Catharsis [Tom Riddle]

Chapter Seven

Avalon awoke in the dark. She felt something warm around her waist and looked down with groggy eyes, noticing the pale arm slung around her figure. It took her by surprise-- she had almost forgotten where she had fallen asleep. Xavier's hair tickled her neck as he quietly nestled into her, his eyes still shut tight as soft snores escaped his lips.

The realization of where she was jolted her wide awake. Rosier's bed was still empty and she was grateful that he had spent the night elsewhere. With caution and a delicate touch, she moved Xavier's arm off her waist and slinked herself away from him, making absolutely certain that she was moving quietly and slowly enough to not wake him. He shifted and she swore he was about to bolt upright, but instead he grabbed a nearby pillow and hugged it close to his chest, never once opening his eyes.

Her hands started working quickly then, grabbing her coat, shoes, and wand as she scrambled to get out as quickly as she could. She knew she had to leave before day broke and people were awake to see her leave Xavier's bedroom.

Thinking about how she was going to have to explain herself to Zelda was already making her head spin. Surely, her roommate would give her an earful for spending the night with Lestrange, and she didn't particularly have the heart to listen. Even if they had only shared a bed for sleep, it was still a win for Xavier, and she couldn't believe she had allowed herself to get caught up in his games. She just kept telling herself over and over that she had to play along in order to get useful information about Tom, but as she looked at the peacefully sleeping boy in his bed, with a serene look on his face and wild brown curls, she wondered how much of that statement was actually true.

She wasted no more time, opening his door and scurrying down the hall, making sure to tip-toe so she wouldn't wake up any of the other Slytherins. As she made her way down the stairs and towards the exit, she tried to run her hand through her hair, the usually silky strands now knotted from her late night involuntary swim in the lake. A huff of annoyance escaped her lips as she gave up on taming the tangled mess and instead focused on trying to make sure the strap of her nightgown, which was now both wrinkled and littered with grass stains, didn't fall off her shoulder. Admittedly, she's looked better.

The exit was right there and she was moments away from slipping out of the Slytherin dorm completely undetected. For once, things seemed to be going her way as she got ready to scurry back over to Ravenclaw Tower and try to sort through the mess that was her current situation. Until, of course, she heard the one voice she had prayed she wouldn't hear.

"No intention of getting in bed with Lestrange, huh?"

She didn't want to turn around to face him, and honestly, she didn't have to. Without seeing him, she could envision the smirk painted onto Riddle's lips-- the cruel amusement in his voice gave it away far too easily. When she finally spun around to look at him, he was perched in an armchair in the corner of the room, book in hand. He didn't bother to stand up, just slowly lifted his eyes from the page until his gaze met hers.

"Excuse me?" she said, loudly, clearly.

"Well, yesterday you claimed to not be interested in him, and today..." Tom's words trailed off as he looked pointedly at her thin nightgown, his gaze trailing up to the strap of her nightgown that had fallen down her shoulder, his mocking smile growing by the second.

She let out an aggravated huff and yanked the strap back up harshly, crossing her arms as she stared at him, daggers in her eyes. The more irritated she grew, the more he wanted to keep pressing her. Something about her temper amused him and he found pleasure in knowing he could rile her up with just a few choice words. In fact, it seemed like he was the only person that had such an instant negative effect on her. She kept her gaze on him as she replied, "I just helped him back. You saw how much he had to drink."