Enchantments of Serpent's Embrace: The acknowledge - T.N. FF.

Tangled Threads

Out of nowhere, Caroline felt a tap on her back, jolting her awake. Mattheo was already looking behind her, and as she turned, their entire friend group stood there in a mix of shock and excitement. Rolling away from Mattheo, she faced the inquisitive stares.

"Is there something we should know?" Blaise broke the silence, eyebrows raised. Pansy chimed in, "Are you guys, like, together?" Both Caroline and Mattheo, almost synchronized, replied, "No."

The skepticism lingered, and Pansy persisted, "Are you sure? Because you can tell us. We won't spill the tea if you want to keep it a secret.""Weare not together guys," Caroline said and Pansy nodded, even though she didn't believe her. Caroline got up, heading to the bathroom to get ready. When she returned, only Pansy and Astoria remained.

"Are you sure that you two aren't?" Pansy questioned once more. "Yes, Pansy. I am sure." With that, they left the room, heading to grab some breakfast. In the Great Hall, Caroline sat down with Astoria, Pansy, Draco, Blaise, Theodore, and Lorenzo. Mattheo was running late, because he had to take a quick shower.

"You guys looked very cute together," Lorenzo remarked. In the almost empty hall, Caroline hushed him, fearing prying ears. Astoria couldn't resist teasing, "It is true, though." Theodore's gaze met Caroline's, not with disdain this time but genuine concern. She glanced away, realizing he must have known about her intentions yesterday. He was the one to inform Mattheo. He must have had an reason for telling himthat, he saw her leaving the common room.

Caroline's attention shifted to the entrance as Mattheo walked in, his hair still slightly damp. Blaise's loud comment broke the silence, "Caroline, look, your boyfriend is here!" Laughter echoed, but Theodore and Caroline remained silent.

"Hey, I heard that," Mattheo said, sitting next to Caroline. For the first time in weeks, she decided to eat breakfast, putting some food on her plate. However, as she was about to take a bite, hesitation gripped her. The fork hovered in front of her mouth, and she found herself unable to proceed.

Then, she felt Mattheo's hand on her thigh. Looking up at him, she found assurance in his nod. Tentatively, she put the food into her mouth, and as she began to eat, Mattheo's grip on her thigh subtly eased, a silent support that spoke louder than words.

Soon, Caroline found herself walking through the corridors of Hogwarts with Pansy and Lorenzo. Abruptly, Draco came running, urgently calling after Caroline. As she turned to hear what he had to say, panic surged through her veins. Without hesitation, she sprinted towards the schoolyard.

Upon arrival, the sight before her intensified the panic. Mattheo and Harry were entangled in a physical altercation. "What the fuck!" she screamed as they were forcibly separated. Her eyes flickered between Mattheo, sporting a bloody nose, and Harry, with a bloody lip and a swelling black eye.

"An explanation would be nice," she demanded, her tone cutting through the tense air. Mattheo, breathing heavily, spoke first. "He was assaulting you!" Harry vehemently denied the accusation. Professor McGonagall swiftly arrived at the scene, demanding an explanation unsuccessfully. She issued detention to both combatants and led them away, leaving Caroline with a whirlwind of unanswered questions.

Turning to Hermione and Ron, who stood in shock in a corner, Caroline sought clarity. "What happened?" she asked, approaching them. Hermione, composed as always, explained, "Riddle came to us and asked to talk to Harry about you. They walked aside, and suddenly Harry hit him. We didn't hear what it was about."

Ron, however, couldn't contain his anger. "It's probably because you two are together," he spat out. Confused, Caroline responded, "We aren't together, though." Ron insisted, "Don't lie! You're always walking with him, and someone said they saw him putting his hand on your thigh this morning."

Exasperated, Caroline retorted, "Oh my fucking god, we aren't together, okay!" Frustration etched across her face, she left them behind and headed to McGonagall's classroom, waiting outside.

After a while, both boys emerged from the room. Mattheo apologized as he saw her. Disappointed, Caroline said, "Seriously, because of some dumb rumors?" Harry, still agitated, yelled, "He was touching you!" Caroline snapped back, "Harry, you don't know shit. He was helping me, while you weren't there for me! He is a better brother to me than you are!"

With that, Caroline took Mattheo's hand and walked away, leaving Harry alone to ponder the aftermath of their clash.

Mattheo glanced at Caroline before addressing the eager crowd in the Slytherin common room. Blaise, Theodore, Draco, and Lorenzo bombarded him with questions about the incident, but Mattheo's responses were cut short as Caroline pulled him into her dorm, leaving their friends in suspense. Pansy and Astoria, equally curious, received no answers as Mattheo was once again taken away by Caroline, this time to the bathroom.

In the confines of the bathroom, Caroline's demeanor shifted. She pushed Mattheo aggressively against the counter and fetched a cloth. Mattheo, concerned, advised, "You don't have to do this." Caroline, however, retorted angrily, "Do you want me to tell you what you shouldn't have done?" She dampened the cloth and stepped in front of him, grabbing his chin.

With a force that made Mattheo groan in pain, Caroline cleaned the wounds on his face. Mattheo winced, trying to explain, "Aua. I just wanted to help you, besides, I didn't have any intentions of fighting him, he began!" His gaze locked onto hers. Rolling her eyes, Caroline said, "I would have handled it myself." "Like yesterday?" The mention of yesterday's incident left Mattheo looking into her eyes, realizing she was offended. "Do you want me to continue what Harry had begun?" she asked.

"You look hot when you're angry," Mattheo teased, smirking. "I always look hot, and now shut up," Caroline retorted, her attention shifting to his lips. She continued to wipe away the blood, and as the last traces vanished, she threw the cloth into the sink. "Done," she declared, only to realize how close they were. Mattheo's intense gaze made her smirk. "Fell in love, Mattheo?" she teased. He responded with an even bigger smirk, "No, I just remembered our kiss at the party." Caroline chuckled at his words, "Do you remember it? You were pretty drunk and high," his voice full of flirtation.

His hands found her waist, pulling her closer. "I remember it, just not that clearly," she admitted, her hands on his chest. Mattheo, equally eager, suggested, "Well, why don't I remind you?" Their lips met in a kiss that was carrying a hint of the earlier bloodshed. Caroline's hand found its way into his curls, while the other ventured beneath his shirt. The intensity grew as Mattheo momentarily surrendered dominance before reclaiming it. They broke apart, both breathing heavily. "Worth remembering," Caroline said with a smirk.

As they exited the bathroom, they were met with surprise at finding the entire Slytherin crew gathered in the dorm. Draco demanded an explanation, and Caroline, feigning annoyance, gestured to Mattheo. "Yeah, tell them what happened, Mattheo," she said, taking a seat on her bed beside Lorenzo.

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Words: 1175