Weakness was something you were never allowed to show. If anyone caught you emotionally open, you would be shamed, forced into exile. In the circle Tom was connected to, one slip up and you were as good as dead.
Tom was the master at hiding his emotions though. It was no real difficulty to him because he never really felt anything. It was both a gift and a curse. Watching those around him degrading themselves in those weak moments both annoyed and intrigued the man. He was lucky, not having to deal with such things but sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if he was missing something. Was there a reward to being able to possess emotions without having to fake them?
Growing older had proved that it was more a gift then anything, at least in his opinion. It wasn't until his sixteen year old self was introduced to Ginevra Weasley. He began to notice a few changes. At first it was just a longing to have her talk to him, it was rather lonely being locked up in a diary for over forty years. Then it was annoyance with her babbling about Harry Potter. Soon it became want. He wanted to see her. She was beautiful, an angel in a child's body, but Harry destroyed the diary, killing him instantly.
Years passed and eventually he regained his youthful appearance. He took her, the only person who he ever felt something for. She was his weakness but he would never acknowledge it.