Princess - A Tom Riddle Fan Fiction

Chapter 18

As his facade starts to fade away, so do my walls.

--

I'm fucked. In more than one way.

I stand in front of the mirror, studying the hickeys that are randomly scattered across my jaw and neck, and are impossible to hide and I can't go two steps without limping. I'll just go sick today. Tom won't care, and I doubt anybody will come on check on me.

Right on cue, a knock breaks me from my relief.

"Florence? You alright? We're going to be late to class," Ember's concerned voice rings through the slim door crack.

"I'm sorry, I'm sick," I fake a cough, "I'm sure it's just a cold, though and I'll be good tomorrow."

The door handle shakes as Ember tries to unlock it, "Let's go to Madam Pomfrey, she will get you better in a second. Can you unlock the door?"

I fake cough again, "I can't move, sorry."

"It's okay, I got it," she says, "Alohomora."

I urgently turn around, but it's too late. The door is open and Ember is staring at my neck. Her mouth is a gap and her wand loosely grasped by her fingertips.

"What the-"

I break out of my trance and quickly pull Ember into the room, shutting the door harshly. I lean back against it, sliding down to the floor. I lay my head in my hands, ready for a lecture she's no doubt about to start.

"If it's concealer you need I got it..." she trails off as I shake my head.

"I'm so fucking stupid," I groan.

"Hey, hey, hey." She moves to sit next to me, pushing a strand of hair out of my face. "It's going to be okay. I have everything you need to cover it up and even have a potion if you're worried. Also, if you want to avoid someone or some people, I can easily get them off your back."

I lean my head on her shoulder. "It's not just that."

She begins stroking my hair, "Oh?"

My cheeks flush, "I can't... walk properly."

Her motions suddenly stop for a second before she gets an idea and stands up, "easy, you feel down the stairs and hit your knee. I can say I witnessed it, if you'd like." She offers me her hand and I hesitantly take it. 

"One more thing," I whisper.

"Sure," she replies, half dragging me to the door.

"I need you to keep Riddle away from me."

She stops and slowly turns to me, making sure she heard me right. The she starts shaking her head without breaking eye contact. I can hear the gears rolling in her head as she tries to come up with some logical reason I want him away, other than the fact I slept with him.

"Please tell me it's for some other, completely random reason. I'm not mad, I mean you're two people who can make decisions and, even if they're batshit crazy they're good for you, right? I just- I'm so lost. I know plenty of girls who find him attractive, and he knows that too, but- but... you? I mean I though you despised him. I thought you didn't want to spend one more second with him than you had to, and... you guys fucked- I- what?" She ends, exasperated.

"I do hate him, seriously. It's just- I don't know how to explain it. He... knew me. It sounds weird, but it's true. He knew the right things to say, to do, and I didn't even know," I whisper, ashamed.

"You're telling me you were a virgin?" Her voice turns icy. "You let Tom Riddle be your first? How could he do that? What a-"

"He doesn't know."

A long, dreading, silence follows. Ember lets go of my hands and takes a step back. I don't try to defend myself, it's not worth it.

"Florence, he's gonna find out, and it's not going to end pretty," she mutters.

I sigh, "you're the only one who knows. Just don't think about it, okay?"

She nods, "I'll try. Stay here for the day, I'll tell the professors you're sick. I'll give you the potion later tonght."

The doors closes behind her and I can hear her scurry away. I limp a few steps and fall back onto my bed. A growing headache pierces my thoughts as I try to stay positive. He won't need to know. It's not a big deal and he probably won't even care. I have nothing to worry about.

With that, I snuggle up under the covers and fall back asleep.

***

An aggressive knock wakes me. From the rage trapped in the pounding, I can tell who's it is. Tom Riddle. I'm not mad at Ember, yes slightly frustrated, but she tried her best. In all honesty, I'm surprised she made it until dark.

"What?" I yell.

"Let me in," he growls.

"Let yourself in, I'm not moving." He does just that, saying the charm and kicking the door open.

"You know you could be a little more quiet..." I murmur.

"Muffliato," he says and I can already feel the wrath he's about the throw on me.

I turn my head away from the god-like man and towards the window.

"Look at me, Vince," He fumes. I slowly turn my head, waiting for an explosion.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asks. I don't answer. 

"Why didn't you fucking tell me? I'm not asking again," he says, slamming his fist onto my bedside table. The table groans from the pressure but stays resilient.

"I'm sorry. I-" I don't finish the sentence. God damn it, I'm not telling him what I told Ember.

"What?" He seethes. "I need an answer."

"Why do you care? It's honestly not a big deal," I roll my eyes. The truth is, it did mean something. It just hurts to think that now Tom means something. I just wish he could feel something, anything other than hatred, towards me.

I shift under the covers and he releases a breath. He sits down next to me and blankly stares at the wall. I need to do something.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean make you upset. We can't take it back but we can pretend it never happened. That's good enough, right?" My voice shakes at the thought. I will never be able to forget it, but right now it's not about me.

"How can you think that?" Tom whispers, is voice barely audible.

"Think what?" I ask, confused.

"That this isn't about you. It's always about you," his voice is frantically measured as he meets my eyes.

"Stop reading my thoughts," I whisper, trying to keep my thoughts focused on the situation at hand.

"Not until you start treating yourself with respect and actually understand what I'm trying to say," he pauses, "my mother used a love potion to get my father to bed. My mother died when I was born and, when the potion wore off, my father was stuck with me. I went to an orphanage soon after."

"Tom..."

"Let me finish," he clears his throat, "I don't want to be my parents. Yes, I'm fucked up, but I'm not going to abuse your respect towards yourself. You deserve more and shouldn't think of yourself as second cause I sure as hell won't put you before me. Okay?"

His brown eyes study every feature and expression on my face as I digest what he said. A flurry of butterflies erupt in my stomach as he stares at my lips.

"Okay," I sigh, trying to suppress my feelings.

He waits for a moment, before leaving my room without a second look.

--

A few more emotional connections between characters now... 

- Gray