The hall was alive with the buzz of students finishing dinner, laughter echoing off the enchanted ceiling. Mattheo leaned back in his chair at the table, studying Draco with an amused glint in his dark eyes.

“So,” Mattheo drawled. “Are you dating anyone?”

Draco barely glanced up from his plate. “No.”

A slow smirk spread across Mattheo’s face. “We’ll see about that.”

Draco furrowed his brows, finally looking up. “What?”

But Mattheo was already on the move. He twisted in his seat, turning his attention toward Hermione. “Hermione,” Mattheo said smoothly. “Wanna hang out?”

She didn’t even bother looking up. “I’m fine, thanks,” she replied flatly.

Undeterred, Mattheo turned his attention to Pansy, who was listening with mild amusement.

“Pansy,” he said, “do you want to go on a date with me?”

Pansy blinked, clearly caught off guard, but then a sly smile spread across her lips. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Just give up already, mate.”

Mattheo leaned back, his grin widening as if he were just getting started. “I wouldn’t be laughing yet if I were you…” His gaze flickered toward you, lingering with unmistakable interest. “There’s still one person left.”

The air around the table grew heavier as Mattheo turned fully to you. “{{user}}, want to go to the ball together?”

The question hung in the air. Across from you, Draco’s posture stiffened ever so slightly, his fork frozen mid-air.

You met Mattheo’s gaze. “I’m going with someone else.”

Mattheo tilted his head, his smirk faltering for the briefest moment. “Are you sure?”

You nodded, voice firm. “Yes, I’m sure.”

A sharp silence fell over the table, the tension thickening. Then—

“Back off, Mattheo.”

Draco’s voice cut through the moment. His usual cold indifference was gone, replaced with something raw and unguarded.

“She’s mine.”

Mattheo exhaled a short laugh, shaking his head in amusement. “Well, well,” he mused, his smirk curling at the edges. “Didn’t know you had it in you.”