Not Broken, Not Yet | Tom Riddle

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

As we left the classroom together Aiden didn't leave my side for so much as a second, the weight of his arm around my waist remaining an ever present comfort. But even as we left Riddle behind us I could feel his gaze on us. Burning through the walls even as we walked into the Gryffindor tower, leaving our books in our dorms before heading to dinner.

Aiden sat by my side the entire time. Like always. Looking at me from over the rim of his cup as he spoke to Tyler and the others, eyes twinkling as they set on me. Always there. Always present.

He lit up my world yet in the back of my mind I couldn't shake the image of Riddle's eyes burning into mine. Burning into him. Into Aiden. If Aiden was the sun, warm and bright, Riddle was the moon, cold and distant. Mysterious and somehow miles away from the rest of us.

"Whatever is on your mind?" Aiden asked, nudging me with his elbow as my gaze drifted off into the abyss. I flinched ever so slightly, looking at him quickly, cheeks flushing as I for a moment thought he could sense my thoughts. Yet the look he gave me was ever so clueless.

"Nothing much." I said, and took a sip of pumpkin juice.

Aiden set down his cup and snorted. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

In front of us Tyler chuckled ever so slightly, eyeing us over his plate of food before continuing his conversation with Clara and one of the Gryffindor chasers. I found myself blushing, but I met his gaze steadily nonetheless.

"Am not."

"Whatever you say, Princess." He said, voice dripping with sarcasm. I punched his shoulder for that, almost contemplating stabbing him with a fork for a second. He flinched. "Ouch!"

"My apologies, Princess." I teased. "Sore shoulder, your majesty?"

The others around the table laughed and catcalled Aiden, but he narrowed his eyes at me, for once paying no attention to the attention he got. Slowly, he leaned forward. I felt my smile stiffen, and eventually fade as his face edged closer and something that I didn't recognize glinted in his eyes. It felt as though I'd seen it somewhere before, then, just in the blink of an eye it was gone as his face lit up with a grin as he snatched my bag and headed for the great doors.

For a moment I couldn't believe what just happened, then as the Gryffindor table erupted into catcalls and laughter I found myself running after that damnable chestnut coloured head.

"Catch me if you can, Princess!" He shouted back at me, cackling with laughter as he ran past Professor Dumbledore into the hallway outside. I blushed ever so slightly as I passed the Professor whose gaze remained fixed on Aiden's shoulders. I slowed down for a moment, giving Dumbledore a nod before speeding off after Aiden.

"Give me back my bag, you idiot!" I screamed after him as I saw him disappear behind a corner and down the stairs. All I got in return was laughter. My heart pounded in my chest as I ran past a group of first years heading to their common rooms. Then, as I reached the end of the stairs and saw where Aiden was headed I froze.

He just slipped out of the slowly closing front door. Looking back at me with glittering eyes as he did so. For a moment he stopped, catching his breath as he watched me. It was getting late and in just a few minutes the grounds outside would become forbidden territory for all students. I hesitated. "Scared, Princess?" Aiden teased as the two doors slowly closed. In just a few moments they would remain closed until the morning. We would effectively be locked out or have to come clean, no doubt facing detention. But Aiden's words and the look on his face annoyed me to the point of insanity.