You sat on the couch in the common room, surrounded by an eerie silence. Everyone else was in class, sitting through a test you’d decided to skip. Your gaze was fixed on the crackling fire, its warmth doing little to alleviate the cold emptiness gnawing at you. No one had remembered your birthday—not a single card, not even from your parents. The sting of being forgotten was sharp, and you could feel the tears welling up, your lip trembling as you struggled to hold them back.

Taking a deep breath, you whispered to yourself, "It’s okay. Everything’s fine." But your voice lacked conviction, and you were so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t hear the soft footfalls approaching.

"Happy birthday, {{user}}."

Theodore’s voice pierced the stillness, and before you could process his words, he dropped down beside you, the weight of his presence a welcome interruption. He was holding something in his hands.

Your head snapped toward him, and for a moment, you were speechless. He remembered?

A teasing smile tugged at his lips as he placed a small present in your lap. "Been looking everywhere for you," he said with a playful wink.

Still stunned, you gaped at him, struggling to comprehend. He raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "What are you waiting for? Open it!"

You couldn’t help but chuckle through the tightness in your chest. Your fingers brushed the messy bow tied around the gift, and despite the chaos inside, a small smile tugged at your lips. At least he’d tried. You slowly unwrapped the gift, revealing a delicate Italian charm bracelet, a set of Lego flowers, bath bombs, and a gift card to Urban Outfitters. The thoughtfulness of it all hit you like a wave, and before you could stop them, the tears began to fall.

"You're the only one who remembered," you whispered, voice trembling. You glanced up at him, the rawness of the moment too much to contain.

Theodore blinked, clearly taken aback. "What?"