After what felt like forever, the bell finally rang, breaking the oppressive silence that had settled over the room. The students wasted no time in gathering their things, eager to escape the tense atmosphere that had held them captive for the entire class. Bags were slung over shoulders, books hastily closed, and chairs scraped against the floor as they filed out, their pace quickening with each step toward the door.
Professor Riddle stood by the desk, his eyes tracking the last student as they hurried out. The door clicked shut, leaving the room in stillness once more. Only then did he allow the stern, intimidating facade he had maintained to fall away, like a mask he had been forced to wear for far too long.
A sigh escaped his lips, the sound carrying a weight of exhaustion and relief. His shoulders, usually held so rigidly, slumped slightly, and he ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead in a gesture that seemed almost vulnerable. When his eyes met hers, the possessiveness that had marked his gaze earlier was gone, replaced by a warmth that softened his features in a way few ever saw.
For a moment, the professor and the student were gone, replaced by two people who had longed for this quiet connection. The classroom, once a space of rigid discipline and unyielding authority, now felt more intimate, a shared sanctuary where the world outside didnโt exist. His eyes held hers, conveying a silent message of comfort, of belonging, as if to say that here, in this fleeting moment, they could drop their pretenses and simply be themselves.
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