Tromedlov - A Tom Riddle Love Story

8 - Rainy Days (Part 2)

We were walking back in comfortable silence and reached a staircase, walking upward.

To avoid stepping on a trick step, I jumped up, but my foot got entangled in my long cloak and I started falling backwards.

"Argh!"

I shut my eyes, ready to feel my body slam against the cold, hard stone.

But it never came.

Instead, I felt a pair of strong arms around my waist and back, and opened my eyes.

I met Tom's eyes, looking down at me, my chest still beating rapidly.

He slowly pulled me up, bringing me closer to his face until we were upright.

I gripped onto the front of his robes tighter and looked down.

"It's fine."

I nodded and let go, heading back to the Common Room.

It was still packed and loud as before.

I spotted Alice and Bane talking together in an armchair, the homework and games lying around forgotten.

"So, what do you want to do now?" I was met with silence.

"Alright," I huffed. "Let's go and join Alice and Bane and play -"

"I don't think so."

I sent him an offended look then looked back to see the two snogging.

"Umm..." Tom rolled his eyes.

"Make your way to the dormitory, I'll be there shortly."

I entered the dormitory to find it empty.

Not being able to help myself, I ran over to Tom's neatly made bed and plopped onto it, grinning as I looked up to the ceiling of his four poster bed, inhaling his fresh smell.

Not long after he was peering down at me.

"I take it you take pleasure in ruining my bed?"

I groaned and sat upright.

He sat down across me and started setting up wizards chess.

Noticing it was warmer in here, I removed my cloak, then saw Tom watching me, smirking.

I raised my eyebrows but he continued setting up the board.

It was almost an hour later that I decided to give up since Tom kept winning, and slid back on his bed to lie on his pillow.

I closed my eyes and let him pack up.

I wasn't surprised that no one had entered the dormitory, and suspected this had something to do with Tom, as he has a way with words.

I didn't realise how long I'd been laying down for, but my eyes flicked open at the sound of "don't fall asleep".

I saw Tom's face peering down at me again. I made to get up but he gently pushed my shoulder back.

"You can stay."

I lay back down and Tom leant back on his headboard and pulled his knees up lazily. 

I looked up at him, taking in his neat black hair, pale white face, and pink lips.

"Tom... can I ask you something?"

He exhaled and didn't look at me.

I pushed myself up so that I was sitting against his headboard as well.

"You can speak parsel tongue... does that mean?"

He still wasn't looking at me, and I felt him tense.

I moved closer to him, so that my arm was brushing his.

"If I'm imposing then I'll stop." I looked down at my hands.

"You are," he cut through and I looked up.

"I am a descendant. My mother... she was a witch."

"But..." I was lost for words.

"She died an hour after she gave birth to me. I don't know much about my father... as for the rest of my family...She named me after him..."

"Tom..." I had tears in my eyes, and shifted so now I was resting my head on his shoulder and wrapped my arm around his.

"No one wanted me..." he said more to himself than me.

"Tom you don't know that... she loved you, in that hour, even if she didn't, couldn't stay alive... she still does." I said with tears pouring out of my eyes.

"You don't know that."

"I don't have to."

There was a long pause where we were lost in our own thoughts.

"I never got to say goodbye to my parents... but I know they loved me... still love me because I believe, and I hold on to that. And I feel it... in here."

I held out my hand and pressed it gently to Tom's heart, feeling the fabric of his sweater.

"Our situation is not the same."

"I'm not saying it is, but both of us deserve the love we want, even though people have left us."

"I can't love or be loved."

I pushed my head off his shoulder and let go of him.

"You're wrong. You might not believe it Tom, but I know you feel it... deep down, you just don't want to embrace it. Your mother loved you, and you can love and be loved. You'll understand one day, and I'll prove it." I said sternly.

He looked down at me, his eyes swimming with so much unseen conflicting emotion.

"You are not alone."