Not About Angels (A Tom Riddle Story)

Chapter 49

The party on the Gryffindor terrace was filled with people, dancing, stumbling, talking, drinking. 

Cassie held Abigail's hand as they navigated the crowd together. 

Gabriel waved to them from across the room. 

Cassie took a deep breath. Relax, she told herself. Be normal. Don't be weird. Act normal, act posted. Don't seem too interested. 

This was it. This was finally her chance with her idol.  

Gabriel ushered his other friends to go away and leave him as he saw Abigail walk to him.  

"Gabe. You already know Cassie, right ?" 

He nods and smiles, obviously already drunk off fire whiskey. 

"You're in my Charms class. And you watch us at practice, like, all the time." He said. She blushed, glad that he noticed.   

"I'll go get a butter beer." Abigail said, excusing herself and letting them talk alone for a second. 

As she approached the drinks, someone tapped her on the shoulder. 

It was Avery. 

"I thought this was a Gryffindor party?" She said, smiling at him. He was the only one of Tom Riddle's friends she doesn't mind being around.  

"Yeah. It is. We're aware that Slytherin's aren't welcome here. You know...before you...we were invited to these. Now that Tom and Gabriel are fueding, we're basically banned here. Look at how much influence you can have." Avery joked. 

"What do you need?"

"Tom is looking for you. He sent me here to fetch you."  

"Oh." 

"Just come with me" Avery said, beckoning her.  

........................................ 

Meanwhile, Cassie was trying to strike a conversation with a very intoxicated Gabriel. 

The party just began, but he was already drunk. He was upset. His confession went unanswered, and he was so deeply hurt by it.  He coped with it the only way he knew how: getting drunk off his ass so he would no longer feel a single thing. 

Drink after drink, he drowned out his surroundings, the noises, the pained thoughts. He remembers seeing Tom Riddle and her in the shop. Her eyes when she looked at Tom Riddle. The way she said his name.....He took another long sip, letting the burning fire whiskey wash away his feelings, cutting away his pain. 

"Are you okay? You...you seem distracted." Cassie asked, looking up at him. He stumbles a little. She holds him to prevent him form falling.

When he leaned against her, she closed her eyes, feeling as if this were a dream. he smelled like a blend of pine and whiskey, and she loved it so much. 

"You okay? Let's go sit." She said, holding his arm and dragging him into a booth with chairs. She closed the curtains to the booth for some privacy. He collapsed on the couch with colorful cushions, his weight dragging her down with him. She giggled, blushing like a tomato, her heart racing like a frantic drum inside her chest. She had never been so close before. 

"Let me get you some water. You need water" She tells Gabriel, but he grabbed her arm firmly, not letting her go anywhere. His hands on her skin felt electric, almost heavenly. She felt like she should go fetch the water, but she was completely  paralyzed. 

"Stay." He murmered, his eyes only half open. She gasped, thrilled. 

"I'll stay." She whispered, looking at him. Even in drunkenness, he was still so handsome, his cheeks red. She couldn't help but lift a finger down his sculpted cheek, feeling his soft skin underneath her fingers. So this was Gabriel, right before her.