Always and forever- Matteo Riddle

Mattheo and I had spent the whole night in the Astronomy Tower, talking, smoking, and sitting in comfortable silence. By the time the sky started turning soft shades of pink and orange, we knew it was time to head back.

Dragging ourselves away from the quiet solitude, we made our way down to the dorms. I quickly showered and changed, the exhaustion settling deep in my bones but the night had been worth it.

Once we were ready, we met up with everyone in the Great Hall for breakfast. The moment we sat down, Blaise raised a brow at us. "You two look like you haven't slept in a week."

Theo smirked. "Or maybe they were too busy doing other things."

I rolled my eyes, reaching for my cup of tea. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Nott."

Mattheo just smirked but didn't say anything, reaching for a piece of toast.

Draco, on the other hand, just looked annoyed. "You disappeared last night," he muttered, eyeing me suspiciously.

I shrugged, taking a sip of tea. "Went for a walk. Cleared my head."

Draco didn't look convinced, but before he could push further, Pansy changed the subject. "So, what's the plan for today?"

I exhaled, grateful for the distraction. Whatever today had in store, at least I wasn't facing it alone.

I poked at my food absentmindedly, barely eating, before mumbling, "We could go shopping?"

Pansy's eyes lit up instantly. "Now that is the best idea you've had all morning."

Theo smirked. "You just like spending money."

"And? Your point?" she shot back, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Blaise leaned forward, glancing between us. "What exactly do you need to shop for?"

I shrugged, still pushing my food around my plate. "I don't know. Just thought it'd be nice to get out of the castle for a bit."

Mattheo, who had been quietly eating beside me, finally spoke up. "You just got back, and you already want to leave?" His tone was light, teasing, but his eyes studied me carefully.

I sighed. "I just... I don't know. Thought it'd be a good distraction."

Draco scoffed. "You don't even like shopping."

I shot him a glare. "Maybe I do now."

Pansy clapped her hands together. "Well, whether she does or doesn't, I'm not missing an opportunity. Hogsmeade it is!"

I finally picked up a piece of toast, taking a small bite as everyone started discussing plans. At least this way, I had something to focus on.

I barely touched my food, just picking at it while I listened to everyone talk. They were already planning out where to go first—Pansy insisted on stopping by Madam Malkin's, while Theo and Blaise were more interested in checking out Zonko's.

Mattheo stayed quiet for the most part, though I could feel his eyes on me every so often. I knew he noticed I wasn't eating, but thankfully, he didn't say anything.

Draco, on the other hand, wasn't as subtle. "You're seriously not going to eat?" he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear.

I shot him a warning look. "I'm fine."

He exhaled sharply but didn't push it further. Instead, he turned back to the conversation while I continued sitting in silence, pretending to be engaged but really just lost in my own thoughts.