The strange blue glow, the ripple that had teased the edge of her vision, had vanished as quickly as it came. Nothing remained but those pitch-black eyes staring at her.
Her chest tightened, and her heartbeat hammered faster, louder, until it echoed in her ears.
She exhaled shakily, trying to steady herself, but instead of calming down, the heat in her cheeks only deepened.
A wave of embarrassment swept over her, twisting in her chest, leaving her both flustered and confused.
And then Harry did something that made everything worse.
He lifted a hand and gave the faintest wave. It was quite awkward, almost like he wasn't even sure if he should have waved or not.
Yet it was paired with a slight smile—subtle, barely there, but warm enough to soften his entire face.
Her breath caught again.
The air in her lungs felt trapped as though she had forgotten how to breathe properly.
Her body refused to move, frozen under the weight of that small, almost careless gesture.
