PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENT

It was a quiet afternoon in the Slytherin common room, the usual crackle of the fire and soft murmur of conversations the only sounds breaking the silence. Y/N sat in a secluded corner, her legs tucked beneath her as she pretended to read a book, but her mind wasn't entirely focused. Beneath the strands of her black hair, carefully hidden from view, lay her secret—a small ball python named Seraphis.

For weeks now, Y/N had been keeping Seraphis hidden. She had found the snake on one of her late-night walks in the Forbidden Forest and decided to keep her as a companion, though no one else knew. Especially Mattheo. Y/N had a feeling he wouldn't be thrilled about her decision. He wasn't particularly fond of snakes, and she didn't want to deal with the drama of trying to convince him otherwise.

Seraphis had settled comfortably in Y/N's hair, winding around the dark strands like a living accessory. The snake was small and quiet, and Y/N had grown used to the faint sensation of her moving around in her hair. It was calming, almost like having a second heartbeat against her scalp.

But today, Seraphis was unusually active. Y/N could feel the subtle shifts of her pet as the snake slithered through the locks of her hair, stretching a little too far, making it difficult for Y/N to focus on the pages in front of her.

And then, the unmistakable sensation came—the soft stretch of a yawn. The delicate shift of scales. Y/N froze for a moment, her eyes darting around the room. She hoped no one had heard it, and for a moment, the common room stayed eerily quiet.

The faint sound of scales shifting and the soft movement of Seraphis settling deeper into her hair were completely inaudible to the others, but Y/N could feel it. The weight of the snake, its small body coiling and adjusting inside her hair, sent a shiver down her spine. Her fingers instinctively brushed her hair back, as though trying to mask any movements.

Austin was sprawled out on one of the chairs, lazily flipping through a magazine, while Draco and Blaise were engaged in a deep conversation near the fire. Theo was looking out the window, his eyes narrowing as he observed the distant grounds. None of them seemed to pay Y/N much attention. It seemed like the perfect moment to keep her secret safe—until the snake yawned again, her small mouth opening wider, stretching with a soft flicker of white that could be felt but not heard.

Y/N bit her lip, trying to hold herself still. The last thing she needed was for anyone to catch onto what was happening under the veil of her hair. She wanted nothing more than to pull her hair back completely and reveal Seraphis, but that would only raise suspicion.

"Did you hear that?" Austin's voice broke the silence, causing Y/N to tense up. She forced herself to glance up from her book, acting as casual as possible.

"Hear what?" Y/N asked nonchalantly, trying to mask the slight panic in her voice.

Austin's gaze flicked between her and the room. He was clearly looking for a response, but before he could press further, Draco interrupted. "Probably just Luna," he muttered, tossing a glance toward Y/N, then returning to his conversation with Blaise.

Relieved that no one had made the connection yet, Y/N quickly turned back to her book, taking slow, steady breaths. But the moment she did, another yawn passed through Seraphis, and this time, it was almost impossible for Y/N to ignore. Her fingers instinctively moved to her scalp, pressing against the base of her hair as if to hide the snake more securely.

Mattheo, who had been silent until now, sat up straighter from his spot on the couch. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Y/N. "You sure everything's alright?" His voice held a slight edge of concern. "You're acting... strange."

Y/N's heart skipped a beat. "Strange? What do you mean?" She quickly forced a smile, trying to brush it off. "I'm fine. Just... tired, I guess. Been a long day."

But Mattheo was already looking at her suspiciously, his brow furrowing. "You sure? You've been acting a little off today, even more than usual," he said, his gaze shifting from her face to the way her hand kept moving through her hair. "And that... what was that sound? It wasn't Luna, was it?"

Y/N's fingers froze in her hair. She had to think quickly. She didn't want to expose Seraphis, but the snake was becoming increasingly restless, adjusting itself as if it was trying to get more comfortable. The sensation of scales moving was becoming stronger, and Y/N was sure someone would catch on soon.

"No, I swear, it's Luna," Y/N said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. "She's just being... weird today."

But Mattheo was still watching her, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to decipher the truth behind her words. The more he stared, the more Y/N felt her anxiety rising. She tried to calm her racing thoughts, but every time Seraphis yawned, it felt like the room was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable reveal.

Then, as if on cue, Seraphis shifted again—this time, the motion was larger, and Y/N felt the snake's head push lightly against the back of her neck as she stretched out to yawn one more time. It was an instinctive reaction, but Y/N couldn't hide the small, involuntary smile that tugged at her lips as she felt the snake's warmth against her skin.

Mattheo noticed. His eyes flickered toward Y/N's face as her expression softened for a fraction of a second. It was just enough to make him pause.

"Wait a second," he said, his voice growing softer but more intense. "What's going on?" He leaned forward, his eyes scanning her hair, clearly noticing the way her posture shifted when Seraphis made another slight adjustment.

Y/N froze. She knew it was too late. She couldn't hide it any longer.

Mattheo stood up, crossing the distance between them in a few long strides. He reached out and gently tugged at the loose strands of her hair, revealing the faint flicker of white that peeked through the darkness. Seraphis, finally exposed, coiled lazily but remained still, her tongue flicking in and out as she settled on Y/N's scalp.

Y/N let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Mattheo, I... I didn't want you to know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't think you'd approve."

Mattheo's expression was a mix of surprise, confusion, and something else—something close to amusement. He blinked a few times, processing what he was seeing. "You've had a snake in your hair this whole time?" he asked, his voice a little incredulous but also oddly fascinated.

Y/N nodded sheepishly. "She's harmless, really. She's just... my secret. I didn't think anyone would understand."

Mattheo stood there for a long moment, his arms crossed, still staring at the snake, who seemed content now that she was no longer hidden. Finally, he shook his head with a small, almost exasperated laugh. "Well, I didn't see this coming."

Y/N couldn't help but laugh quietly in return. "Yeah, me neither."

After another long pause, Mattheo finally shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You know... it's actually kind of cool. I don't know why, but I'm not mad. Just surprised."

Y/N breathed a sigh of relief, and her smile deepened. "Really?"

Mattheo raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. I mean, if she stays out of my way... and your hair isn't full of snakes every time I turn around, I can deal with it."

Y/N chuckled softly. "Deal. And, uh... thanks for not freaking out."

"Give me time," Mattheo teased with a wink. "But for now, I guess I'm just glad you're not hiding anything worse."

Y/N grinned, feeling lighter than she had in days. Maybe her secret wasn't so bad after all.