Hogwarts: a school of Witchcraft and Love (Tom Marvolo Riddle x F!reader)

Chapter 2-06

The adorableness extravaganza started on an unsuspecting Tuesday, when you and Alyssa barged into professor Slughorn's Potions classroom with enough cheerfulness to power the class for a week, unaware that today was going to bring a slight change in your dynamic.

The moment you were inside the Potions classroom, your eyes immediately gravitated towards one particular student who was already talking lively with the professor. And from the looks of it-the impressively highly raised eyebrows and a grin that could stretch from here to the moon-Slughorn was head over heels smitten.

That wasn't even where the cuteness began. Even at just twelve years old, it was a known fact that Tom Riddle already was the apple of his eye. Slughorn had this look in his eye and acted a lot more animated when looking at him than at any other student. It was like there was an aura around him that made everyone else vanish into thin air.

And who could blame him? Not only was his intelligence unmatched by any other student of any age, but also his skill set and hard work made him stand out. In every class you shared so far you had seen him breeze through with effortless excellence while the others struggled to keep up.

Still, all of this was relatively normal. Class proceeded like usual-Slughorn extended his warm welcome to the rest of you.

As the lesson progressed further along its usual path, Tom was ever so attentive. Every word said seemed to stay in his brain as if forever imprinted there. All eyes were riveted on him as if under some sort of fascination spell cast by his dedication to perfecting every detail with each concoction he created.

His knack for potions certainly proved beneficial for everyone around him, especially those fortunate enough to work with him or ask for help. With an effortless wave of the wand or a stir of the spoon, magic sealed with efficiency occurred like clockwork. It was like watching a magical cooking show.

The professor had written the recipe for the 'cooking show' on the board, causing a frenzy as students rushed to gather ingredients. Despite Slughorn's lenient approach to discipline, most days were spent productively and peacefully in his class, including this one.

Your assignment was to finish your Strengthening Potion individually. You worked in silence with only a few whispered exchanges with Alyssa about what step came next.

"Isn't Tom just incredible?" A girl from a neighboring station peeped with wonder. It was like everyone was mesmerized by his precise and skilled potion-making abilities.

His abilities, and his chubby cheeks.
Everyone was in love, except for Alyssa.

"He's such a show-off..." She grumbled childishly. Her loyalty to you made her less susceptible to the cuteness happening. But her bitterness distracted her as her own solution turned violet instead of turquoise.

Slughorn detected her need for help but instead of coming over to fix the issue himself, turned towards his star student. "Tom, m'boy, since you've already completed your task with such ease and efficiency, would you be so kind as to lend miss Evans a helping hand? It appears she's having trouble."

Without a moment's delay or complaint, Tom sidled up to Alyssa's cauldron. His face, now mere inches away from the bubbling concoction, was intense in a... Calm manner? As he scrutinized the potion, a series of miniature expressions changed his features.

There was something different about how he tackled this new challenge. Gone were any traces of frustration which had been present last time they worked together in Charms.

And, speaking of Charms... It looked like Potions class was turned into Charms class 101.

From the way he corrected her mistakes without belittling her efforts at all to flashing the adorable dimples. He produced a small vial from his pocket and cradled it between his fingers, containing the missing ingredient that would bring Alyssa's potion to life.