Smoker (Mattheo Riddle fic)

27: Skeletons

(22nd of November) It's the start of period 5, and we all have a free lesson. Mattheo, Enzo and Draco all have flying again, and the rest of us are headed for Tower 7. We are there first again, as we don't have as far to travel. I'm walking behind, Pansy and Theo are being all 'cute' or whatever, she is smiling and he's leaning down to talk to her quietly as they walk. It's fine when there is 4 of you, because I have someone to talk to. Right now I want to vomit.

We haven't been up there for long before they arrive. Draco walks in first, Mattheo behind him.

"Where is Enzo?" I question.

"Hospital wing, fell off the fucking broom." Draco rolls his eyes.

"You're kidding?" Pansy asks.

"Broken wrist they think." Mattheo adds, walking towards me. "Hoop wouldn't let us go with him."

"Plus he didn't want us too, embarrassed I think."

"Fucking hell." I say quietly. "I'll go find him if you want." I stand up. Mattheo places his hand on my arm, I can't tell if it's reassurance, or he's telling me to wait.

"Evelyn." Draco begins, I direct my gaze away from Mattheo and now to Draco. "Did you hear? About Cedric?"

I don't reply because I don't want to lie and say I hadn't. Instead I sit back down and wait for him to say it. Mattheo sits beside me and lights a cigarette.

"He's moving school. Abbott said his, I mean, your father is pulling him from Hogwarts." I don't reply, I just clench my jaw and nod. "She also said it was your fault.,"

"Anyone would think I'd punched my father, not Cedric." I finally say. Mattheo passes me his cigarette.

"What do you mean?" Pansy asks.

"Cedric doesn't want to go, my father is forcing him to because Dumbledore won't kick me out."

"You knew?"

"Yeah." I reply, exhaling the smoke slowly. No one says anything. I don't want to kill to mood so I brighten up. "Oh well, it's one less issue for me if he's gone." That's a bit of a lie, I hate my family and I hate Cedric, but with him gone ill be completely cut off from them. It's a good thing, but deep down I recognise that I'll have no family left. It's like I'm left with a skeleton of a family. I pass Mattheo the cigarette back and stand up. "I'm going to see Enzo." I'm glad to get out of that before they start apologising or something. Plus I need to go on a walk before too much anger builds up and I shout at someone or something.

I reach the bottom of the stairs and begin to walk along the wall to the castle.

"Evelyn." Somebody shouts after me. I turn to see Mattheo running down the stairs. He throws his cigarette over the railing and jogs the last few meters to reach me.

"Do you want me to come with?"

"No, Enzo's probably embarrassed enough as it is."

"Do YOU want me to come?"

"No." I pause. "But thankyou."

He cups my face and kisses me, letting it last. Once he pulls back I smile, then turn and walk, letting our hands slide apart.