Chapter 6: Embarrassing, Revealing Morning!
Thursday September 15, 1944
This morning was rather... painful. Branwen and I had fought the night before, so I was attempting to sleep in the office on the futon, but with no luck. I had gotten up to get tea when she had screamed out. I went to check on her and see what was going on. She was having one of her nightmares again. She appears to have them every single night. I heard her mumble something about her dad, but when I asked her about it, she just walked away. Prior to that conversation, I had attempted to wake her up, but the second my hand touched her shoulder, she had cursed me with the torture curse! I had never thought it would be as agonizing as it was, but I now understand its nickname a lot more than I did.
Branwen is very strange. When I used to see her around school, she always seemed so happy and carefree; even when she had bumps and bruises from being clumsy. Now that I know her better, I am starting to doubt just how clumsy she had claimed to be. She is very secretive and mysterious. I made a vow to find out what her nightmares are about.
Work was rather dull, but the trip there was interesting to say the least. Malfoy, Branwen's actual betrothed, had been waiting outside to talk to me. He had asked how my marriage was going with his woman. Once I had told him that is was going decent, he reminded me that she was his and not mine. I was upset about that but simply told him that I feel nothing towards Branwen that is any different from what I feel about any of my other classmates. He then went on to ask about the goals of the death eaters. I lied and said that I hadn't a clue what he was talking about butt he simply snickered and said he found it hard to believe that a genius such as myself doesn't have an ulterior motive for everything I do and everyone in my life. And that was the end of this bizarre day.
Tom slammed his notebook shut and put it away on his shelf above his desk as he stretched and checked the time- a quarter past midnight. He headed to the bedroom in a sleepy haze, grabbed his night clothes and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. When he walked out of the bathroom he looked over at the bed to see Branwen tossing and turning, clearly yelling although he couldn't hear anything. He realized she had cast a silencing charm on herself so as not to wake him and have last night repeat itself. He pitied her for suffering every single night like this. It made him wonder when the nightmares had started, and if she would suffer them for the rest of her life.
He was nervous about getting into bed, so he went to his side and gingerly laid down under the covers before he reached over and grabbed her flailing hand. He rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand soothingly until the nightmare slowly went away. He watched the fear and pain on her face get replaced with a peaceful, innocent look. Riddle didn't want to admit anything to himself, but right before sleep took over, he vowed deep in his soul that he would be the one to take away her nightmares, not just for a night, but for the rest of her life.
Branwen stretched before she opened her eyes. She noticed that her back was pressed against something hard and there was an arm draped across her waist. She turned her head slightly and saw Riddle sleeping, a lock of hair dangling over his eye. She smiled at how he looked so innocent and vulnerable when he slept before she quietly got out of the bed. She went to the bathroom to grab her toiletries and a clean change of clothes and left the room. She made a pit stop in the kitchen to turn on the pot of coffee before she went to the guest bathroom to get ready for school.
She turned the water on hot and let it warm up while she brushed her teeth. She noticed that the dark circles that she usually had a hard time covering up were barely noticeable without makeup. She hopped in the shower and just stood there, letting the hot water warm her up while she followed her train of thought. My nightmares haven't been as bad as they normally are since the school year started... The other night was really bad, but every other night has been... good actually. She thought with a small smile. She tried to think of what made this past week different from every other night of the past few years. Could it be... Riddle?! She shakes the thought from her mind and finished up with her shower.
When she finished, she headed to the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee. She listened to see if she heard any movement from the room. After a few moments, she grabbed one cup and walked down the hall and opened up the door. The sight before her was not what she had expected to see. Riddle stood there in a pair of forest green boxers, water still glistening off of his naked chest, his hair a wet wavy mess. He looked at her, clearly startled and watched her face get redder and redder with each passing second. She couldn't help but notice how toned he was considering he was so scrawny. There was a small trail of dark curls going down from his belly button to below the rim of his boxers. She tore her gaze away feeling like she was going to faint, set the coffee down on the dresser and shrieked what she had only meant to say.
"I thought you might still be asleep so I thought I would bring you a cup of coffee to help wake you up!" She turned and slammed the door behind her and tried to control her breathing. She braced herself against the door as she tried to mentally as well as physically shake the image of Tom practically naked. She headed to the kitchen and cooked eggs and ham, set the table and damn near choked on the coffee as she drank it too fast while she waited for Riddle to finish getting ready for school.
Tom watched as the door slammed closed when Branwen had left the room. He was admittedly embarrassed about being seen almost naked, but he didn't understand why she had blushed so much. He finished getting dressed as he pondered on this interesting morning. He took a sip of the coffee, and although it was warm, it was exactly how he liked it. He smiled at how thoughtful the gesture had been and walked out to the dining room.
He sat down in his seat and they began to eat in silence. He had to say that the food wasn't too bad compared to some of the meals she had cooked in the past. He shuddered at the memory. When they were almost done eating, there was a very loud, obnoxious knock on the door. Riddle stood and went to answer it before Branwen had even turned her head. The moment he pulled the door open just a crack, it was slammed open and he was shoved to the side by a crazed looking girl with straight black hair and a crooked nose. The girl looked around the house like she has some mad disease.
"Where is she? Where is Branwen?!" She demanded. Branwen stood up from her chair a small smile in place at her friend's antics. She was about to wave when she was tackled in a big hug.
Hey Barb. Can't breathe." Branwen choked out. Barbara released her and smiled sheepishly.
"We didn't see you yesterday, and I wanted to make sure you are alright." They got up off the floor and dusted themselves off.
"As you can see I am just fine. Tom on the other hand, I need to go check on." She side-stepped her cousin and waved the to red-head who stood in the door frame waiting for everything to calm down before he entered. Tom was sitting up, elbow propped on the little table by the coat rack, glaring at Barb. Branwen held out her hand which he took and helped him stand up.
"Apologize Barb." Was all she had to say to get her friend to immediately drop to her knees in a display of dramatics and beg for forgiveness. Once everything settled down, the two couples sat at the table and finished what was left of their breakfast before they headed out to school. Tom helped Branwen put on her robe and scarf and carried her bag when they left and walked with James Weasley behind the girls to give them some privacy or risk being hexed by Barbara.
"So what happened? Why didn't you come to school yesterday? Did he hurt you?"
"Later Barb. What about you and Weasley, how are things going?"
"Oh no you don't! I am not the one that went awol yesterday!" And this is how there conversations went all day during school.
For Branwen, everything was a robotic blur. Riddle dropped her off at her classes, picked her up, carried her schoolbag. Barb questioned her every chance she got only to be told she would get her answers later. Branwen couldn't stop thinking about that morning; she couldn't get the image of Riddle almost naked with water running down his torso out of her mind. It was distracting to say the least, and made it difficult to keep the blush off her face, but she had somehow managed it.
When they got home, Branwen heated up their leftovers and brought a tray into the office so Riddle could eat while he did his schoolwork. Branwen offered to copy all of the notes from the day of school they missed so he could focus on today's work, and worry about the rest tomorrow. He had to rush off to work an hour or so later. He gave her a light peck on her cheek and she handed him his briefcase. Barb stood at the door and was run over by Riddle rushing out the door. Branwen couldn't stop laughing.
"That's what you get for shoving him to the ground this morning!"
"You are so mean Brawnie!" She stuck her tongue out at the giggling Head Girl before she stood up and stalked over to the couch and plopped down arms crossed. Branwen closed the door and came to sit next to her pouting cousin. Barb immediately stops pouting and begins her intense interrogation.
"It is after school, so cough it up! Why weren't you at school yesterday?"
"I had my nightmares..." Barb waved her hand in an impatient way as if to say 'yes I figured that much, go on.' so Branwen continued, "I woke up when Riddle tried to wake me and I used the torture curse on him." She mumbled the last part and avoided the look of shock on her friend's face.
"You did WHAT?!" Barb stood and started pacing all over the house, not just in the living room. She walked down the halls, the kitchen, dining room, everywhere. "I can't believe you did that! I mean, I guess I can understand, just coming out of a nightmare and all, but still!" She ranted and raved for the next half hour and Branwen cringed each time she shrieked her disapproval before she finally had enough. She got in Barb's way and grabbed her shoulders.
"I get that you are mad at me and I don't blame you. Don't you think I hate myself for doing that to him? But it is already done and over with." Barb had the decency to look ashamed and went to sit down on the couch while Branwen went to make some tea for them.
"Sorry, I just can't believe that happened." The two girls sat down in silence for a while before Branwen decided it was time to turn the tables.
"Now will you tell me how things are going with you and Weasley? I mean, you guys were already dating before this project and now you two are married! Dish it out already!" Barb blushed and fiddled with the rim of her cup as she answered.
"Things are actually going really well. He has started carrying my bag and meeting me after each class like Riddle does with you. We kissed for the first time since the wedding ceremony." After that, the two girls gossiped until dinner time when Barb left after handing her James's notes from the other day. They say their goodbyes, and Branwen quickly copied the notes twice and left a set as well as a note for Riddle when he got home.
Later that night, Riddle came home to discover the same thing as the previous night. He watched her for a little bit before he crawled into bed and grabbed her hand. He fell asleep still holding her hand, his arm draped across her waist. His last thought was about if this would become a normal thing- even if it did, he had to admit, he liked it, but only a little since physical closeness wasn't something he was used to.
A/N: Here is chapter 6! I know it seems a bit rushed, but I have had to share my laptop with my little brother, who is also writing fanfics now! He just finished his first one and I am super proud of him! It is a Dragon Ball Z fanfic, so if any of you are into that anime, look him up! The Super Saiyan 3
His story is called Altering the Past. I have an outline for the next chapter, but am thinking about taking a huge chunk of it and moving it to a later chapter, so it is going to be revised before I start writing it up! Anyway, enjoy and please review! =3
