She [Tom Riddle]

twenty four

Tom knew exactly where to find her. London. Ministry of Magic's office. It was already dark outside. She should've been walking home by now.

Then, he saw her. A grown woman in a brown blazer. Her hair was still dark brown, but it was longer now. She still walked the same way. The only thing different from her was the fact that she had grown into a woman.

His heart was racing. For the first time in his life, he was scared. Terrified even. He wanted to leave. But then, he loved her too much to break her heart over and over again. So he approached her quietly.

"Celeste."

Celeste stopped walking. She didn't look back right away. She needed to process everything. It was his voice. Maybe she had gone mad. There was no way he came back after five years of nothing. She wanted walk away. But something told her to look back. So she did. And her heart dropped. It was him. He really came back. She was supposed to smile and ran to him. But she cried. She was disgusted. She was angry. She was dissapointed.

Tom walked closer. He wanted to hold her. But Celeste backed away. "No. Don't you dare."

His heart twisted. It was painful but he knew he deserve it. "Please. Don't leave."

"How dare you? You were gone from my life for five years. You were dead to me."

Tom stared deeply at her eyes and for the first time since five years ago, their eyes met. One by one, memories after memories began to flooded their mind.

"Celeste, please allow me to explain everything. You need to hear it from me."

Celeste scoffed. "Explain? I needed that five years ago. Where were you?"

Tom sighed. It was all his fault. He knew that. "Please. One more chance. To explain everything. After this, i promise to leave you alone if that's what you wish."

Celeste was too angry to even look at him. But she needed to hear everything. She neede to know. She needed the closure. So she agreed. They stood face to face, not as a teenagers, but as an adult. Everything had changed between them. But not with their feelings for wach other. Their feelings for each other never faded. It grew stronger each day.

And by that, he told her everything. He told her every single thing that his mother told him. Celeste was confused. She was surprised. She couldn't believe everything she heard. It was all like a nightmare. Maybe sometimes reality was a nightmare.

"I don't know what to say. That's crazy. I wish i never know the truth. I wish i never know that my whole life is a lie. So who am i? What am i? Do i exist just to break your curse? My life means nothing then?" She said.

"No. It's not like that. Of course your life means everything. It means everything to me. This feeling that we have is real. We write our own story, Celeste. Please, i love you."

It was the first time he said those three words. It was also the first time she heard him said it to her. Her heart stopped. Wasn't this what she always wanted? To see him again? To be with him? But why did it have to be so complicated?

Celeste couldn't think straight. It was all too much for her.

"I don't know what to think. I can't do this."

She left him. She ran back to home crying. By the time she reached home, she called Luna and Cho. She needed them. As soon as both of them arrived, Celeste began to tell them the whole truth. It made them speechless. It was crazy. It didn't feel real, even for Luna and Cho.

Cho held Celeste's shaking hands. "I take back what i said. C, i know he may not be the most romantic guy. I know that he mostly did everything wrong. But i know this for sure that he never lied. When we were still students, we heard stories about his complicated family. About his curse. I think he was telling the truth. Including the part where he said that he loves you."

Cho turned to face Luna. She waited for Luna's response. "Like i said many times, only you can change everything and make the right decision. So, what will you do, C? We will support you no matter what."

Celeste was thinking really hard. She knew perfectly what she wanted. She loved him too much to let him go. Cho was right. He had never lie. She tried to put herself in his position. It must be hard for him too when he learned the truth. Celeste had always known that he wasn't heartless. He was just lost. And now, he finally found his way back. Back to the world. Back to her heart. She would never want to lose that ever again.

Celeste rushed back to the place they met. She didn't want to regret everything. She didn't want to be late. All she could do was hoping that he was still there.

Suprisingly, he was still there. He was waiting for her. His face lit up when he saw her. She was relieved. Celeste didn't waste any second. They ran into each other. Finally, they were both in each other's arms. They had been waiting for five years for this moment. Nothing and no one could stop them now.

Tom kissed her lips. Yes. He missed her too damn much. "I'm so sorry, Cherry. I love you so much. I don't want you to leave ever again. I'm sorry. I love you."

Celeste chuckled. Her eyes filled with tears. "Don't you dare make me wait for another five years, Tom."

He got down on one knee. He didn't want to lose her ever again. He wanted to make her his. "Celeste, i don't want to be seperated from you ever again. I love you so much. Will you marry me and spend the rest of our lives together?"

Celeste had been waiting for this moment. She didn't think twice. She nodded. "Yes. Oh My God, yes. I will."

~