Tryst -Tom Riddle

2

TOM

It's been two weeks since Christmas break ended. The Slytherin Prefect badge is proudly laying on my robes. I was lost in my thoughts while staring at my diary, which is soon going to be my first horcrux, when I realized that I have to go for my prefect duties. I've been itching to have my first horcrux already. The Ravenclaw mudblood I was talking about, Myrtle is it? I have to know more. Where does she spend most of the time, times when she's alone. I have seen her during meals in the Great Hall, sitting in the corner of the Ravenclaw table, dining alone. Just today during dinner. We made eye contact, I panicked but she surprisingly smiled at me, and I smiled back, unwillingly of course. Maybe I'll befriend her, gain her trust and then surprise her. A grin crossed my face at the thought.

As the duties were over, I made my way back to the Slytherin common room. Every night, I spend time there, completing my homework or a book in silence. On my way, I was thinking about the girl who sat with me in Hogwarts express. Her name was Mackenzie, as much as I remember. I saw her few times in the classes. She doesn't really talk to anybody but that girl, whose name I learnt is Aimee. They both are usually just with each other. I asked Malfoy and some of my other followers. They were as shocked as I was that they never noticed her before. I asked few Professors though, they said she's quite smart girl, less talkative. Someone suddenly exited the hallway that led to the library. A student to be exact, considering the robes.

"You, stop right there!" I yelled at that person. To my surprise, they actually stopped walking. I went closer and recognized the person. Mackenzie. I looked at her, the expression as if she wasn't expecting anyone to catch her.
"Out past curfew? Didn't expect you to break any rules." I stated. This is when I noticed our height difference. Not much to be exact, she reached somewhere near my chin.
"So, tell me. What is your excuse for being out of bed this late hour?"

MACKENZIE

I was so relieved to see Aimee in the great hall the day we came back. Everything is going so perfectly fine till now. After sharing the same compartment in the train with Tom Riddle, I couldn't help but notice his overall demeanor in classes. Usually alone, sometimes with slytherin group of boys, only speaks to answer Professor's question, and always reading and writing. His world seems to be revolving around countless combinations of the same 26 letters.
I couldn't figure out what he was thinking, his face emotionless. My father would say, "No emotion on someone's outside expression always means their mind is drowning in a sea of million different thoughts, processing them might be beyond impossible."

Curiosity gets the best of me, the urge to talk to him and let him open up to me until I am able to swim in his Sea of thoughts, too. Maybe help him reach the shore if he's lost.

**********

Every night after dinner, I go the library for some time. My meal is usually small and hence I leave the great hall before most students. Some nights, I stay there past curfew. Till last year, not one prefect caught me so late. A little shameful Pride of breaking rules without anyone knowing lingered in my chest on my way back to the common room at night when I heard someone.

"You, Stop right there!". I froze. So 'never getting caught' does not apply anymore? Got it.
I turned around and my eyes met with Tom Riddle's. I just knew.

"Aren't your duties supposed to be over?"
Bluntly ignoring my question, he went on with his concern.
"Out past curfew? Didn't expect you to break any rules." He stared, same emotionless expression. He's so unreadable, I sometimes want to prick him with a needle or something just to see an expression of pain, at least something. I've realised he's unfamiliar with smiling hence I chose the sensation of pain.

"I was in the library and I lost track of time." Of course I didn't. I clearly knew it was past curfew.

"You are a terrible liar, Rose." He said slightly irritated.

"I am not lying!"

"I'm sure you're aware Madam Prince shuts the library as soon as its bed time. You couldn't possible lose track of time." Well that's true. She's a very good librarian.

"Well I-" he cut me off mid sentence.

I won't report you to Headmaster or any other Professor neither I would take house points."

I looked at him confused, "You won't?"

"Was I not clear?" He replied. Alright, no need to be so impolite! I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Appreciate it, I guess? I'll go back now before some professor catches us." I said ready to leave when he started talking again.

"I'm not finished."

I stood there, waiting for him to continue.
"You have to do something for me in return. Do you agree?" He said.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Which is what?"

"First you tell me that you agree to this."

"Yes I agree"

" I want you to spend time with me from tomorrow. I expect you to sit beside me during classes, join me in the Great hall for our meals, and I want you to be with me whenever I want you to. Is that clear?"

I stared at him like he is from another planet. I chuckled lowly.

"Something amusing?" He asked me raising his eye brow.

"I didn't know you were that desperate for friends."

"Please. Speak for yourself. You're the one spending every second of every day with the same girl. I'll have you know I have lots of people to talk to." If confidence was a person, its him at this moment.
"Stalker much? And who do you talk to, may I ask?" I just called him stalker even though I feel like one now. I know exactly who he talks to.

"You will know tomorrow morning when you join me for breakfast."

"You seem so sure that I will join you."
"You did say yes, darling." He grinned. It hit me that I agreed before even listening to what he has to offer. My foolishness will someday cause much more trouble.

"Alright then. I shall join you for morning supper."

"Good."