Darling, || Tom Riddle

chapter 5 - very persuasive

"Yeah but Theo, he knows...he knows!" Crimson whined, sitting on the couch in front of the fire in the Slytherin common room.

"How much do you think he knows?" Theo asked, attempting to remain calm but fearing for her safety.

"He knows more than you do..." she trailed off at the end, emphasising her worry.

"Shit."

"Yeah shit."

The pair sat silently in each other's embrace - clinging on for the last bit of hope they had left. Crimson knew there was an underlying reason why he was so concerned or at least why he was concealing his concern.

"Do you have a tutoring session with him today?"

"I do but I'm not sure I want to go."

"Well you have to, he's the best and Dippet will lop off your head and hang it at the entrance of the castle if you don't go."

"Dramatic much?"

He sighed "I'm just saying, you know I'm right." She nodded in agreement and thought about what he would do with what he knew - would he tell the school? Would he use it to his advantage? Would he use it as a leverage? What. The. Fuck. Will. He. Do?

They sat in silence, the tension building as time passed but all of a sudden, the air grew thick, the tension seemed to sky rocket before snapping as a result of footsteps: his footsteps. The pair turned their heads unwillingly to see Tom standing besides them.

"Planning on showing up to our session?" Tom spoke quickly, looking behind him and walking to the doors.

"Planning on checking the time? Because last time I checked we had over an hour. So eager to spend time with me?" She teased, causing him to roll his eyes and speed out of the common room.

"Where has he been?" Theo asked rhetorically.

"He's been with me." A sickening voice came from the direction of the dorms. They moved their heads in the opposite direction and there stood a wobbling Anarxa. Crimson looked around the room before landing her gaze back on her enemy.

"Where?" Crimson asked.

Anarxa replied "In my bed."

"No, where did I ask?"

Theo almost choked on air at her response, giving her knee a squeeze of pride and joy.

"Theo asked..."

"Asked me, not you. Now run along - we don't want you here." She looked at the door, smiling "And neither does Tom clearly."

"Well he gives me more than he'll ever give you."

"You say it like it's an insult."

"It is, you're missing out. What a real shame."

Crimson just rolled her eyes but Anarxa carried on "If he could love, he'd love me."

"Again did I as- what do you mean if?"

"He can't love."

Crimson laughed out loud "Is that what he told you? Merlin, you really are fucking stupid."

"No its a real thing, something to do with his parents."

Crimson pondered for a moment, debating whether she should ask further questions or wait to ask Tom, or for him to tell her willingly. "This sounds like a private matter. If you cared about Tom in the way you claim, you wouldn't go around telling strangers his business." Crimson declared, taking herself and Theo by surprise at her attempt into protecting Tom's secrets.