Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
── .✦ THE SLYTHERIN COMMON ROOM was dimly lit by the flickering light of a few green hued lanterns that hung from the ceiling. it was late, far past curfew, and the cold stone walls seemed to echo the tension that had settled between you and mattheo riddle, who sat across from you. your gaze locked on his, both of you seemingly refusing to back down in this silent standoff.
mattheo's dark hair fell in messy curls over his forehead, his piercing eyes narrowing as they met yours. there was always something about the way he looked at you, like you were nothing but a minor inconvenience in his otherwise perfect world. you clenched your jaw, determined not to be the first to look away.
"you know, if you stare any harder, i might start thinking you're actually interested." he drawled, a smirk creeping onto his face. "interested?" you scoffed, leaning back in your chair, your arms crossed. "hardly. i'm just wondering how you manage to fool everyone into thinking you're so clever." his smirk widened, as if your words only amused him further. "jealousy doesn't suit you, darling." "neither does arrogance." you shot back.
it had always been like this. every conversation with him turned into a verbal sparring match, a test of who could dig deeper, cut sharper. you weren't sure when it started - whether it was that first year in potions class when he claimed you'd only aced the assignment because of your partner or when he publicly corrected you in transfiguration, earning laughs from the entire class. whatever it was, mattheo riddle had made it his mission to challenge you at every turn, and you had quickly learned how to give as good as you got.
you could still hear the echoes of his taunts from a few weeks ago. the memory played in your mind like a bitter tune. it had been during a charms lesson, the class buzzing with excitement over a particularly difficult spell. you had been the first to perform it flawlessly, your wand slicing through the air with precision.
"show off." mattheo had muttered just loud enough for you to hear as he passed by your desk. you had whipped around, eyes blazing. "jealous, riddle?" "of you?" his voice had dripped with disdain. "hardly. i just think it's fascinating how you always feel the need to be the center of attention."
that had been the spark that ignited the latest in a long string of arguments, ones that often took place in public, where the rest of the students could watch the two top slytherins clash like titans. your insults had grown sharper over time, and it didn't take long for every conversation to turn into a battle of wills.
in the common room, the silence between you and mattheo stretched, taut as a bowstring ready to snap. a few students lingered around, but most had retreated to their dormitories. you could feel their eyes on you, some waiting for another confrontation. by now, everyone knew that wherever the two of you were in the same room, tension followed.
