25. "Do you? Now?"

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The dim, green glow of the Slytherin common room's fireplace flickered against the stone walls, casting long, shadowy reflections across the room

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The dim, green glow of the Slytherin common room's fireplace flickered against the stone walls, casting long, shadowy reflections across the room. 

The hour was late, and the common room had emptied as their friends bid them goodnight one by one. 

Now, it was just Aria and Draco, sitting in comfortable silence. 

The usual sounds of chatter and laughter had faded, leaving only the crackling fire and the quiet thrum of tension that had been building between them for weeks.

Aria leaned back on the emerald-green couch, her legs stretched out as she idly twirled her wand between her fingers. 

Draco sat across from her, his sharp eyes watching her movements with that familiar glint of amusement that always set her on edge. 

He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, his hair still slightly tousled from the day.

There was something charged in the air between them tonight -something different. 

The usual banter, the teasing that had come so naturally to them, felt more heated than usual, and Aria could feel her pulse quicken under his gaze. 

"Seems like everyone's finally cleared out," Draco remarked, his voice low and smooth, breaking the silence. 

His smirk was ever-present, and Aria knew that look all too well-the one that said he was toying with her, trying to get under her skin.

Aria raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a challenging smile as she leaned forward slightly. 

"Good. I prefer it quiet," she replied, her voice soft but edged with a hint of danger. She wasn't going to let him win this little game, not tonight. 

Draco tilted his head, his smirk widening. 

"Do you? Now?" 

His voice was almost a purr, and Aria could feel the heat rise in her chest, but she kept her composure, unwilling to let him see just how much he affected her.

The silence that followed was thick with unspoken words, the tension between them palpable as their gazes locked, neither willing to look away. 

It had always been like this between them-an endless push and pull, neither willing to back down. 

And tonight was no different.

Aria broke the silence first, standing up from the couch and slowly crossing the room to where he sat. 

Her movements were deliberate, calculated, and she could see Draco's eyes track her every step, his smirk never faltering. 

When she reached him, she leaned down slightly, her hands resting on the back of the chair he was sitting in, her face inches from his. 

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