The Golden Age of Hollywood . Tom Riddle

Chapter 24

 AN: Sorry for the wait. Smut at the end tho.

 The apparition wasn't as gentle as Tom had wished: they landed hard on top of a flight of stairs and Norma stumbled, prompting Tom to drop the suitcases and steady her.

"Shh... I've got, I've got you," he whispered into her ear as while she regained her footing.

Norma brushed her hair away from her face and looked around. They were standing in a stairway of an old apartment block: the walls were covered with white plaster, the floor was plain concrete and the stairs were wooden. Their handrail looked unreliable- the wobbly structure was chipped and full of splinters. Tom watched Norma like a hawk while she had a look around. Her face gave away nothing, and he grew nervous again.

Tom cleared his throat awkwardly.

"So, this is were I live," he gestured around and looked away once Norma set her sharp eyes on him. "Not impressive, but it's cheap, you get what you pay for, I guess."

Norma was still quiet, and Tom didn't dare to look at her. He could feel the gaze regardless. With every second, he grew more aware of his surroundings: the air was damp and cold, the space shrouded in shadows due to lack of sun and interior lightning. And then there was the worst of all, the reason why apartment was so cheap: the stairway had a persistent, nose-stinging stench of urine that seemed to have increased on this day in particular. Norma won't stay long,Tom thought bitterly. So much for my plan.

"Sorry about the smell," said Tom, picking up the suitcases again. Better get her out of here as fast as I can. "I've tried everything, but nothing works, I think it's cursed. But it doesn't get into the flat, don't worry," Tom rambled while he reached his door.

He was fumbling with the lock as Norma's steps came closer. The click of heels had a crunch to it as she stepped on unswept concrete. She hadn't run away yet, but Tom knew she was either too stunned to speak or trying to be polite.

"There's also an entire wall of black mold over there," Tom added nervously. Norma looked to where he was pointing and indeed, the wall opposite of Tom's apartment was almost entirely covered in black patches. "I couldn't get rid of it either. Herbologists say it can get into your brain, so I just try not to breathe next to it. There's a nasty lady upstairs, I think it's due to that."

Finally, the lock gave in, and Tom opened the door, then grabbed still distracted Norma by her arm and pushed her into his flat, throwing her suitcases after her and slammed the door shut, trying to block the shameful premises of his new home.

The inside wasn't much better, in Tom's mind: the apartment was small and old, just barely suitable to live. The wooden floorboards had gaps between them, the walls were painted an obnoxious, glossy white, windows had no curtains and there were many nails peeking from walls all over the place. With her tailored red dress, Norma looked very out of place in his poor, almost slum-like home. Everything here was very much unlike California. Very unlike her. Norma moved around slowly, carefully, almost as if trying not to touch anything.

The silence was deafening, only heightened by rain banging on tin windowsills outside.

Norma turned around gracefully, taking everything in with one look, while Tom stood tense, awaiting her reaction. He focused on his hands: somehow, his skills of charming people would leave him when Norma's happiness was involved.

Red, patent leather shoes entered his field of vision, followed by soft, cold hands sliding over his cheeks, making him raise his head. Norma wasn't repulsed, not even a bit perturbed: her eyes were the most gentle he had ever seen, all suspicion and defense gone for perhaps the first time. She smiled, and thin red line on her face begged to be kissed. And so, Tom kissed her. Immediately Norma threw her arms around his neck and molded her body into his, as Tom held her around the waist, their lips dancing in a well-established rhythm.