False Confidence //Matteo Riddle x OC

Chapter Eight

Matteo felt like he was just going through the motions. Ophelia stopped eating at their table and chose to sit with the Weasley twins, shortly after Theo, Pansy and Enzo all joined her with them. The only reason Draco even stayed with Matteo is because his hatred for Harry Potter was greater than his need to talk with friends while eating. He didn't understand how he got to this point. When did hating her become something else entirely? He hurt her, his words had caused her to stop this ridiculous feud between them. The worst part was....he missed her.

Christmas break was fast approaching which means she would be leaving for a few weeks. That gave Matteo sometime to figure out a way to apologize and convince her to forgive him. He just didn't know how he was going to do that. He was walking to his next class when he saw Pansy and Enzo chatting on a bench. Before he could think against it he walks towards them, they tried to ignore him but Matteo was a very persistent guy. "Tell me what to do to get her to forgive me" he asks her two best friends. "It's hopeless Riddle." Enzo tells him. "Nothing is hopeless." he responds as Enzo rolls his eyes. "Why do you care?" Pansy stares at him trying to read his body language. "I don't know....." he pauses trying to find the right words. "She makes me feel things. Makes me feel hate. Makes me feel anger. Makes me feel desire. She makes me feel alive. Some where between all the fighting and competition I fell for her." his words surprising Pansy and Enzo as they just stare at him in shock. "I'm going to be honest and tell you that I don't think there is a way for you to repair the damage you've done. You know she doesn't let many people in. The night you said those things to Draco....I've never seen her so hurt before. She would deny this till her last breath but I think she was falling for you too." Pansy tells him, she stands to pat his chest before her and Enzo walk off leaving Matteo standing there going over her words.

Ophelia could feel the mixture of bile and panic filling her throat. She didn't want to go home, she dreaded it. Every step towards the train felt like eternity. Home was her own personal hell and she was just willingly walking towards it. She tried to drown her panic with sarcasm on the train with her friends. Anything that would distract her long enough with each passing second as they got closer and closer to their destination. She didn't know how long she had been standing outside her house staring at the immaculate home before her. On the outside it looks like the perfect home, but inside it was the pits of hell. The door opens as his tall frame steps one foot outside looking down at her. "Welcome home Ophelia." his voice was sweet. It was all a lie, an act in front of the neighbors. The moment she stepped inside those doors the caring father act would disappear.

It's been three days. Three days since she has been home. The beatings have gotten worse, her entire body was sore and broken. It was time for dinner, she was expected to cook him a meal. Ophelia had a permanent tremor in her hands as she tried desperately to cook. It took her longer than she expected as she quickly plated his food and set the table. She stood behind her chair waiting for him to come home. When the front door opened she felt the knots in her stomach twisting even more, it was hopeless trying to contain the involuntary shaking racking her body. She took small breaths, trying to focus on the way the air would fill her lungs before letting her breath out and doing it all over again. Her father sits down nodding for her to take her seat, she immediately sits not wanting to anger him. She never knew what would set him off, one wrong ingredient, or waiting too long to take her seat or not waiting long enough. He cuts into his meat as he brings it up to his lips taking a bite before his face scrunches in disgusts spitting it out.

The pure hatred in his eyes was sinister. He was going to kill her tonight, she could see it in his face, in his posture. She quickly stood trying to run but his magic haltered her in her steps. Tears were rolling down her face as she stood frozen. She could hear the way his chair scratched the floor as he scooted back. Could hear his slow footsteps walking towards her. His hand wrapping around her neck squeezing her tightly cutting off her air supply. "You can't do anything right can you Ophelia." he clicks his tongue. The magic that froze her dissipated from her body. He lifted her up higher so her feet couldn't touch the floor. Her hands come up to his wrist trying to gain some leverage as he choked her. He threw her against the table breaking the vase of flowers and plates underneath her body weight. "Please" she begged him, her voice raspy from her crushed air pipes. She threw her hands up trying to protect herself, it was useless as his fist slammed into her temple. Her vision going blurry from the impact. Another punch landing on her cheek causing the stitches from last night to break open, the blood trickling down again.