You sat on the couch, your mind racing with thoughts you dared not voice aloud. Draco stood in front of you, his arms crossed.

"Are you really serious about Tom?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual. "I mean, you know who he really is."

You lifted your gaze to meet his. "Yes," you said, your voice firm. "But this doesn’t change my love for him."

Draco sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Does he treat you well? You don’t look happy."

You hesitated. Not because Tom treated you badly, but because your heart was burdened with uncertainties. "I am simply afraid of what is coming," you admitted. "Of the changes after our graduation. Of making the wrong decisions."

"Things will change," Draco agreed, "but we still have each other in the end."

Before you could respond, a familiar voice interrupted.

"I was looking for you," Regulus said as he approached. "I wanted to spend some time with you."

You managed a small smile. "Sure, Reggie," you said, rising to your feet. "Let’s go outside."

You walked beside Regulus in the garden. You told him everything—your fears, your father’s disapproval, your heart’s endless battle between love and duty.

"Your father is overreacting as usual," Regulus said, shaking his head. "He will calm down."

You gave him a skeptical look, but before you could argue, he added, "And if he doesn’t, you’ll have me. I will always be there for you."

Your heart swelled at his words, and without thinking, you threw your arms around him in a tight hug.

Unbeknownst to you, a pair of eyes watched from a distance. Tom stood nearby, his expression unreadable, his gaze fixed on the way you clung to your cousin. Beside him, Mattheo leaned casually against a tree, smirking.

"I think her cousin always comes first for her," Mattheo murmured, watching Tom’s jaw clench.

Tom said nothing, but the cold gleam in his eyes spoke volumes.