CHAPTER FOUR

Hugo glanced up at Dahlia, lowering the book in his hands with an exasperated sigh. His eyes met hers, and he gave her a pointed look. "What are you even doing here, Jones?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion. "We didn't plan any tutoring sessions today. You're interrupting my study time."

Dahlia didn't respond immediately. Instead, she just offered him a calm, knowing smile, her lips curling ever so slightly. There was something in her expression that made it clear she wasn't planning to leave anytime soon. Hugo raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to explain herself, but she just stood there, staring at him, saying nothing.

He sighed again, frustration creeping into his voice as he turned his attention back to his book, trying to regain some focus. The text before him had already started to blur with his growing annoyance, but he figured he could at least try to push through. The problem was that Dahlia's gaze never left him. Her eyes seemed to burn into him, her silent presence making it impossible to concentrate.

After a moment of futile attempts to focus, he gave up and finally looked back at her, his expression flat, his patience wearing thin. "What is it this time, Jones?" he muttered, his tone deadpan as if he were giving in to whatever game she was playing.

Dahlia tilted her head slightly to the side, her smile widening. "Ten minutes," she said simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Sorry?" Hugo's brow furrowed, confusion evident on his face. "What are you talking about?"

Dahlia let out a small, melodic laugh, tapping her finger lightly on the book that sat in front of him on the table. "You managed to concentrate for exactly ten minutes," she explained, her voice playful but confident.

Hugo scoffed, rolling his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. "I can assure you it was much longer than that. I wasn't even paying attention to you."

Dahlia shook her head, still wearing that same playful grin. She raised a finger, wagging it slowly at him. "No, no, it was exactly ten minutes," she insisted. "The rest of the time, you were fidgeting, trying to focus, but you kept looking over at me. Your nose was flaring too," she added with a knowing look, her gaze dropping to his face. "I could tell you were irritated."

Hugo blinked in surprise, taken aback by how observant she was. He furrowed his brows and crossed his arms in a defiant stance. "And you're so sure of this... because?"

Dahlia leaned in slightly, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she pointed a finger toward the tip of his nose. She tapped it lightly, almost affectionately. "Because I know you, Granger-Weasley. You flare your nostrils when you're annoyed. It's an obvious giveaway. I doubt it was the book that was bothering you," she said, her tone teasing but with an underlying sense of certainty.

Hugo's face flushed slightly as he pulled back, brushing her hand away from his face. He couldn't help but smirk at the situation, even if it was mildly frustrating. "Oh, so you know when I'm annoyed, do you?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "And yet, you still continue to mess with me?"

Dahlia chuckled, unphased by his words. "You've got a lot of patience, I'll give you that," she remarked, her tone softening for a moment. She leaned on her palm, her gaze thoughtful as she looked at him. "But don't worry, I won't push you too far. I'll stop when I know it's time."

Hugo rolled his eyes, clearly sceptical. "And how exactly will you know when that is?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Dahlia shrugged nonchalantly, her smile never fading. "I'll know when it happens," she said cryptically as if the answer were simple and obvious to her.

"Of course, you would," Hugo muttered under his breath, gathering his books and arranging them neatly on the table. He tried to keep his cool, but his frustration was starting to build again. "Anyway, I've had enough of this for now. I have no inspiration left to read—no thanks to you. I think I'll head to the Great Hall for a much-needed lunch."

Dahlia stood up as well, her movements smooth and deliberate. As she leaned over the table, her eyes gleaming with an unreadable expression, she smirked at him, clearly enjoying the effect she was having on him. Hugo frowned as he watched her, though there was a hint of something else—something unspoken—behind his furrowed brow.

"Relax, Granger-Weasley," Dahlia said, her voice low and almost playful. "I'm not going to follow you to the Great Hall. I have other appointments to attend to," she added, her tone suggestive. She gave him a wink as she turned, her playful demeanour lingering in the air like an intoxicating perfume.

Hugo's face turned bright red at the insinuation, and for a split second, he froze. He had a sudden understanding of what she meant by "appointments," and the realization made him uncomfortable. His mind raced, trying to push away the unsettling thoughts, but his body refused to move.

Dahlia paused briefly before she turned to leave. With a soft, almost teasing motion, she leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek, her lips barely brushing the skin before she pulled away. The touch was fleeting, but it left an imprint—one that Hugo could feel long after she had moved on.

For a moment, Hugo remained frozen, his mind scrambling to process what had just happened. The faint, phantom-like sensation of her lips lingered on his cheek, sending an odd shiver down his spine. He couldn't bring himself to move, his thoughts too disoriented by her actions. It wasn't like she hadn't kissed him before, but this time, it felt different. This time, it stirred something inside him that he wasn't prepared to deal with.

Finally, as Dahlia's figure disappeared from view, Hugo found his ability to move again. His body tensed, and with a groan, he let out a frustrated breath, his jaw clenched tight as he stood up. He began collecting his books, trying to shove the confusing feelings to the back of his mind.

"Merlin," he muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper as he organized his things. "I don't even know if she understands the kind of trouble she just caused with that."

His words lingered in the air, heavy with the kind of tension that couldn't be easily ignored. Hugo stood there, staring at the books in his hands, the strange sensation of Dahlia's kiss still lingering on his skin. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something had shifted. What had started as a casual interaction, a typical encounter with the unpredictable Gryffindor, had left him rattled in ways he wasn't used to.

Dahlia Jones was, without a doubt, a wild card—an enigma wrapped in mischief and confidence. Every time he thought he had a handle on her, every time he thought he understood her games, she would do something that left him questioning everything. That kiss, that small, seemingly insignificant gesture, had rattled him more than he was willing to admit. He could feel it in his chest, a strange flutter he couldn't shake off. It was both thrilling and terrifying, like standing on the edge of something unknown.

He didn't know what to make of it, or what it meant, but one thing was clear—Dahlia was always going to be a force in his life, unpredictable and intense. No matter how many times he tried to avoid getting involved, no matter how much he tried to distance himself from the chaos she brought, he knew deep down that she'd always be there, pushing him to the edge of his comfort zone, forcing him to face parts of himself he wasn't ready to confront.

Hugo let out a long breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts in his mind. He had been through enough trouble to know that getting too close to Dahlia was dangerous. She played games, and he was only too aware of how easily he could end up caught in one of them. But despite all that, despite the confusion and the frustration, a part of him couldn't help but be drawn to her. She was a mystery, one he couldn't solve, and that made her irresistible in a way he wasn't sure he wanted to admit.

As he made his way toward the door, his steps heavier than usual, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Dahlia had a way of turning everything upside down, and he was fairly certain this time would be no different. Whether he liked it or not, he was already tangled up in her web—and somehow, he couldn't bring himself to want out.