Dusk and Desire - A Mattheo Riddle Story

The Most Beautiful Broom In The World

It was a mostly beautiful spring day at Hogwarts. The sun was shining. The birds were chirping—well, the ones who didn't get caught in the Whomping Willow's path didn't. The lake was glistening with the freshness of a new day. And Mattheo Riddle was annoying the fuck out of Nora Rosier.

It wasn't the first day he'd been doing this and Merlin knows it probably wouldn't be the last. Despite the fact that Nora had told him two weeks ago that she was done with his games, he didn't seem to accept that answer, instead choosing to bother her even more than before. The lad wouldn't give up, no matter how many times Nora told him to do exactly that. He'd just grin and find some way to touch her that would make her stomach explode in butterflies before skipping off, probably to plan his next insufferable act.

Nora was already in a pissed-off mood when she skulked into Divinations class. Aditi had a new boyfriend and had spent breakfast making out with him in the corridor instead, leaving the seat next to Nora wonderfully free for Mattheo Riddle to plop beside her with a cheesy grin. He spent the entire breakfast silently sitting next to her, occasionally hitting her knee with his as she sullenly ate.

Now, she wanted to groan when she walked into class only to find him sitting in the seat that Aditi usually occupied. She turned to her friend in the back only to see the girl putting away a few sickles as she sat next to Theodore Nott. Nora scowled and plopped down next to Riddle, knowing that if she tried to sit somewhere else, he would just follow and bribe whoever she sat next to leave (either with his fists or with a few coins). She knew she could never win so she just stopped fighting it.

"Hello, princess," he cooed, brushing a piece of her hair behind her ear. Nora wished it was possible to Avada Kedavra feelings. She hated the way her body filled with heat at his gentle touch. "You're looking pretty today."

"I don't look pretty. I look exhausted."

He beamed. "I wonder why. Something keep you up?"

She glared at him. "You know perfectly well what kept me up."

"Me? Keep you up all night? Never!" he exclaimed in mock horror, holding a hand up to his chest as if he were scandalized. Then, the smirk was back. "Well, maybe a few times. Want to repeat them?"

Nora hoped that her narrowed eyes took the focus off her blushing cheeks but based on the way he was staring at her knowingly, it probably wasn't. "You know, the next time you feel like singing outside of someone else's dorm room for five hours straight, choose Enzo. The lad would probably like it."

"First of all: rude of you to throw Cap under the bus like that. He's losing enough sleep as it is and you know it."

She frowned. "You're right. It was inconsiderate of me. He—"

"And second: I was singing love ballads from the bottom of my heart to your ungrateful ass. I could have been wooing the Wizenmagot and instead, I chose to sing Celine Dion to you."

She couldn't help the laugh/scoff that exited her mouth. "You act like you're Celestina Warbeck or something! Mattheo, you're terrible."

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are! I think you hit maybe five correct notes in just as many hours," she said whilst giggling because the memory of him singing All By Myself was too bloody hilarious not to laugh. "You are ridiculous, you know that?"

He grinned, showcasing the dimple that always made her stomach go wild. Mattheo brought his hand up to her cheek and stroked it with his thumb gently before whispering, "Ridiculously stupid. Ridiculously sorry. Ridiculously in love with you."

Her heart felt like it was flying on a broom with the way it seemed to dip up and down. She wanted desperately to forgive him and kiss him... but could she? Could she find that in herself? Could she really let her lose herself in loving him again? What if she got burnt? What if he shattered her heart again? What if she broke so badly that she couldn't pick up the pieces again?