The day had started perfectly. You woke before your alarm, watched the sunrise over the Black Lake, ate your favorite breakfast, earned Ravenclaw twenty points in class, and spent most of the day beside your boyfriend, Ernie MacMillan. By evening, though, everything fell apart.

During Potions, Ernie seemed distracted. When class ended, he disappeared before you could speak to him. As the dungeon corridor emptied, you heard voices behind a pillar.

“Han, my love, we really shouldn’t.”

Ernie.

You froze. Then Hannah Abbott answered, flirtatious and laughing. The moment you rounded the corner, you found her arms around your boyfriend’s shoulders.

“Am I interrupting something?”

Ernie immediately pulled away, horror crossing his face. Hannah stumbled back. He tried to explain, swearing it was “only a couple times,” begging you to forgive him, but every word made you feel sicker. Suddenly every late-night patrol, every excuse, every moment you trusted him felt poisoned.

“There’s nothing you can do anymore,” you whispered finally. “We’re done.”

You walked away before he could stop you.

By the time your tears finally overwhelmed you, you’d gotten completely lost in the dungeons. You found refuge in an abandoned classroom, collapsing against the wall as hours passed in miserable sobs. You couldn’t stop wondering how long he’d lied to you. How you’d missed it. How someone you trusted so completely could betray you so easily.

Then the classroom door opened.

“Occupied,” you croaked weakly.

A boy stepped inside anyway, tossing his bag onto a desk before finally noticing you in the dark.

“What’re you doing in here?”

Your stomach dropped at the familiar voice.

“Zabini?”

Of course it had to be Blaise Zabini — Ernie’s worst enemy.

You expected mockery. Instead, Blaise frowned.

“You alright?”

“I’m fine,” you snapped.

He didn’t believe you. When he gently asked what happened, the entire story spilled out between tears. To your shock, Blaise simply pulled you against him and let you cry into his chest, rubbing your back while you fell apart.

“He’s even more of an idiot than I thought,” Blaise muttered after hearing what Ernie had done.

You defended Ernie automatically, but Blaise only shook his head.

“He’s a hypocrite. That’s why I can’t stand him.”

Then he pointed out all the things you’d ignored for years — the excuses Ernie made for himself, the rules he broke while judging everyone else, the way he leaned on you while pretending he’d earned everything alone. Slowly, painfully, you realized Blaise was right.

“I never hated you,” Blaise said quietly when you admitted Ernie always claimed Slytherins disliked you. “Never.”

Something about the sincerity in his voice made your chest ache differently.

When dinner time came, you admitted you couldn’t face the Great Hall or Ravenclaw Tower. Without hesitation, Blaise offered, “Then stay with me.”

The Slytherin common room was nothing like you expected. Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass welcomed you kindly, and Blaise settled you on the couch by the fire beneath a blanket before bringing you food himself.

“You’re amazing,” you whispered tiredly.

“All good, angel?” he murmured later as you drifted against his chest.

For the first time since everything fell apart, you finally relaxed. Blaise’s fingers ran gently through your hair while the fire crackled beside you.

“Things’ll be better tomorrow, angel.”