Turned - Tom Riddle

Chapter Fifteen

It was her utopia. It was indeed, the happiest she had been since had figured out the truth about Baxtart's when she was eleven.  As Joshua held her in his arms, they moved against the slow rhythm which flooded the hall.

Elizabeth saw Pevlos and Melissa, looking as content as ever. They were dancing as well. In the front of the hall, instruments had been charmed to play by themselves and were carrying out a melancholic tune. The drinks were refilling themselves as the clear glasses loosely swayed in the students' hands. Elizabeth heard the door open, then noticed Joshua's grip on her waist tightened and he had gone tense.

"You okay?" she whispered, taking her head off of his shoulder. His eyes were locked on something behind her.

"No," Joshua narrowed his eyes. Elizabeth turned her head around to see what he was looking at. There he was. Tom stood, leaning against the wall by the door. His jacket was hanging over his shoulder sloppily. His hair wasn't in tact as it had once been, for it hung loosely on his head. Elizabeth gently turned his head back to her.

"He's probably here for Walburga," Elizabeth tried to explain. "Just let him go." Joshua's eyes softened and she felt his muscles relax. They continued dancing to the slow melody. As they gradually turned around, Elizabeth was able to see Tom, watching her from the entrance. He looked tired and stressed, of course, masking it over with a smirk. He was usually better at hiding his true emotions.

"I don't like him, not one bit," Joshua muttered, grumbling as he was now the one facing Tom. "Why is he looking over here?"

Elizabeth looked past her shoulder, "Most likely looking for Walburga." Tom was looking at her and she knew it. Walburga was hard to miss and if he were truly looking for her, he would have found her.

Joshua recaptured her attention, "No, he's looking right at us." He was right. Tom didn't even pretend he was looking somewhere else. "I'm going to tell him to leave," Joshua let go of her and began walking, but was soon pulled back by Elizabeth.

"No, I'll just go tell him where Walburga is. That way, he'll get out of our hair and he won't go all mad because you aggravated him," she offered.

He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again and finally answered, "Sure, go ahead. I'll get us something to drink." He walked away and Elizabeth budged her way through the crowd and met Tom.

"I don't think that one likes me very much," Tom nodded in Joshua's direction, showing amusement.

"Why are you here?"

Tom looked falsely taken aback, "Me? I'm just enjoying the ball." Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows and and crossed her arms over her chest.

"How did you even find out about this?" she questioned.

"I wanted to talk to you about something and figured you'd be here. Certain people weren't very hush hush about this ball," he looked over at Walburga who held a goblet of Firewhiskey in one hand and the shoulder of an older Slytherin boy in the other.

Elizabeth remembered she was supposed to be in a fight with Walburga, "Can't keep anything to herself, that one."

"Another reason why the two of you aren't friends anymore?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I never said we weren't friends anymore."

Tom looked annoyed, "Whatever, I don't wish to be involved in your female issues, but I do wish to speak with you about something."

"What about?" Elizabeth looked back to where Joshua was pouring two cups of something. Hopefully it was Firewhiskey, because, boy, she needed some.