Broken Wings / tom riddle

Chapter 7 - The Duel

Briar opened up her herbology textbook to the page on plant venoms and antidotes. Her mind zoned out as the professor began to talk to the class. It had been two weeks since Tom had spread the rumour about her and Aleks and she was still receiving looks from other students. Briar still had no idea what prompted Tom to spread such lies about them. Avery was his friend was he not? or at least apart of his group, why would he hurt him like that?

Avery entered the classroom late and sat down next to Briar, she shifted her body on the seat to face away from the boy in complete silence. Because of the rumours Briar was avoiding Avery more and more everyday, she did not want to add fuel to the fire. She thought if she was seen with him it would be taken as almost instant confirmation to the story.

Briar avoiding him was also making things hard for Avery. He really liked the girl, so not only was it a kick to his ego but it was also making things increasingly harder for him to complete the task Riddle had given to him, a task Aleks hated and caused him to want to drown his emotions in bottles of fire whiskey each night.

"So we're not talking now Emeralds?" Aleks whispered in her ear as the professor continued to speak. He gently moved his hand to meet hers under the table, and carefully he placed it on top, his fingers interlocking with hers. With his thumb, he lightly ran it over the top of her skin as she swallowed loudly. She looked sad, it upset Avery seeing her like this.

"May I please be excused professor?" Briar asked as she raised her hand quickly breaking the skin to skin contact with Aleks.

She quickly gathered her things, Avery's soft touch had made her vision go hazy. She cared for the boy, but she was scared. Scared of so many things: his connection to Riddle, his high status and power in the wizarding world and even scared of being in a relationship with someone. That was entirely new for the girl.

She made her way back to the common room ignoring glances from passing students as she walked. She really needed to lie down or at least just collect her thoughts, she was excited to do so however when the door opened to the common room she was met by a less than impressed Tom Riddle.

"Skipping class Emeralds? Just because you're a Slytherin does not mean I will hesitate to take points from you," Riddle said smugly, eyeing the girl up and down. She clearly was not in a mood to speak to anyone, but Riddle wanted to press her buttons.

"You will answer your head boy when questioned Emeralds." He got up from his seat and blocked the staircase to stop her from entering her dorm.

"I am ill, now please let me get some rest," Briar said firmly eyeing the boy directly.

"We have defence against the dark arts in an hour, if you skip that I will not be lenient," he said as he moved away from the stairs to let her pass. He watched her carefully as she walked up them. The light bounce in her hair as she climbed, the way the green lighting in the common room made her pale skin appear almost sickly, but it was beautiful, like a dying flower, the way the muscles in her hands poked out lightly from her skin as she moved her hands to grip the railing. He noticed all the small details about the girl, he did not know why but he did.

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After some time to lie down in her bed, Briar still was not feeling one hundred percent. She made her way down into the courtyard for their defence against the dark arts class. It was a practical class, Briar hated practical classes as it meant she always had to perform her magic in front of Tom. She hated the way he stared at her when she would cast spells and throw jinxes. It was almost like he was analysing her magic, Briar knew he most likely was and she hated giving him anymore material to unpack in his brilliant mind.