Five years after Hogwarts, y/n finally has her dream job at the Ministry of Magic. Everything is going perfectly. Until her supervisor assigns her a new partner. Mattheo Riddle. The same Mattheo who spent seven years getting on her nerves. Working together is a disaster from day one. When a dangerous investigation leads to a secret undercover operation, the Ministry decides they’re the perfect team. Which means weeks spent pretending to be a couple. Being together twenty-four hours a day. The fake affection starts feeling alarmingly real.
Four years since Hogwarts, life had moved on. Or at least, that was what everyone liked to tell themselves. Yet somehow, the moment Daphne Greengrass announced her wedding. “No excuses.” That had been written in bold letters at the bottom of the invitation. So now they were all here. A luxury hotel overlooking the French coastline. Seven days before the wedding. Seven days trapped together. An absolutely terrible idea. Mattheo looked down at your shoes. Then back at you. “You know,” he said calmly, “there is a very simple solution.” “What?” Without warning, he bent down. “What are you doing?” “Matt-” Before you could finish the sentence, he lifted you into his arms. Effortlessly. One arm beneath your knees. The other around your back.
Four years since Hogwarts, life had moved on. Or at least, that was what everyone liked to tell themselves. Yet somehow, the moment Daphne Greengrass announced her wedding. “No excuses.” That had been written in bold letters at the bottom of the invitation. So now they were all here. A luxury hotel overlooking the French coastline. Seven days before the wedding. Seven days trapped together. An absolutely terrible idea. ~ Theodore looked down at your shoes. Then back at you. “You know,” he said calmly, “there is a very simple solution.” “What?” Without warning, he bent down. “What are you doing?” “Theo-” Before you could finish the sentence, he lifted you into his arms. Effortlessly. One arm beneath your knees. The other around your back.
There had always been something unfinished between y/n and Theodore Nott. The years passed quietly. The friendship remained. More important than either of them cared to admit. The gathering that evening had been nothing unusual. Old friends. Too much alcohol. Too many stories from Hogwarts. The familiar chaos that always followed whenever the former Slytherins ended up in the same room. Until Theo disappeared. He often vanished when things became too loud. But something felt different. A feeling y/n couldn’t ignore. One that eventually led her away from the crowded room and into the empty hallway beyond.
Y/n never expected to become a target. One moment her life is normal. The next, someone is following her. Watching her. Leaving behind signs that they’re getting closer. The Ministry takes the threat seriously. Because when y/n arrives home one evening, she finds Mattheo Riddle sitting comfortably on her couch. Apparently, he’s her assigned protection. Nobody cares that she and Mattheo haven’t managed a normal conversation in years. She’s not allowed to stay alone. And Mattheo isn’t leaving. The closer the threat gets, the harder it becomes to ignore the feelings growing between them. Especially when every day could be their last.