All The Lies You Tell - MATTHEO RIDDLE

Chapter 4

It's been exactly 3 weeks since I was dismissed from St. Mungos and exactly 2 weeks since Mattheo Riddle returned to Hogwarts. I've seen him in all my classes. It's hard not too. Everyone is staring. Everyone is listening. It's almost a relief. All the attention has moved from me to him. Why does it still feel like I'm suffocating then?

It took a lot of convincing from Mcgonagalls part to get Mattheo's sentence lifted, but here he is. Walking, talking — Laughing, even. He seems to be more himself. Which is a good thing of course. I'm just a little concerned I haven't gotten a thank you. Actually, he hasn't said anything to me since the incident. He won't even look at me. I know I should be angry at him for what he did... But I'm not. I'm only angry he won't speak to me after everything I did for him.

I was right about the people being upset. There's been more chaos at the ministry now than ever. When the news broke out about Mattheo's release everyone went crazy. Even more riots, even more protests. They aren't happy. It's all over the Dailey Prophet. They're calling him a murderer, a demon, the next Voldemort. He has to be seeing these articles.

It wasn't until later that afternoon that I saw him again. And he actually saw me as well.

I was late to charms so I was sprinting down the hallway. Faster than I should have been. I turned a sharp corner and smashed right into another person. Not just any person. Mattheo. He was looking better. His dark circles have cleared up a bit. And he'd gotten a new haircut too. I could tell it was shorter. He was still unusually skinny. He looked better, but in this moment he was looking very terrifying.

He had an unreadable expression on his face when he realized who had hit him. This was the closest we had been since... I was reminded of that day and took a step back, clearing my throat. Now was the only time I would ever get to speak with him. Better make it count.

I thought for a moment, "You're not in class", was all I could come up with. I spoke to him with uncertainty, looking down at my shoes. I'm suddenly noticing every little crack or imperfection in the stone floor.

"Neither are you", he replied after a moment. He sounded unsure of himself.

"I was heading there"

"Well don't let me hold you up", he scoots out of the way and starts to walk forward.

No. I can't let him get away. Not again.

"Wait", I called out. I turned around to see he had stopped, still facing the opposite direction.

He turns around slowly, "Yes?".

"You never thanked me".

"Thanked you? What for?"

"For saving you! For getting you out of trouble! For I don't know? Everything!", I practically shouted.

"You think I should thank you? How can you even look at me right now?"

"I don't understand?", I say uncertain.

"I put you in the hospital, Granger! I could have killed you. Don't you see that?"

There he goes again. Talking down to me like a child. I do see that. I see that he's being an asshole!

"You're a real bitch you know that, Mattheo? Is it too much to ask that you act like a normal person?"

He throws his hands up in annoyance. "Hate me Granger! I need you to hate me!". He steps closer and puts both of his hands on my shoulders. "Why don't you hate me?"

I'm too shocked to speak. The memories come rushing back in the instant I feel him touch me. All I can think about is his hands on my neck. Choking, suffocating. And even then I don't hate him. Not like he says I should. Not like I know I should. I'm just scared. Not of him, but what he's capable of.