Tom Riddle | Short Stories

Stargazers I

Skye Blair AU, also, did I add a character named Miles cause then their (friend)ship name could be Smiles? Yes. Yes I did.

"There are legends about the stars, you know?" Said Skye, looking over at Tom, who was watching the stars twinkle in the night sky next to his pale haired friend,

"I thought they were just giant balls of plasma and gas, constant nuclear fusion," said Tom, matter of factly, he'd read a book in anticipation of this,

He wanted to impress Skye. They were ten years old. Skye had only moved to the orphanage a few months ago but in her search for acceptance she'd fallen in with Tom Riddle.

"You're thinking of our teacher," said Skye, wrinkling her nose, and Tom suppressed a laugh, and she could tell,

Skye shot him a crooked smile, and it was his turn to wrinkle his nose and look away, he thought she was really pretty when she smiled,

"No, I read a book. The hydrogen fuses to form helium." Said Tom, "Which causes the star to push plasma outwards,"

"I prefer the legends," said Skye, "You know some people believe that stars are gods looking down on us from the heavens,"

"The heavens?"

"Yes. Or my preference, and probably yours, is that they are souls in purgatory," said Skye,

"Purgatory?" Asked Tom, surprises at her use of the word,

"Promise not to get mad," said Skye, and he nodded curtly, "I read your dictionary,"

Tom hated people touching his stuff, but Skye was different.

"It's nice that you're expanding your vocabulary," said Tom, and Skye nodded, a small smile on her face, crooked as ever,

"Anyways, the legend says that shooting stars are actually souls being released from purgatory," said Skye, "Finally allowed to go to heaven,"

"Do you really believe that there is heaven?" Asked Tom, furrowing his eyebrows because surely he wasn't going to heaven,

Even at ten he'd done some really bad things. Namely animal cruelty, and human cruelty too, Tom just hated Billy Stubbs and his stupid bunny and Missy Tompkins and her constant sniffling. He'd gotten better at hiding it when Skye had arrived. Because for the first time in his life he had a friend, a vegetarian, pacifist friend, who talked like, he didn't even know. But she was on his level.

"I don't know." Said Skye, "But surely there must be a hell. How else to you explain the origin of Billy?"

Tom laughed, and Skye's lips quirked upwards, Because she also tried to make him happy, she liked it when he was happy,

The calm and serene vibe was promptly torn away when Mrs Cole opened the door, and caught sight of them lying on the grass in the garden,

"Tom. Skye. Inside now." Said Mrs Cole harshly, and they both tensed, Skye grabbed Tom's hand out of instinct when she felt afraid, "Do you know how dangerous it is to be out here at night?"

"Sorry Mrs Cole," said Skye, as they scrambled to their feet, "I just really wanted to see the stars, and I forgot about the importance of ceilings, and I'm sorry, and I dragged Tom out here, and I didn't mean to make you upset. I'm sorry," she rambled as they walked towards her,

Mrs Cole touched a strand of pure white hair on Skye'a head and looked at her disapprovingly, it was unnatural for a child to have such pale hair, not to mention it was paired with tan skin, and pale blue eyes,

"And you? What do you have to say for yourself, Tom?" She asked, dropping Skye's hair and turning to Tom,

"I'm sorry." He muttered, hating the feeling of the words leaving his lips. He never wanted to apologize for anything. He didn't regret going stargazing not in the slightest, so why should he apologize for wanting to be happy, and make his friend happy,