Where the Flowers Used to Grow [Mattheo Riddle]

Chapter 7

June 2003

"Do you remember the way you all acted?" Florence laughed condescendingly.

"What do you mean?" Harry leaned forward over his desk.

"Of course you remember." She shook her head. "When we saw Ginny kissing Dean Thomas that day, that's when you all lost your bloody minds for a minute." Harry went white, his fist clenching slightly. "Just like that! You looked just like that!" Florence laughed until Harry slammed his fist into the desk.

"This isn't some pointless trip down memory lane, Flo. Get back to the point." Florence narrowed her eyes at him.

"There is a point to this, Harry. You just don't want to remember. You went silent after seeing Ginny with Dean, you were a bloody zombie. Ron had interrupted them, but that only lead to Ginny revealing that 'Mione had got with that Krum guy so he got so angry with her. Then in return he outed the fact that we had kissed in our fourth year, making Hermione look at me as if I were some villainous snake. Ron couldn't look at Hermione for weeks, like a jealous child. He started playing terribly at your matches, and you got fed up with him. You were both just young and in love, but love wasn't playing you an easy hand so you lost yourselves completely. Hermione too, she spent her days pining after the both of you or crying in the girl's bathroom, but refused to talk to me. None of you even noticed me, none of you cared about me at all. I'd show up to your room with remedies for Ron after Quidditch matches, and for you after you got yourself into another stupid fight, but that was it. We didn't speak for weeks."

"That's not true Flo, you were one of our best friends. We were always together-"

"Yes, we were but then we weren't. You three became something more... complicated. Then you boys and your hearts got the better of you." Florence analysed Harry's face to see if any of this meant something to him.

"So, what does the have to do with Riddle?" Harry spoke sternly.

"I never went to Slughorn's things, remember we never did because we didn't want Ron to feel left out, but that Christmas I really felt the need for a drink and an escape. However, the issue was that both you and Hermione had the same idea. Can I ask you something? Why did you ask Luna to that party? I mean, I know you were looking for a friend to take to make all those wily girls back off, but why didn't you ask me?" Harry thought for a moment.

"Honestly, I don't know. Like you said I was in a strange headspace those few weeks, I think I felt as if I were already losing you then." Florence nodded slowly, unsatisfied with the answer.

"I find that strange, considering I had spent those same weeks working day and night to help you find out what happened to Katie Bell. I know we didn't see each other, but that was because of you, not me." Harry shrugged before indicating for her to move on.

"I went to the party with George Sternheim, who was really rather serious and boring but I'd turned him down to each event before, so thought why not. He was rather impressive, he matched Hermione when it came to strange facts that he'd 'read about somewhere', and I could have had a perfectly pleasant time..."

"But..." Harry whispered, making Florence sigh.

"But, when I saw you and Hermione there I just felt so... You two went and hid behind a curtain, and I just felt so left out. None of you would ever love me the way you loved each other." Florence felt a tear edging out the corner of her eye, making her look down into her lap. "He found me at my lowest... it was absolutely perfect."

---

December 1996

"You might want to slow down there, Lake." Florence gulped down the last remnants of champagne in her glass before turning to see an amused-looking Matteo looking down at her.

"Risk is good, remember?" Florence fake smiled before reaching her hand out for a server to fill her glass back up.

"Well, have you considered every possible outcome?" Mattheo laughed, grabbing her glass from her fingers and setting it down on a table. "Because, I don't think you want to throw up in front of a room filled with your teachers and peers." Florence rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help look over to see Hermione and Harry exiting from their hiding spot. Her face dropped for a second, making Mattheo follow her eye-line. He took a step forward, placing himself in between her and them. She looked up to find his big brown eyes assessing her.

"I know you don't want to listen-"

"I made it so easy for you." Her voice was cold and detached, making his heart drop slightly.

"What do you-"

"All you had to do was... you just had to give me something, a reason to let me believe in you." Florence shook her head. "We're not friends Mattheo. Friends shouldn't be one-sided, so maybe you should try take the advice you were about to so kindly bestow upon me." She went to turn away but immediately walked into Sternheim's chest.

"Florence, there you are! I thought you were hiding. I'm having a riveting discussion with some students about the biological lifespan of a-"

"Sorry, George not now." She went to brush past him but he lifted an arm to block her passing.

"No, I think you'd have a great perspective-" Suddenly Mattheo moved directly behind her, his stomach pressed against her back. Mattheo looked down at the boy, almost making him tremble with just his stare. Sternheim moved his arm and Florence immediately began to flee, but just before she could reach the door Mattheo's hands were clamped down on her shoulders and he directed her to a corner of the room.

"Mattheo just-"

"You want to get their attention?" Mattheo whispered, turning her around to face him. He leaned down, a gentle smile growing on his lips as his hands landed on her cheeks. Florence felt her entire world shake as he moved in both slow motion and so quickly she couldn't think. His large face, the face that haunted her dreams, the face she'd held as she bandaged was leaning down to hers. She naturally lifted her hands to his chest, at first placing them flat-handed, but as he moved closer her fingers grabbed onto his suit jacket and shirt. Just as his lips were about to meet hers there was a sudden burst through the door, making them both jump. Draco looked around mischievously before his eyes landed on the pair, Mattheo immediately stiffening but they remained frozen together. Draco looked disgusted, but it slowly turned to amusement as Snape dragged him out of the party.

"For fuck's sake." Mattheo breathed as he watched the blonde boy leave. Florence let out a much needed breath, her eyes landing on her fingers digging into his chest. She suddenly looked up, her cheeks glowing red and she dropped her hands. Mattheo laughed as he lifted his hands from her cheeks, one of them sliding across her skin to tuck a loose piece of hair behind her ear.

"What was that about?" Florence asked, suddenly desperate to change the topic, her eyes searching for another server with champagne.

"He wasn't supposed to be here, the idiot..." Mattheo whispered, shaking his head before he looked down at her. "It doesn't matter." He smiled, admiring how close the two were still standing together. "In better news, I think you've finally got your friends undivided attention." Mattheo flickered his eyes to the side where Florence saw Harry, Hermione, Luna and a smattering of others whispering as they stared at the pair.

"Merlin..." Florence whispered. "There are going to be a lot of questions." She giggled, looking back up to find him still staring down at her. "You too... with Draco I mean." Her voice had shrunk down to a whisper, as it always seemed to do around him. Mattheo grinned.

"I'll deal with Draco." He laughed. Florence suddenly realised that he had done that solely for her. He had gained nothing from that interaction. She lowered her hand down his side, slipping it into his. Mattheo's arm went rigid as his eyes widened down at her.

"I'm sorry I said we aren't friends." Mattheo just stared at her blankly for a moment in shock, and as he turned back to face the party his hand squeezed hers tightly.