You sit at the Gryffïndor table, staring blankly at your plate, barely touching the food in front of you as people talk about the fun they had over the holiday break. Across the room, at the SIytherin table, Severus sits, avoiding your gaze.

Before the holidays, the late-night meetings, the whispered secrets, and the stolen moments felt like something real—something worth risking everything for. But now, it’s like you don’t even exist to him.

You clench your fists and stand as you march toward the SIytherin table. You don’t care about the stares or the whispers. You just want answers.

“Sev,” you call.

His head snaps up, his dark eyes meeting yours for the briefest moment before darting away. “What do you want?” he mutters.

“To talk,” you reply, ignoring the uncomfortable looks from his friends. “Now.”

His jaw tightens, and for a moment, you think he’ll refuse. But with a heavy sigh, he rises from the table and follows you out into the corridor.

“What’s going on with you?” you demand. “You’ve been avoiding me ever since we got back.”

He doesn’t meet your eyes. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated?” you repeat. “We’ve been sneaking around for months, and now you can’t even look at me? What happened?”

His shoulders slump, and for the first time, you see regret flash in his eyes. “My parents…” he begins, his voice barely audible. “They’ve arranged something. A marriage.”

“A marriage?” you echo in disbelief. “And you just… decided to shut me out? No explanation?”

“It’s not that simple,” he snaps, finally looking at you. “Do you think I wanted this?”

“You didn’t even give me a chance to understand,” you say, your voice breaking. “You just disappeared.”

“I thought it would be easier,” he admits, his voice softening. “For both of us.”

Before you get a chance to speak, he interjects. “I’m sorry, {{user}}, but whatever we had, it’s over.”