The Price of Gold | tom riddle

Chapter 16 - A Field of Feelings

"Don't be afraid Stiltskin, you're with me, what could happen?" Tom said, as they trekked into the outskirts of Hogsmeade.

"That is exactly why I'm afraid!" Ostata grunted.

Tom stopped in his path and turned behind to face her. His eyes traveled from her head to her feet and then back up again slowly. "For someone who resents me so much Ostara, it hasn't seemed to stop you from wearing the perfume I bought you." An evil smirk swept across his face before he turned around and continued to walk forward.

Ostara was delayed in following his path. She turned her head down toward her left shoulder and inhaled the scent of cherries. She did not know the perfume smell was so potent.

Tom crouched down towards the grass and took out the long piece of parchment. His eyes darted from the parchment, to the plants and then to Ostara. "Don't just stand there motionless like one of these trees. Get on your knees and help me."

She narrowed her eyes at the boy's demanding words and began looking at the plants in the opposite direction. "You know, you don't have to be so cruel Riddle."

He laughed. "If you think this is cruel, you haven't seen anything."

He inhaled sharply, followed by a grunt as something had pricked his finger. He rose the finger to his mouth and sucked it.

"Karma," Ostara muttered, under her breath, as she continued to inspect the flowers in her area.

"Shut it Stiltskin. Where are we supposed to put all of these anyway?" His hands gesturing to the long list.

"Lucky I came prepared, unlike a certain narcissist with black hair." She chucked him a straw basket with an arching, sturdy handle.

"Where did you pull these from?"

"Pinched them from that house's garden." Her finger pointed to the low fence of a raggedy hut.

He looked at her, almost impressed.

"It's dark. Nobody will know." She smiled softly as her eyes fell back down to the plants.

____

The moons glow had become brighter, and there were more stars in the sky.

The two had been picking in silence for twenty minutes.

"I think I've found enough Iris'," Star broke the silence. She stood holding her basket and walked closer to Tom.

"That should be enough Disomens." Tom chucked the last of them into the large basket.

"It would be, if those were all Disomens." She looked at the thin flora Tom had collected.

"They are Disomens," he replied, defensively.

She took another step closer and picked one from his basket. "See here," she pointed to the stem. "Feel it." She handed it to him.

"What?"

"What does it feel like?"

"Smooth?" He shrugged. "I'm not a plant expert Stiltskin," he sighed.

"Disomens have a small fuzz that coats the stem." She crouched down to the grass and searched it with her eyes. Her frail hands wrapped around the thin base of a plant as she pulled it from the ground.

She touched Tom's hand. His skin was cold to the touch and her gesture caused his body to convulse ever so slightly.

She guided his hand to the small, textured stem. "Feel the difference?" She looked up at him.