The Riddle of Us *Mattheo x Reader*

Chapter 3 Picture Perfect Holidays, but with the Malfoys

And Mattheo—well, she hadn't heard him mention his plans at all. That wasn't unusual, though. He didn't talk much about his home life, and when he did, it was never with the same casual ease as the others. Had he gone home? Was he still upstairs, planning to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas? She wished she had asked him before it was too late.

Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Y/N made her way toward the gathering group of Slytherins near the entrance, where Draco stood, looking as composed as ever despite the rush. Whatever her friends were doing for the holidays, she'd find out soon enough. Right now, all that mattered was getting home.

—

"Welcome home, dears!" Narcissa's voice rang through the foyer, and Y/N, brimming with excitement, placed her trunk on the floor with a soft thud before darting towards her mother. She wrapped her arms around Narcissa in a tight embrace, the warmth of home comforting her after the long journey.

"Now now, a princess shouldn't be running to meet anyone," came the cold, but familiar voice of her father, Lucius. His grey eyes were cold, his gaze fixed sternly upon her as he stood near the doorway, arms crossed tightly across his chest.

"Oh, come on, father, you sound just like Mattheo!" Y/N groaned, a slight roll of her eyes betraying her annoyance. The boy she loathed, and yet, couldn't quite get rid of, had taken to calling her "Princess" for the past few months. The nickname had been part of the endless banter between them, and while it grated on her, there was something oddly amusing about it.

"Mattheo?" Lucius raised an eyebrow, his tone questioning, yet somehow menacing at the same time.

Y/N quickly caught herself, her cheeks flushing a light pink. "Nevermind," she muttered, her eyes darting to the floor, mortified. She instinctively buried her head in her mother's shoulder, trying to hide her embarrassment, but Narcissa just chuckled softly, brushing her daughter's hair with a gentle hand.

"You two had best come and have tea with us," Narcissa said warmly, her voice light, as she motioned for Y/N and Draco to follow her towards the sitting room. "Tell us everything!" She ushered them both over to the armchairs by the fireplace, where a fresh pot of tea waited.

Y/N and Draco sank into the soft chairs, both eager to recount their antics at Hogwarts. The fire crackled gently in the hearth, and the rich scent of tea filled the room, providing a cozy atmosphere after their long travels.

"Remember when Pansy and I pranked you with all that hair stuff?" Y/N said with a mischievous grin, still chuckling as the memory of their little scheme played out in her mind. "We swapped your hair gel with the sparkling potion. You should have seen how flustered you both were when your hair started glittering like a bloody fairy."

Draco smirked, crossing his legs and leaning back, clearly enjoying the recollection. "That was nothing compared to when Mattheo and I sent you those exploding ink letters. You were covered in ink for the rest of the day. The look on your face was priceless." He laughed, clearly proud of their prank.

Y/N narrowed her eyes, raising a finger in protest. "Yeah, well... what about when I enchanted Blaise's robes to squeak every time he moved? He was absolutely mortified when he walked into Potions class and his robes started making those ridiculous noises. You would've thought he was going mad!"

"Well, I've got one better," Draco said, clearly trying to one-up her. "Remember when we enchanted Pansy's entire wardrobe to keep changing shape? She couldn't figure out why her shirts and skirts kept shrinking, then expanding, then turning into hats. She looked like a bloody fool, and the worst part? She didn't even realize it was me behind it for days."