The Girl from Azkaban ~ Tom Riddle (18+)

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊

~✧~

The sky shone golden, through the setting sun. Taraphina and Tom strode along the cobbled path to the almost castle-like house. Taraphina enjoyed the last rays of the day on her skin and leaned her head against Tom's shoulder.

"Are you enjoying yourself dear?" he asked her.

Taraphina replied with a small nod, which made Tom smile. They strode up the steps that led to the front door. Classical music could already be heard from far away. Taraphina was getting more and more nervous, but tried to block out her concerns as best she could. Tom noticed how she clung to him more and more and became more restless.

"Relax darling, I won't let anything happen to you," Tom whispered softly in her ear as he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. Tara looked at him uncertainly, but let herself be reassured by his words.

Her inner turmoil faded more and more into oblivion as she and Tom entered the large ballroom. In front of them, a staircase led down to the dance floor, where numerous couples were dancing or simply chatting. Next to the stairs leading down, to the left and right were two more stairs leading up. Tara was fascinated by the beauty of the room and its bright colours. How long had it been since she had seen such brightness in a room. At her home, everything was dark green, black or silver; there wasn't much room for bright and open spaces. She liked the dark colours, but every now and then she also loved the bright colours that radiated a lot of joy. She smiled to herself. 'Maybe tonight wouldn't be too bad after all,' she thought enthusiastically. She would enjoy this ball, her parents would not constantly grumble and lecture her on how a lady should behave on one night. Besides, today was the first time she was going to a ball with a steady male companion who was not part of the family. Her mother would surely be delighted at the sight....

~✧~

The music stopped and Tom strode down the stairs with Tara at his side. Greedy glances were cast at the pair, which Tom simply ignored, Tara being the one to get irritated as she so often did. Her insecurity and nervousness were increasing lately, which did not go unnoticed by Tom and the others. She clung tighter to Tom's arm again. The young man walked purposefully to the dance floor with her at his side. When he stopped, Tara broke away from him. The music began to play again. Tom and Tara bowed once to each other and got into a dancing posture. They began to dance a slow waltz to the beat. All the other couples had stopped dancing and were watching the elegance with which the future dark lord and his lady moved across the dance floor. But for today, Tom and Taraphina were still a nobody. As time went by, Tara enjoyed more and more the attention that people paid to them and her real concern disappeared more and more into oblivion again. Tom didn't want to cause a stir that evening but actually he should have known that Taraphina's beauty attracts everyone's attention...

Taraphina enjoyed Tom's closeness; her hand firmly in his and his other hand wrapped around her waist. She followed his stare and had to smile when she saw his power and possession in his eyes. He was always tense and stressed from all the pressure he put on himself, but that was how he was, a perfectionist and a narcissist who had to control everything.

The other couples started dancing again.

"Why so happy?" asked Tom suddenly, catching Tara staring. Her cheeks flushed and she gazed fixedly against his chest.

"Darling ?", Tom had to ask to get an answer out of her.

"I don't know," Tara replied simply.

"Don't make me repeat it," Tom warned now in a firmer voice as he squeezed Tara's hand tighter. He didn't care why she was so happy, but he wanted an answer. She too had to learn to be honest with him. If he wanted to know something, she had to answer.