『 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗲 』

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍- 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴

A FEW WEEKS passed by and it was now almost winter break. However, there was a party in the Slytherin common room at midnight. Walking into the said party, Alex wrinkled his nose at the already-drunk people on the couches and immediately walked to the corner of the common room after pouring himself a glass of firewhisky.

"Drinking so soon already?" asked a voice.

Alex didn't look at the person, who had walked up to him. "What do you want, Parkinson?"

"You know what, Riddle," Pansy Parkinson put a hand on his arm.

"Are you drunk?"

"No. Why? We can get drunk together, if you'd like."

He stared at her for a few seconds, disgust evident in his eyes. "No, Parkinson. I would not like to do anything that involves you."

Pansy rolled her eyes and gulped down the drink that was in her hand. "Suit yourself," she said, walking away.

"Quite a show," murmured another voice.

Alex looked at the person immediately. "How long have you been standing there?"

Daphne shrugged. "Since the start. Why'd you turn down her offer?"

"What is wrong with you all?" whispered Alex more to himself than her.

"Well, let's start with you. Alex Riddle doesn't want anything that involves other people."

"Excuse me?"

"Alex Riddle has no time for his friends— actually, scratch that. Alex Riddle has no friends."

"Waste of time they are, anyway."

"And yet Malfoy has an effect on you?"

He frowned. "What is it, Greengrass?"

"I think it's the drinks—" she pointed to Blaise Zabini, who was handing out drinks to almost everyone and was happily drinking along "—that i've took that are giving me the confidence to say this, but Alex Riddle.. you are officially the most confusing person I've ever met."

"Thank you."

"You helped Malfoy with his task, did you not?"

Alex's face hardened, hand tightening around the glass in his hand.

"My father's a death eater. I know about Malfoy. I saw you helping him the other day in the library. But.. why?"

He became quiet.

"There's no way you want to be a good person. There's also no way you'd dare go against the Dark Lord's orders, even if he's your father. So, the answer's obvious, isn't it?" She stepped closer. "You care for Draco Malfoy."

He grabbed her wrist, rushing out of the common room.

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ »̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»

As soon as the two were alone in an empty corridor, Alex rounded up on the girl, whose back was hitting the wall.

"You've got it all wrong, Greengrass. You're drunk, so I'll let you go this time—"

"Oh, I'm not drunk, Riddle."

"Either way, you've drank tonight."

Daphne scoffed in disbelief. "You know I'm right. You know everything I said was right—"

"Caring is for the weak," said Alex in a firm and strong voice, almost as if he had repeated that sentence many times before.

Daphne noticed something flicker in his eyes as he said that.

"And I am not weak. Stop trying to prove otherwise. You can't prove something that isn't true, anyway."

"I'm not trying to prove that you're—" she frowned "—weak or whatever. I'm trying to prove that everyone has a weakness, Riddle. Even you."

He became quiet for a few minutes, suddenly in thought. His eyes softened just a little bit. "I had a weakness. Not anymore, though. Is that enough for you to leave me alone?"

"It was your mum, wasn't it?"

He let out a breath, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket.

"She was brutally murdered in front of you, wasn't she?"

Alex flinched.

"And you had nobody afterwards, did you?" Daphne's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Stop," urged Alex, voice cracking a little.

"Nobody to tell you bedtime stories anymore. Nobody to tell you they loved you anymore. Nobody to tell you that you were worth it anymore. Nobody."

He pulled his wand out, pointing it at her with a clenched jaw. "I suggest you stop talking now."

Daphne stared back, unafraid. "I think I just found your weakness, Riddle."

"What?" Alex shook his head in disbelief.

"You haven't lit up the cigarette in your hand. You didn't even notice that that's not your wand—" she pointed to the wand in his hand, which was in fact, not his.

Alex frowned, realizing she was right. "Whose is this?"

"Mine," she shrugged, snatching it out of his hand. "Your weakness is your mother, Riddle. Alive or dead; she was always your weakness and always will be."

He sneered at her, face hardening again. "I will make you regret this, Greengrass. I will have you beg on your knees for your little sister's life to be spared. Astoria, her name, isn't it?"

Daphne's whole demeanor changed; she finally looked frightened, and a little smirk from Alex made her realize he knew that. "What?"

"Looks like I found your weakness, too. You used mine against me. I will use yours against you."

"I didn't use yours against you!"

"If I hear somebody else knowing what we just talked about tonight, I will come for your whole family."

Daphne nodded. "I wasn't going to tell anyone, anyway."

"Nevertheless, a warning should always be in order," he turned around, walking away. Just before he walked away out of her sight, he stopped. "For the record, you're really smart, Greengrass."