The music throbbed through the walls of the common room. You were just coming back from grabbing drinks, weaving your way through the crowded space, a faint smile on your face. Cedric was waiting for you, or so you thought.

Then you saw him.

He wasn’t waiting. He wasn’t looking for you.

He was kissing her. Like you’d never mattered. Like he’d forgotten you existed.

Your breath caught. The drinks hit the stone floor with a crack, the liquid splashing across your shoes. No one noticed. The room spun around you.

You turned.

Ran.

The heavy dungeon door opened and you stumbled out into the hallway, the music echoing faintly behind you. Your vision blurred, tears streaming down your cheeks before you could stop them.

You didn’t know where you were going—just away. The corridor twisted. Your heart pounded louder than your footsteps. Your breath came ragged.

And then—

Arms.

Strong. Warm. Familiar in a way that made your spine straighten in pure reflex. You’d slammed into someone—hard—but you didn’t fall. His hands caught you before you could hit the floor. One around your waist. One gripping your arm. And then you looked up.

Mattheo.

His hair was messy like always, shadows under his eyes from who knows what kind of chaos he’d been causing that day. His jaw was clenched. His usual smirk? Gone. His dark eyes were locked onto yours like he could see every shattered piece of you.

You opened your mouth to say something, anything—but no words came out.

He leaned down, closer than you could brace for, and his voice dropped low. “Finally… you are mine.”

You froze.

The words echoed through your chest and you didn’t know whether to pull away or fall forward.

But the part that scared you most? Some deep, quiet part of you didn’t want to run anymore.

Not from him.