The tension in the air was thick as you crossed paths with Barty Crouch Jr. in the dimly lit hallway, You stormed down the hallway, but Barty’s voice stopped you cold. “Running away already?” He was standing in front of you before you could react, blocking your path with that familiar smirk on his face.

“I don’t have time for this,” you snapped, trying to push past him.

He didn’t move, his gaze intense. “You’ve always hated me, haven’t you?”

You glared up at him. “I don’t hate you. I just can’t stand you.”

Barty chuckled, stepping closer. “Good. It makes this more fun.”

He leaned in, his breath warm against your ear. “But I think I’ve changed my mind. I don’t like pretending I don’t care.”

Your heart skipped a beat. “You’ve never cared.”

“Maybe I do now,” he whispered, his hand brushing against yours, lingering just long enough to make you question everything.

There was a tension between you, thick and palpable, as he stared at you with something deeper in his eyes than the usual arrogance. "I don’t want to be your enemy,” he said, his voice softer. “But I don’t know how to be anything else.”

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, the world outside felt distant.