Motivation ⌁ Tom Riddle ✔

41

'Your life feels different on you, once you greet death and understand your hearts position' -Louise Erdrich.

Abigail's P.O.V

♥

Dinner was fairly unsettling. I was literally squished in between Tom and Avery and barely had a view of Bellatrix Black's frizzy, black mane on the opposite side of the table, down a few seats. I didn't have much of a clue as to what was going on; other than Avery and Tom putting it bluntly that Bellatrix wanted to murder any half-blood or muggleborn. Why protect me so much? She'd go right after the muggleborns first, wouldn't she?

"She won't get away with this," Avery mumbled into my ear, possibly noticing my staring, "don't worry."

"That's very convincing," I responded, no meaning in my words.

Not to mention the strange looks my friends from the Ravenclaw table were giving me. And along the way back to my common room, there had been a huge fuss. Tom and Avery stuck to their word and escorted me back to Ravenclaw as though they were my body guards and I had ordered them to, and all the Ravenclaw's who happened to be nearby had a staring and whispering problem. They sulked away silently at the sight of Tom's glare.

As they turned to leave, Tom grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him so that he could speak low enough for only the two of us to hear. "Remember what I said; everyone is the enemy. Do not leave Ravenclaw Tower tomorrow morning until you receive my owl."

And then he and Avery were gone like dust in the wind.

"Strange people," I uttered to myself as I tucked in for the night.

It was hard for me to grasp what was going on when I was barely let in on anything. I just had to wait. And, well, I knew what 'they' say. Patience is the companion of wisdom. Though I did know that I was going to be thrown into the middle of it unexpectedly and then, and only then, would I realise what all the drama was about.

The next morning, I was awoken to the sound of shuffling feet and floorboards creaking, and I groaned, burying my face further into my pillow. I was definitely not ready for any school work. But I sucked it up, rolled over, stretched, and then slowly opened my eyes - only to double back quickly with a startled scream at the sight of three faces staring intently at me. Alison, and two other girls I didn't quite know well. I was expecting one of these girls to be Hannah Lovegood, but, surprisingly, none of them were.

"Bloody hell," I breathed out, exhaling a deep breath of relief before sinking into the bed now that I was relaxed. "Why are you lot staring at me, for?"

"How did you do it?"

"It?" I questioned.

"Yes, do tell! Being in the arms of a charmer who has eyes only for you must be magical. No pun intended, by the way."

"So, is it Tom or Avery?"

"Who the hell is Avery, Alison?"

"It's Tom, you two idiots," a redhead named Caitlyn snapped, shaking a letter in her hands. Her gaze landed on me and she tossed the letter on my blanket, gesturing for me to read it.

'I'm here.

-T.R'

"Oh, it's so romantic!" one of them squealed.

Caitlyn blinked at her before rolling her eyes.

"How in any way is it romantic?" Alison scoffed, moving on to stare in the mirror as she prepared herself for the day. "It's only two pathetic words. If anything, Chris is romantic."

"Oh, yeah?" Caitlyn snorted. "He is socially awkward and would choose his books over you any day, sweetheart. Sorry. Not really."

Alison whirled around with a very pestered look on her face. I groaned again and rubbed my eyes as I sensed a fight was about to happen all because Tom had simply told me he was here. And as soon as I remembered, I threw my blankets off me and changed into my uniform.

"You just happen to be jealous of the two of us! David Corner ditched your sorry arse for hippity-hoppity Jenny Abbott, and now you are all alone."

I heard Caitlyn scoff under her breath.

"Guys, please, just stop it," I moaned as I tugged on my shoes, and danced my way out of the common room.

Alison stormed out right behind me, uttering very unkind words under her breath. I scratched my head awkwardly, feeling very uncomfortable by the fact that Alison didn't seem to notice that she was mumbling to herself. She glanced at me.

"That know-it-all," she said loudly, her nose held high in the air. "Thinks she knows everything and everybody's business, she does. Rubbish. Anyway. What is it with you lot?"

"Huh?"

"You and the mysterious Slytherins, you've been around them for quite a bit now. Why exactly is that?"

Wish I knew, I wanted to say, but never got around to answering. Alison skipped away at the sight of Chris in the corner of the common room, who happened to be waiting for her to escort her to the great hall. I walked out of the portrait hole and leaning against the wall, arms and legs crossed over one another, was a very annoyed looking Tom Riddle who sneered at anyone who got too close. His posture didn't surprise me very much and I couldn't help but smile.

"Well it is about time, Benjamin. Oh, don't mind me. I just happened to be waiting for you to return from your holiday. How was it?"

Tom took long strides to catch up to me the moment I walked off and left him leaning on the wall, stifling a simple laughter I knew was about to escape.

"What's funny?"

A bit of my laughter escaped through awkward exhales, and I shrugged. "Your sarcasm has taken me off guard. I like it."

I was going to say I love it, but Tom made it very clear how he feels about that word.

Tom pretended not to have heard me and walked by me in silence, his Head Boy badge dangling off his vest, giving him a very mature posture. His pace matched each previous step, his head held high with the confidence matching his strides as he stared ahead. My eyes found it irresistibly unstoppable when trailing along his fine jawline. I coughed awkwardly and looked away before he could notice my staring.

"I know you were staring at me, Benjamin," Tom drawled, and I looked up to see his eyes staring out of the corner of his own, his lips slightly twitched. That simple drawl had my mouth watering and my hand twitched by my side, aching to be held in his.