Chapter 6

Y/n felt the burning sensation in her stomach making the whole situation even more intense. The proximity of Mattheo, the quiet whisper in her ear, the warmth of his hand resting on her hip felt overwhelming. The magic of this night was palpable to her, in every fiber of her body, and she was suddenly no longer sure if it was the alcohol that made her so sure, or if it was really the attraction that pulsated between her and Mattheo.

She could hardly think anymore, her head was blurry, and her senses no longer seemed to belong entirely to her. She was so close to him that she barely noticed the music and the conversations of the others in the distance. The world had closed around her and this moment. Nothing existed anymore except the fact that he was still so close.

"Do you feel that?" he whispered, his voice deep and rough, almost like a command.

Y/n nodded almost involuntarily, the words she wanted to speak gone. Her hand twitched, and she placed it on his chest, as if she wanted to deepen their closeness even more, as if she could turn the conversation into something else, something even more intimate and even more charged with tension.

Mattheo let out a small sound of satisfaction as she leaned another step closer, and without another word he placed his hand lightly under her chin and pulled her towards him, their lips meeting with an anticipation that cut through the room. The kisses that followed were not gentle. They had the fire that was in the air - a crackle between them that suddenly brought them both inexorably closer.

In that moment, the world around them felt lost. It was as if they were locked in this small, private space, beyond the laughter and voices of everyone else dancing or talking. Y/n felt each of his touches with a clarity that was almost uncanny.

But then Mattheo suddenly stopped. His hand slowly moved away from her hip as he looked her over with a single, intense gaze. "There's no rush, Y/n," he said quietly, almost warningly. "Not here, not now."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The atmosphere was suddenly so thick that it was almost impossible to say what would happen next. She felt a mixture of excitement and reluctance run through her body. It was dangerous - she knew that. But even more, she felt like someone who was looking for that danger.

"Shall we play?" she whispered, the hint of challenge in her voice unmistakable.

Matheo grinned. "Oh, I didn't think you would understand the risk. But you're more interesting than most of them here," he murmured, still holding her hand in his, but this time Y/n felt the intent in his grip, almost like an invisible boundary.

In that moment, both knew that their night would be a turning point. Whatever followed - whether the situation would ease or they would remain in this swirling vortex of tension and seduction - had to do with a unique spark of attraction that was firmly anchored between them.

They sat there like that for a moment, not letting out another sound, just an exchange of glances and gestures that said more than any of the words could have. And then, as if pulled by an invisible bond, their heads slid closer together again - the decision of what was to come next was still in the air, like a drawn-out secret that might soon be revealed.

The space around her seemed to contract even more tightly, as if every movement, no matter how small, was made more intense by the alcohol in Y/n's body. The kisses between her and Mattheo became increasingly passionate, every moment seemed to increase the need to go further, to go deeper, without really thinking about the consequences. But the more she immersed herself in the moment, the more she felt the invisible boundary that they would both cross if they didn't withdraw from the situation.

Suddenly Mattheo paused. It was like a flickering awakening from a shared dream, and as he slowly pulled away from her, his gaze suddenly much more serious than it had been before, she felt the heat in her subside and a cold feeling creep into the pit of her stomach. He stood up, reached for his bottle and took a sip.

"It..." Mattheo exhaled deeply and turned to her. "I'm sorry, Y/n," he said calmly and clearly, looking at her with a firm gaze. "But that can't happen."

She stared at him in confusion, feeling the urge in her body to hold on to the moment, to bring it to an end, which still required a piece of them. But his gaze and his posture were firm, and Y/n realized that something had changed between them without her really wanting it.

"Why not?" she asked, her voice sounding small, uncertain, but she tried to catch herself again. "It felt right, Mattheo..."

"Right?" he repeated quietly, with an almost amused but painful hint in his voice. "Do you know what you're saying? Think of everything that comes with it. You're still new here, Y/n, and I..." Mattheo shook his head slowly. "The two of us just don't belong together. Not in this way. What happened here stays with us, but we're leaving it here for now. It would only cause chaos, more than you can imagine."

Her mind reeled as the meaning of his words sank in. Her heart clenched painfully. It was as if the familiar moment that had united them both in that moment had suddenly become a heavy shadow that hung over the too blurry picture she had of the situation.

"It's not fair," she whispered, unable to really put her feelings into words. "It wasn't my fault..."

"It's not about that, Y/n," he replied, his voice calmer, almost apologetic, but his words had something final about them. "It's about what stands between us. There are just things we can't share with everyone, things that are better not to cross. You'll realize it later. I don't want you to get dragged into something that isn't good for you."

He took a step back, still looking at her with that heavy expression he rarely showed. Y/n couldn't say exactly why, but it all suddenly felt like a big mistake, like she found herself in a dangerous playground where she could never win anything.

"I think you should go back to the party now," he continued, his words calm but clear. "Enjoy the rest of the night, Y/n, but don't stay here too long. You shouldn't continue with me now."

Y/n felt empty and abandoned. The kiss that had made her feel so safe and connected was now just a memory that faded more and more with every word Mattheo said. She didn't know if it was because of her, him, or the story that Hogwarts itself had prescribed for them - but she understood that in that moment she had crossed a line that she should never go back to.

"Don't come back to me again, okay?" he said even more quietly, almost like a plea, even though the sentence seemed like a final rejection to her. It was a message that there was never anything more between them than this moment. That what was happening between them right now should never have been anything deeper.

Without another word, Mattheo finally turned away and walked away, leaving Y/n in silence, with the clinking echoes of her disappointment and shock sweeping over her. As the room filled up around her again and the fun and chaos of the party continued, she suddenly felt more isolated and shut off than ever before.

Would their interactions from this moment on always be nothing more than a reminder of the forbidden? Something that was never to be repeated again, never to come anywhere close to this again? The evening ended there - for her, at least. She didn't want to think any more, but it was impossible to get Mattheo's warning, the broken atmosphere between them, out of her mind.

It was clear: This was over.

The party that had felt so lively and exciting suddenly seemed far away and unimportant. Y/n stood there paralyzed for a moment, her gaze fixed on the place where Mattheo had been standing just a few minutes ago. The sound of the music only reached her ears faintly, the room suddenly seemed much larger and colder than before. She felt an unpleasant emptiness spreading in her stomach. What she had just experienced was like a brief storm that had suddenly subsided, but the echo of everything continued to resonate. She sighed quietly and closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself.

The party continued around her. Slytherins laughed, flirted, celebrated. For her, the fun seemed unbroken - but for her, everything had disappeared, as if a thick curtain had closed off her world. She looked around and saw Pansy in the middle of a conversation with Millicent. The two girls laughed as Pansy turned her gaze to Y/n and waved with an apologetic smile. Y/n's smile returned mechanically, then she turned around and walked slowly towards the door. The room felt strange.

She climbed the narrow stairs back to the Slytherin common rooms, the alcohol still heavy in her veins and her heart pounding uncomfortably. She hadn't decided whether she should just forget that night or dig deeper into her thoughts to understand them. But her feet led her back to her room with an urgent calm.

When Y/n opened the door to her room, she immediately noticed that Pansy was already lying in one of the beds, her hair carefully wrapped around her finger, and a book in her hand. The candlelight was warm and soothing. Y/n took a deep breath as she walked to the bed with slow, almost mechanical steps. The alcohol was having a particularly heavy effect on her now. Without another word, she collapsed onto her bed, the pillow under her head feeling like lead.

"Is everything okay?" Pansy asked quietly, looking up from her book. The question was sincere, but Y/n knew Pansy couldn't quite understand what was going on with her at that moment. "You look... different," she added, putting the book aside.

"It was nothing, Pansy," Y/n answered, her voice quiet and shaky. She tried to put some cheerfulness into her words, but it was almost impossible. It was more of an escape, a protective wall from the inner emotions she couldn't put into words. "I think I'll just go and sleep for a bit. It's just a lot for today."

"If you want to talk..." Pansy hesitated and stood up. She walked over to Y/n and carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. Her gesture was friendly, if uncertain. But Y/n felt somehow understood - Pansy would reach out a hand to her at some point, when she was ready to speak.

But at this point Y/n was too tired to say more. She felt her thoughts getting heavier and heavier, the rest of the party already like a distant dream in her head. She turned under the covers, her eyes closed almost automatically, and she let the sly veil of sleep envelop her without remembering what had happened once again.

The darkness in her room felt like the end of this evening. The last thing she thought of was Mattheo's look, which had been calm and determined as he pushed her away. One of the many secrets of the night that would never be crossed between them again.

The night ended quietly, and the day dawned soon after - but the impressions of the previous evening could not be easily cast aside.