BEAUTIFUL FLOWER | MATTHEO RIDDLE

CHAPTER FORTY

"I could sit and watch you read all day," he shrugged, and a small blush appeared on my cheeks. "But... er, well, no." his shoulders slumped the moment I looked up to him. "No, I. . . I just don't like the thought of you being up here alone for the night while every one else is downstairs . . ."

"You needn't worry, truthfully," I completely sat up, laying the book beside my leg, wrapping my arms around myself. "Is Draco going to be there?"

He hesitated, then nodded with his lips pursed.

"And... er, Matthew?"

He didn't hesitate before nodding. "Already drinking, that tosser."

I winced, "And well, obviously Bassett is going to be there."

We both nodded.

"If I showed, they'd all just be a pain in my arse," I tutted, "Think about it."

"Don't tell me they're the reason you aren't letting yourself have fun."

"They're not the reason I'm not going, I promise, it's just . . . I avoid the three of them as much as I can, and well, going to this party would be exactly the opposite. I'm not in the mood to party or drink, much less be around them."

He shoved his hands into his sweatpants pockets. "Fine, but just know that I will be checking up on you throughout the night, drunk or not, Calantha Ori."

My mouth hung open as I sprang to my knees, gasping, "Where did you hear that!" Erised only laughed, and I got to my feet in a hurried mess, almost stumbling over a pile of robes at the end of my trunk. "Tell me, Erised, where did you hear that! Oh, it was Kassandra, wasn't it! I'll have you know her middle name is Arcturus."

Erised laughed even harder, shoulders bouncing as his slender fingers gripped the desk for support. "She shares her father's middle name! Blimey, that's. . . that's. . . oh, Mercy, fuck. And. . . and your middle name. . .oh," he laughed again, his mouth ajar as blissful laughter left his rosy lips.

"Go on, make fun of my middle name why don't you. At least I wasn't named after a damned mirror. What were your parents thinking?"

"What were my parents thinking? What were your parents thinking! Your middle name is Orion! It doesn't even match with your first!"

"My parents were very close with the Black's, or at least Regulus and Sirius, I'll have you know. So yes, my middle name is Orion. Do share, now, what's yours? You've come to bother and humiliate me, and the least you can do is share your middle name, you big bloke."

He calmed himself with a hand on his stomach, then straightened his white button up, standing taller. He sighed, his fluffy hair falling onto his eyebrows, "Corvus."

Now I was the one laughing, bellows leaving my lips, "Corvus!" I repeated him, "What, were your parents fans of the constellations as well?"

He rolled his eyes, "Apparently not like yours and the Black's." he glared at me, "I'll have you know Corvus is the Crow."

"And I'll have you know that Orion is the Hunter. Not that this is a competition."

"Fine." he rolled his eyes yet again, "You win. Not that this is a competition."

"Good, then go on. Have fun at your party," I smiled, watching him open the door. "Drink responsibly, I really don't want to be tucking you in tonight, Erised Corvus."

"Yeah, yeah." he waved a hand at me, poking his head into my room through the crack in the almost shut door. "I'll be soon to check on you, Miss Orion."