My Dear Dark Lord

Chapter 14: Courtship

Tom was blushing furiously. The man, on whom he had a crush on for years, just admitted that he was his favorite student.

Somehow he managed to answer, "T-thank you Professor."

The man looked so fondly at him, Tom might've been looking like a tomato at the moment, but wouldn't have cared. Nobody had ever looked at him with such affection (even if it was platonic).

Leaning back, the Professor added, "Though, I've to say that even my favorite student couldn't keep himself awake in Professor Binns' class."

Tom looked wide-eyed, embarrassed, at the man.

Professor Peverell started laughing.

Tom still couldn't get over the fact that he had never seen the man so relaxed before.

The man was always put-together regardless of where he was. Even in the pictures of his vacations in the newspapers and magazines, he never looked so relaxed. But here he was, with Tom, laughing at the silliest jokes, sharing his mischievous adventures with him. His hair were messy and his glasses were missing too.

When the Professor stopped laughing, he said, "Don't look so embarrassed Tom, even I couldn't keep myself awake in his class."

Wait a minute, "You've been in his class?"

Now, the man looked even more mischievous.

Smirking slightly, he answered, "Yes, a nice disillusionment and silencing charm can get you anywhere. And I'd heard many rumors about his class. Even heard many older people say that they couldn't stay awake in Binns' class. So I went in myself. I swear I heard him talking about some Warrior Goblin, next thing I remember is waking up to the sound of people leaving the class. And I promise I've never ever slept in any class from when I've started going to school."

Tom couldn't help it, he started laughing. Both of them were wheezing by the end.

Feeling a bit brave, Tom asked, "Have you slipped in anyone else's class?"

"Every one of them."

Tom looked at the Professor in amazement.

The man added, "Do you remember the giant bat in your Potions class a week ago?"

He remembered. Snape was in the middle of snapping at Tom for having a perfect potion (honestly, the man!), when suddenly a giant bat erupted from behind Malfoy. They had to leave the class then. That day Potions class was cancelled for everyone.

"It was you?" He asked, bewildered.

The man only smirked.

"Wow."

They sat together in silence. It was a comfortable one.

"Are you in a courtship?"

"What!?" He squeaked. He was surprised by the sudden question.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked you such a personal question."

"N-no! I mean yes! Wait no-! I'm not in a courtship, I mean"

"Oh?" The man tilted his head, looking sincerely curious.

Once again blushing (seriously if this goes on, his face will permanently remain red), he asked, "Why do you look so confused?"

There, his mischievous smirk was on his face once again, "With the amount of people in the school staring at you with stars in their eyes, I wondered."

Tom was now staring at his Professor with his jaw hanging.

The man laughed once again and said, "Oh Tom, I'm not much older than you. Heck, I'm less than 4 years older than you. Of course I notice the romances going around in the school."

Tom merely covered his face with his hands. The man, who always looked so distant, in spite of being friendly in front of people, was teasing him! His crush was teasing him! Damn!
'Deep breathes Tom. Deep breathes. Please don't embarrass yourself in front of the man. Please.'

"Oh come on Tom, I'm just stating the facts. Don't look so embarrassed." Tom could hear the smirk in his voice!

"When is your birthday anyways?" The Professor asked.

Looking up, he answered, "31st of December."

"Wow. On the New Year. So this will be your second time getting the offers." Why was the man teasing him so much!?!

"Yes."

"Any plans on accepting one?"

"No."

"Hmm. I understand. Do you even read all the offers?"

"No I don't."

"You should. Merlin knows, maybe one of them are actually good."

Tom understood what the man was saying. One gets the courtship offers starting from their 16th birthday. But they are offered only on one's birthday. Almost every pureblood followed the tradition. Some muggleborns and halfblood do and some don't. What the Professor meant is that not every offers are good. Some actually ask the receiver to give up their freedom to do whatever they want, to enter the courtship. Plus, if you are the one taking your spouse's name, you'll have to listen to the Head of their house. Your spouse may not even be the Lord. So yes, you should consider wisely before getting into a courtship.

"I'll see."

They both sat in silence once again. It was late by then.

The man then stood up and said, "You're a really pleasant company Tom. Though I should go now. Thank you."

Smiling at him, Tom said, "You too sir."

The Professor had reached the door when he turned around and said, "And Happy Yule Tom. Good night."

With that he left.

Tom stayed for some more time in the room. He was feeling elated.

After some time he left too.

"Happy Yule sir." He said to an empty room.