Means To An End || Tom Riddle Story

Thirteen

Cosette was dreading yuletide season, and that was putting it mildly. She would have cut off her right arm if it meant she would not have to go back to her family's home. Granted, there was a small part of her that wanted to see Gabriel again, and Henry too, even though he was different.

The past couple of weeks, she had nearly forgotten why she had moved to London in the first place. Sure, she wanted to get away from her family, but she had a purpose. She had a mission to accomplish that came with saving the fate of the wizarding world. Her only problem now, was the very person she was trying to stop.

Tom Riddle had occupied every corner and space inside her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about how his lips felt on hers. She could still feel the way his body wrapped up into hers and for the life of her, she couldn't bring herself to believe that he was pure evil.

She knew that he had done horrible things in the past, only she did not know the extent of it and she was determined to find out. She wanted to learn more about him. She needed to know more about his past. She had wished the Seer had given her the slightest bit more of information so she had a better idea and could piece more together. Perhaps their little trip to the Travers' home wouldn't be so bad after all. Surely Tom would open up to her father... they seemed to like each other enough.

December 22nd 1953 was probably the coldest day Cosette could remember in her entire life, and she grew up in the south of France so that was saying something. She packed a small bag, using an extension charm to ensure she had room for everything she wanted to bring for her three day excursion to her family's home. As much as she begged Tom to not make her go back, he kept reassuring her that nothing bad was going to happen while she was there, and she knew she was not going to win that battle with him.

She stood outside of Borgin and Burkes, waiting for Tom to close up shop and accompany her to her family's home. The cold wind whipped at her exposed skin, and she wrapped her scarf a bit tighter around her neck.

"You didn't have to wait outside," said Tom, "you could have come inside to keep warm."

"I'm okay," she replied, attempting to hide her awe as she admired his handsome features.

"You ready to face your family again?" he asked, as he absentmindedly wrapped her scarf, as it was now falling from her shoulder, around her neck.

She was momentarily at a loss for words at the simple act of affection.

"I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she breathed as she was mesmerized by his coffee colored eyes.

He smirked and offered her his arm. She took it without hesitation, and seconds after they Disapparated.

***

"Miss Travers, Mister Riddle, how wonderful to see you both again," mused Friedrich as Cosette and Tom entered the Travers home once again. The French landscape surrounding her parents' home was blanketed with fresh, soft snow. It would have been beautiful, if she hadn't had a feeling of despair pooling in the pit of her stomach.

Cosette entered the threshold of her parents' home and instantly regretted letting Tom bring her back here once again. There was not even a single indication that it was nearly Christmas, exactly how Cosette remembered it from her childhood. Her father had always refused to put up a Christmas tree. He thought them to be tacky and pointless. Theo, Henry, Gabriel and Cosette would find themselves out in the garden, enchanting candles and putting them in the pine trees that lined their property. It was one of the better memories she had, and her heart sank as she thought about how she would have to endure another Christmas without Theo.