Tromedlov - A Tom Riddle Love Story

4 - Wood Wanders

The next few days followed normal and uneventful like nothing had happened and before I knew it, it was Saturday. 

I'd been nervous all morning for some reason and had been pacing around my bed.

"Would you relax? Riddle's been as normal as he can be around you the whole week." Alice exclaimed.

"I know but that's the odd thing! I don't know why I even had to mention the woods honestly. What?" seeing the amused look Alice's face.

"You've been riddled up. Don't think me and Bane didn't miss that hug last Friday. We always knew -"

"Stop, it's nothing like that." I said seriously.

"Well then you don't need to worry do you? Now come on, Bane's waiting."

I spent half my day with Alice and Bane and around two-thirty waited for Tom at the Black Lake, hoping he'd come. 

I'd been sitting under a large beech tree when he showed up ten minutes later, looking magnificent as usual, today in a dark maroon sweater, cloak and grey pants, with his black hair neatly parted like always.

"Didn't think you were coming."

"Ran into Slughorn."

I nodded and noticed he was still gazing down at me.

"Why don't you sit down? Enjoy the autumn breeze for a bit? Prefects are allowed to do that aren't they?" I teased smiling.

"Thought you wanted to go to the woods? He retorted impassively.

"Okay... help me up?" I asked despondently. He reluctantly took my outstretched hand and pulled me up, whilst I checked to see if I'd left my wand behind. 

I turned my head to meet the front of Tom's sweater and looked up into his eyes, seeing that they were closer than I'd expected. He abruptly let go and headed towards the woods.

An hour into our walk, observing the scenery and me running through and stepping on the brilliantly coloured leaves in various shades of orange, brown and red with Tom trailing behind, we came to rest on some rocks at a small enclosure that led out to the sea. 

We sat side by side staring out.

"You're enjoying yourself."

"Are you?" I searched his face for any sign of emotion but he just kept staring out at the sea. 

I looked away and sighed.

"I do not regret accompanying you Miss Klane." I felt heat rise to my cheeks. 

We sat until the sun started setting and the air grew colder till we decided to head back to the castle.

I kept close to Tom to preserve body heat, who scolded me for forgetting my cloak. 

The trees were growing thinner and we were nearing the castle when I saw it. 

Faint green and grey and slithering its way towards us, I froze in horror, clutching Tom's hand without thinking. 

He stopped as I was glued to the spot, seeing the look upon my face, about to question me when he laid eyes on what I saw.

I heard a faint hissing noise and the snake suddenly stopped. It raised its head and seemed to be looking at us, thinking. 

I gripped Tom's hand tighter, sure my knuckles were white and that I was crushing his hand. 

The hissing next to me continued and then, the snake changed directions and moved away from us.

"Rana, come on, it will not come back." I was still horror struck and could not move. 

Still gripping his hand, Tom managed to drag me all the way back to our common room. 

He sat me down in front of the fireplace where I was able to move again, but only to start shaking. 

He wrapped his cloak around me and stated "You're afraid of snakes." I only nodded my head.

Exasperated, he continued. "But you're in Slytherin."

"Doesn't mean I have to like snakes," I spat and shuddered.

He sat down next to me in silence for a while.

"Hang on...that snake...the voice..." I met Tom's gaze, my eyes widening.

He stood up, rigid, and started to walk away. 

I was glued to my spot shocked. 

It took me a few minutes to register what I had discovered, then I went after him.

"Tom, stop," I said pleadingly. 

He didn't and went up to his dormitory, so I followed. 

Just as he was about to slam the door, I pushed my way inside, and checked to see there was no one in there but us.

He had his back to me. 

I could tell just by the way he was standing, breathing heavily that he was vivid.

"You're a parselmouth," I whispered. 

His breath seemed to hitch. He turned slowly, and I'd never seen him look so menacing, feeling the hairs on my arm stand. 

He looked straight at me, not blinking.

"Don't," I said forcefully, taking a step forward.

"Don't try to scare me away. I made a promise remember?" I took another step forward, and he did the same, till we were merely a feet apart.

Then, out of nowhere, he grinned wickedly and whispered in my ear "I told you to stay away," his warm breath sending shivers down my body. 

Suddenly his hand was on my waist, and he pushed me slightly closer towards him.

"And I'm going to make you understand why."