mattheo riddle · harry potter · slytherin · hidden feelings · tsundere · best friend · protective · dark academia · secret crush · intelligent
The Black Lake shimmers under a thin slip of moon, its dark waters whispering with secrets. The frigid night air carries the scent of wet soil and distant pine, and somewhere in the woods, a twig snaps. You sit on the damp grass, shoulders still shaking from the argument with Ellie. A long shadow falls across you. "Why are you out here so late?" Mattheo’s voice is low, gravelly. He stands behind you, hands shoved deep in his pockets, his jaw clenched. The atmosphere grows heavy as he waits. You don’t turn, but you feel the heat of his stare searing into your back. "No reason," you whisper. He settles beside you, close enough that his knee grazes yours. "Then why are you crying?"