Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

47: Confession in the Forbidden Forest

"Why on earth did you bring me to the forbidden forest, Tom?" Cassiopeia asked as soon as her eyes identified the place where her foot was on.

"This place is better than the castle, we can walk here," he shrugged, resting his hands in his pocket.

It was dark and mist-covered in the air. He stepped forward into the forest, gesturing his hand for her to join him. Cassiopeia sighed and took her steps with him, trying to keep her pace with him.

"How are you?" He asked, taking her hand suddenly. Cassiopeia felt butterflies in her stomach as their hands intertwined. "You are cold, Cassie?"

He looked at her, stopping abruptly. He frowned, squeezing her hands. Cassiopeia's brows quirked in confusion upon hearing this again.

"Even Draco and Pansy said the same," she shrugged her shoulders. "Am I that cold?"

He nodded, stepping towards her. His slender fingers tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, looking at her in the eye.

"I think something is going wrong," he looked at her worryingly. A sigh escaped from his lips.

"What do you mean?" Cassiopeia frowned at his odd statement. "What's wrong?"

"I think I should tell you later," he stated, a faint smile crept on his face reassuringly. She shrugged her shoulders, assuming that it was due to the cold weather.

"What's the important matter you want me to tell?" She asked, getting to the point, continuing the walk. Her hand encircled his upper arm, tightening the grip. She felt secure with him somehow.

"I feel another Horcrux is there in Hogwarts," he remarked in a serious tone. Cassiopeia stopped as he did the same.

"How do you know it?" That was her first question since this is the first Horcrux he made, and he had no idea about the future. She was curious how he knew there were more in Hogwarts.

"I feel them, Cassie," he replied, looking at her. "There's a somewhat connection, and I want you to keep them secure."

"Why me?" Cassiopeia frowned at him. She wondered why he wanted her to keep them secure. Was it to save his immortality?

"If you want to reverse the Horcrux, you should ensure they aren't destroyed," he replied, stunning her. She had no idea he was already aware of her plans.

"Ha—how do you know tha—that?" She stammered, feeling confused by his calm demeanor. "And—and why do you act so calm?"

He pressed his index finger on her lips, repeating the same words he had once said. "You're talking too much, angel."

Cassiopeia grabbed his wrist and put his hand down.

"Answer me, Tom," her voice was raised a little bit, and she found herself more impatient.

"First, listen to me and don't interrupt," he insisted, taking both of her hands in his. He sighed heavily and looked her in the eye.

"I saw most of the things in your mind, even I didn't mean to. I accidentally found what was your plan and how you had risked yourself hiding everything in your mind. At the moment, I realized you were dead in my time, I felt guilty. Guilty of not keeping you safe. I felt if I ever heard you once, I wouldn't lose you. I still cannot believe how I did survive my life with only power. Because you were the beginning and the end of everything I dream in my life. You're my family, Cassie."

"You're the one who taught me how to love, you made me feel blessed honestly. When I heard that I cannot love because I was conceived under a love potion, I wondered how I loved you. I didn't want to find an answer, but to give back the affection more than you gave me. You made me feel complete, whenever I was upset how my father abandoned my mother and me, I thought I have you and nothing is worth than that."

Cassiopeia felt the tears forming in her eyes when he spoke about how he really felt about her. She never anticipated to see him being open to her. She never wanted to make him uncomfortable. But he stopped before she spoke.

"No, Cassiopeia, let me talk. I have no idea what my future holds after your death, I have no idea what my future thinks about you now. But one thing I know, and that is, I really needed a life with you, only you. Because—"

He paused, looking at her. The moonlight broke through his face, showing her his emotional, pleading eyes.

"I love you, only you," he finished, looking her in the eye. Cassiopeia felt the tears burn in her eyes. After four years, she heard it in real life. She had never felt these feelings toward anyone but Tom. The feeling of belonging to someone, feeling secure around someone. It was only Tom, in her dreams. And now, she felt those feelings in real, she saw the boy she loved all the time for real.

Cassiopeia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was never ready for this, but all of a sudden, she felt she was ready for anything. Ready to fight for him, ready to take him back from evil.

"I love you, Tom," she opened her eyes, seeing his faint smile. She noticed there were tears shining in his eyes, clear under the moonlight.

He gently pulled her to him, kissing her softly. His right hand caressed her cheek, while the other encircled her waist securely. Cassiopeia's both hands cupped his cheeks gently, feeling him. She didn't want to let him go, she wanted to keep him with her. She needed him, she was craving for him, that was all she knew.

He slowly pulled himself away, nibbling her bottom lips. But Cassiopeia took him to another kiss, pulling his face to hers.

"Please don't leave me," she murmured into the kiss, finally giving up on the tears she held in her eyes. "I cannot live without you, please."

"But I had to," his hand caressed her cheek gently. "You need to stop writing the diary once we find the Horcrux in the school, I'm going to return to the diary as a soul."

"Why can't you stay like this? Everything is okay like this, no one knows even," she complained, not wanting him to leave her. She knew she couldn't survive without his presence.

"Do you know why you're cold? It's because my soul is siphoning your life force, and it will eventually—" He stopped from the middle, like he didn't want to complete it.

"My life will end soon, isn't it?" Cassiopeia asked, getting the point. It was her life force that made a physical body for his memory.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he pecked her on the lips before looking her in the eye. "After I leave, find my future, I know you can change him. You are the only person capable of making me alive, really."

At that moment, Cassiopeia broke into sobs, resting her head on his chest. It was true at the end. She would be left so broken, and it would be harder to make up her mind.