The hospital wing smelled like potions, chemical cleaners, and broken dreams. Well, at least to Nora it did. She scowled as she stared down at the thick cast that was covering her leg. Madam Pomfrey had given her a bond mending potion but according to her, Nora's break was so severe that it couldn't be mended in an instant. There were far too many splinters and magic could only do so much.

The damn cast covering half of her right leg was bright red as if there wasn't going to be enough attention on her already. Aditi had signed it multiple times already until Nora finally shooed her best friend out. She could tell that Aditi was getting far too restless sitting beside her in the hospital wing and her bouncing leg had begun to drive Nora bonkers. Now, she sat there with her arms crossed sullenly and a perpetual frown on her face as if she could scowl at her leg enough to fix it.

Her cheeks were still flushed from the Quidditch match. A match that, by the way, was going fantastically. Nora had scored multiple goals and had finally felt like she proved she was worthy of being there. Slytherin House beat its rival and she was at the forefront of that win. And yet instead of celebrating, she was here with multiple snapped bones.

That wasn't the only thing this injury had given her. Well, physically it was but there was also the mental war going on in her head. Madam Pomfrey hadn't said when she'd be able to play again. What if she couldn't play in the next match and the team needed to replace her? What if her replacement was even better? What if she lost everything that she had only just gained?

And then there was the matter of Mattheo fucking Riddle, sticking his nose in her business as if he belonged there. The nerve of that boy. She never should have made the stupid plan to get close to him. Now he thought that they were something of an item when that was far from the case. He meant nothing to her… right?

Nope. He was just a stupid little git acting like a stupid little git. He probably only cared about her broken leg because it made fucking that much harder. Seemed like where his head would be right about now with the way she screwed with it.

"There's my favorite female member of the Slytherin Quidditch team," said a bright and chipper voice from the side of her bed, breaking her from her thoughts of the boy with curly brown hair and bright eyes. Not that Nora even noticed either of those things.

Enzo Berkshire stood next to her with his hands in his pockets, shaggy brown hair dripping slightly at the ends as if he just taken a shower. He had changed out of his clothes and wore a light grey wool sweater and jeans. Nora couldn't help but notice how attractive he looked when he was utterly at ease like this, though she preferred her men a little more psychotic.

What the fuck? Psychotic? Are you mad? She chastised herself.

"The only female member of the Slytherin Quidditch team," she corrected. "Well, was."

The corner of his lips turned down in a slight frown. It looked unnatural on his face. "'Was?' Guess Pomfrey was wrong when she said you'd heal within a week."

Nora's eyes widened. "Really? A week?" The cast on her leg made her struggle to believe that would be true. The thick material was already beginning to make her crazy with how little she could move in it.

"Yup. Maybe earlier. She thinks you'll be able to play in the next match if you actually rest it." He gives her a pointed look as if he knew she was already thinking of sneaking back onto her broom so she didn't lose all her progress. Nora just rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, Rosier. You had a pretty bad spill there. If Mattheo didn't take care of it as quickly as he did, you could have been looking at a lot longer in your nice red cast."

"What?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows because this was all new to her. "What does Mattheo have to do with me healing? It's nothing. I would have been fine."

"Bloody hell, Nora, it was a bad break. You had so many splinters of bone in your blood that if they were there much longer, you'd be in a wheelchair fighting infection for weeks. You sure as hell wouldn't have been 'fine.'"

Then, his voice turned a sterner, making him sound even more like the captain he was. "You need someone to take care of you for a few days because I don't trust you to do it yourself. Riddle has volunteered to keep you off your feet. He'll help you get to your classes and keep an eye on you."

Enzo's blue eyes darkened. "Trust me, Nora. If I hear a single word from him that you're doing too much, you're off the team. Quidditch is not worth your health and well-being. Nothing is."

She gaped. "But… but…"

"The only butt you should be concerning yourself with is your own considering you're going to sit on it until you've properly healed." The happy glint was back in his eyes but Nora could still see how serious he was being. She slumped back in her chair, defeated. "Atta girl."

Her mind immediately flashed to Mattheo screaming "Atta baby!" during the match. She'd forgotten about it until that moment but now she remembered looking up at him and seeing him cheer wildly for her, beater club in hand while he clapped loudly for her. At the time, she thought he was just screwing with his head until she realized that he was actually being serious. He was proud of her. Nora didn't know why but that made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, knowing that she did well enough to please it. It wasn't like she was going to get any appreciation from her family and Aditi wasn't the type to go to or care about Quidditch matches. It felt nice having someone cheer her on after so long of feeling unsupported.

Nora had spent her entire life knowing that she was no one to her family. She wasn't enough to make her father want to stay alive, wasn't enough to keep her mother sober, and had never been the sibling her brother wanted. Oddly enough, Mattheo Riddle cheering for her made her feel like someone. Not just a good student or a talented Quidditch player but someone more.

Until her fucking leg broke and temporarily shattered her mental state.

Nora felt somewhat bad for screaming at him but she wasn't going to apologize, not when they were only enemies who occasionally made out. That didn't seem to warrant the temporary loss of her pride an apology would bring.

"Fine," she said sharply. "But I want someone other than Riddle."

Enzo winced. "Sorry, Nor, but he's actually the one I trust to do this the most. Given your… history, he's the only one I can trust not to be sweet-talked into lying. He's busy Saturday so you have a break from him before he's by your side from dawn to dusk."

"But he's—"

"One of my best friends so I would really appreciate it if you didn't complete that sentence," Enzo said with a tight-lipped grin.

Nora frowned but not because of him. No, it was because she didn't know what she was going to say. Normally, she would have said "insufferable" or something along those lines but Mattheo had shown her today that he wasn't always like that. The way he looked at her—brown eyes full of concern and understanding—made her wonder if that asshole persona was exactly that. A persona. An act. Just one of the many layers behind Mattheo Riddle, not that she didn't understand exactly what it was like to put on different hats for different scenarios. It was why she was known as a bitch in the first place.

"Alright. But the minute he acts like a git is the minute I tell him to shove it."

"That's fair." Enzo nodded before smiling widely. "Just don't kill each other. Our team is undefeated and I'd like to keep it that way with my two best players."

He turned to leave by Nora stopped him, the words escaping before she could bring them back. "Berkshire, do you know who you're thinking of making co-captain?"

Enzo looked back with a wry grin, reminding her of why he was Slytherin. Berkshire was friendly but he was cunning too. Snakes could be cute at times too.

"I was thinking you two could decide that." Her jaw dropped but he continued with a twinkle in his eyes. "Have fun, Rosier. Oh, and here. I was supposed to bring you this. A little peacemaking gift or something."

He set down a small basket next to her before walking out with a mock salute. Nora gaped at it before opening the card.

Princess,

I am very much looking forward to keeping you off your feet. Don't worry. I reassured B that I'd keep you in shape for the next game so you can expect lots of exercise while you lay down ;)

xx,

Riddle

She was about to crush the card in her fist before she spotted the last line.

P.S. Here's a little gift. Consider it a little celebration for such a great performance today. Or something to loosen you up so you don't kill me. Whichever you prefer.

Nora pulled out the bottle of firewhisky before shoving it back in the unsuspecting basket. She didn't need Madam Pomfrey spotting her with something that she definitely wasn't supposed to have. She wasn't entirely sure how Mattheo got it either, though she did have a guess. He was known for throwing absolute bangers of parties with the other Slytherin boys and there was a rumor that when you wanted alcohol, Riddle was who you went to. It seemed that rumor might have had some truth to it.

Nora shoved the card back in the basket before scowling once again, though she wasn't sure if it was from his cheeky note, the damn cast, or the prospect of spending all of her "resting" time with him.

But there was also something else inside of her, something that she chose to ignore.

A spark turning into a burning flame.

The more I write Enzo, the more I love him. But honestly that's how I feel with all of my characters lmao. If you've read my other stories, you have to let me know who's your favorite.

Enjoy!