Your dorm is your sanctuary, and right now, it’s alive with your voice. You’re perched on your bed, legs crossed, headphones snug over your ears as you sing softly to the lyrics. You’re lost in your little world, unaware of the shadow lingering just outside the slightly ajar door.

Theodore Nott leans against the frame, arms crossed, his sharp green eyes locked on you. He’d come to borrow a book, but hearing your voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Ooh, who’s the cute boy with the white jacket And the thick accent? Like—”

His brows lift at the line, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips. The way you sang it, playful and teasing, sent a pleasant chill down his spine. He steps inside quietly, drawn to you like a moth to a flame.

You don’t notice. Your voice drops lower as the next verse pours out.

“Come ride on me—I mean, camaraderie Said you’re not in my time zone but you wanna be…”

Theo freezes. His heart thuds harder, heat crawling up his neck as the words sink in. You look so casual, swaying slightly, completely unaware of the effect you’re having on him.

When the door creaks under his weight, you snap out of it, yanking off your headphones to find Theo standing there, his smirk now full-fledged.

“Theo!” you gasp, cheeks burning. “How long were you there?”

“Long enough to hear you’ve got… interesting taste in lyrics,” he says, his voice low, thick with his Italian lilt. “That song—who’s it about, exactly?”

You stammer, flustered, but he steps closer, tilting his head with a knowing look. “Sing it again for me,” he murmurs, his eyes glittering. “I think I want to hear that last part one more time.”