Riddle's Plea

First Snow*

(Abraxas Malfoy. December 18th, 1943)

    The first snow at Hogwarts had been quite wondrous, the thick blanket of white had covered the entire castle and sent a happier mood throughout the halls. The winter break was almost here and the students were preparing for last minute exams and packing for their trips home. I, on the hand, had more important things to worry about than exams and packing. My mind had been preoccupied since the beginning of November, not by the female variety either, it was something much more important. I was traveling to the library, the sounds of my shoes clicking on the old stone and my robes billowing around me. If I was going to do this, now would be the time. Riddle was distracted for the day, taking charge of some prefect duties and handing out detentions. I entered the quiet musty smell of the library, my grey eyes searching for the person I needed to talk too. She catches my attention right away, her white locks standing out against the browns and blacks of the books surrounding her. I make my way over to her, my heart beating faster and come to a stop in front of the table she's working at. Vienna is surrounded by books, her quill scratching furiously over the parchment in front of her and her violet irises scanning the books around her. She hasn't noticed me at all, which causes me to huff loudly and clear my throat to gain her attention. 

    "Oh. Hello Abraxas." She says, taking a brief pause from her studies to glance up at me before she focuses her attention back to her books. "Something I can help you with?" She asks offhandedly, rolling out a new parchment in front of her and casting a spell to help the ink on the other dry. "There is something actually..." I say to her, my mouth suddenly becoming dry causing me to swallow nervously before continuing, "I was wondering if I could have a word." She doesn't even spare me a glance, but gestures to the seat across from her. "Of course." I roll my eyes at her, which of course she doesn't notice, and give her a slight nudge. She looks up at me in surprise, her eyebrows rising up her forehead in confusion. "In private Vienna." I say, throwing a hand around to the other students also studying for their final exams. She studies me curiously, glancing around the room at the other students, before nodding her head slowly and standing from her chair. "Lead the way." She says, and I lead her back into the depths of the library. I come to a stop close to the restricted section and take another nervous gulp before turning around to face Vienna. 

    "I don't really enjoy confrontation." I say to her, chuckling nervously and watching as her head tilts to the side in confusion. "What do you mean Abraxas?" She finally asks after observing my nervous behavior for a few moments. "Riddle. He did this to me..." I say to her, throwing a glance around the quiet bookshelves, practically expecting him to jump out from behind one. "I use to be brave." I quietly say, and Vienna's face falls at my words. "Don't pity me Vienna. I practically let him. Which is why I wanted to talk to you." I say taking a deep breath. Be brave. "Things don't add up with you Vienna." Immediately her body tenses and her hands clench into fists. "Hear me out please. I mean no harm. I'm not...him." I say to her, watching as she relaxes a tiny bit and nodding her head for me to continue. "Did you know I have a distant cousin that goes to Ilvermorny?" Her eyes grow wide at my question. "I did not know that." She says to me carefully. "So you know what I'm about to tell you Vienna?" She nods her head at my question. "Ilvermorny was never attacked. There was never a Vienna Marcus that attended there." I say to her steadily, getting braver the more I talked. "I was the one Riddle confided in that day in November. You know which day I'm talking about." I say to her and she nods again, putting a tentative hand on the back of her head. "It's been a month, and I had to wait until I heard back from my cousin before I asked you about this. You see, I was out in the Hospital Wing hallway that day when Riddle confronted you. I heard everything Vienna." I say to her, my voice dropping a few octaves and taking a step towards her. Vienna's eyes grow wide in absolute terror, her breathing becoming frantic and she takes a step away from me. 

    "I'm not going to hurt you Vienna. Please. I..." I let out a long breath and bore my eyes into hers. "I want to help." I say finally, and her terror stricken face turns to one in shock. "What?" She asks me, not comprehending what I was saying. "I want to help you. With him." I say to her, and I watch as she stands before me absolutely dumbfounded. "Why?" She asks me, a guarded gaze takes shape on her face, and her hand twitches towards her wand in her robes. I sigh loudly and run a hand through my hair, trying to figure out the best way to explain my reason to help. "The way he acts around you. I've never seen it. Riddle is cold, manipulative, a monster with no feelings. He's been that way since as long as I can remember. All of a sudden you show up and it was like watching his world flip upside down. You're an enigma to him. Bloody hell he saved your life. You should have seen him that day you drown Vienna. I've never, and I mean never, seen him look so...scared." I could tell her brain was going into overdrive with my words, trying to process the things I'm saying to her and falling short. Her mouth opens and closes like a fish, I would have laughed if it weren't such a serious topic of conversation. "You said it yourself Vienna. There's a part of him that wants to care for you, and I see it occasionally. Tom Riddle could be great, the best wizard of all time perhaps, but in order for that to happen he'll need to accept those feelings." I say hurriedly, grasping her shoulders and giving her a shake to try to help her regain coherent thoughts. She shakes her head, trying to clear her thoughts and glancing around the room and sighing loudly. "How do I know I can trust you?" She asks me finally, looking at me curiously. "I don't know." I say to her, dropping my hands from her shoulders and taking another steady breath. "But he can't read my mind like the rest. I'm skilled at Occlumency. I want to help you Vienna. Please." I say to her, giving her a pleading look, and trying to prove that she can trust me. After a long tense moment, she sighs loudly, and grabs my hand quickly. "Follow me."