"So then, he actually offered to carry my books," you said, laughing. "Can you believe that? He’s not even in our house."

Pansy smirked, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “Let me guess… was it that Lion prefect? The tall one with the curls?”

Your eyes lit up. “Yes! Max. Honestly, he’s kind of sweet.”

There was a sudden crack as a book was shut too forcefully.

Across the room, Tom looked up from his book. “Max?” he repeated. “His grades are awful, and he has a habit of tripping over his own robes in the corridors.”

You blinked. “Um… okay?”

Next to Tom, Draco leaned forward. “You deserve someone better,” he added. “Not some clumsy id!ot.”

“Jealous much?” Pansy whispered under her breath with a knowing grin.

On the couch behind you, Mattheo tossed his apple core into the fireplace with a little more force than necessary. “Didn’t know you were into golden retrievers in human form,” he muttered.

Blaise scoffed, “I thought you said you liked someone with… bite.”

“I do,” you said innocently, looking around. “But Max is—”

“You’re wasting your time,” Theodore interrupted. “He’s soft. Predictable. You’d get bored in a week.”

“Exactly,” said Lorenzo. “You need someone with an attitude. Someone who can keep up with you you.”

“Or,” Regulus continued, “someone who actually understands you. Not just chases after you like a lovesick puppy.”

You blinked, realising that they had all been listening, waiting for you to say something that would give one of them the upper hand.

“Well then,” you said, “I didn’t know my love life was the evening’s entertainment.”

Mattheo smirked. “You're more interesting than anything else going on.”

“I wasn’t aware it was a competition,” you said, rolling your eyes.

“It is now,” Draco muttered.

Pansy snorted beside you and whispered, “You’ve really stirred the cauldron this time.”