To Catch Stars

𝚅𝚎𝚐𝚊

Vega followed Rigel a year later the end of my Sixth year, he was almost perfect, but he lasted shorter than the others.

Almost like he burned out in my hands before I could even feel the heat, this time it was my fault.

I was angry, suspicious. I couldn't trust and he was the victim. Now I wonder if he was my match.

If I hadn't messed it up.

He smiled at me, as if I was the most important thing in the world to him, as if he didn't think about other things.

As if he didn't lie. As if he didn't love others before. I knew he had."Do not touch me." He snatched his hand back away from mine as we walked.

"Sorry.....maybe we could see the gardens?" I didn't look at him walking to my next class."Why do you insist on following me?"

He sighed."Please? I just want to know you." I didn't even look at him as I went to my class. He tried again and again.

I found no interest in him. Of course, he didn't stop trying. He probably wanted something from me.

They always did. "What do you want?" He walked next to me as I tried to navigate my way to dinner.

"I just want to know something anything about you I really like you-" I held up my hand."No."

I continued to walk this time by myself as he seemed to deflate. Only he ran to catch up to me.

"Just hear me out. How about we just study together tomorrow? The Library, please." Not even I was inhuman enough to say no.

Even I craved something to numb the loneliness."Fine." He grinned."Really?" I didn't repeat myself as I entered the great hall.

Being at the library carried no rush or happy feeling, I didn't want him to hold my hand or even look at me for too long.

He burned short of a month, and not even I had enough memory to remember his house, whatever it was. For a while, I thought maybe I could be a star if I had not let myself burn out so quickly.

Now it brings me to the Seventh year, the current year, and hopefully my last.

I looked down at the little journal I kept, More pages filled than others, names forgotten and houses scrolled down messily. Something suggested to me by my mother to cope with my 'strange behavior.'

What a useless thing to do. I tossed the journal into the common room fireplace having no use for it anymore.

I would take a walk, as I did most walks. Be careful to avoid the nosy students tasked with patrolling the halls after dinner.

As I left I already knew where i was heading, the fourth-floor west hallway, far from the commons, but right where I needed to be.

Under the stars. My usual path was unguarded by paintings set to alarm deep asleep by now making the journey shorter than usual.

I ended up exactly where i wanted to be. I laid down my eyes on the large window over the hallway, stars in the sky reminding me of the ones back home.

"It's late to be watching the stars." I almost jumped out of my skin, seeing him loom in the hallway with his brown eyes staring down at me.

"I-" My mouth bobbed up and down like a fish. "What are you doing here anyway, it's past curfew." He chuckled his badge pinned to the collar of his shirt.

"I was simply just taking a walk." His impish smile was bright against the dark shadows of the hallway. "Thought I'd say hello....keeping yourself out of trouble I assume?"

I could feel my eyes rolling in the back of my head before i could stop them, what did he think i was doing? Plotting revenge while basking under the stars?

Sure it was his job, but i could care less about his job, getting up I began walking down the hallway before he tried to give me detention.

I could almost hear him murmur as he followed. "Where are you off to?" I held back a groan of annoyance.

"Where you go to disappear after dinner I suppose," I murmur sarcastically as I dragged my fingers down the stone walls of the hallway.

"Where I go?' He adds confused, "Are you following me?" He chuckles, I sigh wishing i could rebuke the words from my mouth only minutes ago.

"If I disappear after dinner its to go meet with a special someone." He murmurs again. "It seems you were following me are you looking for that special somone too?"

I stop looking back as i try not to glare."No i've already found him and he was a disappointment." I say before turning a corner.

"A disappointment is he?" He asks curiously shaking off my attempts to lose him, making me wish I could curl up and die, feeling my irritation not disappearing but getting worse as he spoke.

"Is that why your out here alone- because he's let you down? Don't tell me you were hoping that I would distract you from them instead?"

The cruel edge to his voice only pushed my buttons as I turned towards him with an irritated look, "No i was hoping you would be as you usually are avoidant so I can have peace to brew on my mistakes."

Sarcasm wrapped around my last words that i almost seemed to scoff at him.

"Avoidant? Me? Oh, don't be ridiculous!" He laughs, and for a moment I wonder if there might not be a glimmer of annoyance in his eyes.

"Well, don't let me ruin your night," He says softly. "Go back to your room and stew in your own self-pity. I wouldn't want to get in your way after all."

I crossed my arms my eyes fixed on his in annoyance. "Of course, you pity yourself enough as it is don't want to add to it."

I say leaving down the hall. "Yes, I do feel sorry for myself," He replies, almost mockingly.

But his expression seems to soften at the same time. "I don't think you've ever looked at me with true compassion, you know. Everyone always sees me as this great, terrible force."

I snort looking back not taking him seriously, sure I've heard of his little group, but I wasn't scared of him, maybe not compassionate.

But I never had been.

He pauses for a moment, and I can see that his eyes seem to glisten for a moment. "I wish someone would see me as just Tom for once,"

He whispers. "Not Tom Riddle, not Lord Riddle. Just Tom Riddle. Maybe then they'd feel sorry for me too."

I pause almost feeling a tinge bad. "I feel sorry for you, sometimes when you have humanity, when you look like I do when I'm lonely. Not cruel. As you always are."

I knew my words well, I knew them cause I had seen how he treated others. Powerful or not.

He pauses for a moment, and you can see his gaze soften as it meets yours again. "Not many people look at me with the kindness in their hearts as you are doing. I appreciate it."

I bit my lip anxiously, not knowing how to take his words. I barely had known him for long.

Yet he bore his soul to me.