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

Chapter 5-12

One thing was for sure: keeping your mind straight to study for the upcoming O.W.L.S had just gotten a lot harder.

Day in, day out, while revising McGonagall's notes about Switching spells and Vanishment, needless to say, you wished you could use the spell on yourself so to take a break from all the chaos.

You know, today you learned that you liked Lestrade better as a chimpanzee. It took the ape who was once a boy multiple rounds of jumping across the furniture inside the classroom to be returned to his former self by the professor, but you didn't think you would ever forget seeing his raven-furred body almost toppling over a closet.

The highlight of the morning, no doubt.

Change of weather hours later had given you an excuse to laze around outside, where the beginning of your reconciliation with Will would take place. Seizing the chance to become familiar with the feeling of adventure under the guise of brainstorming.

"We should really have one of those Invisibility Cloaks." Not looking for anyone in particular, you were glancing around while saying this. Just making sure no one saw you sitting secluded together. People always got the wrong ideas.

"True but those cloaks are rare as hell, only a few of them exist. Oh! Oh! And did you know that they hide their wearers so well that not even death can find them?! And..." Suddenly, you started laughing uncontrollably. With your salad still in your mouth, you slapped your hand to your knee, your breath coming out ragged.

"Why are you laughing?" Will asked, looking at you incredulously.

"Because," you breathed out in between huffs, "It's just-you're so nerdy! You always have been and it's so very Ravenclaw!"

Will folded his arms across to prevent himself from feeling his cheeks. With an annoyed glare, he simply eyed you until you finally began to calm down.

"It's a compliment. Seriously, you're really smart," you added pleasantly. Not to his entertainment. You sniggered again and then mumbled, "oh, don't be offended. I meant it in a nice way."

"It didn't sound..."

"I wasn't being mean-" you inadvertently spoke over him, almost not catching the last part he said under his breath.

"...Nice." he finished, but decided to let it go while plucking away at his meal. From his expression, you could tell he wasn't feeling happy about you bursting into laughter and grinning from one ear to the other.

So you stiffled the rest of your giggles and tried your hardest not to say anything you might regret. Then felt somewhat bad about it. Mending a broken friendship was not as easy as it sounded. There was no quick fix, no superglue that could erase all the cracks, which you were learning.

Still, it proved easier with Will than with another certain person, because you'd never know what version of the Slytherin heir you'd find from day to day.

It had been difficult to get on the same page ever since you had first met, your dearest childhood friend trying to always make himself smaller, taking as little attention away from you as possible. Letting himself fall into the background when all he wanted was to see you happy because he couldn't be.

"We'll forget it." A light poke to your elbow snatched your attention from your thoughts, back to the here and now. "Write it down as payback for how I've been to you."

Huh, you could shoot him a weak smile. Must be a good mental health day. "As long as we're even."

Will nodded, a smile back on his lively features. "As even as a ruler."