Always and forever- Matteo Riddle

The moment Lucius left, the walls of the room felt like they were closing in. My chest was tight, my breaths shallow. I needed to get out.

Without saying a word, I turned toward the door, my legs still unsteady beneath me.

"Wait—" Draco started, but I ignored him, forcing myself forward.

I only made it a few steps before my vision swam, and my knees buckled. My hand shot out instinctively, catching onto the doorframe to stop myself from collapsing completely.

"Damn it," I hissed, gripping the wood tightly, my knuckles turning white. My body was shaking, my exhaustion finally catching up to me.

Draco was at my side in an instant, steadying me before I could fall any further. "Will you stop doing that?" he snapped, his grip firm but careful.

Mother was close behind, her voice softer. "You're not well enough to be running off."

I squeezed my eyes shut, swallowing back the frustration, the humiliation, the everything pressing down on me. "I just—" My voice cracked. "I just need to get out of here."

Draco sighed, glancing at Mother, then back at me. "Fine," he muttered. "But you're not going anywhere alone."

I wanted to argue. I wanted to tell him I could handle it, that I didn't need to be babysat.

But I couldn't even stand properly on my own.

I exhaled shakily, nodding just enough to show I wasn't going to fight him on this.

"Alright," he said, adjusting his hold on me. "Let's go."

Draco kept his arm around me as we made our way out of the study, moving carefully through the long, dimly lit corridors of the Manor. My legs still felt weak, but I forced myself forward, focusing on the cool marble beneath my feet instead of the weight of everything pressing down on me.

Mother followed a step behind, silent but watching closely. I knew she wanted to say something—probably to convince me to stay and rest—but she held back. Maybe she knew I wouldn't listen. Maybe, for once, she understood that I just needed to get out.

We reached the grand staircase, and Draco sighed. "We're taking this slow," he muttered.

I nodded absentmindedly, gripping the bannister tightly as we descended. Every step felt heavier than it should have, my limbs still sluggish from exhaustion.

When we finally reached the bottom, I inhaled deeply, trying to steady myself. "Outside," I mumbled. "I just want to be outside for a bit."

Draco didn't argue. He just guided me toward the back of the Manor, pushing open the large glass doors that led to the garden.

The cool night air hit me immediately, a welcome contrast to the suffocating walls of the house. The sky was dark, scattered with stars, the wind rustling gently through the hedges. It was quiet. Peaceful.

I took a shaky step forward, then another, pulling away from Draco slightly. He let me go, but I could feel his watchful gaze on me.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. "Finally," I muttered under my breath.

Draco crossed his arms, standing beside me. "You going to talk about what happened back there?"

I let out a dry, humorless laugh. "What's there to talk about? He doesn't care. He never will."

Draco was quiet for a moment. Then, softer than I expected, he said, "I care."

I turned to look at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice.