Chapter 10

The New Year had come. The Holidays were over and classes had started up once more. Fifth years and higher found themselves with heavier workloads and loads more homework. Everyone was preparing for the up and coming O.W.L.S, and though they were still a few months away, teacher and student alike found themselves more than amply happy to be kept so busy doing the extra homework; whether they were the one doing the homework, or the one grading it.

Narcissa, Lucius, Tom and Allura continued to spend all their free time together, studying or just goofing off, it was hardly possible to see one of the four friends alone. So of course, Ally, whom had always been slightly reclusive by nature, was starting to get a bit twitchy. She had always had friends, but more often than not, she was more liable to be found off in a corner tucked into a book or off sitting against a tree lost in her own world while she drew whatever came to mind. Ally still read every day of course, but she had only recently gotten back into her drawing; still, she found herself yearning to run off for an hour or two, to be alone.

Looking down at the food on her plate, she noticed that while she had been lost in thought, she had been playing with her food. Looking back up she saw Narcissa looking at her; a worried expression on her face. Shaking her head in a silent 'no' Ally let Narcissa know that she wasn't alright. The two had grown very close, and could hold silent conversations in a matter of seconds. Nodding to the side, Cissa let her know she should take the time she needed.

Ally smiled gratefully and grabbed her bag before taking off. She figured the other girl would give the boys a satisfactory excuse, and so she let herself wander wherever he feet took her. Usually she would wander around and would find herself at the foot of a tree on the bank of the Black Lake; and today it seemed was no different, as Ally looked up at the high limbs of the tree. Pulling a sheet of parchment out of her bag, she transfigured it into a nice blanket and spread it out on the ground before sitting down and casting a warming charm to surround her.

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Tom stared at Narcissa from his position on the couch opposite the one she was currently occupying. He wasn't quite sure whether he should be highly amused or deeply worried. She was clearly trying to read, or at least attempt to look like she was reading. He was sincerely hoping that it was the later rather than the former, seeing as she had been on the same page for the last half hour. The book being upside down probably didn't help all that much either. It was getting terribly noticeable; enough so that even Lucius was starting to look at her funny.

Tom was getting ready to speak up when Lucius beat him to it. "Cissa, darling, is everything is alright?"

"Huh?" Narcissa jumped in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Well, my heart, you have been fidgeting for a while now." said Lucius.

"Oh, that? Sorry, just thinking to myself."

Tom raised an eyebrow, "Would you like to talk about it?"

Narcissa looked over at Tom before her shoulders sagged. "Well, it's just that it's getting pretty late isn't it? I mean, dinner will be ready in an hour or so, right?"

"Yes my darling. Why, are you hungry already?" said Lucius with an amused look on his face.

Tom looked at Narcissa, and knew what she was worried about. Strangely it didn't surprise him that Lucius hadn't thought much about it. Although his infatuation with Narcissa could be the reason that he didn't question the excuse she had given them that morning. She had told them that Ally had been asked to go see the headmaster after breakfast, and she had wanted to send a letter before-hand, so she was leaving a bit early. That was a strange excuse in the first place, but two hours later, Tom figured that the lame excuse really was a lie.

Ally had been gone ever since breakfast that morning; she had been gone for eight hours. Clearly whatever it was that Ally had needed to do, was taking longer than Narcissa was comfortable with. Shutting his book and setting it aside Tom listened to two friends with him argue before he interrupted them. "Well, I don't know what you two are thinking, but I think it's time for a breather, I am going to take a quick walk. I'll be back in a few."

Tom stood up and made his way out of the room, as Narcissa and Lucius watched on in silence. Tom let out a chuckle as he heard the two of them start up with the arguing as soon as the door closed behind him. Tom himself wasn't quite sure where he would find Ally, but he figured he would start from the ground up. Making his way through the dungeons, Tom started searching for the missing girl.

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Ally looked down at the two sketches she had in front of her. The first had started out as a quick sketch to just get back into the flow of drawing. It had ended up being a detailed drawing of Lucius, Narcissa and Tom. She felt she had captured their personalities fairly well in the drawings. Lucius' charming and haughty demeanor that he would later pass down to his only son. Narcissa's body language showed her to be quiet and unassuming, while her face and expression showed a gleam in her eyes as well as a slight quirk to her mouth that only accentuated her mischievous side. After spending as much time as she had with the two friends, she could definitely see where Draco got much of his attitude and personality from.

Looking at the last member of the trio, the way that he quirked his eyebrow as something she had caught in her drawing, and she could almost picture him rolling his eyes and going back to reading whatever book he had on hand, while Lucius and Narcissa flirted and argued. Ally couldn't help but once again analyze the differences between the two sides of Tom that she knew; the boy that he was, and the man that he would one day become. It was very hard to see the man inside the boy, and she was very glad of that, because she figured that if she saw even a shred of the vile man he would someday become, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she could get along with him so well.

Looking over at the other sketch she had done, she couldn't help the fond smile that came over her face. She didn't really know why she had decided to draw it, but it was almost an exact copy of one of her favorite pictures. It was a drawing of her brother and herself. It had been one of the few Colin Creevey had taken of Harry and herself, that they both really liked. Lost in thought, she didn't notice the presence of another being around her until she heard something that sounded distinctly like a growl.

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Tom had scoured the entire castle from top to bottom, and had found no sign, of Allura, so he had done the only other logical thing. He had started his search of the grounds and had almost given up when he caught site of someone sitting against a tree by the Black Lake. Walking in that direction he sighed in relief when he realized it was her. Stepping up towards her, he was about to announce himself when his attention was caught by a picture someone had drawn in her hands.

Of the two people in the picture, he automatically recognized her, but the boy beside her wasn't someone he knew. The boy had his arms wrapped around her and they were looking at each-other. The boy had what could only be described a very fond expression on his face, and something in their combined expressions' said that they both were in on a big secret. Ally's face though, that drew him in more than anything. The smile on her face put all the smiles she had ever given him or the others, to shame. She also had a fond expression on her face.

As he looked at the drawing he could almost imagine him in the place of the other boy in the picture, and the thought was one he didn't mind; he didn't mind at all. Or at least he didn't until he remembered that it wasn't him in the picture, and the very thought made him mad. He didn't want anyone to be able to look at Ally like that; she shouldn't look at anyone else like that either. Before he knew what was happening, he heard a growling noise, and Ally looked up in surprise. He also realized that the growling had come from him.

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Ally looked up in a startled surprise. Tom was standing behind her with a strangely fierce expression on his face, which was quickly replaced by a look of confusion. "Oh, Tom, you surprised me! What are you doing here?"

Tom looked at her for a moment before he answered her. "Narcissa was worried about you."

She grinned. "Oh? So it was Narcissa? Then why isn't she the one playing creeper behind me?"

Ally burst into laughter when Tom's face took on a nice sporting blush. She scooted over on her blanket and patted the ground beside her, indicating for him to take a seat beside her. He hesitated for a moment, before he sat down. He looked at the drawing she still held, before he noticed the other one. It was a very good and realistic rendering of Narcissa, Lucius and himself.

Ally noticed his staring. "Oh these? I was lost in thought and I ended up drawing the two pictures."

Tom looked between the two pictures before he pointed to the one with her and the other boy on it. "Who's he?"

"Who? Harry? That's my brother Harry." There was a slight pause, before she started speaking again. "We were never really all that close, but when we did hang out, it was always full of laughs." Tom had to fight back yet another blush. He couldn't believe that the boy he had been jealous of had been Ally's brother.

"Your brother? You two look nothing alike."

Ally looked at Tom with a funny look on her face before she smiled. "That's because we look more like our parents. Everyone says that he looks like our Father but with Mums' eyes, then they look at me and say that I look just like my Mum, but with my Fathers' eyes."

"Your Mum must be really pretty then."

There was a long pause, as both Tom and Ally let the words sink in. Both were showing a nice blush. Ally out of amusement and pleasure, and Tom out of embarrassment.

"Thank you, she was." Ally finally replied.

Tom grinned before her words sunk in. "Was?"

Ally's smile went awry. "Yeah, she and my Father died when I was very very young. He is all I have left of them."

Tom wasn't all that sure how to react to a confession such as the one she had given him. On one hand, he himself could sympathize, he himself had also grown up without parents. On the other, he hadn't had a sibling to keep him in balance. She herself didn't look too broken up about it; whether that was because she didn't remember them, or she had gotten over it, he didn't know. But something in him told him he needed to comfort her; unfortunately he didn't exactly have any first-hand experience with either thing. Comfort, or girls. So Tom did the only thing he could think of doing. He put his arm around her shoulder and started to talk.

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Ally had listened to Tom talk about everything and nothing. She knew almost immediately what he was trying to do. Part of her wanted to tell him it wasn't necessary, she was fine, but when he started to tell her about his dreams for the future, she couldn't bring herself to stop him. Hearing it did help her. It reminded her that he was human too. Even though she had known for ages that he was, this definitely helped her to remember that there was still hope for him; there was still a chance that he might not become the monster that she knew. After all, she had a few years to help change him, right?

But as soon as the thought occurred to her, she knew it wasn't possible. As she had thought from the very beginning, she knew that everything that happened to her, here, in the past, all her decisions, had already been made, and all the consequences, all the repercussions, had already effected the future. For all she knew, she was the reason he became the Dark Lord; but she wouldn't think on it, she thought to herself. It would only put her into a bad mood, and it would take her to a place that she didn't want to go.

Tom had stopped talking and was just sitting there. Ally found herself looking at him. Really looking at him. He looked so vulnerable, which was something she couldn't say about most people, but he truly did look it. That was when it hit her. He probably hadn't really told anyone else about all the things he had told her. Looking down once again at the drawings in her hand, she couldn't help but feel touched that he cared enough to try and help her, by telling her something he hadn't told anyone else.

Looking back over at Tom, she smiled and decided to just see where life would take them. She handed him the picture of Lucius, Narcissa and himself. "Here, I wouldn't know what to do with it, and it isn't a picture of me, so I will let you decide what to do with it."

He took the drawing from her, and looked at it for a moment before smiling back at her. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Also, thank you. For talking to me, I appreciate it."

"Yeah, just keep it to yourself, I wouldn't want the others to think I actually somewhat plan life ahead. What would happen to my reputation?"

Looking over at him she raised an eyebrow. "What reputation?" He looked affronted for a moment before they both burst into laughter.

The two of them continued to chat amiably for a while before Tom noticed it was getting dark. Getting up he offered her a hand and helped her up, together the two of them made their way back towards the castle, joking and laughing the whole way. Neither of them brought up the moment they had shared together. Neither wanted to break the peace that had somehow fallen over the two of them. All they knew was that they were content, and couldn't wait to see where life would take them next. However neither of them saw the figure who stepped out of the shadows and watched them walk in through the doors, into the Great Hall.

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Ally and Tom walked into the Great Hall together, and they made their way over to their usual seats at the Slytherin table. They hadn't even made it that closely to their seats, when they heard the squabbling. They both looked at each-other before laughing once again and hurrying over towards their two friends. The two sat down and started filling their plates before their presence was noticed. Ally had to hold back a chuckle when Lucius saw them and grinned.

"Dearest Narcissa, I don't think you should worry too much about the two of them. How much trouble could they possibly get into?"

Narcissa didn't see the sly wink that Lucius sent the way of Ally and Tom because she looked at him with a very serious expression. "Of course I have to worry Lucius Malfoy! If I don't worry who else will! First Ally, and now Tom. They have been missing for ages!"

Adrian Nott who had been sitting across the table looked very unhappy. Ally could only guess that he had been listening to the argument ever since it started, and she could guess from previous experience that it was the same arguments over and over again. She gave him a look that she hoped he understood meant that she was sorry he had to deal with it. However Lucius and Narcissa's conversation hadn't stopped and Narcissa was still going at it, her voice rising in distress.

"For all we know they fell off the astronomy tower, or were eaten by trolls. They could be lost in the dungeons, alone, cold and hungry, and here you are expecting me to just eat my dinner quietly."

Adrian Nott was rubbing his temples as though he was trying to curb a headache. "Narcissa, before you continue, I would like to point out that both Allura and Tom are sitting right behind you."

She looked behind her in surprise before sighing in relief. "Oh good. See Lucius! I told you they were fine!"

Tom could only stare at Narcissa before he spoke up. "How in Gods' name did you come up with us falling off the astronomy tower? And where would you expect us to run into a troll?"

"Don't forget the getting lost in the dungeons part!" Ally said helpfully.

Narcissa blushed before picking up a biscuit roll and taking a bite. Ally laughed knowing that was Narcissa's way of ending the conversation. Ally decided to help her out by digging into her dinner as well. The fact that she was starving since she missed lunch didn't exactly hurt either. Adrian smiled at her gratefully before he too dug into his food. She smiled as Tom and Lucius took the hint and also started in on their food.

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Tom had just finished his rounds as Slytherin prefect, which he himself felt as though he had to admit that he had been slacking on the prefect duties as of late. He was sitting on his bed reading Moste Potente Potions, when Luc popped up out of nowhere to sit down beside him. Tom looked up from the book and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Lucius smiled. "So what was with that paper I saw you hiding away earlier? Was it a love letter?"

Tom rolled his eyes before he shut the book and set it aside. "And if it was?"

Lucius' eyes lit up. "Was it? Has my dear Mr. Riddle finally caught the eye of a lady?" his face took on a funny look before he started speaking in a serious tone. "I hope you don't plan on cheating on my darling Mademoiselle Bryant."

Tom had to take a moment to process what the other boy had said. "Ally? How exactly would I be cheating on her? We aren't together?"

"No? Could have fooled me. Everyone is under the impression that you two are an item."

"Since when? And what do you mean everyone? Does she think we are?"

"Oh I would imagine so, or at least I am sure she has heard the rumor."

Lucius was taken aback when he looked over at his best friends face. The other boy was visibly livid. Bordering on furious. He was about to ask the other boy if he was alright when he got up walked out of the room very stiffly. Lucius wasn't all that sure, but he had a feeling he had said something wrong.