𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐒, ᵗᵒᵐ ʳⁱᵈᵈˡᵉ. ✓

013.

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It was an early morning in the Great Hall, the enchanted ceiling above still cast in soft hues of dawn. Most of the students had already filtered in for breakfast, filling the hall with the clatter of dishes and murmured conversation. Tom Riddle sat at his usual spot at the Slytherin table, methodically buttering a piece of toast as his sharp eyes scanned over the room, always watching, always calculating. Daphne, having barely slept the night before, slipped into the seat across from him. Her head ached, and all she could think about was getting a strong cup of coffee before her first class. 

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She glanced around the table and, to her dismay, realized there was only one cup left in the carafe on the table. Tom, noticing the same thing, set his toast down and reached for the carafe just as Daphne's hand shot out, both of them gripping it at the same time. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, neither said a word, though the tension between them was palpable. "I'm having this," Tom said smoothly, his voice as composed as ever, but his grip on the carafe didn't loosen. Daphne raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "You've had coffee every morning this week. Let someone else have it for a change, Tom."

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His dark eyes narrowed slightly, the only indication that he was annoyed. "I don't recall asking for your opinion." Daphne didn't back down, her fingers tightening around the handle. "And I don't recall you owning the coffee supply. I need it just as much as you do."Tom let out a short, humorless laugh. "need? I'm the one who has important matters to attend to, Rose. Surely, your needs can wait." Daphne's smirk faded, replaced with a challenging glint in her eyes. She wasn't about to let him brush her off like that. "Oh, right," she said with mock seriousness. "Because your brooding and planning your world domination requires caffeine. How could I forget?"

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Tom's eyes darkened at her words, his grip still firm on the carafe. "You seem to think everything's a joke, Daphne. But I don't have time for your games. "I'm not joking," she shot back, pulling the carafe toward her. "I'm just pointing out that you're not the only one in the world who needs a little energy boost. Maybe try sharing for once." He tilted his head slightly, his gaze cool and measured as he studied her. "You seem to forget that I don't share." "Obviously," she muttered, giving the carafe another tug. Tom's grip didn't falter. He seemed almost amused by her persistence, though his patience was wearing thin. "Let go," he said, his voice a quiet command. "No."

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For a moment, they were locked in a silent tug-of-war, the rest of the Great Hall continuing around them, oblivious to the quiet battle happening at the Slytherin table. Daphne wasn't about to give up, not when she was this close to finally winning a small, petty victory against Tom Riddle. "Daphne," Tom's voice dropped to a low warning, "I'm not asking again." Her eyes met his, and she could see the frustration simmering beneath his calm facade. But something in her refused to back down. Maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was the endless tension between them, or maybe it was just the simple fact that Tom always seemed to win. This time, she wasn't going to let him.

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With a sudden burst of defiance, she yanked the carafe hard, wrenching it from his grip. The sudden force caused the last bit of coffee to slosh out of the spout, spilling across the table in a dark, steaming pool. Tom's gaze flickered to the spilled coffee, his jaw tightening in irritation, while Daphne held the now-empty carafe with an unapologetic grin. "Well," she said, setting the empty container down with a soft clink, "looks like no one's getting coffee today."Tom's eyes snapped back to her, the tension between them crackling like electricity. For a split second, she thought he might lose his composure. But instead, he merely leaned back in his seat, his expression turning cold and unreadable once again.

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"You're insufferable," he said quietly, though there was a trace of something almost resembling amusement in his voice. Daphne shrugged, unbothered by his words. "And yet, here we are," she said, her smile returning as she reached for a piece of toast. "Looks like you'll have to survive without your precious caffeine." Tom didn't respond right away, his eyes still fixed on her. There was something dangerous in the way he looked at her now, something that made her heart race even though she refused to show it.

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"Perhaps," he said, his voice soft but filled with an unmistakable edge, "but don't think this is over." Daphne met his gaze, refusing to be intimidated. "I wouldn't dream of it." With that, she took a bite of her toast, pretending as if nothing had happened, while Tom's eyes lingered on her for a long moment before he finally turned away. Though the coffee battle had ended, Daphne had a distinct feeling that their real battle—one far more complicated and far less innocent—was just beginning.

Word count: 870