Moon Dust | Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 25: Restricted

Mattheo crept around the doorway, peering into the dark library before gesturing with his hand for Nova to follow. She giggled, placing a finger over her lips jovially as Mattheo motioned for her to stay quiet. Although as he moved to look around the corner again, Nova couldn't hold back the muffled noises leaving her mouth.

"Can't believe I let you convince me to help, and for Potter, of all people," he whispered, shaking his head as he slid behind one of the bookshelves. He looked back over at her, beckoning her forward and she top-toed across the floor boards extra carefully, grinning up at him as he reached out to pull her behind cover, speeding her up.
It was just after curfew, almost eleven, but Nova hadn't wanted anyone else to see them. She'd barely managed to sneak away from Hermione—who she'd been studying with in the Gryffindor common room—before meeting Mattheo by the courtyard.

He pulled her behind the bookshelf and glanced out into the open space. It was pretty dark now, apart from the candlelight that glistened back and forth across the back wall, cascading shadows along the bookshelves. Mattheo snaked his head around the corner, trying to pinpoint a way to their chosen destination until Nova's failed attempt at muffling her giggles beneath her palm pulled his attention and he raised an eyebrow.

"Why is this so funny to you?"

She chewed on the corner of her lip, glancing up at him mischievously with a sun-kissed gleam in her irises. Purple melted around the edges of her eyes with a light, anxious jitter in her movements, but the excited smile on her face over-shone the nerves.

"Just never snuck in anywhere like this before, it's exciting," she whispered, showing her teeth as she peered around his shoulder. Mattheo furrowed his brow amusedly, then pulled her back, keeping her behind the safety of the bookshelf.

"We literally spent a year sneaking around the forest, and all over the castle, before anyone knew we were friends. And didn't you sneak into the Gryffindor common room that one time for Potter's cloak?" He asked, sticking his tongue between his teeth with a studious expression.

Nova shrugged her shoulders, unable to falter the uplifted shape of her lips.

"Yeah, but never after curfew, and never when there were actual consequences," she said, eagerly glancing around them. The librarian, Madam Pince, was still here somewhere, Nova could hear her heartbeat calmly thudding at the other end of the hallway. There was also the risk of running into a ghost or two, or worse Filch, but her determination outweighed any doubts or regret, plus it was sort of exciting breaking the rules once in a while, especially with Mattheo. She tilted her head to the side, watching as the final painting on the wall up ahead placed a mask over his eyes and put his feet up on an opposing chair, settling back into a resting position.

"I guess there was that night when I found Harry with the map, but that was back when my father was still here to cover for us. If they catch us in the restricted section, they're gonna give us detention," she beamed, smiling proudly.

Mattheo furrowed a brow, leaning into the hardwood as he studied her expression. "And you're smiling at that because?"

"I've never had a detention before!"

"Okay," he sighed, chuckling under his breath before pulling her over to the neighbouring bookshelf, one step closer to their destination. "Well, I've had plenty, and trust me, Bugs. It's mostly just a load of sitting around doing nothing and being glared at by Snape, more intensely than usual. It's not as fun as you're imagining."

"But this is," she giggled, grabbing onto his arm as she peered around the bookshelf again, standing on the tip of her toes to glance over his shoulder. Mattheo peered down at her grinning face, at the amber colour of her eyes glimmering brightly, overpowering the lilac swirl. He smirked, tilting his head to the side with a breathy chuckle. "Yeah it is."