Mattheo leaned casually against the arm of a leather couch in the common room, his stormy eyes bright with energy as always, though softer now—just for you. He tossed a lazy smile your way, his hair falling messily across his forehead.

"What's with the face?" he teased, his voice low and gravelly. "Don't tell me I finally made you nervous, sweetheart."

You swallowed hard, your heart racing. Every instinct told you not to say it—to just keep it buried. But secrets fester, and Mattheo deserved the truth.

"I need to tell you something," you said, voice barely above a whisper.

His playful grin faded, replaced by a furrowed brow. "Alright," he said slowly, pushing off the couch and stepping toward you. "What's got you looking like you're about to face a dragon?"

You clenched your fists at your sides, grounding yourself. "I'm MuggI*-born."

Silence fell over the room, heavy and suffocating. The crackling of the fire suddenly felt deafening.

Mattheo's expression twisted, disbelief flickering across his face before giving way to something darker. "What?" he asked sharply, as if he hadn’t heard you right.

"I'm MuggI*-born," you repeated, your voice firmer this time.

His jaw clenched, and he took a step back, shaking his head like he was trying to clear it. "No," he muttered. "No way. I f/cking kissed you! I trusted you! And this is how you repay me? By lying to me? By—" He broke off, running a hand through his hair, eyes wild. "Merlin, I’m going to thr0w up."

You flinched at his words, your chest tightening painfully.

"I didn't lie to you," you said softly, your voice trembling. "I just... I was scared."

"Don't." His voice was sharp, slicing through your words. "Don't you dare make excuses."

He paced the room like a caged animal, his breathing ragged. "I thought you were different," he said bitterly.

"Mattheo, please—"

But he was already moving toward the door, his shoulders tense.

"You should've told me from the start," he spat, not even looking back. "Stay the h3ll away from me."