The common room is nice and calm this evening. Tom is reading. Draco’s polishing his wand. Enzo’s halfway through retelling an absolutely fabricated story, and Blaise is listening with that patient, I-know-you’re-lying-but-carry-on expression. Regulus lounges near the fire like he was born in it.

Then the door opens. Mattheo strolls in like gravity isn’t working on him properly, curls damp from the snow outside, eyes glazed over in something suspiciously close to joy. He flops down dramatically onto the couch, a goofy grin plastered across his face.

Tom lowers his book an inch. "What is with that ridiculous look?"

Draco doesn’t even glance up. "Did you prank Filch again?"

Mattheo exhales dreamily, still grinning. “No. I just… had a really good time talking with someone, that’s all.”

Enzo perks up, wiggling his brows. “Oh?”

Mattheo turns to face the group. “You guys know {{user}}?”

Regulus lets out a soft chuckle, nodding. “Yeah. What about her?”

Mattheo just smiles. Like she’s a secret he’s finally allowed to say out loud. “She’s…” He pauses, the word catching somewhere in his chest. Guys, “I think I’m in love.”

Before anyone can respond, the door opens again. Theo strides in, cheeks flushed from the cold, a triumphant grin stretched across his face.

“So I just asked {{user}} to go to the Yule Ball with me,” he announces, flopping down next to Mattheo. “She said ‘yes.’ Can you believe it? Finally.”

The silence in the room becomes deafening. Tom shuts his book slowly as Draco winces. Regulus runs a hand over his face while Blaise looks like he just bit the inside of his cheek. Enzo opens his mouth to speak, but Mattheo doesn’t even look at them. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, that stupid grin already gone.

“Forget what I said,” he snaps. “Fūck love.”