Always || Tom Riddle

There is always hope, even in the darkest of times

Upon awaking, I found myself, wrapped up in familiar silk sheets. There was only one family who had such money to spend on things like this,  the Malfoys. Sitting up, my head began to hurt,but closing my eyes seemed to help, in an attempt to leave, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and making for the door, I held onto every piece of furniture in the room. It was only when the room began to spin that I fell to the floor, hitting it with a loud thud. No longer than a minute later, hurried footsteps began to come closer to the bedroom, as much as I wanted to move away and hide, my body would not move. The historic oak door swung open, revealing the last person I expected to see here, Severus Snape, unfortunately he was followed closely by Bellatrix, and a tall, platinum blonde haired boy, who I presumed was a Malfoy. 

"You should never have left your bed! Stupid girl!" Bellatrix screeched, making my head hurt even more. After a small groan of pain from me, Snape hushed her furious shrieks, waving away both her and the boy, sending him to go and fetch the dark lord as they called him. I almost wished that I was dreaming, it was only when I was easily picked up by Snape, and lay back onto the bed, that I realized I was far from dreaming. A cold hand went to my forehead, and I flinched away from it, however, this did not get me very far, as I had hardly moved an inch. I had been so busy fighting to get away from Snapes cold hands, that I had not noticed the extra person entering the room. 

"How is she Severus?" A smooth, but weak voice, asked from over by the door. 

"I am afraid that my medicine didn't work, she is  ice cold, there is rarely any pulse coming through, and her pupils are still dilated, my lord...I am afraid that you must prepare yourself for the worst" There was a pause before Snape was sent out of the room, and we were left in silence. I could only shiver and stare at the ceiling as the bed creaked, I didn't need to look to know who was sat beside me. Opening my mouth to speak, no sound came out of my mouth, no matter how hard I tried, frowning in confusion, I could only continue to take deep, shallow breaths. As a  comforting hand went to my forehead, brushing back the stray hair which had fallen in front of my face. 

"Ssh, I know, rest, your safe here" With an unwilling huff, sent Toms way, I closed my eyelids, still concentrating on trying to catch my breath. After what felt like a few minutes of sleep, I became conscious of my surroundings, and from the hand interlocked with my own, I knew that Tom was most likely still here. From how soft his breathing was, I realized he must be asleep. Forcing my eyelids to open was not an easy task, but when they did, I looked to his sleeping form beside me, how peaceful he looked, albeit, his position did not look comfortable; he had taken the arm chair from the other side of the room and used it to sit on, using the bed as a pillow. Upon closer inspection of his face, it looked as though tears stained his cheeks, and his eyes were slightly puffy. Had Tom been crying? 

For the second time since I had awoken in Malfoy manor, footsteps sounded outside my room, causing Tom to stir, and eventually awake. Looking around the room, his eyes fell on me, I tried and failed, at sending him a weak smile, but got a snort and squeeze of my hand in return, which seemed to lift both our spirits. The door opened, and stepped in an old man, his hair so light it almost looked white in colour, and on his shriveled, weather beaten face, he held wise eyes, eyes that once looked into, gave you the feeling you knew you were going to be alright. 

"Doctor Vincent Walter, pleased to meet you both...sir!" He enthusiastically shook Toms hand, who had by now changed to a blue eyed, blonde haired young man, who looked as though he were in his early 20s. I guess the disguise fitted how old I must of looked at this moment in time. The doctors smile faded when his knowing eyes moved over to me, he looked to Severus who waited by the door silently. 

"You say you have been treating her...what with?"

"Just a few of my own concoctions, they have been tried and successful with many other people, but Charlotte here has been not reacting to any of them" I simply sent a weak smile at the doctor, as he looked between me and Snape, frowning in thought, by the look Snape and Tom sent my way, when the doctors gaze was not upon me, made it clear that I was to play along. 

"Well then, Charlotte, I guess we better start finding something to treat you" Using his fingers, he put two of them to my neck, checking my pulse. Then, he ordered Snape to get some extra blankets and hot water bottles. After using some instruments from his traditional leather case, that looked like torture devices, he concluded that I had severe hypothermia, and that Tom should prepare himself, saying that I would be lucky to survive the night. Just as Snape wrapped me up in more blankets and put the water bottles underneath the quilts, afterwards quickly hurrying away, and shutting the door behind him. 

"B-but she looks like she is getting better! I refuse to believe it!" He had snapped with an angry expression on his face, but the fact that his voice had faltered at the end gave away his true feelings.

"I am afraid that is common in Hypothermia victims, she will go back to looking normal, and from there, it will get worse-" The doctor glanced at me, and ushered Tom to the doorway, beginning to speak in a hushed voice. 

"I would not be surprised if she doesn't make it til morning, but I will pop over and see how things are" Tom gulped, his eyes moving back over to me, tears filling them as a more determined look crossed his features, then, he looked back to the doctor with a pleading expression. 

"Please, I have money, I would be willing to pay you for your time. I am just not ready to lose her" Lightly patting Toms shoulder, he moved closer, sending a sorrowful look his way.

"Im sorry son, truly, but there is really nothing I can do. Content yourself with the fact that she is here with such a man as yourself...she will die in peace" Shortly after the doctor had left, Tom slammed the door shut, kicking and hitting it with a tightly balled fist in anger, thankfully, he stopped before he could do any real harm to himself, with his back turned to me he rested his forehead on the door, letting a few moments of silence pass. 

"Im so sorry Clara, I failed you, I know I have. I love you, you know that. But please-" Changing back to his normal self, and taking his seat beside me, gripping my hand in his own, as if I would disappear into thin air any second.

"-For heavens sake, lord, spare me this pain! Live Clara, don't die on me not today" His eyes bored into mine, which were by now also filling with tears, causing my vision to once again come blurred, I could only sob in reply,Tom buried his head in the sheets and wailed, like that of a child. I lifted my hand, using it to stroke his hand in an attempt to comfort him. My eyes moved over to the necklace I had turned into a horcrux, , which was resting on the dresser across the room, surely he would remember that there was still hope, as long as the part of my soul that had been put into it was still there. Over the years I had learnt that there was always hope, even in the darkest of times.