Tam Riddle: Sometimes the Hero Doesn't Win (HP Fanfic)

Talking About the Past

Tonight is the Valentine's Day Dance and I was in Draco's room lying on his bed. We were laughing and talking stories. My leg was fixed, my ribs were on the way to recovery, but my shoulder was going to take forever to heal. The second time I dislocated it this year. Thank God for potions otherwise I wouldn't be able to ever play Quidditch again with a busted shoulder like jacked up muggle athletes.

But anyway, back to the night in Draco's room. I was going to spend the night in his room, for support on my shoulder. We couldn't do much anyway with my lame shoulder in the way of a make out session. We couldn't kiss without me wincing or yelping in pain.

But we were having fun none the less.

We decided no dance for me for a while. So we ended up talking about the childhood memories we could still remember.

"I remember when you screamed when a bug came crawling on your leg," he said with a smile.

"And you were such a gentleman and rescued me," I said playfully. "How old was I when that happened?"

"Ten I think," he said. "A week before you left."

We sat there in silence. I was waiting for the question. I thought he needed to know the truth, but he had to ask the question first.

"So why did you move?" he asked, and there it was. "I mean you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

I sat there quiet. I sighed and sat up on the bed and faced him.

"I was young," I started. "I didn't know what I was and how to control my Elemental powers," I paused. He sat up and looked at me. I sighed and continued, "I was at the park on a swing when a muggle boy came up to me and pushed me off. He probably expected me to cry or something, but I didn't. I stood right back up and his face looked surprised. I pushed him back. He was on the ground and he got mad. He stood back up and grabbed my hair. I screamed for him to let go, but he didn't. We were apparently the only ones at the park."

"Why were you alone?" he interrupted.

"My parents were busy with the twins and John and Sam were at school. There was nothing to do," I said. "So I was screaming and he pulled my hair harder. I couldn't take it anymore and I imagined a wind blowing him away. And the wind started lashing around us, but he didn't let go of my hair. The earth wrapped around my feet as the wind picked him up. He finally let go off my hair and he was thrown through the air. He landed in the sandbox, hard. The boy got up and started crying. He ran back to, I guess, his house. I slumped to the ground all tired and my head was throbbing. I thought I was alone, but I wasn't. A man dressed in black came over to me from somewhere I didn't quite know. He didn't introduce himself to me. He just came over and looked at me. He then grabbed my arm and proceeded to drag me to the edge of the playground. I was scared. When we were under a tree he stopped and turned to me. He told me not to scream." I stopped. Draco's hand was on my other shoulder.

I hadn't realized I was talking so fast.

"I'm sorry," I said. "This is the first time I ever told anybody. The Michaels only knew that I had harmed someone, nothing more."

He nodded and motioned for me to continue.

I cleared my throat and started again. "I was scared out of my mind. I did the only thing that could come to mind out of fear. I burned him. Or well my arm where he was holding, burst into flames. He burned his hand. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a wand. I was really scared and I thought about him bursting into flames. And he did. I was surprised and I was frozen in horror. He was screaming, he was screaming in so much pain. In a matter of seconds, he fell to the ground, silent. I ran home as fast as I could. I told my parents what happened. They were horrified. Apparently, they thought that since the Dark Lord was dead, I would be safe, but a Deatheater comes out of nowhere and tries to kidnap me in broad daylight. We weren't safe anymore. That's why we moved. They thought the threat was gone, but that happened." I stopped and fell back onto his pillows.

He sat there staring at me. I closed my eyes and started to breathe deeply. I hated reliving it. I had nightmares for years about it. I killed someone. Out of self defense yes but killed someone nonetheless.

We were quiet for a long time. Until he finally shifted on the bed and laid down next to me looking into my eyes.

"You were scared," he said with compassion and something else in both his eyes and voice. "You did what you thought was best." I could have sworn that it sounded like fear. Was he scared of me?

I snuggled into his chest and tears started sliding down my face and soaking his shirt.

"Shh, it's okay," he cooed. "Everything is going to be alright."

"You promise?" I said in between sobs.

"I promise," he said as he held me tighter, careful of my shoulder.

We stayed that way all night. While everyone else was in the Great Hall having a blast, we were here talking about my past. I wouldn't have wanted to trade a single second of it.