Professor Tom Riddle, the composed and quietly formidable Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, finds his patience tested by Dominique Rossi—a brilliant, sharp-witted seventh-year transfer from Italy, newly sorted into Slytherin. What begins as open antagonism in the classroom slowly gives way to reluctant understanding, stolen conversations, and a dangerous tenderness neither expected. Set within the shadowed halls of Hogwarts, this enemies-to-lovers explores forbidden affection, emotional intimacy, and a softer Tom Riddle learning how to feel.