Boundless

𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 (𝟏𝟏)

Olivia

I never thought I'd last this long without it.

It wasn't like I was some hopeless addict—at least, that's what I told myself. But I had spent the last few months numbing myself in whatever ways I could. Pills, smoke, whatever it took to quiet my mind, to drown out the ghosts of my past and the weight of my present. And yet, somehow, I had gone weeks without slipping.

Because of him.

Mattheo.

His presence had disrupted everything. The numbness I'd clung to felt foreign now, like a heavy coat in the summer heat. I didn't need it, but I missed the comfort of it. And now, as I cleaned my dorm, organising my books and clearing out the clutter, I came across my last stash.

A small tin tucked into the back of my drawer, forgotten beneath a pile of old parchment. I stared at it, turning it over in my hands. It would be easy—so easy—to light up, to let the world blur around the edges just one more time. But for the first time in a long time, I didn't want to do it alone.

I didn't want to feel like I was wasting away in secret.

I wanted to share it.

With him.

Before I could second-guess myself, I grabbed the tin and slipped it into my pocket. The halls were quiet, the night settling over the castle in a soft hush. It didn't take long to find him—Mattheo was always where I expected him to be, as if he knew I'd come looking.

The common room was mostly empty, save for him and Theo talking in low voices near the fireplace. They looked up when I entered, and for a moment, I hesitated. But then Mattheo caught my gaze, and I saw the recognition flicker in his eyes. He knew why I was here.

Theo stood with a stretch. "I'll leave you two to it," he said, clearly aware that something was about to go down. He gave me a lingering look, one that said he was still wary of whatever it was I had with Mattheo, but he left without another word.

Once we were alone, I pulled the tin from my pocket and tossed it onto the table between us. "I found my last stash," I said simply. "Figured if I was gonna finish it, I'd rather not do it alone."

Mattheo raised an eyebrow, a slow grin tugging at his lips. "And you thought of me?"

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "You're the only one who wouldn't judge me for it."

He leaned forward, picking up the tin and inspecting it before flipping it open. The familiar scent drifted between us, earthy and sharp. He let out a low chuckle. "Didn't think you'd ever share, Malfoy."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't make a thing of it, Riddle. I just figured... if I'm going to quit, might as well make this the last time."

His gaze flicked up to mine, something unreadable in his expression. For a moment, I thought he might try to talk me out of it—to remind me of all the nights I'd spent using this to forget things I didn't want to face. But instead, he just nodded. "Then let's make it count."

We took it up to the Astronomy Tower, far from prying eyes and curious ears. The stars stretched endlessly above us, a quiet kind of magic that even Hogwarts itself couldn't replicate.

Mattheo rolled expertly, as if he'd been doing it all his life. Maybe he had. I watched his fingers move, steady and practiced, before he lit up and took the first slow inhale, the ember glowing between us.

When he passed it to me, I hesitated. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I should have thrown it out, let the habit die on its own.

But then Mattheo smirked, tilting his head as he held the smoke in his lungs. "Nervous, Liv?"