Fey's Pov
Mattheo slept well after I woke up, and the others left for class. His snores were resounding, and he didn't move. I was worried he might have been badly hurt, and there was nothing that I could do.
I worried that he was hurt beyond what I could see. That the unforgivable had done something to break his mind or had done internal damage that I could not fix. There was no way for me to tell, only when he woke again.
I worked on my assignments at his desk, checking on him often. I had completed the day's potion essay about rare dragon ingredients when he started to groan and roll under the covers. My feet nearly caught on the leg of the chair as I rushed to his side. Stumbling, I caught myself on the edge of the bed just in time before I could injure myself.
Mattheo peeked his eyes open, still heavy with sleep, "Merlin, what time is it?"
I felt myself relax immensely, "Just before lunch," I told him, plopping beside him.
"Thank all the flying fucks. I am starving."
"Flying fucks?" I asked, grinning.
He pulled himself up slowly, his body straining, "Yeah, the flying ones, not the crawling ones or the walking ones."
Shaking my head, I stood and headed to his wardrobe, where I pulled out a set of clothes for him to wear. I settled on his usual attire: grungy trousers nearly torn to bits, a jumper, and paired with his underclothes, he would be set to head to the Great Hall for lunch.
He took them from me, and I faced the door to give him some privacy, but with the number of groans and curses thrown about, I had no choice but to turn back and help him.
His arms were stuck half in his jumper and partially over his head, "Don't be a dick. Just help me," he growled out.
I stifled a giggle as his arms flopped about, "I'm not sure I will. Not if you'll use that tone with me, Matty."
Through the hole where his head was supposed to fit, I could see one of his eyes narrow, "Please..." he gritted out, "...help me."
"So much better," I praised. Moving to his side, I tugged the sweater down over his head, careful of his hair and sore arms. Knowing he would likely struggle with everything else, I grabbed his boxers and tossed the covers back.
"Come on. Let's get you dressed, darling," I gave him a wink and best grin.
"This is so wrong. I should be the one teasing," he pouted.
Still, he moved his stiff legs over to the edge of the bed and allowed me to help him. It was more awkward, considering he was nearly a foot and a half taller than I was, but teamwork makes the dream work.
When his trousers were on, I collapsed back onto the floor and relaxed momentarily as he fixed his socks and boots.
He had heavy legs, and the only thing I was used to carrying around was the weight of my own dread.
"Are you done lying down there?"
Leaning up on my arms, I glanced at him. He was fully dressed now, still disheveled but handsome nonetheless. Nodding, I rolled over onto my side, heaved myself up onto my feet again, and offered him my support. He took it gladly. With my wand in my pocket and his arm slung around my shoulder, we left his dorm and slowly, very slowly made our way out.
The common room was thankfully empty.
I don't know what I would have done if someone had said something stupid to make Mattheo upset. Even in his weakened state, he would have tried to fight.
That's just who he was—the loveable psycho.
Very few students were lingering outside the Great Hall and those who did avoided eye contact with us. We entered the hall and made a beeline for our usual spot at the end of the table near the exit. I helped him sit at the end of the table to give him more room to move and flopped down onto the bench beside him. My head rested on his shoulder, and my eyes closed as his fingers brushed my hair.
"Thank you, love," Mattheo whispered beside my ear.
Smiling, I nodded, "Always for you."
The silence lasted only a few moments longer as students slowly filled in, and at precisely one o'clock, lunch appeared on the tables before us. The aroma of food the magnificent house elves prepared filled the space around us, and my stomach growled.
"Mattheo!" Draco called out, interrupting us before we could take our first bites.
The grumbling I heard now wasn't from my stomach. It came from the grumpy boy beside me. I bit into my potatoes and watched as Draco crossed his arms and glared.
"Why the hell didn't you come to class, and why did you keep Fey in bed all morning?"
Draco was mad. He was grumpier than I had ever seen him, making Mattheo even madder.
"Why is it your business?"
"It's my business because she's my girlfriend too, you dunce."
I looked into my potatoes, very interested in the lumps and bumps and not at all trying to hide my blush.
"Oh, just because she's your girlfriend, you get to decide where she goes and doesn't go now?"
Draco scoffed, "She wants Outstanding marks in her classes, and she's not going to do that skipping with you."
"Now I'm the bad influence?"
"You're always the bad influence," Draco retorted.
I pushed my potatoes aside and waved my hands between them, "Stop. Stop. Please, stop."
They turned their glaring eyes to me.
"Matty, tell him what happened."
Mattheo's eyes softened slightly as he looked at me, even more so when I took his hand in mine.
"I was called home last night. My father wished to have a meeting with me..." he told Draco vaguely.
Draco's eyes darted to me, "Does she know?"
Mattheo nodded, "Of course. She also opened the door and caught Snape escorting me back to my dorm. He made us a deal," he sighed, "She's excused from her classes today to care for me while I recover."
"Shit, Mattheo..."
His eyes rolled so hard I thought they might slide into the back of his head, "Fuck off."
Draco sighed but nodded.
We all sat in silence, and after an awkward moment, they both began to eat as if nothing had happened and started a conversation about the house Quidditch team.
Men.
The others arrived and greeted me with a kiss and a smile. Lorenzo wrapped his arm around my waist and cuddled into my side as I picked at my food. When I set my fork down, he picked it back up and forced me to eat five more bites until I was beginning to wiggle away from him.
He pulled me closer and buried his face in my neck to place soft kisses against my skin, "How are you, darling?"
"Tired," I admitted quietly so none of the others would hear.
"Hmmm, in need of a nap then?" he asked sweetly, leaning back so I could see his lopsided grin.
I nodded.
"You know I think your Daddy would love to join us for a nap, don't you think?"
At that moment, I swore all the blood in my body rushed to my face and neck. I was flooded with embarrassment as he watched me. His eyes crinkled in the corners, and his mouth barely holding back a full teasing grin.
My jaw dropped and closed.
Dropped and closed.
I was like a gasping fish.
Suffocating with shock.
Before I could overcome myself, he turned to Theo, who sat beside him and elbowed him in the ribs.
"Our girl is tired."
Theo rubbed his side but turned soft eyes to me, "Baby girl, are you tired?"
My mind malfunctioned.
What was the function of a rubber duck?
Was I the rubber duck?
I nodded, dropping my eyes to my lap.
Lorenzo tipped my face up again and pushed my hair back, "Aww, darling. I was teasing, you can have a nap with your Daddy. I have detention anyway."
I must have given him a look because he laughed way too loudly.
"Don't worry. Snape gave half the class detention for misusing an ingredient," he pecked my lips and stood from the table, "I'll see you after classes; get some rest."
Before I could speak, he strolled out of the Hall, and Draco and Blaise waved goodbye.
Then there were three. Mattheo is to my left. Theo to my right, who was grinning far too much for a man who was told how tired I was.
Before I could blink, Theo was on his feet and lifting me with him, "Come on, darling. Let's get this big lug back to the dorm and... take a nap."
Mattheo groaned and moaned about not needing to nap. He dragged his feet and complained the entire way to the dungeons.
"You are worse than a child, Matty," I giggled, pulling him through the common room.
Seventh-years stared as we made a scene, but we didn't care. We trudged on, nearly dragging Mattheo up the stairs and into his room.
The fight was over when the door closed. He collapsed onto his bed, propping himself onto the pillows and huffing like a scolded child.
"I don't want to take a nap," he mumbled.
Theo laughed lightly, "Then don't, but my little girl here needs a nap."
Mattheo snatched my hand and pulled me onto the bed, "Are you tired?"
Nodding, I climbed over him and rested my head on his shoulder, "I really am."
"Don't fall asleep yet," Theo scolded before darting out of the room.
I sat up and fought back a yawn, "But I thought it was nap time?" I whined after him.
All that followed was the sound of his laughter that grew closer as he returned carrying a small black bag. His face held a grin that was more mischievous than I had ever seen on any of them.
"Oh..." Mattheo whispered, "Nap time."
I looked between them and then at the black bag.
What the fuck was going on?
"What is..."
Theo jumped onto the bed and rolled onto his side, interrupting me. He started to unpack his little bag excitedly. Laying everything out next to him neatly and in a row so I could see it.
"Now, love, you don't need to try this, but we thought you'd like to try it with us," Theo explained as I watched him. He took what looked to be a thin cigarette, placed it between his lips, and lit the other end. He inhaled deeply and passed it to Mattheo, who did the same.
"What is it?" I asked. It didn't smell like their regular cigarettes. It smelled like something out of Professor Sprout's greenhouse. Earthy and natural mixed with something fruity.
"Calmabis. Sprout grows it in her greenhouse," Mattheo threw up air quotes, "for 'special potions.'"
"Is this what you and Enzo-"
"Stole?"
I nodded.
Theo grinned and shrugged, "I guess so, but considering she isn't supposed to be growing it at all..."
The Calmabis Bloom is a heavily restricted plant by the ministry due to the adverse effects on witches' and wizards' magic if overused. It's a medium-sized plant with distinctive leaves with a calming, silver-green hue. As the plant grows, it produces a unique bud that resembles a delicate, glass-like translucent sphere with ethereal patterns. When the bud reaches full maturity, it emits a gentle, calming glow from within.
The bud is the focal point of its magic. When gently touched or activated with a whispered chant, the bud releases a fine, calming mist into the air. This mist has an immediate soothing effect on those nearby, easing stress for all who inhale it.
There are many uses for the plant, but most of them revolve around the plant buds. There are potions, salves, mists, and more. As long as they are used in moderation, the user should have no fear, but they have everything to lose when used in excess.
Your best case scenario is forgetting what you'd done and who you'd spoken to. Or even becoming addicted and unable to feel your own emotions without it.
The worst case would be a magical imbalance. Dependance on the Calmabis Bloom might create imbalances in a wizard's natural magical attunement. It could affect their ability to perform certain spells or engage in magical activities that require precise and finely-tuned connections with their magic.
Mattheo interrupted my internal Herbology lesson and held out the little cigarette.
I took it between my fingers. It was thin and warm as burned at one end. How much was overuse?
Just once wouldn't hurt. Right?
Witches all over the world used it to relax. It was over a dozen potions. It would help me take a wonderful nap and relax.
My mind raced to fifth-year Herbology. The lesson on this plant and its effects filled my mind as I considered my options.
Physical benefits: Tension in the muscles melts away. Users experience a gentle, soothing sensation throughout their body. May perceive time differently, feeling like moments stretch and slow down.
Emotional effects: Feelings of contentment and joy. Elevated and cheerful mood, free from the burdens of stress and anxiety. Heightened ability to understand and navigate their emotions, fostering a sense of emotional balance and harmony.
Mental stimulation: Instead, it enhances mental clarity and awareness. More attuned to their surroundings and capable of deep reflection.
Thoughts ran through my mind over and over again until impulsively, I brought it to my lips and inhaled. It burned at first, and I coughed as I exhaled.
Suddenly, my mind was a thousand kilometers away, and I couldn't feel my toes.
I looked up at Theo and Mattheo.
"Wow, you're both so handsome..."
Their laughter rang out, and I couldn't help but laugh with them.