Riddle's Salvation

~Pleasantries~

*This is a fluffy chapter

(Vienna. July 19th, 1944)

    "Are you sure my hair looks alright Vi?" An exasperated groan leaves my lips resulting in a thrown pillow to my face. "Ouch! Olivia! Your hair looks great! Quit asking me, you crazy woman!" Across the room and standing in front of her full-length mirror, Olivia Matthews rolls her eyes at me and huffs loudly. "I just want to look nice for my guests!" I snort at her comment which results in another thrown pillow. "Ouch! Where are you getting these pillows?" She smirks at me through the mirror and waves her wand, summoning a pillow from her bed across the room and giving me a threatening look. "Alright! No more pillows! Just because you're seventeen now doesn't mean you can abuse people." I stand from my spot, leaving the comfortable window seat and walking over to my best friend. Liv turns around facing me, her raven locks twirling with her and her bright blue eyes full of nervousness. "Are you sure I look alright?" Her voice is timid and I pull her into a hug. "You look beautiful. Everyone is going to be in awe of you...especially Abraxas." I wiggle my eyebrows with my statement causing her to chuckle and roll her eyes again. "Ab isn't why I want to look nice!" I snort at her comment while she spins back around towards her mirror and finishes off her hair with a bronze flower crown. "Sure it isn't." I make my way back over to the window seat, glancing down at Liv's mother Tamara as she hustles around setting things up for the party in the back garden. "I think your mother is going to have an aneurysm soon. Your poor father doesn't look any better either." 
    Franklin and Tamara Matthews had graciously allowed me to stay at their home for a good chunk of July, stating that they wanted me to feel like a part of their family considering I had saved Liv's life all those months ago and I was her best friend. Their home was situated in the famous Godric's Hollow, a place I was, unfortunately, familiar with for more than just Liv's home.   A little way's down the street is where the home I was born in sat, or rather would sit, even further down is where James and Lily Potter would eventually live. It was strange being here, but I found myself quite enjoying being surrounded by mostly Wizards and Witches all the time. The Matthews home was quite large, being pureblood's they had a much larger home than the quaint little cottages surrounding it and so the party today was going to be especially large. Franklin and Tamara had not only invited those within the pureblooded sphere but also most, if not all, their co-workers from the Ministry and the notable villagers within Godric's Hollow. I was glad that it wasn't me who had to play nice with pureblood royalty and could hide in the shadows. Olivia, on the other hand, would probably spend most of her afternoon being the center of attention and hating every single minute of it. "Good luck today Liv." I look towards the girl as she straightens her deep red dress robes before she fixes her gaze on me. "I'll be fine Vi. I'm used to these things." She slips on her heels and lays a hand on her hip. "Remember, if you feel like your about to be swept away by talks of your many riches and purebloodedness, just send up green flares and I'll come to save you." She snorts at my comment, something that she's picked up from me and walks towards her bedroom door. As if the guests somehow knew she was ready, the crack of the family house-elf appears and informs us that guests are beginning to arrive. Olivia takes a shaky deep breath before nodding her head and striding elegantly towards the door. "Here we go!"

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    "How does my hair look? Be honest Vienna!" The Malfoy heir standing in front of me fiddles nervously the closer Olivia gets to our cozy group of misfits and I inwardly groan at the boy. "I swear to Merlin if one more person asks me how their hair looks, I'll hex them to 1998!" Beside me, Neville chuckles in amusement and I shove him not-so-gently. "It's not funny Nev! I've been asked at least a thousand times today by Olivia, I don't need the Malfoy to add onto those numbers as well!" Abraxas huffs at me before running his hands down his dress robes and straightening non-existent wrinkles. "The Malfoy? Is that what I'm going to be called now?" Neville was now laughing loudly and I pull out my wand, pointing it between both of them. "Abraxas if you ask me any more about your hair I will end The Malfoy's. Neville if you keep on laughing I will send you back to where you belong with a nasty hex!" The threats did not have their desired effects though, Neville and Abraxas were now both openly laughing and causing other guests to look over at our group in concern. "Whose hexing who?" The deeper baritone voice from behind me causes me to jump slightly and spin around quickly. Tom barely catches me before I fall, pure amusement written on his face and his chocolate brown eyes shining with mischief. "Tom!" He chuckles and straightens me back up. "Vienna. Everything alright?" He looks over my shoulder at the two boys behind me who were still chuckling like madmen. "The two idiots are being...well idiots." I give him a smile before leaning up on my tiptoes, planting a small kiss along his jaw and causing him to chuckle again. "I'm glad you're here finally. I'm assuming Albus fetched you?" I look over his shoulder for any signs of the Transfiguration Professor and frown slightly when I find none. "Looking for me?" I squeal in fright and swirl around to face the smug Albus Dumbledore. "Merlin's beard Albus!" By now all four of them were cackling as I tried to steady my racing heartbeat and glare at any curious onlookers. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself." Albus wipes away a tear from his eye and gives me a wink before focusing his attention on the now present Olivia. 
    "Miss. Matthews! What a lovely party! Happy Birthday my dear girl!" Albus gives Liv a radiant smile and produces a beautiful bouquet of flowers from his wand. "Thank you, Professor!" She gives him an equally as radiant smile before focusing her attention on the fidgeting Malfoy. "Is everything alright Ab?" He glows beet red in embarrassment at being caught and coughs awkwardly. "Everything's alright. How are you?"  Behind me, Tom quietly snorts at Abraxas causing me to elbow him slightly in the stomach and smirk mischievously when Albus gives me a curious look at the noise. "I'm doing great. Are you enjoying the party?" Olivia's cheeks were beginning to turn red and I resisted the urge to smack my head. "Very much. You look quite beautiful today Liv...not that you don't look beautiful every day...because you do...you just look more beautiful today?" His stammering ends with a question and I'm beginning to turn red just from second-hand embarrassment. "Kill me." Tom quietly whispers the words in my ear and I scoff loudly causing the awkward tension to break. "Thank you, Ab. I'll see you all later when I'm not forced to play show owl?" Olivia sends a half-hearted glare towards her mother who is gesturing for her to hurry up and I give the other girl a soft nudge. "Go on and continue to play Princess. We'll still be here stammering and fixing our hair when you get back." I wink at Abraxas over her shoulder who is now looking murderous as Neville begins cackling again. "Thank Vi." With that, the birthday girl is gone and I'm wrapped up in Tom's arms. "Well, that was interesting! Oh to be young again!"  Albus let's out a heavy sigh before excusing himself and heading towards Olivia's grandmother who is knitting by the drinks. "What happened to the Malfoy I knew in school? You know, the one who could sweet talk his way into anyone's heart?" I chuckle at Tom's questions as Ab's glare goes from me to Tom. "Shut up Riddle." Ab takes off grumbling towards the food, Neville quickly following behind him and leaving Tom and me alone. "Well. I think that went well!" Tom laughs and spins me around to face him again. "I think that went the opposite of well." I roll my eyes at him before tugging him towards the dance floor in the middle of the garden. "Can you dance Riddle?" I raise an eyebrow at him as he lets out a genuine smile, twirling me around again in the process and dipping me towards the ground. "Of course I can dance love. I'm the best at everything."