Always || Tom Riddle

Time travelling sickness

A week later

For the fourth time that day I had been forced to run to the bathroom mid-lesson, flushing the toilet on the first floor girl's lavatory, I stepped out of the cubicle just as Tom was emerging from the Chamber of secrets. I must have been so caught up in running for the toilets to be sick that I didn't notice the fact that the entrance to the chamber had been opened. Becoming very aware of how I must look; messy hair and my skin a sickly pale, I began to try to comb my fingers through the tangled waves as Tom unfroze himself, closing the chamber, before using the sink for support, his body facing away from me. Silence fell upon the lavatory, that was until Tom's voice broke it. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" 

"I am not sure what you mean" In the moments that followed, Tom spun around to face me; his hair and school shirt ruffled and crinkled, dark circles underneath his eyes which were busy sending me an unwavering dark glare. "You know exactly what I mean! You killed the Basilisk, don't lie to me Clara, it does you no credit" 

"I did enter the chamber with the intention to kill the Basilisk, but it was not me who killed it...You may find that your little new girlfriend Victoria has been using Polyjuice potion to turn into you and entering the chamber. I played no part in killing the Basilisk!" A shocked frown formed on Tom's brow, as I attempted to think up reasons which may mean I am allowed to leave this rather uncomfortable situation; the longer I stayed in his presence, the more likely it was that I was going to end up giving away that there was a possibility of me being pregnant; before I had the chance to tell him properly, romantically, and preferably, when he wasn't angry at me for sabotaging just about every plan he has ever made. "Victoria knows how to make Polyjuice potion?" 

"I tell you that Victoria kills your pet Basilisk and you focus on the point that she was able to successfully brew some Polyjuice potion, yet when I burn a few books on Horcruxes you flip out?! You are one hell of a confusing guy Tom Riddle" Throughout me talking, Tom had been inching forwards, until we were metres apart. "Do you want to know why I got so angry about the books?" Tom asked, looking down at me with a small smile pulling at his lips. "That would be nice" He let out a laugh, cupping my cheeks with his hands lovingly. "I am not surprised by Victoria's actions, I feel so little for her that I have no expectations for her. But when it comes to you, I feel your betrayals more acutely because quite frankly, I do not want to believe that you could do such things. I am the baddie in this relationship, not you, my love" 

"So, you weren't really trying to kill me that night in the forest?" Tears had begun to form in Tom's eyes as he pulled me into a hug, presumably to prevent me from seeing him cry. "No, I wasn't really trying to aim for you, I was just upset" Sighing in relief, I moved closer to him, closing my eyes and enjoying the moment of peace. A girl's shocked gasp was what caused me to quickly pull away to see who was the source of the disturbance. A very real, living, breathing, Moany Myrtle stood before us, her mouth agape, she blinked pushing her round glasses further up her nose. Suddenly feeling nauseous, I ran to the nearest toilet, not having enough time to close the cubicle door behind me before I started to be sick. Flushing the toilet, I fell in a heap on the bathroom floor as Tom stood in the entrance to the cubicle, looking up at him, still being left with the burning sensation in my mouth; I really hoped he hadn't figured it out, but by the look on his face he had.  

"Do you need a handkerchief?" Muttering a quick thank-you, I took the handkerchief from Myrtle's outstretched hand, using it to make myself look at least a little like 'I've just been sick, pity me'. "Myrtle, can you excuse us for a moment, please?" Nodding her head frantically, she quickly fled. "When were you going to tell me?" Huffing in annoyance, I began to play with the hem of my school robes, anything to avoid Tom's gaze. "I wanted to, for a while, I haven't really been one hundred percent sure, and I didn't exactly want to get your hopes up" Tom rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the cubicle door with a disapproving expression on his face. "I could have helped you through this if you had allowed me!" 

"Oh yeah, because that would be great wouldn't it? It's not like we have been arguing every time we see each other. 'I hate you right now, and you could have killed me the other day, but I'm pregnant'-" 

"Clara, stop it!" I flinched at his sudden outburst, before climbing to my feet, a wave of dizziness hitting me as I put a hand to my forehead. Tom's demeanour changed in seconds, he went from looking agitated to concerned in seconds. "That's it, I am taking you to the hospital wing" I feebly attempted to move away from him, only to have him lift me up bridal style and make for the hospital wing. "Tom, this whole carrying me thing is really sweet, but I have legs, I can walk" 

"Do you swear not to try to run from me?" When I said nothing he continued to carry me, an annoying victorious smirk playing on his lips. Upon our arrival to the hospital wing, Tom placed me onto a bed, brushing my hair back away from my face, sending me a worried look as he left to find a nurse, it was after all their lunch break. Several agonisingly long minutes passed where I was abandoned in te hospital wing, forced to put up with the many groans of pain from many of the other students. "You say she has been experiencing dizziness?" The nurse asked, looking to Tom as he quickly nodded, unable to speak as he returned to my side, taking my hand in his as the nurse began to check me over. I had been feeling that everything would be down to my morning sickness, but from the look on her face I wasn't going to be told good news. 

"You will be dead very soon if you don't return to your own time, it's called time travellers sickness. You have been here far too long, you need to leave" My mouth dropped open as I looked to Tom for some sort of comfort, only to see his own feelings on the matter matched mine. "Dumbledore ensured I was kept up to date with you. I have known throughout your time here. You are to return immediately." 

"But I can't just leave, I haven't finished!" I cried, tears welling up in my eyes as I tried to get the nurse to see why I had to stay. "I am afraid I am under strict orders to send you back should you show signs of time travellers sickness" I froze, my breathing quickening as I realised that I may have very well failed this task. Before I could fully register what was happening, I was being guided into Headmaster Dippet's office, and the time turner pulled out from where it was hidden beneath my robes.

"Clara, I will finish this for you. I might not want to nor see the point in doing this, but if it means so much to you, I will finish what you started, even if it kills me" I held the time turner tightly as everything began to spin, I reached out to Tom, who's hand fruitlessly reached for mine before I was sent flying through space and time, ending up back in my own time in a matter of seconds, the warm voice of Professor Dumbledore welcoming me back. 

"Ah, Clara, we were wondering when you would be joining us again"