Always and forever- Matteo Riddle

That evening, we finally made our way back to the castle, still buzzing from the chaos of the day. The walk back had been filled with laughter—Theo dramatically reenacting my little performance at Honeydukes, fluttering his lashes and pretending to flirt with Blaise, who played along far too well. Pansy had nearly collapsed from laughter, while Mattheo just shook his head, smirking in amusement.

Draco, however, had been quiet for most of the day. He'd stuck with us, keeping a watchful eye, but he hadn't said much. It was clear he was still in big-brother mode, though whether out of concern or obligation, I wasn't sure.

As we stepped inside the castle, the warmth of the torches and enchanted ceilings wrapped around us, a stark contrast to the crisp evening air outside. Students were scattered through the halls, some heading to dinner, others making their way back to their common rooms.

"I need food," Enzo groaned, rubbing his stomach. "I'm pretty sure I've burned through all the sugar we just stole—uh, borrowed."

"I could eat," Pansy agreed, looping her arm through mine. "Come on, Y/N, you barely ate earlier."

I hesitated, but before I could answer, Draco scoffed. "Yeah, because she never eats properly."

I shot him a glare. "Draco."

"What?" He held up his hands innocently. "I'm just saying."

I exhaled sharply, already feeling my patience wearing thin. Mattheo, sensing the tension, placed a hand on my back, guiding me forward before things could escalate.

"Let's just get to the Great Hall," he muttered under his breath.

The moment we stepped inside, the noise and warmth of the hall surrounded us. Students filled the long tables, engaged in loud conversation and laughter. We made our way toward the Slytherin table, Draco still trailing close behind, his presence feeling heavier than usual.

"I'm sitting at the end," I said, making it clear I wasn't in the mood for unnecessary attention.

Mattheo smirked. "You do have a habit of attracting it, princess."

I rolled my eyes but didn't argue.

As we sat down, I reached for a goblet of pumpkin juice, listening as the others joked around. I could feel Draco watching me from across the table, and it took everything in me not to snap at him.

Mattheo leaned in slightly, his voice low. "You good?"

I met his gaze and forced a small smile. "Yeah. Just tired."

He didn't look convinced, but instead of pushing, he grabbed a roll and placed it on my plate. "Eat."

I smirked. "Bossy."

"Always."

Draco scoffed from his seat, shaking his head. "I swear, it's like you're all babysitting her."

Pansy shot him a glare. "Or maybe we actually care."

Draco rolled his eyes

I slammed my goblet down harder than I intended, the loud clank drawing a few glances from nearby students. I turned to Draco, my patience finally snapping.

"Can you just leave me alone?" My voice was sharp, cutting through the laughter and chatter at the table.

Draco blinked, clearly taken aback, but he quickly masked it with a familiar scowl. "I'm just trying to look out for you—"

"No, you're trying to control me." I shot back. "You've been watching me all day like I'm some kind of child who needs monitoring. You told Mum and Dad, you follow me around, you make these stupid little comments—if you're so ashamed of me, just stop pretending to care."