Disclaimer: The only thing I own is half of Nagini?
Chapter 3
"Tom,"
"Yes?"
"Are you ticklish?"
"It depends. Why are you asking?"
"Because I want to discover one of your weak points."
"Why?"
"Because you're so perfect. There's not a single thing wrong with you. The other kids just call you a freak because they're jealous."
"And that's why you want to discover one of my weak points? So you'll expose it to the other kids so it can shatter my perfect image to them?"
"Of course not! I…I know this sounds silly, but I want to make sure you're human."
"I can tell you I'm not a robot, Amy."
"I wasn't implying that. It just…helps two people bond a little bit, you know? Here, I'll tell you mine. I hate being poked in the stomach."
"Poked in the stomach, huh."
"Yep, I freak out and my mind shuts down."
"Sounds fun to try," He reached over, grinning, but was stopped by her wildly waving hands.
"Stop Tom! If you try it, I'll-I'll smack you!"
The two of them fought some more, until they were nose to nose. Tom could feel her breath on him, and he was sure she could feel his. Her grin was still plastered on her face, and he reached over to tuck a strand of stray hair behind her ear. Then he took advantage of the position and bent down to whisper,
"I'm ticklish on my elbow."
Day 1 of 14
Tom Riddle woke up the next morning slightly irritated. That annoying girl had crossed his mind more than once as he lay in bed after she left, and he couldn't come to a conclusion of whether or not she was to be trusted. She held a lot of secrets that he wanted, yet the girl provided a source of entertainment he never had at the orphanage. He wasn't sure if he wanted to lose that yet.
He folded up his blanket and looked around. His room was by no means big, but it was a comfortable size. It contained his bed, a desk and a chair, and a small wardrobe. Tom had never seen the other orphanage kid's rooms before, so he had no idea if his room was customized for just him, but he thought it was awfully generous of Mrs. Cole to give a 'freak' a room like this; if Dumbledore had been in charge, he would've been locked down in the cellar.
He shut his door quietly, most of the orphanage kids still asleep and wandered down the hallway. He didn't need to be afraid that he would've knocked on the wrong room, as he felt her long before he reached her room. He knocked on the door, and shuffled his feet slightly, hoping she was awake. He didn't need to wait long; he heard shuffling inside the room and the door opened slowly, first exposing her silver eye peeking out, and then the door swung open revealing her in a pink night gown.
"Good morning, Tom Riddle," She eyed him warily, seemingly not noticing how he eyed her attire. "Do you usually get up at this ungodly hour or am I a special case?" Her window was open, and her night gown fluttered slightly.
"It's not an ungodly hour," Tom pointed out. "It's already six. I can't help that none of you know the importance of waking up early. That aside, you are a special case, though," He shot her a flattering smile, and wasn't surprised when she saw right through it and rolled her eyes. "Are you going to invite me in, or are you just going to let me stand here?"
Nagini was still staring at him, as if trying to figure out what his motive was. Hell, even he didn't know what his motive was. He was just bored, and she was becoming an addiction to him. This concept was strangely new. Tom Riddle, heir of Slytherin, did not have obsessions with Mudbloods after just talking to them once. Finally though, she stepped aside, and Tom entered, noticing how her room looked exactly identical to his, except for the fact that hers had bags scattered all over the floor. At least Mrs. Cole didn't favor when it came to rooms.
"Please sit," Her words flowed together like a breeze. "I have not had the time to finish unpacking all my baggage. I apologize for the mess. I was hoping to clean it up before anyone woke up, but it seems you are quite the early riser."
"I could say the same for you," Tom said as he sat down in one of the bean bags. He felt extremely foolish not sitting in something proper and formal, but it was the only thing she had unpacked besides some sheets, and he was not sitting on her bed. "Do you usually wake up this early? I would've thought you would have stayed up late reading your books." He couldn't keep the envy out of his voice, and it was evident from her face that she noticed.
"I did stay up quite late, actually. I always get lost in my book and lose track of time," She admitted, and dug around her luggage until she found a brown paper bag. Tom eyed it curiously, preparing to ask what was in it, and was surprised when she thrust it out in front of her face.
"What's this?" Tom asked, looking at it. "Is it a bomb?"
"If it were a bomb, I would not have been so stupid as to remain in this room. I would be bolting for the exit right now. And I had no idea you were an early bird, so I did not know you would be coming to this room either. Just take it and find out for yourself. I promise it won't bite."
Tom decided she was right; she had no idea he was going to her room, and if her plan was to kill him with a bomb as well as herself, since she was obviously not running, then she could've done it when he was asleep. He reached a hand in and felt something hard, pulling it out. It was a rectangular shaped object covered with wrapping paper.
"Was this necessary?" He asked, holding it up while trying to fight a smile threatening to appear on his face. It was completely covered in pink with yellow smiley faces on it. "You could've just stuck the bomb in a paper bag. No need to get so decorative."
"I already told you, I did not give you a bomb," She smiled. "One would think I have better things to do than to waste my money to buy a bomb for you. Bombs are quite expensive." She giggled when he scowled. "I think the pink adds a nice touch, does it not? Your gift lies inside it. The pink has no use to you whatsoever so you might as well ignore it and move on."
"Tom Riddle will not be caught opening a present, wrapped in pink, like an eager child opening his Christmas gift." He informed her. "I demand that I at least receive scissors."
"Scissors are overrated," She countered. "Why use them when you can use your hands? Much more effective. Would you like me to rip it for you? I think you are just against the color pink. Maybe I should wrap it in lavender next time. It is quite a lovely color."
"No wrapping is fine," Tom sighed, and began tearing it from the corner. As the pink wrapping paper tore away, he was beginning to see the rough edges of something black. His curiosity piqued, he tore faster, aware that Nagini was watching his every move.
With the wrapping paper gone, he realized that he was holding it upside down. Flipping it over, he could tell it was a book. The title was written in shiny golden letters. Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.
Tom stared at it in awe. "How did you-" For once, words failed him and he was left sputtering. He didn't care, as the little rectangle in his lap made his whole summer look a lot brighter.
"I could not get you the original version. I apologize. The book updates every ten years or so, so I could only get you the most recent one. And you mentioned being lonely here, and no one deserves that, so I got you a book. You made it quite obvious that you were interested in Dark Arts over hippogriffs, and while Professor Dumbledore had his reasons to take your books from you, I thought one book couldn't hurt."
Dumbledore has no other reason than because he hates me, Tom thought furiously, then pushed all thoughts of the transfiguration teacher out of his mind, and stared happily at the book. He had a book, now. He had a beautiful book on his precious dark arts. Then, tearing his eyes away from it, he noticed she was still looking at him, smiling. She didn't seem to be expecting anything, just watching.
"I-" Tom said, but his voice got caught before he could say the two words he most wanted to, for the first time in his life. Thank you. "How did you get this?" He asked her instead, and cursed himself for sounding like he didn't appreciate it. Who knew, maybe she did have a bomb hidden in case he was rude to her.
"I went to a bookstore, I handed the clerk some galleons, and then I got to walk away with it," Nagini looked amused. "Did you think I stole it? Do not worry; the police will not be after you."
"That wasn't what I was worried about," He replied bluntly, and then immediately regretted it. Nagini didn't seem to think his behavior was strange, as she was still grinning. He took it as a sign that he wasn't being too rude. "I meant where did you get it."
"Where else would you get something like this?" She asked lightly. "Diagon Alley, of course."
Tom gaped at her, his dignity long forgotten. For some reason, Nagini seemed to enjoy his non-collected side more, and she had sat down facing his bean bag. "Diagon Alley? As the Diagon Alley in wizard London?"
"Do you know another Diagon Alley?" Nagini asked curiously. "I heard there is something of that sort in China, though someone told me it was called Dragon Alley instead."
"How did you get there and back from the time you and I finished talking? That's impossible! How did you do it?"
"Magic," Was her reply.
Tom wanted to shout at her, his happiness and curiosity mixing together to become explosive. He calmed down by taking a deep breath, and then continued. "Did you know you were going to meet me before you got to this orphanage? Was that how you got the book, because you bought it beforehand?"
"As much as I would like to say yes, no, I had no idea I was going to meet someone as complicated as you, neither did I know that I would be meeting another magical person." Nagini supplied. "I apologize for not being able to boost your ego more."
Tom sighed, and then abruptly stood up. He could feel Nagini's eyes on him, which was why he stopped before he got to the door and turned back, one hand on the handle and the other one holding the book delicately. "I want to say tha-to tell you that I really appreciate it," He admitted. "But I've never said it before, so I don't have much experience. And I don't really say anything to-" He stopped, afraid that any error he made would cause her to snatch the book away from him.
He didn't have to worry, though, as she was still staring at him amusedly. "You do not usually say anything to Mudbloods like me?" She supplied helpfully, and Tom had no choice but to nod; she already saw right through him, yet it sounded strangely awful when the words fell from her lips. "It is alright, I already know. How about I help you? All you have to do is repeat after me."
Tom nodded dumbly.
"Say, th,"
"Th."
"Ank."
"Ank."
"You."
"You."
"Very good," He got the feeling that they were in elementary school, that she was the teacher and he was the little kid who needed to be taught some manners. "Now you connect it all together. Thank you."
"Th-"
"Too hard? It is understandable." He got the look from her that he got from everyone else, though there was one big difference. Everyone else's were full of pity, while hers contained mostly hope. Strangely, this girl he just met the previous night had become the person who knew him the best, out of his followers and all his teachers. Maybe because they were both orphans, but Tom decided that he was going to continue talking to her, until they got back to Hogwarts. He knew that Nagini knew that he would not be seen with her in Hogwarts, and she accepted the fact. "You do not need to thank me. It is only a little book. We can try again sometimes when it is something bigger-"
This time, he interrupted. He was going to take charge.
"Thank you, Nagini."
