Pick Your Poison | Tom Riddle |

Chapter Twenty: The New Year

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"The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals."
Melody Beattie

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December 31, 1943

On a starry night, New Years Eve had everyone --including some of the Professors-- jubilantly waiting for midnight to come when celebration would break out in the courtyard.

A couple of infamous red heads in Gryffindor had prepared fireworks once again this year to set off just like previous years where Eleanor and her friends would watch from the Astronomy Tower and Cormac would be the one to bring the champagne.

Unfortunately for Eleanor, all of her friends were gone for the remainder of the break and she would be in 1944 before Marcella was.

In the cold air that blew through the steps of the Astronomy Tower, Eleanor climbed up wearing a long coat hemmed with fur and a journal in her hands. Percy's paws padded up the steps as the cat tried to keep up with her.

The other Prefects of Ravenclaw had situated the younger students down below which left her some solitude for the night.

Once she reached the top, her eyes fell on two figures through the iron spheres in the room and she noticed the one had hair so white it glowed.

To her dismay, she recognized the names behind the figures were Abraxas and Tom.

Eleanor's coat continued to drag along the floor as she approached them by the railing and suddenly, they both noticed her presence and jumped at the sight. It made her grin.

"What are you doing up here?" Abraxas snapped, his tense body relaxing as he glared at her.

She knew he was mad only because she startled him. Tom didn't even look her way.

"I've come up here every New Years Eve, Malfoy, if anything you should be questioned by me right now." Eleanor replied, taking her place along the railing just a few feet from Tom who finally glanced over at her, Abraxas scowling at her cat that hissed at him.

This past week since the Yule Ball she hasn't been able to get an answer as to why he let her have the ring back.

It was quite morbid to be wearing someone else's soul around their neck. No matter how persistent she was, Tom was still Tom and not once did he ever reveal an inkling on what his thought process was.

But nonetheless, she still got what was rightfully hers in the end.

"Malfoy, don't feel obligated to stay." Tom said, straightening from his position from the railing and turning to face her.

"I quite like this spot actually." Abraxas said, narrowing his eyes at her.

Eleanor then turned her head only to lock eyes with him and not once did their eyes break even until she impulsively picked up Percy and held him out to Abraxas.

"What are you doing you twat?" Abraxas scowled.

Eleanor leaned around Percy to look him in the eye.

"Training him to claw your bloody eyes out."

"You two can both go, if you please. I'm sure Percy and I aren't your favorite pair for company." Eleanor asked.

"Not my favorite, no." Tom smirked, leaning over the tower railing. "But there's no arguing with you."

Abraxas was beside himself as he watched Tom so easily give her space there. A handful of other students were on the tower as well so it was hardly that odd of a sight for them to be there together. But it seemed the blonde had been so infuriated with her presence that he ended up leaving anyway.