𝖀𝖓𝖈𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉- MATTHEO RIDDLE (hp)

T H I R T Y - N I N E

Sleep seemed like a foreign concept to her as she lay awake into the late hours of night. It was uncomfortable, lying on the grass like that, but atleast the sleeping bag was giving some kind of comfort from the bitter cold wind flowing past her face.

The wind brought the smell of ash brushing against her nose. Alana remembered the day only a few days after Christmas when the smell of ashes from the remains of Umbridge's office still drifted around her nose. Now, she was certain that the smell of this ash was something she wasn't going to forget the rest of her life. 

How would you feel, if the house you grew up and huddled in to forget the cruelties of the harsh world was burned down within minutes? It was terrible, the shock was yet to leave her that all her books that she had spent galleons and years collecting were nothing more than ashes and charring marks on the grass. 

She had laid her head in that house, thinking that one day if she was to have children of her own, even they would be able to find the same comfort that she had once found. But now, there was nothing left.

Despite everything, she had been incapable to process anything, at all. Her shaking body might have said otherwise, but she was so shell shocked that she didn't know what to do- was she supposed to cry and wallow in pity?

There was one thing she wanted, she needed it desperately. She wanted Mattheo. She needed him to hold her like he had that night in the Astronomy Tower. She wanted him to rock her back and forth, calming her down with his voice and the cooing that she had come to love.

Alana felt bare, she needed him as the medicine for the hollowness she felt in the middle of her heart, because he had always managed to fill that gap up.

She had laid awake the entire night, waiting for him to show up. She waited for the moment he would apparate to her and she would pounce upon him, clinging on as his hands smoothed her hair down.  

She had grown used to him showing up for her every time she needed him. So painfully used to it, that she now thought it was Mattheo like to be always there for her. That was his best part, he never declined from standing with her always. 

But as she glanced at the watch on her wrist, the 4 am glinted back almost mockingly at her. 

___

"Who asked you to burn down the fucking house?!" He growled as Greyback's face disappeared under the water once again. "What part of- nothing happens to the Weasley girl did you find difficult to comprehend?"

He pulled his hair back as the werewolf bared his teeth at him, water slopping down his hairy face. "Just how fucked in the head are you?" He yelled, throwing the werewolf away as he scrambled to get up.

Mattheo's wand was pointed at him before Greyback could launch himself on the boy. "Get the fuck out" He ordered. 

The werewolf regarded him for a second, contemplating his chances. He could attack the brother of the Dark Lord or he could walk away, silently and take his revenge when the boy was least expecting it. 

With a few last seconds of glaring, he left. As his footsteps faded, Mattheo screamed out in frustration.

"FUCK!"

How could he have let this happen? What the fuck was happening with him? She could have gotten hurt- burnt alive. What would've he done then?

I would've jumped into the fire right after her. 

The thought haunted him and how quick it had come to him. It was scary, how easy it was for him to disregard all safety and self preservation instinct and go to her rescue. It was disturbing for someone like him, who had never experienced love the right way.