kneel | Tom Riddle

𝟔𝟖

68| sickness and health

That Friday morning Seraphina Vevrain woke up throwing up blood. She tried to hide the black veins on her wrists, which were slowly spreading to her elbows, but she couldn't. Tom ran after her and held her hair as she kneeled in front of the toilet. He examined the dark veins with a frown and he made a decision in that moment. Before anything worse could happen, Tom was going to become her Horcrux and she could live forever by his side.

After she was finished, he told her to lay on the bed again and got her water and breakfast, not being able to see her so pale and weak. A thin layer of sweat covered her forehead as she ate her breakfast and Tom did nothing but stare at her while standing in front of the open window.

He was hoping the summer air could help her breathe more easily, but it didn't seem to work and the wizard was getting more and more desperate. What else could he do?

"We are doing it today," he spoke and she barely acknowledged him, "I'm going to become your Horcrux today."

She sighed and stopped eating, finally looking up at him, "I don't want to."

"Don't be stupid, Seraphina. We're doing it today either you want it or not. You are getting sicker and sicker as the days go by and I can't stand it," She slowly got under the covers again and Tom walked at her, taking the covers away from her body, "Don't cover yourself, you are burning," he placed his hand on her forehead and she closed her eyes, looking extremely tired.

"But I'm so tired, Tom. I don't think I can do it," she spoke weakly and he frowned.

"You don't have to do anything, Seraphina. I will take care of everything, alright?" He asked softly, watching her breathing get even slower.

She tried to hug her body, "It's so cold, Tom. Please," he understood what she wanted and covered her body again, even if her skin was warmer than ever. He just couldn't say no to her, especially when she was so fragile.

He brushed her long hair with his fingers and watched her face attentively, trying to understand what she was feeling. If he just could understand what she was feeling, maybe he would be able to help her. For once in his life, Tom wished he was the one suffering. Tom wished he would be the one touching that cursed diadem.

Just by watching her so tired and sick on that bed, Tom swore he felt worse than her. He believed her pain hurt him more than it could ever hurt her. And at that moment he didn't doubt his feelings for her. She was so precious and dear to him, she was the only important thing he had. It broke him to see her like that, it truly did.

It had been weeks since they came back from Albania and Tom couldn't blame anyone else but him for what she was feeling. It was all his fault and he would rather not have made a Horcrux than to see her like that. He would rather be just a mortal common wizard than to see her so fragile and sick.

How did that happen? How did he, the boy with no feelings, with nothing to lose, suddenly wish he could change everything for her sake? When did he get so weak and vulnerable?

"I remember, Tom," she spoke lowly, when he thought she was already sleeping again, "I remember your pain. I remember what you went through to create a Horcrux," she paused as he took her hand in his and kissed it softly, "I don't want to go through all that pain right now. I don't think I can," her voice broke at the hand and Tom noticed the tears leaving her eyes.