Both obsessed/Tom Riddle (completed)

021 Yule ball

It had been a few months since Ernesh had undergone his transformation. To the casual observer, he looked much like the boy he had always been—still strikingly beautiful, still drawing gazes from the students around him. His figure, though, had changed. His body was now curvier, his movements more fluid, more graceful, as though he had grown into his own skin. Most of the girls were jealous of him, envying not only his looks but the friends he kept, particularly Tom Riddle.

However, only he and Tom could see the full extent of his transformation. They saw the way the green and gold lines on his skin pulsed with power, the subtle gleam of his eyes, the way his voice had taken on a more serpentine elegance. The others, including Dumbledore, were suspicious, but they could never prove anything. The professor had been following them closely, appearing at nearly every turn, his piercing eyes always watching, waiting for a slip-up. It made everything more dangerous, more thrilling.

Now, the Yule Ball was approaching. The event, usually a time for students to mingle, dress in extravagant robes, and share dances, was not something Tom or Ernesh were eager to attend. But they had no choice. They were both part of the Slug Club now, an influential group of students handpicked by Slughorn himself. The pressure of the evening, the prying eyes, the expectations—it was all too much.

Still, they couldn't avoid the ball, especially since Tom had become the new prefect. It meant he would have a certain degree of authority, which also meant that Ernesh could stay close to him, undetected. The two of them had already made a plan: they would spend the night in a broom closet, away from prying eyes, and let their followers—their knights—roam the ball freely, doing what they needed to do. In their world, it was never just a party; it was a game. And spying on the Gryffindors was always fun.

As the night of the Yule Ball arrived, the Great Hall was decorated in shimmering gold and silver, the air thick with the smell of extravagant food and the hum of excited chatter. Tom and Ernesh arrived together, their steps synchronized, both dressed in dark, elegant robes. Ernesh's appearance, as usual, drew attention. The soft curves of his figure, the sharp elegance in the way he carried himself—it was impossible to ignore him. Yet the most captivating detail was always his eyes. The deep green and gold, like a serpent's gaze, seemed to shimmer in the light, sending a chill down anyone who caught a glimpse.

Ernesh didn't mind the attention, though. He could feel the jealousy radiating from the girls who dared to glance at him, and it amused him. They could envy him all they wanted; they would never have Tom.

The night dragged on, and the dance floor filled with students from all houses. The laughter, the chatter, the clinking of glasses—Ernesh could hardly stand it. He hated the dancing, hated the forced smiles. Tom shared his sentiment, and together, they found a way to escape the madness. The night had barely begun when Tom, in his new position as prefect, led them to a broom closet, one of many hidden away in the dark corners of Hogwarts.

The room was small, barely enough for the two of them, but it didn't matter. Tom locked the door behind them and turned to Ernesh, the two of them pressing together as if the entire world outside could never compare to the intimacy they shared in this tiny space.

Ernesh rested against the wall, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Do you think Dumbledore is watching?" he asked softly, his voice still carrying that serpentine quality that made Tom shiver with delight.

Tom didn't answer immediately, but his lips curled into a dark smile. "He's always watching. It's what he does best." His hand slipped down to Ernesh's waist, his fingers tracing the curve of his hip. "But he'll never know what we're up to."

Ernesh chuckled, the sound rich with satisfaction. "I wonder what the Gryffindors are up to tonight." He leaned in closer to Tom, his lips grazing against his ear. "They always seem to think they're better than everyone else."

"They are fools," Tom replied, his voice cold, but the spark of amusement in his eyes gave him away. "But they're entertaining enough to spy on."

As the two of them stood there, hidden away in the broom closet, their thoughts shifted to their knights, their loyal followers. Ernesh didn't mind the Hufflepuffs—they were loyal, true, and dangerous if you earned their trust. He'd seen them do things, dark things, for their own. A Hufflepuff's loyalty, when it was earned, could be a weapon more powerful than anything. But the Ravenclaws... they were more predictable. They thought themselves so clever, so calculating, but Ernesh knew they'd always find an excuse to justify everything.

He brushed his fingers through Tom's dark hair, leaning up to press a kiss against his jaw. "What if the Ravenclaws start to suspect us? They're good at putting pieces together."

Tom smirked, the glint in his eyes turning dark and dangerous. "Let them. Let them watch. They'll never know the truth, not unless we let them."

For the moment, all that mattered was the quiet space between them, the way their bodies fit together. The night outside continued on with its dances and festivities, but inside the broom closet, Tom and Ernesh were free to do as they pleased.

Meanwhile, the ball raged on outside. The Gryffindors, led by their headstrong and ever-hyperactive personalities, filled the floor with chaotic energy. But Ernesh found them amusing. He couldn't help but watch, seeing the same familiar faces, the same stupid smiles. Watching them gave him a strange sense of superiority, something he'd learned to enjoy. Their lightheartedness was so... fragile. So far removed from the darkness that was building around him.

"Maybe we should go back out there, just for a while," Tom murmured, his lips brushing against Ernesh's ear as he leaned in closer.

Ernesh smirked. "Just long enough to see them dance like fools." His voice was full of a dark amusement that matched Tom's. "But don't expect me to join in. I'd rather watch from the shadows."

Tom laughed softly, the sound low and dangerous. "We'll watch them burn from the inside. It's far more entertaining that way."

They both knew what this night was really about. It wasn't just a ball. It was about power, manipulation, and keeping up appearances. The Gryffindors could dance and laugh, but in the end, they were just pawns in a much darker game. Ernesh and Tom were already far beyond them, playing a game that no one else could see.

For the rest of the night, they kept to the shadows, watching from the corners of the room, watching the Gryffindors fail to see the danger that loomed just beyond the dance floor. Their eyes were on everything, on everyone, and when the time came, they'd strike.

But for now, they allowed the ball to continue, a perfect backdrop for the chaos to come.