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⟢ BEFORE DATING
── .✦ MATTHEO RIDDLE wasn't the type to wait for anything - or anyone. he moved through the world like it owed him something. his reputation as slytherin's most notorious playboy was well earned; every girl who crossed his path seemed to find herself entangled in his web, only to be discarded just as quickly. it was cold, calculated, almost ruthless, the way he played his games. but for mattheo, that was all they were - games. until, for the first time, he saw you.
the great hall buzzed with chatter, the clinking of goblets, and the occasional laughter rising above the din. mattheo sat at the slytherin table, his signature smirk firmly in place as he lazily leaned back against the bench, one arm draped over the backrest. his usual crowd surrounded him - nott, zabini, and a few others, all laughing about some poor ravenclaw girl who had just been dumped by another one of their group.
"riddle, you've been quiet." blaise zabini said, flicking a grape at him. mattheo's reflexes were sharp, and he caught it with ease, tossing it back with a bored expression.
"just enjoying the show." mattheo drawled, eyes scanning the hall with disinterest. but then they landed on you.
you weren't like the other girls who threw themselves at him, who wore their desperation on their sleeves. you were composed, confident, and maddeningly oblivious to him - or so it seemed. you sat at the far end of the slytherin table, eyes focused on your book, completely unfazed by the chaos around you. you were part of his house, yes, but somehow always managed to remain slightly out of reach, like a mystery just waiting to be unraveled.
for the first time in as long as he could remember, something shifted inside mattheo. it wasn't a quick flicker of interest; it was something darker, more consuming. he wanted you. and when mattheo riddle wanted something, he always got it.
"who's that?" he asked, interrupting blaise mid story. blaise followed mattheo's gaze, chuckling when he realized who had caught his attention. "yn yln," he said casually. "pureblood. smart as hell. kind of keeps to herself, though. not really your type, mate. she's not one for... casual dalliances."
mattheo's smirk widened. "good."
he liked a challenge. the easy ones, the girls who blushed and stammered the moment he looked their way, had grown tiresome. but you? you were a puzzle, one he intended to solve.
over the next few days, mattheo watched you with the same intensity he applied to every game he played. but this was different. you weren't falling for the same traps. he tried passing by you in the corridors, brushing too close on purpose. you didn't flinch. he sat near you in the library more than once, close enough for you to notice him, but you never looked up from your books. it was infuriating - and exhilarating.
one evening, when the common room was unusually quiet, mattheo found his opportunity. you were sitting by the fire, curled up in one of the green leather chairs, completely engrossed in a large tome that looked like it weighed more than you. the flickering flames cast a soft glow across your face, and your concentration was unshakeable.
