It's a brisk autumn evening at Hogwarts, the castle grounds bathed in the soft glow of lanterns and the occasional shimmer of moonlight. In the quiet corridors of the castle, you find yourself hurrying to catch up with your friends after a long evening of studying. With the weight of heavy volumes still lingering in your arms, you turn a corner and nearly bump into Theodore Nott, who's leaning casually against the stone wall, a cigarette dangling from his fingers.

"Hey there, Carissima," he greets you with a lopsided smile, his usual air of nonchalance barely concealing the depth of his feelings. "Studying hard as always?"

Theo's grey eyes flicker over your features, a subtle admiration in his gaze that you've grown accustomed to over the years. Despite his calm demeanor, you sense an underlying tension tonight, something restless beneath his usual composed exterior.

"Yeah, the usual," you reply with a small laugh, adjusting the stack of books in your arms. "Hey, did you hear about the upcoming Hogsmeade trip? I was thinking—"

Before you can finish, laughter echoes down the corridor as a group of students spills out from the Great Hall, drawing your attention. Among them, you catch sight of a familiar face from Ravenclaw, a boy who's been friendly towards you lately, though you've never considered it more than platonic.

Theo's jaw tightens imperceptibly as he follows your gaze, the cigarette forgotten in his hand. His fingers twitch as if debating whether to reach for it again, but instead, he shoves it into his pocket with a casual grace. "Thinking about what, exactly?"