Reflections - Mattheo Riddle

Christmas

"I know you're in there," said Mattheo's voice. "Will you please come out? I want to talk to you."

"What are you doing here?" Kirra asked him, pulling open the door, as Buckbeak resumed his scratching at the straw-strewn floor for any fragments of rat he might have dropped. "I thought you guys were getting here tomorrow?."

"My love, Sirius says you've been locked in here for three days," said Mattheo softly before throwing his arms around her and pulling her face into his chest.

Kirra stood frozen for a moment in Mattheo's embrace, her heart pounding against his chest. She hadn't realized how much she needed him until now, how much the weight of everything—the visions, the danger, the endless questions swirling in her mind—had worn her down. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his waist, breathing in his familiar scent. For a moment, she felt like she could breathe again.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice muffled by his shirt. "I just needed time to think."

Mattheo pulled back slightly, his dark eyes searching hers, filled with concern. "Three days, Kirra? Sirius and I have been worried sick. Whatever you're dealing with, you don't have to do it alone." He reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Kirra looked down, feeling the guilt claw at her again. "It's not just that. Harry and I... we're connected to Voldemort somehow. He's inside our heads, Mattheo. I don't know how to stop it. I don't know how to keep everyone safe." Her voice cracked at the end, and she turned away, ashamed of her helplessness.

Mattheo stepped closer, gently turning her face back towards his. "You're not the weapon, Kirra. We'll figure this out together."

She felt tears well up in her eyes but blinked them away. "What if I hurt someone? What if I can't control it?"

His thumb traced her cheek, wiping away a stray tear that had escaped. "You won't. You're stronger than you think, and you've got people around you who will help. I will help." His voice was steady, reassuring, but there was a softness in his tone that made her heart ache.

For a moment, they stood in silence, the only sound the soft rustling of Buckbeak behind them. Kirra wanted to believe him, wanted to lean into his strength, but the doubt still gnawed at her. She buried her face in his chest again, and he held her tighter, as if he could shield her from the world just by holding on.

"I'm so scared, Mattheo," she admitted in a small voice.

He pressed his lips to the top of her head, his breath warm against her hair. "I know. But you don't have to be scared alone."

They stood like that for what felt like an eternity, the world outside forgotten for just a moment. Kirra closed her eyes, trying to focus on the steady rhythm of Mattheo's heartbeat beneath her cheek, willing it to quiet the storm inside her mind.

But deep down, she knew this moment couldn't last. The danger, the uncertainty—it was still there, lurking just beyond the walls of this room. She pulled back, looking up at him, her eyes filled with a sadness she couldn't quite put into words.

"I don't know what's going to happen," she said softly. "I don't know if we can stop this."

Mattheo cupped her face in his hands, his gaze intense. "Hey if anyone hurts you, im gonna fuck them up okay."

Kirra couldn't help but chuckle softly at his words, shaking her head. She leaned up, pressing her lips to his in a slow, lingering kiss, as if trying to hold on to this moment for just a little longer. When they finally pulled apart, the sadness lingered between them, but there was something else too—an unspoken promise, a shared strength that gave her hope, if only for a moment.