The Secret Slytherin Queen

2- 21 Days to Get with Riddle

After years of being homeschooled by her aunt in the States, Dani could finally meet other wizards her age. This new experience was so important to her—she was finally following in her parents' footsteps.

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Dani's POV

I rolled the cigarette back and forth between my thumb and index finger, zoning out. I wanted to smoke, but I was too lost in my own thoughts to light it. Nicotine helped me focus, but right now, I was too distracted.

"Well, smoke the damn thing," Draco said from across the tower.

I kept staring at the railing, the cigarette still unlit between my lips. I pulled a matchbox from my jacket pocket, lit the cigarette, and inhaled deeply. The crisp crackle of the tobacco burned loudly in the silence as I blew the smoke out, looking at the stars scattered across the night sky.

"Well, Malfoy, sticking something between my lips sure gets you going," I said lazily, turning my attention toward him with a smirk.

He scoffed. "Typical Americans, always making everything about sex." He turned away from me, facing the vast, sweeping view from the Astronomy Tower. I chuckled to myself, stood up, and joined him, leaning against the railing beside him. I blew a cloud of smoke in his pale face, and he turned to glare at me.

"Tell me, Draco," I said, tilting my head, "do you ever not think about fucking me?" His grin widened at my words, eager as ever. He stepped closer, trapping me between his arms as he leaned on the railing. I removed the cigarette from my lips and placed my hand on top of his, still holding the cigarette between my fingers.

"Why? You offering now?" he said smugly, inching closer.

"Maybe I was," I teased, leaning toward him. "But would you look at the time—it's dinner." I kissed his nose playfully and shoved him away from me.

He rolled his eyes. "You play too much, Silverclaw. One day, you'll get what's coming, and I'll be the one to deliver your punishment."

I let out a giggle. "Until then, Malfoy, you might want to work on not getting a boner every time you look at me. It's kind of embarrassing, having no self-control."

Laughing, I flicked my cigarette off the balcony and made my way downstairs, leaving him standing there. Draco was fun to play with—he always fell right into my hands. It wasn't just him, though. Most people were easy to toy with, but I liked Draco. He was my friend, and he understood that my teasing wasn't meant to hurt. It was just my nature—playful, flirty. I had a reputation to uphold, after all.

The funny thing? I was still a virgin, though no one knew that. The rumors painted me as some sort of goddess in bed, a prize to be won. I didn't mind; it kept the boys at Hogwarts on their toes. No one would ever find out the truth because being a virgin didn't fit the persona everyone believed I had.

Draco had tried to get with me countless times. Emphasis on "tried." But every time I got him in a compromising position, I lost interest. It was the thrill of the chase, not the capture, that kept me going.

As I entered the Great Hall, Pansy was pestering Blaise about Defense Against the Dark Arts. They stopped bickering when I sat down.

"Hey, Dani," they said in sync.

"Hello, you two. Why do you sound like an old married couple?" I raised an eyebrow.

Pansy stretched and took a deep breath. "He refuses to help me with DADA," she said, shooting Blaise a nasty look.

Blaise opened his mouth to argue, but Pansy ignored him, her green eyes locking on mine. "But never mind that—the news is Mattheo Riddle might be joining Hogwarts. Can you believe it?"

Theodore rolled his eyes. "You're just going off what Loony Lovegood said, Pansy. Stop being so dramatic."

Pansy crossed her arms, pouting. "Well, at least I talk to people, you wanker."

I had heard whispers about Voldemort's son, the so-called Dark Prince, but no one had ever seen him. It was all just rumors, as far as I knew. My father, a Death Eater, had never mentioned him at gatherings.

Draco slid into the seat next to me, his hand resting high on my thigh. I cleared my throat—our friends were around, and I wasn't about to start anything under the table. "We'll see, Pansy. If he shows up, it'll be interesting. Think he's hot?" I asked, teasingly licking my lips.

Pansy noticed Draco's hand on my thigh and nudged me discreetly.

"Ha, Dani. What, the boys here aren't good enough for you?" Lorenzo Berkshire smirked, his light brown eyes always eager for a joke.

Draco's hand inched higher, almost under my skirt. "Men? Unless you're talking about our professors, which is a bit creepy, the boys here are decent," I replied with a wolfish grin. Pansy laughed.

"I could see you going for Professor Lupin," Blaise said, clapping his hands together.

"Nah, Dani's into bad boys," Berkshire added.

I rolled my eyes. "Or maybe he's short and unattractive. Who says I care if he's hot?" I snapped back, annoyed.

"Come on, Dani, don't lie to yourself. You love the game," Theodore said with a wink. I flipped him off, laughing.

Dumbledore's voice rang out, amplified by his wand. He stood at the front of the hall, his dark gray robes giving him a regal appearance.

"Good evening, everyone. We have a new student joining us tonight: Mattheo Riddle. Please welcome him as he is sorted into his house."

A tall figure appeared, walking confidently to the front of the hall. His messy curls framed his face, and scars cut across his skin. He had a dangerous look about him.

"Definitely not like his dad," Berkshire whispered to me. I smirked, catching Blaise's eye.

"All the girls are drooling already," Pansy snickered. "You have to have him."

Draco removed his hand from my thigh, and I grinned. "Fine, give me two months, and I'll have him wrapped around my finger."

"Two months? What are you, a nun? I give you twenty-one days," Lorenzo challenged.

"Bet," I said. "But what's the catch?"

Blaise smirked. "If you succeed, you'll never have to pay for drinks when we go out."

"Deal."

Draco shifted, clearly annoyed. "You're betting on a sociopath, Dani. You're all mental."

"Don't worry, Malfoy," Blaise added with a laugh, "she can still fuck you on the side."

"Slytherin!" the Sorting Hat shouted, and Mattheo strode toward our table.

He stopped at the space Draco had created between us, the scent of mahogany and spice lingering in the air.

"Seat's free," he said, pointing to the spot.

I looked up at him, feeling his cigarette breath mix with the night air. "Go ahead," I replied softly, knowing the game was only just beginning.