A/N: This story is for the International Wizarding School Championship. It is also considered as a sequel to my other story: The Criminal and the Babysitter. For those reading this, I would recommend reading that, before reading this in order to have some background info on what's happening here. Other than that, I hope you enjoy!
School/Year: Mahoutokoro; Year 4
Theme: Spell Damage
Main Prompt: [Emotion] Fear
Additional: [Spell] Flipendo (Knockback/ trip up spell), [Action] Getting into a fight
Word Count: 2,488
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the universe- just my Oc's. Everything else goes to J.K. Rowling.
They'd been dating for two months, now. After Matthew had been placed over Annabeth to make sure she didn't get into anymore trouble, he'd gotten to learn more about her, each thing more interesting than the last. He liked the way her eyes would light up everytime they passed the book store while heading to the Ministry. He liked the way she would crinkle her nose at anything that even remotely disgusted her. And, he liked the way dimples would appear every time her brilliant smile lit up the room. She tried to question everything, always asking why even when he gave an answer. And while it would drive him crazy to no end, it was worth it when she laughed, her cheeks tinted red.
It had been a few weeks since the Ministry had finally reached a decision, deeming it fitting for Annabeth to contribute a few hours of community service for the next three weeks while also promising to never try to illegally start a school for wizards and witches, again.
But despite the fact that their time together had ended, neither one of them had had the heart to part ways. As Annabeth had put it, she'd decided that he wasn't half bad despite his long name, and that she guessed that being together couldn't be too much of a bore.
He'd been ecstatic, to say the least.
She'd moved in with him, settling into his small house with ease. It wasn't fancy or worth much of anything, but it was quaint and warm- just the way he liked it. A few years ago, he'd even decided to have his own makeshift library in the home office, and Annabeth had immediately declared that that was to be her new home.
On the weekends, when he wasn't at the Ministry, they found themselves keeping each other company there, basking in the other's presence as she read through book after book while Matthew wrote reports. Sometimes, she would lean over his shoulder, holding the book in front of his face with outstretched arms and reading him little tidbits that she'd found interesting. He'd nod along, smiling as she repeated things he'd already read but were now being spoken in her own melodic voice.
By Merlin's beard, it was wonderful.
But, somedays, Matthew wondered if it was all too good to be true. That, one day, they'd finally part ways because she'd gotten fed up with him. He'd lose her.
Each time, he shuddered at the thought, wishing for that to never be true.
Turns out, it wasn't just him who'd had that fear.
He'd been working late at the Ministry for the past couple of weeks, always arriving home to find that his dinner had been left out and cold. Piled up dishes would be left in the sink, prompting him to take care of them each night. The lights would always be off, minus the one in the sitting room near the door. When he made it up to bed after, he would find the TV in their room to be left on in the background while Annabeth herself was supposedly fast asleep with both her and his share of the blanket on her. So, he'd go to bed cold, too tired to grab a spare blanket from the closet.
Of course, it wasn't his fault he'd been running late. He'd been given a particularly hard case that seemed to be getting nowhere as the Auror's investigations proved futile. He had become so overwhelmed with trying to get results that he'd lose track of time and become completely immersed in his work.
Today was another one of those days, too. Matthew fished out his key from his pocket, sluggishly trying to fit it into the lock but to no avail. He just couldn't keep his hand straight. It continued like that for a few minutes until he finally gave up, choosing to let the key clatter to the ground as he turned his back to the door and slid down until his butt was firmly planted on the concrete ground with his briefcase laying near his side.
He leaned his head back, letting his eyes slip close as he did so. A part of him knew he could just use his wand to get him out of his mess, but the idea of fishing it out from his briefcase made him cringe away. Too much work.
Besides, just sitting there was doing wonders for his body. He couldn't feel most of the aches he'd received from just hunching over his desk for hours on end. His breaths began to deepen and, for a split second, he truly wondered if he was really going to fall asleep outside and completely vulnerable.
He almost laughed. Annabeth would probably have been one of the first people to rob him as soon as he did. The idea of stealing had never sat too well with her. But, after learning that that was what it took to survive in a world where you had nothing, she'd accepted it and taken to stealing from those who couldn't hurt her for it.
"Annabeth." he whispered.
Matthew wished so badly that the door would magically open and that he'd find a hot dinner waiting for him on the table. He wished that, when he got upstairs, he'd still have a blanket and could snuggle into the sheets and bask in the warmth that his girlfriend always seemed to radiate with.
His face fell.
"Annabeth."
"Quit grovelling, you idiot."
His eyes flew open, startled as the door behind his back was abruptly yanked backwards and he fell in, the heat of his house flushing his cheeks red and the bright lights that had been turned on everywhere momentarily blinding him.
"Will you get up, already?"
He brought his arm up, shielding his eyes from some of the light and revealing the glowing face of Annabeth. Her hair looked wet, like she had just taken a shower and she wore a t-shirt of his that was a little too big for even him. Her lips were curved into a frown and he watched the way her eyes glistened with anger.
Wait. Anger?
Quickly, he scrambled to his feet while trying to pick up both his keys and briefcase. As he turned around, he stepped through the doorway, mumbling a small sorry, before coming to stand in the sitting room after dropping his things on a nearby chair.
Closing the door, Annabeth spun on her heels, crossing her arms over her chest with a raised brow.
"Well? Care to explain?"
"E-Explain?" he asked, looking at her wildly.
She simply rolled her eyes, gesturing to the clock that hung behind his head. He followed her gaze, glancing up at the clock before feeling his whole body freeze.
Two o'clock. In the morning.
"Oh, shit."
"'Oh, shit' is right."
He glanced back towards her. He hadn't meant to say that out loud.
Matthew almost wanted to cower under her scrutinizing gaze, hating how pierced right through his skin. "I-"
"I really don't care." Annabeth snarked, cutting him off. "Do you understand how late this is- even for you?"
"I-"
"No. You don't get to defend yourself." Her cold gaze faltered for a second as she watched his eyes widen. "How can you even think about staying out this late? Don't you realize what it means? What it means to… me?" Her voice cracked.
She sighed, her eyes slipping closed as her lower lip began to quiver. A thick silence hung in the air.
He wanted to reach out, to say something. But, the words seemed to die in his throat and he felt his mouth go dry.
Annabeth took a shaky breath. But, when she opened her eyes again, he swore his heart broke. Tears were forming near the corners, threatening to spill as she looked at him with betrayal written all over her face.
"I was so worried. I-I thought something had happened to you. I thought that… maybe…" Her voice wavered, her body shaking. "I didn't want to lose you, you know? Your job… to me, it's all so scary. You could die, you know? Chasing after criminals like you do. I thought maybe you'd… and nobody had told me. I just couldn't stop thinking about it."
Her arms were now wrapped around her torso, as if trying to shield her body away. To him, she just looked so… vulnerable. He tried to take a step towards her.
She recoiled backwards, trying to get away. "N-No, don't come near me!" she shrieked.
He stopped, just as frightened at her outburst.
"I-I don't want you."
It was like a punch in the gut, those words. He tried to ignore the stinging sensation he got and the bile that was building up in the back of his throat. He tried to swallow it.
"Ann," he called softly. "I'm… I'm sorry."
"That doesn't fix it." She shook her head violently.
He tried to take another step, but she took another one back.
"S-Stop it!"
He just had to reach her.
"I'm warning you!" she yelled.
Just one more.
She shrieked loudly, her body colliding with the wall behind her as she cornered herself.
He reached out his hand.
The rest just seemed to happen in a flash.
In less than a second, Annabeth had whipped out her wand from the pair of shorts she was wearing underneath. It was right in front of his stomach as she called for a spell. He hadn't heard which one, his ears being filled with a loud ringing noise almost immediately. Distantly, a part of him felt his body flying backwards, hitting the bookshelf that lined the wall behind him. He could feel the wood crack under the impact, collapsing on top of him and send all the books into a pile on top of his body as he hit the ground with a resound thud.
He felt something wet dripping down the back of his neck.
"Matthew!" a voice screamed, but it sounded fuzzy in his head.
His vision was covered with black splotches. His limbs felt numb. A wave of tiredness hit him relentlessly, making his eyelids droop as he lost the urge to keep them open.
From above, he felt a weight being lifted off his head. But, he hadn't the slightest clue of what as his eyes finally slipped closed, rendering him unconscious to the world around him.
…
Matthew's head was pounding. It felt as though a thousand bricks had been dropped on him. But, he figured that he would be dead, then. And, he certainly didn't feel dead. Just tired.
The ringing in his ear had stopped, replaced with a soft buzzing that he couldn't identify. But, on top of that, he thought he heard crying. It was soft, yet sounded close.
But, he didn't understand. Who would be crying?
Suddenly, his eyes seemed to flutter open and he was greeted with a dull, white ceiling. It had a few cracks and chips here and there, but it didn't look familiar. He tried to turn his gaze to the side, only to find that such a movement caused pain to shoot through his skull. Matthew hissed through his teeth.
The crying ceased, turning into soft hiccuping instead.
"M-Matthew?"
That voice. It sounded so familiar.
"Matthew?!"
Annabeth. That's who it was. His Annabeth.
"You're awake!" she cried. "Matthew, you're awake!"
Immediately after, he felt a weight on his chest as arms slithered around his neck and her head buried itself into the croon of his neck. He was pretty sure it was supposed to be a hug, but it was hard to tell.
But, he liked it- even if it was awkward. She pulled back all too quickly, in his opinion.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired." His voice sounded weak and he tried to wet his throat.
"Then, you should get some sleep." she replied, her eyes full of concern.
He almost nodded but thought against it, not wanting that same pain , as his eyelids threatened to drop close again, he fought to keep them open as a question popped into his mind.
"W-Where are we?"
"... St. Mungos Hospital." she hesitated to answer. And, for good reason, too, as she watched his eyebrows furrow in confusion.
"Why?"
Matthew watched the way her body tensed and the muscles in her jaw began to work. He tried to figure out why, but his mind was drawing blanks.
"T-The bookshelf in the sitting room," she started. "It fell on you. I-It hit you pretty hard. You're head… It started bleeding."
His eyes widened as she grew silent, staring down at her hands which she had folded in her lap.
A beat.
"I'm sorry." It was nothing more than a cracked whisper. But, he caught it.
"Why?"
Her eyes began to water.
"It was me." she cried. "It was my fault. I-I…" She buried her face in her hands, ashamed of herself and stricken with grief.
"Ann," he called. "It's okay."
"N-No!" she yelled. "It's not." Her hands balled into fists, wiping furiously at her tears. "I made it happen. I said the spell. It was my fault you had a concussion- why you ended up here."
He froze. She caused the bookshelf to fall?
"I-I was scared. You were getting so close to me that I freaked out and acted without thinking. It was my fault that the bookshelf fell on you. Me!"
His stomach curled in on itself, swaying uneasily, like an ocean during a storm. He'd never seen her like this. So broken and distressed. She was always carefree, sharing her opinion on anything and everything without even thinking.
This Annabeth scared him.
"Stop it."
Her gaze snapped up, meeting his brown orbs. "... W-What?"
He took a deep breath. "I said stop it. It's okay because I forgive you. Sure, it hurt and ending up in the hospital was the last thing on my mind." he muttered the last part sourly. But after seeing her face fall, he immediately tried to fix his mistake. "B-But, it's seriously fine. It was my fault, anyways. I saw how scared you were and I should have just stopped. But I didn't. And, whatever happened after that is my fault. Got it?"
"B-But, I was the one who got upset…" she trailed off.
"I don't care." he replied, slightly annoyed that he couldn't remember just why she'd been so upset. "It was probably my fault, right? I did something stupid."
She didn't say anything, just stared back down at her lap.
A beat.
"I'm sorry." she whispered softly.
He was about to say something- anything- to stop all her self-loathing, but didn't get the chance as she pulled him into another awkward hug, careful of the bandages on his head.
"I just don't want to lose you."
His gaze hardened.
"You won't."