Matty took a deep breath and readjusted the strap on his shoulder for the tenth time since leaving his dorm room. He stood outside the large doors to the Great Hall. He steeled himself for what he was about to do, telling himself over and over again that he could do this. He was doing this for Addie and that was all that mattered. He was publically humiliating himself for the girl he loved, that was the main point, that was what love was all about.

He pushed open the large doors, with head held high he walked down the aisle between two house tables heading for the front of the hall. Morning meal was about halfway through and most if not all of the student body was enjoying breakfast and exchanging Valentine's. He moved to the front of the Great Hall before the Professor's table. He was happy to see that the Headmistress wasn't in attendance. He had no idea where she was but it didn't matter. What mattered was that she wasn't there. He didn't think he could actually go through with this if he knew her eyes were on him the whole time.

He took a stool that had been off to the side and brought it into the middle much like was done during the sorting ceremony. With a glance at the few Professors that had approved Matty sat himself on the stool pulled his guitar off his back and sat it in his lap placing his fingers onto the right frets and began to strum.

It took several moments for the general chatter of the Great Hall to die down enough for students to realize there was suddenly music. It wasn't long after that every eye was at the front of the Great Hall trying to figure out what he was up to. The pressure of it all caused Matty to closed his eyes while he played. After a few uninterrupted strums Matty opened his mouth.

When I was a young boy
you were my greatest friend
always there by my side
through thick and thin
now the years have gone by
so much has changed since then
Can't believe I couldn't see
The woman standing right in front of meeee

Miss Adeeeelia
Please be my girl
Oh Miss Adeeelia
You brighten up my world
Miss Adeeelia
You're my everything
And you make me wanna sing
I'm a fooo oooo oool
Who's falling for you

Now I think of all the time I've wasted
All the days I let go by
Not seing all your laughter
Or wiping away the tears that you cried
Now I'm for you my dear
Until the day I die
I know that it sounds lame
But I swear that it's the truth
My pretty Addie baby
I'm so crazy about you

Miss Adeeeelia
Please be my girl
Oh Miss Adeeelia
You brighten up my world
Miss Adeeelia
You're my everything
And you make me wanna sing
I'm a fooo oooo oool
Who's falling for you

So kiss me my dear Addie girl
Let me know just how you feel
I want to spend every moment with you
Every day, every class, every meal
In five months we'll be away from here
And we can make this whole thing real

Now I'm waiting for Graduation day
When you finally turn to me and say
I'm a fooooool for you
Too

Matty placed his hand over his strings to stop the sound from continuing on. Silence followed his words. As the song progressed his voice had gotten stronger, more soulful. He slowly opened his eyes to looked at his peers terrified of what they all now thought of him. His caramel eyes frantically scanned the Hufflepuff table trying to find his girlfriend. He didn't think he could handle having gone through all of that for nothing.

Valentine's Day seemed to be up & running by the time Addie had dressed warmly in a dark magenta hoodie, complimented with the clock gear necklace (one was also given for Matty) & pair of boots to cover her dark jeans as she rushed down to the Great Hall. Love was distinctly in the air for many but Addie hadn't first noticed that her boyfriend was sitting with a guitar in hand, about to sing his love for her. In front of the entire student body. "Mornin', Kaiss!" she chirped to  a sixth year who had been giggling from instant Matty had taken a seat & began strumming.

Addie's feet tapped gently to the music (someone had a good hand on the guitar she thought) whilst nomming away on a piece of toast & jelly when her ears heard her name. What on...!? Her blue eyes looked up to see Matty as the guitarist & she, the muse for his ballad. Instantly, her cheeks tinged a rosy color as a few snickers from the other houses tables rose up, only a few more into a rowdy laughter when Matty finished, causing her to hide momentarily away.

She was definitely not used to this, but hiding from him was a bad idea & good ol' Kaiss seemed to think so too. "GOOD ON Y'MATEO!" she hollered out as Addie forced a hand over the girl's mouth, looking down the table soon enough, a genuine smile (that looked like a smirk) plastered on her face. Her lips silently worded 'you dirty rascal' could easily be seen by Matty as she looked back to Kaiss. "Don'cha dare holler when I move this hand, got it?" Kaiss nodded 'yes' as Addie removed the hand & then looked back to Matty.

Hopefully, no one would show a commotion - the moment was nearly perfect, only thing missing left was a shower of Firglammer-glitz to shower the room in hues of the house colors. A giggle left her lips just thinking about it. "Y'got a bloody one man, 'Croix...shame y'got him, cause I'd go tackle 'im!" "Shuddup, Kaiss," she said suddenly dreamily, distracted looking at Matty all goofy like.

Matty swallowed hard as his song was met with laughter and cheers. Well at least he was entertaining. Thankfully he couldn't help but smile. He decided that even if Adelia hadn't been there to witness it all he was still glad he had done it and at least this way everyone in school knew how he felt. Hopefully it would help quell some of the more nastier rumors that had been spreading about him (honestly him a liar and a cheat, using girls, the boy who barely even knew girls existed before this year)

He swung his guitar over his back again and got to his feet bowing graciously as another get of cheers were heard, mostly from his own house table.

"GOOD ON Y'MATEO!"

Matty's smile grew ten fold as he suddenly spotted Addie and her best best friend Kaiss. His heart soared with the knowledge that she had heard his song and that it had caused that goofy smile on her face and the glazed look in her eyes. He had to stop himself from running down the aisle to get to her. Instead he moved at a brisk walk until he was standing right in front of her.

As Addie turned to face him he placed his hands on her hips and lifted her off the bench sitting her back down on the Hufflepuff table so that they were face to face, "Love you Croix." He gave her a wink before leaning in to catch her lips in his much to the wild cheers of many of the onlookers and almost equal jeers and boos from a crowd at the Slytherin table.