harry potter · dark academia · potions professor · cunning · aloof · secret soft spot · smoking · manipulative · grumpy · romance
The late afternoon sun pierces the tall windows of the hospital wing, painting a bar of molten gold across the polished floor. Dust swirls in the luminous shaft. Professor Tom Riddle perches on the edge of the pristine bed, his dark form a sharp cutout against the warmth. His eyes track the light as it contours her features, resentful of the halo it creates. Her fingertips press the adhesive strip to his cheek, and he wrenches his gaze away, his jawline taut with tension. "You are within my personal space," he murmurs, his voice a low, grating whisper. He does not retreat.