[2] after darkness → tom riddle

Chapter Thirty-Five: A Change of Wizarding Society

Ophelia awoke in the same position she had fallen asleep in, for a split second a wave of panic and fear spread over all her when she didn't initially recognise her surroundings. She jolted up and looked around her, to the side of her Tom's eyes snapped open at the sudden movement and he turned his head to look at her.

The two intensely stared at one another until Ophelia started to laugh. Tom was confused - how could Ophelia go from an intense emotion of fear to laughing? What a peculiar girl Ophelia was.

Ophelia's laughing calmed down and Tom sat up. Ophelia smiled, "I'm sorry for startling you," she apologised, "I completely forgot where I was - these past few months have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions - today was the first time I woke up in a bed since I left."

Tom pondered over the thought of Ophelia being on her own in the wilderness for so long, her hair showed the had - now that it was dry, Tom could see how bitter her ends had gotten. "It was rude of me to only offer you tea last night," Tom stated, "I should have given you food, but my main priority was making sure you were warm, I'm assuming from the way the sun hasn't risen yet that it's fairly early - which means breakfast."

Ophelia smiled as she watched Tom jump out of bed, he stepped into his slippers and walked around the bed towards the door. From there he grabbed his robe and wrapped it around his body. "I'm not kidding, Lockwood," Tom barked, "let's go."

Tom left the room - leaving Ophelia alone and confused - a smile began to form on her face because of the way Tom was acting, he wasn't his usual cold self - it genuinely seemed like he cared, but Ophelia knew this was his own trick.

Ophelia leapt out of bed and began chasing after him. She caught up to him just as he descended down the stairs. As she reached him on the stairs, the two walked side by side at the same pace - Tom grabbed her hand when they reached the bottom and led her into the kitchen.

"What will it be?" Tom asked, "cereal, toast, a full-English?"

Perplexed, Ophelia looked at Tom with squinted eyes, "I never knew you could cook, Tom Riddle," Ophelia stated boldly, "you are meant to be a big, scary Dark Lord and here you are offering to make me a full-English breakfast!"

Tom scoffed, "Ophelia, you have such high hopes for me," he chuckled, "I offered you a full-English as the last option for a reason - for you were right to question my cooking skills as I simply lack them and will not be cooking you a full-English today, my old friend." Tom watched her mouth drop and form back into a smile, "besides, I don't even think we have the ingredients for it anyways, so you could probably have sausage, egg and beans if you really wanted."

Ophelia shook her head, "I'll stick to toast, please."

"What a marvellous choice, madam," Tom turned to the bread bin, "how would you like your toast done?"

"Just the tiniest bit golden please, fine sir," Ophelia laughed. "And may I say, what wonderful manners you have!"

"Now you're pushing it, Lockwood," Tom pointed the butter knife at her.

Ophelia looked at Tom like he just used an unforgivable curse in front of her. Tom had realised what he had done and they both stared at each other - not saying anything. Tom hadn't called Ophelia by her maiden name since they were first reunited over a year ago - as soon as Tom found out Ophelia was married to Emory he began calling her by her married name. And now since she was backing in his life he had begun to use it again, only Ophelia had just caught on.

Abraxas walked into the kitchen as the toaster popped. He could feel the tension within the room and didn't know whether to leave or stay - both solutions made things more awkward. Abraxas decided to leave and turned around to head back out the kitchen door.