DESTINY - Matteo Riddle

Part 23

-

Matteo waited for Star after their last class of the day, leaning against the wall outside the classroom.

When she emerged, he perked up, pushing himself off the wall and walking over to her with a smile.

"Hey, princess," he said, kissing her cheek.

Star smiled at the nickname, leaning into him for a moment before pulling away.

"Hey," she said, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of him. He looked so good in his school uniform. It was becoming a problem.

"So," he said, looping an arm around her shoulders and steering her away from the classroom. "I found this really nice spot, outside of Hogwarts, for a picnic."

Star's eyes lit up at the mention of a picnic.

"A picnic?" she asked, her voice full of excitement. "That sounds amazing."

Matteo grinned, pleased that she was excited. He had been planning this for a while.

"I was hoping you'd say that," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. "Let's go."

Star stopped walking, remembering she was still in her school uniform. She looked down at herself and made a face.

"Wait! I need to change," she said, looking up at him.

She was still in her school uniform, which was practical but certainly not picnic-wear.

She didn't want to go exploring the forest in a skirt and button-up shirt.

Matteo chuckled at her reaction. He had thought of everything.

"I know," he said, squeezing her shoulder gently. "I left some clothes for you on your bed."

He had secretly gone to her dorm earlier and placed a change of clothes on her bed. He knew her casual wardrobe well enough to pick something appropriate for a picnic.

Matteo walked her back to the Gryffindor common room and stopped outside the entrance. He glanced at his watch.

"I'll meet you here in half an hour?" He suggested.

He knew she needed time to freshen up and change, and a half hour seemed like a reasonable amount of time. He wanted to give her some privacy and space to get ready.

Star nodded, her heart fluttering at the thought of spending the afternoon with him.

"Half an hour," she confirmed. She quickly kissed him on the cheek before disappearing into the common room.

Matteo watched her go, a small smile on his lips. He couldn't wait for their picnic date.

-

Star walked into her room and immediately noticed two small boxes on her bed, each tied with a ribbon.

Curious, she sat down on the bed and picked up the first box. She untied the ribbon and opened the lid to find the outfit that Matteo had picked out for her.

A soft, white cotton dress, with small baby pink flower petals all over, it had a deep cut on right leg. its neckline was square and had a tie to adjust it to your size.

She smiled, touched by his thoughtfulness. She laid the dress  on the bed and opened the second box.

She opened the second box and found a pair of distressed flared jeans and a white, long-sleeved shirt with a scoop neckline. The jeans looked well-worn and comfy, and the shirt was simple and pretty.