You Were There For Me Through Gifts

by Nandhu HPSBDMTMR

Harrison Potter is third child of the Potter's. He's neglected mostly by everyone throughout his life(Not the usual abusive story). He thrives to be best but sometimes he feels alone and sets aside gift to someone who feels alone like him and the gift goes to someone by some strange Xmas magic. And it become a habit to send gift every Xmas. What will he do when he meet that one. AU

21. Chapter 19

You Were There For Me Through Gifts:

Chapter 19:

Harry stood speechless for over a minute of what had just happened…

It was his first kiss…

His first…

It may not mean anything to many people, but Harry is not one of them because he had grown up witnessing how his father never looked anyone's way even now, after so many years since his mother, Lily passed away. He had watched how much Sirius was committed to Remus and despite not knowing much about Longbottoms and Weasley, he had watched how Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom loved each other.

He had heard stories from his father too of about his grandparents and how his Grandfather loved his Grandmother. James even joked about it sometimes that it is a Potter thing to be committed to one and only one in life time.

So with that kind of thoughts he grew up and here he is, his first kiss was stolen and Tom doesn't even realize what he had done and was going on about how happy Tom is for discovering something amazing.

Doesn't it mean anything to Tom?

Maybe not… Despite Tom dragging him to sleep together on a bed with emotional blackmails of Tom not sleeping well without Harry beside, Tom had never hinted anything about the relationship between them.

Harry wanted to speak about whatever it is between them… But something in him always stopped him because he was scared of how Tom will take it. Harry had witnessed in his visions of how Tom is involved in Slytherin house politics and how cruel he can be to others.

Harry had even had a vision of Tom being intimate with Greengrass girl…

Then why?

Why did he kiss?

But looking at Tom now who was looking so happy and all smiles which he rarely ever sees, Harry didn't have the heart to discuss about what he had just did and it looked like Tom did it without even knowing.

Harry hastily made an excuse and dragged his trunk, moving towards the exit not even stopping when Tom called him. Harry needs to be alone now, away from everyone, away from Tom for a while.

Harry felt torn between blushing and moping.

Merlin, it is so embarrassing. He could somehow still feel Tom's lips against him.

Harry found an empty compartment and absentmindedly moved in, placing his stuff away after closing the compartment's door.

For some reason his mind kept repeating the event of Tom kissing him…

How?

How would it feel when Tom kissed him seriously?

Harry pulled his knees together and sort of wanted the seat to swallow him up.

The hormones and being a teenager sucked. Harry hated it when something made him feel so out of his usual calm self.

He leaned back on his seat and closed his eyes.

A vision of a very cute and small Tom Riddle slipped past his shield and he reluctantly let the vision. He looked at the somewhat vulnerable little Tom slumped in a corner, fearing the shadows of what must be the attic, just like any usual child. Harry realized he must have been locked in as some sort of punishment.

Still… Little Tom clenched his fingers and all Harry could do was watch little Tom trying very hard to not let himself cry. The anger and rage in little Tom's eyes should not be seen in any child of that age.

Harry opened his eyes and sighed irritatingly at fate. When Harry wanted to curse few words and be angered at Tom, these sorts of visions came out of nowhere and left him miserable; taking away any little anger he could muster.

Alex and Alice barged into the compartment, startling him. It somehow always warmed him that they want to be with him instead of spending the ride with their friends. Harry had grown closer to his siblings even more than before.

They smiled at him in the midst of arguing. Harry rarely saw them arguing and it always because of Alex being overprotective of Alice.

"Let it go Alex. I am tired of hearing this. We were just talking. It is not as if I was kissing Marcus."

"Alice…"

Alex shrieked like a little girl and covered Harry's ears as if Harry is innocence personified.

Usually Harry would just roll his eyes at Alex's over protectiveness competing with Siri and Father's over protectiveness, but today, he blushed unable to suppress it, obvious to anyone who can see what with his traitorous pale skin.

It is all because of the sudden images of Tom kissing him assaulted his mind as soon as Alice mentioned kissing.

Damn it…

Alice's eyes narrowed at him suspiciously and he turned his face away from her, pushing Alex away, muttering to them,

"Don't want to hear about this"

"See Alice, What have you said in front of our baby brother?"

And they started arguing all over again thankfully not about dating and stuff. Mostly about who was the one responsible for making Alice to say the k-word? Harry would have usually jumped right in to scold them both about his age and he is not a baby and for Merlin's sake he is sixteen. But not today, he has to forget that incident since Tom so conveniently didn't even realize what he did to Harry. And if Alice was a little suspicious, Sirius will find the truth if Harry so much as blushed.

Who knows what Sirius, who thinks that not even Merlin deserves to be near Harry will do to Tom if he knew about how intimate Tom and him were and not to mention how Tom had stolen his first kiss.

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Tom had decided to spend this summer in one of the inns in Diagon Alley that is somewhat decent with cheap rent. He had wanted to save money he got from winning the Triwizard Tournament and always stopped himself from spending his galleons on anything unnecessary. Hell, he had even started to control his insane urges of buying cakes and sweets since he has a sweet tooth.

But this is a dire situation and he for one was glad and so fortunate to escape the muggle war going on. He almost, almost only slightly pitied the people in muggle world. Not that one of them had treated him better but still, witnessing few people stuck under the building rubbles while their hands and legs were missing was enough terrific sight to make him shudder.

Yes, Tom was cruel but this was the first time he witnessed a mass destruction. It had shaken him of what muggles was capable of. He thought they were beneath wizards but being a witness to all the gore and blood had frozen him with fear of what they are capable of.

Tom had packed his stuff, deciding to abandon the idea of visiting the address of the Guant family for now and had decided to stay in Diagon Alley. He had read in the Daily Prophet of the muggle war going on and also an article about how to be safe in these times and not to worry that the magical wards will protect them from any kind of explosives and bombs.

Tom could have gone to Avery's home since he is always welcome there but decided against it because Avery's father disgusted him with how he checked Tom out. He could curse Avery Sr. into oblivion but he didn't want to make things between him and Avery messy nor did he want to be imprisoned to Azkaban for using unforgivable on a pureblood who owned multiple seats in Wizangamot.

Tom put an arm around Terror, still not wanting to get up even though he had woken up early in the morning. He felt that times like these, lazing around without pretending of what he is not for the sake of politeness are rare. Terror had been the only thing that sometimes kept him sane when he felt like he is going to give into the blackness of insanity.

As a child, Terror was really huge, even bigger than him. As he grew up, he sort of missed the feeling of being smothered by Terror.

He again developed a habit of going to sleep by hugging Terror. He sort of gave up on that habit after coming to Hogwarts but he picked that habit again recently. Terror's eyes looked almost accusingly as if silently saying that Terror knows that Terror is just a replacement for Tom on the nights he cannot sleep beside Harry.

Tom turned his head away from Terror, not wanting to meet those accusatory eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

Honestly, what will people think if they knew that Tom Riddle is still sleeping with a teddy, no, no, Mr. Terror? Tom shook his head, decided not to continue where his thoughts are going.

His hands curled around Terror's soft body since of course, he took care of Terror all these days that Terror still looks like how he first got Terror and sighed. He nowadays has a strange urge to see Harry frequently.

He got the taste of sleeping with Harry in his arms, that petite figure sometimes pressed against him, sometimes arched against him so erotically that he now felt empty sleeping without Harry.

Tom cannot wait to see Harry again. He is looking forward to his sixth year even though the classes will bore him out. He is excited to see Harry again even more than how exited he felt in opening the Chamber of Secrets again when he went to Hogwarts this year. But for now he cannot do anything but wait till the day he boards Hogwarts train.

Tom decided to laze around some more time before he can dive fully in the books he took from the chamber. He hadn't touched them during the week he had stayed in orphanage but now he will not have any disturbance and can read it to his content.

While Tom lazed around in the room he rented, Harry was trying to sneak into the flat where Sirius and Remus are living.

He wanted to surprise them since he doesn't often visit them in their flat. It was always Sirius who visits him in Potter Manor. He had called Sirius through the mirror to inform that he had something to speak with them but he never specified the time.

Harry waited for Tally to open the door silently because he cannot use the wand to mess up the ward but Tally has access to the flat. Tally grinned at him openly, his partner in crime to prank the pranksters and popped out as like he ordered Tally to Potter Manor and silenced his footsteps since he can use his wand once he entered the wards.

Harry slowed down, hesitant to follow his plan because he is not sure of what state they will be in. Harry knew how their relationship is and he didn't want to see his godfather doing things with Moony.

But soon he relaxed, hearing voices of them from the kitchen.

"Moony, please stop with the frown lines."

"I am sorry Padfoot. I really am."

"Moony, we went through this already. There is nothing to be sorry about."

"But Sirius… It's my fault. The werewolf side of me ruins everything in my life."

Harry frowned, stopping midway, realizing that he had walked in on something serious. He didn't know whether to interrupt them or stay silent.

"No Rem, you know I love you just the way you are."

"No Sirius, I cannot take that potion because I shift every full moon. I can't give you a child…"

"And I told you countless times that I can take that potion if I wanted a child"

"But Padfoot…"

"We are too old to raise a child Remus"

Remus must have looked as shocked as he must be, since this is Sirius admitting of being old.

"Come on Moony. Don't look at me like that. I am not in any pressure to produce an heir since Regulus already has children. And also I already have a son, Harry is my son. So stop worrying about stupid things unnecessarily."

Harry could not help but feel happy hearing this. Sirius always, always made him feel happy and that he belonged somewhere in this world.

Harry entered the kitchen to let them know his presence because he didn't want to hear their private conversation anymore, abandoning his plan to prank Sirius.

Sirius looked startled at his sudden appearance but narrowed his eyes suspiciously,

"How did you get in Harry?"

"Ask me no question and I will not tell any lies"

Harry imitated perfectly of the Marauders and Sirius smiled, his tensed lines easing and he moved towards the living room while Remus and Sirius trailed behind him.

Sirius never treated him like a guest, had reprimanded him one time advising that this is as much as Harry's house as Sirius is. Harry loved this kind of things about Sirius. While the world saw Sirius as impulsive, insensitive and an arrogant prideful person, Harry saw him as a thoughtful, sometimes adorable, overprotective and the best Godfather anyone could ever ask for.

Harry is not a child anymore but that doesn't mean he will let go of the feelings he once had as a child. Without Sirius, he will not be who he is now.

Remus sat on the sofa opposite to him while Sirius sat beside him with a small smile on his face.

Harry played with the hem of his shirt not sure how to ask or is it even proper to ask the thing he was going to speak about today.

Sirius watched him with a surprised expression that Harry is hesitating about speaking with him.

"Harry, I didn't know there will come a day where you have to hesitate speaking to me"

"It is not like that Sirius."

"Come on Harry. You spoke to me last night that you're coming today to speak something important. Tell me what it is about."

Remus looked at him with twinkling eyes,

"Yes Harry, please tell him about it. He didn't sleep well last night, going on and on about what is it that you wanted to speak about."

Harry smiled at him but still remained silent, not knowing how to even start this.

All of a sudden, Sirius got up on his feet, his wand in his hand within a second and looked at him seriously,

"Did some girl or boy come near you with wrong intentions?"

Harry rolled his eyes, just like always Sirius jumped to dramatic and insane conclusions.

"Padfoot sit down"

Remus glared at Sirius and Sirius obliged silently.

Sirius watched him fidget and the anger in his eyes transformed into horror,

"Harry, pl-please don't tell me you're dating someone"

Sirius whispered, looking utterly horrific as if the world is crumbling down.

Harry willed the sudden onslaught of Tom's images from his mind and sputtered a no, much to the amusement of Remus who was watching them.

"Sirius, Please stop making assumptions."

"Then tell me Harry, my mind is jumping to conclusions that might as well give me a heart attack sooner."

Harry sighed, knowing that he wants to talk about this no matter what.

"I… I want you to come and live in Potter Manor Sirius"

Sirius frowned at him, looking worried.

"Why? Did something happen? Is James ill? How long do you want me to stay there?."

"No, I want you and Remus to live in Potter Manor like always."

"Harry, you know we can't come and live there no matter how close we are to James. That will be like imposing on James."

"I… I don't know Sirius. He is not alright… Father has started a habit of not coming home from work. I heard it from the head elf. He is not doing well alone. I think he is becoming scared as I, Alex and Alice are growing up. Alex will be constantly travelling what with him being recruited for a Quidditch team. Alice wants to stay in the Joke shop, at least for few months after she graduates to keep in touch with the products and manufacture. I think he fears that he has to live in Potter Manor all alone."

Sirius looked at Harry worriedly. He hadn't watched James closely nowadays. Sirius had stayed in Potter Manor for most of his summers when he was a Hogwarts student. He was fond of Potter Manor. James had refused Lily of one thing which is moving to a small house instead of living in the Manor, wanting to stay in the Manor where James's parents used to live. The Manor was home to James just as it was to Sirius. After graduating he only visited there sometimes, not wanting to disturb their marriage life but he had to stay in the Manor for few months after Lily's death to keep James from doing something stupid.

He thought James had learnt to live on with the absence of Lily. But it seemed, that was not the case. If it were anyone, they wouldn't have understood. But Sirius had spent years of watching how James chased after Lily and even witnessed one time when the strong headed James shedding tears after a harsh rejection from Lily. Sirius had been with him, to keep him from falling apart.

Sirius didn't know what to say while looking at Harry's adorably pleading eyes.

"Father is not alright Siri. Last Christmas he was alone and had been a complete mess. I am just scared Siri that he will do something reckless, thinking that he is not needed anymore."

"I can be there for months Harry. But to live there…"

"Come on Siri, we are already family. Why can't we all stay together? Since when do you care about formalities and stuff? I just… I just want all of us to live together."

Sirius watched Harry who went back to averting his eyes and looking sad. He looked at Remus who too was on the verge of caving into Harry.

"We will talk about this with Prongs, ok?"

They spend three days a week in Potter Manor already. The Manor has many rooms and they can stay there too. But that is ancestral house of Potters. Still he was worried about Prongs.

Harry is right. He cannot just leave his best friend alone. Who knows what he is going to do?

And Harry smiled at him as if knowing that Sirius will come and live in Potter Manor in future along with Moony. Of course, Harry knew it; after all he is a seer.

Harry leaned against him and rested his head on Sirius's shoulder. It looked like Harry wanted to say something else to him and Moony got up, murmuring that he is going to continue what he was cooking and left.

They stayed in silent for a while. Sirius enjoyed this kind of moments. Even after growing up into an incredible teenager, his baby still remained the same. He was as affectionate as he was a child and Sirius loved this about Harry. Harry had brought beautiful things in his life, made him an adult and offered him a purpose in his life. If not for Harry, Sirius was sure; he would have been a reckless adult who was addicted to parties and alcohol.

It doesn't sound so bad to live in Potter Manor. After all, Harry will soon graduate from Hogwarts and even will have a house of his own which Sirius really, really didn't want to think about. Sirius sort of understood how James must be feeling. It is really a terrifying stage of adulthood by watching your children leave you.

"You're reluctant to the idea of your own child because of me, right?"

Harry asked him all of a sudden startling him and even shocked him with how accurately Harry guessed.

Sirius felt that he is too old to raise a child and also he didn't want Harry to think he is being replaced or anything. If it was anyone, Sirius would have sat and talked about it but this is Harry, his baby. He had watched how Harry grew up with neglecting issues. Harry had a heart pure enough to forgive Prongs to which he was amazed even now, because if it were Sirius in Harry's position, he would have done everything to rebel against such father, giving him as much pain as he got.

Sirius is not this much attached to any child even with his brother's children like he is attached to Harry. Harry was special, still is and always will be.

Sirius didn't know how to explain all this to Harry in words.

"You are being silly Siri. I don't have anything against you having a child."

"I just don't want you to feel that you're no longer important or center of my world Harry."

Harry leaned away from his shoulder and looked in his eyes,

"I don't think like that Siri. I actually want to see a baby Sirius. And also you're being unfair towards Moony's feelings."

Sirius felt guilty after hearing that. He should have thought about that instead of assuming Remus will be okay with his decisions. If Harry is alright with it, he has to go to the healers to take a check up on his body conditions first. After that he has to make appointments. Sirius so wanted to give up on this just imagining him looking fat but the potions and magic has vastly improved for this generation that he cannot give up this chance.

"It will be your benefit to stay in Potter Manor if you do decided to take the potion, there will be elves to look after you and father will be happy too."

"I think you only want this child so that I can stay in Potter Manor." Sirius teased him, getting a precious chuckle from his baby. Even though Harry is a teenager now, Sirius cannot help but see him as a child when he clutched Sirius's sleeves tightly, vulnerable, green eyes pleading to not leave him.

Harry went back to lean against him, resting his head on Sirius's shoulder.

"Merlin knows what the child will become? I will be a terrible father"

Sirius joked about it even though he knows Remus will be there in every step.

"You will be a great father Sirius after all you already has experience. You're as much of a father to me as James is."

Sirius smiled hearing Harry and Remus called them to have breakfast. But just before they got up, Harry hugged him, saying that,

"Don't worry about me and take the potion Siri. No one can take you away from me anyway."

With that Harry left, and Sirius followed him wondering when Harry has grown up.

Sirius so wanted his Harry to be a child because in few years there will be a faceless girl or boy will take his baby Harry away. Sirius absolutely refused to think about this any further and diverted his thoughts by thinking about how much stuff he has to pack and unpack after all it is decided that they are going to stay in Potter Manor, as a family.

~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxxxx~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~~~

Harry put the daily prophet away and could not help but tense even though it's Sunday and his whole family is there, awaiting his O.W.L results.

The news was all about the muggle war and how they should remain in magical areas, avoid going to muggle world for a while. It was really scary. The images were of the explosions and Harry put the paper away, not having the heart to see the injured people and dead bodies.

Harry has already had enough of the wars just by witnessing goblin war with wizards thousand years back in his visions. Harry had witnessed it personally and had not able to function properly for a week. He was glad he got the vision when he was in Potter Manor and not in Hogwarts.

It was night time when he had that vision full of blood and violence that Harry had screamed till his voice became hoarse.

His father had come to his room and was already sitting beside him, soothing him.

Harry felt that they had become even closer after last Christmas. It was heartwarming to realize how far they had come from how they were.

His father had held him in his arm like he is a child and hadn't let him go while Harry cried silently, soaking his father's night robes with his tears. His father had rocked him back and forth, murmuring sweet words to calm him because Harry still felt that he was in the war. His father had refused Harry to sleep alone for the upcoming days. Harry agreed to it, not wanting to be alone after witnessing the bodies and some without an arm or hand.

Somehow, he always slept peacefully when someone's beside him. And if it was his father, he felt relaxed, trusting that his father will definitely protect him from anything. He was acting like a baby despite being sixteen. But he doesn't care. He will gladly receive every affection and love gestures he can get from his father. He had starved for it when he was a child. He cannot let go of that side of him even if he wanted to. In fact, his father was the one who suffered more, seeing how Harry suffers from his visions, trembling all over that Harry felt that staying with his father is not only for him but as well as for his father's sake also.

Harry absolutely hated violence and war. When he thought that there will be no more war in his present since the humans have evolved, but he was wrong. The news in Daily Prophet had proved him wrong.

His father had extended a helping hand to Dursley's to come and stay in one of their Manors till the war ends, thinking that Lily would have done that if she was alive. But they refused, yelling that they don't want anything to do with freaks, to which his father had gritted his teeth and ended the call.

His father squeezed his shoulder, looking at him worriedly. Harry smiled at him, letting go of his thoughts about war since there's not anything he can do about that.

He prayed to Merlin that another war won't be started in the magical world at least. There was a strange tension in the Diagon Alley when they went shopping last week. The tension of muggle war can be felt by all of the adults and they cannot live in peace until the war ends. Because who knows what kind of weapons muggles might come up with in future.

"Harry"

Alex and Alice squealed at the same time when three owls flew to their living room, making him to smile at their dramatic reactions. Sometimes, Harry felt he and Remus are the sane ones in their family where everyone else is dramatic to the point of driving anyone mad.

Harry took the letter from the owl, but not before pacifying Hedwig by running his fingers through her feathers. Hedwig hated any owl coming near him, possessive and overprotective to the extent of Siri, and always irritating Sirius some way to which Siri responded just as childishly. It was a sight to see Sirius being chased by a blue Hedwig; angered that Siri had turned her snowy feathers into blue which both of them later stopped after he interfered.

Alice and Alex didn't open their letters of the completion of their sixth year and surrounded him while he opened the letter. He had been calm till now and their excitement sort of made him nervous.

He had taken eleven subjects for his OWLs, leaving Divination. So he had been confident till now that he had done very well.

Harry opened the letter and blinked his eyes repeatedly to check whether he is seeing correct. He had expected to get nine or eight O's but to think he got O's in all his OWLs was simply unbelievable.

Sirius snatched his result, seeing his shocked expression and his father along with Remus collided with Sirius's head on both sides, eager to see his result.

The three of them looked at him gaping and wide eyed.

His father was the first one to speak,

"How did I give birth to a brilliant and very intelligent son? No Potter has ever even took this many OWLs"

His father looked as if he was the one who got eleven O's, looking amazed at his own achievement.

While Alex and Alice wrestled for his letter, Remus congratulated him looking at him amazed.

"Harry, even Remus, the bookworm hasn't even got this many O's. You're really amazing Harry"

Harry felt shy all of a sudden seeing how proud Sirius looked.

"And it says in the end that Harry's name will be registered in the Ministry educational department since he's the tenth person to get the highest O's in the history of OWLs."

Harry was hugged by the five of them, congratulating him. Harry felt unease rising in him, shadowing his happiness. He didn't want to be noticed. He hoped that no ministry official looked for him in future. The fear of anyone finding him as a Seer was always constantly in the back of his mind, popping up now and then.

When his father asked the twins to open their letter, to see if they passed their sixth year, Sirius moved towards him to hug him tightly.

"Relax baby."

Somehow Sirius always finds when he internally panics and worries a lot. Harry relaxed in the hug and pulled away from him when Sirius asked him,

"So you decided your NEWTs?"

"Yeah, Leaving Care for Magical Creatures, History of Magic and Muggle studies, I am taking eight NEWTs."

"Why are you leaving Muggle studies?"

"I don't know… It's just if take that, I will not have many free periods."

"You will be dead bored of free periods anyway. Take as many NEWTs as you can because I know you can do it and also it will provide many career options for you to decide."

"I will think about it Siri. I am already bored with the curriculum anyway"

Sirius mumbled something along the line of being a bookworm Ravenclaw to which Harry could have retaliated if not for the fact that his father all of a sudden started shaking a very still Alex who was looking horrified.

"What happened? Alex?"

Alice started laughing all of a sudden. She spoke in between her hysteric laughter,

"Dad, he is the Head Boy. Can you believe it?"

Sirius moved towards Alex, grinning widely.

"He looks just like James when he saw the Head Boy batch."

Harry pushed the teasing Marauders away and congratulated Alex who was still gaping.

"This is really great. Let me bake a cake in celebration"

His father protested, not wanting him to stress. Honestly, it is the only work he gets to do.

"Come on father, I know you all like my cake. And the elves end up helping me anyway no matter how much I protest."

Remus smiled at him,

"Your future partner is very lucky Harry."

The wrong thing to say…

At once Siri, his father and Alex who was gaping shouted Remus and started rounding poor Moony of how could he say anything about such things to Harry and how he is still too young.

Harry shook his head and moved towards the kitchen before one of them decides to wrap him in cotton and keep him in his room, away from the world.

Harry was surprised to see Alice following him instead of rounding up on Remus too, so he stopped walking and faced her. It seemed like Alice wanted to speak with him for days about something. He silently looked at her questioningly.

"Harry, what is between you and Tom?"

Typical Gryffindor behavior of hers, asking him bluntly, looking at him so seriously that he cannot look into her eyes.

Harry hated telling lies, he hated even more to lie to his family. He still hadn't told them about him being a Seer. Harry doesn't know how she knows about him being with Tom.

"Nothing Sis"

"Then, why do I keep seeing you two in the same room some nights in the Marauder's Map?"

Damn it. He had forgotten all about that map. Harry can't tell them what's between him and Tom because he himself don't know what's going on most of the time.

"He is my friend Sis and nothing else. It's just he's a Slytherin and he doesn't want anyone to know that he had befriended someone from another house."

"It's not as if you are his lover that he has to hide. Draco is a Slytherin too. He doesn't behave like that even though he used to be a very rude brat."

"Yeah sis, but Draco is not involved in Slytherin Politics like Tom is. There is always a power game in that house Sis. Tom just doesn't want me to make enemies because of him."

"I don't understand all this secrecy Harry. If he valued your friendship, he should be brave enough to show it to everyone."

"Not everyone is Gryffindor Alice Sis. Other houses have their own problems and dynamics. It's just complicated to explain. But know that he is my friend."

Harry half lied and told half truth. He hated himself for telling lies to his sister. Because he was the one who didn't want to get close but ended up being dragged in Tom's pleading eyes all the time and also knew from his visions that how Tom cannot show any weakness in front of his housemates.

"But still…"

"I knew him from my first year Alice. We just sort of became friends the following years. He is not that bad and I cannot abandon him Sis. We just spend some nights in the Prefect's room, discussing magical theories, doing homework together. I just end up sleeping in the room, not wanting to be out during curfew. That's all Sis."

Alice looked straightly in his eyes for few seconds and he gritted his teeth, trying not to fidget or avert his eyes.

Merlin, he hoped that she don't know anything about how intimate they get sometimes. This is terrific. She will skin Tom alive. Alice, just like everyone in his family thinks of him as a child that it gets irritating sometimes but seeing how much they loved him always made his irritation to disappear.

She grinned at him, eyes softening from the intense stare few seconds before,

"You should be glad that Alex doesn't care about that map since he knows all the secret passages anyway. But be careful, he won't be as understanding as I am. He will want that map since he had become a Head Boy but I will try to keep it away."

Harry nodded at her, feeling guilty somehow.

She ruffled his hair affectionately,

"I will go and rescue Remus before they chew him out. Now go and bake that cake."

With that she went back towards where they're all lecturing Remus about how innocent Harry is, Harry turned and walked towards the kitchen.

If somehow, only an imaginary somehow that he and Tom started d-dating,

He didn't know what his crazy and overprotective family will do to Tom.

Harry shuddered in fear and entered the kitchen, not wanting to even imagine what might happen.

~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxxxx~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~~~

Harry turned a sharp corner and was met with a pair of terrifying brown eyes and quickly turned away and moved towards the hidden passage, his heart hammering in fear.

Honestly, this was not how he planned to start the first day of his sixth year.

Harry gulped down his nerves and moved quickly ignoring his name being called multiple times. Damn it, if he knew this will happen, he would have went to Gryffindor dorms with Alex and Alice since they are bloody terrifying in their own way if it comes to protecting him. But he doubted it would be of any good since the person chasing him down is also a Gryffindor.

Harry not knowing where he was going till now realized to his horror that he had entered the corridor that lead to Slytherin dorms.

Harry is still not sure of how he would face Tom Riddle after the kiss he had given at the end of his fifth year. That was the sole reason he had hidden in an empty compartment with Alex and Alice, putting the invisibility cloak over him the entire ride despite their protests, the twins helped him just like always, thinking he is pranking someone.

Lady luck was not on his side when all of a sudden Tom appeared out of nowhere; Harry quickly tried to turn away from that corridor and was met with the menace of bushy haired girl who was chasing him all the way till now.

On his left Tom was approaching and from his right Granger was approaching him. Harry took steps back knowing he cannot go towards his left or right but to his dismay it seemed someone was standing behind him and he collided with the person behind him when he took steps back.

Harry whirled around and was for once not glad to meet Draco because there was a glint similar to Granger there.

Damn it.

All three of them cornered him against a wall and he had a tight grip on his wand inside his robe packet.

If this is what the result of being first in academics meant, he definitely didn't want to be among these people. Even Tom and Draco competed with him.

At once three of them glanced at each other and turned their eyes at him,

"Tell me how many O's you got."

Harry didn't know whether to lie or tell them the truth. Like previous years, the results are not of Hogwarts and by Ministry of Magic so they don't know what grades everyone else got and it looks like these three want to know his grades.

Harry decided to go with truth since who knows to what extent these three are going to do to find the truth.

"Eleven"

Harry whispered in the quite corridor, wincing when his voice echoed and the three of them were looking at him with wide eyes, making him feel scared all of a sudden.

Granger was the one, who first spoke among them,

"Eleven? Tell me how you do this? I only got Nine O's and two E's."

"Harry, if my father knew about this, he will never let me out a second without the private tutors." Draco whined at him and Harry was thankful that he didn't had a chance to visit or Owl Draco during this summer because Mr. Malfoy is terrifying in his own way towards Draco if someone bests him.

Tom looked stunned speechless as if there is no way anyone could best him.

Honestly, these three are terrible.

All three of them fired question after question at him, expecting him to answer them logically to their insanity. Harry will go mad if he stayed here one more minute because even though these three never get along with one another, they're now happy to corner him together.

Harry breathed in, widening his eyes, making a scared squeak which he promised will never do again, pointing a finger behind them, yelling all of a sudden,

"Oh Merlin, Nargles…"

Just when three of them whipped their wands and turned back, Harry muttered a disillusionment spell non-verbally and ran off from there while muttering a spell to silence his footsteps.

These three are insane. He should have done that earlier.

But he decided to thank Luna when he saw her next time. Thanks to her that he blurted out something about Nargles she always goes on about. Harry smiled remembering their horrific expression when they thought something is behind them. With a silent smile, he took steps towards the dormitory after checking no one is following him. He was glad that it will be curfew time in few minutes and they will not follow him anymore, deciding to not recast when the spell wore off.

Just when he reached the Ravenclaw dorms, hands encircled him, making his breath hitch.

Of course, this is Tom Riddle who never cares about any rules.

He turned around to meet with a pair of angered eyes.

Why is Tom angry?

Harry kept his eyes carefully away from Tom's lips not trusting himself from turning red.

With a strong hold, Tom dragged him to a familiar path where Harry knows the Prefect room will be. Why only Tom uses that room is beyond him? Why can't the other Prefects fight for this room?

When they reached the room, Tom let go of him but not before locking the door.

Tom towered over him, voice sounding thick with anger,

"Why Harry? Why are you avoiding me? Haven't sent any letter to me in summer, avoided me in the train and when I finally saw you, there were two people chasing you and when I finally got the chance to be with you, you dared to say Nargles?"

"Tom…"

"Harry, I am upset with you"

Harry took a step back to think clearly, but Tom followed him, leaning over him.

"I don't know what to do Tom. You three were surrounding me, asking question after question…"

Tom cut him in mid sentence,

"I am not speaking about that Harry. I am not angry that you escaped from that annoying Granger or an even more annoying Malfoy. I am angered that you said Nargles"

What?

It didn't make sense at all of what Tom is going on about and it is becoming very difficult to not glance at Tom's lips. He should have had a better plan and stayed in Gryffindor's dorms today.

"I don't understand what you have against Nargles Tom"

Here they are arguing over something that doesn't even exist.

"I was searching for you like a mad person in the train and don't deny that you purposefully avoided me. How long Harry? How long are you going to always run away from me, avoid me like we don't even know each other? And just when I get to meet you finally, you go and say the word Nargles which that Loony girl uses. How close you're to her that you're speaking like her?"

"What?"

Harry didn't know how Tom could come up with this kind of conclusions. And just how did Tom know how Luna talked about these things. It was just a spur of the moment thinking that he uttered that Nargles.

Arguing over this is insane.

Harry shook his head and removed his shoes and outer robe, deciding to stay here because Tom looked hurt. Harry hated seeing him like that. Yes, Harry is running away because what can he do in front of the storm called Tom Riddle. They don't even have a name to what relationship they have between them. But for now, he can stay.

Harry watched silently of Tom removing his outer robe and shoes, all the while muttering something about loony girl.

Harry knew that Tom is possessive but to get jealous with just one word is insane. Harry had witnessed some of Tom's days in orphanage and he sort of understood that Tom didn't have anyone in his life he genuinely cared about and that is the reason he put up with all this possessiveness and jealousy.

Harry is the first person Tom is letting in his life without any ulterior motivations. Harry didn't want to turn Tom away. Deciding that there is no turning back anyway, he stopped Tom in the midst of his rant about stupid, annoying blondes,

"Tom, shut up"

Tom looked at him surprised since he had never yelled at him,

"Lie down"

Harry said in a no nonsense voice, and smiled inwardly seeing how Tom obeyed him.

Harry pulled the blanket till the waist of Tom and laid beside him, for the first time initiating the cuddle by laying his head above Tom's chest and hugging his waist, Harry remained silent, closing his eyes, eventually falling asleep since the train ride always tired him out.

Tom watched bewildered at the sleeping Harry and slowly moved Harry's head on the pillow after few minutes, not wanting Harry to have any neck pain and pulled Harry closer, snuggling against him.

This is how it should be…

Harry in his arms and this is more than anything Tom could wish for…

And when Harry nuzzled against his neck, Tom felt something melt in him with how cute and adorable Harry looked. That is the reason Tom let go of his angry ranting and need to make the point clear to Harry that he is Tom's and no one else's.

Tom's hold tightened around Harry, remembering how ugly he felt inside when Harry told the Nargles word. Tom hated it. He almost could not control the raw need to posses Harry, to make him his.

Tom started muttering the names of the magical creatures by alphabetic order, trying to distract his mind from going towards the dangerous area of having Harry.

Well, the restlessness he had been feeling lately finally settled down and he didn't know what he would do after graduating Hogwarts because he cannot be with Harry like this. Tom wanted Harry in his future somehow. He cannot let go of this… This pureness and innocent personification, cuddling in his arms…

Even Terror couldn't bring this calmness in him…

Thankfully Terror was not here to hear Tom's such betraying thoughts when Tom slowly closed his eyes to sleep.

~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxxxx~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~~~

First fight…

This is their first time fighting…

Tom watched Harry storming off from the room and he didn't call him back either. Because he was angered too.

Everything was fine just few moments ago. It was Saturday and for once Harry had come to the room with a book in his hand, wanting to spend some time with Tom.

Tom had wanted to abandon his homework and be with Harry but Harry insisted that Tom do his work and that he will wait.

Tom was doing his homework hastily, his patience growing thin when the assignment seemed to drag too long like forever. Tom was going to grip his hair in frustration when he realized that he had written it all wrong in his hastiness to spend the time with Harry.

So when an elf popped in the room, he had thrown the parchment at the elf to vent his frustration out.

Tom didn't know what he did wrong because the next moment, Harry looked so angered and asked him to apologize to the elf.

He, Tom Riddle, who had never even apologized to a human, should apologize to a lowly elf.

Who does Harry think he is that demanding Tom Marvolo Riddle, the person his fellow Slytherins cower in fear of? Tom in his anger had vehemently refused to apologize and Harry had stormed off, saying that he will not speak with Tom until he learnt to respect everyone and apologize to that elf.

The elf had long since disappeared with a pop when they started arguing. Tom and Harry had argued many times over since they have complete different opinions on things but had never fought like this.

Tom threw his quill away and left the room, feeling agitated and not in any state to do that damn work.

He wandered aimlessly and absentmindedly moved to where Slytherin dorms are. For Harry, he had abandoned sleeping in his own house. He had to dodge Avery's suspicious eyes and Nott's knowing glances. Damn it, Harry doesn't know how much Tom is risking just to spend some time with Harry. But what does Harry do when their time with each other is becoming rare? Fight with him over a stupid elf.

Just when he sat on one of the empty chair in the common room, there were bunch of sixth years gossiping.

"I don't know what Draco sees in that Potter?"

Tom gritted his teeth, his anger increasing second by second the more he heard about them talking.

"Yeah, why he is spending so much time with that half-blood? He has changed too from how he was before. Malfoy don't even prank the first year Hufflepuffs for fun anymore."

"From what I heard it is all because of that Potter."

"I mean, I get it that Potter is handsome and even quite an eye catch but to go to this extent..."

"Yeah, I left the library not able to see them being all cuddly and stuff. Can you believe Malfoy is cuddling in public not caring about appearance or how he will lose his power in Slytherin"

"I heard him saying to Crabbe one time that how he didn't care about all this politics stuff anymore. Disgusting. Malfoy had turned into a Hufflepuff."

"He is confident because Malfoy's father will skin alive the person who so much as harm his hair"

"Or maybe Potter is really that good in bed"

Tom was there, with his wand out before he can even think what he is doing, snarling at them,

"Don't speak about him like that"

Everyone stared at him with fear filled eyes and soon Avery along with Nott came to restrain him before he cursed them all dead.

Tom shook their arms off and moved past them, ignoring how Avery was explaining that he is having a bad day. Tom exited the Slytheirn common room and moved towards the library, cursing Malfoy internally for the umpteenth time.

Malfoy, who can easily sacrifice his ambitions, who can cuddle with Harry in public, who can smile and laugh openly like a Gryffindor, whose father can still have his back even if he loses power in the Slytherin house, who gets to be with Harry, Tom hates him.

Alex tried not to stare too much and clenched his fingers tightly to keep the ugly side inside him in control. Alex, who never gone to library volunteered to accompany Draco in the guise of helping him in his Herbology essay, getting pitied looks from Alice.

Draco had been complaining that his father is getting overly involved in his academics even now and that Harry had beaten him in academics again. Alex didn't know why he found that whining and pouting Draco cute. All he knows is Draco is getting cuter and cuter and also that he is going insane.

Alex is definitely going insane… This is his last year of Hogwarts and he has to worry about his NEWTs along with being a Head Boy and the captain of Gryffindor team. And here he is spending all his free time to bond with Draco.

Sometimes he felt he deserved all the yelling he got from Alice for being so pathetic and hopeless.

But this is the most he can spend with Draco and from next year, he will be on tour with the Puddlemere United team as a reserve seeker and his senior Oliver Wood was expecting him excitedly. Alex cannot deny that he enjoyed Quidditch more than anything and his dream always had been to be a Professional Quidditch player, being lucky to have such a supportive family too but he cannot muster himself to become happy leaving Hogwarts, more like leaving Draco.

Alex loved Draco with everything he has. They still bickered and sometimes downright argued whenever Slytherin and Gryffindor played against each other. Alex loved all of these, the arguments, the whining, the pouting, the well hidden vulnerable side of Draco that it becomes so damn hard to be away from Draco.

Sometimes he was not sure where he had all this self control from pushing Draco against a wall nearby and kiss him, more like devour that lips, pulling his soft hair roughly, making those eyes to widen at him. But he controlled it knowing doing that will only distance Draco from him.

So Alex who was taking secret glances of Draco who was sitting opposite of him on the table, deeply frowning at the Herbology essay annoyed that Longbottom has more knowledge in this subject. He had sat opposite on the bench, a table between him and Draco because Alex will do something stupid if he sat beside Draco closely. Just when he was counting the frown lines on Draco's forehead, Harry came out of nowhere and sat beside Draco in the bench Draco was sitting and laid his head on Draco's shoulder.

As like always, Draco's eyes twinkled in utter happiness just by the mere presence of his brother.

Draco rolled the parchment he had been writing and put away his stuff, turning slightly to look at Harry who was looking angered. Alex was surprised to see his baby brother angered because Harry for some unknown reason doesn't want to socialize with anyone other than the twins and Draco. He never even speaks with anyone so why is he angered.

Draco was the one to first ask him,

"What happened Harry?"

Harry leaned away, moving his head away from Draco's shoulder and crossed his arms, pouting cutely. Honestly, Alex didn't know how his father let Harry out of the Potter Manor. If it were up to him, he would never let his too cute for his own good bother out.

"Come on Harry, tell me what happened?"

"Dragon…"

Draco glared at Harry with mock anger,

"You won't distract me by calling that stupid name. Now tell me who upset you."

But Alex knew how much Draco liked when Harry called him that. Even Alex wanted to know so he could go and curse that person who upset his brother into oblivion.

"It's just… someone treated Tally as if elves doesn't have feelings. I hate it Draco."

Alex knew that if that Granger girl and Harry was in same house, they will definitely be close friends and even be a member of S.P.E.W. Poor Ron, who has to wear that batch no matter what dress he wore.

Draco turned to Harry, pushed few strands of Harry's hair away from his face to which Harry sighed.

They are as close as ever, not really caring how the people stared at them.

"Yes, it is really sad Harry"

Harry looked wide eyed at Draco and pointed his finger at Draco,

"Is it really you Draco? You were doing the same with Dobby."

Draco fake coughed, looking away from Harry,

"I realized that I was slightly wrong in that."

Harry smiled at Draco, knowing that it is his way of saying that he was wrong and that he is very sorry.

"Really Draco"

"Yeah, I mean Dobby was ecstatic when I spoke few words to him. And it's hilarious of how Dobby still oh so accidentally messes up work only when it comes to father. Dobby is surprisingly loyal and I didn't see it with my arrogance Harry. Thank you"

Harry gasped dramatically, proving that he is just as much of drama queen as father is.

"Oh Merlin… Draco Malfoy, the great is thanking a Potter."

"Why you little devil…"

"Who are you calling little blond monster…"

Alex watched them bicker and tried to keep the forced smile on his face, not wanting them to notice him and looked down at the Quidditch book he grabbed hastily, wanting to spend time with Draco.

See… This is why Alex doesn't stand a chance against his brother Harry.

Harry changes people. Harry changed Draco for better, trying to tell Draco that he is wrong when he does something wrong.

Harry makes Draco better while Alex is kind of the person who will help prank the Hufflepuffs if Draco wanted to.

Not that there is any competition going on between Harry and him since Alex's feelings are unrequited and it is so hard to even breathe sometimes.

Well, despite all that he still wants to spend as much time as with Draco. What can he say; he is a masochist just like Alice had said.

"Fine, I was wrong. Now let me do my essay."

Draco pretend to be irritated and Harry threw an arm around Draco's shoulder,

"Poor Dragon, struggling with Herbology essay. Let the Knight Harry help you"

"Knight? You? You look like a princess who needs a knight to be saved Harry."

"Why you…."

Harry pinched Draco's pale cheeks and was startled to find some girl tapping his shoulder.

"Potter, Riddle is calling you."

Harry looked at the entrance of library to find Tom with a murderous glare.

Harry didn't want to deal with Tom right now but he knew that Tom will lose his patience, will come to drag him which Alex and Draco will not let him of and will turn into a fight. So Harry decided to speak with him.

"What does he want?"

Draco asked him frowning, mirroring Alex's expression. Harry rolled his eyes at their over protectiveness. Why does everyone gets protective of him when he is the champion of dueling competition for the past three years is beyond him.

"He is my Potions partner. I will go and speak with him. You two carry on, I will see you two later."

With that Harry left that table and moved towards Tom, silently following him to their room, knowing that they don't want to speak, more like yell at each other in public.

Just when Harry entered their room, Tom had pushed him against the wall, making his head to collide painfully, making him wince.

"What were you doing Harry?"

Harry pushed Tom away from him and moved towards the bed to sit but Tom pulled his hand. Harry whirled around and glared at Tom.

"I asked you what were you doing with that Malfoy. Why were you so chummy, chummy with that Malfoy?"

Harry pulled his hand from Tom's and stared at him silently. Harry knows that no matter what he said, Tom will never listen when he is all possessive and seething pointlessly over Draco. So he decided to change the topic,

"Are you ready to apologize to Tally then?"

Tom looked shocked at him and started chuckling in a low voice as if Harry is a follower of his he wants to scare. Well, tough luck… Harry had seen worse than this and crossed his hands, staring defiantly at Tom.

"You're asking Tom Riddle to apologize to that elf?"

"Yes, you were the one who was rude to Tally and you should be the one to apologize."

Tom snarled in anger,

"There are thousands of purebloods who behave like this to elves. Why are you lecturing me alone?"

"I don't care about what they do but I care about what you do Tom."

Tom's eyes softened, his posture relaxing a little and moved towards bed to sit on it. Harry reluctantly sat beside him; maybe he is doing this wrong way.

"I don't know why you dote on that elf Harry"

"Tom…"

Harry called his name to make him look at Harry.

"I don't have a mother Tom. My mother died giving birth to me."

Harry leaned on Tom's shoulder; not looking at Tom's widened eyes. Because this is the first time they're discussing something that is not magic related and continued,

"Tally was the one who raised me like a mother. Tally was with me when my mother was not. No matter the time or the situation, Tally always comes when I call. Tally is like a mother to me Tom. That's why I hate it that you of all people are being rude to someone important to me."

Tom rested his head above Harry's head which was still leaning on his shoulder. Tom didn't know what to say. He was bewildered to know that Harry is telling him something personal. Of course, he knew Harry's mother is no more but he didn't know when she passed away or anything. Tom understood that Tally must be very important to Harry.

If it was anyone he would have sneered at them for being sentimentally attached to a creature. But this is Harry, his H and he cannot just brush away anything important to Harry. That is the sole reason Malfoy is alive even now.

"I don't know why you think they don't have feelings just because they're elves Tom. Elves are not slaves, you know. They take care of the children; they look after the house even if we are not there. They protect you and are so unbelievably loyal that they will give their life to you if you are kind to them Tom."

Harry's every word was re-writing everything he knew about elves without his intention. Tom thought elves were just slaves after all he only saw how Avery Sr. and Nott Sr. treated them.

"I will not behave like that again Harry and will even a-apologize to Tally next time I see Tally."

Harry pulled away from him and looked at him with a smile even more radiant than the smile Harry directed towards Malfoy that Tom cannot help but smile back at him.

"I will go back to Alex before he searches for the whole castle, thinking you had done something to me. I will see you later, yeah?"

Harry smiled at him one more time before exiting the room, leaving behind a very worried Tom.

Just few minutes…

Tom felt horrible fighting with Harry.

The book on his trunk flashed in his mind, reminding him of what he is going to do with the help of the Basilisk.

Tom's fingers trembled when he remembered his plans of Horcrux…

Harry, who is so passionate about even the topic of elves, will definitely not stand with him of what he is going to do. Tom knew for sure that Harry will never see him, let alone talk with him if he came to know about what Tom is doing in the chamber of secrets.

For the first time, Tom doubted himself whether what he is going to do will be worth it?

~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxxxx~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~~~

Harry mock glared at the lemon drop, getting an amused chuckle from the Headmaster for pouting at it. Harry shook his head at the sweet.

He had once tried that sweet on Headmaster's insistence and he felt like the taste of the sweet had been imprinted on his mind and he hated it every time he so much as glimpsed at the mere sight of that. How it is one of the Headmaster's favorites is beyond him.

Harry turned the glare to Fawkes when the bird trilled a happy tune all of a sudden, enjoying his discomfort at the sweet.

"My boy, I heard from Professor Flitwick about your recent charms project and he was beyond amazed. Your parents will be quite proud if they heard about it."

Harry grinned at the headmaster happily, for once acting like his age. Harry always enjoyed talking with the Headmaster whenever he was summoned or he himself made time to visit the Headmaster.

Headmaster had witnessed so many things in his life and is wise beyond anyone he had ever met so far. Not to mention the wicked things he does with his wand. Harry liked him. After all he had seen the Headmaster as a small boy, carrying too much in his shoulder after his parents death and how much he regretted taking the wrong paths.

Harry had seen how flawed this man was but the important thing is how he learnt and still wallows in guilt of his sister's death. Dumbledore is sometimes lonely and he had witnessed in his visions of how much he visited his sister's grave and how his brother refused to talk to him. And he doesn't even want to visit his love, Grindelwald in prison, scared of what he might say to him…

Harry didn't know how Albus Dumbledore overcame all of the mess in his life. But he knew that being a Professor is what helped him somehow with teaching the children and helping them sometimes.

Harry hated this…

He hated having to witness the most heartbreaking moments in someone's life just as he witnessed young Albus having nightmares of his sister's death and how Salazar longed to be with Godric even while dying… He felt like he is intruding their very private moments. No one will like anyone witnessing their vulnerable and private moments.

His guilt is one of the reasons why he visits the Headmaster often. Because he had witnessed a young Albus growing up that he cannot help but keep the Headmaster company, wanting him to feel that there is someone in his life cared about him. That is the main reason Harry had sent a gift last Christmas to Headmaster despite knowing that he is crossing a line between a Headmaster and a student.

Nothing grand but just a new robe in a color Harry will never wear but definitely the favorite of Headmaster.

Harry knows some people personally because of his visions that he cannot keep away from them in Present. Aunt Cassiopeia had warned him about this but the Headmaster already knows about him and he was eternally grateful towards the Headmaster because he was the one who helped him in saving Sirius.

And it is nice to speak about things with someone intelligent. So he looked at the Headmaster happily eating that damn sweet, his eyes sparkling happily and he cannot help but smile back.

Harry liked seeing this man smile…

Somehow, Headmaster Dumbledore had become one the people he consider important.

They discussed his charms project for a while and Headmaster even shared a funny incident when he started his carrier as Professor.

And just when he decided to take leave since it is nearing curfew, Headmaster looked at him with a serious expression.

"How are things with Tom?"

Harry looked away from those blue eyes which looked all knowing and see through your soul despite how you occluded your mind and masked your emotions.

To be honest, Harry doesn't know what name he should give to the relationship between him and Tom. Friendship? But there were incidents they were too intimate to be called friendship. Lovers? But there aren't emotions involved to be called as lovers. Harry is in fact afraid to still openly speak about this with Tom. Whenever he pushed the thoughts of not wanting to get close to Tom in fear of him discovering Harry's Seer abilities, he was always stopped because of his fear of what Tom would say.

There is a reason he is not a Gryffindor while Harry is brave but not brave enough to plunge in the danger wearing his heart in sleeves. He in fact guards his heart with defensive walls, never let anyone to get close to him except very few people and that too is his family.

Six years of Hogwarts and he can call only Draco as his friend. That itself says about his character that how he never interacts with people unless anything important.

And to top it all, Tom is recently busy with something that he hadn't dragged Harry to sleep beside him for a week now. Harry knew that Tom is power hungry and he cannot fault him either since being ambitious is nothing wrong but what Harry's afraid is that how Tom will become after achieving that power.

Harry and Tom despite getting closer, never interacts with each other except about some homework and school stuff. But Harry had seen the visions of the so called meetings with his fellow Slytherins. The way sometimes Tom talked about muggles scared Harry.

"Don't turn a blind eye to what the truth is my boy. Do not pretend to not notice anything."

'Like me' was left unsaid.

Harry still could not meet the Headmaster's eyes…

Harry fidgeted with his fingers. What can Harry do? Harry has to do something. He is fine with Tom wanting to be someone powerful but Harry doesn't want Tom to become another Grindelwald. Merlin he hoped not.

"Don't do the same mistake as me my boy. Don't pretend like you don't see what he is capable of. Stand against him if necessary and change the path he wants to walk. You still have time."

Harry looked up at the Headmaster just as Fawkes flew and landed on his lap. It was a little heavy but comfortably warm nonetheless. Harry stroked the phoenix fondly, grateful that it trusted him enough to come near him.

"I will try Headmaster"

Not that Tom is going to listen to him anyway. Because they're not friends nor does he has any rights on Tom. He is just someone who helped Tom in his life unknowingly. But despite everything he will do his best in stopping Tom from becoming like Grindelwald. Harry cannot watch the boy he saw in his visions to grow up someone so cruel in future. He cannot.

Just when Fawkes flew away from him and he got up to take his leave, the door was being knocked.

Dumbledore smiled at him and invited, "Come in Severus"

And Harry took his leave, moving past Professor Snape, not caring about how he sneered at Harry. Some things never change.

Harry could hear them talking even though he felt the door closing behind him.

"Having chats with a child Headmaster? Are you that bored?"

"Severus, if only you get to know how brilliant he is…"

"I have no such intention Headmaster"

"He is his own person Severus. He is neither Lily nor James"

The voices faded away and Harry moved towards the Prefect room willingly without having Tom to drag him out. Harry missed Tom nowadays. Tom doesn't even have time to spare to seek him out of Potions class too.

It is like Tom is drifting apart from him...

~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxxxx~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~~~

Harry gave into the vision behind his eyes, knowing that he is safely on his room's bed.

~~~~~Godric had been grateful for many things in his life from his magic to his Salazar despite encountering many hazards in his life. After they got back together, the morals that have been nagging at him inside that they are cheating their respective wives which he ignored and suppressed before the guilt engulfed him.

Godric can give up and sacrifice many things in his life even his morals but never Salazar…

Godric loved him…

Loved him so much that he was scared of what he might do if something happened to Salazar. They faced so much to come where they are now. Holding Sal tightly is one of the favorite ways of going to sleep. Godric held him tightly every time desperately, as if Sal will disappear if he loosened the grip on Salazar and he relished in the fact that Sal hugged him back just as desperately if not more.

Days could never get happier that Godric got scared of his own happiness.

And of course, just as he feared fate never wanted to keep them together because they were never meant to be. It must be the punishment given by mother magic to him for cheating, lying and doing all sort of things against his morals to be with his Salazar.

Salazar is changing… It started little by little and to the point he doesn't even recognize Salazar anymore. He could no longer see his Sal in Salazar Slytherin.

His Sal was kind and gentle to him despite being a cruel man…

His Sal always tried to bring a smile in him…

His Sal teased him mercilessly to make him blush…

His Sla had thrown his bloodline away by not being there for Sal's own children just to be with Godric.

His Sal would give up his own future if Godric so much as protested.

Sal was not like this from the start but the love between them changed Salazar so much albeit only he knows in their private chambers, but now it is as if the years of them pining after each other despite their love being forbidden and unnatural between two men didn't matter at all. Salazar had changed slowly for Godric and Godric alone. While the previous Salazar would go on about manipulating the magical world and power hungry, the current Salazar will give up just about everything to share a kiss with Godric. Salazar had turned into a cute little kitten like that…

But now though it is as if Godric is witnessing the Salazar becoming the Slytherin Godric met years ago, so arrogant and cruel that not even regretting about hurting others.

He knew from start of how Salazar is and how cruel and selfish he can be but never towards Godric. Now though Salazar doesn't even look behind even if he hurt Godric with how distant and cold Salazar seemed.

Godric noticed the changes when Salazar threw himself in researching about something like a mad person and Godric let him be, not wanting to disturb him since Salazar has always been intelligent. But the way he looked, the way he talked, everything of him changed so much that he even doubts whether they got together in a relationship.

The locket with letter S always was a reminder of what they had. Salazar loved seeing the locket on Godric and even made him wear only the locket and nothing else a couple of times when Godric caved into Salazar's perverted whims. They shared a private way between their rooms for spending their nights together. Salazar always spent the nights together with him no matter how busy he got. But it changed from daily to once a week to once a month and very rarely now.

Salazar shut him out, sneered at him as if Godric is a thorn in his way of becoming great.

It hurt… It hurt so much to be treated like that after how Sal pampered him to no end.

Salazar had started going on about non-magics as lower than dirt and he is spreading that belief among students too, shaping them up, manipulating them as Salazar's puppets. The students were already becoming hostile towards each other based on their houses that even Rowena was worried about it.

He had a huge row in the great hall, unintentionally making the drift between the houses wider with the way he fought with Salazar in the Great Hall…

That was when Godric noticed…

Godric noticed for one moment when they were fighting that, Salazar wanted to kill him.

Yes, they had argued, fought with swords, dueled each other but Salazar had never looked at him like that. Despite their denial and staying away from each other, their different personalities and clash in how they viewed the world, Salazar had always stopped if he even saw a glimpse of blood on Godric.

Salazar had lectured him for hours after a sword fight with Goblin, claiming that his sword belonged to their race and he had won but got wounded badly. Salazar had not let him move away from Salazar for weeks.

But this… It looked like Salazar will enjoy if Godric bled to death.

Salazar didn't pretend nor was he drifting away from Godric. It seemed that Salazar didn't know Godric at all. It is as if Salazar ripped the part of his heart which loved Godric.

Godric's hand trembled looking at the book. He had snuck up on Salazar's private chamber and copied the book with a simple spell before putting the original book where it was and retrieved to his room, locking it with wards not wanting anyone to disturb him.

He had seen Salazar writing a book of his own and keeping everything secret even from him. The research Salazar had been immersing himself on before he even changed. Godric had a sinking suspicion that this somehow related to how he is behaving.

Godric could see that they were in Parselmouth just like usual when Sal wanted to hide something, he will write in the language only he understands even if someone stole the book.

Well, if he is Salazar Slytherin then he is Godric Gryffindor. He isn't the founder of Hogwarts for nothing. Godric knew magic and runes just as much as other founders but he doesn't bother to use all of them. He always felt uneasy using dark magic because his magical core is not in tune with that kind of magic. But as he placed the book in center of the rune drawn on his own blood to change the letters in a language Godric could understand.

If it was any other language, a simple spell would have been fine but this is an utterly different and inhuman language. It took time to work since this was a rune developed by him but when at last he could see the letters being transformed into a native language, Godric grinned boyishly.

But the grin froze reading the first word…

Horcrux…

Godric felt his very being frozen in shock and horror he had never experienced.

What have you done Salazar? ~~~~~

Harry rubbed his eyes and tried to suppress the sadness growing in him.

Harry didn't know why that the Horcrux word meant something. His instincts were always pointing out that knowing about Horcrux is somehow important.

He somehow felt the locket around him was heavier than usual. He looked down and curled his fingers around the locket. He had seen how Godric had longingly held the very same locket as if it's a lifeline when Salazar started to drift away from Godric.

Merlin… The way Godric looked, the bravest of magical world looked so betrayed and scared…

Their love is a mess and witnessing it always made him a depressing mess.

Harry rolled around in the bed, sleepiness gone, leaving him with a strange sort of fear.

Everything sort of leads him to think about Tom…

Always Tom…

The way Tom behaved now, not having time for Harry almost resembled a little of how Salazar drifted away from Godric. And he didn't want to lose Tom to anything.

Tom has become an important person in his life. Tom made him feel alive, made him feel all sort of emotions, making him a mess from his usual calm attitude. Harry cannot imagine his future without Tom somehow in it.

Harry knew there is an uncontrollable lust, also attraction and spark between them which he cannot deny after all the wet dreams he had of Tom and sometimes even pleasured himself with the imaginations of Tom doing things to him. There are of course emotions too but Love? Is it enough? Because there is no trust between them even after how close they have become. Tom will never share about his true thoughts nor will Harry trust Tom enough to spill his Seer abilities. He hadn't even told anything to Alex and Alice.

Harry had decided to express everything he felt with his next Christmas gift which he had decided months ago. He had wanted to wait for some more years to give this gift but Harry was afraid what if he was too late.

Harry pulled the pillow nearby and hugged it.

Harry, who always somehow got too much involved in past, thanks to his visions and he grew comfortable with it that he doesn't have any future plans.

Harry doesn't know what he wanted to become.

Professor Flitwick was shocked still that his favorite and most brilliant student has no idea about what he wanted to become even after going through the pamphlets and few carrier advice meetings.

He just simply doesn't know.

Alex and Alice have already started the preparations for their future carrier. And also from what he heard from the Marauders story, his father and Siri wanted to be an auror ever since they were third year students.

But Harry has no idea of what he wanted to become… Unlike normal people, he has to consider his Seer abilities too so working among other people is a no, no since who knows what might happen in the middle of work.

As Aunt Cassiopeia had warned him that the more he aged, the more his magical core develops and the more his visions may prolong. He may have perfect control now but till his core settles stable in him which might be in his thirties, until then he has to be careful. Aunt Cassiopeia had warned him to be very careful in his twenties where the magical core develops even further and matures with power.

Harry is lucky to stay hidden in the castle, skipping classes and with the aid of his invisibility cloak, Tally and also the Headmaster, he had avoided the worst. But what will he do in an office or something?

Taking that in consideration, he has no idea of what he wants to become.

All he can think when anyone asks about future is living with his family including Siri, Rem, Tally and occasionally meet up with Draco and Aunt Cassiopeia. There is somehow Tom is involved in that picture.

Harry wanted, more like needed Tom in his life, in his future.

This is not something like their cat and mouse game of him running away from Tom and Tom finding him to drag him to the room. This is more than that. He is not a first year anymore. His feelings and emotions are getting stronger day by day for Tom to the point of getting dangerous.

That's why Harry had decided to give the gift to Tom this Christmas.

He, with this gift will have extended a hand towards Tom, and taking it by understanding his gift will be left to Tom.

Tom will have to decide what he wants between them whether a serious relationship as lovers or to pretend to be friends and drift apart after.

All in all Harry had decided to stop this chasing and running game between them.

He had enough of this stupid game, running in circles, feeling jealous of every girl Tom smiled at, Tom glaring anyone who even came a meter close to him and hiding their nameless relationship from everyone.

If Tom did accept him, he will never share Tom with anyone and he knows Tom will be just as possessive if not more.

~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxxxx~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~~~

Tom glared at Harry who was laughing at his expense. He silently cursed the Knight bus for the umpteenth time and heaved for breath, leaning down towards the ground to not puke what he had eaten as a breakfast in Avery Manor.

It is all because of Harry…

Today is Christmas and as he was waiting for his gift from Harry, Harry had sent a note to arrive this place by eleven. Not wanting to depend upon Avery Sr. to apparate him, Tom decided to take the Knight Bus, what a brilliant idea his mind had come up with.

It was absolutely horrible experience, which he promised himself to never go through.

Tom shook his head and straightened up, glared at Harry who was already waiting for him, witnessing Tom stumbling out of the bus and kneeling on the ground to keep himself from vomiting.

"Had your fun, Harry?"

Harry tried to hold in his laughter and looked at him,

"It's just, how many have witnessed the great Tom Riddle is horrible at something?"

Tom moved closer to Harry, now that he feels a lot better after getting off the bus.

"So you think I am great?"

The response he got was a blush which Tom came to adore and even coo at it mentally.

Tom moved even closer and entwined their gloved hands, feeling settled at once.

It's just Christmas and Christmas always made him a little sentimental. So he is going to blame it all on Christmas for acting all mushy.

And without even thinking about anything, he followed Harry who dragged him off to somewhere. If it were anyone, Tom would have a tight grip on his wand all the time. But this is Harry and for some reason which even bewildered him that he trusted Harry to the extent to always sleep defenselessly in front of Harry and even now is ready to follow him without even knowing where they are going.

This absolute trust scared Tom.

He is not supposed to trust anyone when he wants to become the ruler of the magical world. But here he is, wrapped around Harry's finger. All Harry needs to do is lift a finger and Tom will move the world for him.

This is why he had avoided Harry for the past few weeks, increasing his visit to the Chamber of Secrets, speaking with the basilisk which seemed to have become quite mad since no one visited it for years or had gone out of the chambers.

Tom was confused with his own feelings. He wants Harry at the same time scared of this closeness. Because in Tom's life all he felt were vague emotions except rage and anger he was always familiar with. But Harry made him feel things.

Harry will definitely become a distraction, stopping him from the path he will take in future but at the same time his heart was sure that it wants Harry by any means. Tom wants to walk two different paths at the same time and it is impossible. Tom felt like he has to sacrifice one of the two things and he is not ready to sacrifice neither his ambition nor his Harry.

The gloved fingers entwined with his felt like a lifeline to him. How can he sacrifice whatever this is with Harry? Tom is still not admitting to himself of what he feels towards Harry because admitting means the end of the Tom. But still he can't sit and watch Harry being with other people. That thought was enough to raise mind numbing rage in him.

Tom absentmindedly noted that they're in some sort of village, a very beautiful village surrounded by nature. Some houses passed by and he still haven't asked of where Harry is taking him to. It seemed like Harry is taking him to meet someone. But how can meeting someone be a Christmas gift for Tom?

But going anywhere with Harry on Christmas was enough of a gift anyway.

Shut up Tom 2.0…

These days this second version of Tom in him was vocal about very mushy things, driving him insane at times when it started describing Harry's features poetically and one time when he was with his followers, discussing about dark magic. Tom cannot forget the embarrassing moment of staring stupidly at the mental image of Harry covered by only rose petals Harry was so fond of, and while demonstrating the dark spell; his magic somehow sensing the turn of his intent, his wand spouted flowers off from the tip. It was his supreme control on followers that they didn't outright laugh at that and he managed to cover it up with some stupid explanation that he had conjured poisonous flowers.

See, this is why he hates the version two of him.

So when Harry stopped in front of a house, he hadn't even noticed of what path they even took.

Harry placed their entwined hand on the gate and he felt magic pass through the hand for a second.

"The wards won't let you in otherwise."

Harry explained to him and opened the gate, pulling his hand from his which Tom immediately missed. But followed him inside, looking at the house.

The land surrounding the house, which obviously was for gardening remained without any plants, remained empty.

Tom walked the small path towards the house, noticing it as a simple two storey house, not too big yet not too small. It looked surprisingly very homely. Unlike the Avery Manor or Nott Mannor which only screamed power and money, but never gave the vibes off being in home, this house seemed to be very homely.

Harry turned toward him just few inches from the house and fidgeted nervously,

"I don't know how you will take this gift Tom…"

"Harry, I will love anything you give me"

Tom realized that his words were true and he will love anything as long it's from Harry. Harry smiled at him and in the snow; Harry looked like an angel without wings. Tom shook his head to clear his starry eyed vision.

"I didn't want to overstep my rights Tom… And also there are no furniture in there because I want you to fill it with your taste. It's just an empty house and I didn't know whether you will even like it or not…. I…"

"What are you saying Harry?"

"I… This house… It's my present…"

Tom lost all his composure and gaped openly, bewildered beyond words.

Not many could understand the real meaning behind what Harry had gifted him. But Tom understood it very clearly,

A home…

Harry had given him a home…

A home where he can return to, a home which belonged to Tom, a place which finally belonged to Tom, a place where he can come back no matter what he becomes in future, a safe place which makes you feel at peace, a home Tom had subconsciously longed for since his childhood watching other children getting adopted, a home where he doesn't have to be anything but just Tom.

Harry had given him all this with a gift…

A Home…

Tom didn't know how Harry had afforded this or what he even deserved to receive this much kindness from Harry.

Tom felt like every wall he had built against his heart were crumbling in front of Harry…

He felt powerless, vulnerable and more over he felt human. Tom didn't know when he last felt like this.

"Tom? Are you fine? Don't you like it?"

Tom crossed the few distance between them and jumped on Harry, making Harry to fall backwards on the grass. Tom put a hand over the back of Harry's head when they fell so as to not get hurt.

"Tom?"

Harry asked him, looking at him with widened green eyes.

Tom gave him a slow smile and he decided it then and there…

No more hesitation…

No more denying…

He wanted Harry in his life…

He wanted this beautiful, amazing, selfless person in his life…

Tom cannot deny this desire anymore…

Tom cannot cower behind the thought of someone doing something to Harry if he got too close, because he cannot take this anymore. All Tom has to do is become powerful enough to protect Harry…

He wanted this, no, needed Harry…

Because denying himself of what he feels towards Harry anymore will be like denying himself oxygen to breathe…

With that in mind, Tom leaned down and crashed his lips with Harry, venting out the suppressed desire he felt so long, sucking those lips, making Harry to gasp, forced his tongue in and started mapping out the inside of Harry's mouth. The hand against Harry's hair angled him the way Tom wanted and the other went under Harry's shirt.

For once in his life, the emptiness in him was filled with brimming happiness.

For once in his life, he felt he belonged somewhere…

For once in his life, he felt at peace…

For once in his life his mind became silent, stopping with the constant thoughts of how to use and manipulate others.

For once in his life, he didn't care if he is Tom Riddle or a half-blood or who he is…

All that mattered is Harry in his arms, kissing him back.

~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxxxx~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~~

(A/N: Hope you all liked this chapter. Once again, apologize for all the spelling and grammatical errors.

Please do review and let me know your thoughts.)