Sunflower

There were four seats to each table that made up the first class seating arrangements. Towards the front or back of the first class compartment were individual seats, though most of the students used a bit of extra space to stand around talking.

On one side sat Theodore Nott, cigarette in hand, window open as a stream of smoke seemed to endlessly roll out of his mouth. Theodore and Olivia were on good terms, shared enough classes together that the two could hold conversations. Theodore was often getting into trouble due to his smoking habit as he rarely cared when or where he sparked a cigarette, yet astonished Olivia with his knowledge anytime she needed assistance. It was undeniable that he was a genius.

Next to Theodore in the aisle seat was Blaise Zabini, he was a quiet young man, preferring to observe others rather than wasting his time trying to shelter any concern for another person's sensitive feelings. There was, however, an exception that Olivia had discovered the year prior. Blaise had a soft spot for Luna Lovegood, a dear friend to Olivia since their first year when the two had bonded over fairies. Once Olivia had become well acquainted with him, Blaise would appear as if by coincidence while Luna and Oliva were studying in the Library. he would always offer to join them using his connection to Olivia well to his advantage. He was kind and seemed to have endless patience whenever Luna went down the rabbit hole of strange knowledge. If anything he happily encouraged her to tell him more. Through helping him spend time with Luna organically, Blaise and Olivia had formed a friendship.

Across from the other boys sat Draco, occupying the outer seat so no one could sit next to him. Anyone that looked at Malfoy could tell his mood was foul. He was glaring off out a window several seats down. As tired as Olivia felt from her sleepless nights, Draco looked twice as exhausted.

On the other side of the aisle Mattheo took the seat parallel to Blaise, on his left in the window seat was Olivia who held a deep conversation with Pansy Parkinson and Lorenzo Berkshire who filled the remaining seats. There was a book in front of Olivia all but forgotten in favor of conversing with the two. Olivia and Pansy had met their second year in Defense Against the Dark Arts, when Pansy had made one too many snide remarks about Professor Lockhart that had sent Olivia into a fit of laughter. The pair received a week's worth of detention for the distraction. It was discovered they had multiple classes together that year, and began to hang out more frequently, quickly building a close friendship.

When Pansy had arrived for the train, Olivia had practically scrambled across Mattheo's lap to get to her, he barely managed to get out of his seat for her. The pair danced around while hugging, a stream of excited shrieks coming from them. It was loud enough to cause several students to look in their direction, a few yelled at them to shut up. However, they were silenced when Mattheo shot them a murderous glare. He told himself if Olivia wanted to be excited and disturb some people's peace he would see to it she could. Once they had returned to their seats, Mattheo had draped a protective arm around Olivia. She had leaned into him as though it was the most natural thing. As a result, knowing looks and smirks were shared between Pansy and Lorenzo.

It was a common saying amongst the students that there wasn't an ounce of cruelty in Lorenzo's entire being. That he couldn't harm even the most annoying insect. He was often found apologizing to those that fell victim to the unjust bullying of his friends. Were it not for the fact he absolutely reveled in the gossip the girls shared, Olivia would have thought he was the very essence of kindness. It was a pleasant change to his usual innocent and sweet demeanor.

"I heard Snape's supposed to be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year." Pansy announced, somehow she always managed to hear the happenings at Hogwarts first.

"We might actually learn something for a change." Theo retorted in a bored voice through a plume of smoke.

"Wouldn't that be lovely." Olivia said as she put a sleeved hand up to her mouth attempting to stifle a yawn.

A few comments were made about the lack of class the previous year; no one made any mention of their fourth year, nothing about what they had seen, or the illegal spells they had learned.

"That means we'll be getting a new potions Professor too." Lorenzo added.

"Think it'll be a young Professor this time?" Pansy asked in a dreamy voice, she propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand.

"That's not happening." Draco scoffed. "It'll probably be some doddering old fool just like Dumbledore."

There were several comments of agreement in disdainful and disappointed voices. Pansy had slumped back, arms folded as she pouted, her hopes dashed without a second thought. As the conversation began to shift towards the Halloween Festival and the excitement of getting to participate in the activities that year, Olivia suffered through another round of stifling and hiding yawns behind her hand. After each yawn, Mattheo was quick to give her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Each time she would glance up at him and smile as he stared down at her, brows furrowed in concern an unspoken question swirling in his eyes. Did she get any sleep last night?

"Olivia, do you have a dress for the dance yet?" Pansy inquired, pulling Olivia's attention from Mattheo much to his irritation.

"I just figured we could go to Hogsmeade, I'd rather get your help with something like that. You always know how to pick." Olivia answered with a shrug. No one could deny Pansy had impeccable taste when it came to clothes. When she heard Olivia's answer Pansy's posture straightened up, her face lit up with a smug smile.

"Well in that case, I’d be more than happy to help.” Pansy replied. The conversation carried on about their excitement at looking forward to Halloween that year. Hogwarts had three main events the students looked forward to during the years they did not have to organize for the Triwizard tournament- The Halloween festival, the Christmas present exchange, and the Spring carnival. The Halloween Festival was an all day gala the headmaster had added onto the curriculum the year before Olivia had started at Hogwarts. During their entrance ceremony, Headmaster Dumbledore had explained he felt the students deserved to have fun now and again.

The Halloween Festival was the most exciting for all the students. There was feasting, silly skits put on by the Professors, and specific activities for the students the Headmaster thought they would enjoy. The first and second years had a pumpkin carving competition after which Hagrid told scary tales around a campfire. The third and fourth years were given scavenger hunts that took them all over the castle; many of the specters of Hogwarts took that time to spook the students. The fifth years had the opportunity to stay in the forbidden forest with professor Snape, as a sort of bravery test, unfortunately Olivia and the other fifth years had been unable to participate the previous year. For the sixth and seventh year students Dumbledore organized an enchanted maze that once completed led them out to an all night dance.

Filch hated the Halloween Festival the most.

“So does everyone have dates for the dance then?” Enzo prompted, after sharing another look with Pansy.

“No not yet, but I have someone in mind. What about you Liv?” Pansy asked in an innocent voice.

Olivia shook her head. “Oh no, I don't plan on asking anyone.”

Her answer was to be expected, even during the past activities if Pansy, and later Mattheo, didn’t drag her off to join them, Olivia would enjoy herself alone. Pansy shot a pointed glare at Mattheo, her eyes telling him to pick his moment, before she changed the subject of their conversation. .

*******************************************************

As time passed, and conversations petered out, Olivia had taken up her book and started reading. She was half way through her book, when her sleep deprivation won out. Her head had been resting against Mattheo’s chest, making it easy for her to drift off. Mattheo hadn’t noticed she was asleep until her book slipped from her hands and fell to the table. He glanced down at her and smirked upon seeing her peaceful expression. The arm that he’d draped over her tightened around her, pulling her closer. In response, Olivia threw her arm around him, snuggling further into his side. Mattheo watched her for a long while, making sure she didn’t wake, gently rubbing her back to keep her comfortable. Once he was satisfied that she was resting well, he picked up her book with his free hand and opened it to the page she had been reading prior to her falling asleep. 

Love poems. It was a book of love poems both well known and from up incoming authors. Mattheo rolled his eyes, a smirk playing at his lips, of course she was reading a book of poems. The particular poem she seemed to be reading was titled simply Lighthouse, the author listed as Kelly Marie Charles, a muggle sounding name- not that he tried to judge. With his curiosity peaked, he read silently to himself:

‘You are a lighthouse helping 

to compassionately guide us back to

Our truest selves, our truest essence

Which is love.

You are helping us to step up

And step into a new earth.

A new paradigm.

A new vibration.

You do that simply by being true to you.

You are pure light.

So much so it cannot be contained.

This is how we are finding you.’

Mattheos smirk shifted to a warm smile as he glanced from the page to Olivia’s sleeping form, he felt it was an apt description of her. His light in the darkness of his world that kept him firmly planted in reality. A thought popped in his mind, that darkened his happy expression: Would she feel the same way about him? Mattheo felt the chill of anxiety creep over him. The fear of her rejecting him, of wanting nothing to do with him because he had somehow misinterpreted shared moments, glances and embraces. A soft contented sigh came from Olivia pulling him back to his senses. It didn’t matter, he told himself, being next to her was enough. It had to be.

He closed the book and rested it back on the table as he rested his chin upon the top of Olivia’s head. There was a part of him that bellowed out to him as her scent filled his nostrils, telling him what he already knew: it wasn’t enough. Mattheo closed his eyes, pushing the thoughts out of his head. Slowly, wrapped in both Olivia’s embrace and her scent Mattheo slowly joined her nap. The last thought he had as he drifted off was how nice she felt in his arms.

~~~

“Come on, you two wake up! We’ve arrived, let's go.” An annoyed Pansy shouted as she shook Mattheo’s shoulder roughly. He was laying with his head on Olivia’s chest, his arms wrapped around her waist while he felt hers folded around his shoulders. They repositioned themselves halfway through their nap so Olivia was leaning her back against the windows, a jumper- Mattheos jumper he would swore he had been wearing early, bunched up behind her head. They both groaned; Mattheo making pleas for more time as Olivia continued to sleep. “You have ten seconds to move or I'll let the train take you back to London!”

At that threat, Mattheo began to move. Pansy would do it. She would let them sleep the way back to London without a care in the world, and he knew it. He carefully began to untangle himself from Olivia’s hold. “Alright alright. I’ll grab Liv, you grab her stuff.”

With a victorious smirk, Pansy collected Olivia’s books and her carry-on bag before making her way off the train, leaving Mattheo to deal with the sleeping Hufflepuff.