War, Love, and Riddle //Mattheo Riddle x OC

Chapter Three - Heart Eyes For A Hufflepuff

It had been weeks since Mattheo last spoke to Emma, weeks of silence sharper than any insult. The distance gnawed at her, worse than when he'd called her prophecy. She'd even tried to apologize the next day, her pride cracking just enough to offer him an olive branch. He'd walked right past her, not even sparing her a glance. 

Mattheo told himself it was for her own good. If he ignored her, if he acted like she didn't exist, then maybe she'd stay safe. Maybe she'd hate him enough to never get close. He thought that would be the answer. But every time he sat across a room from her, every time he caught her laugh in the corner of his ear, it killed him a little more. 

Emma, for her part, refused to crumble. She threw herself into Pansy and Enzo's company, finding unexpected comfort in them. They kept her sane when homesickness clawed at her chest, when she ached for Bea and Beauxbatons. 

But Potions was torture. Slughorn insisted she and Mattheo were "perfect partners," though Mattheo never spoke a word to her if he could help it. He sat stiffly at their shared table, keeping just enough distance to make the silence a punishment. Emma tried convincing Slughorn to let her switch seats. The man only smiled and muttered something about chemistry. Emma wanted to scream. 

By the end of the day, she collapsed face-first into her pillow with a groan. 

"Mattheo still giving you the cold shoulder?" Pansy asked, perched in the doorway. 

"I think cold shoulder is putting it lightly." Emma rolled onto her back, glaring at the ceiling. "I hate him. I hate Mattheo Riddle with every fiber of my being. And I hate that he steals every free thought in my head." 

Pansy crossed the room and plopped down beside her. "Then talk to him." 

"He won't listen, Pans. He's avoiding me like the bloody plague." 

Pansy laughed softly, shaking her head. "There has to be a reason." 

Emma buried her face in a pillow. Her voice cracked when she admitted, "We kissed." 

"I'm sorry.... what?" Pansy's eyes went wide. "It kind of sounded like you said you and Riddle kissed." 

Emma flopped back, groaning. "At the welcome party. Astronomy Tower. Then the next night we fought, I told him it was a mistake, and he said he's had better. So I told him to fuck off." The words spilled like floodwater now that the dam was broken. 

Pansy blinked. She'd suspected something, but this? A kiss? And Mattheo, of all people, pulling away? That wasn't right. Mattheo Riddle didn't run from a challenge. Emma was a challenge if there ever was one. Which meant something else was at play. 

"I'll talk to him," Pansy decided. 

Emma shot up, eyes wide. "No, you will not! I don't need him knowing I've been wasting even a second thinking about him. He wants to ignore me? Fine. I'll ignore him right back." 

Pansy smirked. "You're both the most stubborn people I've ever met." 

Emma threw a pillow at her. Pansy retaliated with another, and soon both girls were breathless with laughter. But when the laughter faded, Emma's heart still ached. 

Meanwhile, in the common room, the boys debated their evening plans. 

"You know you can't ignore her forever," Theo said causally, swirling his drink. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Matteo's voice was low, his eyes dark as he glared at him. 

"He's right," Enzo cut in. "You're ignoring her. And it's stupid."