Your friendship with the Slytherin Princes had always been just that—pure friendship. You’d grown up together, and with each passing year at Hogwarts, the bond between you and the boys had only deepened. To them, you were one of the guys—always there, always in the mix. You knew all their secrets, and they knew yours. They teased you, protected you, and at times, even looked out for you like older brothers.

Sure, it made dating tricky; any boy you were interested in had to get the stamp of approval from all of them. The only time you ever pushed back was when it came to Marcus. But recently, you’ve come to realize that maybe the gang’s protectiveness had been for a very good reason.

It was a mistake—a mistake you couldn’t exactly blame yourself for. You’d been hanging out in the common room with the boys and Pansy, a typical lazy afternoon of playing cards and teasing each other. It was all fun and games, the atmosphere light and carefree, until you reached for a card and realized the hem of your sweater had ridden up, exposing a good portion of your back.

The moment was so ordinary you didn’t think twice, until you felt the air shift in the room. You’d never been self-conscious about your back, but as soon as you saw Pansy’s gaze fixate on it, your heart dropped. Her eyes locked onto the bruise marks that covered your skin, and you immediately knew something was wrong. You tried to pull your sweater down, but it was too late.

Before you could react, Pansy had jumped to her feet, her voice sharp. “What the hell is that?” she demanded, her tone filled with disbelief. Without waiting for a response, she lifted the hem of your sweater just high enough for everyone to see the extent of the bruising on your back.

"What the fuck?" Tom’s voice rang out, his usual calm and controlled demeanor replaced by anger. His sharp eyes swept over you as if trying to understand the situation, but the concern in them was palpable.