The snow crunched softly beneath your boots as you and Theo made your way deeper into the Forbidden Forest, the silence between you only broken by the occasional snap of a branch or the distant hoot of an owl. The icy chill of the night air nipped at your face, and you clutched your cloak tighter around yourself, shivering slightly.

Theo walked beside you, his expression as unreadable as ever, though his eyes flickered toward you every so often. There was something about the quiet solitude of the forest, away from the prying eyes of Hogwarts, that made the tension between you all the more palpable.

“You know,” you said, breaking the silence, “this was your idea, but I’m starting to think you planned to freeze me to death out here.”

Theo glanced at you, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t make it so obvious.”

“Comforting,” you muttered, rolling your eyes.

A particularly cold gust of wind blew through the trees, making you shiver again. You couldn’t hide it this time, and Theo stopped walking, his brows knitting together in concern.

“It’s freezing out here,” you admitted, your breath visible in the cold night air.

Theo hesitated for a moment before shrugging off his cloak. Without a word, he stepped closer, wrapping it around your shoulders. His movements were careful, almost hesitant, as though he wasn’t quite sure if he was crossing a line.

“Come here,” he murmured, his voice softer than usual. “it will keep you warm.”