Means To An End || Tom Riddle Story

Eleven

Four shots later, Tom had found Cosette laughing and chatting with Lestrange and Avery. The party was in full swing and Cosette had never felt so free of pressure. Usually, she needed to compose herself whilst at a party. Her actions could have tarnished the Travers name, so she was always on her best behavior. Tonight was an exception. Druella Black had got underneath her skin and she was upset with herself that she allowed it, but more upset with the fact that Tom had entertained her. The whole situation irked her. But, she pretended not to care.

"Where have you been?" asked Tom as he surprised Cosette by snaking his arm around her waist. Her heart rate accelerated at his touch.

"Just chatting with Lestrange and Avery," she said, motioning to the two men who were now highly intoxicated. "They've been full of stories tonight. Mostly consisting of your school days. The three of you, sneaking off in the castle, fucking random bitches. It sounds like a whole lot of fun."

She almost instantly regretted the words as soon as she spoke them. But, the thought of Druella Black hanging all over Tom Riddle was enough to set off a fire inside of her. She had gotten Avery and Lestrange drunk enough to make them spill information about Tom and Druella while they were at Hogwarts, but she too was now feeling the effects of the alcohol and realized she was speaking before she had the chance to think.

"Fucking random bitches?" asked Tom incredulously, sounding slightly offended. "How much have you actually had to drink?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said as a statement, tipping back another drink.

"Okay," said Tom snatching the now empty glass out of her hand. "You've had enough."

Fuck.

"Don't tell me when I've had enough, Tom Riddle," she said as she attempted, but failed, to take the glass back from him. "I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."

"I say, Miss Travers, I have yet to see this side of you," said Tom, almost as if he were amused by her actions. "How about you come with me for a minute?"

"Oh come on Riddle," boasted Lestrange, "she's having fun! Let her have some fun for a change."

Tom's face suddenly changed into a hard, stern expression. "I would recommend you keep your comments to yourself, Lestrange."

"How's Druella?" asked Cosette, slightly slurring her words. "Have you been catching up on the good old days? Reminiscing about your days at Hogwarts? Sneaking off and snogging in the corridors? You could do that, because you were Head Boy, I've heard."

"Okay, that's enough," said Tom as he yanked Cosette's arm and pulled her away from the crowd. Cosette stumbled behind him as he pulled her into the Malfoy family drawing room and locked the door behind him.

"Miss Travers, do kindly tell me why you are acting like you've never tasted alcohol a day in your life," he said acidly.

Even though she was drunk, she realized the situation she had put herself in. She had shut off her drunk brain for a second and recognized this was not the situation she wanted to be in. She was not some lovestruck fifteen year old girl. She was a twenty-three year old witch who was assigned with a task to stop Tom Riddle by any means necessary. And yet here she was. Drunk, in front of the man whom she could feel herself falling for. The man who was her damned enemy.

"I'm sorry," she sputtered, "I'm sorry, Tom. I don't know what's wrong with me, I -"

"Well I do," he interrupted, "you're drunk. Clearly."

"You invited me here to have a good time," she countered, "so don't act like you're surprised."

"I'm surprised because I've never seen you act like this before."