Rose & The Riddle || Tom Riddle Story

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Malfoy

That night, Rose couldn't stop thinking about what Abraxas had said. In no way did she ever think Tom was worried about losing her. That meant that he would have to care about something more than himself. Granted, she knew that Tom cared about her. He expressed that many times, but she was just now realizing the extent of his feelings.

     Tom was selfish. That much she knew. If he didn't get what he wanted, he always found a way. That thought scared Rose. Tom was not the type of person to give up. If Rose ever wanted to walk away, would Tom let her? Willingly? Would she truly never be able to marry someone of her choice if that's what she decided she wanted? How many of her own decisions and opinions were truly hers? And how many of them were Tom's?

     She laid alone on her bed in her dormitory. She rest of Slytherin house was partying in the common room. A few students brought back Butterbeers, Firewhiskey, Gillywater and sweets from Hogsmeade and decided to continue the party they started at the Three Broomsticks. Rose did not feel like partaking. In fact, she didn't feel like doing anything. She rolled over onto her stomach and pulled out Tom's diary from her night stand.

     Did Tom really expect her to carry this around with her the rest of her life? If she decided she did want to get married one day, what was she supposed to tell her husband? Or what if she decided to have children, and had to explain it to them? It was the darkest piece of magic she had ever seen and she was just now realizing how terrifying it was. Was she truly destined to have an arranged marriage with one of Tom's followers? Was there ever an end in sight...?

     Rose wanted to speak to Abraxas again. She wanted to get more information out of him. She knew that Abraxas knew things that she didn't. Tom told him things that he has never told her, she was sure of that. Abraxas was his right hand man. She was dying to know what else he knew.

     The longer she stayed in her bed, the more questions circulated through her mind. She was beginning to grow irritated with every conversation she's ever had with Tom. The way he portrays himself as high and mighty, the way he's able to manipulate every situation, the way he so easily charms people with his good looks. Maybe Tom was really the person she wanted to speak to, but she didn't even know what she would say to him if she had the chance.

     She groaned as she rolled back over on the bed. She could hear the booming bass of the music through the stone walls and contemplated making an appearance. It's not like she would have to stay long if she didn't want to.

     Rose rolled out of bed, threw on her green Slytherin jumper and traipsed down to the common room.

     It was packed. The air was thick with cigarette smoke and it appeared the prefects made the younger students go to bed. The sixth and seventh years were having the time of their lives. Mary and Isabel were chatting exuberantly with Zabini and Cadmus. Druella and Lucretia were scowling and getting hit on by Avery and Lestrange. She scanned the room for either Tom or Abraxas, but saw neither one of them.

     "There you are!" said Isabel as Rose approached. She had a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. "Decided to come down and join the fun."

     "This doesn't look like much fun to me," mumbled Rose, her buzz from earlier had completely dissipated. 

     "That's because you need a shot," said Mary as she handed Rose a goblet of amber liquid.

     Rose hesitated for a minute, but everyone was drunkenly encouraging her, so she tipped it back and her friends cheered.

     "That's the spirit," beamed Isabel. She was now hanging onto Zabini to keep herself steady.

     "Have any of you seen Tom?" asked Rose, scanning the room once again.