Chapter 10 .
The rest of their Owls progressed almost the same way. Zehir and Tom had all the same classes but Tom was doing independent study for divination and Zehir was doing it for care of magical creatures so on those days alone the both of them were forced to study independently.
Tom was a little off, he did not know where exactly he and Zehir stood in terms of their relationship. They were definetly not a regular set of friends neither were they at a point of courting, the way they behaved, they were basically engaged. They did not kiss of course and he did not sleep in her bed but that was about it, they did everything else. For Morgana's sake, he was going to be spending summer alone with her. That was not normal behavior.
He did not like not knowing, he absolutely hated it. He was going to fix that today, it was the last of their exams. They had their independent study in the morning and charms practicas in the evening so as soon as they were done he was going to talk to her.
With that thought in mind he got dressed and went down to the common room to wait for his queen, she always came down five minutes after him giving him the chance to scout out their surroundings and understand the vibes.
"Good morning Tom." And there she was, right on cue.
"Good morning." He said with a smile. "Ready for your paper, it is the ony one we are doing seperetly." He said as he began leading her out.
"Oh yes, the paper is not that hard if you know your animals properly, I had the Professor show me a few during my spare time and so I have a bit more hands on knowlage..."
She continued to ramble about the various animals she had learned about all the way to the great hall and Tom found that he did not mind. He learnt a lot from her ramblings. They sat down for breakfast and Tom began loading his plate, he was handed his cup of perfectly made tea and he took a sip and sighed happily.
Zehir by then was sucked into a conversation with Walburga who was also doing the paper on care and they were scruntinising a few of the facts that they had learnt, it was cute the way she wold wrinkle her nose and argue every time she and Walburga would clash.
"So Tom." Abraxas began, "What are you doing this summer?" it was a question he always asked, ever since he had found out that Tom came from an orphanage. Tom twirled his spoon in his tea and answered.
"I am staying at Shafiq cottage with Zehir." Since Abraxas was the only one involved in the conversation he could speak freely and he was the only one to see the look of understanding on his face.
"So are you two?" he asked hesitantly as though afraid to cross some line.
Tom shook his head, "I don't know for sure yet, I plan on speaking to her today about it."
"Well then I wish you luck." Abraxas smiled and Tom nodded his head in thanks.
He hoped things went well too. Just because the chances of everything going to shit was low did not mean that his story would have a happy ending. With that thought in mind he waved his Queen off as she left for her exam and left a little while later to another part of the castle.
The exam itself was very simple, just the properties of various kinds of tea leaves and the theory behind using a crystal ball, his only doubt was how he had done the predictions themselves, that was always a hit or miss not matter how good you were at theory.
He was coming down the spiral staircase talking to Orion about their exam when he spotted Abraxas and Amaia coming in the same direction and Zehir trailing along behind them. His face spilt into a smile that he himslef was not aware of. This did not go unnoticed by his companion who shot a questioning look at Abraxas.
Abraxas shook his head and Orion did not speak out loud. Instead when the group joined together in the middle, he went and stood next to Zehir himself, just to test the boundries, so to speak and he walked her all the way to the great hall. He could feel Tom's glare the entire way there. Zehir caught on to what he was upto and happily took his arm when he held it out to her.
She gave him a discrete wink and squeezed the arm she was holding on to. They giggled a little just to add fuel to the fire and walked a little ahead of the rest of their group.
When they came to the great hall, people were shocked to see her hanging of someone else's arm and not Tom's. The fact that it was Orion Black, Heir Black also added to the stir they were causing. They were enjoying it though, they were having fun causing the stir.
When they actually sat down though, Orion sat next to Walburga and was explaining to his betrothed what he was doing and that forced Zehir to sit next to Tom. Damn she thought, she was hoping to tease him for a little while longer. Anyway it was fun while it lasted.
She sat down next to Tom and she could feel the doom and gloom oozing from him, it was so funny. She had never experienced anything like this. They had known each other for a little more than five months and even thought they had barely been apart during those months was it really enough for him to be that possesive.
From the squeeze around her waist, which was sure to leave bruises, yes apparently it was.
"How did your exam go?" she asked, starting of on a general note.
"It was fine, nothing note worthy, the questions were mostly straight forward and what I expected." He answered, that was more than she had hoped for.
"That is good then?" she asked just to make sure, he nodded and shoveled food into his mouth. That was the end of that conversation then.
When she was done, she got up to go back to her dorm to take a nap before she had to go for her charms exam, she was not worried about charms she could do it in her sleep and besides she had practiced a lot on the weekend. They could throw anything at her and she would ace it. It may sound a little over confident but she was sure of herself.
Just as she began moving Tom slottled himself next to her and threw his arm around her shoulder. And suddenly she realised how much she had hated Orion's arm anywhere near her. So suddenly everything was alright with the world.
"Forgiven me then?" she asked a little on the cheeky side.
Tom laughed, "Oh my dear, I am not even close. What was that about anyway?" he asked.
"Nothing, Orion was coming the same way and decided that he wanted a conversation with me and so we jabbered all the way to the great hall." She answered not sure where the conversation was going.
By then they had reached the common room and Zehir moved to go up to her room to catch that cat nap. Usually at this point Tom would seperate from her and they would meet up again whenever they decided their revision time. It was different this time, he followed her up.
"Tom?" she called questioningly. He just smiled at her and came into the room along with her.. she let him, they had not done this before.
she chucked her bag into the corner and grabbed clothes to get chaged into. Tom made himself comfortable on her bed and loosened his tie. She was curious though, this time somehow felt different, the vibe was different.
She did not worry much though, she was a big girl. She went to her bathroom and stripped of and pulled of the soft shorts and tank that she had brought with her. She pulled one of her dressing robes on top and pulled on a pair of fuzzy socks and came out.
Like she said earlier she was sleepy, she pulled Fontane out from his basket and had him curl around her and clambered into the bed. Tom did not move, he instead just spread his arm out so she could rest her head on top of it.
Even at this point she did not feel awkward, she just rested her head down and closed her eyes. She felt a gentle petting in her hair and before she knew it she was fast asleep. It was all fine for her, but for Tom it was not.
He was a mess, there was the girl that he adored and wanted to marry and she was happily asleep on his arm, not a care that she was breaking so many societal rules that if anyone found out she was screwed. She did not care, ugh let this bloody charms exam get over, he would make her his. Forever.
And with that thought in mind he set an alarm to let him know half an hour before the exam and he sunk into his book.
-LINE BREAK
"The exam went well don't you think", Zehir asked as she came out, Tom had gone before her and so he was waiting for her outside the hall. He nodded his head in agreement and pulled her close when she came.
"They asked me very simple things, like make an egg do a cartwheel and turn a goblet into a flamingo, though I do think the last one should have been asked in transfiguration." She continued to ramble on. Tom nodded randomly not actually paying much attention to what she was saying, he was a bit preoccupied.
"Zehir" he called and stopped her in the middle of what ever she was saying.
She paused and looked at him questioningly. "What is it?"
"Can we skip dinner in the great hall and eat in your room instead, I want to talk to you." He the great Tom Riddle was actually feeling nervous, he hoped it was not obvious.
Zehir looked at him closely, he had never asked for permission before, why was he suddenly asking her now? She nodded her head anyway, "Sure, let me just wave off Walburga and we can go."
She then turned around and spotted her friend talking to Lucretia a little way away and waved bye at her. When Walburga acknowlaged she turned back around and began rambling again.
"I wish they had asked something else but of well. It was fine, I suppose that is more than what most people expected. I wonder what my results would be..."
She rambled all the way down to the Slytherin Dormitories, even as Tom gave the password, "Fluxweed" she spoke the way to her room and she continued talking even as they went inside.
She finally stopped when they fully entered as they had to get ready for dinner after that.
"I will go get changed and meet you back here in fifteen minutes, order dinner." Was Tom's curt order as he left his girl in her rooms.
Zehir shrugged and stripped, she pulled on the same things she ahd been wearing during her afternoon nap and called Kitty to bring them both dinner from the kitchens. She then snuggled into bed and settled to wait for her man.
Fifteen minutes on the dot he stormed inside and got in the bed with her and pulled her close, she could tell he was tense but she did not know why. She did know that it was best to wait for him to tell her rather than bug him till he hexed her.
Just then Kitty popped back in, "Dinner for mistress and friend." She sqeaked and levitated the trays into their arms.
"Thank you Kitty, can you please pack my trunk for me, we will be coming back home in another two days." She ordered.
"Kitty will be doing that, should Kitty tell Loopy to ready Mistress' bedroom and await her arrival?" she asked her ears flopping hopefully.
Zehir nodded, "Yes Kitty do that, also have the guest room prepared we will be having someone stay with us for the holidays." She said.
"There will be no need for the guest bedroom." Tom interrupted.
Zehir turned to him in shock, had he changed his mind. Tom as if reading her thoughts spoke again.
"I will explain, but just take it as we wont be needing the extra room." He said,squeezing her waist.
"Its okay, better to have the house dusted anyway." She replied more bewildered than ever.
"Kitty do as I say and have the whole house aired and ready, including the guest rooms." She turned to her elf said. Kitty nodded and popped out.
As soon as she was gone Zehir turned to Tom and glared at him, "Well?"
Tom put his spoon down and sighed, he wanted to do this at his own pace, but he did owe her an explanation. He put his tray down on the nightstand and took Zehir's from her as well, they did not need any accidents. He then snuggled close to the angry girl next to him and began.
"Zehir as you pointed out a little while ago, our realtionship is not exactly normal." Zehir snorted at the understatement but nodded for him to contiue.
"I really like you, as more than just a friend and it is very obvious. And I knoe that you like me back as well. We have known each other for almost six months now and in that time you have become a vital part of my life," this was probably the most honest thing he had ever said and he was happy that he was saying it to her.
Zehir held her breath and snuggled Fontane impossibly close to her, she had wanted this to happen of course, that was the aim with which she had come to Hogwarts, but the actual thing happening was so surreal to her. She had just always assumed that she would have to worl a lot harder, the fact that he was making it so easy was baffling.
"So the question now is, how serious is our 'like', just a fling or enough for it to be permenant? Personally for me... It is permanent." This was the moment, he had confessed, what would she say.
She did not say anything, she grabbed his coller and smashed her lips to his. Tom fumbled for a minute and then his brain caught up.
He kissed her, oh he kissed her. He grabbed her hair with one arm and used his other one to manuver her under him, he completaly ignored a hissing Fontane and kissed her for all he was worth. It felt so good, her lips were soft and pliant under his, warm and inviting, he could do this forever. He bit her lip gently and sucked a little causing a breathy moan to fall from her lips.
He forgot everything, every insult he had ever heard, every night he longed for something like this to happen to him. Every cold night he had pleaded for this kind of warmth, and suddenly there she was, with her cherry lips and gorgeous hair. Her cheeky smile and passive agressive attitude. He was completaly head over heels for her. His beautiful girl, his little piece of perfection.
They kissed for what seemed forever, only coming up for air, he had his tongue in her mouth, softly massaging her's, he gently tugged at her hair which was still in a bun and it loosened a little. He sank his hand in and let his other one roam. It came to rest on her bare thigh, her shorts having slid up to reveal her creamy white skin. It drove him insane.
When coherent thoughts finally came back to him it was because Fontane had become increasingly annoying. He parted from her with a sigh and leaned a little back. Her beautiful hair was completaly mussed up and her lips were swollen red. She had a wild look in her eyes and her outh was open with soft pants falling from it.
He was sure that he looked no better, he could feel himself panting and from the looks he was getting from the beauty beneath him, he was pretty sure he looked pretty shagged himself.
"I think we are both on the same page." Was the first thing out of Zehir's mouth.
The moment came back to him with startling clarity and he let out a jublious laugh, she followed suit and soon both of them were laughing with glee. They were both so deleriously happy.
When the finally calmed down and sat up, their food had long since become cold and Fontane had slithered of back to his basket.
He sat up and pulled her up with him, she squeaked a little and landed on his lap. He leant back onto the head board and took her with him. The both of them just sat there like that for what seemed a really long time.
Their bliss was broken when Zehir's tummy rumbled causing her to giggle.
"Lets eat then shall we," was Tom's comment as he patted her tummy.
He pulled their plats back onto their laps and cast a quick warming charm, reheating their food. They ate in silence, not talking needed. Each of them were floating in their own little worlds, nothing was wrong, in that moment everything was perfect.
I hope that made up for the complete shit that was the previous chapter.
Thanks for reading,