Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

121: Overheard Confessions

"Date me," the words hung heavy in the air, freezing Tom in place as he eavesdropped outside the blonde's dorm room. He had come to discuss Dumbledore's assassination plan with Draco but unexpectedly heard something he never wanted to hear.

Tom knew that she was no longer his, that they had ended their romantic involvement, and he had his reasons for it. Drunk people were honest, and he had witnessed their sexual tension with his own eyes. Unbeknownst to him, she had concealed a secret relationship with Draco, a relationship Tom considered incestuous, given their familial connections, and it shook his understanding of her.

"Are you mad? What are you thinking?" Cassiopeia's voice pierced through his thoughts. "You're dating someone else and you're asking to date me? Don't be ridiculous."

Tom realized that her barrier was simply because Draco was now in a relationship. He couldn't help but feel a mixture of resentment and jealousy. After all, he had killed her mother.

"I can talk to her," Draco sighed. "Astoria knows everything about us; I told her. I can explain everything to her."

Tom couldn't help but feel a sense of disillusionment with both of them—cheating and toying with people's feelings seemed to be a shared trait. Perhaps, given her upbringing with the Malfoys, he should have expected it.

"Are you going to break that little girl's heart?" Cassiopeia's tone was laced with disdain. "Are you serious? Don't think my broken heart could be fixed with the incest you offer. I never was into it, not now, and never will."

Tom flinched at her words, which seemed to be brutally honest, considering the heated argument taking place. Unbeknownst to them, someone was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"If you had agreed three years ago, that fucking bastard wouldn't have broken your heart, Cassie," Draco's voice grew heated, and Tom's fists clenched as he listened.

"Does he really love you? No. He's just using you. Theodore may be right, he may want to ruin the pure bloodline, being a half-blood breed," Draco continued, and Tom seethed with anger.

"Don't call him that," Cassiopeia warned sternly. "Whatever you say, my heart will not change, Draco. I don't care how much he hurt me, I don't care if he bullied me. I love him with all my heart, and it will never die."

"You're insane," Draco fumed, and Tom braced himself for what would come next. "Don't you understand it's just a crush that got into your head when you were a teen?"

"Don't you know that I caught feelings for him when I was eleven?" Cassiopeia's words hit Tom like a sledgehammer. "He was my first love, my first crush, and my first in everything. It was love at first sight I never believed."

Tom couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she serious? Was he dreaming?

In a moment of doubt, he pinched his cheek to confirm that he wasn't dreaming. His heart raced as he contemplated her words. He knew he had hurt her deeply, but he had always been cautious about believing words too easily.

Words were powerful manipulative tools. Could she have sensed his presence and adjusted her words to affect him?

"Alright, Cassie. Let's get over with this," Draco began, and Tom furrowed his brows, wondering what his next move would be.

"Tell me one thing: can you love him despite knowing that your mum was killed, your dad had to sacrifice his life to stop a monster, a loyal Death Eater killed your uncle, and your good friend Potter's parents were killed, all while knowing that you had to leave the Manor because he was searching to kill you..."

Draco's words spilled out before a heavy silence settled in the room. Tom wondered how she would respond.

"Be—because he loves me," she sniffed, and Tom's hand rested against the stone wall next to him. "I cannot hate him, and I cannot even stop loving him. He protects me."

As her words lingered in the air, Tom was left grappling with his emotions and questioning his own feelings.

"He doesn't love you, but loved; He doesn't protect you, but protected," Draco sighed. "All are past, all are past tense. You should move on. Try to be comfortable with someone else, I don't care if he's a pure-blood or not. This time I needed to see you smile, a real smile."

"How can I do that when I know my heart is shattering to pieces and pieces whenever his figure draws into my mind, Draco," Cassiopeia sobbed, and Tom felt something ache in his chest. "I love him, Draco. I cannot even think of a life without him. He was the only man I needed in my life to commit myself completely. I saw my future husband in him, father of my children one day."

Then her wail filled the dorm as Tom stepped back, biting his bottom lip. Is she telling the truth? Did he make a wrong decision? Did he really imagine things not going between them? Why did she kiss him? They were engulfed in each other like they wouldn't be able to breathe if they pulled away. Every night the picture replayed in his head, making him sick.

She was his; his angel; his princess; his woman, but everything had changed in the blink of an eye. His heart and brain were locked in a relentless argument.

His brain said, "Don't believe her. She's a good actress from the beginning. She lied to the great old git Dumbledore and many others to hide anything. So, it wasn't hard for her to do the same to you."

But his heart said, "Trust her love. She lied because of you; to get you back; to change your life; to give another chance to feel alive with her; to protect you. She never saw you as a monster. She forgave you knowing her loved ones were hurt by your past. She loved you with all her heart, unconditionally."

What if she lied to him? But what if she loves him?

Before he could turn to leave, the door opened unexpectedly, revealing his ex-girlfriend with swollen red eyes. The dark eye bags and red, wet cheeks revealed her life was miserable.

Both of them stared for a second. Tom felt like holding her in his arms and kissing her until they couldn't catch their breath. He missed her touch, her soft fingers running on his torso, giving a mesmerizing sensation which no one else could provide. Her hand caressing his hair like he was her small baby. Her lips on his, clouding his whole world with love, lust, and passion. He missed the way she moaned his name, when he plunged into her until she was a moaning, mewling mess under him.

"What are you doing here?" An unexpected venom sparkled in her voice. "It isn't good to eavesdrop on other's family conversations, Riddle."

Whoa! Last name basis?

"I don't want to waste my precious time listening to some incestuous moans," Tom yawned, masking his emotions. "I think you didn't know it isn't good to play with others' feelings either."

"It's none of your concern," she rolled her eyes, walking past him.

"Of course, it's not," he retorted. "But what concerns me is being a victim of your deceitful game."

She stopped in her tracks. He saw her fists clench, turning them paler. Then he heard her sniff. He wondered how her face looked now. Pain? Broken? Regret?

"At least, I know how to forgive people, even when they've committed the most serious crimes," a slight chuckle escaped from her lips before she completely disappeared from his sight.

Did she really mean it? He thought she would call him a monster. But no, she never did. But he knew he was the monster who had turned her life upside down in the worst way.

A/N

What do you think? Will Tom understand soon or will it be late like the last time?

~ monoceros_x 💕