Always || Tom Riddle

Clara Jean Riddle's son and heir

After Malfoy had left the Library, I spent some time pacing back and forth in front of the lit fire place, all the while trying to think of a way to get the Malfoy family into Tom's good books. He loved Amber, she had done nothing to betray him ever, so perhaps if one of the Malfoys were to save her from something, or be exceptionally nice to her...no, that would mean she would have to get involved on the secret mission, and with a young child like her, it was too risky, Tom might read her mind. Giving up for the day, I wandered up to the bedroom, hesitant to enter at first in case of Tom being in the room, but as if I was in some luck, the room was empty. Climbing into the double four poster bed, I turned my back from the door, feeling salty tears begin to slide down my face as I sobbed into the pillow, hiding myself among the covers when I heard footsteps step over the threshold. Immediately my sobs stopped, and I furiously wiped away the tears, I knew it was Tom who had entered the room but I ignored him, not looking his direction until he knelt before me, peeling the covers away from my face.

"Why are you crying?" His voice was soft, his eyes a light shade of blue bored into mine, while a few strands of curly black hair fell in his face, a frown on his fore head.

"I can't tell you" I whispered, turning so that I no longer faced him, closing my eyes, I pulled the covers back up over my shoulder, snuggling into the warmth and safety of the bed, feeling Tom try and read my thoughts.

"Get out of my head" I hissed, quickly sending him a glare before turning back away from him again, this time, catching an angry look on his handsome features.

"Clara, you will tell me what is bothering you right now or I will force you to" He was planning on using the imperious curse on me, and at that I turned onto my back, glaring hard at him.

"You wouldn't dare" Suddenly, Tom had leapt onto the bed, pinned my arms either side of my head, and was holding his face inches away from mine, as he hovered above me, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Oh believe me, I would" Growling, I began to struggle, trying my best to get free of his iron grip, only to slump back onto the bed, too weak to push him off of me without magic.

"Let go of me and I will tell you" His lips turned up into a smirk, and he cocked his head to the side, glancing down at my own lips before meeting my eyes once more.

"Did you really think I would fall for that?" Huffing, I looked around the room to see if my wand was nearby, unfortunately for me, it was not.

"I'm just afraid" It wasn't that far from the truth, but as to who I was afraid of, I didn't plan on telling him.

"Of what?"

"Mummy, Daddy I-" Amber stepped into the room, clutching her rabbit teddy bear to her as she neared the bed, looking at her new shoes as they twinkled at her in the light.

"Amber, Mummy and Daddy are busy right now" Tom answered before I could get a word in, nodding, she looked up briefly before wandering back out of the room, closing the door and giggling with her friend, no doubt to get rid of the awkwardness she felt of bursting in on something like this.

"Clara, you don't have to be afraid of anything, you know I wont let anything happen to you. Now, tell me who it is you are afraid of and I will get rid of them"

"You can't just get rid of them, they play a big role in what is to come and whether or not we are found by the Aurors"

"It's Malfoy isn't it?" At that I frowned, my mouth opening slightly to reply, but nothing coming out, as I was left speechless.

"I was there when he threatened you in the library, I just wanted you to tell me yourself, but apparently its too hard for you"

"So you know about me warning the order of your attack on Potter?"

"I know everything Clara" Sighing, he fell lazily onto his back, looking up at the ceiling as on hand remained entwined with my own.

"Then why didn't you do anything?" Turning his head to me, the frown reappeared on his forehead as he moved onto his side, while I mirrored his actions.

"Has it never occurred to you that the boy isn't everything to me? That gaining power isn't the only thing my mind is set on?"

"No, you always seem so caught up with it all that I never realized" Grabbing my waist and pulling me closer, he rolled his eyes, a smirk appearing on his lips as he brushed his fingers through my hair, planting a loving kiss on my forehead.

"So...you aren't angry about the things I have done?"

"I wouldn't say that, you still have a lot to make up for" Hearing the humor hidden within, I raised an eyebrow, planting a quick peck onto his lips before getting up off of the bed, and making for the bathroom.

"I'm not missing out on anything am I?" I heard Tom call out, still sat on the bed, a smirk gracing his features, as I reached the door, turning to him with a smirk of my own.

"No, I am only going to brush my teeth"

"Leave the door open then"

"Oh, I think not, Mr Riddle, I don't trust you" An unknown look filled his eyes as I grinned gleefully, shutting the door, and making sure to loudly turn the lock, earning myself a groan from the bedroom.

"You ruin all my plans, Clara!"

"You had better learn from your mistakes then, and make no plans for me to ruin!" I called back out to him, from behind the door, laughing to myself as I heard him sigh and the bed creak, where he had climbed off of it. The floorboards began to groan in protest as he moved around the room, by the sounds of it, getting changed into his pyjamas.

"Clara, I was thinking we could take a holiday-" At that, I swung the door open quickly, toothbrush hanging from my mouth as I entered the bedroom, grabbing the glass and filling it with tap water from the bathroom sink.

"And go where?"

"That, is a surprise, I just think that we need a break from it all, some time to be a family"

"You better not tell Amber, she will not get to sleep"

"That is why she wont find out until we leave, tomorrow morning" Raising my eyebrows, I spat out the toothpaste into the sink, washing it away before climbing into bed beside Tom, who upon me getting near enough grabbed me by the waist, pulling me to him and resting my head on his chest, all the while running his fingers through my hair.

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if your parents had died, if we had never met?"

"No, why?" I frowned, looking up at Tom from where I lay comfortably on his chest.

"Because I do, all the time" Still looking at him with a frown on my forehead, I was speechless, was Tom really saying that he often thought about what his life would be if he never had met me?

"I will stick to what I said back in school, Clara, I still fear losing you, I couldn't bear it if I lost you" Sitting up, I placed my hands either side of his face, looking him dead in the eyes before speaking.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, you will never lose me, and even if you do, I promise, I will always be in here" Removing one hand from his cheek, I placed it onto his heart, before smiling weakly at him as another storm began to brew in the distance, rain drops starting to fall from the dark clouds above. And that was the night that Clara Jean Riddle's son and heir was conceived.