ethereal | tom riddle.

attention

The week that followed, Eliza had becoming increasingly sick. By Thursday, she couldn't even attend her classes. Tom had her in his room, even as he went to classes she would be sleeping on his bed.

Right before lunch, he quickly excused himself from Slughorn's class, going to the Great Hall before it became crowded. He filled up two plates, putting fruits in her plate and his as well, despite his intense hatred for the anything sweet.

Taking the two plates up to his room just as the school broke for lunch, he opened his door and set the plates down on his bed. Eliza knew just looking at the plates what was his and what was hers.

"Thank you." She mustered a smile up for him, sitting up as she wrapped herself in the fluffy duvets of his bed.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked her, a while later as he finished off his meal.

"I'm okay." She sniffled, her nose all red.

"Hilarious that you still think you can lie to me so easily. Come here." He patted the space in front of him as she nearly fell over. They had moved the plates onto the bedside table so there was space for her. She sat down right in front of him, blankets wrapped around her as if they were a part of her body. Tom pressed the tip of his wand to the side of her neck and cast a spell.

A white light flashed against her throat, blinking until it turned a pale blue. "What is it?" She asked him.

"Just a fever. Nothing serious. It'll go away in a few days." He pulled out three bottles of what she recognised to be healing potion and set two down on the table, keeping the third. "Open your mouth." He said, unscrewing the cork of the vial in his hands as she did what she was told. He measured three spoons and poured the syrup into her mouth. She swallowed the healing potion made to be strawberry flavoured , making a little smile forming on her lips as she did.

"When do I take it next?" She asked.

"You don't take it unless I give it to you."

"Okay." She wasn't bothered by his excessively controlling behaviour towards her. She simply didn't mind that from him. Strange as it was, she was used to him making most decisions. In fact, she rather liked that she didn't have to stress about much.

"Good girl." He lifted her chin up to him, placing a chaste kiss on the top on her reddened nose. She believed that he only did this out of strategy, knowing that she'd be preoccupied with thoughts of him if he gave her an occasional kiss or praise.

"I like it when you call me that." She smiled just as he walked out the door.

"I know." He smirked, shutting the door as he left.

He locked the door behind him, not wanting any unwanted visitors. He made his way to her dorm to pick up her notes book for the next class. Taking both his and her notebooks to Astronomy class, he made his way up to the tower, the others in the corridor making way for him to walk through.

*

"I wonder if Eliza is alright." Theo said at dinner, all of them having known that she was unwell since Tom would go up every break to be with her. He said it was only because he didn't want her to throw a fit, but their friends began to think that wasn't the truth.

"You're going to have to keep wondering. Tom is never going to let us see her." Zabini spoke, not exaggerating in the slightest. Everyone agreed with him, knowing that it was highly unlikely that Tom would let any of them see her till she was completely fine.

"He's a little too possessive, don't you think?" Rosier whispered to Theodore and Orion, making sure that Brax didn't hear them.

"I wonder if she is alright with that. She seems to be quite comfortable with him." Orion noted.

"She does seem normal. Perhaps he treats her better than we realise." Theodore shrugged as Rosier scoffed at that.

"Tom? Treating someone well?" Rosier raised an eyebrow.

"Well, she's not just someone. He might be overprotective of her, but he's not even a tad bit like that with anyone else. Sometimes I wonder if he truly does have feelings for her."

"Tom? Feelings for somebody? Theo, I'm beginning to think you're unwell." Orion responded to Theo.

Their conversation ended there, reverting back to an intense discussion about the latest Quidditch Cup match.

Meanwhile, Tom sat at his desk in his bedroom reading through his book on Horcruxes as Eliza slept soundly on his bed a few feet away from him.

A knock sounded on the door, Tom nearly groaning at the thought of having to talk to someone. He closed his book, using the bookmark Eliza had given him a few years ago to mark his page. He put the book in the drawer and opened the door, not allowing for any view into the room.

"Is she awake?" Abraxas asked, eyeing Tom's shirtless state with a raised eyebrow.

"No, she is not. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to see how she was doing, mate." He said, raising his hands up in a way to mean he was harmless.

"Maybe later. She's asleep now." Tom replied nonchalantly, shutting the door on his face. The knock came again, making Tom open the door and look at Abraxas irritatedly. "What is it?"

"We bought her some chocolates. They're her favourite ones. Could you give them to her?" Abraxas held out a simple delicately designed box for Tom to give Eliza.

"Fine. Anything else?"

"No." Abraxas shook his head, walking away once Tom closed the dorm door.

*
a/n: possessive controlling Tom 😍
Please don't read if you're uncomfortable because a lot of this books themes are not soft caring tom