Sacrificial Serpent {Tom Riddle}

thirteen

The warmth of the fire crackled in the Slytherin common room, casting a soft glow on the stone walls as Lyla and Tom snuggled together on the sofa. They were both lost in the moment, soaking in the joy and love that had enveloped them since Tom had asked her to be his girlfriend. The quiet, intimate space felt like their own little world, where nothing else existed except the two of them.

But the tranquility was short-lived as the door to the common room suddenly burst open, and their friends came flooding in, their faces alight with curiosity.

"There you two are!" Pansy exclaimed, her eyes darting between Tom and Lyla. "We've been looking for you everywhere! What happened? You've both got this... glow about you."

Lyla exchanged a glance with Tom, who gave her a small, encouraging nod. She took a deep breath, a smile playing on her lips as she looked at her friends who were eagerly waiting for an explanation.

"Well," Lyla began, her voice soft but steady, "Tom asked me to be his girlfriend tonight, and I said yes."

The room exploded into excited chatter. Pansy's eyes went wide, and she let out an excited squeal, launching herself at Lyla. "Oh my Merlin, Lyla! That's amazing!" she gushed, wrapping her arms around her best friend in a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you both!"

The others crowded around, congratulating Tom and Lyla. Mattheo, however, had a slightly puzzled look on his face, as if he had missed something crucial. He tilted his head, his brow furrowed as he tried to piece together what was going on.

"What's all this about?" Mattheo asked, scratching his head. "What exactly happened?"

Lyla couldn't help but laugh, the sound light and full of joy. She pulled back slightly from Pansy's embrace and held out her hand, showing them the delicate silver ring with the emerald gemstone that Tom had given her. "Tom got me this promise ring. He asked me to be his girlfriend, not... well, not the other thing."

Mattheo's eyes widened in realization, and he let out a sheepish laugh. "Oh, thank Merlin! I thought you two had skipped a few steps and were already engaged!" he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Well, that's still brilliant! Congratulations!"

Everyone laughed, the sound echoing off the stone walls and filling the common room with warmth. Tom chuckled, shaking his head as he reached out to clap Mattheo on the back. "Not quite yet, mate," Tom said, grinning. "One step at a time."

Just as the laughter began to settle, the door to the common room swung open once again, and this time, it was Professor Snape who entered. The room fell into a respectful silence, but there was still a buzz of excitement in the air. Snape's sharp gaze swept over the room, lingering for a moment on Tom and Lyla before a rare smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Congratulations, Mr. Riddle, Miss Snape," he said, his voice smooth and even, but with an undertone of warmth that was reserved only for his daughter and those closest to her. "It seems you both have made quite an impression on each other."

"Thank you, Professor," Tom replied, nodding respectfully. Lyla beamed at her father, feeling a swell of pride at his acknowledgment.

Snape's smile lingered for just a moment longer before he straightened, adopting his usual stern demeanor. "Now, as much as I'm sure you all enjoy these little gatherings, I do have an announcement to make regarding the upcoming Quidditch match."

The room perked up at the mention of Quidditch. Everyone knew how fiercely competitive the Slytherin team was, and the announcement of the players selected for the next match was always a highly anticipated event.

Snape pulled out a piece of parchment, his eyes scanning the names before he began to read. "The following students have been selected to play in the match against Hufflepuff next week: Draco Malfoy, Tom Riddle, Mattheo Riddle, Theodore Nott, Lorenzo Berkshire, Blaise Zabini, and Lyla Snape."