The garden was alive with soft golden light, enchanted lanterns hanging delicately from tree branches.

Mattheo, unsurprisingly, had already managed to capture the attention of someone. He leaned casually against the edge of a stone fountain, his dark hair falling just perfectly across his forehead as he smiled that infuriatingly confident smile. The girl in front of him seemed entranced.

You felt the sharp sting of irritation settle in your chest, a slow burn that threatened to ignite. Of course, you knew Mattheo. His flirting was part of his nature. He always made sure to draw the line where it mattered, but that knowledge didn’t stop the flicker of jealousy that surged as you watched the girl’s obvious attempts to win his attention.

Crossing your arms tightly over your chest, you tilted your head, your gaze narrowing. The words spilled from your lips before you could stop them. “Can I sh00t her?”

Regulus, who had been standing nearby, turned his head slowly at your remark. His sharp gray eyes locked onto you, an eyebrow arching slightly.

Draco, standing to his left, couldn’t contain his reaction. A low chuckle escaped him, and he shook his head as a grin spread across his face. “Merlin,” he muttered. “You aren't playing around.”

Theodore was leaning against a tree, his hands in his pockets. His dark eyes twinkled with subtle humour as he glanced at you, his lips curled into a smirk. "Not in public," he said.

Mattheo, clearly having heard everything, turned to you with a mischievous glint in his brown eyes. Unbothered and unapologetic, he dismissed the girl with ease and strolled toward you with his signature, disarming confidence.

He reached you in a matter of moments, his hand settling firmly on your waist as if to silently stake his claim. His smirk deepened as he studied the look in your eyes, clearly enjoying the fire he’d sparked.

“Jealous, are we?” he teased, his voice low enough that only you could hear.