Sunflower

At six forty-five AM in the darkness of the boys dorm, an alarm that sat beside Theo’s bed began to ring out to wake them for the day. Thus beginning a routine the boys had shared since their first year.

Blaise had already been well awake and moving before the alarm sounded off, to ensure his occupancy of the bathroom first. As it was Theo’s alarm that rang out, he was the next to get up, turning the offending machine off. He was quick to throw on his uniform in the darkness- desperate to head out for a morning smoke before breakfast. Enzo was less ecstatic about leaving the warmth of his bed. Once the alarm was shut off, he pulled the covers over his head and muttered about it being too early, too cold, and too dark for him to get up. Eventually, he pulled himself up into a sitting position, his blankets wrapped around him like a cocoon while he waited for the bathroom to become available.

Mattheo, much to all the others annoyance, had his own separate alarm that went off five minutes later. If Theo’s alarm had not jarred her from her peaceful sleep the sudden sound of a guitar being played in Olivia’s ear would have done the trick. She lifted her head from Mattheo’s pillow and looked at the alarm on his side table, it flashed a red light to signify it would soon increase the volume of the blaring music. Mattheo’s alarm was a standard one similar to a muggle clock radio with the exception of projecting the time directly above the clock in a bubble of magic. There was a red button on its top to turn it off, and it unfortunately sat just out of Olivia’s reach.

Olivia recognized the song it played as one of Mattheo’s favorites from a muggle band, The Smiths; she figured he had charmed it to play the song in favor of the blaring bell it would have normally sounded. The first time he had introduced her to the band, it had taken everything in Olivia not to begin spewing all sorts of facts about The Smiths she had learned during her research into his life. After Mattheo had played a cassette for her, Olivia showered the band and his taste in music in compliments. Olivia had gone so far as to ask him for recommendations, however every band he mentioned was one she already knew thanks to the summer break before their fourth year when she had spent all of her time without her parents gathering any information she could about Mattheo from her mothers files. Her reports were thorough enough, detailing everything down to his preferred type of sweets, caramels- the hard ones because he liked the crunching sound they made.

Olivia groaned as she moved to turn off the alarm, only for Mattheo to grab her and pull her back against him in a tight embrace.

“Matty the alarm..” The sound of her voice alerting the boys that a girl was in their dorms.

“Don’t care.” He groaned as he tightened his hold on her further.

“I do, get off.” Olivia said in a slightly louder voice as she pushed a hand into his face to get him off, it was enough to allow her to wiggle slightly out from under him so she could reach the alarm’s off button.

“Noooooo…” Mattho whined, his voice muffled from her hand. With a smirk he licked her palm. The moment Olivia let her guard down over the lick he yanked her back to him. He planted his hand firmly on the mattress so he hovered above her.

“EwwWwww!!” Olivia screeched, her voice rose and fell octaves as she wiped her hand on the side of Mattheo’s face. “What is wrong with you!?”

Mattheo giggled in response, incredibly pleased with himself by her reaction.

“Uggghh!” Theo groaned loudly, he lit the overhead chandelier as he walked a few steps back towards the beds. “Oi, lovers. Can you save that shit till the rest of us are gone?”

As the lights filled the room, Theo and Enzo were treated to Olivia shoving a half dressed Mattheo away by his face, a look of disgust plastered on hers, eyes blinking rapidly as they adjusted to the sudden light. The sight brought a fit of laughter to the other boys.

Mattheo flipped around to face Theo, the arm he used to trap Olivia moved to keep him upright. He smirked. “Don’t be jealous. There's plenty of room in my bed for you too.”

“Don’t tempt me.” Theo chuckled, a grin formed on his face while his eyebrows danced suggestively.

Olivia cackled. She took the opportunity to roll out of the bed, adjusting Mattheo’s hoodie she still wore. Mattheo frowned in response to her absence. He lurched forward as he tried to catch her again, however Olivia kept out of his reach. She stepped into her slippers and headed towards the door.

“Meet me in the commons in Twenty.” Olivia said to Mattheo over her shoulder. When she passed Theo she gave his arm a pat and told him “He’s all yours big boy.” Olivia slipped out the door with a wave ignoring Mattheo’s pleas for her to come back.

Once the door was closed behind her, Theo turned to look back at Mattheo with a devilish grin. “So, dating an older woman, eh?”

Mattheo couldn’t help but smirk back at him. “What can I say?”

After a moment Blaise poked his head out of the bathroom. “She gone?” He asked cautiously, as he had been listening from beyond the bathroom door.

Enzo confirmed the coast was clear, then announced to him with a grin. “You owe me ten galleons.”

Mattheo rolled his eyes, a scowl taking the place of his smirk. He got up from his bed, his pillow in hand and chucked the pillow at Enzo’s head. After he watched it make contact, he proceeded to make his way out of the dorm. As he left, Mattheo shouted over his shoulder. “Don’t place bets on me and Olivia!”

The boys called after him before the door closed but Mattheo didn’t bother to stop and listen as he jogged, barefoot after Olivia. She had made it to the commons before he called out to her. “Oli, wait up!”

Olivia turned to look at him, stopping quickly in her tracks. A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as Mattheo approached. Her eyes widened as she realized he was still shirtless from the night before. She scanned his bare chest, noting each scar, her breath caught in her throat. She had to take a deep breath and shake her head to rid herself of thoughts of his roaming hands. Finally, she cleared her throat and managed to ask, "Yeah?"

“Just…” Mattheo’s voice trailed off as he reached a hand up and cupped her cheek. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. His kiss was deep and fierce, a release of all the thoughts and feelings he had been holding back for three years. It was an all-consuming kiss that left both their hearts racing. Mattheo moved one arm to wrap around her waist, pulling her close to him deepening the kiss further as his other hand moved to cradle the back of her head.

When he finally pulled away their eyes locked onto one another. Olivia could feel his heart beating, just as her own was pounding in her chest. It had been more than just a kiss - it was a statement of what they meant to each other.

“That was a good ‘just’.” She said with a breathless laugh.

Mattheo shared in her laughter. “I just want to make sure we’re on the same page about last night.”

“And what page is that Teo?” Olivia asked a hint of teasing in her tone as she tried her best to regain her composure.

“That you’re mine. And I’m yours.” Mattheo answered in a velvety voice.

“So… Boyfriend and girlfriend then?” Olivia’s smile grew as she asked, her blush darkened as she looked down bashfully. Mattheo’s hand, still cupped around her face, brought her head right back up.

He answered once again with that velvety voice. “Yeah. Is that ok with you?”

Olivia nodded eagerly. “Yes!”

Mattheo's eyes filled with a mix of joy and relief as he kissed Olivia, savoring the sweetness of their tender embrace. He wanted more than anything to commit their kiss to his memory, to have it engraved on his skull; for it to be a movie playing behind his eyes each time he closed them.

He had spent so much time wrestling with his feelings for her; struggling to decide whether to confess or give her up. The conversation with his friends had played on repeat in his mind. The very thought of her no longer being in his life and becoming a stranger crushed him. Crossing the threshold from just friends to hers was a decision not made lightly. And then he had seen Olivia fresh from her nap; he had no doubt left in his mind for what he needed to do. Anything. He would do anything for her - anything to be hers. Anything to call her His. He had known instantly that nothing else mattered.

Her abilities, her unique place in the world as a witch, his fathers crazed hunt for her magic; none of that mattered. What mattered was being with her - being hers, to have her by his side permanently. His love for Olivia transcended everything. It was greater than just a primal desire or ferocious longing - it was an all-encompassing need that grasped hold of his very soul. It was a force so powerful and overwhelming he didn’t have the words to describe it. He had simply known. He had known that she was the one for him the moment he laid his eyes on her, he had known it in his heart, in every fiber of his being. She was his one and only. Her absence was inconceivable.

Olivia broke the kiss first, lightly pushing Mattheo away with a laugh that was pure music to his ears. “We have to go get ready for breakfast now.”

He pouted as stared down at her with pleading eyes as he held her hands against his chest. “Ok fine. Go. Leave me, again.”

She shook her head at him. “You’re so dramatic. You have to release my hands.” Olivia said with a smile. She made no attempt to pull her hands away from him. Rather, she laid her hands flat against his chest. Her finger tips ran across the ridges of a scar he had over his heart. She could still recall the day she had learned he had gotten it. Her touch sent a shiver up his spine.

As they carried on, neither noticed Theo walk into the commons.

Mattheo’s grip on her tightened slightly “Oh these? No, these are my hands now.”

“Oh for fucks sake, are you two at it in here now? Oi homewrecker, get your own man.” Theo called out with a snicker as he made his way up the winding stairs.

“Oi, I’m the girlfriend! That makes you the mistress!” She called back with a laugh. When there was no response they both assumed Theo had already left for his morning smoke.

“He can have me on weekends.” Mattheo offered with a grin. He pulled her close to him, wrapping her arms around his neck before he encased her waist with his own.

“Oh that's no good, I want to have you on the weekends.” Olivia said, she returned his grin with a sweet smile.

“Half the week then?”

She shook her head. “No way.”

Mattheo laughed. Olivia’s smile transformed into a grin as she lifted one of her hands to his hair. She gently ran her fingers through his messy curls, enjoying the sound of his laughter. His gaze softened at her touch. “So no shared custody then?”

“He can have you when I’m mad at you.”

“Ok. So never.” He said as he wiggled his eyebrows at her playfully.

Olivia laughed sarcastically. She pulled her arms down to rest her hands against his chest and gave him a small shove. “He should come collect you.”

Mattheo opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by the sight of other students also heading out of their dorms, Blaise included. As he turned to acknowledge Blaise's existence, Olivia managed to extricate herself from Mattheo's embrace as the others made their way up out of the commons. She was mildly vexed by the interruption.

As Olivia created a bit of distance between herself and Mattheo, she noticed her robes piled on the floor beside the couch she had fallen asleep on. "How in the world…?” She mumbled in a confused voice as she went to pick them up.

Mattheo followed her, stuffing his hands into his sweats pockets. When he recognized what she was after, a devilish grin formed on his face. He waited until they were alone again to speak, a twinkle in his eye. "Still stripping in your sleep, Livie? Shame you only got to the robes," he teased, his voice low.

Olivia scowled at him, eyes wide as her cheeks renewed their flush. “Matty!” She warned through clenched teeth. She exhaled a breath of relief as she noticed no one was around to hear him. With a huff, she grabbed Mattheo's hoodie and yanked it off. She was careful to keep her tank top from riding up as she held it in place with one hand. She threw the hoodie at Mattheo's face and called him incorrigible. Mattheo burst out laughing as he yanked the hoodie off just in time to witness Olivia pull her robes on.

“Oh tease!”

“Twenty minutes, Matty.” Olivia held a middle finger up to him as she made her way towards the girls' dorms.

“Livie!” He called out to her before she was gone. She turned one last time to look at him, a quizzical look on her face. “I like your hair down.”

Her face reddened ever so slightly more as a smile broke out over her features. She gave him a wave before continuing off towards Pansy’s dorm.

Mattheo stood grinning as his eyes soaked in the sight of Olivia's figure cloaked beneath her robes. With a disappointed sigh at her absence, he pulled his hoodie over his head, comforted by the warmth and cinnamon scent she had left behind. She would need to claim all of his hoodies so it would never disappear. He quickly made his way towards his dorm, a smile still pulling at his mouth.

~~~

. By the time Olivia returned to the room, the other girls had already completed their morning routines. The previous night's messy scene of colorful tapestries and plush piles of pillows and blankets had been long since cleaned up. The table where they had been snacking from the day before was neat and organized, her bag lay atop it awaiting her return. When she entered, her friends all turned towards her, their faces split by excited grins and knowing smirks. Pansy and Ginny had both made speculations with the rest of the group when it was discovered that Olivia had never returned to bed after the others had gone to bed.

“Good morning…” Olivia said with a guilty smile as she made her way towards the bathroom.

She took note that Luna was nowhere amongst the waiting girls, who had positioned themselves to prevent her movement. Tracey and Daphne barred her path on one side, while Ginny and Hermione positioned themselves on the other. Pansy was left to block Olivia against the bathroom door. Pansy used an elbow to corner Olivia against the bathroom door, as her other hand twirled some of Olivia's hair around her fingers. With a smug tone, she asked, “Olivia? Care to tell us where you were all night long?”

Olivia’s nose wrinkled as she forced a tight lipped smile onto her face. “Can’t we talk about this later?”

She was met with a sea of protests.

“Ok! Ok! I get it. Merlin…” She sighed dramatically as she held her hands up in an attempt to halt their outroar. “I… spent the night with Mattheo...” There were several gasp’s and Ooh’s from her friends which spurred her to add, “We just slept in the same bed… After we kissed.”

The cacophony of the girls' voices left Olivia questioning the integrity of her ears. She was aware that her time was running out and that eventually Mattheo would attempt to break into the dormitory, despite the jinx that prevented him from doing so, with both magical and non-magical means.

“So are you two going out now?” Ginny asked excitedly. Olivia nodded in affirmation, a wide grin pulled at the corners of her mouth. Seconds later the excited shrieks from the rest of the girls seemed to grow louder.

Pansy pulled Olivia into a tight hug, whispering in her ear. “It took you long enough.”

“You’re telling me.” Olivia whispered back. When she pulled away from the embrace Olivia told the rest of them at normal volume. “I really need to get ready, Mattheo’s gonna be to waiting for me.”

“Alright, yeah, we'll see you later." Hermione announced to the group of girls. The others agreed. Similarly to the boys with Olivia's temper, many of her friends had witnessed Mattheo's outburst when his patience was drained. They were all too eager to leave. After promising to discuss it further at breakfast and to lock up behind her, Olivia waved her friends out and grabbed her bag as she headed into the bathroom.

Once she closed the door, Olivia leaned against it and took a moment to relish in the joy of being able to refer to herself as Mattheo's girlfriend. She felt giddy. Blissfully happy, and completely overjoyed. She wanted nothing more than to feel that content forever. Unfortunately, the moment was fleeting as the chill of anxiety ran up her spine, alerting her that something was wrong.

“When are you going to tell him the truth?” The disembodied voice asked as it invaded Olivia's thoughts, its whispers caused the room to revolve around her. She shut her eyes tightly, the color drained from her face as she was overcome by a crushing sensation of hopelessness and nausea as the voice continued on and on, taking more away from her with every passing moment. “Are you going to tell him how you stalked him?”

“S-stop… Please just stop…” Olivia's voice wavered as she pleaded. However, the foul cackle that echoed throughout her thoughts refused to acknowledge her pleas. Olivia slumped to the floor in misery and covered her ears as she shut her eyes tightly, doing everything in her power to drown out the macabre tones. “Stop.. Stop… Stop it.”

“Isn’t he supposed to know EVERYTHING?” It sneered loudly. “Aren’t you supposed to be in love with him?”

“I said stop it!” She shouted. Tears seeped out the corners of her eyes.

Why haven’t you told him that you know? That you know everything? About his father? About my magic? Why haven’t you told him?” the voice pressed on at full volume.

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” Olivia screamed. Her tear-filled eyes darted around the bathroom in a frenzy as if the voice was emanating from everywhere but within her own mind. Unbeknownst to her, Olivia's eyes took on an eerie red glow, as opposed to the customary ominous teal that commonly accompanied her ancient magic; before they returned to their normal green. The hysterical laughter faded away eventually. All that she heard in the aftermath was her own trembling breathing within the confines of the bathroom. It took a handful of deep breaths before she was able to calm down enough to pull herself out of her stupor and off the floor. Only after she had regained her equilibrium did Olivia attempt to take her shower.

*

The showers were standard bare industrial pipes with runes engraved along the metal. From the shower head there was a chain hanging down that when tugged twice clicked opened the flow of the water. Half way down the pipe were two taps that normally would adjust the temperature of the water, there was no indication which was the hot or cold tap, as most students used their magic to adjust the temperatures to their perfect setting without much thought about it. Fortunately, through trial and error her first year Olivia had figured out how to handle what would otherwise be a menial task.

She tried to make quick work of her shower, though her hair took more time than she would have cared to admit. Several times, as she rinsed the conditioner from her hair, she contemplated chopping it all off again like she had her first year to make it easier on herself.

Cutting her curls was not something she could bring herself to do though. It had taken far too long to get her hair to the correct length that Mattheo preferred. His words replayed in her mind as she continued to rinse the conditioner out of her locks, he liked her hair down. It was news to her as she had only worn her hair in a bun for as long as she had because she was under the impression that was what he preferred- not to mention it was easier for her to contain. She pulled the chain once more, turning the shower off before she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself.

What else do I not know about him…

~~~

It wasn't until Olivia heard loud knocks coming from the room's door that she realized how much time had been consumed by the minor panic attack. Barely enough time to fix her uniform's skirt had elapsed before the banging on the door began, and she was acutely aware that the noise wouldn't end until she opened the door. With haste, she made her way across the dorm to answer, shouting "hold on" as she did so.

“Ok!” She shouted as she flung the door open, the sight of Mattheo's smirking face greeted her. He shoved his hands into his pockets and smiled, seeing her fresh face and damp, curling tresses that draped over her shoulders. She had worn her hair down. Olivia shook her head but struggled to suppress a smile as she moved the fabric of her sleeves and worked the buttons at the wrists. Mattheo's gaze was drawn to her nimble fingers, captivated by the smooth, graceful motion. “I know I said twenty minutes but you didn’t have to start banging on the door.”

He shrugged, as he trailed his eyes up her body back to her face, his smirk grew wider when a pink hue rose to her cheeks. “I had to make sure you heard me.”

Olivia scoffed, rolled her eyes, and turned on her heel making her way back across the room to finish collecting her things. As she did she called out over her shoulder in a playful voice. “I definitely heard you.”

“You gonna let me in?” Mattheo asked. His hand rose to the dorm's threshold, his fingers pressed up against an invisible barrier from the jinx that prevented him from walking freely into the dormitory of his own volition. Olivia turned to face him once more as she amended her tie, her task taking up less of her concentration than talking to Mattheo.

She shook her head at him as a smirk crossed her features. “I’m almost done, you can wait.”

“But y’know I hate waiting.” He whined. “Just say I can come in, I’ll wait patiently.”

“No you won’t.” She replied sternly through her laughter. Olivia pulled her robes on as she continued. “You’ll snoop around the moment you feel bored. I’m not having any of the girls mad at me because you couldn’t mind yourself.”

He clicked his tongue as he leaned against the door frame. “Damn, pretty girl, you know me too well.” Mattheo watched as Olivia turned her back on him to grab the final things she needed before she flung her bag over her shoulder. She was doing her best to remain focused on her task while resisting the urge to falter as a slight shiver of worry raced down her spine. She realized that she would need to tell Mattheo the whole truth soon.

“Well that’ll happen when you spend all your time with someone for nearly three years.” Olivia quipped with a teasing tone while she slipped her shoes on before approaching the exit. Once she neared the exit, Mattheo moved out of the way to allow her to close the door behind her. Olivia intended to retrieve her wand to lock the door as she had promised, but Mattheo had stepped in, intercepting her actions to lock the door with his own wand. Even though it was not unusual for Mattheo to handle more complex magical tasks for Olivia, it was unusual for him to aid in the completion of menial tasks such as this. “I could have done that… But… Thank you.”

He smirked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You shouldn’t have to do anything trivial anymore, dollface.”

She gave a nod in mock understanding, her eyes squinted at him playfully. “Because you’re my boyfriend now?”

“Yup. In fact,” He released his grip on her shoulders before taking her bag from her and draped the strap over his shoulder so that it was slung over the same shoulder that housed his own bag strap. “I’ll take this too, pumpkin.”

“Carrying my bag is not trivial.” Olivia informed him. Mattheo responded by rolling his eyes as he took hold of her hand, gently interlocking their fingers together. He brought her hand up to his lips, pressed a soft kiss against the back of her hand, and grinned in satisfaction.

“It is, if I say it is, sunshine.” He exclaimed as he pulled Olivia along the corridor outside the dorms, towards the commons. Olivia raised an eyebrow at the back of his head as she allowed herself to be pulled along after him.

“What's with the pet names?” She asked, trying to suppress a laugh.

“You don’t like them?” He glanced at her over his shoulder before he tugged her forward so she was right next to him again.

Olivia leaned against him as they made their way up the spiral stairs to the exit of the commons. “I didn’t say that.”

With a chuckle, Mattheo gave her forehead a quick peck as they made their ways into the dungeons. “Good, I’m gonna find the perfect one for you, princess.”

She rolled her eyes as she slipped her hand from his grasp. “Yeah, alright. Do as you like.” Olivia let out a soft chortle as she reached over to rummaged through her bag. She realized that the knocking of someone's fists against her door had distracted her from completing her morning routine. She let out a triumphant laugh as she had managed to unearth a small tube of perfume. She removed the cap, then held the tiny black bit of plastic out to Mattheo. “Here.”

Mattheo took the cap and held it in his palm for her. He watched as she applied the perfume on each side of her neck, the smell of vanilla filled the air surrounding them. When she reached out for the cap, the tube was snatched out of her hand. He copied her actions against his own neck, before recapping the tube and letting it drop back into her bag.

“And what exactly did you do that for?” She asked between chuckles.

He grinned down at her, taking her hand once more intertwining their fingers. His other hand gripped the straps of their bags so they stayed in place. “Well now I smell like you. C’mon, let’s hurry to breakfast, I can't let my girlfriend be hungry.”

She simply shook her head in response as Mattheo led her up towards the Great Hall.

~~~

Olivia spent breakfast fielding questions about her newfound relationship with Mattheo.

Were they officially together? Yes as of the night before.

Had they really only kissed? Yes, well and cuddled but that was really it.

Was Mattheo her first boyfriend? Yes, boys didn’t really pay her any attention, not that she would have noticed them anyway.

How long had she liked him? For a long time.

Why didn’t they get together soon if they liked each other? Their friendship was more important to her than her feelings.

The inquiries continued with Olivia remaining the center of everyone's attention. Mattheo found himself seated amongst the lads as he grumbled about how unfair it was that the girls had barred him from her side. Pansy and Hermione had occupied the seats on either of Olivia's side, while Daphne, Ginny, and Theo occupied the seats between her and Mattheo. Luna, who had been filled in on the morning's events the moment she walked into the Great Hall, was seated across the table with Blaise, lost in their own world, discussing the existence of a specific fungi that Luna believed could be found in the caves surrounding the Black Lake. Draco was once again missing from their group.

“Is this going to be an everyday thing?” Mattheo asked as he watched the girls chatter away.

“Is Olivia gonna be in our dorm everyday?” Theo countered between bites of his breakfast, he had moved just enough to block the view of the girls.

Mattheo gave him a smirk in response. “If I have my way about it, yeah.”

“Then probably.” Enzo replied from the otherside of Mattheo, eliciting a frustrated groan from that latter.

At the stroke of eight Professor McGonagall's voice echoed throughout the Great Hall as she declared that the schedules for the first, second, and third-year students were available to be collected in the reception hall. Mattheo tried to reason with himself that the distribution of schedules would serve as his opportunity to reclaim his rightful place beside Olivia. While he waited with bated breath for the eager young students to exit the Great Hall, Mattheo restlessly tapped his fingers against the table, much to the others annoyance.

“You need to relax mate.” Theo muttered to him in a low voice.

“Shut the fuck up.” Mattheo snapped. Theo raised his hands, in a display of surrender. It was too early for him to attempt to engage. Furthermore, he was bereft of sufficient smoking materials to put him in a state that would encourage the debate that would ensue.

Fifteen minutes had passed when Professor McGonagall's voice once more reverberated through the Great Hall to inform the fourth and fifth-year students that they could proceed to obtain their schedules. These students were visibly less enthusiastic about receiving their schedules as they departed from the Great Hall in lethargic groups. Mattheo's fingers had also stopped their previous tapping routine on the table's surface. One hand rested at the back of his neck while the other hand remained on the table clenched in a tight, tense fist. His thoughts had become increasingly more irrational. Olivia was finally his, and the separation was unacceptable to him. He needed her next to him. She was his for Merlin’s sake. She should have been by his side all along.

After an additional fifteen minutes had passed, Professor McGonagall issued her announcement that the sixth and seventh-year students could retrieve their schedules. Per McGonagall’s instructions, any adjustments or alterations required for their upcoming N.E.W.T.s had to be made before nine a.m. Upon hearing the end of the professor's announcement, Mattheo was on his feet with his bag slung over his shoulder. He rushed the short distance between him and Olivia, snatching her bag up before heading away from the table. He shouted back to her "C'mon, Liv!"

“Matty!” Olivia's laughter resonated in the air as she called after Mattheo, she quickly rose from her seat and set off in pursuit of him. She briefly turned back to the others as she bid their friends farewell with a lighthearted wave.

**

The students schedules were organized alphabetically by their surname and first initial, and were housed in a long row of drawers conjured by the professors When attained, the name would vanish, creating a small spectacle for the first-year students. Occasionally, a muggle-born student would liken the wall of drawers to that of the muggle post office. In their fourth year, Mattheo discovered that his and Olivia’s names were practically right next to each other. Happily, he collected their schedules and would half jokingly hold Olivia’s hostage while he reviewed the classes they would have together. Fifth year, he had turned it into a routine.

“I have potions first thing.” Mattheo said in an irritated voice when Olivia had joined him. He frowned in annoyance as he looked over their schedules.

Olivia snatched her schedule from him. She smirked as she looked her schedule over. “How unfortunate, it looks like I have Study Hall this morning.”

When Mattheo attempted to reclaim the parchment from Olivia's grasp, she giggled and positioned her arm behind her back in a playful attempt to conceal the document. Despite Professor McGonagall being within a few meters away, Mattheo firmly looped his arms around Olivia's waist and lifted her into the air. Olivia burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter as a result..

“Olivia Sallow not in my Potions class? That's unheard of.” Mattheo whispered playfully as he spun Olivia around in his grasp, the sound of her joyful laughter relaxed his expression completely.

“Matty! Put me down!” Olivia laughed as she wrapped her arms around Mattheo's shoulders. They received the usual glances and whispers from the other students still retrieving their schedules.

“Mister Riddle, Miss Sallow, I expect you two are making your way to class?” Upon seeing Professor McGonagall's piercing gaze, Mattheo promptly placed Olivia back on her feet. Olivia admired the professor greatly, she was one of the few adults who treated her as an individual rather than a damaged prodigy, or a perpetual failure like many other adults who were aware of her familial history had done on too many occasions.

“Absolutely Professor, we were just on our way to Potions.” Mattheo replied with a grin.

“Hey-”

“Excellent, take Misters Weasley and Potter with you. Mister Weasley looks far too happy... Mister Potter, Mister Weasley!” Professor McGonagall gave no allowance for a rebuttal or opposition, as she swiftly navigated her way through the throng of students to inform Ron and Harry of her abrupt choice.

“Ugh… I didn’t want them to join too…” Mattheo lightly grumbled as he rested his chin on Olivia's shoulder, once more wrapping his arms around her waist tightly.

“Um, excuse me? What happened to ‘I have Study Hall’?” Olivia queried in a tone of faux indignation as she turned her head to face him. She had intentionally chosen not to take Potions so that her schedule would not align with Mattheo's completely. Internally, Olivia was absolutely elated beyond measure to be placed in class with him.

“Oh c’mon. You know Potions will be so much better than Study Hall. And this way we have every class together, you can’t tell me you don’t want that.” Mattheo smirked at Olivia smugly. He had specifically crafted his schedule for the year to reflect hers, most of the classes were her preferences. Potions was the only anomaly that he had intended to use to demonstrate his expertise for her. He also had a glimmer of hope he could make amends for his ill-fated mischief the preceding year.

“Do you mean it’ll be easier to keep an eye on me?” Olivia countered with her own smirk.

Before he could offer up an answer, the moment was interrupted by Harry and Ron unexpectedly joining the group and diverting Olivia's attention away from him. Mattheo felt rather irked about the entire situation.

“Olivia, Riddle. Ginny told us something interesting.” Ron grumbled. He was visibly agitated by the sight of Mattheo wrapped around Olivia in a seemingly possessive and intimate manner; which spurred Mattheo on as he continued to put on a romantic display to demonstrate just how much Olivia meant to him.

“Is that right Weasley? Care to share what was so interesting or are you gonna continue to be a fucking pratt?”

“Matty.” Olivia warned him.

Ron continued as he openly glared. “She seems to think you and my cousin are in a relationship.”

“We are Ron. He’s my boyfriend.” Olivia offered first. Mattheo smirked triumphantly as he quickly raised his head from her shoulder and pressed his cheek against hers, taking great satisfaction in Ron's visible discomfort with the display of affection.

“It only took us three fucking years.” Mattheo chuckled.

Both Ron and Olivia clicked their tongues in tandem, albeit for different reasons. Ron had done so out of annoyance and frustration, whereas Olivia proceeded to break into a playful titter of laughter.

“Him?” Ron asked as he looked at Olivia in obvious distress.

“Yes, Ronald. Him.” She replied sternly.

“I think it’s nice.” Harry offered as he gave the pair a smile. His input had pulled their attention to him. A peculiar and slightly suspicious set of smiles greeted Harry. He looked between them, taken aback as he asked, “What?”

Mattheo shrugged slightly as he withdrew himself from Olivia, stretching out a hand towards hers so that he could maintain physical contact with her.

“Oh… Nothing. Nothing at all.” Olivia said first, barely suppressing her laughter. She began to walk in the direction of their class, tugging Mattheo along. “C’mon let's not be late on our first day, love.”

Mattheo beamed with happiness as he eagerly trailed after Olivia. He turned to throw an exaggeratedly smug grin back at Ron on his way out, before he turned forward again, his attention fully devoted towards Olivia once more.

Ron grumbled to Harry as they both observed the amorous pair make their way toward their destination, informing him about how Olivia could find someone better suited to her than Mattheo Riddle. In Ron's opinion, Mattheo didn't possess the appropriate set of characteristics and traits that were befitting of Olivia's attention and affection.

“She’s a bloody Hufflepuff for Merlin’s sake. How’s that look, her being with a Slytherin? And a bloody Riddle for that matter. Everyone knows full well who his father is.” Ron sneered.

“He isn’t his father though, Ron. Maybe just… Give him a chance.” Harry uttered the remark with an air of apprehension. There had been an anomalous energy that emanated from him for some time, and it had gradually become noticeable to those in around him. Even Ron was acutely aware that something seemed amiss with him.

Ron eyed his friend suspiciously. “Did you know about them, Harry?”

Harry’s face scrunched up as he looked over at Ron. “What? No. Ron I'm only saying, it’s her decision who she sees. You throwing a fit over it won't change that.”

“I am not throwing a fit.” Ron countered the notion with a raised pitch, indicating his displeasure with the suggestion, making it clear that the notion had offended his sensibilities. He murmured incoherent sounds of aggravation under his breath as the two of them proceeded on their way to class. As Harry walked, he thought to himself about the reasons he had kept his own relationship a secret, especially from Ron.

***

Walking the halls with Mattheo was always a unique experience. Prior to his relationship with Olivia, he was often stopped by girls who sought his attention. He had entertained them when he walked with the boys. However, with Olivia, his demeanor seemed to grow colder, he behaved as though any girl he had flirted with in the past had committed a grave offense against him personally. So it was unsurprising that his aggression intensified with Olivia as his girlfriend.

Most individuals who ventured too close to Mattheo and Olivia were immediately marked in his mind as a potential threat. Those who turned their heads toward the couple whether to take notice of them or whispered about their relationship were met with his sharp, intimidating glare. Olivia, was too engrossed in informing Mattheo about her upcoming book choices to notice him acting in a manner that antagonized the other students until the pair of them were already well into the dungeons.

“Matty?” She called out to him, pulling his gaze away from passerbyers. His expression was tight and his brow furrowed as he watched a fourth year scurry away with a piercing stare. When his eyes shifted towards her his expression softened instantly. There was no struggle against his urge to smile at her.

Damn she’s gorgeous. He thought to himself before answering her. “Yes, angel?” His voice was smooth, like he was trying to soothe her with just his vocals.

“What are you doing?” Olivia asked, there was a hint of irritation in her voice. One of her eyebrows shot up as her lips pursed together.

“What? Nothing. Was I doing something, love?” He asked in feigned ignorance.

“Oh please! Don’t act all innocent with me.” She jeered playfully. “You just scared that poor boy away.”

“Oh that? No no, I was just making sure he knew you were mine.” He said with a smug grin.

Olivia rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. “Matty you can’t jus-”

“Mattheo!” A Gryffindor fifth year called out to Mattheo as she approached him and Olivia, interrupting their conversation. Both Olivia and Mattheo turned to face the young girl. The girl was about half a head taller than Olivia with straight, fine blonde hair that was neatly secured at the top of her head in an elegant bun. She possessed fair (almost translucent) skin that was sprinkled with delicate, faint freckles, and brilliant blue eyes. Her features stood in stark contrast to Olivia's golden-hued complexion. This was the type of girl whom Mattheo would typically have shown interest in during their previous year. “Hi!”

A switch seemed to flip within both of their psyches, simultaneously transforming their expressions into ones of annoyance as the girl halted their progress across the bridge. Mattheo attempted to maintain a measured, civil tone, while communicating with the girl, though there was a certain amount of evident irritation behind his words and demeanor. “Hi. Did you need something?”

The Gryffindor fifth-year giggled as she folded her arms behind her back while beaming a smile at Mattheo. She paid absolutely no mind to Olivia or the fact that the two of them had their arms wrapped around each other. “I just wanted to know how your summer was.”

“Fine. Anything else?” Mattheo could barely contain the malice in his voice.

“Oh c’mon don’t be like that.” The Gryffindor fifth-year spoke flirtatiously to Mattheo in an annoying and grating tone that quickly whittled away at Olivia's patience. She had reached her limit when the Gryffindor girl took another step closer to Mattheo and extended a hand towards his upper arm.

Without hesitation, Olivia pulled Mattheo back and forcefully slapped the girl's hand away, creating a satisfyingly loud clap accompanied by the girl's yelp of pain that echoed off the corridor walls. The fifth year cradled her reddened hand and stared at Olivia in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened. Olivia glared back at her, a glint of her true unhinged nature in her eyes as she issued a warning to the girl. “Don’t fucking touch my boyfriend.”

She stood watching as the fifth-year scurried away, with a sense of satisfaction. Mattheo looked at Olivia in awe. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist as she let out an exasperated sigh.

In a low whisper only she could hear, his lips pressed against her ear he asked, “What was that you were saying, darling? Something about ‘I can't glare at people’ was it?”

“Tsk.” Olivia clicked her tongue in response, lips pursed to one side in irritation as she reached a hand up to cover her ear.

Mattheo chuckled as he playfully swayed Olivia back and forth before spinning her around to face him, maintaining a tight hold on her waist for her own stability, while she moved her hands down to hold his arms. “That was pretty hot .” He spoke with a smug, cocky grin on his face. Olivia tried to maintain a straight face but it was in vain as a smile crept onto her face.

“Oh hush. Let's just get to class before we’re late.” She told him firmly.

Mattheo allowed himself to chuckle a few times as he spun Olivia back around to face forward again, inciting a light squeal of shock from her. He moved his arms back around her waist and began to walk with her the rest of the way to Potions. “Yes, ma’am.”

~~~