❤❤️

A few weeks had passed since their return to Hogwarts, and during that time, life had settled into a quiet rhythm.

The group spent most of their time attending classes, sharing meals in the Great Hall, and retreating to their dormitories for quiet evenings. Laughter and light conversations filled their free moments, a welcome change from the chaos they had faced in previous years. Esmie and Enzo were practically inseparable — always finding time for each other between classes or during the evenings. Esmie had taken to sleeping in his bed, her presence beside him a comfort he'd grown used to. That's why it felt odd when he woke up that morning to find her missing from his side, curled up in her own bed instead.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Enzo sat up, his gaze drifting over to Esmie's still form. Her blanket was bunched up around her, and she was lying on her side, unmoving. Concern crept into his chest. He was about to quietly slip out of bed to check on her when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Don't wake her. She just fell asleep," Mattheo said from across the room.

Enzo paused, turning his head toward Mattheo, who was leaning against his bedpost, arms crossed.

"Was she up late studying again?" Enzo asked, half-expecting a yes. Esmie had a habit of staying up too late, pouring over textbooks and class notes well past midnight.

Mattheo shook his head, his expression more serious than usual. "No, she's been sick most of the night — throwing up." He hesitated, his eyes meeting Enzo's. "And before you ask, I tried waking you up three times. You were out cold."

Enzo felt a pang of guilt at that. He hadn't even noticed. "What? Is she okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he moved toward Esmie's bed, sitting gently on the edge beside her.

"She's burning up," Enzo muttered under his breath, pressing the back of his hand against her forehead. The heat radiating from her skin was alarming, and his heart twisted in worry.

"I know," Mattheo said. "She threw up all over herself earlier — couldn't even stand up to get to the bathroom. I had to help her into the shower. She was too weak to manage it on her own."

Enzo's jaw clenched for a moment, an irrational flicker of protectiveness sparking inside him. The thought of Mattheo helping Esmie in such an intimate moment made him tense, but logic quickly overrode the initial surge of jealousy. Mattheo was not only his best friend but Esmie's too, and more importantly, he had been there for Esmie when she needed someone. Enzo swallowed hard, forcing down the possessiveness that threatened to surface.

"Thank you," Enzo finally said, "For helping her."

Mattheo gave a small nod, understanding the complicated emotions behind Enzo's words. Without another word, he pushed himself off the bedpost and quietly left the room, leaving Enzo alone with Esmie.

For a moment, Enzo just sat there, watching her breathe. Her face was pale, dark circles under her eyes showing how little sleep she had gotten. He gently brushed a few strands of hair away from her forehead, his heart aching at the sight of her looking so worn down. Just as his fingers grazed her temple, her eyelids fluttered open slightly, her gaze unfocused.

"Enzo?" she murmured weakly.

"Hey, baby," Enzo whispered, a soft smile tugging at his lips despite his worry. He sat down fully beside her, one hand resting on her waist. "How are you feeling?"

Esmie blinked up at him, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. "I'm alright ... just really tired," she mumbled, her words slurring slightly. "You should go to class. I'll probably just sleep."

Enzo frowned, "Are you sure? I don't mind skipping classes today. I'd rather stay here and take care of you."

Esmie managed a faint smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'll be fine, I promise. You don't need to miss classes because of me. Just come back and check on me at lunch?"

Enzo sighed, glancing down at her before gently placing his hand on her forehead again. "You've got a fever, Es," he said softly, his brows furrowed in concern. "Are you sure you don't want me to take you to Madam Pomfrey? She could give you something to help."

"No," Esmie said quickly, shaking her head slightly. "I just need to sleep it off. It'll pass."

Enzo wasn't convinced but didn't want to push her. She looked exhausted, and he didn't want to add to her stress by insisting. "Alright, but I'll come straight back during lunch to check on you, okay?"

"Okay," Esmie whispered, her eyes fluttering closed again. "Thank you."

Enzo stayed beside her for a few more moments, pulling the blanket up higher to make sure she was comfortable. He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, lingering for a second before standing up and grabbing his things. He hesitated in the doorway, casting one last glance back at her. She looked so small, so fragile in the large bed, and it took all his willpower to leave the room and head down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

As he walked down the corridors, his mind stayed on Esmie. He didn't like the idea of leaving her alone when she was so clearly unwell. His thoughts were distracted, even as he reached the Great Hall and saw the familiar faces of his friends scattered at the Slytherin table, but even as he sat down, engaging in half-hearted conversation, his mind kept drifting back to her — hoping that, by lunchtime, she would be feeling better.

"Hey, where's Esmie?" Genevieve asked as Enzo joined his friends for breakfast, sliding into the seat next to Mattheo.

"She's in bed, sick," Enzo replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"How was she when you left?" Mattheo asked, glancing up from his plate, concern flashing briefly across his face.

"She was sleeping. I tried convincing her to go see Madam Pomfrey, but she insisted she just wanted to rest. She didn't seem too bad, just tired," Enzo said, a hint of worry in his tone.

"Here, I saved you a plate of food before someone stole it all," Genevieve said, sliding a plate toward Enzo, but sending a pointed look at Mattheo, who merely rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't going to eat all of it, Doll," Mattheo retorted, giving her an innocent smile.

Enzo shrugged indifferently. "If Mattheo wants it, he can have it. I'm not that hungry."

"Thank you, Enziboy!" Mattheo cheered with a grin, immediately grabbing the plate from Genevieve, who rolled her eyes in response. She watched as Mattheo started shovelling food into his mouth like he hadn't eaten in days.

"Where do you even put all that food?" Genevieve asked, half-amused, half-exasperated. Mattheo, smirking, snaked an arm around her waist and gently pinched her side, making her jump in surprise.

"I've got my ways of working it off," he said, his grin turning mischievous.

"Oh, is that right?" Genevieve raised an eyebrow at him, her lips twitching in amusement.

"Some of us are trying to eat here," Pansy cut in, wrinkling her nose at the pair's banter. She then turned to Enzo. "Do you mind if I drop by later to check on Esmie?"

"Of course not," Enzo said with a small smile.

"Hold on a minute," Mattheo interjected, eyes gleaming. "It's my dorm room too. What if I said no to Pansy visiting?"

"Too bad, Riddle. You can't stop me," Pansy shot back without missing a beat.

"Try me," Mattheo challenged with a smirk, making Pansy roll her eyes.

Enzo sighed, clearly uninterested in getting involved in their bickering. "I'll check on Esmie during lunch and ask if she's up for visitors."

"If she's feeling better tonight, we could do a games night," Josie chimed in.

"Alright, but Monopoly is banned," Pansy said firmly, shooting a glance around the table.

"Monopoly? What is that, and why is it banned?" Draco asked, looking perplexed.

"It's a Muggle board game," Josie explained, leaning forward. "While we were stuck waiting for the trials to take place, we spent a lot of time playing board games. Monopoly was one of them. Esmie was losing so badly during one game that she flipped the entire table."

"She flipped the table?" Mattheo asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Yep, she was furious about losing," Elsie added with a laugh.

"It was hilarious," Theo chuckled, shaking his head at the memory.

"I would pay good money to see that," Mattheo said with a wide grin, but Enzo just sat quietly, his mind elsewhere, not really paying attention to the conversation.

At the end of the table, Danielle sat flirting openly with Ju-Won, who leaned in close, whispering something in her ear that made Danielle laugh softly, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

Mattheo caught sight of this and immediately groaned in disgust. "Ugh, can you stop, Dani? No one needs to see that."

Danielle turned to him with a teasing smile. "Oh, don't be a hypocrite, Matty. You've been flirting with Gen all morning," she shot back, making Genevieve smirk as she took a sip from her goblet.

"That's different!" Mattheo protested, crossing his arms defensively.

"Sure, it's different," Danielle said with a roll of her eyes. "Because you say so."

Mattheo scowled at his sister. "It is different. You don't see me giggling like an idiot and hanging all over someone in front of everyone."

"Oh, please," Danielle smirked, "I could hear your 'sweet nothings' from across the room."

Genevieve chuckled, elbowing Mattheo playfully. "She's not wrong, Matty."

"Traitor," Mattheo muttered under his breath, although the corner of his mouth twitched in amusement.

"Can you sneak me into the common room again?" Genevieve asked, diverting attention from the sibling banter.

Mattheo's smirk returned in full force. "Of course, Doll. Anything for you."

"I swear, if I walk in on you two making out on the couch again —" Pansy began, her tone filled with mock disgust as she glanced between Mattheo and Genevieve, who were seated rather close to one another.

"And what are you going to do about it, Parkinson?" Mattheo challenged, flashing a playful grin, clearly enjoying Pansy's irritation.

"Oh, don't push your luck with me, Riddle," Pansy shot back, narrowing her eyes, but there was a teasing edge to her voice.

Before Pansy could respond further, Danielle, who had been listening to the banter while still sitting close to Ju-Won, piped up with a smirk. "Oh please, Pansy, you know you love catching them. You pretend to be disgusted, but deep down, you're just jealous of all the attention they give each other."

Pansy's eyes widened as she whipped her head towards Danielle. "Excuse me?"

Danielle only chuckled, her dark eyes gleaming as she leaned back against Ju-Won, who had an arm draped casually over the back of her chair. "I mean, you've been ranting about Mattheo and Gen for days now."

Mattheo, who had been grinning throughout the exchange, suddenly furrowed his brows. "Dani, stop. You're just as bad, if not worse. I've seen the way you flirt with Ju-Won," he said, gesturing toward the Hufflepuff boy beside her, who looked up in surprise but smirked as he glanced between the two siblings.

Danielle feigned shock, placing a hand dramatically over her chest. "Oh, come on, Matty. Don't pretend you don't enjoy it. Besides," she added, lowering her voice and leaning forward, "you've been doing the same thing with Gen all morning. So, what's the problem?"

Genevieve giggled, elbowing Mattheo playfully. "She's not wrong, Matty," she teased.

"Not you too, Gen," Mattheo muttered, shaking his head in mock dismay. His eyes then flicked back to his sister, who wore a satisfied grin. "You're deflecting, Dani. I don't need to hear you talking about me when you're practically glued to Ju-Won here," he pointed out.

Ju-Won, amused by the sibling banter, shrugged and smirked at Mattheo. "Don't blame me, mate. Your sister's hard to resist," he said smoothly, giving Danielle a charming smile.

Danielle shot Mattheo a triumphant look. "See? Even Ju-Won agrees, and you really need to stop pretending that everyone else's flirting bothers you when you're just as bad. If I must endure watching you two," she motioned between Mattheo and Genevieve, "constantly whispering and sneaking around, then you can handle me having a bit of fun."

Mattheo groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Merlin, I'm going to hex you both."

Genevieve, clearly entertained, grinned and leaned into Mattheo, nudging him with her shoulder. "Oh, come on, Matty. You love it."

Mattheo's scowl softened as he glanced at Genevieve. "You're lucky you're cute," he muttered, though a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Danielle, watching the interaction, let out a small laugh. "See? Case in point."

Before anyone could say anything else, Draco finally chimed in. "You know, I could do without the constant displays of affection from all of you," he drawled, glaring pointedly at both Mattheo and Danielle. "It's bad enough having to deal with one Riddle, but two? In the same room? Merlin helps us."

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Oh, Draco, lighten up. It's not like we're causing any harm."

Mattheo leaned over the table and smirked at Draco. "Just be glad you haven't walked in on worse. Trust me."

"Ugh, disgusting," Draco muttered, shaking his head as he looked away.

Genevieve chuckled, taking another sip of her drink as she glanced around the table. "You're all acting like you've never seen two people flirt before. Honestly, it's just a bit of fun."

"Fun for you, maybe," Pansy said, eyeing Genevieve. "For the rest of us, it's a lot of eye-rolling and trying not to gag."

"Yeah, well," Mattheo said, wrapping an arm around Genevieve's shoulders with a grin, "you'll just have to get used to it."

Danielle, still leaning comfortably against Ju-Won, smirked at her brother. "Same goes for you, Mattheo. If you keep flirting in front of us, you must put up with Ju-Won and me doing the same."

Ju-Won chuckled, giving Danielle a playful nudge. "Seems fair."

"Whatever," Mattheo groaned, glancing at Genevieve with a helpless look. "This is what my life has come to."

Genevieve gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "You love it, Matty. You know you do."

Mattheo sighed, but his lips curled into a small smile as he shook his head. "Yeah, yeah."

Before the banter could escalate further, the conversation shifted back to the game's night idea. Genevieve leaned against the table, eyeing Pansy with a mischievous smile.

"We should make it a party," she suggested, tapping her goblet thoughtfully. "I'll make some of my world-famous Margaritas."

"As much as I appreciate the thought, I don't think Esmie's up for a party right now," Enzo cut in. "Let's stick to a quiet games night. We can have a party another time."

"Why is Potter heading over here?" Draco suddenly asked, his tone dripping with irritation. The group looked up to see Harry, Ron, and Delilah approaching the Slytherin table.

Draco's expression soured as he met Delilah's eyes. "Delilah."

"I'm heading to class. You are coming, Ron?" Delilah asked, slipping her hand into Ron's hand as they walked away. Draco's mouth fell open in horror.

"Delilah and Weasel are dating?" Draco muttered, staring after them in disbelief as they left the Great Hall.

Harry, ignoring Draco's outburst, turned to Enzo. "I need to talk to Esmie."

"She's in bed, sick, and I'm not sure she's ready to talk to you yet," Enzo replied, his expression guarded. Harry sighed, nodding in defeat before walking away, leaving a brief silence behind him.

The group lingered for a moment before they gathered their things and headed off to their first classes of the day, their conversation about games night and parties trailing off as they prepared for what lay ahead.

By the time Charms class began, Enzo was only physically present. His mind was still in their dorm, thinking about Esmie wrapped in those blankets, her fragile state weighing heavily on him. Flitwick's animated lecture barely registered in his mind. His quill sat untouched next to his parchment, and though Mattheo tried to get his attention with a few sarcastic comments, Enzo barely reacted. Even when they transitioned to Potions, he found himself staring blankly at the board, his thoughts far from the brewing process Slughorn was going on about.

He knew Esmie could be stubborn, brushing off anything she deemed unnecessary — like visiting the nurse — but this felt different. She'd never seemed so drained, so utterly worn out. It wasn't until the bell rang, signalling the end of morning classes, that he finally felt some relief. As soon as they were dismissed, he hurried back to the dormitory, his concern mounting with every step he took.

When he reached the door, he hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath before pushing it open quietly. The room was just as he'd left it — dimly lit, the afternoon sun casting a soft glow through the curtains, but it was eerily quiet. His eyes immediately fell on Esmie, who was still buried under the blankets. Her small form barely moved, and Enzo's heart twisted painfully as he realised, she hadn't stirred since he'd left her that morning.

Her straight, blonde hair peeked out from under the covers, but her face was still hidden. She looked as though she were cocooned, trying to shut out the world entirely. Enzo's concern spiked — she hadn't even moved from the position he'd left her in.

He crossed the room quietly, sitting gently on the edge of the bed. He wanted to wake her as carefully as possible, afraid of disturbing her too suddenly. Leaning in, he placed his hand lightly on her forehead to check for any signs of fever. However, the moment his hand contacted her skin, Esmie flinched violently. Her body jerked back as if she'd been shocked, and she let out a sharp, startled scream.

Enzo pulled back immediately, his heart racing as he stared at her in shock. "Mie, it's just me! It's me, baby. You're alright."

Esmie's eyes flew open, wide with panic. She gasped for air, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings. Her brown eyes darted around the room, not recognising where she was for a moment, until they finally settled on Enzo, "Enzo?"

"Yeah, it's me," he said softly, leaning closer so she could see him better. "I'm right here, Mie. You're safe."

As her vision cleared and she recognised him, the fear in her eyes softened, though tears quickly replaced it. Without another word, she sat up and threw herself into his arms, clutching him tightly as if she were afraid to let go.

"Oh, t-thank god," she sobbed, her voice trembling. "I thought ... I thought I'd lost you."

Enzo's heart clenched hearing the raw emotion in her voice. He held her close, wrapping his arms around her tightly and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm right here, baby," he whispered gently. "I'm not going anywhere."

Esmie sniffled, burying her face against his chest, her body still trembling from the nightmare. Her hair, usually so vibrant and neat, was tangled and damp from sleep. She held onto him like he was the only thing tethering her to reality. Enzo rubbed her back in slow, soothing circles, his heart aching for her, "What's wrong, Mie?"

"I just ... I had a bad dream," she whispered. She pulled back slightly, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. Her brown eyes were red and puffy, and she looked more exhausted than ever.

Enzo frowned softly, reaching up to brush away the tears from her cheeks. "What was it about?" he asked, his fingers cool against her warm skin.

Esmie shook her head, still looking down at her hands. "I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled. "It was stupid."

Enzo shook his head, his hands still resting on her shoulders as he tilted her chin up to look at him. "It's not stupid if it scared you," he said softly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I'm here for you, always."

Esmie hesitated for a moment before finally meeting his gaze. "I ... I dreamed that you died," she whispered, her voice breaking as the words tumbled out. "It felt so real, Enzo. You were gone, and I couldn't stop it."

Enzo's heart sank at her words. He pulled her into his arms again, holding her as tightly as he could. "Hey, hey, Princess," he murmured, his voice soothing as he pressed another kiss to her temple. "I'm right here, okay? I'm not going anywhere. I'm fine."

Esmie sniffled again, her tears starting to slow as she rested her head against his chest. "Thank you, Sweets," she whispered. Even through her tears, she managed to smile faintly, and Enzo kissed the top of her head again, his fingers gently running through her tangled hair.

After a few moments, Esmie pulled back slightly, wiping at her eyes again. "How were your classes?" she asked, clearly trying to change the subject and shift the focus away from her nightmare.

"Pretty boring," Enzo admitted. "You didn't miss much, but I did take notes for you."

He reached into his bag and pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment, handing it to her. Esmie took one look at the messy scrawl and laughed softly, shaking her head. "Lorenzo, this looks like it was written by a troll," she teased, though her voice was warmer now, the tension in her shoulders slowly easing.

"At least I took notes, darling," Enzo replied with a playful grin. "You should be grateful."

Esmie rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thank you, Sweets," she said softly, setting the parchment aside. She leaned forward to hug him again, resting her head on his shoulder.

Enzo, still smiling, leaned in for a kiss, but Esmie quickly raised a hand to stop him. "Esmie —"

"You can kiss me when I'm not sick," she teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Enzo pouted dramatically, crossing his arms. "I don't care if I get sick," he muttered, though there was no real complaint in his voice.

Esmie giggled, leaning forward to kiss his cheek instead, and Enzo couldn't help but smile. "You're impossible," she teased.

"And you love me for it," he shot back, grinning.

With a reluctant sigh, Enzo stood up. "I should grab some lunch before Transfigurations," he said. "But hey, we're having a games night in the common room later. Do you think you'll be up for it?"

Esmie nodded. "Yeah, I think I can manage that."

Enzo's grin widened, and before she could protest, he leaned down and quickly kissed her on the lips before darting toward the door with a laugh.

"Enzo!" Esmie called after him, laughing as she watched him leave. "Don't come complaining to me when you get sick, Berkshire!"

From down the hallway, his voice echoed back, "Love you too, Grisky!"

~*~

"Hi!" Enzo greeted, kissing Esmie's cheek as she sank into the couch beside him, joining the group who were still bickering over which game to play. Esmie immediately felt the warmth of Enzo's arm wrapping around her waist as he pulled her close, before he pressed a hand gently to her forehead.

"How are you feeling, baby?" Enzo asked softly, leaning closer to her.

"I feel alright, Sweets," Esmie replied with a soft smile, resting her head on his shoulder, as she cuddled into him, her legs draped comfortably across his lap.

Enzo looked at her carefully for a moment, still unconvinced but willing to let it go. He kept his arm firmly around her, squeezing her waist gently, as the debate over games raged on in front of them.

"Fine, we'll play Monopoly," Pansy finally snapped, glaring at Draco, who was grinning victoriously. Esmie watched them with amusement as the game board was set up. Draco always managed to win these little battles, but it was the playful bickering that made things entertaining.

Sitting nearby, Genevieve adjusted her seat as she sat down next to Mattheo, who was busy shuffling the Monopoly money. Genevieve had been a bit sceptical about joining in on a Muggle board game, but her curiosity and Mattheo's encouragement had convinced her to participate.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Genevieve murmured to Mattheo with a small chuckle.

Mattheo smiled, leaning closer to whisper, "Don't worry, it'll be fun."

Across the table, Danielle sat beside Ju-Won, her eyes gleaming mischievously as she whispered something into Levi's ear, making him laugh.

Ju-Won seemed more relaxed than the others as he leaned back in his chair, clearly amused by the entire situation. Theo, who had been dragged into the game by Mattheo, sat beside Elsie, who was already grinning at the prospect of wiping the floor with them all.

Elsie nudged Theo playfully. "Bet you'll be the first one out," she teased.

Theo rolled his eyes but couldn't help smirking. "Doubtful. I plan on dominating this game. Watch and learn."

As the game finally got underway, Esmie, sitting close to Enzo, couldn't help but notice Draco's confusion as he stared at the Monopoly board. His brow furrowed as he tried to decipher the instructions written on the cards. He clearly didn't grasp the concept of a Muggle board game, and Esmie, watching him struggle, couldn't contain her laughter.

"Draco, it's not that hard," she said, her voice laced with amusement. "You just need to buy properties, collect rent, and avoid going bankrupt."

Draco shot her an annoyed look. "Why would anyone want to play a game about money? We have Galleons for that."

Genevieve chuckled softly as she leaned over to Mattheo, who was smirking in amusement at his friend's struggles. "I think he's missing the point."

"I think you're right," Mattheo whispered back, shaking his head with a small grin.

After a few more minutes of explanation, the game finally began. Pansy quickly snatched up properties left and right, while Elsie and Theo kept trying to outbid each other. Ju-Won and Danielle continued to flirt, barely paying attention to their moves, while Draco, still confused, tried to figure out what to do.

It didn't take long for the banter to start.

"You landed on my property; you owe me $200!" Draco suddenly announced with an exaggerated snap of his fingers, grinning at Esmie.

Esmie raised an eyebrow and leaned back in her seat, folding her arms across her chest. "You're in jail, Draco. I don't owe you anything!"

"Actually, the rules state —" Draco began in his usual know-it-all tone, but Esmie interrupted him before he could finish.

"Oh, screw the rules. I'm not paying you anything while you're locked up in jail!" she said with a playful grin, crossing her arms defiantly.

Enzo, who had been quietly watching the exchange, chuckled softly as he squeezed Esmie's hand. "Esmie, just give Draco the $200 so we can keep playing," he teased, flashing her a warm smile.

Esmie groaned dramatically, throwing her head back. "This game is rigged!" she muttered as she reluctantly handed Draco the money.

Draco took the bills with a smug grin, adding them to his growing pile. "It's not rigged. You're just bad at it."

"Right," Esmie muttered sarcastically. "I'll remember that the next time you're losing at Wizard's Chess."

Meanwhile, across the table, Mattheo and Genevieve were quietly strategizing, whispering to each other as they planned their next move. Genevieve shot Mattheo a competitive look, her eyes gleaming with determination. "We can totally win this," she whispered.

Mattheo smirked, his arm draped casually over the back of her chair. "I like how you think, love."

Danielle, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as focused on the game. She was too busy laughing at something Ju-Won had whispered in her ear, their heads bent close together as they shared a private joke. Mattheo noticed this, his jaw tightening slightly as he glanced over at his sister and Ju-Won. It was clear he wasn't thrilled about their growing closeness, though he was trying his best to keep his cool.

As the game continued, Draco began racking up a ridiculous amount of Monopoly money, his pile towering over everyone else's. Esmie, who was losing ground fast, shot Draco a withering glare as she handed him her last dollar.

"I hate this stupid game," she declared dramatically, slumping back onto the couch beside Enzo.

Enzo, who had been knocked out of the game earlier, chuckled as he pulled Esmie into his arms. "You always say that when you lose," he teased, running his fingers through her blonde hair.

"Yeah, well, it's still a stupid game," Esmie muttered, though she couldn't help but smile as she snuggled into his side, her legs draped across his lap. His presence always had a calming effect on her, and she was more than happy to relax in his arms.

From her cosy spot on the couch, Esmie's attention drifted away from the game. She noticed Danielle and Ju-Won sitting even closer now, their heads almost touching as they whispered to each other. Danielle's laugh echoed softly across the room, and Esmie couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Are they always like that?" Esmie asked Enzo, nodding toward Danielle and Ju-Won.

Enzo glanced over and nodded. "Pretty much. Danielle's been flirting with him for days now. Mattheo hates it — he's barely holding it together."

Esmie chuckled quietly, glancing at Mattheo, who was scowling darkly in their direction. His protective instincts were clearly in overdrive, and it didn't help that Ju-Won seemed completely unfazed by Mattheo's disapproving glares.

"Mattheo looks like he's about to hex Ju-Won," Esmie whispered, biting back a laugh.

Mattheo, overhearing, shot her a warning glance. "Don't tempt me."

Genevieve laughed softly beside him, nudging his arm playfully. "Relax, Mattheo. Ju-Won's harmless."

Mattheo grumbled something under his breath but didn't push the issue, though his gaze lingered on Danielle and Ju-Won for a moment longer.

The game continued, though the mood in the room had shifted slightly. The light-hearted banter was still there, but Esmie couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Her suspicions were confirmed when a group of younger students suddenly entered the common room, their presence instantly drawing everyone's attention.

Esmie sat up a little straighter, her eyes narrowing as she watched the group approach. Something about the way they carried themselves set her on edge. The leader of the group, a tall Slytherin boy she vaguely recognised, sneered as he looked around the room, his gaze eventually landing on Esmie.

"Oh, look, it's the Death Eater-Loving Slut," he spat, his words cutting through the noise like a knife.

The insult hit Esmie like a physical blow, and for a moment, the entire room seemed to go silent. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt her cheeks burn with a mixture of shame and anger. Before she could react, Mattheo was on his feet, his eyes flashing with fury.

"What the fuck did you just call her?" Mattheo's voice was low and dangerous, his fists clenching at his sides.

The boy faltered, clearly taken aback by Mattheo's reaction, but he tried to keep his bravado. "I —"

"Mattheo, it's fine," Esmie interrupted quickly, her voice shaking slightly. She didn't want things to escalate further. The last thing she needed was a full-blown confrontation in the common room, but Mattheo wasn't having any of it. His gaze never left the boy, who quickly realised he was outmatched.

Within moments, the group of students scattered, clearly not wanting to test Mattheo's temper any further. As they left, Esmie let out a shaky breath, the tension slowly easing from her shoulders.

Enzo pulled her close, his arm wrapping protectively around her. "Are you alright, darling?" he asked softly.

Esmie nodded. "Yeah, I'll be okay." She kissed his neck gently before settling back into his arms, allowing herself to relax against him.

His comforting presence soothed some of the lingering hurt from the boy's cruel words, but even as she tried to focus on the game, the insult lingered in her mind. She forced herself to push it aside, determined not to let it get to her.

As the game wound down, the group began to relax once more, the earlier tension slowly dissipating. The sound of dice rolling, and money exchanging hands filled the room once again, and for a moment, everything felt normal, but deep down, Esmie couldn't shake the feeling that something was shifting, that the calm before the storm was slowly coming to an end.

If only she'd known what was coming.❤️❤️

I love the cute moments between Esmie and Enzo.

Enjoy! Xo

❤️❤️