These are SETS. Not green screen, blue screen, or whatever the hell else they do with cgi these days. Actual, touchable sets. That makes ALL the difference in a movie.
The amount of love and care that I've seen that has been put into Deadpool and Wolverine is phenomenal. Well done to the entire cast and crew involved đ
i know this is themed after the taylor swift but there is something so deeply funny about getting a cutesy wootsy beaded bracelet at claires that says "tortured". who else is being tortured in this clairesâïž if you're being tortured in claires make some noise âŒïžđŻ
Summary: Mattheo Riddle breaks your nose, and he kinda feels bad about it.
~2.3k words
Content: Modern Au, Characters are 18+, No use of Y/N, No determined house, Mattheo doesn't like using his words, descriptions of fighting and blood, maybe ooc everyone? dunno this fandom is weird i love it, mention of drug use(tobacco, weed, alcohol), Mattheo's love language is acts of service and gift giving fight me, rushed ending sorry chat i'm getting back into writing again, not proof read
Violence isnât something Iâm particularly fond of. Not for any reason, but I suppose you really donât need a reason to hate something so savage. I donât like action movies, the idea of contact sports and martial arts in the muggle world is barbaric to me, and even watching beaters and chasers hurdle towards each other on the Quidditch pitch makes me cringe.
Hogwarts is full of many fights. They're unavoidable, I suppose. Occasionally, the more disorderly underclassmen will break out into a wizardâs duel. Bright flashes of light and the screams of ignorantly casted hexes will draw onlookers nearby, blocking up the already crowded hallways with a ring of students encouraging their peers with reckless abandon. In fact, there were rumors of a secret dueling club that had been organizing these fights for centuries.
However, there are only so many different hexes and jinxes to terrorize and entertain your classmates with before things become⊠stale. This conundrum, along with unstable hormones, had sparked a new infatuation among Hogwarts upperclassmen.
Fist-fights.
The idea was childish. Any problem imaginable could be sorted with words, or even wands, and yet both boys and girls fought nail, tooth, and, claw just for an ounce of respect. Maybe an ounce of attention. If I remember right, even an ounce of weed (This was the day many students had to undergo a veritaserum-induced interrogation.) . It was foolish, and oftentimes fights were shut down by the hands of professors within moments.
That did not seem to be the case today.
As if by some miracle, or in my case a misfortune, professors seemed to be distinctly absent from the hallways in which Mattheo Riddle and Theodore Nott, seventh year Slytherinâs and star quidditch players, beat each other into a pulp.
And by my luck, I was stuck at the barricade of sorts, facing the fight without obstruction as my peers tried to press closer, obscuring my exit from the situation.
The two of them screamed about who-knows-what, and they flashed between the floor and standing upright. The two of them sauntered and stumbled around, each collision of fist to skin sent my stomach reeling with nausea.
Theodoreâs lip was busted and an uncomfortable looking bruise was already forming around his eye. He shrugged-more-so ripped- his robe off and swung wildly at Mattheo, making him back up.
Now, Mattheo Riddle is a tall man. A solid 6 foot if not taller, muscular build after a few years on the Slytherinâs Quidditch team. He was not someone you would want to stand up against, or really be near in general.
The crowd collectively gasped and hollered as he stumbled backwards, right towards me. Against the thick wall of students, I had no where to go. He swung his arm back, fast and powerful.
The sickening crack was all I could hear. Then all I could see were his angry eyes widening in realization that he had hit something other than Theodore. His head swiveled around, and I almost thought he would apologize before a blow landed in his gut, leaving him to curl over and writhe in pain on his knees. At this point, I believe Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini had forced themselves into the ring to separate Riddle and Nott.
I donât remember falling backwards, but I was in the strong hands of another classmate while a few people asked if I was okay. I tasted blood on my lips. Tears slipped down my cheeks heavy and hot, and blood dripped profusely from my nose.
It was Pansy Parkinson that escorted be to the hospital wing.
Pansy was a pretty girl, black hair, silver jewelry, and eyes sharper than a new blade. She wasnât the most approachable girl I had ever spoken to, but after an assigned pairing in potions, we had become quite the duo. She rambled on about how sheâll have âMattâ apologize, and how âthe boysâ were going to be in so much shit.
My nose was broken, fixed with a simple, âEpiskey!â, from Madam Promfrey, and I was sent on my merry way with Pansy at my side. She, and I do mean this fondly, droned on about how sorry she was( âPansy, I said it was fine.â âNo, it isnât fine! Those nitwits could have done far worse-â) and how sheâll have Riddle pay me back.
âReally, he is a nice guy!â
âSo Iâve heardâŠâ I mumbled, a migraine settling in, and I had half a mind to turn back around to the hospital wing and demand enough tonic to let me sleep for a week.
âWhy donât I just take you back to my dorm and we can watch a movie, eat a few snacks. I still have a ton a chocolate frogs left from our last sleepover.â
I sighed, and gave a small smile. I didnât really feel like it, but if it would make dear Pansy stop worrying, I folded.
The Slytherin dungeons were oddly warm considering being so far underneath the Black Lake. The stained glass casted rays of green and blue lighting among the common room, and fish swam past the great windows. The common room was nearly empty save for a few students among the chairs reading, a couple playing wizard chess, and a small group of familiar faces occupying the couches in front of the fire place.
The first to turn around was Blaise Zabini, and he greeted Pansy with a smile, then turned to me with a small wince. âHow're you feeling?â
âBetter now. Thank you.â
Zabini nodded, turning his gaze back to the ever incessantly whining Malfoy. Pansy rolled her eyes, and I could feel the âhe turned me into a lesbian,â building in her chest. We retired to her room before her own cat-fight could break out
It was around 2 am when we emerged from Pansyâs room again, both hungry and unable to sleep even after indulging in far too many sweets. She took my hand, racing me down flights of stairs until we stumbled back into the common room with a small giggle that abruptly stopped at the sight of the same group of boys on the couch. Two new heads had joined the count, and simultaneously each turned to face the two of us.
I locked eyes with Mattheo Riddle, and he looked away.
Fucking dick.
âWhat was it this time?â Pansy broke the silence, dragging me to the couch now. She sat at the end, myself in the middle, and coincidentally, Riddle on my other side.
Theodore Nott, who sat across the center table from Riddle, nursing his swollen eye with an ice bag answered. âHe broke my pipe.â
Mattheo Riddle rolled his eyes, âI said I'm sorry and I'll pay you back." He snapped, and Nott yelled something about that being his favorite glass.
Pansy tskâd them, reaching for the bowl of fruit on the table, plucking herself an apple and offering me an orange. My nails, cut short due to nervous picking and biting, dug at the thick skin. I lifted my head only when I heard my name being spoken, and I met Nottâs gaze.
âHowâs your nose?â
I swore he made a snide glance at Riddle, who visibly tense and turned farther away from me.
âItâs fine. Easily fixed.â I turned my gaze back to the orange, biting my cheek in frustration as my nail continued to slip from the peel. A blush rose to my cheeks in frustration.
âSo it was broken. You need to watch where youâre swinging those damn elbows, Riddle.â
Riddle gave Nott the finger, and the company around us laughed. I laughed along, but sighed as I ultimately gave up trying to peel the orange. Pathetic. At least no one had seemed to notice or care.
âNo one would have gotten hurt had you not been a little bitch.â Snapped Mattheo to Theodore, and his bruised hand grabbed the orange from my own so quickly I almost didnât realize it had happened.
His fingers worked swiftly, removing the skin of the fruit before he put it back in my hands. He stood up, âIâm sick of your shit, going to bed. Donât make too much noise when you come up.â He mumbled, and Theodore rolled his eyes. âYeah, yeah. Donât get your panties in a twist, princess.â
I stared down at the peeled orange in my hand. Slowly, I pulled a carpel from the rest of the fruit.
Maybe it was a lucky streak, but the bench I frequented in my free time to read had been consistently available despite being a popular spot most days. Along with that, My favorite seat in History of Magic, which had been unrightfully stolen by a group of friends, had been returned to me (It was my favorite because it's located on the far back wall, perfect for an unseen nap). I even walked into potions and found a little note of all the questions that were to be asked during the class, and all of their answers.
Pansy laid her head in my lap, whining about a girl she was pining for, while I flipped through pages of an uninteresting book on potion ingredients. She sat up slowly, yawning and stretching her arms above her head. "It's the weekend, what are we doing here? Lets go for a walk." she urged, and I grabbed my bag and followed. We walked through hallways mindlessly, chatting about the most recent rumors.
There was a yell from down the hall as we turned a corner, and before either of us could look, a body came hurdling into mine. I fell to the ground, hard enough that the air was knocked from my lungs. I gasped desperately, tears rushing to my eyes at the sudden pain of hard stone on my back, and a massive body on top of me.
It pushed itself up onto its hands, hovering over me.
I looked Mattheo Riddle square in the eye, and I could see the color drain from his face.
"Well? Get off of her!" I heard Pansy shriek, and once he had moved, Pansy helped me off the ground. I looked up at her, smiling in thanks, before I met Mattheo Riddle's gaze again. He stared at me for a moment longer, opening his mouth to say something. He shut it again, and turned away. Zabini raced around the corner, eyes wide as he took in the scene.
"You beat her up again?"
The look Mattheo gave Blaise sent a chill down my spine.
The next day, Pansy and I found a box of chocolates outside of my dorm.
"Someone has a secret admirer!" She chimed in a sing-song voice.
I blushed a little bit at the notion. It was nice to think, but I insisted it was left at the wrong door and we should leave it. After much convincing, Pansy folded.
"I'm sure it's meant for you. You're probably hurting someone's feelings," She sighed.
It was frigid outside, the wind nipping at my nose, and I pulled my scarf further over my face. The courtyard was empty, most everyone opting to hide away in the warmth of their common rooms, and I started to feel like a fool for daring to come outside. At least it was quiet. I collected my bag, sliding my books into their place when the crunch of snow behind me sent be jumping in surprise.
I whipped my head around and audibly gasped when I met dark brown eyes.
"Do you not like chocolate?"
The question took me off guard, and I obviously took too long to answer when Mattheo started talking again.
"It's fine if you don't. I didn't really know what you would have liked," Mattheo rubbed his hands together, suddenly looking anywhere but at me. He looked nervous. Was Mattheo Riddle nervous?
"Just⊠It was anâŠ" he stumbled over his words, scratching at his palm. "Y'know⊠Merlin, will you just say something?" he snapped, tugging on his scarf.
I couldn't help but stare at him. He looked so.. small.
"You got me chocolate?"
"Did⊠you not get it? I left it outside of your door."
I bit the inside of my cheek. Mattheo Riddle had gotten me chocolates. Why? "I didn't think they were for me."
"Why wouldn't they have been?"
"I thought someone had just left them at the wrong door."
Mattheo looked appalled at the very notion. He ran his hands through his hair, taking a deep, frustrated breath. "Why would I have left chocolates outside of anyone else's door?"
"You didn't leave a note. I didn't know who they were for, or what they were for, or if they were poisoned!"
Mattheo groaned, mumbling something about Zabini lying when he said girls were clever, "Well they were for you! To⊠apologize! For breaking your nose, and then knocking you over, and what I was doing before just didn't seem like enough!"
My mouth felt dry, and I shook my head. "What you were doing before? You could have just said sorry!"
Mattheo sighed, "The.. the seats in class- I had detention for weeks because I knew you liked napping in history of magic, and you were struggling in potions- and.. Really I deserve a 'thank you'!"
"Well then, Thank you."
A blush crept up to Matheo's cheeks, though I'm sure it was just the cold getting to him.
"I'm sorry."
I smiled, reaching to grab my bag off of the bench. "I forgive you."
Mattheo grabbed the bag before I could, and I looked up at him in confusion as he slung it over his shoulder. 'I'll carry it for you," Is all he mumbled while pulling his scarf tighter around his red face.
đ€ author's note: the duality of man. this fic serves both cute, fluffy matty and jealous, possessive mattheo.
For his upcoming birthday, Mattheo Riddle had one simple wish: for his best friends to get along.Â
It shouldnât have been such an ordeal except for the fact that you and Theo absolutely hated each other. If it werenât for Mattheo, the two of you would have no reason to cross paths. Theo was an arrogant, pompous, quidditch playing prick with a terrible nicotine addiction while the closest youâd come to physical exertion is carrying your weekly stack of books from the library to your dorm.Â
Needless to say, you were not a fan of Theodore Nott. You thought he was a bad influence on Matty, while Theo labeled you as the buzzkill, often talking your best friend out of doing things that would either land him in detention or the infirmary. You got the feeling that Theo hated the fact that he had to share Mattheoâs attention with you. Never mind the fact that you were friends with him first.Â
The origin of your friendship started long before your days at Hogwarts. The first time you met Mattheo, his father invited you and your parents over at Riddle Manor to celebrate a successful business deal between your families. Even at a young age, you remembered recognizing the coldness and distance in the Riddle household. The elder riddle, Tom Sr., was a stern and unforgiving man who kept his family under his thumb. Tom Jr. played the perfect heir; cool, calm, and collected as he stood by his fatherâs side. Mrs. Riddle had a severe and somber air about her that sent shivers down your spine as she flashed an empty smile at you.Â
Mattheo was different from the rest. There was a warmth to him that radiated outwards, pulling you in with his cheeky dimpled smile and soft bouncing curls. He marched right up to you, bowing at the waist like he was taught to, except he nearly tripped over his feet and gave you a crooked little grin before correcting himself.Â
âHi, Y/N. Iâm Mattheo, but you can call me Matt.â There was a mischievous glint in his brown eyes that you didnât recognize as trouble until much later. âDo you want to play with me?âÂ
As it turns out, his definition of playing meant chasing each other through the hedge maze out on the manor grounds and absolutely dirtying up your pretty pink dress as you rolled around in the grass. You laid side by side on your backs, giggling as you tucked a flower into Mattheoâs curls.Â
âYouâre going to get me in trouble, you know,â you stated matter-of-factly as you rolled over on your elbows. âMy dress is all dirty.âÂ
âDonât worry, we can ask Tom to help us. He knows lots of spells and hexes.â He leaned in conspiratorially, holding his pinky finger out. âBut you have to keep it a secret, okay? Can I trust you, Y/N?âÂ
You hooked your finger through his, not knowing that such a simple secret would forever solidify your friendship. âYou can trust me, Matty.âÂ
In the years that followed, the two of you were as thick as thieves. Most days were spent at either the Riddle manor or your estate, which Mattheo tended to prefer since it provided him reprieve from his father. As of late, his parents had made it perfectly clear that he was expected to follow in his brother's footsteps. Despite it being Tom's first year at Hogwarts, he was already proving to be a gifted and talented wizard. When his father wasn't outright ignoring him, Mattheo was forced to practice hexes and spells that were beyond the knowledge of an eleven year old. Without his older brother to protect him, Mattheo felt the walls closing in in his grand yet inhospitable home.
You were the only silver lining in his otherwise dreary days. Mattheo thanked Merlin that his father allowed visits to your estate. Unlike Riddle Manor, your family home was warm, lovely, and full of life. During the summers, the two of you would venture out to the edge of your property and set up camp at the creek. The sunny days were spent swimming, climbing, and picking flowers from sunrise to sunset. On one particular day, you sat cross-legged on the picnic blanket, absentmindedly picking at the sandwich in your lap.Â
Beside you, Mattheo nudged you with his knee. âWhatâs wrong, Y/N?â
You blinked, trying to savor the sunshine for as long as you could. âI donât want summer to end.âÂ
âWeâll only be apart for a year,â Mattheo said softly, correctly guessing the cause of your apprehension. You werenât surprised. He always seemed to know what was on your mind. âYouâll be joining me at Hogwarts before you know it. By then, Iâll be an expert so I can show you the ropes.âÂ
âA lot can happen in a year,â you stated. âWhat if you make other friends and forget about me?âÂ
âI might make other friends, but Iâd never forget about you. You were my first friend ever. That makes you the most important.âÂ
You looked up and found yourself face to face with Mattheoâs earnest expression. The corners of his lips tugged upwards as he nudged you again. âBesides, you know Iâm going to write to you every week. Now that Iâm in the same castle as Malfoy, I can finally crack the great mystery of whether or not he bleaches his hair.âÂ
âThereâs no way thatâs natural, right? Maybe Lucius has a special shampoo or something.â
Mattheo grinned and draped an arm over your shoulder. âI donât know, but I promise to find out for you.âÂ
âYouâll really write to me every week?âÂ
âOf course I will,â Mattheo declared, holding his pinky finger out. âYou trust me, right?âÂ
You smiled and hooked your pinkies together. âI trust you, Matty.âÂ
When the next year finally rolled around, you were so excited that you convinced your parents to take you to Kingâs Cross at least an hour before your departure. You hadnât seen Mattheo since the previous summer because his family had been away on holiday in Spain, but he stayed true to his word and wrote to you every chance he got. You loved reading about the friends heâd made, the antics he got up to, and most importantly, the fascinating classes that awaited you at Hogwarts.Â
As you passed through Platform 9 Ÿ, you were nearly knocked off your feet as Mattheo ran full force into you. He had grown much taller since you last saw him, so much so that he now towered over you as he pulled you into a bear hug.Â
âHi, Matty,â you giggled against his chest.Â
âHi, Y/N.âÂ
Mattheo pulled away, grinning as he tugged at your hand. âCome on, I want you to meet my friends.âÂ
You looked back at your parents who merely smiled at Mattheoâs excitement. To his chagrin, your best friend remembered to properly greet them and asked if you could board the train early. After much fussing, they eventually said their goodbyes and allowed you to go with Mattheo.Â
The first friend that you met was Enzo. He was sweet, if not a little cheeky as he hinted that Mattheo couldnât stop talking about you all year. Draco and Blaise needed no introduction given that your families were all fairly acquainted ever since you could remember. To your delight, Pansy was amongst the group as well. The two of you used to take ballet together, so it was a relief to have another girl to bond with. The older boys, Tom and Regulus, briefly greeted you before returning to their own cabin.Â
Last, but not least, was Theodore.Â
Whereas the others welcomed you with open arms, Nott was not as warm in his reception of you. The two of you clashed right off the bat. You werenât quite sure what the root of your disagreement was. Perhaps it was his snarky comment insinuating that girls couldnât be proper quidditch fans in reference to your Chudley Cannons scarf, perhaps it was your biting retort that he could stick his misogyny up his arse. Either way, the interaction set the tone for your strained relationship.Â
Being sorted into Gryffindor only contributed to the animosity between you as well. Given the longstanding rivalry of Slytherins and Gryffindors, Theo was determined to view you as his enemy. The harder you fought, the harder Mattheo tried to repair the rift. You were the two most important people in his life and he couldnât stand to see you two tear each other apart.Â
For the most part, you tried to grin and bear it. While you couldnât for the life of you understand how or why he was even friends with someone as unbearable as Theodore Nott, you tried to be civil for Mattheoâs sake. Tried being the key word. With Theoâs snark and your temper, the two of you became known for your infamous fights. Still, it didnât stop your best friend from trying.Â
Over the years, Mattheo concocted countless plots and schemes to get the two of you to bond. If his favorite band was playing in town, he would magically have two extra tickets to bring both you and Theo along. If there was a book release you were dying to attend, Mattheo would invite Theo along to check out the record store next door. If the castle was dead during the weekend, Mattheo would suggest a trio trip to Hogsmeade.Â
As much as you cared for Mattheo, your patience only stretched so thin. Without fail, every outing that the three of you went on almost always ended in an argument between you and Theo.Â
âI donât know how youâre friends with both of us, Mattheo,â Theo joked as he gulped down his burger. âIâm fun and Y/N is ââ
âFinish that sentence and Iâll stick my fork right through your hand, Nott,â you threatened with a sickly sweet smile.Â
The hostility wasnât anything new, but you supposed that after dealing with it for years and years on end, Mattheo had finally reached his breaking point.Â
Your best friend pushed his plate away and sighed. âLetâs just go.âÂ
You nodded in agreement, gathering your things and following Mattheoâs lead. Theo trailed after, obnoxiously squeezing his way through the door of the Three Broomsticks and letting it close behind him. You yanked it open, nearly pulling the bloody thing off its hinges.Â
âHow very mature of you. Though Iâm not surprised that you donât know how to hold a door open for a lady.â
Theo looked back, craning his neck behind you. âAs far as Iâm concerned, there arenât any ladies around. Just an infuriating little Gryffindor who canât handle not having the last word.âÂ
âIâm infuriating?â You huffed, crossing your arms. âClearly youâve never suffered through the pleasure of your own company. Spoiler alert, the snarky arsehole bit stopped being funny in third year.âÂ
âWell, the uptight and bossy bitch bit wasnât ever funny to begin with.âÂ
âEnough already,â Mattheo yelled. You reeled back in surprise. Usually, your best friend just let you and Theo fight it out until you both got tired of it, but he wasnât having it tonight. âYou two are the most important people in my life, but youâre acting like bloody toddlers. Iâm tired of feeling like I have to choose a side, so either you two find a way to get along or risk losing me as a friend.âÂ
For the first time since you met him, you and Theo were both stunned into silence. Mattheo took one last look at his closest friends and marched off into the castle without a word.Â
The next day, you woke up feeling weary. You hardly slept last night given Mattheoâs ultimatum. Your best friend wasnât the type to make declarations like that lightly, so you knew he meant it. Especially since he went straight to his dorm without coming over to watch a movie or talk late into the night like the two of you often did.Â
The suspicion was all but confirmed when you sat through a particularly awkward and tense breakfast. Mattheo briefly acknowledged you with a nod, not bothering to speak as he cranked up the music on his headphones. As the Smiths crooned, you looked up at Theo who shook his head at your inquisitive glance. You knew that Mattheo had most likely given him the silent treatment last night as well.Â
Despite the fact that you and Mattheo had very similar schedules, he managed to avoid you throughout the entire day. By the time the last class rolled around, you knew that he was serious about you and Theo making up. It was a hard pill to swallow. Truly, youâd rather ingest a pill the size of a hippogriff than make amends with Nott, but it wasnât like you had a choice. You didnât want to lose Mattheo.Â
Deciding to be the bigger person, you went to the one place that you knew Theo frequented. You found him sitting alone in the Astronomy Tower, long legs dangling below him as he smoked a cigarette. Biting back a comment about the death trap pursed between his lips, you cleared your throat.Â
âMind if I sit?âÂ
Theo tensed as he looked up at you. He wore the sneer that he solely reserved for you, but his eyes were dull and dim. The argument with Mattheo obviously left him feeling lost as well.Â
âDo I have a choice?â You glared in response, but took a deep breath to calm yourself. Theo winced. âSorry. Force of habit. Sit, I guess.âÂ
Gingerly, you settled in the spot next to him. âItâs bad, isnât it?âÂ
âHe wouldnât talk to me last night,â Theo confirmed as he ashed his cigarette. âJust put on his headphones and went to sleep facing the wall.âÂ
âHeâs been avoiding me all day.âÂ
Theo sighed. âWhat are we going to do?âÂ
âLook,â you started, trying to muster up the strength to propose your next statement. âObviously, we hate each other, but Mattheoâs important to me and I know heâs important to you, too. So for his sake, canât we just put all this animosity behind us and try to get along?âÂ
âWhat exactly does getting along mean?âÂ
You shrugged. To be honest, you had no idea how to approach the situation, but you figured you had to start somewhere. âI donât know. Maybe we can grab a bite to eat. Make polite small talk. Try not to strangle each other in the process.âÂ
âI guess I can do that,â Theo conceded. âWhy donât we go to the new pub in the village? I heard they have fried pickles.âÂ
You perked up. âYou like pickles? I thought I was the only one.âÂ
âI donât just like pickles. I love them,â Theo stated.Â
âMe too,â you grinned. âMattheo always gives me his cause he says ââ
âThey taste like feet,â he finished with a chuckle.Â
You nodded, laughing along. âWell, what are we waiting for, then?âÂ
Theo watched as you stood, smoothing the front of your skirt. You offered a hand out to him, both literally and figuratively. To your surprise, Theo took the peace offering and let you pull him to his feet.Â
An hour later, the two of you were squeezed into a tiny booth by the makeshift stage. The pub was lively tonight and nearly packed to the brim, thanks to the happy hour deal on their drinks and appetizers in honor of their grand opening.Â
The pickles didnât disappoint. You ate a good amount, but Theo scarfed the whole thing down like he hadnât eaten in months. As he finished a sandwich and gulped the meal down with his second butterbeer, you gaped in surprise.Â
âHonestly, where do you put it all?âÂ
Theo patted his stomach, which was unfairly flat and probably housed perfectly sculpted abs despite his eating habits. âIâm a growing boy. I need to eat a lot to offset the energy I expend. Especially when Iâm sparring with you.âÂ
âOddly enough, Iâm flattered by that.âÂ
âYou should be,â Theo quipped. âIâve never had to put so much thought into insulting someone until I met you.âÂ
âI bet you were pissed when I took your crown as the sassiest and bitchiest person in our friend group.âÂ
âIâve never experienced such heartbreak,â Theo said sarcastically as he placed a hand over his heart. âI mean, to be dethroned by someone who canât even reach the top shelf in the cupboard was truly the most humbling moment of my life.âÂ
âWell, you shouldnât have assumed that I knew nothing about quidditch just because Iâm a girl.âÂ
âI was a dick for that,â Theo admitted. âBut I was also twelve. I didnât even know what misogyny meant. I thought you were describing a disease.âÂ
You snorted. âWell, the past is in the past. Even though I clearly won that argument, we should put it behind us.âÂ
Theo rolled his eyes, but clinked his butterbeer against yours. âCheers to that, Y/N.âÂ
Surprisingly, you found that you and Theo had a lot more in common than you initially thought. When he wasnât being a prick, he was actually quite nice to talk to. In a single conversation, you learned more about Theo than you had in years. The two of you possessed a knack for potions, preferred foreign literature, and shared a love for horror movies.Â
As the live band went on, Theo mumbled an obscure reference to an eighties muggle band that your mum used to blast when you were younger.Â
âI canât believe theyâre covering this song,â you shouted over the music. âI havenât heard it in years.âÂ
Theoâs eyes widened in surprise. âYou know this song?âÂ
âOf course I do,â you retorted. âMattheo says I have the music taste of a divorced country club trophy wife.âÂ
âYou and me both.âÂ
By the end of the night, you found plenty of common ground with the boy you once thought of as your enemy. It was quite alarming to realize that you hadnât argued once all night and even more so when you found yourself actually enjoying Theoâs company. Maybe Mattheo was right after all. When you stopped viewing Theo as competition, he was actually not that bad. You now understood what Mattheo meant when he said that you and Theo were more alike than you cared to admit.
On the walk back to the castle, Theo pulled out a spliff but glanced at you before lighting it. âDo you mind if I smoke?âÂ
âKnock yourself out.âÂ
The moon was silver and bright against the cloudless sky as the two of you sauntered through the beaten path. You listened to Theo recount Tomâs disastrous attempts at asking Chloe out, all the while giggling to yourself because he was a bigger gossip than you and Pansy put together.Â
âDonât let Tom hear you talking about his love life,â you teased. âHeâd probably feed you to his basilisk.âÂ
Theo grimaced. âHalf of Hogwarts would weep at the loss of such a handsome face.âÂ
âHowever will we survive without your wit and charm, Nott?âÂ
He chuckled as he blew a ring of smoke up into the sky. You watched it float before holding your hand out. âCare to share?âÂ
âI didnât know you smoked.âÂ
âWho do you think taught Mattheo how to roll his first blunt?âÂ
Theo stared in disbelief as you took the spliff, inhaling deeply. You held the smoke in your lungs effortlessly before blowing rings of smoke in quick succession.Â
âDamn,â the brown haired boy exclaimed. âWho the hell are you, Y/N?â
You smirked as you tapped the joint. âSomeone much cooler than you, Theo.âÂ
After that night, you and Theo got on more and more. The banter and bickering was still there, but it was more playful now. Mattheo was glad to see his two best friends getting along so well. Since first year, it was all he had ever wanted.Â
The days of forcing you two to hang out together was long gone. Now, you were practically as attached to the hip with Theo as you were with Mattheo.Â
When Mattheo went up to the Astronomy Tower for a smoke break, he would find you sitting cross-legged across from Theo as he filled you in on the catfight between Lavender and Cho. When Mattheo visited you at the library during his free period, Theo was already there working on his History of Magic homework beside you. When Mattheo arrived at the Great Hall for assembly, he slid into the seat next to Theo as his friend craned his neck to peer at the crowd.Â
âLooking for someone, mate?âÂ
âYeah, Y/N said she was running late,â Theo answered distractedly. âI saved a seat for her.âÂ
At first, Mattheo loved the fact that you put your differences behind you and became such great friends like he always knew you would, but as time went along, your best friend noticed that you and Theo were becoming a little too close.Â
On one occasion, Mattheo briefly excused himself from the common room party for a smoke only to come back to find you and Theo annihilating Draco and Blaise at butterbeer pong. He walked in right as you made the winning shot, witnessing Theo picking you up and twirling you around as Malfoy stomped off, grumbling something about an unfair play. A cheat of sorts.Â
Mattheo couldnât help but agree. Seeing you in Theoâs arms felt like cheating. The whole thing made him feel strange. It didnât help that every time the three of you hung out, Mattheo noticed that you and Theo now had little inside jokes and references that he didnât understand. Being jealous of his best mate was ridiculous, but yet he couldnât shake the uneasy feeling that only grew stronger with each passing day.Â
As you grew closer, Mattheo felt stranger. One morning, he nearly smashed his muffin to pieces when he saw you wearing Theoâs hoodie.Â
âWhy are you wearing that?â he asked through clenched teeth.Â
You looked down in surprise as though youâd forgotten that you were wearing another manâs clothes. âOh, I was cold so Theo let me borrow his hoodie.â
Mattheo frowned before pulling his sweater over his head. âHere, wear mine instead. Itâs warmer.âÂ
The gesture was confusing, but you merely shrugged and exchanged Theoâs hoodie for Mattheoâs sweater. âThanks, Matty.âÂ
Later that week, Mattheo found you in the stands in your usual spot before the game. He smiled when he saw his number painted on your right cheek. The brief moment of happiness was shattered when you turned and revealed that you had also painted Theoâs number on your left cheek. Mattheo nearly fell off of his broom. He was used to seeing his and only his number on you. First the hoodie, now this?Â
The green monster reared its ugly head during the game itself, motivating him to play as brutally as possible. The Hufflepuffs werenât safe from his rage and neither were his teammates. As he soared around the goalpost, he hurled the quaffle as hard as he could, fully knowing that Theo was within the ballâs radius. Thankfully for him, Theo ducked at the last second before shooting a baffled glance at his friend. Mattheo simply ignored it and kept playing.Â
Despite their sweeping win, the bad mood failed to lift. Mattheo frowned as he slipped into the booth next to you, glaring at Theoâs head as the two of them sandwiched you on both sides. Across the table, the rest of the team sipped their celebratory milkshakes.Â
The waitress set down a vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate milkshake in front of the three of you. Mattheo watched as you and Theo tasted your drinks before promptly taking out the straw and switching flavors.Â
âTold you that youâd like strawberry more,â Theo said with a fond eye roll.Â
âBut vanilla sounded good.âÂ
âEverything sounds good at the moment, but you always go back to your favorite.âÂ
Mattheo clenched his jaw as you stuck your tongue out at Theo before turning towards him. âArenât you going to drink your milkshake, Matty?âÂ
âI donât really have much of an appetite.âÂ
âMaybe itâs just the chocolate. Do you wanna try mine?âÂ
He shook his head, crossing his arms. âNo, thatâs Theoâs milkshake.âÂ
âOh, well if you want the vanilla one instead, I can switch back.âÂ
Mattheo wrinkled his nose. âNo thanks, Theoâs mouth has already been on it.âÂ
âConsider it a privilege,â Theo butted in. âMost girls and boys at this school would kill to swap spit with me.âÂ
âIâll pass.âÂ
You cocked your head at your best friend, looking concerned. âAre you sure youâre okay, Matty?âÂ
He nodded rather unconvincingly. âIâm fine.â
As weeks passed, Mattheo only grew more jealous.Â
Granted, he was fully aware that he had no right to feel this way given the fact that he had practically pushed you and Theo together, but he just couldnât help himself. The closer you grew, the more he regretted giving the two of you an ultimatum in the first place.Â
Before you became friends with Theo, Mattheo never had to share you with anyone. He realized now how much he had taken it for granted. Your best friend missed the times that the two of you spent alone. He missed having you all to himself. Mattheo was determined to get it back one way or another.Â
When Saturday night rolled around, Mattheo made his way up to Gryffindor Tower, glaring at anyone who balked at the sight of him on this side of the castle. After shoving McLaggen out of the way, Mattheo made his way up to the highest turret and let himself into your dorm.Â
You were perched in front of the vanity table, swiping your signature cherry lip gloss on in the mirror. Mattheo made himself at home, sprawling out on your bed. He knew you had plans tonight, but he was hoping to convince you to hang out with him instead. Mattheo eyed your dress, his gaze sweeping along the red fabric like a loverâs embrace. You flushed at the intensity of his stare as his brown eyes flickered back up to your face.Â
âWhy canât you hang out tonight?â Mattheo asked with a pout. âAre you going on a date? Is that why youâre leaving your best friend alone to perish?âÂ
You shook your head in amusement before leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. âDonât be so dramatic, Matty. Iâm not going on a date. Theo and I are just checking out this new band.âÂ
Mattheo stiffened as you sprayed perfume on your wrists. âWhy didnât you invite me?âÂ
âTheo did. He said you werenât interested in listening to country club wife music.âÂ
While that may be true, Mattheo wouldâve gone if he knew you were coming too. âHe didnât tell me he was going with you.âÂ
âProbably because he knew youâd feel obligated to go,â you responded. âBut itâs alright, we wonât make you suffer through it. Theo will keep the creeps away.âÂ
Mattheo did not like the sound of that. It was his job to watch over you, not Theoâs. Besides, he never thought of it as an obligation. Even if he wasnât a fan of the music, he loved watching you jump around and have the time of your life. Spending time with you was the only reason why he insisted on coming to every concert. Keeping the creeps away was just an added bonus.Â
Now, Theo was taking away both. The realization put him in a foul mood, but he couldnât let it show. He wanted you to have a good time, even if it wasnât with him.Â
âOkay, but can we at least watch a movie and cuddle when you get back?âÂ
âWeâre going to be out pretty late. I donât want you to lose sleep because of me. I know you have a Charms exam tomorrow morning, but I promise we can have a movie night tomorrow.âÂ
Mattheo only nodded as you patted his curls and kissed his cheek again. He watched as you left your dorm, frowning into the mirror as he touched the two cherry gloss marks on his face.Â
The kiss prints were already fading, serving as some sort of sick metaphor.Â
To your credit, you did make good on your promise on movie night. It had been a while since the two of you hung out alone, which is definitely the only reason why Mattheo felt needier and clingier than usual. While his touchiness wasnât anything new, he seemed determined to make it obvious to those around you. Especially with Theo.Â
During breakfast, Mattheo silently laid his head on your shoulder and placed your hand atop his curls. Across the table, Theo continued gnawing away at his croissant while you told him about the new horror movie that had apparently been banned in twenty countries.Â
âI wanna watch it,â Mattheo mumbled as you scratched his head.Â
âBut you hate horror,â Theo responded.Â
âSo? I still want to see it.âÂ
âIâll ask my mum if she can send me a copy this weekend,â you said as you playfully tugged at his curls. âWe can watch it in your dorm, okay?âÂ
He leaned in, nuzzling against your neck. âJust the two of us?â
âOf course, Matty.âÂ
Mattheo brightened at that, happy with your response. Perhaps it was petty of him, but he didnât care. He wanted to send a message. You and Theo could be friends, but heâd always be the most important person in your life. Mattheo was your person, just like you were his.Â
The others were beginning to pick up on things, despite his constant denial. It was sort of a moot point anyways, given the fact that he was single handedly proving them right with his actions. Nowadays, your friends would find Mattheo lounging on your lap, wedging himself in the small space on the common room couch just so that he was next to you instead of Theo.Â
Every time you went out to Hogsmeade, heâd make a point of holding your hand and carrying your bags. Mattheo would stop mid-conversation and rub your cold hands in his, blowing on your fingers because he knows how cold you get even in the heated pub.Â
âYour hands are cold. Let me heat them up, princess.âÂ
As you blushed, Enzo would shoot Mattheo a knowing look, which he deflected by focusing all his attention on you. Even Tom made a passing comment at all the sickening nicknames Mattheo had taken to calling you lately.Â
âHi, sweetheart. Is this seat taken?âÂ
âMorning, love. Do you want to go for a walk with me?âÂ
âHere, give me your bag. Iâll carry it for you, darling.âÂ
Though his older brother might disagree with his methods, Mattheo was quite convinced that it was working. Until it wasnât.Â
During the last week of December, you and Theo began acting strangely. Every time he walked into a room, the two of you would fall uncharacteristically silent. When he tried to bring it up, you evaded his questions and changed the subject instead. The secrecy didnât sit well with him.Â
After the last class of the day, Mattheo usually walked with you to the library, but every time he tried to find you that week, you had all but disappeared.
âBerkshire, have you seen Y/N?âÂ
âOh yeah, she left with Theo a few minutes ago. Seemed urgent.âÂ
âDid they say where they were going?âÂ
Enzo shrugged nonchalantly. âNo clue, mate.âÂ
Frustrated, Mattheo walked away before succumbing to the urge to throttle his friend. It wasnât Enzoâs fault that you and Theo were acting so weird. Throughout the week, Theo would be out of their dorm for hours and hours. Sometimes he wouldnât even come back until the wee hours of the night.Â
When Mattheo checked your dorm, you were also nowhere to be found. He was trying his best not to spiral, but the nagging suspicion that the two of you were hiding something from him was too big to ignore. It was all but confirmed when he caught you sneaking out of the dungeons one night.Â
You poked your head out from behind a marble column, watching students pass. Clearly, you didnât want anyone to know that you were down here. Unfortunately for you, Mattheo had already seen you.Â
âWhat are you doing here, Y/N?âÂ
His voice startled you, making you jump a step back as you glanced up at him with a nervous expression. âOh! Hi, Matty. I was just â I was just, um, walking back to my dorm.âÂ
âI can see that, but what were you doing in the dungeons?âÂ
âJustâŠhanging outâŠâ
Mattheo could feel his blood boiling. âWith Theo?âÂ
You gulped, nodding in agreement. âYeah, he had my book.âÂ
âSo where is it?âÂ
âWhereâs what?âÂ
âYour book.âÂ
âOh,â you said softly, avoiding his gaze. It was a tell-tale sign that you werenât being honest. You always looked away when you were lying. âI guess I forgot.âÂ
âYou forgot the thing that you came down here for?âÂ
âHm? Did you hear that?â You mumbled, despite the fact that the corridor was silent. âI think Pansyâs calling me. I gotta go, Matty. See you later!âÂ
Your best friend watched as you sauntered off to Salazar knows where with a frown. Confused, Mattheo walked back to his dorm and found the answer to his dreaded question. As soon as he opened the door, the familiar scent of strawberry and vanilla filled the air. Mattheo felt downright murderous. That was your perfume. Heâd recognize it anywhere.Â
Mattheo glared at his best friend, who was laying in bed with a book perched on his chest. He eyed the rumpled sheets and Theoâs disheveled hair while trying not to assume the worst.Â
âIs that the book Y/N lent you?âÂ
âHuh? What book?âÂ
Though he wanted very much to punch his mateâs teeth in, Mattheo restrained himself. âThe book she came down here to get.âÂ
âShe wasnât here for ââ Theo closed his mouth before nodding reluctantly. âOh, right. Yeah. This is Y/Nâs book. I should â I should return it.âÂ
âYouâre acting weird, Nott. Both of you are.â Mattheo narrowed his eyes in suspicion. âWhat the bloody hell is going on?âÂ
âBlase? Yeah, be right there, mate! Iâd love to stay and chat, but duty calls. See you later, man.âÂ
Theo hightailed it out of the dorm, responding to an imaginary summon. Y/N and Theo. Theo and Y/N. His two closest friends. Sneaking around. Lying to him. Fooling around in his dorm. Mattheo didnât know how to feel. He was angry, he was sad, but most of all, he was hurt. His girl and his best friend? It was the ultimate betrayal.Â
Never mind that Mattheo had spent the past decade denying his feelings for you. Anyone with an ounce of common sense could see that heâd been in love with you since you were children. It was clear as fucking day.Â
When Friday rolled around, Mattheo decided that enough was enough. He was going to confront the two of you. After quidditch practice, he followed Theo through the castle. The git buggered off to some dark, secluded area of the school that Mattheo had never stepped foot in. He kept a safe distance, peering around the corner when he heard whispered voices.Â
âIâm telling you, heâs getting suspicious,â Theo whispered frantically. âHe asked why our dorm smelled like you. I didnât know what to say, so I bolted!âÂ
His heart dropped when he heard you sigh in frustration. âFor Merlinâs sake, Theo! You couldnât make up an excuse?âÂ
âMe? You were the one who got caught sneaking out of the dungeons. Itâs not like youâre an expert on stealth, either.âÂ
âYou know I canât lie to him,â you exclaimed. âIâve never been able to, ever since we were little. He knows all my tells. But, Theo, he absolutely cannot find out about this!âÂ
Mattheo didnât need to hear the rest. His heart had already been crushed into a thousand pieces. He couldn't believe it. The two of you were supposed to be his best friends, yet here you were keeping this terrible secret from him.Â
For the rest of the night, he sulked in his room. He was in the middle of brooding while listening to the Smiths when he heard a knock.Â
âPiss off!âÂ
âItâs me.âÂ
Part of him wanted to send you away, but a bigger part â the stupid, idiotic, part of him couldnât. With a sigh, Mattheo peeled himself off the carpet and opened the door. Since the secret rendezvous with Theo, you had apparently found time to get dolled up and changed into a pretty party dress.Â
Mattheo frowned and crossed his arms. âTheoâs not here.âÂ
You frowned, cocking your head in confusion. âIâm not here for Theo.âÂ
He scoffed in response. âYou donât have to lie to me anymore. I know.âÂ
âYou know what, Matty?âÂ
âI know that you and Theo areâŠsneaking around. Lying to me. Hooking up behind my back.âÂ
âWhat on Godricâs green earth are you talking about?âÂ
âDonât try to deny it. I heard you in the corridor upstairs. Iâve had my suspicions all week. The two of you have been acting weird and avoiding me. More than that, you have your own stupid little inside jokes and you take him to concerts and you share milkshakes! Those are things we used to do together, but now youâve gone and replaced me.âÂ
âThe only reason Theo and I became friends is because you asked us to., Mattheo.âÂ
âI know that!â Mattheo exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration. âI regret it so much. I wanted you to get along, but not like this. Now Theoâs making you laugh and walking you to class and doing god knows what else with you in our dorm!âÂ
Your features softened as you tried to reach for Mattheo, but he took a step back. âDonât try to deny it! I know you were in here the night I caught you sneaking out of the dungeons. I could smell your perfume.âÂ
Realization flooded you all at once. âAre youâŠare you jealous, Matty?âÂ
Your best friend crossed his arms and huffed. âOf course Iâm jealous! I donât want you doing any of those things with Theo. Youâre my best friend. Mine, not his. I had you first. I loved you first.âÂ
The confession stunned you into silence. You blinked, processing the information before holding your hand out. âCome.âÂ
Mattheo looked like he was about to argue, but you just stared at him with determination. âJust come with me, Matty. I promise itâll all make sense in a minute.âÂ
The logical side of him wanted to refuse, but he knew it would be futile. Mattheo wouldâve ripped his heart out of his chest if you asked him to. You were his weak spot.Â
Following you out into the corridor, Mattheo staggered a few steps back as you slipped into the dark and empty common room. With a snap of your fingers, the lights came on and voices echoed in unison.Â
âHappy birthday, Mattheo!âÂ
Startled, Mattheo blinked at the sight before him. The common room was decorated with streamers and confetti, complete with a bright birthday banner that covered nearly half the room. There were tables filled with food and drinks, all of which were his favorites. All of his friends were present, including Tom, who stood to the side with his arms crossed. The pretty blonde beside him â Chloe, the girl Theo swore his brother was in love with â elbowed Tom, who sighed and flashed Mattheo a rare smile. Now that was something he needed to revisit at a later time.
For now, one shocking revelation was enough to deal with.
âSurprise!â You exclaimed beside him as you pulled him into a hug.Â
At first, he was too stunned to return the gesture, but eventually he wrapped his arms around you and pulled you in for a bear hug. With everything going on, Mattheo nearly forgot his own birthday, but he knew that you wouldn't. You did all of this. For him.Â
When you broke apart, Theo clapped him on the back. âHappy birthday, mate.â Relief washed over his friendâs face as he spoke the words. âThank fucking Salazar that Y/N pulled this off. Hiding this from you for a week has been absolute hell.â
âSoâŠthis is what you two have been up to?âÂ
You nodded in confirmation. âMhm, Theo and I spent all week planning it. We wanted everything to be perfect.âÂ
âBut it was hard because you were being such a nosy little git,â said Theo. Â
The pieces started to click together. All that secrecy between his two best friends hadnât meant what he thought it did. âSo you two arenâtâŠyou havenâtâŠyouâre not hooking up behind my back?â
You and Theo stared at each other in horror.Â
âEw!â Theo dramatically exclaimed. âY/N is like my sister. You donât hook up with your sister. Thatâs gross.âÂ
âBut I thoughtâŠyou were hanging out together so much and you had all these jokes and it seemed likeâŠâ
âPlease,â Theo scoffed. âAnyone with half a brain cell can see that you two are clearly in love with each other.âÂ
âSurprised you figured it out then, Theo,â you quipped.
The brunette rolled his eyes at you before breaking out into a shit-eating grin. "Wait. Is that why you've been acting like such a twat lately? You thought I was making a move on your girl?" Theo's eyes widened as Mattheo shifted uncomfortably. "I'm right, aren't I? First of all, I'm flattered that you felt threatened by me."
"Threatened is a strong word," Mattheo countered.
"Please, you nearly took my head off with a quaffle." Theo wiggled his eyebrows. "Second of all, I'm quite frankly offended that you'd think I'd ever go for Y/N. I would never break your trust like that."
"I know, I know." Mattheo said with a sigh. "I was being stupid, but for a second I was truly convinced that something was going on between you two. I mean, you've been hanging out so much lately..."
âMatty, do you even know what we talk about when we hang out? You. Itâs always about you. You were right that we both have a lot in common. We were just too stubborn to see it, but the main thing that brought us together is that we care about you so much.âÂ
âWell, Y/N cares for you a lot more,â Theo teased with a smirk. âSheâd like to care for you all night long.â
You flushed as deep and red as your party dress. âOh my gods. Shut up, Theo!âÂ
âMy work here is done. Now if youâll excuse me, Iâm about to hit on that Ravenclaw who looks like she wants absolutely nothing to do with me.âÂ
âSorry about him,â you said as you turned back to Mattheo. âAnd sorry that weâve been acting so shady all week. I just wanted to make sure you didnât suspect anything.â
Mattheo chuckled. âWell, consider me surprised.âÂ
You wrinkled your nose in disgust. âI canât believe you thought I was hooking up with Theo.âÂ
With a boyish grin, Mattheo pulled you to his side and kissed your temple. âIâm sorry, princess. Jealousy just got the best of me.âÂ
âThereâs no need to be jealous. If it wasnât already obvious, Iâve been in love with you since we were kids.âÂ
âIâm a bloody idiot.âÂ
âYeah, but youâre my idiot.âÂ
Mattheo beamed and kissed the tip of your nose. âThank you for doing all of this for me.âÂ
You smiled softly, cheeks heating as he stared at you with bright, brown eyes. âCourse, Matty, I just want you to have the best birthday.âÂ
With a smile, Mattheo leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against your lips. There was something familiar about the gesture, like the final piece of a puzzle clicking into place. Kissing Mattheo was as natural as breathing. It felt like coming home.Â
âWish granted, princess.âÂ
Later that night when he blew out his candles, Mattheo didnât bother wishing for anything. You leaned into him as he hooked his pinkie through yours, making a silent promise. Even if it took a little jealousy for him to realize it, Mattheo embraced the truth wholeheartedly. You were his person and he was yours. As the flames died out, he smiled.
Mattheo Riddle had no use for wishes now that he had you.Â
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