You were curled up on the sofa, having long since lost interest in the book in your hands.

Mattheo stood by the window with his sleeves rolled up and a cigarette between his fingers. Theodore and Tom were standing nearby, watching him... then you.

You knew where this was going.

“So…” Theodore began, “…when are you going to tell Draco?”

Mattheo didn’t even glance over. He brought the cigarette to his lips, took a slow drag, and exhaled as if the question meant nothing. “Tell him what?” he replied.

Tom looked up from whatever he was scribbling on parchment and raised an eyebrow. “Well,” he said slowly, “maybe that you’re dating his sister.” A beat. “For almost a month now.”

You froze.

Mattheo’s eyes slid sideways and landed on you. Not for long, but long enough to show you that he wasn’t going to lie about it.

You opened your mouth to say something but-

“Wait-what?!”

Draco’s voice snapped through the room.

He stood there with his jaw clenched and his eyes fixed on Mattheo. Your stomach dropped. You didn’t need to look at him to know that he had already worked out what Tom had meant.

Mattheo didn’t flinch. “Evening, Draco,” he said coolly.

Your mouth finally moved. “Draco, it’s not—”

But you didn’t even know what to say. Not what? Not true? Not serious? It was serious. You just hadn’t meant for it to come out like this.

Draco looked between the two of you again, then at Theo, who gave him an exaggerated shrug and muttered with a grin, “Look on the bright side, mate… at least it’s not Harry.”

Mattheo rolled his eyes. “You’re not helping.”

Draco’s fists clenched at his sides. “We’re going to talk. Now. You—” he jabbed a finger in your direction without looking at you—“stay there. Don’t even think about moving.”

Your heart was pounding so loudly you almost didn’t hear Mattheo mutter under his breath, “This is going to be fun.”

“Shut up, Mattheo” Draco barked, before looking at you. "Care to explain, sister?"