FLORICIDE| tom riddle

otto

It's christmas break. The halls are lit with what seems like angles haloed their way down to the evermore, engulfed with light and joy, but to Agnes it feels like they have a chokehold over whatever makes christmas, christmas.

"I heard you're leaving to Italy," a voice comes from behind.

"You heard right," Agnes addresses Hans.

"But... you're leaving with Riddle," he says, frowning.

"Yes, and?"

"I didn't know you two were. Close."

"Well," Agnes replies with a smile, "I haven't told anyone this but... I'm in love with Tom."

The look on his face makes her want to double up in laughter.

"Yes I know," she continues. "I never thought he'd make me feel this way but he does... he makes me happy. He makes me think the world is a happy place. He makes me feel butterflies, and stars that shine bright, and candy floss dipped in nectar, and all things sweet and beautiful."

She bites her lips, peeking at Hans through her eyelashes. "I was thinking maybe this trip can be a way to tell him how I feel. To confess."

She'd have been an amazing actress.

"I mean," Hans says with a grimace, "if you truly love him, then by all means, tell him. But please be careful. You know what they say."

Agnes frowns, willing anger to cloud her features. "Well, let them say what they want! Tom is a wonderful man and it's unfortunate they can't see that." She makes her lips tremble. "I love him and I love him and I love him and I will continue to love him till my very last breath."

Lying makes her giddy. It makes her feel high. Her tongue is silver and she can make anyone and everyone fall for her neatly fabricated lies.

And then he hugs her. It takes her aback with surprise, and for a moment she doesn't know whether to hug back or slap him. So she stays still.

A cough and someone clearing their throat makes Hans let's her go. He nods at her one last time before leaving.

"So you love me," Tom says with an unreadable expression.

"Oh absolutely," Agnes says brightly. "I especially love it when you threaten to kill me."

"I can kill you anytime," he offers.

"Oh that's awfully sweet of you," Agnes sneers.

He had informed her that they'd be going somewhere before taking a portkey to Salernio. He however declined to tell her where exactly they'd be going.

It made her furious but she knew prodding would do nothing so she stayed still with an impassable face lest he decided to enter her mind.

So when they get inside the train, she sits as far away as possible. If he notices it, he doesn't comment on it.

The silence is awkward, and it makes her think of muddy brown and olive green swirls because they certainly emote what she is feeling right now.

"You don't sleep with me anymore," Tom says, his eyes burning her.

She watches him intently. "Do you want me to?"

A minute passes, a cold minute in the blink of an eye or three.

"No."

The silence continues.

•

Agnes stands in front of a building, a dull dreaful building, with it's hideous features and colours but most of all, the lack of joy.

"This is an orphanage," she says as she looks at him.

"Yes." His jaw is tightened and his posture is stiff.

'And the place in which you grew up." Realization dawns upon her.

"I'm glad you're not as dumb as I thought you were."

She smiles. Whores are dumb, whores are dumb, whores are dumb.

(whores are cunning, whores are cunning, whores are cunning.)

With a quiet stay here Tom enters the orphanage and Agnes sits atop her suitcase.

He's back in a few minutes and his features are relaxed.

"Did you kill someone?" Agnes asks.

"None of your business," he replies curtly.

"You fascinate me."

He ignores her.

"I need to go to the washroom," she says hurriedly as she taps his shoulder.

"You can wait."

"I have menstrual issues."

He freezes. "You," he says in an unstable voice, "can go to the washroom inside the orphanage." 

He thinks she's stupid. So she nods. But she doesn't go inside the orphanage, instead she goes to the shed besides the orphanage when she's sure he's not looking.

She pulls out her wand and whispers a spell and flashes of blue light appear in corners and she goes closer and closer until-

Merope Gaunt.

With a deep breath she walks out of the shed and runs to the entrance of the orphanage and walks up to Tom.

He holds out a ginger beer bottle.

"And now," he says menacingly, "we go to Salernio."

a/n

do people actually read this book lol, because im lowkey unmotivated to continue with this book so i need to know if u guys actually like this book or not😭😭