The World is Yours | Tom Riddle

chapter xxx.

He chose the sweetest words to
get her heart, and the most poisonous
actions to break it.
-unknown

Atarah.

The sound of birds chirping wakes me up. I stretch as I sit up and look around the room- he isn't here. I stand up and begin looking for any sign of a note that may tell me where he went. But he must have expected to be back before I woke up.

I begin dressing for the day and step outside onto the balcony. Now that it is lighter outside I can really see the view. It's beautiful and the streets below are filled with people moving about the shops. All of a sudden the smell of cinnamon bread hits me and I realize how hungry I am.

I'm sure I have enough time to grab some breakfast and get back here before he realizes I am gone. And he didn't explicitly tell me I couldn't leave the room. So without giving myself time to talk myself out of doing it- I throw on a light jacket and make my way down to the street below.

I am walking down the cobble street path when a hand clamps over my mouth and I am pulled down an alley and out of sight. I begin struggling against the hold and start to panic at the thought that it may be Dumbledore.

I am thrown against a wall and my head hits it harshly- a hand is closing around my throat. Cutting off my airway. I lift my watering eyes and see the familiar face from yesterday. I think his name is Adrian. He wears a nasty smirk and his grasp becomes heavier.

"Albus has offered quite the prize for you to be found." I begin to scrape my nails on his hand desperately hoping he will let go of me. But it's becoming harder to breathe and i'm finding it more difficult to bring my hands up. A sad realization hits me that he is going to kill me and I can now feel the tears running down my face.

Out of the corner of my eye I see him bring his other hand up and I prepare myself for the hit. But suddenly the pressure is gone from my throat and I collapse to the ground. The sound of punches come from my right and I roll my head sideways to see what is happening.

Tom is standing over Adrian and he keeps hitting him. I start coughing as I try to get more air into my lungs and a second later Tom is kneeling by my side. A hand lifts my head up and supports me while I breathe. He is whispering words to me but none of them register. "Tom." I managed to say his name.

"Can you stand?" I nod my head and he slowly brings me to my feet. He holds onto me for a moment as I regain my balance. When I finally look at him I see his gaze is on my throat which I'm sure will have marks now. His jaw clenches before he lets go of me. "Go back to the room at the inn, I'll be there shortly."

I don't have it in me to fight him right now so I turn around and walk back. I shakily take out the room key and it takes me several moments to enter it into the door and open it. When I finally do I move to the bed and sit down. Staring at the door- waiting for it to open.

Five. Ten. Fifteen minutes pass and he still has not returned. With a sigh I stand up and make my way to the bathroom. Needing to see what Adrian did to me. The moment I see myself in the mirror I stop. The bruises are already dark and the distinct imprint of a hand marks my neck. A sob reaches my lips.

I step forward more, getting a better view. My eyes are stuck on my neck. I don't look away once- not even when I hear the door open and the familiar steps across the room. The steps stop behind me and finally I take my gaze away and meet Tom's reflection in the mirror.

His gaze is heavy, filled with anger and something else. "What took you so long?" My words come out hoarsely and he stiffens with my voice. "I had to deal with Adrian." His words don't come as a surprise and I nod my head slowly.

He moves suddenly and rummages through a bag full of items he bought yesterday. I look at the item he pulls out and recognize it immediately. Bruise removal paste. He steps back behind me and speaks, "May I?" I nod again and turn around so now I can face him. He clears his throat before stepping forward and putting some of the paste on his fingers.

He brings his hand up slowly before gently applying it to my neck. I step back at how sensitive the area is there and he waits a moment before trying again. This time I am prepared and welcome his touch. He covers my neck with it before stepping back and putting the paste away.

"Atarah-" He says my name and stops before he says what he was planning to say.

"Thank you for saving me, again." I try to give him a smile but it's more difficult than I thought it would be. He lets out a breath and runs a hand through his hair. And that's when I realize it's the first time I've ever really seen him this way. On edge and without his usual emotional barrier. I'm not sure what it means or how I feel about it.

"Saving you from situations I put you in." Now I realize the other emotion I couldn't recognize earlier, guilt. And for some reason I want to ease that guilt- I want him to know I don't blame him.

"Don't do that. You weren't the one who was trying to kill me." His eyes race across my face and I think he is trying to see if I am lying. His gaze burns me and I turn around like a coward to escape it. My eyes catch on my neck and the faint remains of the bruise.

My hands reach up to feel the area and before I can touch my skin my hand is pulled away and I am now facing Tom again. My breath catches at how close he is. His hand is still holding mine. "I pulled you into this- and now you have been almost killed twice. And- I hate the feeling of almost seeing you die." His confession hits me hard and all I can do is look at him.

He leans his head forward and rests it against mine. I look at his chest and now that I have taken my eyes away from his- I am able to find my voice again. "I would have been dragged into this either way. And I know without you-" I pause finding the courage to what I have to say next, "-without you I would be dead already. I realize that now."

I hated him so much in the beginning- I wanted him gone. I hated how much control he had and how little control I had around him. How he threatened and hurt me. And maybe I still do but I cannot lie and say that something hasn't changed.

I know I would be dead without his help so even with everything. There's that.

His breathing becomes heavier at the words and his hand lifts my head up so I am forced to look at him again. "What are you doing to me, Atarah." And for a moment I think he's going to kiss me. But he only lowers his head and I feel his lips brush the top of my head.

The small gesture means more to me at this moment than anything else he could have done. Tom pulls away and leaves the room without another glance.