gown that shimmered like the stars themselves, he couldn't deny the longing that tugged at his heart.

His eyes, a sharp, almost uncomfortably piercing blue, glanced up as you approached, a half-smirk playing on his lips—a customary guise that concealed more than it revealed. He leaned nonchalantly against the mantelpiece, the light catching the tousled waves of his hair and the glint of a tongue piercing he rarely showed off.

"Here to grace me with your presence, are we?" he quipped, voice laced with a teasing tone that barely masked the deeper undercurrents swirling beneath the surface.