m.r. x reader || the gift
You befriended Mattheo in sixth year. You were both in advanced potions with Slughorn and the old man was insistent on pairing people up himself, thus the unlikely partnership of the two of you.
He was surprisingly helpful in every project the two of you were assigned. Despite your friends continually warning you of “how he was” when it was just the two of you at the table or working in the library he was actually quite…sweet.
Now, outside of potions related tasks, the two of you did not talk much. Or rather at all. You would give him a smile or a wave in passing. He would give you the slightest of nods.
It wasn’t bothersome to you as you knew what people would likely say if he acted any differently. So when you found out his birthday was over holiday break, you concocted a plan.
You made him a little gift for his birthday (you do for everyone you consider a friend) but you know how Matty is in public. If you were to ever try and give him a present in the likes of the dining hall he’d probably set it on fire.
So instead you bribe a third year to put it in his dorm a few days before break. It wasn’t anything fancy; just a few perler bead crafts you thought suited him. You figured he could use them as keychains on his book bag or something of the like.
You assumed he was unfamiliar with the type of art and therefore wrote a small note explaining the muggle activity so he may better understand.
After dinner, Matty returned to his room to find a small gift bag resting by his pillow. He had a curious tilt to his head as he walked over, slowly reaching in and pulling out its contents. He read the note to himself.
‘Happy Birthday, Matty! I know it’s not for another week or so, but I won’t see you on your actual birthday so a pre-bday gift will have to do! These are made of small plastic beads and you melt them together in any pattern you want. I thought it would be funny for you to have ones like these; you can put them on a keychain for your school bag!
if you don’t end up liking them, I can make you something else instead.. hope your break is wonderful
xx y/n’
Mattheo looks over the three small objects in front of him resembling images of a pack of cigarettes, a lighter and a single lit cigarette. ‘They made these? For me?’ he thought to himself.
The other boys made their way over to Matty’s part of the room when they noticed his silence. Small giggles leave then when they see what he has in his hands.
He tells them to fuck off. That it’s just some junk someone left on his bed. But once everyone settled in to sleep and he’s alone with his curtains closed around his bed, he’s sitting against the headboard running his fingers over the small details.
He can’t stop thinking about the time it may have taken you to do this, to want to do this for him. All while he silently swallows the half-sob he can’t seem to control because why do you even care that much about someone like Mattheo Riddle?
