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

Chapter 5-02

The next couple of months pretty much repeated themselves. Seek out or be summoned by Slughorn, have a diplomatic dinner with Slughorn, be Slughorn's personal assistant. Rinse, repeat.

They talked about nothing substantial while simultaneously talking about everything. Grades, productive Prefect tasks and problematic run-ins. Most of all, his dream of being Hogwarts' future Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. If anyone deserved the spot, it was him.

Your name dropped on an occasion or two. Tom would tell every bit about you, a fair price for his professor's trust. He'd have half a glass and leave it at that, trying not to throw it out as the letter that disintegrated to dust invaded his thoughts, trying to keep a calm despite the blinding truth.

It got easier to deal with when he worked his way up to a full glass, less intrusive but no less of a wake up slap. Braveryn. (Y/N). Gryffindor parents on the run from justice. Far descendants from Godric Gryffindor himself.

It was written in your bloodlines to be mortal enemies. It had been since your very births.

Your clash hadn't been coincidence, meeting you hadn't been coincidence, having twin wands hadn't been coincidence, Priori Incantatem hadn't been a mere accident.

You were two sides of the same coin.

He still had ahold of himself. Telling you he was busy when you were waiting to go stargazing. You had looked like your heart sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

"I can't star watch with you. Something has come up that I have to take care of."

You paused, looking down at yourself.
"Oh. That's okay."

"I will make it up to you. Alright?"

"Alright. What is-"

"I have to leave," he left abruptly and you were left staring. You tried not to let the disappointment get to you, he was a Prefect so of course things might come up that he couldn't refuse. But the hastiness made you feel blown off.

Kicking off your shoes and milling around you considered asking one of your friends to see if they want to do something, but a stupid part of you thought maybe he might surprise a visit later after he was done with what he had to do. Though you didn't want to be a fool about a boy and have him ruin your night if he didn't do what you secretly wanted him to.

Then later, you had to do a double take. You nosily eavesdropped on three voices around a fork corridor, stunned when you peeked and saw him roaming with a Hufflepuff and Abraxas.

Watched him smile, trying to put on a cheerful face. Impressive, how easily he succeeded. While he laughed along with them, you, in contrast, felt like crying.

The woman's face was partially obscured by Abraxas, but she was cute at the very least and it made your chest clog with jealousy again.

He wanted to explain, having developed almost a sixth sense to feel your magical aura out, but couldn't, because if he did, everything would change.

Permanently.

And for the worst.

He couldn't have that.

Destroying the letter had been... For that reason.

The progress was slow but sure, he built up a tolerance, following in Slughorn's steps. Slughorn always relished his presence, basking in his potential and reveling in their daily talks. Their relationship flourished to the point that he got invited to his house during winter season, a privilege that no undergraduate, in any capacity, had ever received.