The right path

Thirty-four

Tom was a shivering mess, Nirali curled around his shoulders, as he held the wrapped package he was soon to give Potter. It was two in the morning of the 31st of July, and the nerves were getting to him. He didn't know if Harry remembered which day they were living on, even less if he knew it was his birthday already, but when said boy went to sleep easily this time in their corner of the refuge, Tom couldn't help but overthink every single thing he had prepared. Starting with the fact that he had failed to start his endeavor at midnight, as he had planned.

Now two hours had passed and he couldn't get himself to wake Potter up. He tried to reason that it was merely in Harry's benefit, given that he could hardly sleep as peacefully as he was doing right then. And the boy deserved the rest, even more so on his birthday. Now, the fact that Tom cared in the slightest was just another thing bothering him, but that was something to tackle at another date.

On the other hand, if he didn't wake him up, he would be risking the Potters coming to see them and miss the opportunity to give his treasure until they were alone again, probably way after today was over. And maybe he would change his mind by then. It wouldn't even matter, since he would have missed Potter's birthday by then.

Of course, he would still have his backup plan, but that would only be possible if the Potters arrived later rather than sooner. Tom had no delusions, they would come, knowing it was Harry's birthday, but maybe not that early. He had asked them nicely to arrive after lunch last time he saw them, so probably he would get the chance, but still. He wanted today to be the best it could be. He also petitioned to bring Harry's owl, too, so Potter could see his familiar today.

Tom had planned to, yet again, convince Ms. Cole they had errands to run in London, so he could treat Harry to breakfast, and maybe even walk a little. Harry always wanted to explore, after all.

After that, they would need to return to the orphanage, in case the Potters were coming by then. They couldn't risk to be discovered outside, not when they were supposedly not able to use their magic. Besides, there was nothing else they could do with their time afterwards.

So, yet again, Tom focused on the moment, looked at Harry's asleep form, and debated whether he should wake him up. His gaze must have been intense, because soon enough Harry was blinking owlishly at him.

"Tom? Is something wrong?"

The fact that Potter had spoken in parseltoungue without noticing meant that he was more asleep than awake, but it still made Tom shiver with anticipation. He would not retreat. It was time.

"No, Potter, everything is fine. I just... wanted to give you something."

Without any further explanation, Tom gave Harry the package he was holding. And he cursed himself for that awkward speech. He was supposed to be a smooth talker, always. He just hoped Potter wouldn't notice in his sleepy condition.

Meanwhile, Harry was shredding the paper that covered the package on itself. Inside, he found a small black leather bound book. And his heart stopped, because he knew that book, or diary, rather. Tom Riddle's diary. The one that possessed Ginny in the time he had left behind.

Weariness washed over him like an electric bolt, and he couldn't help the shivering sigh that came out next. Confusion was also a very prominent emotion, since he doubted Riddle has already found the Chamber of Secrets this time around. He would have noticed.

James' mental silence wasn't helping the situation any, because it meant that there was something deeper his older self was concealing.

Harry felt his anxiety rise, but stiffled it in favor of giving Riddle an inquisitive look, hoping against hope that he would offer an explanation. Fortunately he was not disappointed.

"It is my Grimoire. Where I write my own spells."

Reverently, and with curiosity oozing out of every fiber of his being, Harry started scanning the pages. A lot of theory annotations, hypotheses, and corrections were found there. It looked old, as if Tom had started with the most basic things straight out of his first year. His handwriting had gotten better along the way, and so did the complexity of the stuff found. At first there were only charms. Partially innocent, if you ignored the heating charms that would possibly boil someone alive if tried.

But there was something darker there. A sharp edge to every development. Halfway across the content Harry found the most disturbing stuff. Curses and hexes so violent he couldn't have imagined them even if he had tried. Then again, Harry was soft in ways that Tom was not.

Almost at the end, however, things took a radical turn. Harry realized it was around the time he had started to accompany Tom in the library. Suddenly, there were theories about aerodynamics, and spells to be used in a duel, parselmagic, bond magic, and the investigation of the trace with the detailed process on how to block it. Still, there were some of the previous angry hexes to be found scattered around.

"Have you used all of them?"

Tom was not exactly expecting a calm response, considering the questionable stuff he had wrote in there, but he would take it. He didn't know why it was so important to him to show Potter his stuff. He wanted to be accepted, although he would not admit it. He also wanted to make Potter understand, that even when he was capable of horrible things, he had gained perspective since he met Harry. In a way, he hadn't felt the urge to rampage in rage everything he lost his patience.

"No. Some of them are vicious in a way I haven't been since I entered Hogwarts. It was my way of pouring my anger into something that couldn't get me expelled."

Harry could see the sincerity in Tom's face. He was getting better at cracking the expressionless mask Riddle often wore, and was happy to see a flicker of emotions  there.

Still, it baffled him that Tom wanted to willingly show him his life's work. It was a show of familiarity that spoke of the great advancements they had made during the summer. And it was a sign of trust that warmed Harry in a way that nothing else had done in a long time.

The fact that their conjoined projects featured in the grimoire at all was enough to send Harry on a ride to cloud nine and beyond. Because the person Harry cared for the most had cared about him too. Since then.

"Why- why would you show me this?"

Harry was looking deep into Tom's eyes, the familiar tingle present in the background of their minds, but neither seemed to notice. A whole conversation seemed to be exchanged through the staring, with emotions overflowing, trying to convey the deepest meaning without words.

"Because you understand."

And suddenly it made sense. They made sense. As if the world had stopped spinning, waiting a little bit longer to bring morning, knowing full well that what was happening at this moment underneath London was unique.

Harry couldn't help but smile, still staring into those dark eyes, knowing without being told that today marked the difference. Now he knew that he could have Tom, and Tom could have him. He just had to work a little bit harder.

"Thank you."

Harry made a move to give the book back to Tom, but he was stopped. A gentle hand was on his wrist, preventing him from trying any further.

"Keep it. Happy birthday Harry."

Harry's eyes welled with tears he refused to shed, as warmth filled him all over. Maybe this was what love felt like.

And Tom knew he was lucky. Because a beautiful soul such as Harry Potter had accepted him, all of him, and still was there. He could see himself lost in Harry Potter and never want to get out, because Potter was home.