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── .✦ THE COLD of the winter night at hogwarts was unforgiving. the sky was blanketed by thick clouds, with only the occasional glimpse of the moon breaking through. snow fell in heavy, relentless flurries, coating the grounds in a pristine, icy layer. the wind howled softly, carrying with it the sharp bite of frost that seemed to creep under your skin and settle in your bones.
you wandered near the black lake, your steps slow and aimless, each crunch of snow underfoot barely registering in your numb mind. the weight of your heartbreak was overwhelming, each breath you took feeling heavy with sorrow. the discovery of your boyfriend's infidelity had been a knife to the heart, leaving you hollow and aching. the sharp pang of betrayal cut deeper than the frigid air, leaving you raw and exposed.
the snow around you blurred as tears welled up in your eyes, finally spilling over as you reached a secluded spot by the lake. you sank down onto the cold ground, barely noticing the icy chill seeping through your robes. your body trembled, more from the emotional turmoil than the cold, though both were starting to take their toll.
you hugged your knees to your chest, trying to make yourself smaller, as if you could somehow curl up into yourself and escape the pain. the tears flowed freely now, hot against your chilled cheeks, though they quickly cooled in the winter air. the sobs that shook your body were almost silent, your grief too deep to express with any real sound. the cold air burned your skin, the wind whipping against you, but the emotional numbness dulled the physical sensations.
unbeknownst to you, someone else was out on the grounds that night. theodore nott, a fellow slytherin, was also seeking solace in the solitude of the winter night. theo was not someone you had ever interacted with much, despite being in the same house. he was quiet, reserved, often seen lingering on the edges of groups rather than in the center of them. tonight, he had been walking by the lake, his thoughts scattered and unfocused. the silence of the night and the isolation of the snow covered landscape had always brought him a sense of peace.
but tonight, that peace was interrupted. as theo wandered closer to the lake, he noticed a figure huddled by the water's edge. his curiosity piqued, he approached quietly, his footsteps muffled by the snow. it wasn't until he was a few feet away that he recognized you, though it was the sight of your trembling form and tear streaked face that really caught his attention.
for a moment, theo hesitated. he wasn't exactly known for being warm or comforting; he usually kept his distance from others' personal matters. but something in the way you looked - so small and vulnerable in the snow, tears glistening on your cheeks - tugged at something deep within him. he could see the pain in your eyes, the heartbreak that seemed to radiate from you, and he felt a pull to do something, anything, to help ease it.
