The Snake Pit || Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 15: Froggy

Once Octavia had found Evan and apologised profusely for keeping him waiting, they trudged down to the lake to rest under the same oak tree the Slytherin's had frequented over the week. The Black Lake glistened under the sun, its murky green colour glowing under the light. It was lovely and warm. Octavia Transfigured a handkerchief into a rug and they laid out all their books, with Octavia against the tree, facing the lake and Evan opposite her.

They spent their time with idle chitchat of the homework and assignments. But instead of studying Octavia found herself, more often than not, pausing to hear the wind rustle the leaves.

A churning was happening in her stomach from the moment she saw him. An anxiety that maybe following Pansy's advice would lose her a friend instantly. With her Charms book open on her lap, and parchment resting on top of it she tickled her chin with her quill, thinking. Evan was smiling to himself as he scrawled his cramped writing. He looked to her matching her gaze instantly a quirky smile declaring that he'd caught her. She scratched at her heating neck. Fiddling with her quill.

'I, um, I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page,' Octavia stuttered, she wasn't looking at him, afraid of what she might see. 'I'm not really looking to date right now, I'm happy to just be friends though?' she smiled and braved a look at him. He wore a cheeky smile.

'Just friends is fine with me,' he chirped returning to his work quietly. Her thrumming heart eased but the anxiety was still there. She wasn't done. She still felt uneasy.

'I also wanted to explain this morning,' she said, deciding to watch him this time. He nodded for a moment, purposefully finishing a sentence, and then looking to her to continue. 'I'm not uh,' she stumbled, looking for the right words, his big clear blue eyes blinked at her. 'I'm not "with" Riddle, at all,' she forced out, 'we had a party last night, and we're not even friends, I actually don't like him very much, if I'm being honest with you,' she rambled.

Evan's face changed, an expression she couldn't quite read. It was something close to disbelief or maybe anger. His nostrils flared and he pressed his lips so tight together they turned white on his already pale skin.

'Then why do you hang out with him?' Evan said slowly, like he was talking to a child. A quick anger fluttered in Octavia's chest at his tone. But she stopped herself. She paused for a minute to hear the wind, and the splashing of whatever lived in the lake. Octavia took a breath.

'His friends are my friends, I don't have much choice,' Octavia shrugged aware her explanation was pretty weak. 'I've known Daphne my whole life, I'm not just going to ditch her,' she added. Evan seemed neutral with that answer. It's not like she really had other options, and really it generally wasn't ever an issue, she just didn't talk to him if she could help it. Almost as if reading her thoughts Evan responded.

'Well, I'm your friend,' he nodded like he was all knowing and wise, she grinned. 'At least I'm trying to be,' he snickered. She nudged him with her sneakered toe with a roll of her eyes. It was funny how similar he was to her usual group of friends. She didn't tell him that though.

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Over the course of the next few weeks, Octavia divided her time studying with Evan or hanging out with the Slytherin's. She finally felt like she was settling in by the beginning of October. The Slytherin's hadn't had much trouble for a while, but it put them all on edge, like the calm before the storm.

During double Charms Octavia was stuck next to Mattheo for the third time. And like every time before that he was spending every second bugging her.

'Whatcha doing?' he drawled for the hundredth time, leaning into the palm of his hand and grinning at her. He had new bruise on his jaw only making it look sharper. She hated it. She hated him.