Change → Tom Riddle

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i just want to say thank you so much for 10k!- ahhh! this is so exciting! i really don't know how to say thank you to everyone who's read this story, as I am the WORST at updating, yet none of you complain! and you're all always so loving and kind when you comment. I honestly want to try and update better, but I say that every other chapter, so we'll see! xxx

When Olivia next woke up, it was not in her dorm or in the hotel she and Tom had been staying in. The ceiling above her was a bright white and she could smell cleanliness. It registered that she must be in a hospital, for she also registered the fight that she'd been in. As Olivia turned her head, she spotted Tom. And her mother. And her father. Chatting rather animatedly, or so it looked. Olivia turned her head to the other side of the bed and saw her siblings, who'd fallen asleep on top of each other. Olivia made a mental note to tease them about it as she pushed herself into a seating position. Olivia's Madre [mother] immediately noticed the movement and pushed her daughter back into lying down.
"No, mama, necesito [no, mum, I need]-," Olivia started. Even in her bleary-eyed state, she noticed her hoarse voice.
"Via, no necesitas nada a parte de descanso [You don't need anything other than rest]," Olivia's mum answered her.
"Papa," Olivia whined, turning to her father for help. "Quiero sentarme, por favor [I want to sit up, please]." Olivia's father sighed. Hector Ramirez had had a long life, and even though he wasn't as old as everyone thought, he still had more wrinkles than any of his friends. Hector whispered to his wife and she finally relented, helping her daughter to sit up.
"Gracias [thanks]," Olivia told her father. "¿Puedo tener cinco minutes con Tom? [Can I have five minutes with Tom?]"
"Pero [but]-,"
"Come on, everyone, time for coffee!" Hector called, clapping his hands to wake up his other two children. Tom went to leave too but Olivia tugged on his sleeve, a sign he took as 'stay'. When her family was out of earshot they started talking.
"How are you feeling, Olivia?" he asked politely, obviously uncomfortable. Knowing he wasn't an emotional person, Olivia realised that this situation must be hard for him.
"Fine. Tired, I guess. My stomach hurts a lot," she answered, patting the area that pained her the most.
"Well, those men poisoned you, so that makes sense."
"¿Qué? [What?]"
"Some muggle concoction to make you pass out. They're still trying to pump it out of your stomach," he explained, pointing at the wires.
"Who were those men?" Olivia questioned. "All I know is that they wanted my tail." Tom shrugged.
"I think Dumbledore's dealing with them. We'll know when we get back to Hogwarts."
"And, err, has anyone else learnt about my..." Olivia gestured at her legs. Tom shook his head.
"I convinced everyone it was just an attack. Dumbledore is still curious but we can deal with that later." 
"We?" Olivia echoed, confused.
"We're a team now, Olivia. You don't have to do this alone."
"Do what alone?" she exclaimed.
"Your..." he gestured at her legs like she'd done.
"That's what Eve and Gabby are for," Olivia clarified.
"I want to help you, Olivia. How are you going to explain to Dumbledore they were cutting your legs?" He asked.
"What?" Olivia exclaimed. "What do you mean?"
"You've got a scar... they started cutting..." Tom tried to explain. Olivia frowned at him.
"That's the pain, then?"
"Along with the poison," Tom added. "Don't forget that."
"I don't remember being-," And then she did, touching her arm where she'd remembered being injected. "It's some sort of serum. It wasn't a potion, though. It was definitely muggle. If we knew more about muggle chemistry..." she trailed off.

"You're interested in that stuff?" Tom inquired, pulling a face of disgust. Surprisingly, it suited his handsome features. Focus, Olivia! 
"Well, it would be handy to know. Compounds and elements... why don't we use them in Potions?"
"For what it's worth, Olivia, you'd make a great muggle," Tom told her.
"Thanks?" Olivia searched for a conversation changed. "How are you still here, anyway? Dumbledore doesn't want you back at Hogwarts?" Tom shook his head.
"Your mother wanted me to stay. Something about saving your life." Tom waggled his eyebrows, and Olivia sensed the teasing tone. She groaned.
"I'm never going to stop hearing about this, am I?" she asked him.
"Now, is that any way to talk to the man who saved your life?" Despite herself, Olivia laughed at his tone, shaking her head at Tom. In that moment, she forgot her suspicions about him, forgot why she had despised him a little. In the next moment, she leaned over and kissed him, forgetting her family could walk in at anytime.
The door to Olivia's hospital room wasn't completely closed, for her siblings had decided to take 'guard', code for eavesdropping.
"Wait until Mama hears about this," Anna Ramirez said to her brother.
"Wait until Eve and Gabriella hear about this," Javier replied, smiling smugly. Anna gasped at his brother's idea, and smirked too.
"We'll do that one first."

When they finally got back to Hogwarts, Olivia's mother had demanded a meeting with Dumbledore. Olivia managed to get out of it, saying she needed the rest. Really, Olivia didn't like being in a room with her mother angry. It was scary, alright. She did not feel sorry for Dumbledore, and didn't envy her father, either. However, Olivia realised she was probably better off in that meeting when she got to her dorm and saw her two best friends on her bed, holding a piece of parchment. Without a word of hello, Eve began reading from it.
"Dearest Eve and Gabriella," she started. "We hope you have had a good Christmas. We write with news of your good friend, our good sister. She was-,"

"Sorry," Olivia apologised sheepishly. "It was very last minute. I would've written myself, but Mum wouldn't even let me sit up.
"Skip to the end bit," Gabriella told Eve. Olivia sighed.

"However, the best bit of this whole thing is a conversation that was held between Olivia and her dear friend Tom. It was 100% flirting and they kissed at the end of it. We hope you can use all this material to tease Olivia with. Love from, Anna and Javier Ramirez," Eve finished, putting the letter down." Olivia started playing with her hair, a nervous habit.

"So, I have a lot to tell you?"

Diary,

I seem to be lacking in writing of recent. I have been distracted, but I have been accomplishing. Where do I start? Let us start with the last mission. Olivia and I were sent out (by Dumbledore this time. No Dippet, which I consider interesting) to search for an object that once belonged to Slytherin. That immediately caught my attention of course, as I learned two years ago my heritage linked me to him. Neither Olivia nor I were sure what the object is. I suspect Dumbledore wanted us to look for the ring, which remains hidden on my person at all times. This was not what concerned Olivia, though. It is the fact that Dumbledore thought he could 'steal' (for what other word is there for it? That is what he is doing) all these possessions when they belong to someone else. She's quite right to find this suspicious; indeed, it raises my suspicions too. I'd never even thought of it until Olivia mentioned it- what does Dumbledore want with them? What purpose are they to him? This is something I must look into. I have no doubt I could get Olivia into it, too.

As I have mentioned Olivia quite a bit already, I suppose she may as well be our next topic. As of three days ago, I believe Olivia is back on my side. Well, there were no sides to begin with. There are no sides yet. But seeing as she initiated the kiss, there is nothing she can do now to avoid it. She still has feelings for me, whatever they are. I feel something too. I still am unsure of what it is. Abraxas tells me it is jealousy, that I am falling for Olivia too, but he is wrong. Maybe not on the jealous part, but on love. I cannot love. It is impossible. It is possible he means physically, because there is no one I have met quite like Olivia. She hides the fiery side of her beneath her looks and intelligence, and her charming personality. There is no doubt Olivia could charm anyone she wanted, it would barely be hard work for her. She could make a great politician, if that is what she wanted. It has just occurred to me I do not know what Olivia wants to pursue. I should find out.

There is one last thing that has gained my interest. A while ago, I heard Evan discuss Abraxas with Olivia and her gang of friends. This was surprising due to the way that Evan was talking about him, like some sort of love interest. But surely, that can't be right. His parents would disown him; kick him on the streets if he was gay. But then, at the end of term, during patrol (there is no need for me to have a partner now as Head Boy), I caught them in an abandoned corridor. Kissing.

Weirdly, I am okay with the... boy and boy thing. Times are changing. No, I am worried about them during the line of duty. My two best men. They'd save each other over someone else. They'd get hurt by everyone else if it became public. I must have a word with them. They need to keep it 'under the covers'.

There is not much time left at Hogwarts. I fear my tasks may be ignored as my studies take priority. However, knowing that I was successful in creating you as a horcrux, I cannot wait to make more.

TMR