It took me the whole night and morning to decide if I was going to meet Mattheo in the Forest. I wanted to know why he did everything that he did, but I also didn't want to give him the satisfaction of thinking I was giving him another shot. After doubting for a while, I decided on going to the Forbidden Forest anyway. I needed to her him explain. If it's not worth it, then at least I will know. I didn't tell Pansy I was going to meet up with Mattheo, because I knew she would talk me out of it, so I told Pansy I would go study in the library. Nothing had changed these past few years, since Pansy didn't even think of asking me to join. She just wished me luck and went on her way. And so did I. I walked out of the castle and towards the Forbidden Forest. Before entering I took one deep breath, and started walking to the field that Mattheo had named our spot. I reached it precisely at 1 pm and there he was sitting against the tree on the ground.
At first he didn't see me, but as I came closer I saw his smile appear as he realised I was going to give him a chance to explain. Mattheo quickly stood up and walked closer to me. 'Hi.' He said once I was in earshot. 'Talk.' I said curt. I knew that I would get emotional, if I said anymore than I had to, so I just gave him the o.k. to start explaining. 'I have to start with the fact that you were always more than just a task. I cared so much about you and the moment I realised it, I wanted to end it all, but I couldn't. I couldn't stop my father's task despite how much I wanted to. Despite, how much I just wanted to be with you because of who you were, instead of what my father wanted. But, I couldn't and I also couldn't tell you the truth about why I was with you.' 'Why not?' Everything he said sounded like empty words to me, if he didn't give me an explanation to why he couldn't tell me. 'Because I was scared to lose you! I was scared you wouldn't be with me anymore and I was scared what would happen if you knew the whole truth.' What was Mattheo talking about? 'What's the whole truth?' I asked confused. 'My father doesn't just want you to join his side. He wants you dead if you don't join him. I was scared that if you found out, you would do anything to not join him and that it would get you... killed...' His father wants me dead? You-know-who wants me dead? What did I ever do to him? 'Why does he want me dead? What did I ever do to you father?' 'It's not what you have done, it is what you could become. You're the brightest witch of your age and my father is scared of what power you might obtain, if your not on his side.' It was all becoming a bit too much. Voldemort wants me dead or on his side, because of my skills? I can't even do that much wizardry different from the other students. So, why me? It doesn't make any sense. I need to go. 'Mattheo... I... I need to... I need to go... sorry...' I started to walk away, but got stopped by Mattheo's words. 'Love, even if you don't believe what I told you about my father, please believe me that I really do care about you. I always have and I always will. No matter what. And I'll make sure that nothing happens to you. My father will never get close to you.' I closed my eyes to take everything in, took a deep breath and started walking again.
After a little while, I got back to my dormroom and I noticed something on my bed. It was the same thing I had left on Mattheo's bed a couple of weeks ago. Only I didn't leave a note with it and he did.
Y/N,
I know you gave it back to me, but I want you to keep it.
I can't look at it, without thinking about you and I know you love it, so you should have it.
You can throw it away if you want.
Love,
Mattheo
What am I supposed to do with the ring? I can't throw it away like he suggests, but I can't wear it, can I? I know what he told me, but I don't know if I can trust it. I want to trust him with everything that I have, but what if it is all a trick to still get close to me for his father?
'I need him to prove it.' I said to Pansy once she walked into the room. 'What do you mean?' 'I need Mattheo to prove that he's not lying to me. I need him to prove that he cares about me and that he's not all saying this, because of his father.' 'What are you talking about babe? Did he say something to you?' I forgot I hadn't told Pansy, I was going to meet up with Mattheo. 'Yes, I just met up with him in the Forest and he told me everything about his father and why he did what he did. I didn't know what to believe, so I walked away. But, before I could, he said he has always and will always care about me. I need him to prove it.' 'How do you want him to do that?' 'I don't know. I really want to believe him on his word, but I just can't. After everything, I'm just scared that he's lying to me to get close, like he promised his father he would.' 'I really don't think he's lying, Y/N.' 'But, what if he is?' The thought of him lying to me again, brought tears to my eyes. He couldn't be lying could he? Some part of him must have been the real him, when we were dating. It couldn't have all been fake, could it? 'It'll be okay, Y/N. I'll make sure, he'll show you the truth.' 'How do you plan on doing that Pansy?' 'I'll figure that part out. Now try not to think about it anymore and get ready for the party, because it's starting in an hour.' 'Okay.' Pansy walked over to her closet and I tried to find something to wear in my own closet. I wanted to wear a dress, but I wasn't sure which one. After looking through all my dresses I found the perfect one; an emerald green dress with an exposed back and some poofy sleeves. I quickly did my hair and make-up and put on some jewellery. I looked at Mattheo's ring that was on my bed-side table and I couldn't get myself to just let it lay there. However, I couldn't put it on either. So, I grabbed it and put it in one of the pockets in my dress. If I was going to find out the truth from Mattheo, I needed to have the ring to decide what I was going to do with it.
Once I was finished getting ready, I walked into the commonroom to be greeted by Pansy. She had left once she had changed her clothes and was meeting me a bit later to go the party together. 'Hey, babe. You look stunning.' 'Thank you, Pansy. You look amazing as well.' She looked gorgeous in her black-sparkly skintight dress. Pansy always looked amazing, but tonight, wow. She grabbed my arm and walked me over to the drinktable. Theo and Mattheo were walking over to the table at the same time and we all stopped to look at eachother. 'Y/N, I...' Theo started. 'Please leave her alone, Theo. You have both done enough and she just needs to have a night to let loose and not wonder what else you all have lied about.' Pansy said before Theo could continue talking. 'It's okay, Pansy.' I looked at Theo to let him finish his sentence. I was hurt, that Theo knew about the whole situation with Mattheo and I was hurt that he didn't tell me, but he wasn't the one who dated me for a task, so I couldn't stay angry at him forever. 'Y/N, I'm so sorry for not letting you know. I should've told you and I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me at some point.' 'Okay.' 'Okay?' Pansy and Theo said at the same moment, looking at eachother and back at me. I looked over at Mattheo who looked hurt at me forgiving Theo that easily, while I haven't been that easy with him, but it's different with him. 'Yes, okay Theo. I forgive you. I won't forget and it won't be easy to trust you completely again, but I'll forgive you.' 'I understand. And I will do anything for you to trust me again.' It stayed quiet for a couple seconds, before Pansy grabbed two drinks and pulled me onto the dancefloor. We danced our asses off for a couple hours, until the party started to die down.
Now it was only Pansy, Theo, Mattheo, me and a couple of other Slytherins left. We sat down on the couches and one of the other Slytherins asked if we wanted to play truth or dare. I wasn't really feeling it, but Pansy tried to convince me to at least play a couple rounds. Even if it were only two. 'Fine, Pansy.' I had said, before Pansy gave me a big smile and said: 'I'll go first. Theo truth or dare?' 'Dare.' 'I dare you to levitate Draco over there.' Draco was making out with a sixth year over on the other side of the room and he wouldn't be best-pleased if someone interrupted that. However, Theo didn't care about that and without a beat, Draco was flying in the air. 'What the fuck!' He yelled looking around him to see what was happening. He then noticed Theo. 'I'm going to kill you Nott!' 'Not from up there, you won't.' We all started laughing our asses off, until eventually Theo let Draco down again and without missing another beat, he started making out with the same girl again. We went through a couple more rounds of truth or dare, before Pansy got up and got Mattheo, Theo and me some drinks. When she gave them to us and we all had time to drink a bit, she started the game again. 'Mattheo, truth or dare?' He looked over at me and back at Pansy. 'Truth.' 'What is the complete truth about the situation with Y/N?' All the other Slytherins had gone to bed already, so it was just us four now. 'Before the beginning of this year, my father asked me to come to his office.' Mattheo started. 'He told me I would be going to Hogwarts for a task. There would be two girls that would make an incredible addition to his side; the Granger twins. However, one of them wouldn't come to his side no matter what. But, the other one, Y/N, was more vulnerable. She was always put in the shadows of Hermione and she was a Slytherin, so my father was convinced I could get her over to his side.' Mattheo looked over at me and I could see in his eyes that he was really telling the truth this time. He wasn't holding any information back as he went on with the rest of the story. 'I didn't know much about Y/N, when I joined Hogwarts. Just that she was Hermione's sister and that she was the brightest witch of her age, despite everyone saying that it was Hermione. I saw how she was treated by everyone except you guys and how she would be an easy target. However, she proved me wrong. She was one of the nicest people I had met and I soon knew that I didn't want to finish this task, because I started to care for her. I told my father, that I wouldn't be able to get you over to his side, Y/N.' Mattheo stopped talking to the whole group, but focused on me instead. 'I lied and told him, that you weren't worth it and you weren't as good as everyone said you were, in the hopes that he would let you go and that he would find someone else, but it was in vain. He knew I was lying and told me to either get you on his side or to kill you, because he couldn't let you join the "golden trio". I couldn't let anything happen to you, so I said I would get closer to you and so I did. Only it made me care even more about you. I wanted to tell you everything, but I was scared of you leaving me and I was scared of my father finding out about my feelings, so I hid everything, until you found out. I hate myself for doing all of this. I should've never accepted this task from my father and I should've told you the truth from the start. And know, that if I could, I would've changed how I did all of this, but I would never change my time with you. Because, eventhough it was based on a lie, my time with you was the best time of my life. You were the best thing to ever happen to me and I will hate myself forever for fucking everything up with you.' I didn't know what to say. I just blinked a couple times, while looking at Mattheo. I was sure he was telling the truth, but there was still a tiny voice in my head saying he might not have been.
'How do I know you're telling the truth?' I asked him after staying silent for a couple seconds. I had put my hand in my pocket and was nervously playing with Mattheo's ring, in the hope it would calm my nerves down. 'Because I put veritaserum in his drink.' 'You did what?!' Mattheo and I said at the same time while turning our heads to Pansy. 'Well you wanted him to prove he was telling the truth and I knew you would never know for sure, unless he would say it under veritaserum without him knowing he was, so I put a couple of drops in his drink.' 'So, you're telling the truth?' I looked back at Mattheo with hope in my eyes. 'Yes, I am love. Just like I was this morning. I care so much about you and I hate myself for what I did to you. You don't deserve someone like me and I would understand if you couldn't forgive me, but at least believe me.' 'I believe you. And eventhough I can't forgive you just yet, I do want to try. So, let's start over. Try this all again, but this time no lies at all. I want you to be honest about everything, including everything with you father.' 'I promise, I'll tell you everthing from now on, because I don't want to fuck this up again.' 'Good.' I stood up from the couch and walked over to Mattheo. He stood up and took me in his arms. And just for a moment, everything felt normal again.