𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓭 | mattheo riddle

5 | alone in the shadows

I watch as Mattheo Riddle stands on one of the lunch tables, taunting Draco as he fiddles with a wand in his hand, spinning it between his fingers. I'm guessing that stolen wand is Malfoy's. I chuckle at the sight.

"Give it back Riddle. My father will hear about this!"

"Your father won't do shit. Do you know who I am?" Mattheo laughs in response.

"Oh look there's Draco's girl." One of Mattheo's minions with the good cheekbones says, Lorenzo Berkshire I've been told.

I pull a face of disgust as they all turn to look at me.

"Oi Dobrev, tell your bitch boy to the shut the fuck up." Riddle says to me all of a sudden, looking me dead in the eyes with a smirk plastered across his face.

"I've got nothing to do with him." I reply.

He sighs and smoothly takes a step off the table, taking a step closer towards me. "Don't say that, he'll continue whining like a dog."

With that, Draco swings for him, and a fight begins. Punches being thrown back and forth between Mattheo and Draco, whilst Riddle's friend Theodore Nott stands at the side with his hands on his head.

"Don't do this guys! You're better than this!" Nott shouts, as Lorenzo laughs and eggs on the fight.

"PERSONALLY I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT MALFOY!"

"Theodore the peacemaker and Enzo the instigator." Blaise chuckles, also cheering and yelling along with the other students who surround the two boys as they fight.

The results of the duel are an array of bloody noses and bruises, mostly earned by Malfoy, as Riddle had what looked like the upper hand in most of it. But everyone gasps and takes a step back when they notice Headmistress McGonagall enter the hall.

We all watch as Riddle puts his arm around Draco, with smile on his face, holding him like a brother.

Comical that is.

"Hello there Headmistress. You look quite extravagant today." Riddle smiles, tilting his head.

"Oh hush Mr Riddle." She says, and we all notice her small smile.

"Not Mattheo rizzing Minerva up." Blaise whispers to me.

"Frightening to be honest." I scoff.

"I told you, another fight and you'll be kicked out!" She shouts at him.

"I really do sincerely apologise Minerva. Could I call you Minerva?"

"I- Mr Riddle!" She stutters. "Office, now. The both of you." She orders as she spins around and struts away, leaving everyone laughing at the two's interaction.

"Does he always get into fights?" I ask Blaise, slightly worried as everyone scatters off to their tables to eat.

"Usually just with Draco." He shrugs.

"I see."

***

I make it through the day and head to my dorm when I'm bombarded by both Astoria and Pansy asking me what I'm wearing to the party. They both observe me up and down and pull faces. They're strange. They dislike me yet they still talk to me.

"I'm not sure what I'm wearing. I'll probably decide now." I shrug, attempting to walk past them but they block my way.

"So you're going with Malfoy, huh?" Pansy asks.

"No. That was a lie spread by Draco." I tell them.

"Well you better back off anyway because he's Pansy's." History tells me and I roll my eyes and push past them to my dorm.

I sit by my vanity and stare into the mirror, wondering what on earth I should wear. I have an hour to get ready, but I can pull it off with some simple light makeup and a simple silk black mini dress.

Once I'm ready, I give myself a mental pep-talk, before heading downstairs back into the common room, where I can hear music blaring through the walls. Hopefully someone has enchanted the room so that it's soundproof, otherwise we'd be in big trouble.

Paranoid, I take out my wand and do it myself, just in case. You can't be too sure.

"Muffliato."

"What you doing princess?" A deep voice behind me makes me jump a little, and I turn around feeling as if I've been caught doing something I shouldn't.

Riddle.

The first thing I notice is his scar across his eye, and the fresh wound across his nose from the fight earlier on today.

I need to get out of this situation quickly. I shouldn't be alone standing at the bottom of the staircase in a very dark area with him. Dangerous indeed.

"Soundproof charm." I say and I can't help but notice his eyes wandering towards my dress. I turn around swiftly, attempting an escape.

"You do know it's already been casted?" He asks, and I feel him take a step closer to me, close enough so I can feel the vibrations of his voice against the back of my neck.

Goosebumps.

"Can't be too certain." I reply, and reach for the door handle.

"Wait." He says, and I stop in my tracks, but don't dare to turn around. "Your zip isn't properly done up." He tells me and my eyes widen in surprise.

"Oh- I-"

I feel him reach for it.

"May I?"

I nod. Maybe if I agree I can get away sooner.

He tugs on the dress slightly from the top to get a good grip, and I feel his hand suddenly brush against my skin, instantly sending a chill down my spine.

The atmosphere is deadly silent now due to my charm, and it only makes me hold my breath, anxious for anything that could occur.

He slowly pulls the zipper up to the top, and I turn around, and my eyes meet his dark ones, which still somehow seem to glimmer in the shadows.

"Thank you." I say as I look up at him, only just realising how much taller he is.

He smirks and walks straight past me, opening the door and entering the party, leaving me speechless.

I shake my head, breaking out of my trance as I just contemplate what happened. No, no, no. I'm too involved. This isn't good. I need to avoid him as much as I can, as my mum told me to.

But maybe he's just like this with every girl he sees? That must be it. He seems like the player type.

With that, I finally let out the breath I was holding and enter the common room.

This is going to be a long night.