Title: Trivial Dreams
Challenge: Lady Phoenix Fire Rose's "The Step-by-Step Drabble Challenge"
Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns these characters. I'm writing this just for fun.
"And they lived happily ever after," Margaret finished.
Tom Riddle rolled his eyes. It was always the same old story. Prince Charmings, trapped princesses, and fearsome dragons. But he wondered. If dragons were so fearsome, why were they so easily defeated?
"Tom?" Margaret said after a moment of silence.
"Alright, you've done your duty," he answered coldly. "May I go now?"
Every afternoon, Margaret, one of the local kindergarten teachers, took it upon herself to go around the orphanage and pick a child to read a fairytale to. Today, unfortunately, she had chosen Tom. And Mrs. Cole had given him that look that implied it wasn't optional.
"Did you not like the story?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Just because you can fill the heads of the other kids with this drivel, don't expect me to fall for it."
"Oh, Tom!" exclaimed Margaret. "Fairytales aren't drivel. They're stories of strength and bravery, and finding true love. Someday, if you're good, you can have your own fairytale."
"What, me?" Tom scoffed. "I'll never waste my time going out of my way and risking my life for some girl I hardly know, princess or not."
"Most boys your age would love to be princes."
He stared at her, icy defiance in his eyes. "I'd rather be the dragon."
He stood up abruptly to leave. As he pulled open the door and stepped out, he heard Margaret say sadly, "But Tom, the dragon always loses in the end."