Dusk and Desire - A Mattheo Riddle Story

Seven Years Ago Pt. 2

Mattheo Riddle had spent his entire life without a home. He was only a few months old when his father was killed and not much older when his mother was thrown in Azkaban. His brother had always somewhat felt like a home until Tom had to move to Hogwarts, leaving Mattheo behind for five years. Yes, they had summers together but they weren't quite the same. There was a gap between them, a gap that he had always keenly felt. A gap that widened when his brother came into his own power at Hogwarts.

Don't get him wrong. He adored his brother. But he was also the younger sibling, the one left behind. He was happy that Tom got out but that didn't make bouncing around alone any easier.

He'd spent most of his life moving from home to home. Tom was probably responsible and caring enough to take care of his younger brother but the fact of the matter was that wanting to do it and being able to do it were two entirely different things. So until Tom was old enough, it was decided that Mattheo (and Tom when he wasn't at Hogwarts) would move between different pureblood families. For the first few years, Mattheo lived with Theo, which was awesome. The two of them became quick best friends, almost brothers. But then Theo's mum got pregnant and it was all becoming too much so the Riddles were sent to the Malfoys... then the Zabini's... and on and on until he reached the Rosier household.

Nora's house.

Mattheo had never known what it felt like to have a home until he walked into the Rosier house that day and saw a little girl with wide hazel eyes staring at him like he was the most peculiar sort of thing. A welcome surprise, even. He never knew what it was like to not feel alone until he spent every day with his arms wrapped around her. Mattheo could feel it, the way the thoughts in Nora's head ran a million miles a minute while his completely stilled whenever he was around her. He enjoyed the stillness. Reveled in it, actually.

Her laugh made his heart soar. He lived for every little smile. Her silken dark blonde hair was his favorite feeling. Her wit made him feel like he was riding a dragon, going through every up and down as she stared at him with fire in her eyes. Soon, he forgot what it was like to not have Nora. Not have her as a home.

Falling for her was like falling off a cliff. Painful yet easy all at the same time. Exhilarating to feel the wind blow by him until he hit the water. Wonderful.

He didn't know when he fell in love with her. Maybe it was the first day she let him hug her, maybe it was when she brought him to the beach and her hair whipped crazily in the wind, maybe it was the first day he kissed her. There were a dozen little moments all wrapped into one, each one chanting, Nora, Nora, Nora, like even his memories couldn't get enough of her. No, he wasn't quite sure which moment it was when he fell in love with her.

But he could tell you exactly which one he lost her.

The Rosiers were a lenient household as far as the many foster families he'd had were concerned. They allowed his friends to come over every once in a while—Theo, mostly, but sometimes Blaise, Draco, and Enzo. Sometimes, Nora hung out with all the boys and Mattheo got to show off the girl he was living with (who the boys all agreed was hot). Other times, Nora left him alone to do boyish things, too cool to hang out with the other guys.

That day was one of those times.

Mattheo's brown curls stuck to his forehead from the sweat he exerted in the heat of May. Summer would soon be upon them and they all were feeling it as they played Quidditch on the lawn near the fields. Mattheo collapsed on the grass while the others soon followed his lead.

"I just kicked your asses," Mattheo said with a smirk.

"No, you didn't!" Draco bit back in a snarky, high-pitched voice. The bloke hadn't quite hit puberty yet, which meant that Mattheo, as his cousin, had a right to make fun of him for it as much as possible.