Emerson Wilmore was an exemplary Ravenclaw student, known for her unwavering dedication to academics and an unyielding moral compass. However, things took a twisted and deviated turn in her life after her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, was murdered by L...
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The hum of the Potions classroom was subdued, a gentle bubbling of cauldrons and the low murmur of students' voices creating a calm yet focused atmosphere in Advanced Potions.
Emerson sat stiffly in her usual seat beside Mattheo, her gaze firmly fixed on her potion. Her fingers were steady as she chopped her valerian root with precise movements, but her mind was anything but. She could feel Mattheo's presence beside her, closer than necessary as usual. She hadn't looked at him once since class started, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of catching her attention. But that didn't stop him.
A neatly folded piece of parchment slid onto the corner of her workstation. She sighed, resisting the urge to acknowledge it.
"Come on, Emie," Mattheo murmured under his breath, his voice low enough that Professor Slughorn wouldn't hear. "I can see you pretending not to notice."
Emerson ignored him, keeping her eyes on the cauldron in front of her.
"You're cruel, you know that?" He whispered again, a touch of amusement in his tone. "Not even a glance? You wound me, darling."
She picked up the parchment reluctantly, unfolding it with a small roll of her eyes. It read:
How are you still the prettiest person in this room when you're clearly trying not to look at me?
She huffed quietly and scowled. She didn't want to answer him, or even entertain his attempts of getting her attention so she didn't say a word.
"Really, Emie?" Mattheo's voice was low but teasing as he leaned closer. "You're just going to pretend I don't exist today?"
"I'm concentrating," Emerson replied curtly, not looking up from her cauldron. "And, I've told you before. Don't call me Emie."
He chuckled softly, undeterred. "I don't think I've ever seen you concentrate this hard. You're practically glaring at that potion. What's it done to you?"
"Maybe it reminds me of you and I hope it will burst into flames," She said flatly, her eyes flicking to him briefly before returning to her work.
Mattheo smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "You're funny, Emie. Too bad you don't laugh at my jokes anymore," He whispered, leaning slightly closer. He didn't even care that she told him to stop calling her by his nickname for her. He didn't intend on stopping.
"Maybe you're just not funny," She shot back quietly, as she focused on her potion.
"Oh, I'm hilarious," He replied, grinning. "You're just stubborn."
Emerson rolled her eyes, crumpling the note into a ball. "Do you even try to take this class seriously?" She hissed at him.
"I am taking it seriously," He murmured, his lips curving into a smirk as his eyes dropped to her lips. "Seriously focused on you."
