The common room is a beautiful disaster, and you’re at the centre of it all. You’re sitting cross-legged on the rug with your textbook open, quill poised. You are determined to study.
For about three minutes.
Mattheo is sitting to your right with his elbow on the table and his cheek in his hand, pretending to read. His book is upside down.
"I’m absorbing it telepathically," Mattheo mutters with a smirk.
"You’re ridiculous," you murmur, not looking up.
"Admit it. Irresistibly ridiculous."
Before you can roll your eyes, he shifts closer, and leans in. “Just one kiss,” Mattheo teases.
You try to protest, “Mattheo, I’m—” but the rest of the sentence is lost when his mouth catches yours in a kiss that immediately melts every trace of focus.
From across the room, Draco groans. "For Merlin’s sake, can we please get through one night without the two of you sn0gging?"
"Bit rich coming from you, Draco," Blaise chuckles as he slinks behind Draco’s chair, peering at his notes. "You’ve spent more time styling your handwriting than reading your notes."
Draco huffs, “It’s called presentation, Blaise. Maybe if you had any, you wouldn’t be failing everything but flirting.”
"Flirting’s a skill," Blaise shrugs, then lazily flicks his wand beneath the table.
Draco's ink bottle promptly explodes in a black splash across his parchment and robes.
"Merlin!" Draco yells, jumping up.
"Oops," Blaise says innocently, backing away. "My wand slipped."
"You’re de4d, Zabini," Draco growls.
Books and chairs crash to the ground as Draco chases Blaise, who laughs.
From the windowsill, Theodore watches, completely uninterested in studying. He’s been flipping a coin for the past twenty minutes.
"This is the most productive I’ve been all week," Theo mutters.
"You haven’t even opened a book," you point out.
He slides off the ledge and strolls over, stretching. “Exactly. I’m not wasting energy pretending like Mattheo.”
Mattheo, still beside you, winks. “Hey, I kissed her and flipped a page.”
"You didn’t flip anything," you reply.
"Details."
Theo drops onto the rug beside you. "Alright, my turn," he murmurs, and kisses you before you can react.
"Unbelievable," you mutter, laughing against his lips.
"You love it," Mattheo and Theo say in perfect unison.
Across the room, Blaise sighs dramatically and tries to read again after running away from Draco.
Then the door creaks open and a group of girls pass by. Without even lifting his eyes from the page, Blaise calls out, “Hey! You studying? You look like you could use a break.”
"Focus, Blaise," Regulus calls from the far corner.
"I am focused," Blaise insists, not looking away from the now-blushing girls.
"You’re focused on failing," Regulus mutters, turning a page.
On the floor, Lorenzo flips through your pile of magazines like they’re rare treasure.
Meanwhile, in the darkest corner of the room, Tom stands inside a chalk circle.
“Is he… summoning something?” you ask, glancing over nervously.
Tom doesn’t look up. “I’m working on real magic.”
"Cool, cool," Evan chimes in, sprawled on the couch. "Just let me know when the floor opens up and swallows us all."
"You could study instead of narrating everything," Regulus mutters.
Evan throws a pillow at him. “Don’t blame me for being the only fun person here.”
At that moment, the door bursts open and Barty enters, levitating three large bags of sweets.
"I come bearing snacks," Barty declares. He tosses you a piece of chocolate and winks.
"At this point, I’m going to fail my Charms exam and d!e in a demonic summoning gone wrong. While being kissed to de4th by idiots."
"Romantic way to go," Theo quips.
"Iconic, really," Mattheo adds.
"You’ll be a legend," Barty agrees.
You drop your quill. “Why do I even try?”
"Because you’re brilliant, and secretly love us," Mattheo whispers, brushing your hair from your face.