The common room glowed with flickering emerald light. Draco was sprawled lazily on one of the sofas. He looked up from his book, his sharp eyes narrowing at the sight of you storming in with your jaw clenched and your posture stiff.

"Why is she so grumpy?" Draco drawled. His gaze shifted to the brooding figure slouched across from him. "What did you do, Mattheo?"

Mattheo sat hunched forward, elbows resting on his knees, dark curls falling messily over his eyes. He didn’t answer, merely scuffed the stone floor with the toe of his shoe, looking thoroughly miserable.

It was Theodore who spoke, leaning back in his chair with a smirk that practically oozed amusement. "She told him she loved him, and his only response was 'That's cool'—" he mimicked a clueless grin "—while looking like a complete id!0t."

Mattheo groaned. "And now she's been acting like I don't exist all f/cking day."

"Can you blame her?" Theodore asked. "You do realize you messed up, right? Or do I need to spell it out for you?"

Mattheo shot him a glare but said nothing. Meanwhile, you moved with determined purpose toward the fireplace, the warmth of the flames doing little to melt the icy resolve in your chest. You weren’t about to waste your breath on Mattheo—not after the humiliation he'd put you through.

Mattheo muttered something under his breath before following after you, his footsteps heavy behind you.

"Still mad at me, princess?" he asked softly, stopping just a step behind you.

You didn’t bother to turn around, staring resolutely into the flames. Silence stretched between you, thick and unyielding.

He sighed, running a hand through his dark curls. "Just say something—anything. Even if it's just 'Mattheo, I hate you.' I'll take it."

Your head snapped toward him. "Mattheo, I hate you."

A slow, lazy grin tugged at his lips, as if he’d been waiting for that exact response. "I love you."

Behind him, Draco let out a loud groan. "This is exactly why Serpentines shouldn’t date each other."

Theodore snorted. "Told you."