"You're just used to having your wand is all" said Aubrey reassuringly, "we tend to rely on them too much."
"I am not dependent on anything" Tom Riddle scowled back at her.
The two were in the library the next evening and Aubrey was trying to help Tom with his skills in wandless magic. It was getting late, they were the only two students left in the library, and though Aubrey thought Tom had performed excellently, he seemed frustrated with his progress.
"I didn't say that" Aubrey said defensively, sliding off the table she was sitting on and walked over towards Tom, whose wand lay abandoned on the desk.
"Remember when you were younger, before you had your wand?" Aubrey asked, but Tom didn't respond.
"You were probably able to do magic then" Aubrey continued, "you just didn't know how to control it."
"This is hardly a similar situation" Tom barked coldly.
"It is though" Aubrey protested, "you just have to go back to that mindset you had from before you had your wand."
Tom was silent and avoided eye contact with her.
"You're a wizard regardless if you have a wand, Tom" she said quietly, "the magic is in you."
"Isn't that touching?" Tom replied, sarcasm laced in his words. He raised a hand towards his wand that was still resting on the table, and slowly and shakily it floated upwards and glided wobbly over to his hand. Tom had successfully managed to summon his wand.
"Excellent!" Aubrey cried cheerfully.
"Simple summoning charms are hardly worth celebrating, Miss Knight" Tom said disapprovingly, "they are not even the beginning of what I wish to accomplish."
"I told you that it's difficult with more complex spells" Aubrey said defensively, "it's a whole other realm Tom...I don't even think most wizards can do it-"
"I would hope" Tom said sternly, stepping closer to Aubrey, "that you would have realized by now, Miss Knight, that I am beyond 'most wizards.'"
"You asked for my help" Aubrey reminded Tom, sternly.
"A clear error on my part" Tom replied, turning to leave the down the hallway lined with books and leaving Aubrey alone in the library.
"You okay, Bree?" Elle asked, awakening Aubrey from her daydreaming as they sat in the great hall for breakfast.
"What?" Aubrey said startled, "yeah, I'm fine...sorry."
"Awe, hun" Elle said, sliding closer to Aubrey along the bench and hugging her, "it'll get better with Tom."
It had been three days since Tom walked out on Aubrey in the library, and the two hadn't spoken since. They sat in Transfiguration together in silence (though Aubrey had to admit that wasn't completely unusual, as they rarely spoke in class), but she still couldn't shake a bothered feeling she had about Tom that evening.
"I just can't get over what a jerk he was" Aubrey sighed.
"Well, that's Riddle for you" chimed in Celinda, who had joined the conversation.
"Celinda!" yelped a nearby Gabrielle, "you can't talk about the Head Boy that way."
"Oh can it, Gabby" Elle said rudely, "he's probably just mad 'cause you're better at something than he is" Elle continued, her focus now back on Aubrey.
"I don't know" Aubrey countered.
"He'll come around" Elle reassured her, "besides, a guy doesn't go through this much trouble to get to know a girl and then just stop."
"It's true" Anastasia agreed, as the girls finished breakfast and left the great hall to start their day of classes.
The next morning the girls headed up from the dungeons for breakfast and found Celinda bounding from the hall in excitement, waving a piece of parchment in her hand.
"Did you hear?" she asked once she reached a startled Aubrey, Elle and Anastasia.
"Hear what?" asked Ana, snatching the piece of parchment from Celinda's hand.
"There's going to be a dance!" Celinda exclaimed.
"No way" said Elle, sceptically.
"Way!" Anastasia exclaimed, reading the paper "it's true...look here" and the three girls peered over the paper filled with writing.
"It's a Halloween ball" Anastasia continued, "in honour of welcoming the exchange students."
"And to promote inter-house friendships at Hogwarts" added Celinda.
"It's for you, Bree!" Elle exclaimed, ignoring Celinda's comment.
"It's for everyone" Aubrey interjected.
"This is so great" said Ana enthusiastically.
"Does Hogwarts not usually have dances?" asked Aubrey, remembering the many balls that Laurier Academy had thrown over the years.
"Not really" Ana answered, "Dippet started allowing them a few years ago, but they only really happen at the end of the year...before we go home."
"Oh, at Laurier-"Aubrey started.
"Aubrey, this is great news for you" interupted Elle "this is how Tom will try to win you back."
"What?" Aubrey asked.
"Tom's going to ask you to the dance," Elle said, "and you can make him pay for his behaviour by refusing to accept his invite right away."
"What if he asks someone else?" Ana asked.
"He will only want to go with Aubrey" Elle said calmly, "besides Ana, when has Riddle ever gone to a dance before?"
"That's true!" Anastasia agreed and the girls continued into the hall for breakfast, Aubrey unconvinced that Elle's plan would unravel the exact way she described.
That same afternoon in Charms class Professor Stretton stopped by Aubrey's desk just before she left.
"A message for you from Mr. Riddle, Aubrey" he said brightly, "you're to meet him this evening in the library at seven o'clock for your study session."
Aubrey gave Stretton a puzzled look, trying to remember when she and Tom had agreed to meet this evening.
"Tom's Head Boy duties will prevent him from meeting with you later in the week" Stretton finished.
"Thank you, sir" Aubrey said, rising from her seat and joining Elle and Ana to exit the class.
"I told you!" beamed Elle as they walked down the corridor, "he's going to ask you to the dance!"
"I don't think so" Aubrey said weakly, recalling how angry Tom had been their study session prior.
That night Aubrey sat alone at the back table in the library, waiting for Tom who was nearly twenty minutes late. She was just about to leave when she noticed him walking up the long aisle of books.
"Good evening" he said cheerfully, pulling up the chair across from Aubrey, who said nothing.
"Are you alright, Miss Knight?" Tom asked kindly.
"Why are we here?" Aubrey asked, annoyed that he had kept her waiting.
"I wanted to talk to you" Tom answered calmly.
"About?"
"Why so angry, Aubrey?" Tom asked.
"I'm not angry" Aubrey answered.
"Good" Tom said cheerfully, "that look wouldn't suit you."
"Why do you hate me?" Aubrey asked, frustrated with Riddle's games.
"Hate you?" Tom asked, seemingly surprised. "On the contrary Aubrey, I quite like you...very much."
"You have an odd way of showing fondness for someone Tom" Aubrey said coolly, "detentions, tutoring, insulting me-"
"You deserved to be punished for breaking the rules, Miss Knight" Tom interrupted, "and if you're referring to me insulting you at last week's lesson then you'll have to accept my sincere apology...you'll understand that I was frustrated."
"Oh, how kind of you Riddle" Aubrey retorted sarcastically, rising up out of her seat.
Tom quickly got to his feet as well and circled around the table, facing Aubrey and preventing her from leaving down the hallway.
"You can think of those few endeavours as tests, Miss Knight" Tom said, "tests set out by me to see if you really are the girl I thought you were."
Aubrey stared at Tom, not saying a word.
"You'll be pleased to know that you've passed those tests, Aubrey" Tom continued.
"Fantastic" Aubrey said sarcastically.
Tom chuckled slightly and stepped closer towards Aubrey, smirking.
"I like you Aubrey" Tom said, "your beauty, intelligence...and even that yappy mouth of yours intrigues me."
"So let's start fresh then, shall we?" said Tom, continuing to move closer to Aubrey.
"How so?" Aubrey asked.
"Go to the dance with me" Tom said calmly, no question to his statement.
"No" Aubrey replied quickly.
"Why not?"
"Why should I?"
"A number of reasons" Tom said, now inches away from Aubrey. "Firstly, because everyone is expecting it...surely you've heard the rumours circling the castle about us, Aubrey? As the two most desirable people in this entire school, everyone assumes we'll be attending together...and you'd hate to disappoint, wouldn't you Aubrey?"
"It would be terrible" Aubrey replied, sarcastically.
"Good girl" Tom smirked before continuing on, "and secondly, you should go to the dance with me because you want to."
"No!" laughed Aubrey, shaking her head.
"Oh, but you do" Tom assured her, now leaning his arm against a shelf of books, trapping Aubrey between it and himself, "you like me."
"I do not" Aubrey lied.
"You do."
"Did...maybe" Aubrey protested.
"Don't deny your feelings for me, Miss Knight" Tom said, shifting his weight to move closer to Aubrey.
"You're not my type, Tom" Aubrey said, again surprised at the sudden air of confidence that had swept over her.
"Aren't I though?"
"No" Aubrey said, lowering her voice, teasingly, "you see Riddle, you're too perfect, too good-"
"Too good?" Tom interjected.
"That's right" Aubrey said, "perfect, Head Boy Riddle, a teacher's pet, well mannered and polite, Mr. Popularity...you're just too safe for my type."
"It would be unwise to underestimate my charm and intelligence Aubrey, for you'll find I can be very persuasive and determined to get what I want."
"Not without your precious rules, Tom."
"You don't know me, Miss Knight."
"I know enough about-" but Aubrey's words were interrupted suddenly as Tom placed his lips to hers. His hands grabbed her arms roughly and pressed her body next to his. His lips were cold, and his tongue slipped in between Aubrey's lips, parting them. She let out a small murmur as Tom placed his right hand on her face near her jaw, tilting her upward to deepen his kiss. Aubrey closed her eyes tightly and allowed Tom's tongue to explore her mouth as she placed her hands behind her on the shelves, stopping herself from falling completely into Tom's kiss.
"Still to safe for you, Aubrey?" Tom asked a few moments later when he released her from his grasp.
"It's an improvement" Aubrey answered coolly, trying to mask her excitement. She stepped forward and headed back towards the desk to gather her things.
"So you'll be accompanying me to the dance then?" Tom asked, calling after her.
"Maybe" Aubrey replied, "I haven't decided yet."
