Always and forever- Matteo Riddle

Tired

As I sat down, Mattheo shot me a glance before smirking. "Bet you five galleons you fall asleep in class."

I huffed a tired laugh. "I'm not that bad."

Blaise snorted. "You sure about that?"

I shot him a look, but before I could respond, a plate of food was pushed in front of me. I turned, surprised to see Draco watching me expectantly.

"Eat," he said simply.

I wanted to argue, but the truth was, I hadn't even realized how empty my stomach felt. So, instead, I picked up my fork and started eating.

The others continued talking, the conversation shifting from complaints about class to the party last night, but I only half-listened. My mind felt foggy, my body aching with exhaustion.

I just had to get through the day. Then maybe—just maybe—I could finally rest.

Breakfast passed in a blur of quiet exhaustion and half-hearted conversation. I ate just enough to keep Draco off my back, but every bite felt heavier than it should have. My body was drained, my mind sluggish, and the thought of sitting through classes all day made my head ache even more.

Eventually, the plates vanished, signaling the end of breakfast, and students began gathering their things to leave for their first lessons. Our group stayed seated for a moment longer, stretching and groaning about how much we didn't want to go.

Theo leaned against the table, looking at me. "You got everything you need?"

I hesitated, my stomach twisting slightly. "I need to grab something from my dorm first."

Draco's gaze sharpened, but he didn't say anything. Before I could stand, Mattheo pushed off the bench beside me. "I'll come with you."

I glanced at him, hesitating for half a second before nodding. "Alright."

The others said they'd meet us in class, and we left the Great Hall, weaving through the crowd of students heading in the opposite direction. The corridors felt quieter as we made our way back toward the Slytherin dorms, the heavy air of the dungeons settling around us.

"You doing okay?" Mattheo asked after a moment, his voice softer than usual.

I let out a slow breath. "I don't know."

He nodded, not pushing for more. We walked the rest of the way in silence.

When we reached my dorm, I unlocked the door and stepped inside, heading straight for my trunk. As I reached my trunk, I didn't hesitate. I grabbed the small vial of pills, shaking a few into my palm before tossing them back and swallowing dry. The relief wouldn't be immediate, but I knew it was coming.

When I turned back toward the door, Mattheo was leaning against the frame, arms crossed, watching me. His dark eyes weren't filled with judgment—just curiosity, maybe a hint of concern.

"You take those often?" he asked.

I hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Yeah."

His gaze flicked to the vial still in my hand. "What are they for?"

I swallowed, my fingers tightening around the small glass bottle. "My nerves," I admitted. "And... the pain."

Mattheo didn't react right away, just watching me with that unreadable expression of his. "Pain?" he echoed, his voice quieter now.

I forced myself to hold his gaze. "Yeah."

For a second, I thought he might ask more, press for details I wasn't sure I was ready to share. But instead, he just nodded, pushing off the doorframe.