Promised And Kept - Tom Riddle x reader

Part 8 - Aurors and Elves

The Aurors Tom had hired to guard the house were here day and night. They were a group of four, two men and two women most of the time, and changed shifts every few hours with another team. The unit on duty guarded all entrances, keeping the protective spells intact, and one of them made their patrol of the entire property. As nice as it was to have the feeling of safety, that additional barrier shielding you from Morfin, it was annoying to know that someone was right outside your window, able to watch what you were doing at any moment. Even though none of them probably cared for what you did and they all seemed professional and polite, you still couldn't shake off the feeling of living in a house of glass, getting judged for your every move. Even sitting in the living room and reading a book felt wrong while the group outside stood there working, waiting in the cold for something to happen. That's why you brought them food and warm drinks as often as you could. So often, it made them uncomfortable and they stopped accepting it, making it even more awkward for everyone involved. They were grateful and appreciated the gesture but told you they were here to work and not to feast. Which was fair, yet it made you feel even more useless. So you spent most of your time upstairs where you didn't feel like you were being watched.

You still had to tell Camille and Ben everything you found out at the ball, which was a nice change of pace that allowed you to leave the house again. Tom would have preferred to invite them over, but you had managed to convince him to meet up at Ben's place.

So, on Sunday afternoon, the day after Malfoy's ball, Tom and you went to visit Camille and Ben at his apartment in London. He was able to rent the small flat ever since he got a job after school at the local Quidditch team, where he played as a substitute Seeker for now. Camille had told you that he'd also taken on a second job at some Muggle grocery store, to send a bit of money to his widowed mother every month.

His apartment was conveniently located two streets away from Diagon Alley, but still in the Muggle part of the city and situated above a small diner, where he could always fetch some food for himself and his guests.

Camille spent most nights there with him but hadn't moved in yet, on her parents' request that she wouldn't leave home unmarried.

"In you go," Ben said as he held open the door and motioned with his hand. He seemed almost like his old self again if it weren't for the faint circles under his eyes. Camille's presence did him well. He led you to the living room, where she was already sitting on the couch. "Come on in, don't be shy. Take a seat wherever you like."

"Thanks, Ben," you said as you sat down next to Camille while Tom placed himself onto an armchair.

"Help yourselves," Ben said as he gestured at the cookies and muffins on the coffee table. "If you want anything else, I'll go downstairs and get something. Do you want tea? Coffee? You look like you need coffee."

Flattering. Were the circles under your eyes even worse than his own? "Thanks... Coffee would be nice. Very... welcoming of you."

He laughed as he walked into the kitchen. "Didn't mean it like that," he called. "But I know you two had a long night." He returned with a mug and four cups on a tray, filling up each one with one of the strongest coffees you had ever tasted.

"So," he said. "How was the ball? How long did you stay?"

"We left around midnight. I had to go to work with Miss Toffana then. And I was up till five. Hence the tiredness. Thanks again."

"You left the ball at midnight? Like Cinderella," Ben grinned.

"Cinderella?"

"Cinderella, the princess," he said and looked back and forth between the three of you. "From the fairytale? You surely heard of it before. With the doves and the glass slipper. Anyone?" Tom, Camille and you must have worn the same dumbfounded expression, as Ben heaved a deep sigh. "Purebloods..."