Riddle's Plea

Power & Patience*

(T.M.R. February 19th, 1944)

    Vienna hasn't moved at all within the past 10 minutes since I gave my...confession. She's just been staring at me, unmoving, unblinking but thankfully still breathing. The silence was deafening and it was causing my nerves to soar to all new heights. I took a quick look around the pub, making sure nobody was noticing that Vienna appeared to be a mixture of petrified, terrified and somewhat stupefied. I let out a scoff over Vienna being any of those things and I tried not to be a little proud over the fact that I had made her seemingly speechless. Finally being fed up with the silence I waved a hand in front of the girl's face, causing her to jump and suck in a breath. It took another few moments for Vienna to get control over her breathing, her hand over her heart and her eyes closed. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"  I rolled my eyes at her, disappointed that she didn't see and cleared my throat. "Vienna you know that I don't like repeating myself." Her eyes snapped open and I was pleased to see a hint of anger within the violet color. "Well excuse me for not hearing you correctly the first time. I mean...you can't possibly think that you actually smelled me in that stupid potion." I let out a sigh and gave her a pointed look. "It was you." She practically sputtered with my words and ran a hand through her hair in pure exasperation. "I don't understand." She finally says and I roll my eyes once again at her, this time she sees and huffs at the action. "For Merlin's sake Vienna. You're a smart witch. I know you know what it means." 

    She practically slams her hands down onto the table, causing a few of the closer patrons of the pub to glance over at us before quickly looking away. "I know what it means Tom Marvolo Riddle. What I don't understand is how?" I bristle at the usage of my full name and glance away from her. "I don't know how. All I know is that I hated you, then I somewhat liked you and then I hated you again. But now...I don't hate you and I realized that I couldn't possibly ever hate you. Did you not hear the spiel I gave you before I confessed Vienna? You're different. I...care about you." I let my face scrunch up in it's own confusion with my own words. I meet Vienna's gaze again and watch as she crosses her arms across her chest. Her eyes analyze me, her mind working over time trying to process whether I'm telling the truth or not. I lean over the table again, resting on my elbows and allowing my usual mask to slip. "I'm not lying Vienna." Her eyes dilate with my words, her mouth opens to say something but she quickly snaps it shut once again. After a few tense moments she nods her head and lets out a long breath. "Alright Tom, I believe you. But...what does this mean?" 

    It was my turn to ponder my words as I leaned away from her again. What did it mean? I knew I was attracted to Vienna, that was for certain. I was also attracted to her brain and her quick wit. Not to mention her mysterious power she seemed to have. "I know I don't deserve it Vienna...." I begin, meeting her eyes again and swallowing heavily. "But I would like a chance. A chance to show you that I'm not a monster, to change and be a better man. I've never wanted anything to do with the light or friendship or lo-caring. I've squashed all those things when they came my way but I don't want to do that anymore. I've seen your relationship grow with Olivia and Abraxas and it's only made you stronger instead of weaker. I can't let you slip through my fingers Vienna, even the thought of loosing you it-it scares me and it scares me because it scares me. I've never been scared of anything in my life but I'm scared to lose you. You've already made me a more honest person and I'd do anything to gain your trust. I know it may take a while, but I want to give us a try. Even if it means being patient for you to trust me, I would wait for however long it took." I ripped my gaze away from hers and focused my eyes out the window. This girl makes me crazy.

    Another long stretch of silence fills the atmosphere around us, before I hear Vienna let out a soft sigh. "Tom..." My eyes meet hers once again before watching her hands slide across the table and intertwine with mine. I can't control the fluttering of my eyes and the content breath that leaves me when her hands fit perfectly within mine. I give them a light squeeze before meeting her gaze again. "I'll give you a chance." My heart stutters with her words and a smile threatens to appear. "You have to be patient though. It'll take work but...I care about you as well." I nod my head quickly, nearly resembling a small child agreeing to chocolate in exchange for eating broccoli. I clear my throat and the smile finally appears on my face. "That's all I ask." Her smile is more hesitant and she opens her mouth to say something else when a voice interrupts.

    "I told you they wouldn't kill each other." Olivia and Abraxas come into view, the latter looking thoroughly disgruntled. Olivia takes one look at Vienna and I's intertwined hands and a mischievous smile breaks out on her face. "You two looks cozy." Her eyebrows wiggle up and down suggestively and I roll my eyes. "Liv. Quit being weird. You're making it awkward." Abraxas bumps shoulders with the raven haired Ravenclaw, an equally mischievous smirk on his face. I take a glance at Vienna, whose openly glaring at her two friends but making no move to pull away from me. "Can we help you two?" I ask casually, running my thumb on the back of Vienna's hand to help calm her somehow. "Well yes. You said I could borrow Vienna around lunch." Olivia sticks her hands on her hips and gives a pointed look to the clock above our heads. "Oh my. I didn't even realize it was so late already." Vienna gives my hands a squeeze before disentangling our fingers and begins to stand. "I'll get your coats for you."  Abraxas says before leaving, throwing Olivia a wink along the way causing her to blush. "Olivia...." Vienna begins, throwing me her own mischievous smirk before getting the other girls attention. "Did you and Abraxas spend all morning together?" Olivia's eyes grow wide and her cheeks turn alarmingly red. "Well...yes...I mean it wasn't like a date...it was just friends...yeah friends...just spending time together...Oh stop pestering me woman!" Vienna lets a laugh out that quickly quiets when Abraxas arrives again. "So. You two ladies go do whatever it is you need to do and we'll meet you back here for lunch?" He looks to Olivia for conformation who nods while still trying to get control of her blush. "Let's go Vi! We've got shopping to do!"  With her words she takes Vienna's arm and practically drags her out of the pub. I meet the bewildered eyes of Abraxas who scoffs and says, "she needs to sort out her priorities."