Infatuation- Harry Potter Imagines

*Request* Tom Riddle - Potion Problems

This imagine was requested by the wonderful @Ashitoba! I hope you like it!

Being best friends with Tom Riddle wasn't always easy. His inability to feel any real positive emotion and constant thirst to be the best made it hard to keep up with him. He had his followers but Tom hardly considered those daft pig-headed children to be his friends. No, Tom Riddle had one real friend who happened to be Y/N. Everybody knew who Y/N was. She was the black sheep of the Slytherin house. Don't get it twisted, she was about as badass as it got and if you messed with her then you were sure to end up in the Hospital Wing needed more than a few stitches, but Y/N seemed to be one of the few Slytherins who didn't believe in the whole ¨Blood Purity¨ thing. Pretty ironic considering who her best friend was, right? Well as crazy as it seemed, the two balanced each other out very well and to Tom, Y/N was the person who made him feel something that seemed what he believed would be love, had he been able to feel such a thing. Of course, he would rather be caught hanging out with Dumbledore than ever admit that but sometimes life has a way of doing the opposite of what you hoped it would. 

*Y/N POV (Betcha didn't expect that one)* 

¨Hurry up Y/N, we can't be late to Potions, or I'm going to Avada you arse for making us late again.¨ 

¨Oh Tommy, as if you could ever think of harming a hair on your precious best friend's head.¨

All he did was turn around and glare at me, before continuing to drag me down to the dungeons. Yep, you heard me right, Tom Riddle, or I call him, Tommy, was my best friend. We have a very love-hate relationship. Him more hate and me more love, in a friendly way of course... well kind of. 

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I focused back on Tom pulling me into our seats just as Snape entered the room. He looked gloomier than usual. Wonderful. I began to get my things out as he started talking. 

¨Today we will be brewing the Amortentia potion. Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in the world. It is distinctive for its mother-of-pearl sheen, and steam rises from the potion in spirals. Amortentia smells different to each person, according to what attracts them. If I find anything less than perfection then you can expect detention for a month and a multitude of house points taken away. You may begin."

Tom went to grab the ingredients as I set our cauldron up. I looked at our directions and once Tom got back, we started to brew. 

Amortentia: 

- Pour Standard Potioning Water into a gold cauldron and place over a very low flame

- Bruise the Peppermint Flower heads with a mortar and pestle and sprinkle into the lukewarm water

-  Take whole Peppermint Leaves and drop into the water

- Add Powdered Moonstone, one tbs at a time, stirring anti-clockwise three times between each spoonful

- While the potion is still moving, sprinkle Rose Thorns into the water and leave to rest for an hour

- Remove from heat and cover with a silk cloth in a dark place to steep for an hour

- After steeping, carefully place Ashwinder Eggs into the potion one at a time, gently stirring without direction
-When steam begins to rise, add the victim's lock of hair or drop of blood to the potion

- The potion will become pearlescent in colour and must be removed from the heat

- Strain the liquid into a vial for storage

*Time skip brought to you by Oliver Wood being obsessed with Quidditch.*

After we finished our potion, it was time to smell it and put it in a vial. Tom decided to go first. 

¨I smell... vanilla, books, and snickerdoodles?¨

Wait. Snickerdoodles were my favorite cookie. I started to blush and looked down at my shows. It looked like Tom had a tint of red on his cheeks but then again it was quite dark in the dungeons and he is incapable of feeling. Right?

Tom quickly cleared his throat. That was his way of telling me it was my turn to go. 

When I spoke my voice came out shaky as I said ¨I smell expensive cologne, the ocean, and ink.¨

I smelled Tom. If it was possible, I blushed even harder. I wanted to dig a hole in the floor and live there forever. 

¨Ehhem uh let's just put it in the vial, yeah?¨ 

All I could do was nod, not trusting my voice. Tom grabbed the vial and I took the cauldron and began to pour the potion into the vial. Unfortunately for me, my hands were still shaking and I ended up spilling half of the potion down Tom's robes. I quickly set the cauldron down and frantically began to wipe it off. Snape came over with blazing eyes and started to yell. 

¨Mrs. L/N do you have an explanation for your foolish actions?¨

I stuttered out ¨Im s-ssorry professor my hand slipped¨

¨Hmm yes I'm sure they did. That is no excuse to be daft. 25 points from Slytherin and a month of detention.¨

Tom, who had been sitting on his chair with a cold expression and eyes blazing with anger, stood up, grabbed Snape's collar, and pushed him against the wall. 

¨Are you sure you want to do that, Severus? She said her hand slipped and she was telling the truth so why don't you go ahead and give her those points back and keep the detentions to yourself, or I will make you am I clear?"

¨Tom let him go it's ok. I'm fine!¨

¨I said do I make myself clear?¨

¨Y-yes my-¨ Tom tightened his grip and said ¨A simple yes would suffice¨. All Snape could do was nod. 

Tom released him from his grip, grabbed my arm, and quickly took me into a secluded hallway. When we arrived at the spot he wanted, he pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged him back just as tight. 

¨Are you alright?¨ He asked.

¨Tom I am fine. I should be the one asking you if you are alright. I stupidly spilled the potion all over you.¨

¨Y/N I'm fine. I'm more worried about you.¨ His eyes turned red, ¨Snape was completely out of line when he yelled at you. You should have let me kill him.¨

¨Tommy look at me.¨ I put my hand on his cheek. ¨Im right here and I'm fine. That greasy-haired git isn't going to get to me.¨ 

¨He was still out of line. But Y/N we do need to talk about what we smelled in our Amortentia. Did- did you smell me?¨

I looked down with a blush. Damn me and my blushing. ¨Yes...it was you.¨

He smirked and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look into his dark green eyes. His eyes were magnificent. They were the darkest green I had ever seen and I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in them for good. 

¨Well lucky for you, I smelled you too. I know I cant love, at least by definition, but I want to learn to be better for you Y/N. I want to learn to love you in my own way.¨

¨Well then Tom Riddle, come and make me yours¨ and then he kissed me. He kissed me as though I was his only lifeline. It was soft and delicate, the very opposite of him. It was wonderfully ironic. It was perfection. 

Who knew that problems with potions could lead to the beginning of a beautifully messy relationship with my best friend. Tom Riddle may have started down the wrong path but a little love can go a long way. 

A/N - I had to start with soft Tom because I love that sm. There will be the real Tom Riddle later on don't worry. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Stay lovely - Grace