Broken?

Chapter 12

Since I'm already late, I take my time walking down the hall.

______________________________

As I enter the Room of Requirement, I see lighted candles and white rose petals spread across the floor.

What the fuck?

"You're late," Mattheo says as he walks out of the darkness.

"What is all this?" I say in amazement and confusion.

"Well, I know we are not particularly fond of each other but every girl deserves a proper proposal," Mattheo says while getting down on one knee.

Well that was unexpected.

"Maisie Charmaine Malfoy, will you do me the honor of not killing us and marrying me?"

I pause quickly and make a thinking face.

"No," I say with a smirk.

"Well damn, at least I tried," he gets up and claps, with a grin. Turning on the lights of the room, blowing out the candles while doing so.

"You idiot, I'm not suicidal. Yes I'll marry you," I say jokingly, pretending to look disgusted.

"Well I would hope so. I know you too well, you wouldn't do that," he continues as he sits down on the couch, getting out a bottle of Scotch. "Want some?"

"Why not." I especially need one after he just said that.

I sit down next to him and grab the bottle. I down two big gulps before giving it back to him, immediately feeling the burn in the back of my throat.

"So....your father sent me a letter," he says handing it to me.

"I don't need to read it to know what it says. If I had to guess, it's nothing but insults meant for me and an invite for you to who knows where. That's what he always does."

"Maisie..." he starts looking uncertain.

"Mattheo." I reply, looking at him dead serious. He positions himself to face me and continues.

"I want to apologize for what I did to you. I never knew the extent of how far your dad was going to take it. I know that's not an excuse and what I did was very wrong. I'm sorry."

Did hell just freeze over? Did THE Mattheo Riddle just apologize to me?

"Are you alright?" I say while bringing my hand to his forehead to check his temperature.

"Yes I'm alright, why wouldn't I be?" He says grabbing my hand to take it off of his forehead.

"Well, THE Mattheo Riddle just apologized so I'd say he'll just froze over. Like literally."

He quickly scoffs but starts to chuckle. I join him. We both start to laugh like how we did when we were kids.

"I accept your apology on one condition." I say, calming down enough to look serious.

"Sure."

"Why did you do that to me?" I say with a change of expression a few tears falling down in the process, I start to remember every little thing he did to me. What he had my father.... do to me.

"Maisie don't cry, come here," he says wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a comforting embrace.

"I was a stupid kid. I thought that the best way to protect you was to not be around you. I made a deal with my father, for him not to give you the mark. He broke that promise. I thought that if you hated me then I wouldn't be able to hurt you, but I ended up doing so anyways. I'm sorry for everything that I put you through." He kisses my forehead and lifts my head up to meet his eyes.