Of Monsters and Men- Tom Riddle x OC

24

"Annie, if you don't get your antisocial arse up now, I'm going to leave you behind."

Avril stood over Animo's bed with her hands on her hips. The only change from the girl's typical prim uniform were the occasional emerald and silver braids blended in her hair.

"I was just trying to finish this chapter!" Animo protested, looking up from her Herbology textbook. In all reality, she had really been studying her map of Nurmengard, which was still only halfway finished. Several of the dark hallways ended at an empty expanse. It was beyond difficult for Animo to access much of the fortress without garnering attention, no matter who she impersonated. What she wouldn't give for an invisibility cloak.

Avril sighed, plucking the book from Animo's hands and placing it on her desk, the map safely tucked between its pages. "If Alphard's dragging me to the Quidditch match and making me suffer, you must as well."

"What do you have against quidditch?" Animo pulled on a leather trench coat she had snagged from Hogsmeade, which was charmed to adjust in temperature according to the weather. "It's fun."

"Yes," Avril's expression was deadpanned as she led them both down the stairs. "A bunch of masculine toxicity demonstrated by trying to shove each other off broomsticks. It does so much for our society."

A laugh shook Animo's shoulders and she tried not to wince with pain. She had managed to heal most of her obvious cuts from her and Tom's duel a few nights ago, but the bruising seemed determined to linger. As for the boy himself, Animo had seen very little. She had chosen to sit at the back of class instead of beside Tom and although the pattern had become rather lonely, it was far better than a forced interaction. However, Tom appeared maddeningly unharmed with not a curl out of place and the only word Animo had heard of their 'incident' was Slughorn complaining to Dippet about Peeves' destroying one of his storage rooms. Animo never realized just how often the poltergeist took the fall for the recklessness of other students, but as Peeves seemed rather gleeful about the whole thing, Animo didn't feel too guilty.

Animo and Avril trudged through the snow, their heads ducked against the oncoming wind. Animo's face was numbed by the chill as they ducked under the entrance towards the stadium. The masses of students in the passage under the stands had thinned as they were rather late.

Turning to the right to join the cheering Slytherins, Avril froze and nearly caused Animo to fall as she scrambled to regain her balance.

"Wha—"

Animo stiffened at the boy looming in front of them, his dark eyes emotionless.

"Avril," Tom craned his neck towards the younger girl politely, although his gaze flickered back towards Animo. "Would you give Wallis and I a moment? I wished to discuss our Potions assignment."

Giving Tom an empty glance, Avril tilted back to shoot Animo a questioning look. Animo could clearly read the hesitance in the girl's amber orbs and half of her longed to refuse Tom's request. Yet, she knew it would be unwise.

"Sure," she forced a smile at her friend, completely ignoring Tom. "I'll meet up with you later. Alphard's probably already waiting."

There was a tense pause as Avril scanned her expression before turning back to Tom. "If you're not up in a bit, we'll find you." There was no mistaking the hint of warning in her voice before Avril backed away, heading down the passageway.

Tom waited until her retreating form faded up the stairs before he turned towards Animo, a hint of amusement lacing his gaze. "It seems that your little shows of defiance are contagious."

Crossing her arms against her chest, Animo leaned back against the wooden latticework with a wary air. "What do you want, Tom?"

For once, Tom's unfazed demeanor faltered and she caught his throat bobbing in frustration. "I would like to know how you come from a family of resistance fighters, yet seem so accustomed to dark magic? Or how, despite your insistence on chivalry, you didn't report that I—" Tom cut himself off, sensing that he was revealing too much emotion, "the incidence you saw the other night."