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A Night of Silver and Serpents

The Yule Ball was approaching fast, and Hogwarts was drowning in excitement. Girls huddled in groups, gushing over potential dates and extravagant dresses. Boys scrambled to come up with the perfect way to ask, some choosing grand public gestures while others panicked over rejection.

Y/N Kane? She remained utterly unfazed.

She wasn't the kind of girl to swoon over grand proposals or blushing confessions in the middle of the Great Hall. Romance was never about extravagance for her—it was about meaning. And if someone wanted to take her to the Yule Ball, they better make it worth her time.

Mattheo Riddle knew this better than anyone.

And yet, for weeks, he had agonized over how to ask her. Not because he feared she would say no—Y/N was already his, and everyone knew it. But because this was her. His love, his queen, his wild, knife-wielding, sharp-tongued other half. She wasn't just any girl. She was his girl.

He wanted this to be special.

He spent nights planning, thinking of the right moment, the perfect way to make her understand just how much she meant to him. And then, one night, as snow blanketed the castle grounds, he found her exactly where he knew she'd be.

The Astronomy Tower.

She was perched against the railing, the crisp winter air brushing through her black and silver-streaked hair, making it shimmer under the moonlight. The soft glow of the enchanted candles around the tower illuminated her face, making her look ethereal, untouchable—except she was his to touch, his to hold, his to love.

She sensed him before he spoke.

"Took you long enough," she murmured, a knowing smirk playing at her lips.

Mattheo chuckled, stepping closer. "You knew I was coming?"

"Matty, you've been watching me like a lovesick idiot for a week. I figured you'd get to the point eventually." She turned to face him, mischief twinkling in her eyes. "So, what's this about? Did you finally decide to ask me to the Ball, or are you just here to stare dramatically?"

Mattheo let out a slow breath, his smirk faltering just a little as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

Y/N's teasing expression shifted, her eyes narrowing slightly as curiosity flickered across her face.

"What's this?"

"Open it," he said, his voice quieter now, edged with something deeper, something vulnerable.

She took the box, fingers ghosting over the velvet before she lifted the lid.

Inside, nestled in black silk, was a silver chain. Hanging from it was a charm—two intricately intertwined serpents, one black and one red, their bodies twisting together in an unbreakable bond.

Y/N inhaled sharply.

She knew this design. It wasn't just any random charm—it was hers. The exact replica of the tattoo inked onto her skin, the one symbolizing them.

Her gaze snapped up to Mattheo, but he was already watching her, his dark brown eyes filled with something raw, something achingly real.

"I wanted to give you something that meant something," he murmured. "Something that is us. You and me—wrapped around each other, bound together. No matter what happens, no matter where we go, we're always... this." He reached out, gently brushing his fingers over the charm before his knuckles skimmed against her skin. "You and I, love. We're forever."

Y/N's throat tightened. She was rarely one to get emotional, rarely one to be taken off guard. But this? This mattered.

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and slowly took the necklace out of the box, weighing it in her palm as if memorizing the feel of it. "You really thought this through, huh?" she whispered, her voice softer now.

Mattheo gave a crooked smile. "Of course I did. You deserve nothing less."

She looked at him then, really looked at him—the boy who was her equal in every way, the one who challenged her, infuriated her, adored her. The one who had never backed away from her sharp edges but instead met them with his own.

Wordlessly, she unclasped the necklace and handed it to him before turning around, silently asking him to put it on for her.

Mattheo exhaled a slow breath as he stepped forward, his fingers ghosting over her skin as he fastened the clasp at the back of her neck. His lips brushed against the side of her jaw, lingering there for just a second before he murmured, "So, my love, will you do me the honor of being my date to the Yule Ball?"

Y/N turned back around, her hands sliding up to rest against his chest.

"Matty," she said softly, tilting her head. "Did you really think there was a universe where I'd say no?"

He smirked. "Maybe I just like hearing you say yes."

She rolled her eyes, but the amusement in them was warm, affectionate. "Then let me make it clear." She leaned in, brushing her lips against his before whispering, "Yes."

And then she kissed him.

It was slow, deep, filled with every unspoken word she hadn't said. The cold winter air didn't matter, the world didn't matter—only him, only them. His arms wound around her waist, pulling her closer as if he never wanted to let go.

When they finally broke apart, Mattheo pressed his forehead against hers, his voice low and teasing.

"You know, I was expecting some sort of dramatic knife threat."

Y/N smirked, fingers toying with the necklace at her throat. "Oh, don't worry, loverboy. If you don't dance with me at least five times that night, I will be pulling a dagger on you."

Mattheo threw his head back with a laugh, the sound ringing through the tower.

Merlin, he was so in love with her.

And when the night of the Yule Ball finally arrived, with snow falling gently around them, Y/N Kane walked into the Great Hall with Mattheo Riddle by her side, wearing a stunning dress—and his necklace resting proudly against her skin.