Stop running from me (A Tom Riddle Story)

Two can play at that Game

Esmeralda thought of the previous night, her lip curled and her nostrils flared. Her mind felt as if lead were coursing through it instead of blood. How dare he strike her as though she were nothing to him? She had risked so much to help him, to give him the answers to his questions. What right did he have to hurt her?

She knew that his 'death eaters' would see her as nothing but Tom's possession. Which she was most definitely not.

But what could she do about it?

She could stay in the dorm all day and fake illness, although that would instantly tell the other boys the Tom's hit really had affected her. She needed to be confident and arrogant. Esmeralda supposed she could ignore Tom, easier said than done but she knew she could manage it. But she got the impression that Tom would just find it funny. How could she make him regret-?

A small smile spread across her face as a plan formulated in her head. She hissed at the pain in her cheek. Getting up, she snuck towards the bathroom, grabbing her school clothes along the way. Ignoring the groaning of the other girls waking, she closed the door and quickly pulled on her uniform. Straitening her ties, she stared at herself in the mirror, gold eyes and white hair. And a dark bruise on her right cheek.

Oh she would make him regret every minute.

With a flick of her wand her hair came out of the bun she always put it in for Tom. Her white curls fell like snow, bouncing around her midriff. What else could she do?

Should she wear the bruise with pride? No, it would be more amusing to make him wonder how she's healed herself. Raising her wand, the bruise disappeared. She titled her head, seeing no sign of the bruise it had supported.

She smirked. With another flick her shirt became tighter as her skirt grew shorter. None of it was obvious but she knew that boys, especially Tom would notice. She pulled on heels instead of flats and then plastered a knowing smirk on her face.

People were going to stare... and Tom was going to hate it.

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He'd wait for her, pretending nothing had ever happened. She expected that.

So she had waited, waited till it was late enough for him to give up. Probably with a stupid smirk at the thought of how he had hurt her into submission. Esmeralda stood in a corridor just before the entrance hall, feeling bitter but excited.

Was it worth it? She hated being the centre of attention but...

She could almost picture the boys stopping and staring at her. Esmeralda strolled forwards, placing one foot before the other, letting her hips sway. Lifting her head, she smirked as she passed through the doors to the great hall.

The temperature fell several degrees. Boys from every house stared at her, their mouths dropping open, desire lighting their eyes. Fleamont Potter actually stood up, his eyes wide, the conversation with his girlfriend completely forgotten. She winked at him, forcing herself not to laugh as he stumbled back slightly.

Turning her head, she could see the Slytherin's. Edward and Cygnus were looking her up and down like a piece of meat. But the knowing look on Abraxas's face made Esmeralda smile. He bowed his head once as if telling her he understood what she was doing. Was it going to be that easy to win the boys over?

As she got closer she almost glanced at Tom but decided against it last minute. She would ignore him in style. She stopped by Abraxas and raised an eyebrow. Instantly he shoved Edward away and made a space for her. She sat as gracefully as she could, grabbing the pumpkin juice, deliberately leaning over Edward, who suddenly became stiff as his hands involuntarily moved.