Lenoras Lament: A Tom Riddle Tale

Fight Back

Tom found Lenora sitting in the common room, he had been searching for her ever since the Great Hall. Her eyes were red and wet, she looked wistful and small.
The sight enraged him almost more than his followers daring actions earlier. He towered over her with an impatient look.
"Miss Rosier, I need to speak with you" he held out a hand.
Lenora sighed, not in the mood "Not now Tom".
What the fuck is wrong with everyone today, Tom thought, all of the insolence was too much to bear.
"Now" he said tugging her elbow up yanking her out of the seat.

He pulled her down the hall roughly and into his room.
"You're hurting me" she tried to pull away as he slammed the door behind them.
"I'm not surprised" he dropped her arm but kept his close proximity.
"Excuse me" she said crossing her arms.
"You. Are. Weak." the words left his mouth like
he was spitting out poison.
"Weak?!" She was outraged. He only stared at her with daggers in his eyes.
"I am hurt, I WAS r-" she couldn't say the word, angry tears stung her eyes and she turned from him.

Tom didn't think he could stand if she cried again. A mixture of frustration and pity soured his stomach and he felt like he might explode. He grabbed her arm to make her face him once again and she could only shoot him a look of hurt.
The silence hung between them.
A devious tone left his downturned lips, "and what's to stop it from happening again?"
She shook involuntarily at the words, "what?"
Tom held up his wand now and she took a step back.
"What's to stop anyone, from hurting you, humiliating you again?" He took a step closer to her and she backed up again the desk behind her holding her trapped.
"Tom stop" she tried to sound severe but it only came out small and scared. She reached for the wand at her side. Her hand shaking, he took his wand and traced her collarbone.
"Fight back" he sneered.
"Shut up" she pushed away his wand
And he shoved her, she fell against the desk.
"FIGHT BACK" he yelled now finally his temper coming to a head from the outrage he had been suppressing.
She crumpled to the floor and tried to crawl away but he followed her.
"STOP BEING A VICTIM LENORA" he grabbed her ankle, and she cried out,
"I don't even need magic to overpower you" he teased pulling her across his floor. She began to kick at him, but he pulled her up.
She struggled against his arms and he shoved her against the bed.
She tried to land a punch but didn't reach for her wand
"SO THAT'S it?" He laughed and leaned over her in bed as she hit his chest.
"Maybe you don't want to fight" his tone was softer but still cold. Her eyes brimmed with angry tears as she met his eyes.
"Maybe you want to be fucked" the words penetrated the air sharply, she could feel him holding her shoulder down to the bed but her other arm was free.
Anger poured out of her chest and she could feel the rage make her cheeks burn. It took a split second for her to grab her wand and point it at his chest.
"Flippendo" she cried and Tom flew away from her.
He was thrown back, his back hit the wall across from his bed. He fell like ragdoll onto the floor, his face smashed into the floor. A harrowing crack, he coughed as he pulled himself up slowly, blood trickled out of the side of his mouth.
She sat up on the bed and  looked at him still shaking with rage. Tom touched his own face looking at the crimson drops coloring his fingertips. He dropped his wand to the side and began to laugh.
She gave him a distrusting look.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, he licked it tasting the metallic warmth. He was impressed.
He thought if he pushed her enough she might disarm him or even Stupefy but this was better. She actually hurt him, and used a dark spell. He was surprised she had even dared to hurt him. It showed great promise.
"I'm proud of you" he stood up and sat on the bed next to her.
"You're sick" she said wincing at his injury and his reaction. The weak look on his face relieved the adrenaline that had been pouring through her. She turned to him and ran her fingers over the his bleeding lip.
"I was never going to really hurt you," his face had softened, "I only wanted you to fight"
She shook her head coldly in disbelief at his behavior.
"Why?" she pulled her hand away.
He winced picked up his own wand, he muttered the same spell he had used to heal her wounds and pointed them at this lip and back.
"Because you can" he watched her sidelong face, seeing the conflict dancing behind her gaze,"because you've been lost".
"I never want to feel like that again" she said,
Tom felt like he saw a spark in her eye.
"Let me teach you more dark magic" he brushed hair out of her face, "and you never will".
She looked at him and took a deep breath feeling a rush of gratitude. Tom knew her secret, he saw her. Her head laid on his shoulder, he placed a hand over her letting her enjoy the closeness.
He was going to need her trust, she was proving to be a very interesting ally.