Borrowed time; Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 36

Bellas pov

Classes were back on and student were ones again occupying every inch of the school. I was walking out of History of magic with Pansy when Severus appeared. "Miss Lenox, may I borrow you for a moment?" he asked, not even sparing a glance towards Pansy. His demeanor was a bit concerning so I told Pansy I would meet up with her and the others later and followed Severus to his office.

He took a seat by the desk and I dragged a chair to sit opposite him. He seemed tense, the silence filling me with dread. "I meet Mr Riddle the other day and he told me something rather interesting" he paused, my heart was beating out of my chest. He must have told him about the two of us, shit, I was gonna talk to him about that later when I had mustard the courage. "He asked me to make some more headache potions for you, apparently you're running low?" he continued. The rapid beating of my heart now completely coming to a halt, what did he just say? I was incapable of responding as I processed the information so he went on, "I wish you would have consulted with me before telling him about your condition, I fear-" I cut him of getting out the only words that I was currently capable of saying, "I didn't tell him".

He seemed confused but I kept on speaking, "He found them, in the drawer. I panicked and told him they were for headaches". Mattheo seemed like he had believed me that day which makes me even more confused because I wasn't running low... I had a bunch left and he had seen that. So why did he tell Severus I needed more?

"So he doesn't know?" Severus asked.

"No, nobody knows" I said slowly building up the courage for what I was about to say next. "But I'm gonna tell him. Not now, but.. eventually he's gonna have to know"

"And why's that?" his dark eyes staring in to mine.

"Because he's my boyfriend" I bit my bottom lip as soon as the words came out, preparing for him to yell at me. I know he doesn't like Mattheo, he has made that very clear, but he's gonna be happy for me right?

He stayed silent for longer than I was comfortable with and when he finally spoke it felt like a boulder lifted of my shoulders, "I hope he makes you happy".

"He does" I was still in shock at how easily he accepted it, "So, you're okay with this?"

"Well like you told me before it's your life and as long as you're happy and content then so am I" huh, he was really accepting this. I walked around the desk giving him big hug even though I knew he hated them, but I just couldn't help it.

Before I left I made sure to tell him I didn't need any more potions and that I would let him know when I was running short. He seemed content enough with that and I departed from his office and headed for the library.

Mattheos pov

I was sat with the boys by one of the library tables in the far back, somehow the girls had convinced us to meet up and study, only they weren't here. When they finally did show up I noticed one was missing, "Where's Bella?".

"Hello to you to Riddle" Pansy replied ignoring my question.

"Hi" I responded rolling my eyes, "Now where my girl?".

"Snape wanted to talk to her so she'll join us after" she answers piling her book in the table.

I'm quite sure they're talking about me and what I said to Snape the other day. I know they're both hiding something, the same something my fathers seemed to be interested in. Bella's not stupid, she will know I didn't believe her headache story and that will make her nervous and either she will tell me voluntarily or she will eventually slip up. I hate that I have to do this to her but it's the only way to keep her safe. If it's something my fathers interested in it's never good and I can't protected her if I don't know whats it about. Besides I'm fucking curious and I hate being kept in the dark.

About half and hour passed before I saw her approach. Her ponytail swinging as she walked and a happy expression on her face as she took her seat next to me.

"Don't you look cheerful" I said putting an arm around the back of her chair.

"Well I am" she answered grinning at me.

"And why's that?"

"Well I talked to Severus, and I told him about us.. and he was completely fine with it" she sounded relived as she spoke.

"Thats good" I responded. I mean his approval doesn't mean shit to me really, I was gonna be with her either way, but if it makes her happy to have his approval then I'm glad we have it.

"Did you guys talk about anything else? I mean you were gone for a while?" I was curious to see if he had talked to her about what I told him. I was hoping he did but her happy demeanor made me uncertain.

"Nope" she said giving me a warm smile before bringing out her book and engaging in a conversation with the girls.

Well that's unusual, I was certain he would have told her about it, scared that I was figuring out their secret. Or maybe he did.. Maybe my little angel is lying to me, trying to act as if nothings wrong to throw me off. It shouldn't make me proud to think that she's lying but somehow it does, she's more cunning then she get's credit for.

~~~

Draco had been absent from classes a lot more lately. Pansy was growing worried and the more she asked were he had been the more aggravated he got, and eventually he snapped..

We were all sitting in the common room when Draco entered. He looked tired, the bags under his eyes heavy and hollow as he dragged himself towards his dorm. Pansy had jumped from the couch to get to him and immediately started asking were he's been. I mean I get it, she's worried. Her boyfriends is disappearing more and more and for each day that goes by he looks worse, if I didn't know what he was doing I would have been worried to. It only took a few seconds of Pansy's worrying for Draco to snap "It's none of your god damn business, now let me fucking breathe for a second will you?!"

Audible gasps could be heard from around the room as Draco stormed off, leaving a teary eyed Pansy behind. The girls quickly sprung in to action comforting her and when they walked back to their dorms I took off after Draco. He had walked back out the same way he came and I knew exactly were that was. I made sure the hallway was empty before I conjured the door and went inside the room of retirement.

Draco was in the back sitting on a brown leather couch, his eyes fixated on the black wooden cabinet in-front of him. I silently took a seat next to him embracing the silence for a while before speaking "Still nothing huh?"

He let out a laughing breath as he leans his head back on the couch, "I managed to get a bird to the other cabinet and back" he spoke in a low voice.

"Thats great?!" I don't know whats he's upset about? I mean getting things, living things, there and back it exactly what we have been trying to do.

"Open the cabinet" was all he said.

I walked over and opened the wooden door seeing the little yellow bird lying motionless on the cabinet floor. Well shit, that's gonna be a bit of trouble. The whole point of getting the death ethers inside to for them to actually make it here alive.

"How did you get it to transport the bird back and forth?" I asked. He motioned with his head towards a book that laid open on a little table. It was a complexed spell, I'm quite impressed he managed it, but either way I marked the page and began looking trough the book.

"There's no point" He said behind me.

"And why's that?" I asked still keeping my eyes on the book and my back to him.

"Because I already tried everything" he sounded tired.

"Well clearly you didn't or it would be working by now" I couldn't see him but I didn't need too to know he rolled his eyes at me. "Besides, you're letting your temper get the best of you and that is now affecting your girl, which means it will affect my girl, and that is a problem. So get your sorry as up and lets fix this pice of shit"