Chapter 10: Rendezvous With Riddle

No one could know, of that she was certain. If anyone found out that one of the school's greatest pranksters had an artsy, bookworm side, it'd be the death of her reputation. It had taken months for her to build it — with the war raging around them, her pranks seemed to cheer people up — and now that she finally had it made, Margot Droope was not about to lose it.

World War II was affecting them. She could tell in the way that there were places to go in case of a bomb attack.

She was currently in the Astronomy Classroom at her school — a curious thing as she didn't see the importance of astronomy — and was getting ready to take photos. She was an orphan; the only other person who knew she was an orphan was Tom Riddle, her astronomy partner. In fact, it seemed as though they were partners in almost every class.

On their first day of school, Margot explored every inch of the space until she found the Astronomy Classroom. It was rarely used anymore, maybe once or twice a year, and Margot thought it was infinitely better than the orphanage, so she'd stayed. Getting Tom to not tell anyone she was still going to school was simple enough, even he didn't know where she was sleeping.

It'd been six years since their first day at this school and he still hadn't found out. Being seventeen, Margot decided she wanted to finish high school with a smile.

So she began pranking.

As she lay on the floor of the balcony, her pillow resting under her head and her camera pointed at the stars, there was a quiet knock. She sat up quickly and turned towards the door to see Tom Riddle standing there, watching her.

She sighed as he looked at her expectantly. "Well," she said quietly, getting off the floor and waving him in, "this is where I live. You finally found me."

"It only took six years." His words were abrupt, and had Margot not noticed the slight glimmer in his eyes, she'd likely have thought he didn't care.

"You've been looking all this time?"

Tom bristled, as if frustrated with himself for being caught. "I suppose you could say I find you…interesting."

"Interesting? You sure know how to compliment a girl, Riddle." Margot turned her back to him and pointed her camera at the sky once more. Snapping a couple pictures, she brought the camera down from her eye to see Tom standing in front of her. "Is there a problem?"

"No." He turned away from her and looked through her stack of books on the floor next to her forgotten pillow. Margot picked it up before he could trip on it. "You have a book on the sky? Frontiers of Astronomy by Fred Hoyle. I've never heard of this. What are you doing with it?"

Margot stood, looking at Tom's silhouette for a moment, before responding. "I'm trying to improve my photography skills."

"That's what you want to do with your life? Take pictures of the sky?"

"No, I-I want to take pictures in general. Of life, I suppose." She set her camera down next to the discarded pillow and sighed. "Look, Riddle. I appreciate you not telling the orphanage about me living at school, I really do, but if all you're going to do is question me and my interests, then you should go."

"Alright," he said quietly, almost sounding reluctant to leave. He took a few steps towards the door and Margot immediately went and picked up the book he'd mentioned. To be fair, it was a bit ahead of their time. She sat down on the floor of the Astronomy Classroom, pulling on a jumper that laid over top her blanket, and began to read by the light of the moon.

"Margot…" She heard his voice behind her, but didn't turn back, as shocking as it was to hear him speak her first name. "The moon reminds me of you. So beautiful, so bright, and so far away. Someday, I hope you come closer."

She heard his footsteps echo as he walked out of the room, the door shutting quietly behind him. Only then did Margot look up from her book. "Oh, Tom…. What would I do without you?"