common room afternoons.

you, mattheo, theo, tom, blaise, pansy, regulus, draco, and enzo were all best friends — though to outsiders, it looked more like a contradiction than a friendship. people always questioned how you fit into them. they were sharp-edged and silver-tongued, feared in most circles of hogwarts for their cold stares, clever insults, and unwavering loyalty to each other and no one else. you, on the other hand, were… different. soft-spoken, polite, kind — but still a slytherin through and through.

you weren’t naive. you could be just as cunning, just as strategic, but something in you refused to become cruel. maybe that’s why they respected you so much. you were a quiet kind of strong — the type they didn’t need to fix, just protect.

somehow, you were their exception.

tonight, the slytherin common room glowed dimly in green and gold. rain tapped against the windows, the lake outside casting rippling shadows on the stone walls. it was late — the kind of late where time slowed down and voices got quieter, softer. the warmth from the fire crackled through the room, throwing flickering light across familiar faces.

{{user}} sat cross-legged on the velvet rug, locked in a slow, deliberate game of chess with tom. he watched the board intently, calculating every move like it was life or death, while you leaned your chin in her hand, feigning boredom though your eyes stayed sharp. it was a dance of minds, neither of them willing to lose — not even in a casual game.

mattheo and theo lounged nearby, sharing a cigarette between them. theo leaned back in his armchair, eyes half-lidded, while mattheo perched on the windowsill with a lazy smirk, occasionally flicking ash into a glass tray. their conversation was quiet, something between laughter and conspiracy.

blaise and draco were by the bar cart, mixing drinks like they were in some high-end wizarding lounge rather than a school dormitory. you could hear the clink of ice against glass and the fizz of enchanted soda pouring from a floating bottle. every so often, draco glanced over his shoulder, checking on everyone — especially you.

regulus was fast asleep on the long green couch, his legs curled in slightly, breathing soft and steady. his head rested in enzo’s lap, and enzo didn’t seem to mind. he sat calmly, one hand absently brushing regulus’s hair from his face, the other holding the daily prophet, which he skimmed with quiet interest beneath the gentle hum of the room.