Tom Riddle Imagines

The Hanging Tree

Tom Riddle Era (1943)

Abraxas Malfoy x Y/N Y/LN

My eyes scanned the great hall as I ate looking for him. He is so handsome, butterflies appear in my stomach everytime he glances at me. We're not together, in fact I'm sure he doesn't even know who I am. After all, I'm a raven and he is a snake. The times I get to see him are very few and even then, it isn't nearly enough for me.

I loathe it. I loathe it so much. The fact that he is overlooked, because everyone is focused on the great Tom Riddle! But to me, he is radiant as the sun, I see what everyone else misses because he is forced into Tom's shadow. How I wish, he'd stand up for himself, prove his greatness, rather than obeying everything Riddle says. 

Suddenly, the door to the great hall opens, and Slytherin prefect Tom Riddle walks in, his group of 'friends' following behind. And there he is. Only a few paces behind Riddle, being the one Riddle trusts the most. They walk in heads held high, but he glances around the room, and for a split second, his eyes lock onto mine. And I beam at him, feeling foolish when he turns his gaze away. I probably looked like a lovesick fool.

And he likely assumed I was smiling at Tom as they walked in. As they take their seats I cast my eyes down and continue eating, getting lost in my thoughts of the stunning Abraxas Malfoy. I've ranted about him before to my dorm mates, but they simply scoffed at me, claiming that I only fancied him for his money, and he wouldn't date a half-blood like me anyways.  I've tried to ignore him, to find someone who would appreciate me for me, but everytime I see him, I get weak in the knees. Damn him for being so perfect!

*****

I re-read over the note on my desk, trying to decipher whether I sounded like a desperate idiot or not. 

Abraxas,

I don't get to see you often, but when I do my entire being feels as if it has been set ablaze. When our eyes meet across a room, butterflies appear in my stomach and my knees grow weak. I've tried to get rid of this feeling, but I fear it is impossible.

No one compares to you, not even Riddle. You're likely unaware of my existence but that has not deterred me. I want to get to know you, I want a chance. And I hope you give me the opportunity. I'll be at the Black Lake when the clock strikes midnight on the 1st of January. I'd be incredibly pleased if you came. I hope you have a delightful christmas.

An Admirer

I sighed, deciding I may aswell send it. The worst that could happen is that he'd reject me. At least then I'd understand this is futile. I opened my ow'ls cage, petting it's midnight feathers as I bought it into my room. I rolled up the parchment quickly, and attached it to the owl's leg. "Take it to Abraxas Malfoy, at Malfoy manor" I whispered to the bird, watching it fly into the winter night.

*****

I sat on the grass under the ancient oak tree beside the lake. The clock has just struck midnight, and so far there was no sign of life outside the castle's walls. The winter had been rather harsh, and yet the cold had never really bothered me. As I waited, wand in hand, I started singing an old song my mother would sing to help me sleep.

"Are you, are you comin' to the tree?
Where they strung up a man, they say, who murdered three
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree..."

I heard a splash from the lake, causing me to pause, mid-song. I quickly cast lumos, igniting my wand at the tip and pointing it at the lake. The water rippled, before 3 mermaids began to rise from the water. All of a sudden, I felt afraid. How could I take on one mermaid let alone 3? I was pulled from my thoughts as one of them spoke. "Why did you stop singing? Your voice is beautiful" the one on the right complimented with a smile.

"Yes, you should continue. I've never heard a human with such a melodious tone" the second added. "You wouldn't happen to be one of us would you?" the third asked. "Thank you all for your kind words, and no. I do not believe I am related to any of youse" I responded politely, my fear evaporating. "Well, you are incredible! Please, do continue singing" the 1st asked. "Of course! But first I'd like to know your names if you don't mind" I replied, genuinely excited for the first time in a while. 

"I'm Serena, she is Calissa, and she is Lyla" the first mermaid spoke, pointing at herself and then the others. "Your names are gorgeous! I'm Y/N" I exclaimed and they all smiled. "How about we all sing together?" Lyla suggested, to which the rest of us nodded in agreement and began to sing.

"Are you, are you comin' to the tree
Where dead man called out for his love to flee?
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree."

"I must say, their voices are beautiful, but yours stands out!" I heard someone say from my left side. I turned, coming face to face with Abraxas Malfoy himself. His eyes were a mixture of grey and blue, looking like a storm rolling over the ocean. My heart raced as I kept eye contact, only breaking out of my trance when I heard 3 splashes and realised that the mermaids had left.

"T-thank you Abraxas" I stuttered out making him chuckle, before he took a seat beside me. He cast a spell causing small lights to materialise on the branches of the oak tree, before he turned back to face me. "I feel at a disadvantage since I do not know your name" he said, gazing into my eyes.

"My apologies. I'm Y/N, Y/LN" I told him shyly, sticking it out for him to shake, except he turned it over and brought it up to his lips, placing a delicate kiss on it. I blushed at the action, as he let go of my hand and we began to engage in conversation.

30 minutes later

"Well, well well! What do we have here?" A voice sounded, in the night, cutting through our laughter. Abraxas' expression turned to a grimace and a confused look crossed mine, before I turned to the source of the voice and understood. Tom Riddle stood before us, a smirk on his face at being able to catch us out after curfew.

"If it isn't Malfoy and the Ravenclaw halfblood, Y/n" he grinned slyly at both of us. I kept my expression cold, letting no emotions show through. "You shouldn't be out past curfew. 20 points from Ravenclaw. Get back to the castle!" he commanded, and I had no choice but to accept the prefect's orders. "Goodbye Abraxas. It was a pleasure to properly meet you" I muttered, before standing up and stalking past Riddle. 

"What do you think you're doing?! I've told you many times not to associate with filth!" Tom shouted at Abraxas. "I'm sorry my lord! It won't happen again!" I heard Malfoy plead with him. It made me want to run back and help him, but I was afraid of what Riddle could do to me. After all, I had witnessed his power. "You're right it won't happen again. CRUCIO!" was the last thing I heard, before I collapsed to the ground, a searing pain overcoming my body.