Every time you were alone with Professor Riddle, the lines blurred even further. He was your professor, after all, and more painfully, he was married. Yet, despite the clear boundaries, something undeniable simmered between you.

However, you can’t hold back the question that has been gnawing at you for weeks. “Do you like her?” you ask, your voice betraying the fear and vulnerability you felt. You already know what he will say, but you need to hear it.

He hesitates, just for a moment, before responding, “Yeah.”

It’s just one word, but it shatters your heart into a million pieces. You can’t speak, you can't breathe. The tears well up in your eyes and spill down your cheeks.

Sensing your pain, he tries to explain, his voice soft and regretful. “It’s easy with her.”

His words cut through you like a knife. “Oh,” is all you can manage to say as you fight to keep more tears from falling. You turn to leave, your heart aching with the unbearable weight of unspoken words and unfulfilled desires.

But then, just as you are about to walk away, Professor Riddle speaks again, and his words make your heart stop. “But, I love you, {{user}}.”

You turn back to him, your eyes wide with disbelief. He closes the distance between you, his gaze intense and filled with longing. “But everything is so damn hard,” he confesses. As he reaches out, his fingers brush against your cheek, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. The touch is so tender, so intimate, that it sends shivers down your spine.

“It shouldn’t be this hard, doll,” he murmurs.