Cigarettes [Mattheo Riddle]

six

blaire doubted she would see mattheo for a few days, granted that he always felt the need to give his mind space.
if she did see him, he was ashen and hushed. he didn't speak, didn't attend classes, or do anything.

he would just pass blaire in the hallways and not even glance her way.

blaire lowered her body into a seat on the ravenclaw table, beside luna and a stranger.
"hey, luna?" she spoke out briefly.
"yeah?"
"where's mattheo?"
"he left."
"where to? how-"
"i was listening to draco- my cousin?" luna raised her eyebrow at blaire as it seemed that blaire had no clue who draco was. but then blaire nodded and laughed a little as if to say 'of course i know him'. "well he said that mattheo's dad needed him. important matters." luna stated.

"and what were these matters? who was he talking to?" blaire beckoned.
"calm down, blaire, it was blaise zabini," luna replied. "he seemed upset about the dance... about you. he wanted stop you from having to see the dark lo-"

dumbledore's clear voice silenced luna along with the whole hall.
"good morning students! i hope you all had fun at the ball! now," he said loudly, standing up from his chair and walking around the tables to stand at the front, at his eagle lectern. "the next triwizard event is, as matter of fact, anonymous. however," he paused, raising tension. "it takes place this saturday. there are no more announcements." he clapped his hands. "tuck in!"

the candles grew brighter, the golden plates and goblets filled.
chatter filled the ancient walls of hogwarts whilst they ate themselves to a sleepy haze. luna, cho and blaire hauled themselves tiredly to ravenclaw tower, finding cedric on the way. cho started making out with him forcefully, but cedric pushed her off and wiped his mouth. "will you stop always doing that, cho? anyway, i want to ask if your alright, blaire?" he said, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"i'm fine." blaire yawned.
"'i'm fine' means you aren't." cedric remarked.
"well i'm just confused and worried about mat-"
"don't be. he can care for himself."

frowning, blaire entered the the ravenclaw common room. it seemed luna had already answered the riddle.

once she was in her dorm, she put her hair in a messy low bun and washed her face. then, after putting on an oversized black tshirt and getting into bed, blaire got comfortable.

when she was just ready to sleep, she heard a husky voice laughing gently.

a familiar husky voice.

she sat up immediately, to see mattheo standing at the door.

"mattheo? what are you doing here-! how? you're not a girl!" blaire spluttered in confusion.
"be quiet," he said softly, walking over to her bed. he sat at the bottom. "loony and cho are asleep."
blaire nodded.
"are you okay? apparently draco said that your dad-"
"draco said that?" he said, clenching his fists.
"no, no, it was overheard." blaire wrapped her hands around his fists.
"after all the betrayal on his family's name he couldn't keep his motherfucking mouth shut!?" he shouted.
"mattheo! keep it down!"
they sensed movement and saw that cho had woken up.
she pointed at mattheo and shouted: "why the fuck is you-know-who's son in our room?!"
blaire turned to mattheo.

he looked hurt for a second, but turned it immediately to a blunt expression.
"i shouldn't of came." he whispered softly, then got up and headed for the door.
"wait! are you safe?" as blaire asked, the room went silent.
"what does it matter?" he replied fiercely, not caring for himself.
"are you safe!?" she repeated stubbornly.

"no." he whispered finally. it hit blaire like cold wind and echoed in her ears.

and then he disappeared.