20 years before
August 28, 1976

It was the end of the first week of school. Wednesday to be exact. I had just gotten out of double Potions. I was walking down the corridor when I saw an image that made my run cold and made me feel as if ice shards had pierced my heart, my face beginning to heat up in anger as an automatic reaction.

I began to feel the stinging pain in my chest as I witnessed Sirius Black kiss passionately with Siomara Maclaven and embrace her lovingly. Lily Evans, Alice Blake, and Molly Prewett stood a few feet away from them, laughing at something. Humiliation bubbled in the base of my stomach, as I felt the traitor tears being to form in the corner of my eyes.

As the humiliation grew I turned and began walking rapidly down the corridor quickly making my way through the castle, trying to avoid everyone that bumped into me, while keeping my head down as I passed them. I thought about hiding out in the small cabin near the edge of the Forbidden Forest but hiding out just seemed like a cowardly thing to do.

You are a coward. A voice in the back of my mind chimed in.

Hush you! I growled back, quickly pulled the hood of my cloak over my head and picked up my pace as I walked into the woods.

'This day turned out to be a long bloody drag.' I thought sarcastically to myself , as I walked through the Forbidden Forest towards the lake, fighting tears the entire way there.

I slowly walked towards Black Lake. I found a hollowed-out log to sit on, just in time for me to fall apart, salty bitter tears running down my face like a babbling brook.

I sat on the hollowed out log, watching as the sun reflected from it, looking towards the horizon and all the colors the sun cast as it shined from the sky like a diamond. I couldn't help the tears that formed in my eyes again and began to spill down my face once more, I had just learned what it was to have your heart break.

If I could even call it that.

I sighed, shaking my head trying to get rid of the horrible feeling of being used. What's there left to say when the person you thought loved, liked or at least cared for you only used you like the morning's paper and then threw you away? At least I thought I loved him. I can't really say it was love, I was more like attraction or interest, platonic if you can even call it that, now all I feel towards Sirius Black was immense disgust, and a little bit of self-loathing towards me.

I was so distracted by my self-pitying party that I didn't realize that someone had walked towards my direction, until I heard the leaves crunch beneath the footsteps and a tree branch break. A second later I screamed in terror as I felt a hand clamp down and squeeze my shoulder, a hand clamp down on my mouth. I bit down on the hand and fell to the ground.

"Ouch!" the voice said.

I quickly scrambled to get on my feet, and quickly turned gasping in surprise, terrified of who it may be, whipping my wand out to defend myself if need be.

"Hello Anna." He said, a small smile on his full luscious lips

"T-tom?" I asked, unsure and rather surprised, his forest green eyes shining as the sunset reflected off of them.

He gave me his signature sly smirk, looking down as I sat back down again with a heavy sigh, probably waiting for me to invite him to sit down.

I wasn't planning to, preferring to be alone at the moment. Judging by the pinprick I was beginning to feel on the sides of my head, I probably need to stay alone for a while before actually, before I could speak to anyone at all.

"Did you need something, Riddle?" I asked rudely, no feeling well enough for company, trying to ignore the prick I felt.

"Actually, I just wanted to see if you were alright. I saw what happened earlier with Sirius Black and the Gryffindor girl earlier, I just wanted to-" He began, before I interrupted raising my hand up in the air at him.

"Don't." I said harshly, cutting him off before he continued to rub salt in the wound, tears beginning to form in my eyes again, the pin prick turned into a slight throb now.

"I heard what people said about him, and... I-I didn't listen to them." I admitted, swallowing around the golf ball that formed in my throat, taking a deep breath and shaking my head before continuing.

"I- I thought that they were just rumors. But I- I guess they weren't. Turns out he was just using me for-for a bet. I, of course, figured this out after I heard him and his friends talking about it, talking about me. I confronted him, but of course he denied it, even though I showed him... An-anyways, I'll be alright, Tom, you don't need to worry. You can leave now, if that's all you needed. I am sure your buddies will be wondering where you are." I sneered, turning to face another direction.

He, however, didn't make any move to leave or give any indication that he wanted to leave, choosing to stand there and stare at me. So, I turned my back to him, attempting to ignore him.

"You should probably go back now, Tom, you know that Slytherins and Gryffindors don't exactly see eye to eye, they'll have a fit if they find out that you are here talking to me again." I sighed, closing my eyes and willing the throbbing on the side of my head to cease or decrease in the slightest.

"Thank you, for checking on me, but you should get back to your common room or wherever you usually hang out as should I before we both get in trouble. With the way our heads of houses are they'll probably be giving us detentions and be deducting points to our houses. Well, not Slughorn but rather Beattie. You already how she is." I suggested, over my shoulder.

I turned to watch the sky begin to grow darker; it's beautiful pink, orange and purple hues changing into a deep ebony color with a few flashes of white, as I sat there in silence. I could sense that he was still behind me. Suddenly, he stepped into my peripheral vision, looking down at me. He then proceeded to snatch my arm into his hand, and pull me up to my feet and practically began dragging me back in the direction of the school, behind him. I briefly wondered if he was worried I would stay after dark, endangering myself, or do something idiotic while I am alone out here. But shot that thought down when I remembered our huge fight at the end of third year.

We were almost at the edge of the woods when I began to drag my feet in the uneven dirt and roots of trees almost falling back and bringing him down with me. He turned to look at me, a cool, yet patient expression on his face. I smiled at him innocently in response, which caused him to roll his eyes in response and stare at me with a hidden emotion, sighing before he spoke again.

"Do you really want me to pick you up and throw you on my shoulder to carry you all the way to the Gryffindor tower? Because if you don't stop acting childish, I will do it, and you know I always keep all of my promises, Anna." He threatened stepping closer to me threateningly.

A brief image of us, when we were younger in an unfamiliar room flashed before my eyes, when he spoke. I suddenly felt the sensation of my eyes beginning to water as I watched him. Shacking off the feeling I turned to look at him before deciding my options.

I chose to cross my arms over my chest, and stick my tongue out at him, in a petulant childish manner. He rolled his eyes at me once more before he took a threatening step towards me, causing me to squeal in response and take a step back. He stared at me for a second before he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder like I weighed two stone rather than eight and a half stone .

I whacked his back hard, multiple times with my fists, as he quickly and skillfully walked in a fast pace, up the steep hill, not even breaking a sweat or breathing rapidly. I had managed to kick him once in his stomach before he secured both of my legs with both his arms. Feeling one of his hands grasped my upper thigh.

"You better stop it, Anna, or I swear on Merlin's beard that I'll hex you into next Sunday." He threatened lowly, after he groaned , almost losing his balance and falling over, when I punched him in the kidney with my left fist. Hard.

I'm not sure if I imagined it or that it actually happened, but after the punch I delivered to his lower back, I felt the slight sting on my behind, causing my to freeze unsure of what to do.

It was then I knew I had to stop my antics, knowing he would, in fact, hex me. Skillful as he was I knew he wouldn't hesitate. Five minutes after I stopped the violence on his back, he set me down right at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Thank you." was all I said, looking down at my feet, not willing to meet his penetrating gaze.

"Anna. I-I...I-I... damn it." He stopped and sighed exasperated, "You're welcome, Anna. Tell me if you need anything or if there is anything I can do for you. I won't hesitate to help you." He said, his jewel-like, forest green eyes warm as he half smiled down at me.

I nodded in response, smiling at him too, before turning to go up the staircase and hall that lead into the Gryffindor tower.

"Anna!" He called, running up the stairs towards me.

I turned to find him walking up the stairs behind me, practically slamming into me as he stopped a few inches away from me. He looked into my eyes, his eyes holding an unexplained, hidden emotion, before he pressed me against the wall, then leaned down to match my height before pressed his full, soft lips onto mine.

"Do you mind?" One of the portraits said, looking annoyed at us.

"Oh...Err... sorry." We muttered before turning to look at each other smiling.

"I'll- I'll see you around." He said, smiling and winking at me.

"You definitely will, Tom." I said, smiling up at him before he turned away to head back to dungeon that lead to the Slytherin common room.

I didn't notice that I was being watched until, I heard the porthole to the common room shut, the fat lady's eyes wide.

"Magno animo." I said, clearly, waiting for the door to open.

The portrait scowled at me before creaking opened. I whispered a 'thank you' before slowly walking into the common room, feeling drained of energy.

Little did I know that what I'd find would be utter complete chaos in the common room as I made my way inside.