I lingered near the Potions section, pretending to scan the spines of the dusty old books. The library was nearly empty, its usual hum of activity replaced by the soft crackle of the enchanted fire in the corner. My eyes drifted across the room until they landed on her.

Samaira sat by the far window, her chin resting on her hand, staring blankly at the darkening sky. A thick Transfiguration book lay open in front of her, but she wasn't reading it. Her quill sat untouched beside her, and her shoulders sagged like the weight of the world had settled on them.

She looked tired. Too tired. The dark circles under her eyes hadn't faded since we got back from the holidays, and the fire that used to burn so brightly in her was... dimmer.

I glanced away, debating with myself. It wasn't like we were close, not really. And yet, I couldn't just stand here and do nothing. She'd been quieter than usual, more withdrawn, and I hated seeing her like this.

Finally, I pushed myself off the shelf and made my way over to her table.

"Mind if I sit here?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.

Her head turned sharply, her expression flickering from surprise to something more guarded. For a moment, I thought she might tell me to leave, but then she shrugged. "Go ahead."

I slid into the chair across from her, setting down the book I'd grabbed off the shelf—a random title I hadn't even looked at. She watched me for a moment, as if trying to figure out my intentions, before glancing back at her book.

"You look busy," I said casually, nodding at the open pages in front of her.

"Not really," she said softly, her fingers trailing the edge of the parchment. "Just... trying to catch up."

I leaned back, studying her for a moment. Her voice was quieter than usual, her words distant. Whatever was going on with her, it wasn't something she wanted to share.

"Late night studying doesn't suit you," I said lightly.

She glanced up, her brows furrowing. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you look like you haven't slept in days," I said, not unkindly.

Her eyes narrowed, a flicker of the old Samaira showing through. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

She opened her mouth, probably to argue, but then stopped. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked down at her hands. "It's complicated," she muttered.

"I figured as much," I said, leaning forward slightly. "I'm not asking you to tell me. Just... don't let it eat you alive."

Her head tilted, and for a moment, I thought she might actually say something. But instead, she just nodded, her gaze fixed on the table.

Reaching into my bag, I pulled out the small box I'd tucked away earlier. I hesitated for half a second, then slid it across the table to her.

"What's this?" she asked, her eyes flicking up to meet mine.

"Peppermint toads," I said simply. "You looked like you could use something sweet."

Her lips curved into the faintest smile, and though it was small, it was something. "Thanks," she said, tucking the box into her bag.

I stood, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "See you in Transfiguration."

She nodded again, and I walked away, resisting the urge to glance back. Whatever was going on with her, I couldn't fix it. But maybe—just maybe—I could help lighten the load. Even if only a little.

It had been a few days since the library. Samaira had stopped skipping classes, though she still seemed withdrawn, her eyes always distant, like her mind was elsewhere. But today, when the last bell rang for dinner, I noticed something different.

She wasn't rushing to leave, like usual. She lingered near the door, her fingers tracing the spine of the book in front of her. I glanced up from my own work, wondering if she had finally decided to stop avoiding me.

I stood up slowly, feeling that familiar pull in my chest. I was about to leave when I saw her glance in my direction, just for a split second. She didn't look away this time, not immediately.

I took a few steps toward her.

"You still here?" I asked casually, hoping my voice didn't sound as anxious as I felt.

She gave a half-hearted smile, her lips curling up a bit at the edges. It was the first time in days that I saw even a glimpse of that smile. "Yeah. I've got a lot of work to catch up on," she said quietly, her voice softer than usual.

I nodded, but there was something in her tone that made me hesitate. "Can I... help with anything?"

She glanced at me, then back down at her book. "I'm fine. Just... catching up on some reading. It's nothing major."

I didn't want to push, but the silence between us was unbearable. I had to say something.

"Well, I was planning on heading to dinner, but... I could wait for you."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that. "Why would you wait for me?" she asked, her voice a mix of surprise and something softer.

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant even though my heart was beating faster than I wanted it to. "I don't mind. It's just... It's nicer to walk with someone, don't you think?"

Samaira was quiet for a long moment, her eyes flicking between her book and me, as if she was deciding whether or not to say something. Finally, she closed the book with a soft thud and stood up.

"You're right," she said, her voice more relaxed now, a little more open. "It's better to not walk alone."

I smiled as we made our way to the door, my heart lifting a little at the thought of just being near her. As we walked side by side, the noise of the school and the chatter of students faded away, leaving just the sound of our footsteps echoing down the empty halls.

We didn't say much at first, but it felt... comfortable. After all the tension and the awkwardness, this quiet walk together was something I hadn't expected. Samaira wasn't pulling away, and that alone made me feel like I was starting to understand her a little more.

"So, how's the reading going?" I asked, hoping to keep the conversation light.

She shot me a side glance, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It's going. You know, the usual. Transfiguration and Charms."

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you hated Transfiguration."

Her smile widened, and for the first time in a while, she looked genuinely amused. "I do. But somehow, it's a little less terrible when I don't have to worry about failing."

I chuckled softly. "I guess that's true. So, you're going to pass with flying colors, huh?"

She gave a small, almost shy nod. "I'll try my best. But no promises."

We had almost reached the entrance of the Great Hall when I felt a sudden shift in the air, a tension that seemed to manifest out of nowhere. Samaira had just glanced at me, the corners of her mouth curving up in a way that made my chest tighten, when a voice sliced through the moment.

"You two done already?"

I turned sharply to find Aarav standing just a few feet away, his eyes narrowing as they flicked between Samaira and me. The warmth that had settled between us evaporated instantly, replaced by a jolt of discomfort in my gut.

Before I could say anything, Aarav took a step forward and, without warning, grabbed Samaira's wrist, pulling her toward him with a firm, almost possessive grip. Samaira let out a small, startled noise, her wide eyes flicking between him and me.

"Aarav, what the hell are you doing?" Samaira's voice trembled with a mix of confusion and irritation, but she didn't try to pull away.

I didn't wait for her to say more. Every instinct in me screamed to step in. "Let go of her," I said, my voice low but firm. I wasn't sure if it was the anger in my voice or the tension in the air, but the words came out sharper than I'd intended.

Aarav's eyes locked with mine, and there was a flash of something cold, something calculating behind his gaze. "Stay out of it, Nott," he sneered, tightening his grip on Samaira's wrist. "This doesn't concern you. She's with me."

My heart skipped a beat at his words, and I could feel the anger simmering under my skin. "I said—let go of her," I repeated, stepping forward.

But Samaira, still looking bewildered, finally spoke up, her voice quieter but with an edge of disbelief that cut through the tension. "Aarav, what—what are you talking about?"

I froze, the words hitting me like a punch to the gut. Samaira's confusion was plain, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aarav smirked, his grip on her wrist not loosening. "She's my girlfriend, Nott. Stay away from her."

The words seemed to hang in the air, and I could feel the ground beneath me shift. The world around me suddenly felt much smaller, like I couldn't breathe for a moment.

Samaira's eyes flicked to me, and for a brief second, I saw something raw in her gaze—surprise, uncertainty, maybe even a touch of guilt.

"What?" she asked softly, looking from Aarav to me, her mouth parting like she was about to say something, but no words came out.

Aarav's jaw clenched, but he didn't answer her. Instead, he just jerked her toward him, as if trying to pull her further away from me. "Come on, Samaira. We're leaving."

I felt a strange tightness in my chest as I stood frozen, staring at her. The realization hit me like a brick. Samaira hadn't just been avoiding me—she'd been avoiding the truth, the truth I hadn't wanted to see.

"She's not your property, Aarav," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them, my voice thick with disbelief and frustration.

Aarav sneered. "Not my property?" He let out a humorless laugh. "She's with me, Nott. She has been for weeks."

I could see Samaira's eyes widen in shock as she glanced at him, her mouth parting like she was about to say something, but no words came out. She stood there, motionless, her wrist still held tightly in Aarav's grasp.

She finally pulled her wrist from Aarav's grip, but only enough to free herself slightly. "Aarav, I—"

But she didn't finish. Instead, she turned her gaze to me, and I saw something in her eyes that I couldn't quite place. Apology? Regret?

Aarav shot me a smug look, practically sneering. "Told you, Nott. Stay away from her. She's mine."

My blood was boiling now, and for a moment, all I could feel was anger—anger that Samaira hadn't told me the truth sooner, anger that she was caught in something she clearly didn't want.

But Samaira didn't look at me, her eyes cast down at the floor, guilt and confusion etched across her face. I didn't know what to say anymore.

"Come on," Aarav snapped, dragging her away. "Let's go."

As he pulled her down the hallway, I stood there, frozen, as the sound of their footsteps echoed off the stone walls. A part of me wanted to run after her, to stop her, but I knew that it wasn't what she wanted.

I just stood there, watching them leave. And in that moment, I realized something that cut deeper than anything else: she was never going to let me in.

I couldn't shake the image of Samaira and Aarav together. My mind replayed the moment when Aarav had grabbed her hand and pulled her away, the sound of her footsteps fading as she followed him. I wanted to believe I could change things, make her see that something was wrong, but the reality hit me harder than I expected. She was with him. Samaira had a boyfriend, and not just anyone—Aarav. It was something I hadn't seen coming, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I returned to the Slytherin common room after classes, my stomach tight. I skipped dinner; I didn't feel like eating. I didn't feel like doing anything but trying to understand what had just happened. I collapsed onto my bed, my mind a mess of confusion and frustration.

Blaise and Draco entered the room shortly after, talking amongst themselves, but their conversation dropped the moment they noticed me sitting in silence.

"You good, Theo?" Blaise asked, his tone casual, but there was something in his eyes that suggested he knew something was off.

I didn't answer. I just stared at the floor, wishing I could block everything out.

Draco, always the more direct one, gave me a sharp look. "You skip dinner, something happen?"

I didn't want to get into it, but my frustration was growing, and the weight of the situation was unbearable. I sighed heavily before finally speaking. "It's nothing."

Blaise raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "If it's nothing, then why do you look like someone just crushed your soul?"

I hesitated, then finally let out a short laugh, bitter and mocking. "Because I just found out that Aarav's her boyfriend."

Draco's expression darkened immediately. "What? You mean... that girl and Ahuja are actually a thing?"

I nodded, feeling a sickening tightness in my chest. "Yeah. Just like that."

Blaise and Draco exchanged looks, and for the first time, the usual teasing in their eyes vanished. They could sense the weight of what I was feeling, and it wasn't the usual banter they'd throw my way.

Blaise sighed, leaning back against the wall. "You should've seen this coming, Theo. You didn't exactly make it easy on yourself, trying to get close to her when she clearly had her own stuff going on. And now, with Aarav in the picture..."

"Yeah, well, I didn't know about Aarav until now, did I?" I snapped, but the sharpness faded quickly. I felt drained, like all the fight had left my body. "I don't know what to do, Blaise. Every time I try to talk to her, it feels like she pushes me further away. And now she's with him... I don't even know if I should try anymore."

Draco crossed his arms, his gaze hardening. "Look, Theo, don't be stupid. Aarav's not someone you want to get in a fight with. You're already in enough of a mess with Samaira. If you try to force your way in, it's just going to backfire. And she's made her choice. You can't keep chasing her."

Blaise gave me a sympathetic look, but he wasn't wrong. "Draco's right. You can't force something that's not there. If she's with him, you need to respect that."

I stood up abruptly, my chest tight. "I can't just sit back and watch her with him. She's not happy. I know she's not. But she's... closed off. And I don't know how to get through to her."

Draco sighed. "You need to think this through, Theo. You're getting in over your head. Samaira's got her own problems, and it's not your responsibility to fix them. Sometimes, it's better to walk away."

I ran my hand over my face, not wanting to hear it, but knowing deep down they were right. "I'm not just going to walk away. I care about her. And I can't just ignore that."

Blaise and Draco exchanged another look. "Well, just don't do anything rash," Blaise advised. "You don't want to make things worse for yourself, or for her."

I didn't answer. I couldn't. The words felt like a weight in my chest, suffocating me. Samaira was slipping away, and I had no idea how to hold on.

But one thing was certain—I wasn't going to give up without a fight.