WRONG CHOICE

9

i woke in a bed that wasn't mine.

i scanned my surroundings, trying to figure out where i was.

it wasn't Bella's room, or Cissa's... or even a dorm.

i was in the infirmary.

i groaned and shut my eyes.

"you're awake," a voice made me jump.

i opened my eyes.

Tom lounged on a chair beside me, his legs stretched out and resting at the foot of the bed.

"what are you doing here?" i asked.

"making sure you're alright," he said slowly.

"why?"

"we're a team—remember? plus, a lot happened to you."

"did it?"

his face was blank for a moment, then a slight line appeared between his pinched eyebrows.

"what do you remember?"

"we gave the speech, i went to dance with Bella—Felix was watching so i kissed her, then..." my mind went blank.

"then Felix took you to his dorm." his gaze darkened. "he spiked your drink while we gave the speech."

realisation dawned and i sat up sharply.

"did he-"

"no." his jaw clenched. "we... came to get you."

i vaguely recalled Felix crashing into the desk, Tom and his associates punching him in the face.

"fuck,"

"we were leaving his dorm when you passed out." he stated. "i carried you here from the common room."

"nobody saw did they?"

everyone would be talking about it, they'd think i was just drunk out of my mind—i could be made to give up my position as head girl...

"yeah, everybody there saw." he stared at me. "but i made them forget."

"you—what...? how?"

"Obliviate," he shrugged.

"all of them?" there was no way he could've erased the memories of hundreds of people.

"not Avery, Reg or Roddy—but they won't say anything." 

"how?" i asked again.

"Heir of Slytherin, remember." he grinned. "there's not a lot i can't do."

i groaned and laid back, rubbing my hands over my eyes.

i couldn't think about Tom right now.

"how long have i been out?" i changed the subject.

"less than a day. the party was yesterday night, it's just past lunchtime now."

i let out a sigh of relief, then another thought hit me. "where's Felix?"

"Rosier's been sent home—indefinitely."

"you told Slughorn?" i frowned.

"i didn't take Bellatrix's memory either. she went to Dumbledore. he wants to speak with you." his voice was flat.

"thank you,"

"for what?" he scoffed.

"all of this."

he stood, keeping his voice low. "i'm going to the Chamber. come and find me when you're released?"

after a moments hesitation, i nodded.