Unaware {M.R.}

forty-five

Saturday.

The school seems more busy the last day of the term than the first day of a new year. And it seems a lot worse when your head is banging from the party the night before.

And I wasn't quite the only one.

Pansy was irritated with everyone who passed us.

Astoria had gone to bed by eleven. It was quite funny, actually. She wasnt even drunk.

The boys were a mystery. Draco clearly didn't get laid. Astoria would've killed him. Blaise seemed like someone famous as he walked with sunglasses. And Theo? Merlin he was odd.

-

"You seem cold," Theo mocked.

Pansy grinned. "No, she's hiding hickeys."

I rolled my eyes, adjusting the scarf around my neck. "It's winter. It's cold."

Theo laughed. "Got laid, huh?"

I sighed. "Unfortunately. Alcohol drives me crazy. Honestly."

He laughed again. "Oh yeah? How so?"

"Mattheo Riddle," Pansy whispered.

Immediately Theo's face lit with shock. "What the fuck?" He came off a lot more harsh than he attended.

I groaned. "You hate him, I know. Get on the train."

Pansy grabbed me, hugging me as if she'd never see me again. "Have you seen him?" she whispered, clearly talking low enough for Theo not to hear.

I sighed. "No. And part of me is thankful."

"Still into him?"

I pulled away. "No use in worrying. I won't see him for a couple of weeks. A month or two. It'd do me good. Get my head straight."

"Yeah?" Theo laughed, clearly filled in. "Meanwhile he's ganna curse people or something."

"Funny," I groaned. "Go."

The train gave its final warning, and children flooded the corridors. I greeted Pansy, Astoria, Theo, Draco and Blaise, before watching the train depart.

And now I was alone.

-----

Sunday.

The words on the pages started to fall. They twisted and dripped. They were suddenly just completely confusing.

I lowered the book, before leaning my head back.

'Princess'

My eyes flew open as I looked up at the sky. Who the fuck was that?

When I lift my head again, I suddenly froze.

"Out of every place in this castle, this would not have been the first place I'd have looked."

He walked towards me, and it made me stand up, holding my book in my hands.

"What are- I thought you-"

Mattheo shrugged. "Went home? No. No there's no such place as home for me, darling."

I stepped back, leaning against the bricked wall, while holding my gibberish worded book against my chest.

Mattheo's brown eyes looked down at the book, then me. "New book? What, tired of the sisters?"

I smiled softly. "I keep hoping that Lorie sees Amy from the beginning, but it's always Jo."

He chuckled, digging his hand into his pocket, before pulling out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. He lit one, before placing it between his lips, taking a drag.

"You said that this wasn't the first place you'd look. You were searching for me?"

Mattheo nodded, taking another drag from the cigarette before sitting down beside me.

"Why?" I asked, looking down at him as he looked over the forest.

"Company," he said, before taking another drag of his cigarette. He looked up at me, still standing. "You can sit, you know?"

I sat down, keeping my knees against my chest as I sat the book down beside me.

"Why aren't you going home?" I asked.

"Like I said," he stated, looking at me. "I have no home."

"The mansion-"

He left the cigarette between his lips as he pulled his left sleeve up, suddenly showing a scar in the shape of the dark mark. It was burned or cut out.

"Mattheo..."

I found myself reaching my hand over his lap and onto his skin, but he immediately hesitated, pulling his arm back. So I pulled my hand back.

"What- what happened?"

He sighed, pulling his sleeve back down. "I couldn't take it anymore. I just couldn't."

I looked at him. It was odd to see him so exhausted. He seemed tired, and I only just realized it.

"I'm out of it all. Alive, surprisingly. Thanks to Tom."

"Tom?" I frowned.

"My brother. Thomas."

That son of a bitch? Literally the son of a bitch.

"I'm out, Zoe."

He looked at me. His eyes looking more relieved than I felt inside. Then he looked over the forest again, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"I'm sorry, Zoe. I really am."

He glanced my way, but tried not to make it obvious.

"What for?"

"Everything," he said, making me frown lightly. "Lying. The drinking. What I have done to your parents. I'm sorry, Zoe. I'm really, really sorry."

I turned to him, placing my hand on his upper-arm. It made him look down at the cigarette between his fingers.

I leaned forward, placing a kiss down on his cheek.

When I pulled away, I stood up, picking up my book. I made my way back to the staircase, but didn't make it far before Mattheo grabbed my arm, turning me around.

Suddenly he grabbed the sides of Mt face, before his lips crashed down into mine. I stood frozen, shocked, but didn't move.

When he pulled away, he looked down at me, looking at peace- somehow.

"I really am sorry."

"It's alright," I whispered.

Suddenly he pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

I stood frozen in his arms.

Was he so fragile? Was he alright? Was he this tired? Was he breaking? Was he better? Was he healing? Was he vulnerable?

I'm too scared to move. Part of me forced me not to move. That part of me liked this. Liked how close we were. And the best part was- I wasn't even tipsy.

[959 words]