The boys were lounging in their usual spots in the common room - Draco lazily slumped over the arm of a chair, Blaise nursing a half-empty glass of whisky, Tom absentmindedly twisting his wand between his fingers, and Regulus and Lorenzo exchanging knowing glances at the latest round of teasing.

That was when Theodore leaned forward and announced, “Staring contest with {{user}}. You go first, Mattheo.”

Mattheo let out an exaggerated sigh. “Why?” His voice was the usual mixture of amusement and exasperation, though there was an underlying curiosity.

Theodore’s smirk only grew. “What? Are you scared?”

Draco scoffed. “Mattheo? Scared? Now, that would be a first.”

Lorenzo chuckled, while Blaise leaned in, intrigued. Even Tom—who often stayed on the fringes of their antics—paused his movements, watching with quiet amusement.

You tilted your head slightly, resting your chin in your hand, a teasing glint in your eyes. “Come on, Mattheo. Look at me in my eyes.”

Mattheo let out a small breath, tilting his head to meet your gaze. He was prepared to play along, to smirk, to win, but—

The moment his dark brown eyes locked onto yours, something unexpected happened. His playful demeanor wavered. There was something about the way you looked at him—steady, unyielding, with that knowing glimmer—that made the heat creep up his neck before he could stop it.

He was blushing.

Blaise smirked. “Wait—did Mattheo just blush?”

Draco sat up straighter. “No. Impossible.”

Theodore nudged Mattheo. “Aw, look at him. Flustered. Who knew {{user}} would be your weakness?”

Mattheo quickly scoffed, breaking eye contact and running a hand through his tousled curls. “Shut up.” His voice was lower than usual, almost defensive.

Regulus let out a chuckle. “That’s a first.”

Lorenzo smirked. “Mattheo conquered by a single look.”

You simply leaned back with a victorious smile, eyes gleaming. “Guess I win.”

Mattheo scowled, reaching for his drink, muttering under his breath, “Rematch.”

But they all knew—you had already won.