Snake Charmer

42

    The weather had shifted and the cold seeped into Asteria's bones as she rushed across the courtyard to get to the library. For some reason it was where the girls wanted to hang out today and work on the homework that they were behind on. She growled out a sigh as she entered the library and the hair on the back of her neck stood up letting her know that someone was already watching her. 

She forced herself not to look and see who it was because she knew that a pair of blue eyes would be waiting. She made her way over to the table where the girls were and flopped down with a soft huff. her frown made daphne fight a smile. She pulled her jacket off and settled into her seat. Pulling her books free from her bag-it gave a moment to let her eyes wander and they fought him not to far away. With Blaise and Draco with him. Tom sat staring down at his paper a pen hanging from his mouth.

Amusement crossed her features as she arched an eyebrow at him. Blaise caught her attention, and he leaned closer to Tom whispering. his eyes shot up and locked on to hers. her face tinted pink as she looked away from him quickly. a smile broke through his face as he chuckled softly. She grumbled to herself and shook her head.

But it was enough for Astoria and Pansy to catch on to what had happened, and both girls smirked at her. 

"Honestly if she isn't watching him- he is watching her and they except us to believe that they don't have anything to with each other." Pansy stifled a giggle at Astoria's comment and Asteria's head shot up as she scowled at the both of them,

"I do not watch Tom." she replied defensively causing them to all laugh and draw attention to their table. Astoria arched an amused eyebrow at her. Her eyes flickering over to him before looking away quickly.

"I didn't say that you did. But you knew exactly where he was just now." Her heart dropped into her stomach at the realization that Astoria was right. She hadn't said any names and that Asteria had just assumed because they were always making comments like that. She tried to inhale a deep breath, but a sharp pain accompanied it. 

She wheezed as tunnel vision began to take over and her pounding heart was the only thing that she could hear in her ears. This can't happen! I c-ccant do this again! I won't!  A firm hand landed on her back and a mess of brown hair was the first thing that her eyes focused on and then there were those piercing blue eyes.

"I need you to try and match my breathing. You are having a panic attack." Tom spoke gently as he guided her hand to his chest so that she could feel the rise and fall of it.  Silent tears streamed down her face as she continued to stare into his eyes. 

The gentleness to them seemed to ground her and her breathing was still shaky but it was better than it had been.

"What happened? What triggered it?" He asked softly. Her eyes traveled down to her hand that he was still holding against his chest. He's different... The thought struck a cord in her and she swallowed hard before she looked at him again.

"You did."

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Tom sat there staring at the wall. He hadn't even tried to start on his homework. He sighed heavily. He had no idea what to make of Asteria. She had asked him to stay away from her, and he was a gentleman and did what she had asked. But he caught himself watching her to make sure that she was okay. And there were times that he had even seen her watching him. there was no hostility to her or anything. she would just watch him curiously and then today in the library. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop on the conversation. But he had.

The panic in her eyes and when he saw the panic attack coming on something snapped inside of him. Something that he couldn't explain. He went to her without hesitation and her answer to what had caused it had stirred something deep inside him. Something that he had tried all of his life not to have so that his father couldn't say that it would be a distraction or use it against him.

The subtle burn in his arm let him know that he was being summoned. He inhaled a deep breath and stood from his desk and turned in time for the dorm door open and Mattheo to give him a worried look. Tom smiled at his brother. But there was already worry etched into his heart making his stomach twist into knots.

There was only one reason that their father would be summoning them-he wanted Asteria brought to him. The light left Tom's eyes making Mattheo flinch. Mattheo wasn't stupid. He knew that his brother cared for the white-haired girl. Even if he didn't know her well even-well maybe he did. tom had read every one of their father's journals and they were filled of Asteria. her quirks-her nervous habits, her likes and her dislikes. 

Mattheo huffed and followed his brother out of the dorm. where the others were waiting for him. But it was the streak of white that caught their attention. Asteria was curled up on the common room sofa and Thaila-Tom's snake was weaving through her hair like some kind of hair ornament. 

But her eyes remained on her book as she read. Tom huffed silently as a ghost of a smile graced his normally frowning lips. 

"Tom, we have to go. if we don't-" tom nodded at Mattheo's quiet words and with one last glance at Asteria he began walking again. Draco and Blaise followed after and then there was Theo and Enzo that tailed at the end. Almost as if they were in ranks of their own.