O R P H I C. [Tom. R × Reader]

39. Anger Outlet.

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It's been a few uneventful days, Tom hasn't even mentioned the kiss we shared at all, and I almost forgot about Xander until he appeared out of nowhere, stepping over the bench at the Slytherin table, and sitting in the space beside me.

"Well hello, stranger" I grin, nudging him. "I almost forgot you existed." He lets out a breath, one corner of his mouth lifted.

"Where've you been?" I notice Tom go silent beside me, pulling out of a conversation with some other Slug Club members.

"Dippet told me to claim a bed in the dorms, get my house sorted the next day, then get my class schedule the next day. I've had a lot of free time" Xander explains, simply.

"Ah.. sounds like a long process" I comment, pulling a piece of toast onto my plate.

"Unreasonably" He sighs, picking a croissant out of the basket in front of us. I quietly apply spread to the hot toast, glancing at Tom, who just seems to be staring down at his dish. I hesitate, I would nudge Tom and tell him that he's acting obtusely, but I have no clue what happened between the two.

"So how've you been?" Xander asks after he finishes a mouthful.

All the events that took place since the last time I've seen him fly through my mind before I respond with a simple, "Good."

Not long after, Tom seems to have had enough of breakfast, because he stands and just leaves. Out of nowhere. I brush it off. Maybe he went to the bathroom, though I think he'd just had enough of Xander. I sigh, finishing my own breakfast before saying goodbye to Xander, and heading down to Tom's room. But when I get there, it's empty.

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Tom's pov

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It's the day. Today I'll travel with a flick of my wand to the town of Little Hangleton. Today, Tom Riddle Senior, will die.

As soon as I get back to my room, I change out of my uniform robes, I don't have long until Y/n inevitably follows me, so I get ready quickly. Just as I'd anticipated, the sound of my door opening makes its way into the wardrobe where I stand, so I flick my wand, disappearing from the dorm and to the edge of the school property. I take the last few steps out of the apparition charm's range, and disapparate. Father, here I come.

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Y/n's pov

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I open the door, only to hear the loud pop of someone disapparating.

Oh, Tom. Just what are you up to?

By the time I've changed out of my uniform and used the handy little teleportation side effect from the vine to get to Tom, it's already been around twenty minutes. I land in the front yard of a large, old-fashioned manor. I don't waste any time reading the address, I hurry up the yard towards the door and hear yelling.

"How dare you abandon her!? She was your wife! She carried your child!" I hear Tom shout. His voice is coarse and uneven, he doesn't sound like himself at all, I've never heard him like this.

"Merope was a dirty, mindless whore. She had me under one of your kind's curs--" But Tom didn't want to hear it.

"Get my mothers name out of your filthy mouth, you puntable fuckwad," He sneers through gritted teeth, there's a flash of green light that reaches my position.

Shit.

I hurry, only making it to the right doorway as another bright flash blinds the room. I swallow down my own uneasiness, hurrying into the room.

"Tom!!" I cry, rushing to him. His wand is trained on a trembling old lady, he seems to be in a daze, he doesn't even flinch at the call of his name. I can see the rage in his unfocussed eyes as he shakes, jaw gritted so tight that a vein bulges in his neck.

I cup his face, holding his jaw and cheeks firmly, "It's okay, you're okay," I mumble, pulling his face into my shoulder and covering his eyes as I squeeze him tight, hiding the things around him that only fuel his anger. I can feel his pounding heartbeat as he struggles to bring himself back to the present, but I let out a sigh as I feel him unstiffen, wrapping his arms tightly around me, so tight as though his life depends on it. He trembles and shakes, jolting as he lets out a strangled noise. My heart breaks as I realize he's crying, sobbing.

"It's okay, I'm here, don't worry, everything is fine," I whisper, gently settling him and myself down onto our knees. I feel the tears soak into my shirt. I'm shocked that he's actually showing this much vulnerability, I sort of half believed that he couldn't even feel grief.

Maybe the only reason Voldemort ever became evil was because no one was there for him, no one knew him, no one befriended him, no one loved him. Maybe he just finally wanted to be known, loved. Even if it wasn't pure, true love. He wanted to be one people would devote their lives to, he wanted to be feared, worshipped by all. All because he was never loved. He became the darkest being of all time, because nobody loved him.

Maybe I can change that.

With a flick of my wand, we reappear outside of Hogwarts. I gently guide Tom back into the boundaries before flicking my wand again, now standing in my room, bathed in the midday sun that shines through my window. I don't say anything as I slip off my shoes, pulling Tom's coat from his shoulders and setting it over the back of the seat by the unlit fire, he slips off his own shoes before I pull him over to my bed.

He quietly follows, laying down beside me, pulling me firmly to him, hugging me tightly to his chest. No one says a word, I just wrap my arms around his neck, combing my fingers through the hair on the back of his head. The both of us blanketed in warm, golden sunshine, eventually fall asleep.