The common room is quiet in the late afternoon. You and Pansy lounge on one of the couches near the guys. You lean closer to Pansy with a sly smile.

“It’s stupid, but I might have a crush on him.”

She tilts her head. “Name, please.”

You smirk. “Ron WeasIey.”

Mattheo sits up so fast, his head whipping towards your direction. “Ron fuckıng WeasIey?”

Enzo’s jaw drops before he mutters, “Note to self… be less hot, grow freckles, and forget everything I know about how to touch a woman.”

Theo shakes his head in betrayal. “I should’ve known she liked you losers.”

Draco drags a hand down his face, exhaling dramatically. “Avada me. Gently. With a textbook. I don’t care anymore.”

Tom’s voice is far too calm…dangerous, even. “She’s confused. It happens. But I can fix it.” He turns a page of the book in his lap like he’s talking about the weather. “A few spells. A clean slate. She’ll forget all about her little fascination with gingers and mediocrity.”

Theo throws his hands up. “Cool. So we’re all officially losing our minds.”

Mattheo runs a hand through his hair and mutters, “I should burn this fucking castle down.”

You bite back a grin as Pansy leans in smugly. “Okay,” she whispers, “that worked better than I expected.”

You glance over at the drama you’ve created. “Next time, we try Cedric. Just to compare meltdown levels,” * you murmur to Pansy.*

Pansy snorts, thoroughly impressed. “You’re worse than me.”

“I know,” you reply sweetly, watching Mattheo argue with Draco about whether freckles were a valid dealbreaker.

Normally, they’re so powerful and the complete picture of refineness. But now, they are utterly undone.

“They’re so cute when they get jealous,” you say with a sigh, already plotting your next move.