The fire in the Hufflepuff common room crackled softly, its glow painting the walls in golden hues that danced and shimmered like liquid light. Outside, the castle slept under a blanket of stars, but here, cocooned on the couch, the world felt smaller, safer, and infinitely warmer.

Cedric sat at the center, his frame sinking comfortably into the cushions. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his head tilted back, eyes half-lidded with the kind of ease he rarely allowed himself. On one side, Cho nestled into him, her silken hair spilling over his shoulder like a curtain of ink. Her delicate fingers traced lazy circles across the back of his hand, each motion slow, soothing, absentminded.

And then there was you, tucked against his other side, your head resting on his shoulder, your weight pressing lightly into him as if you’d been made to fit there. The soft blanket draped across the three of you was hardly enough to ward off the chill of winter seeping through the stone walls, but between tangled legs and shared warmth, none of you minded.

The quiet stretched, heavy not with silence, but with comfort. It was the kind of moment too rare to break, yet soft enough to invite the smallest of whispers.

“You’re both so warm,” Cho murmured, her voice thick with drowsiness, muffled against Cedric’s robes.

“That’s because you keep stealing all the blanket,” you teased, nudging her calf beneath the folds.

Cho let out a faint, sleepy laugh, her hand tightening briefly around Cedric’s.

Cedric chuckled too, a low, soothing sound that rumbled through his chest, vibrating against both of you. His arms shifted, wrapping a little tighter around his lovers, drawing you both closer until there was no space left between the three of you. His warmth radiated like the hearthfire itself.

“Guess that means,” he murmured, his voice carrying that effortless blend of humor and tenderness, “we’ll just have to stay like this forever.”

Cho tilted her head up at him, a drowsy smile curving her lips. “Forever sounds nice,” she whispered, before pressing the gentlest kiss to his jaw, just beneath his ear.

Cedric’s breath hitched, his laugh breaking into something softer, fonder. He turned his head slightly, catching her lips in a brief, tender kiss before resting his forehead against hers.

Not wanting to be left out, you lifted your face from his shoulder, your nose brushing against the fabric of his robes. Cedric looked down, his hazel eyes warm even in the dim firelight. Without hesitation, he leaned toward you too, pressing a slow kiss to your temple, lingering there as if the act alone steadied him.

“You two,” he murmured against your skin, his voice quiet with something that felt suspiciously like awe.

Cho giggled, sleepy and soft, while you turned your head just enough to press your lips lightly against Cedric’s shoulder, a promise hidden in the smallest of touches.

And as the fire popped, throwing another golden spark into the air, the three of you sank deeper into the couch, hearts steady, warmth shared, and kisses like anchors to a moment you wished could last forever.