all for the dream

Riley Matthews | Hufflepuff| fifth year | muggleborn | | dreaming of healing | dyslexic

[blindedbytheford-blog]

“You mean, like a brainstorming session? I could get behind that, sure.” Isaac’s mind was not in the right place to get some studying done anyway, and talking instead of reading was kind of helpful instead. “Like, it’s not a warzone. We have the prefects up there making sure nothing gets blown up, but there might always be a wild booby trap. You can never tell.” He shook his head, a grin on his face. 

[stressedoutriley-blog]

“Yeah, like a brainstorming session, that makes sense. What’re you meant to be working on for charms?” Riley tilted his head, considering. “There has to be some way of telling, doesn’t there? Like...he laughs more when he’s setting a trap. Or he’s suspiciously quiet. Something.” Riley’s sister, Emma, got obnoxiously loud before she did anything particularly prank-ish; sometimes it was the only warning they’d get before the beep of her camera starting recording and they got tarred and feathered.

[liavillace-archives]

“You’re welcome, Prefect Matthews.” Lia saluted him. “Always happy to help with endeavors of the heart. Or all endeavors really.” This day turned out quite nice. She felt useful for once and like she actually did good. Like she was helpful and important. Lia liked Riley, she decided. He trusted her and didn’t think the worst. Yes, she hoped things worked out for him.

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Riley gave her a smile - he owed her that much, at least, helping him straighten out his foolish concerns. With a little wave, he walked away, leaving her to the peace she deserved.

fin

[liavillace-archives]

“Yeah, tell her.” Lia pressed. “Knight thought I was messing with him at first. I think everyone does, initially. Just prove that you’re not. And if it doesn’t work out at least you gave it a shot and at least you can stop dancing around it because you got your answer and look, now you’ve saved yourself time and saved yourself prolonged heartbreak.”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Riley considered all this advice - he hadn’t expected it to be good. Not any of it. But holy shit, Lia was full of wisdom that actually made sense to him, made him feel a lot better about where his mind was at right now. “Thanks,” he said earnestly, getting to his feet. “That helps. It helps a lot. I’ll, uh, just leave you alone - I need to think.” He was smiling, though.

[blindedbytheford-blog]

“Marco’s really smart, I should say. I mean, he’s got a brain up there, and he uses it well. And then redirects the rest into something more…—active.” Isaac wasn’t defensive about his roommate, but he believed what he was saying was perceptive. “And you’re right; bloody wicked, I tell you. He’s a great guy.” The Raven chuckled, grinning a liitle. “That was just me, talking to my book.” Isaac chuckled softly. “Sorry about that one, I’ll keep the conversation one-sided.”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

“I think there’s a word for that. I don’t know what it is, but it exists.” Riley shrugged. “Hey, talk all you want. Chances are I’m not going to get far in this anyway, even if I try to focus. It’s annoying - might pick up something from you instead.” He smiled at Isaac, remembered the other boy was blind, then snorted quietly at his own actions. “Wow. Wow. Ravenclaw dorm must be kinda dangerous, then? Or does Marco actually not prank his roommates?”

[liavillace-archives]

Lia smiled genuinely as he confessed his troubles to her. It wasn’t often that people actually trusted her like this and his naive girl troubles were so cute. “Tell her! Kiss her!” Lia suggested brightly. “It worked for me–” She paused thinking back to that time with Noah before coughing a little, “Well, it did before I messed that up, but that was my fault, but ignore that because I don’t think you’d do that, so go with the initial plan! Tell her!”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Riley blinked at her, taken aback by her sudden cheerfulness. He had found her drinking alone, after all, and now she was all for whatever. “Just come out and tell her? Jeez. I have to eventually, right? But - I don’t really know how. What if she thinks it’s weird, or, or assumes that I’m messing with her?” Things he’d do, if someone suddenly confessed to her.

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

the kiss of winter love || ciley

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

“You can tell how much time I end up spending with Fletcher when you are off doing prefect things.” Catalina confessed; she didn’t mind that though. Fletcher was Riley’s best friend, and he was a funny person to stick around with. The kiss made her cheek burn and she ducked, giggling a little. 

“My abuela can do with a Christmas without me eating her turkey.” And suddenly, Cat didn’t mind spending Christmas at Hogwarts. It would be pleasant, a nice change from the constant chattering of her cousins flying from Mexico. “We have an entire winter to spend together, I promise.”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Riley had thought Fletcher had been kidding when he claimed to spend most of his Riley-free time with Cat. Well. That’s egg on my face, right, isn’t it. He considered though, thinking - abuela, gran, right? “Suddenly I don’t mind so much that my family are going to Wales for the break. Grandparents, visiting, it’s easier for me to stay here than lie to them about all of this.” He gestured across the firepit, towards the castle, a whole world he could tell only his sisters and parents about. Then he flushed, red against dark skin. “Don’t you kind of detest winter, though?”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Mistletoe Mates | Riley & Fletcher

[thehelpfulgarrod-blog]

“You don’t, and now that you have a foreign hot chick asking for your attention…you should give it. Foreign girls I tell you.” Fletcher winked, before looking up at the ceiling. “It’s mistletoe. Right above us.” He pointed for emphasis, looking up once again, before a mischievous smirk spread across Fletcher’s face. “Pucker up, sweetheart.”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

“She’s not asking, she’s just getting it,” Riley insisted, rolling his eyes. Fletcher spent far too much time trying to convince him that he was getting attention when he really wasn’t, so far as he was concerned. “If you’re going to say pucker up, I’m gonna need evidence,” he said, digging his camera out of its’ hiding place with a bit too much of a smirk for his usual self. He was quite happy to kiss his friend, if it meant freedom, thanks very much. The photo was more for his sisters than for himself - and the flash almost blinded him as he leaned in for a chaste little kiss, even as the obnoxiously loud mistletoe demanded a ‘real show’.

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

the kiss of winter love || ciley

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

“This could be a date. Sitting by a fire, holding hands and talking…” Cat blushed, looking down at their hands. “We did follow the rules, even though the kiss came a little early on.” Smiling, the Mexican finally looked up at him and the memories came flooding back. Their first confrontation, the pre-Quidditch party…everything came in a rush and her eyes widened a little bit. 

“Whatever happens next…—we shall just…you know, wing it.” Cat reassured him, in the only way she could. Her first real relationship, and she didn’t want to mess this up. For anything in the world.

[stressedoutriley-blog]

His smile only grew as she spoke, enough that maybe later, his cheeks would hurt from maintaining the expression. But he couldn’t help it. He’d been nagged about this for ages by Fletcher, had wound up asking advice from Lia Villace of all people, and in the end it didn’t matter, because she took control. For which he was glad. He considered her expression for a moment, before kissing her cheek gently, nodding.

“Okay. All of that sounds like it’ll work brilliantly - even winging it. Even though winging it is definitely something Fletch would suggest.” Riley’s expression was one of mock suspicion; he definitely didn’t think she of all people would go to Fletcher for his input. “You’re staying here for the whole break, right? I’m not gonna get abandoned last minute for important family things?”

[blindedbytheford-blog]

“Tell me about it. I tried Braille once with my spellbook. I think I made Marco’s parchment explode accidentally. Terrible, you can never win with these books.” Isaac smiled back, opening his textbook. “Ahh yes, the mysterious charms of Charms; whisper your secrets to me..” 

[stressedoutriley-blog]

“Marco Greene? I don’t think he would’ve minded if you did blow up his notes, really. He’s got a wicked sense of humour, and any excuse not to do homework, right?” Considering the book he needed to read through, Riley shook his head and tapped it with his wand, muttering an engorgio and waiting for the text to be mostly big enough to decipher more easily. Curious, he glanced up at Isaac; “Was that a spell or just you talking to your book?”

[liavillace-archives]

“Sometimes I make sense.” Lia shrugged. “Though, do tell, what is it– Or more like, who is it, you’re asking about?”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

“Don’t laugh, but, it’s Fletcher. He’s been bothering me about asking out a girl. And the girl is the, uh. Other thing. I’m not really sure how to talk to her about asking her out - go about asking her out - that.” The last part of his explanation was muffled by his hand over his mouth, but he hoped it’d be clear enough for her to make out.

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

the kiss of winter love || ciley

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

Catalina smiled, her hand on his chest. She wasn’t sure what came next, but she was sure it was going to be something good. “It was, thank you.” She blushed, turning red under his gaze and looking down instead of at him. Something had shifted between them; she wasn’t shy, or afraid of this. 

“You did not have to thank me. Your…appreciation for the gift was well-appreciated.” Did they hold hands now? Should she take his hand in hers, or wait for his queue? Questions, so many questions in her head. 

[stressedoutriley-blog]

“I,” Riley began, racking his brains for what came next in movies. Dating goes first. Oops. He’d gotten this backwards, apparently, except it didn’t feel backwards at all. It felt a bit impulsive - but it felt right. Which was a little unusual for his usually stressed self.

Laughing slightly, he looked down at their hands, taking hers in his, remembering a cold castle and her being stubborn and not wearing a jumper, because the uniform called for a cloak. “I think we’re supposed to go on a date before we start kissing. Not that I’m complaining, I liked it - plus, where would we go if we did go on a date? What would you want to do?”

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

the kiss of winter love || ciley

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

Honestly, Cat hadn’t expected anything. She kissed him alright, but she wasn’t sure how he would react back to it. But then he kissed her back, and suddenly the butterflies suddenly erupted in her stomach, and the tingly feeling returned. She tried to get over the beat of her heart, but she couldn’t; it was beating so hard, she was surprised he couldn’t hear it. 

Overwhelmed, Cat pulled away a little. But just enough to make sure he wouldn’t think she didn’t want to kiss him. “Hey…” A little breathless, but the grin decorated her face. “I hope you liked your gift…”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Riley was pretty sure his smile must make him look like a right fool, but he didn’t care. It was one of the last things on his mind as he gently pressed his forehead against hers. “I’ll give you this,” he managed, only a little less out of breath than she was. “That was better than what I expected. Like. Maybe a card or something. That’s - wow. Thank you? Do I need to say that?”

He wasn’t stressing about it. Well, not as much as he expected he would be. Except she called if a gift, and you had to say thanks for gifts, at least the way he’d been raised. It occurred to him that Fletcher was going to laugh at him. “Was it as well received as you wanted?”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Hope your holidays are warm & bright! Josh

“Another Christmas with more cookies. Yum. Thanks, man - I’ve been looking forward to this.”

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

the kiss of winter love || ciley

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

“I would not know. Fletcher always winks at me, or he just compliments you.” Cat smirked a little wider, giggling. The warmth of the fire was making her brave, as was their almost seclusion. Almost, because there were people still lurking around. 

“I like that, but you know what? Being friends is…overrated. You have your roommates for that.” The Mexican moved in closer to Riley. Whatever she could think of next was going to sound stupid and probably offensive, so she didn’t say much. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she moved in even closer. “Feliz navidad, Riley…” And she kissed him, lightly. Like she was testing the waters. 

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Sutble, Fletcher, Riley mused, making a mental note to accuse his friend of meddling later. Not that he hadn’t guessed what Fletch was doing, but still. “Gee, that doesn’t sound like him at all.”

He was going to tell her no relationship was overrated, that they all meant too much to dismiss. But then she said feliz navidad, which he was pretty sure meant Merry Christmas, and then she was - oh, wow, well, holy shit, she’s kissing me. She’s kissing me?

His brain short-circuited completely, his mind going completely blank with this revelation. After a second or so, something flared up, a little kiss back, moron spoken in a voice somewhere between Fletcher and his elder sister, and - well - he’d taken some weird advice lately, somehow winding up asking Lia Villace of all people, so why not? His hand went up, resting on her shoulder as he drew his thumb over her neck, gentle, and he was kissing back, not letting her break away after the brief, light encounter he expected she intended.

[blindedbytheford-blog]

“No problems, Riley. I mean, I could help you out, but I am a terrible teacher. Either the answer comes to me, or I go hunt it down. But when I have to explain how I did it…nope. That does me no good.” They sat down at a table, isolated from the library. “I hope you don’t mind the books. The noise, I mean..” 

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Riley had to laugh a little at the explanation of Isaac’s thinking. “Don’t worry about it - I don’t understand Fletch half the time, or I didn’t at first. Not many people are good at this teaching thing.” For a moment, he wasn’t sure what Isaac meant - except, oh, obviously, he was blind, and the spells to help with that read aloud. He knew that. “It’s okay. I use spells to help out with my dyslexia, too. These books are hard to get through sometimes, even with them.”

[liavillace-archives]

Lia hummed in thought. “You say it with your mouth. No hold back. Don’t soften blows. Just say what you gotta. Always communicate. Otherwise you’re stuck dealing with the shitty all by yourself.”

[stressedoutriley-blog]

Dear God, he thought. “Okay, that sounds like you have it figured out. And it sounds like a good idea.” In theory. Riley squinted at her, thinking. “It’s good advice.”

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

the kiss of winter love || ciley

[pocofaltadelgardo-blog]

“I think it is perfect. A relief from this horrible snow, at least.” Cat moved in closer to Riley, laughing a little. “I don’t put up with you. Don’t have to, you’re much easier than my roommates.” The bump to her shoulders released another burst of giggles, shaking her head. 

“I had to. We’re friends, right?” There was a mischievous glint in her eyes, a kind that came with an idea she was not supposed to try out, but she could anyway. “Well, I do have part of the gift with me right now..” 

[stressedoutriley-blog]

“You’ve never really played in it, have you? It’s fun.” Riley asked, smiling at her as she laughed and raising an eyebrow. “Probably because you don’t have to live with me; I bet Fletch has horror stories.”

“Are we friends? Yeah, of course! I mean, I certainly hope so. I’d be miserable to find out after all the time we spend together, we’re not actually friends.” Babbling again, Riley. Shut up. He registered the look in her eyes and wondered for a moment what it meant, only to be distracted by her speaking. “You do? What is it?”