Crimson || Tom Riddle [1]

𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞 𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖊

Poison & Wine
The Civil Wars

"You only know... what I want you to."

"I know everything... you don't want me to."

•••

The common room was quieter than usual, the fire crackling softly in the hearth as most students had already left for the holidays. Arabella sat in her usual chair, a book open on her lap, though she wasn't truly reading. Her thoughts were elsewhere.

Tom entered the room, his presence instantly noticeable. He moved with a purposeful grace, his dark eyes scanning the room before settling on Arabella. He approached, his footsteps barely making a sound on the thick carpet.

"Staying for the holidays, Chambers?" he asked, his voice breaking the silence. He couldn't shake the curiosity about why she was still here, alone in the vast castle. Perhaps she had no-one to spend the holidays with, either. He couldn't deny the dullness of living in Little Hangleton, only company being a cat.

Arabella looked up, closing her book. "I could ask the same of you, my love. Why aren't you heading home?"

Tom's expression hardened slightly. "I have no real home to return to. The castle offers solitude I can appreciate."

"Solitude isn't always the best company, Tom."

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her tone. "Do you have a better suggestion?"

Arabella hesitated for a moment, her mind racing through the implications of her next words. Revealing more about her life to Tom was risky, but there was something compelling about his presence that urged her to take this chance. "What if you didn't have to spend Christmas alone? I have a place... a manor, actually. My mother left it to me."

Tom's skepticism was evident. "I thought you lived in Little Hangleton."

She smiled, a hint of mystery in her eyes. "That's just a small cabin I use a lot of the time. The manor is different. It's much larger, with plenty of books and... other interesting things."

Tom studied her carefully, trying to decipher her motives. "And why would you offer this to me?"

Arabella leaned back in her chair, her gaze steady. "Because I know what it's like to spend holidays alone. And because I think you might find it... beneficial."

Tom's curiosity was piqued. "Beneficial how?"

"There are books in the library that might interest you. Knowledge that you might not find here," Arabella explained, her tone casual yet persuasive.

He considered her words, weighing the risks against the potential benefits. "And you're inviting me out of the goodness of your heart?"

Arabella chuckled softly. "Let's just say I prefer your company over solitude as well."