Moonlit

iii

"You were not in class today," Avani heard Tom say.

It was a moonlit night when she was smoking a cigarette on the astronomy tower, a way to clear her head. But of course, Tom had found her there, distrusting her peace with his excruciating presence.

Avani did not want to look at his face. She wanted to forget the winter in Paris, leave behind the memories of when she was played like a naïveté.

She hated stupid people, and it was unbecoming that now she could be counted among them.

She loathed it.

She took a small drag of the cigarette, keeping the smoke in her mouth and not letting it down her throat. She believed that way, the cigarette won't harm her as much.

"I asked you a question," Tom said. Avani rolled her eyes. Always so demanding.

"I didn't feel like going," she said. Was she behaving like a brat? Yes. Did she care? No. Not when it came to Tom, at least.

She felt Tom stand beside her, his arm touching against hers and she moved a step away from him.

"If I remember correctly," Tom said, "you expressed how excited you were for my class."

"I was excited to skip it."

"Seems like you," Tom whispered, laughing.

Avani felt her cheeks heat upon the sound of his laugh, a pain blooming in her heart. It was an odd sensation. Avani had never felt that way for anyone but Tom. There had never been anyone else besides him. No one to make her lose sleep at night, daydream about sweet nuisances while she tested his name on her tongue over and over until her mouth felt raw. Perhaps that was the reason why it was hard to be in his presence. The first times were always supposed to be the most memorable ones. Avani desperately wished they weren't.

She risked a look at him and immediately regretted doing so. Tom was beautiful.

The cold January wind played with his tenebrous curls, nipping against his cheekbones, turning them slightly pink. He was tall, now taller considering she wasn't wearing any heels. And standing in such close proximity to him, she could smell his subtle scent. He did not wear any additional fragrance, his identity was the result of his day-to-day activities. He smelt like the black coffee he drank five times a day, the fresh parchment he wrote on for long hours, the cigarettes he smoked to turn his soul darker than it already was with a hint of earthy soap. It was divine.

They were silent for a long while as Tom watched the night sky and Avani finished her cigarette. And as soon as she did, she struck another one. The smell of the match hit her nose. There was a slight spark in the darkness followed by the orange flame. She used to use magic for lighting her cigarettes, but after she had seen Tom use matches for the purpose, saying it felt more raw that way, she had started carrying her own pack. Besides, she also really liked the sound they made. It was oddly calming.

"You can not keep acting this way," Tom said.

"Act how?"

"Acting like throwing a goblet of pumpkin juice on me, or skipping my class. It doesn't matter that we knew each other before, here at Hogwarts you are my student. You need to act like one."

"How professional of you, Tom. Where was this noble spirit when you left me at that bridge on new year's evening?"

Tom said nothing as he tapped his long fingers against his other arm, clicking his tongue against his cheek. Avani finished her second cigarette and when she went to light her third one, Tom snatched away her cigarette case, placing it into the inside pocket of his coat.

Avani dug her foot into the floor, letting out a sardonic chuckle.

"Give it back to me."

"Smoking is prohibited on Hogwarts grounds, Miss Chaudhry. As your teacher, I'm confiscating your cigarettes."

"Miss- ha! Are you serious, Tom?"

"It's Professor Riddle. You better start using my title, we're not in Paris anymore."

Avani shook her head in disbelief. "Or what, Tom. What are you going to do to me? Give me detention?"

Tom crossed his hands behind his back. "If necessary, yes. And if you still do not comply, I might have to contact your parents and the Headmaster."

Avani narrowed her eyes at him. "You are a dick."

"Language."

"You are a fucking dick of a bastard."

Tom grimaced, pinching the nose of his bridge. "What do you want me to do for you to stop acting like this?"

"Well, let's see. Getting on your knees and begging for my forgiveness would be a good start."

Tom laughed, almost snorted even. But he then noticed that she was serious. "You're not joking?"

"No." Why would she be? She was hurt for the first time in the romantic aspect of her life, and she had no idea how to deal with it other than act out.

"I don't think you realise you're in the wrong here too, Avani. You lied, remember. Made me believe you were twenty-two when you're just an eighteen-year-old school girl. Why is that not the issue here?"

Avani shrugged. "Because I don't want it to be."

Tom scoffed. "Yes, that makes absolute sense."

"It does actually."

"Are you hearing yourself? You sound absolutely insane."

Avani threw her hands in the air. "Well, I don't fucking care if I sound insane!"

"You should, Merlin."

"But I don't."

Tom shook his head, staring at her in disbelief. "Do what you want, then. Don't complain when I do my part. If I see you breaking any other rule, Miss Chaudhry, I will take action. And they will not make you happy."

Avani shrugged, crossing her hands in before her as she tried to appear nonchalant. "Okay."

"You're immature."

That struck her nerve and she found herself throwing her matchbox at his face, her very first instinct whenever things got out of her control.

Tom caught it before it touched him, and then pushed it into the same pocket as her cigarette case. He turned to walk out of the Astronomy tower.

"Yeah, run away again, Tom. You're so good at it."

Tom did not look at her, ignoring her fuming breaths behind him as he climbed down the stairs of the astronomy tower.

Avani laughed, loud and clear, the sound making her look insane. Oh, how she was going to make him regret his choices.