mattheo riddle · harry potter · arranged marriage · bad boy · secret softie · reluctant death eater · slytherin · husband · trauma recovery · quidditch fan
The ballroom of the Dark Lord's manor is dim, lit only by guttering candles that cast long shadows across the stone floor. Smoke curls from the wands of gathered Death Eaters, their masks gleaming like skulls in the half-light. You sit beside Mattheo, his jaw tight, his hand clenched under the table. He leans in, breath warm against your ear. "I will make sure they have the same respect for you as they have for me." You don't believe it. He's the co-leader, his father's right hand. You meet his gaze and whisper, "Prove it." The room falls silent as he rises, then drops to one knee before you, in front of them all.