Marvolo•Tom Riddle FanFiction

Fair And Tender Ladies

Today I went to all my lessons, I only had four (divination, herbology, transfiguration and charms) two lessons with Ravenclaw and two with Hufflepuff. I didn't learn anything but it was the first time in a while that I had gone and paid full attention in all my lessons. My O.W.L. Grades were an surprising average of E's and A's with even one O in defence which only made me question why Dumbledore had insisted me getting tutored.

I'm not entirely complaining, Riddle did actually teach me some things last night about the history of magic which, surprisingly, didn't want to make me want to peel my nails off. One thing that particularly stood out about Tom was that Dark magic somehow found its way into the conversation even though the subject we were studying had nothing to do with it.

I've read about the dark arts when me and Teddy snook into the restricted areas. Teddy spent his time looking at charms he could use to turn invisible and I feel across hard dusted books which had drained words carved within the deep colours. I only flicked through but what I saw intrigued me, it wasn't like any magic they teach here, much more effective then anything in defence against the dark arts.

Back then, I used to think that the main spell of torture were the Cruciatus Curse, but the books taught of many other spells to cause equal amount of harm. We quickly abandoned the place 15 minutes later when Teddy started feeling guilty. I haven't had a time to go back there since because it had left my mind, however, Riddle has sparked the memory.

Tom does look like someone who would study the dark arts. Before the study sessions, I had noticed him in the library scribbling in a clean black book muting the rest of the world. Of course, I've only been in the main library 4 times within my time at Hogwarts, once was when I had to clean the shelves for Detention (thank Merlin for the cleaning spell) and the rest for Teddy. I never thought of it after that, everybody knew Tom was secluded, however, he was very open to any positive attention. With people like that its clear they've had bad attention.

Now me and Teddy, one more then the other, are eating a glorious meal, even if it is overly exaggerated. "Ken?! Eat Ken!" Teddy manages to mumble with a mouth full of chicken. "Mouth closed, Teddy," I drop my fork and reach up to close Teddy's jaw and he smiles in return. With a sigh, I return to half-eaten plate of food when the urge to look up crawls into my brain.

As I do my eyes immediately lock with his, Riddle's. His structure is dangerously beautiful; never faulting or revealing, those eyes could never do any good, not that they would want to, cheekbones for miles and that smirk. It's achieving now, as if he wanted me to look up. The funny think about it is that he didn't have to control my mind to do it, I just knew he was looking.

I give him a raised eyebrows questioning look with a smile playing on my lips. I've been doing that a lot, the smile. He smirks, I smile, it's a very deadly process. Tom's eyebrow cocks as a smirk erupts on his lips. Testing. Yet I still can't tell what he's feeling. He's good at that.

He continues to stare with that look; curiosity. The strange pit in my stomach, I've never felt it before, it feels as if someone's dug a hole inside of me. The feeling causes me to look down for a split second to check I'm not actually hurting and when I snap my head back up he's not looking. The hole gradually fills up.

"Have you got studying tonight?" Teddy says, distracting me from my mind. "Unfortunately." I mutter and pick up my fork to start eating. Teddy makes a gruff noise through his nose out of disgust. He hates Slytherins - probably the reason he was put in Gryffindor. In truth, it's not unfortunate that I have studying tonight. In truth, it's very fortunate.

---

I walk into the hideout, closing the door behind me with a lazy flick of my wrist, and go to sit next to a reading Tom. He doesn't look up when I walk towards him, nor does he when I sit down. His black hair cascades down his eyes, shielding them away from anything besides the little black book that reads Tom Marvolo Riddle.

I carefully tilt my body around to see what he is reading but the book slams shut causing me to jump. "Do you not know where to keep your nose out of?" Tom snarls although he looks more shocked to see me then mad.

"Your names very common, in muggle's I mean," I state, choosing to ignore his stare, however, it only seems to annoy him more. I know the look he's giving me - the name has something to do with his past.

Naturally, I can't respect that. "You say it as if you've never heard it before." Tom finally says. His tone of anger has seemed to die down in the slightest. So I take my chances and add with a smirk, "I wish I had the pleasure of not hearing it."

We have been looking over transfiguration for the last hour which means we only have half an hour left. Tom had been very platonic and ignore all of my cleverly planned snarky remarks. So now I am planning to get more out of it. "Are you an only child?" I ask randomly. The question seems to throw Tom off, not that he shows it, but he doesn't look up to answer. He just gives me a simple yes and continues reading aloud.

"Me too, at least I think..." I shuffle in my place uncomfortable. I'm not entirely sure why I said that. Usually, when someone asks me about my family I shrug it off with a 'none of your business.' Except this time he didn't even ask me, I just told him. "How could you not know?" Tom scoffs, a kind of scoff which makes me want to punch him in the throat.

"What's it to you?" I snap. Tom snorts quickly into the book then slams it shut to look up at me with a stale expression. "Don't try to dig for information that is none of your business and expect not to receive the same." He snarls with a tilt of an eyebrow. "Why would I want information about you?"

"You tell me." Tom bites back. His stare makes me shuffle deeper into my seat but I shake the feeling off with a small cough. "I'm done. Your boring me." I dart up from my seat and make to the steps. "I'm not." Riddle locks onto my wrist with a soft grip but a hard pull to stop me from moving forward. "Tell me what you mean." He orders. I don't say anything, I just try to avoid looking anywhere else except them eyes.

"What is that book?" I ask, finally speaking up. Tom's face is now harbouring a sickening smirk. "The stuff in that book could keep you up at night." The way the words roll of his tongue makes my stomach turn. But in the best kind of way. "Try me." I mirror his face splitting smirk. Tom's eyebrows dart up in surprise but his face is splashed with curiosity.

"Your more then meets the eye, Kenna Karmakov, much more." He mutters the last bit to himself but I still hear it. I consider saying the same back but decide to play safe. Safe is good. "We don't have to do this on Wednesdays so we can continue on Thursday." Tom straightens up and releases his grip. "Goodnight, Kenna."

And then he's gone.