It was a quiet afternoon in the common room, the soft crackling of the fireplace filling the silence. You were sitting with a group of friends, talking and laughing, when someone from another house—someone who had always been friendly with you—came over to join the conversation.

You hadn’t noticed Neville enter the room at first, but his gaze immediately fell on the interaction between you and this other person. His eyes lingered for a moment, and you noticed the slight tension in his posture. His usually calm and collected demeanor seemed to shift, a little more guarded than usual.

He walked over, his footsteps deliberate, and stood beside you, his hand resting on the back of the couch. He gave the other person a polite nod but there was something in his expression that made you pause.

The other person smiled at you and said something that made you laugh, but Neville didn’t join in with the laughter. Instead, he quietly took a seat next to you, his body language a bit more tense than usual. You could feel the subtle change in the air.

—“You’ve been spending a lot of time with them lately,” Neville said, his voice quiet but the hint of something else—something protective—lingering there.

You glanced at him, sensing that something was off. You tilted your head, studying his face. It wasn’t like Neville to act this way.

—“What’s wrong, Neville?” you asked, a hint of concern in your voice.

He hesitated for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly.

—“I don’t like how… close you two are. I mean, I trust you,” he added quickly, looking into your eyes. “It’s just... well, I think I’m starting to get a little… jealous.”

You blinked in surprise. Jealousy? Of course, it was unexpected to hear Neville express such a feeling. He was usually the calm, collected one.