[CHAPTER 36]

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───

TITLE   : SOMETHING LIKE LOVE

LIFE AFTER THAT NIGHT in the changing room had shifted.

Ellie and Mattheo had not talked about what had happened—at least, not in the way that counted.

There were no deep conversations about what they were now, no grand confessions, no dramatic realizations.

But their actions? They spoke loud and clear.

It started subtly.

The next morning at breakfast, Mattheo sat beside Ellie without a second thought, their knees touching under the table. She didn't pull away.

When she reached for the pumpkin juice, his hand automatically covered hers, pouring it for her instead. She rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched into a smile.

Later that afternoon, when they walked to class, he casually reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. No hesitation. No awkwardness.

And that night, in the common room, when Ellie curled up on the couch after a long day, Mattheo dropped onto the cushions beside her, pulled her legs over his lap, and started absentmindedly tracing circles on her knee as he read over Quidditch strategies.

It was natural. It was easy.

But they hadn't said the words.

And for some reason, neither of them was in a rush to.

"Are you two dating or are you just physically attached to each other at all times?"

Pansy's voice cut through the noise of the common room, making Ellie glance up from where she sat—half on Mattheo's lap.

"Shut up," Ellie muttered, tossing a cushion at her friend, who caught it with a knowing grin.

"Oh, come on, Ellie, look at yourselves," Daphne  chimed in, nodding toward them. "He's practically wrapped around you."

Ellie sighed, shifting slightly, but Mattheo only tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her back against him. She felt his smirk against the side of her head.

"I am quite comfortable, actually," he murmured.

Ellie elbowed him.

"You see?" Pansy gestured. "Couple things. You are a couple. Just admit it already."

Ellie rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the small blush creeping up her neck. "We haven't—we're just—"

Mattheo tilted his head down, voice dropping to a murmur only she could hear. "Are you embarrassed?"

She turned to glare at him, and his smirk widened.

"You wish, Riddle."

He chuckled, pressing a quick kiss to her temple, and the butterflies that had never gone away fluttered furiously in her stomach.

Pansy and Daphne  groaned at the same time.

"You two make me sick," Daphne  muttered.

Ellie just laughed.

Later that week, Mattheo caught Ellie on her way out of the library, falling into step beside her like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Wanna go for a walk?" he asked casually.

Ellie raised a brow. "Is that your way of asking me out?"

Mattheo shot her a grin. "Would you say yes if it was?"

Ellie hummed, pretending to consider it. "Depends. Will there be snacks?"

"I can arrange that."

"In that case," she said, bumping her shoulder into his, "lead the way, Captain."

They ended up at the Quidditch pitch, lying side by side on the grass, staring up at the sky. Mattheo had, in fact, brought snacks—stolen from the kitchens, no doubt—and they passed a bag of chocolate frogs between them, occasionally brushing hands.

Ellie sighed, tilting her head to look at him. "We're really doing this, aren't we?"

Mattheo glanced at her, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Doing what?"

"Whatever this is."

His lips quirked. "Seems like it."

She turned onto her side, propping her head up on her hand. "You do realize we still haven't actually said what this is, right?"

Mattheo smirked, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Do we need to?"

Ellie bit her lip. "No, I suppose not."

Because whatever this was, it was good.

And for now? That was enough.

───🦋･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.🦋───