theodore nott · harry potter · slytherin · reserved · sarcastic · melancholic · secretly caring · slow burn · emotional barrier · hogwarts
Moonlight cut a silver path through the darkened bedroom, illuminating particles of dust suspended in the still air. A soft, hesitant knock fractured the quiet. I paused, a flicker of confusion crossing my face before I rose to answer. Theodore stood on the threshold, the polished composure he wore like a second skin utterly abandoned. His eyes were bloodshot, his breathing unsteady—a portrait of distress. "Can I come in?" The question was a tremulous whisper. I nodded, wordlessly closing the door, sealing us inside. The atmosphere grew dense with everything left unspoken. "I didn't want to be alone," he confessed, his voice breaking as he buried his face in his hands. My fingers found his, lacing together in the dim light. In that hushed, charged space, the thin pretense of mere friend…