Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 137

Isabella woke up with a piercing headache the next morning. She didn't have such a terrible headache for over months now. What was up with her today?

She stumbled out of bed and made her way to the bathrooms. Might as well get ready for classes. 

Isabella was looking forward to Potions that day. She was going to return the gloves to Black. For whatever reason did he leave it yesterday? 

Why on earth did he seem so offended yesterday? Not to mention, he was asked pretty strange questions too.

Isabell froze. 

. . .She was just thinking too much, right? It couldn't possibly be true. 

She reached into her bag and pulled out the diary, and rushed to the Great Hall. 

'Tom.' she scribbled hastily once she threw herself into her seat. 'This is important.'

It took a few seconds before Tom replied. 

'What's wrong now?' he asked.

'Tell me I am wrong.' Isabella scribbled. 'Tell me I'm just overthinking everything.'

'Strange thing for you to ask me, Bella.' Tom wrote. 'If you were overthinking, then you would already be aware of it.'

Isabella groaned into her hands, then raised her quill again.

'I was thinking about why Black could be acting like that.' she wrote. 'And I came to a rather far-fetched conclusion.'

Tom didn't reply immediately, so Isabella decided to continue writing. Just as the tip of her quill touched the paper, Tom's writing came up on it. 

'You think he likes you?' 

'Yes!' Isabella scribbled. 'It makes sense! The way he looked at me yesterday. Unless he was going to loose hundred galleons on a bet or something, he wouldn't have that look in his eyes.'

'Maybe he is losing a hundred galleons.' Tom scrawled lazily.

'Tom, don't you think you are trying too hard to prove me wrong?' Isabella wrote annoyed.

'Listen, Bella. Why would you even think that he actually likes you?' Tom wrote. 'We can start with just everything, to prove you are wrong.'

Isabella rolled her eyes. 

Yes, she did think it was far-fetched, and probably untrue. But Tom was being a major jerk right now. 

'Just because I am a muggleborn and he is a pureblood?' she scribbled.

'Don't get too defensive now.' Tom wrote. 'I am just asking you to look from his perspective. He has been raised in a pureblood house, and with their values. If you want something more general, he is a Slytherin, and you a Gryffindor. Aren't you aware of the rivalry between the two houses? It's been going on for centuries.'

'Let's assume that is true,' Isabell wrote, but before she could rite another word, Tom's writing became visible.

'Be honest with yourself, Isabella. Do you really think you are right?'

Isabella faltered.

'Are you really certain that you are correct? Absolutely correct?' 

'Not entirely.' Isabella wrote slowly.

'Exactly.' Tom wrote. 'Bella, you know better than anyone that what you are thinking is nothing but a strange fantasy. You just came to a hasty conclusion, based on nothing but whim. There is no credibility here, and you know it.'