Everyone in Slytherin knows one thing: Draco Malfoy has had a ridiculous crush on Y/N for months. His friends are tired of hearing about her. Theo makes fun of him constantly for the way he goes quiet whenever she walks into a room, and even Mattheo Riddle has listened to Draco ramble on about “that girl from Gryffindor” more times than he can count. The funny part? Mattheo never realized Draco was talking about his Y/N. Because Y/N isn’t just some random girl. She’s Mattheo’s best friend. The two are nearly inseparable around Hogwarts — late-night walks through the corridors, studying together in the library, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder at meals, laughing over private jokes nobody else understands. People constantly assume they’re dating, but neither of them ever corrects it. Mattheo likes her far too much to deny it, and Y/N has grown so used to him always being there that she doesn’t notice how protective he’s become. Meanwhile Draco only knows her from afar. A passing interaction once. A few exchanged glances. A smile she gave him in the hallway that completely ruined his ability to think straight for the rest of the day. So when Draco hears Y/N is going to Hogsmeade for the weekend, he decides this is finally his chance to talk to her properly. Not in a crowded hallway. Not through awkward staring from across the Great Hall. An actual conversation. He “accidentally” runs into her near the village square while a band is playing, pretending the meeting is coincidence when in reality he’d spent nearly twenty minutes fixing his hair beforehand. And somehow… it works. Y/N smiles at him easily, far kinder than Draco expected. The conversation flows better than he imagined, and for the first time he thinks maybe he actually has a chance with her. Until he hears a familiar voice behind him. “Been looking everywhere for you, sweetheart.” Draco turns — and nearly freezes. Mattheo walks toward them with an easy grin, completely relaxed, like he belongs