The World is Yours | Tom Riddle

chapter xxiv.

The saddest thing I've ever done was beg someone

to love me the way I loved them. 

-unknown

Atarah. 

Once I get back to my room, I set my school books away. Then I make sure nobody else is in the room before I kneel down next to my bed. Reaching underneath it I search around with my hand before it touches a box. As quickly as I can I pull the box from under my bed and lift the lid. 

As I sort through the box I find the notebook I have been writing my findings in. I did this so I can keep track of everything I find, just so I don't miss anything. I begin to flip through to the latest page when a note drops from it. I draw my eyebrows together in confusion as I pick it up. 

I flip it over in my hand and let out a gasp as I notice the familiar handwriting on the front cover. I drop my notebook and begin ripping open the note as carefully as I can. There are only a few sentences written on the page but it would be hard to forget my mothers perfect handwriting. 

[ Atarah, 

We have missed you very much. We know you are looking for us but just know we are safe. We will make it all up to you, for all the years we have been apart. 

p.s. this Summer we will be back together once more and you will be Home. 

- mum and dad ]

They sent me a letter, that means they're safe. I didn't realize before how worried I had been about the chance they were in danger or worse, dead. Even though this letter doesn't contain much information that will be useful, I will still have to share this with Tom. 

I am still looking at the letter when I hear the faint sound of footsteps. As swiftly as I can I fold the note back into my notebook and place the box back under my bed. I have just started to stand from the floor when someone walks into the room. 

"There you are! I went to a few professors' classrooms to find you but you weren't in any of them. " Annalie looks as if she has been running the halls to find me. "Yeah I didn't realize I had the dates mixed up, so I just decided to return here. Why is something wrong?" 

Annalie walks over to my bed and sits down across it, she doesn't say anything right away but I can tell that by the way a blush paints her cheeks something is right. "After you left the library, Francis told me he had a surprise. So he led me to a hidden pathway on the east side of Hogwarts, and well he told me he loved me." 

"He did?" I sit down across from Annalie on my bed and watch as she looks at me with a grin. I notice for the first time how she radiates happiness. Annalie laughs softly before nodding, "Well did you say it back?" 

"Of course! I know we have only been dating for a little less than five months but this feels right."  I really do hope Francis meant it when he told me this had nothing to do with Tom and I anymore. Annalie deserves this and so much more. "I'm happy for you Annalie." 

"Now we have to find you someone too! Oh please let me match you up with someone!" Annalie seems to become more excited with that idea, I nearly laugh at the thought. With everything going on at the moment, potential love has been the last thing I would consider. "Who would you have in mind?" I ask only to let Annalie have this moment, but I am also curious as to who she would choose for me. 

"Well I have hung around Francis's friends and before you say anything, they are a lot different than we've been told they are like." After a few seconds I realize my mouth is open in shock. I can tell she thinks she said the wrong thing because of my silence. But I am silent because I don't know what to say to it, mainly because I hadn't realized that she has been around all of them. 

"Okay I realize you don't believe me but the next time the Slytherin House has a party, you can come with me and Francis. So you can meet them all properly." I slowly nod my head to let her know I was listening and I can hear the sigh she lets go. After a few more uncomfortable moments of silence I ask the question that has been bothering me, "So you've met Tom Riddle then- and been around him?" 

"Of course, he doesn't join us too often but when he has he's been nice. Well nice may not be the right word but we have talked. Actually now that I think about it, I think you and Tom wouldn't make an awful match-" Annalie continues to prattle on but I stopped listening at the last sentence. A laugh comes to my lips and I have to cover it with a cough, which draws Anni's attention. 

"Sorry, how about we play matchmaker later. I'm starving and kind of want to get dinner." Annalie spins her head towards the nearest clock and stands up abruptly. "Of course! It is sort of late, we will talk more about it later." I nod with a short smile as I stand up and join her as we walk towards the great hall. 

I barely register the words she speaks, only speaking a couple words or nodding to reassure her on questions I didn't hear. The only thing I think about it is our last conversation in our room. I mean Tom Riddle would be the very last person I could see myself with, if she truly knew what type of person he could be then she wouldn't have said it. With that thought I realize that Annalie only said it because she doesn't know, so I cannot fault her for that. After that I return my attention to her and get lost in conversation for the rest of the night. 

...

I get deja vu as I find myself in the astronomy tower. A place I haven't been to since Tom placed me here months ago. With that realization I fear that this is that dream once again. I glance around in anticipation for when Tom will push me over the side and force me to fall. I try to prepare myself as best as I can for that moment so I will not fear it as much. 

The seconds trickle by and all of a sudden I feel the same shiver run through me whenever he is near. And with that I feel the warmth of his hand around mine, slowly he pulls me around to face him. The moment I am turned around I shut my eyes tightly so I cannot see myself fall. Suddenly I feel his hands move to my chin and the tip of his thumb brush against my cheek. 

This is new. Why hasn't he pushed me over the edge yet?

I still keep my eyes closed but then I hear my name on his lips. I open my eyes in surprise and I see Tom staring down at me. I am taken back by how different he looks. I mean it's the same Tom but not. I watch as his eyes cross over my face and I suddenly feel the warmth of his touch leave my face. I freeze in fear, waiting for the worst to happen. 

But he only moves it to my lower back, pulling me closer to him until our bodies are flush against each other. I take in a deep breath, waiting to see what he does next. Too quickly for me to register what was happening, he leans his head down and connects his lips with mine.