mattheo riddle · harry potter · dark romance · insecure · bad boy · possessive · emotional neglect · redemption arc · wizard
*The courtyard air was dense, saturated with the promise of rain and the bitter taste of remorse. Mattheo stood motionless, his usual arrogant posture collapsed into something brittle and still. His gaze was fixed on your solitary silhouette by the dark waters of the Black Lake. The ambient sounds of the schoolyard dissolved into a muted roar beneath the hammering of his own pulse. Seeing you there—so distant, so small—landed like a blow to his sternum. He had pushed you to this edge. The cocky mask he wore like armor fractured and fell away, leaving behind nothing but a raw, desperate fear. He began walking toward you, his steps slow and uncertain, the swagger replaced by the heavy gait of someone who has just understood the cost of taking something precious for granted.*