Unreal

Chp 100.5 Through the Pages

My brain short-circuited. We were one archway away from the main staircase, and he was saying things like that?

"You idiot," I hissed, yanking my hand away and smacking his arm, my face hotter than the Gryffindor common room fireplace. "I don't want any rumors about shagging."

That only made him laugh harder. With a last cheeky wink, he followed my "plan" exactly—striding out first, shoulders loose, looking like he didn't have a care in the world.

I waited until he was out of sight before following, hoping the heat in my cheeks would calm before anyone saw me.

We slipped out of the Ravenclaw common room without causing a scene—no shouting, no gasps—just a ripple of curious eyes following us like we'd just walked out with contraband.

Fred's hand found mine as soon as we hit the corridor, warm and easy like it had always belonged there.
"Feelin' alright?" he asked, his voice soft enough to make the question feel private despite the echo of our steps.

"Yeah," I said, smiling because it was true. My legs were a bit wobbly, but not from exhaustion.

We drifted into our usual banter—complaining about Filch's suspicious stares, debating whether Peeves was secretly literate—until movement up ahead pulled my attention.

Theo was walking beside Lysandra, who was mid-sentence about... well, something. Theo wasn't listening—at least, not with his face. His eyes were distant, his shoulders low, like he was carrying something heavy and invisible.

When he spotted me, his steps shifted, angling toward us. Fred's grip on my hand didn't loosen, but his eyes flicked toward Theo, steady and unreadable. Theo's gaze briefly landed on him before coming back to me, and there was a silent exchange there I couldn't quite translate.

"How are you, Aeris?" he asked, stopping in front of me.

"I'm fine," I said. "What about you? You look..." My mind scrambled for the right comparison and landed on the image—
—like a candle burning at both ends, steady but moments from collapsing in on itself.

"I'm alright," Theo replied, but there was no conviction in it.

Lysandra appeared at his side before I could press. She didn't greet me—just curled her hand possessively around his arm and gave a subtle tug. The kind that said conversation over.

Theo glanced at me once more, something unreadable flickering in his eyes, before letting himself be pulled away.

Fred watched them go for a beat, then tilted his head. "What's wrong with Nott?"

"I don't know," I admitted, chewing at the inside of my cheek. "But I'm worried."

"Yeah," Fred agreed, his brow furrowed. "Didn't look like the usual Theo."

Then, of course, he smirked. "Unless he's just jealous."

I swatted his arm. "Jealous? Of what?"

"Of me," he said, all smugness and mock innocence.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't hide my smile. "You're impossible."

"And yet you're still holding my hand," he pointed out, grinning like he'd just won something.

We laughed, the sound easy and warm as our steps carried us toward the Great Hall. The castle around us felt alive—torches casting golden light, shadows swaying, the faint hum of voices ahead. And somehow, between the echoes and the low murmur of our laughter, it felt like we'd carved out our own little bubble in the middle of it all.

••••

The Great Hall was quieter than usual, the long tables already half-cleared of breakfast plates. At the Gryffindor table, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny, George, and Angelina were huddled close, their voices low and focused on whatever conversation they were having.