"Hey, look. It's Riddle."

At a nearby voice, Harry looked up. Sure enough, the Slytherin King had arrived. He looked as put together as he always had, wearing fitting black robes with green details. His hair was a little messier than it had been back when they were in Hogwarts. His sharp cheekbones and square jaw lent to his aristocratic appearance.

Harry could feel himself walking towards- He snapped out of his haze. What the hell?

Harry did not like this one bit. Why on earth did his former school rival look so-

"Oh, my , is that Tom Riddle?" Ginny Weasley suddenly appeared by Harry's side, causing him to roll his eyes. Ginny might have been like his younger sister, but she was still an extremely annoying thorn in his side.

"Hello, Harry. Still fixated on him, I see."

"I do not have a fixation on my rival, thank you very much, Ginevra !"

"You're still on about the whole rival thing?!" Ginny's exasperation was apparent.

"I- How are you even here, Ginny? This isn't even your year's reunion!"

"Oh, I tagged along with Ron. Now stop changing the subject." Harry barely kept himself from facepalming. Ever since Ginny had learnt he was gay after asking him out in sixth year, she had been trying to set him up with various guys, most commonly with Tom Riddle, the bane of his existence in Hogwarts.

"I did not have a fixation with Riddle. We were rivals; we competed in everything!"

"Well," Ginny dragged out the word. "I just assumed like most people that your fights were a result of pent up sexual tension."

"Ginevra Molly Weasley. Where the hell do you come up with such absurd ideas?!"

"Why, Harry, this isn't the most absurd idea. And you seem oddly defensive," the redhead said with a cheshire grin. Harry took in a deep breath. Inwardly, he could admit to himself that this line of questioning was making him nervous.

"Ginny, it's Tom fucking Riddle. The person who ruined my Hogwarts years." Ginny's scoff didn't deter him. "Do you know how many times he sabotaged me?" Harry complained.

Ginny shrugged. "Handcuff him, punish him, and move on."

"WHAT?" Harry's yelp drew the attention of several people. One of them just so happened to be the subject of his conversation.

"Harry Potter."

"Riddle."

Ginny's grin grew wider. She subtly slipped away and nudged Neville and Luna to stop talking. The domino effect resulted in the Great Hall becoming silent, though the two men currently in the spotlight didn't seem to notice.

Tom Riddle raised an eyebrow at the shorter male, ignoring Weasley's shenanigans. The emerald eyed man had always been quite a looker, if a little bit on the petite side, and Tom had not been blind to his school rival's beauty.

Now, though…

"I must say, you look quite… enticing."

All conversations in Hogwarts Hall had stopped as every eye focused on the legendary rivals, and there was a collective gasp when Tom Riddle spoke.

Harry raised an eyebrow. He had been receiving compliments throughout the evening, but never one so straight forward. Nor one from someone as…..intense as Tom Riddle.

"Wish I could say the same."

Tom's lips curved into a smirk. This banter was familiar territory.

"Why, Harry, there's no need to be so hostile. Just because I am outshined by your radiance-"

Harry flushed. "Shut up! You know well and good just how many eyes you've drawn tonight."

"Were yours among them?"

Harry paused. Why was he trying to assure the prat about his looks? He narrowed his eyes. Riddle was acting extremely out of character. Complimenting him in the first minute of their conversation was something he had never done before.

Sensing his hesitation in continuing this line of conversation, Tom changed the subject.

"What have you been up to since Hogwarts? Got around to doing anything or was your Gryffindor pride too set on becoming an Auror?"

The Great Hall began buzzing conversations once more. Ginny bit back a laugh when she spotted the person she was looking for. Abraxas Malfoy was by no means a 'nice guy', but the Weasley-Malfoy feud was only really present between Ron and Draco. As she made her way towards the platinum blonde, she heard one last snippet of the conversation.

"Actually, I received my Mastery in Defence. Have you been doing anything except kissing pureblood arse?"

"Hmm, considering I'm slated to become Junior Undersecretary in less than a month, I would say I've been quite successful."

"Abraxas." The Malfoy Heir raised an eyebrow.

"Ginevra."

"I came to talk to you about something that should have happened years ago."

Abraxas followed her gaze back to the still oblivious duo, and he smirked. "Why, that is a splendid idea. May I bring you a drink while we discuss?"

The wheels began to turn.

"If it isn't my two favourite students!" A cheerful voice interrupted Harry and Tom's conversation.

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Is it appropriate for you to show blatant favouritism, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore laughed. "Pish posh. You two were every teacher's favourite, no one is going to be surprised."

Harry scoffed mentally. 'But some people would be upset,' he thought about Hermione.

"I do hope," the Headmaster continued, "that you'll be inviting us old crooks to your wedding," he said joyfully.

Harry spluttered. Tom blinked.

"What?!" They both squawked. Dumbledore blinked.

"Oh, are you two not together yet? I could have sworn, especially since Tom complimented you so sincerely-"

Harry grit his teeth. "And Professor, you just conveniently seemed to miss the insults he spewed a minute later."

The wizened wizard waved it away. "Lovers' quarrels are to be expected, especially between two such highly competitive boys like yourselves."

Tom spoke up. "Headmaster, I think your lemon drops are meddling with your brain," he said scathingly. "Or your age has finally started affecting you. That was hardly a lovers' quarrel."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"What even- Why is everyone so determined to set me up with him?" Harry waved a hand towards Tom.

Luna, who had been talking to Neville nearby, floated over. "Because you would look good together."

Dumbledore nodded enthusiastically.

Harry stared at the Slytherin next to him. Tom was all sharp lines and cold demeanours, he was all Gryffindor fire and messy looks. They were like fire and ice! Tom was staring back at him.

A silent conversation took place. Tom's expression changed to horrified, and before he could get a word in, Harry spoke.

"Professor, Tom has secured the position of Junior Secretary. He was hoping you would give him some advice." Dumbledore blinked. Tom Riddle was asking him for advice?

Harry seized the moment to make an excuse and walk away. He glanced over his shoulder and muffled a laugh at Tom's murderous expression before moving towards the refreshments table, where he would surely find Ron.

Ginny turned back to Abraxas. "Well?"

The blond was about to speak when a manicured hand curled around his arm. The redhead followed it to its owner, and was met with cold blue eyes. Titania 'Tammy' Potter, cousin to one Harry Potter, often left her wondering how the two of them could be related. She reminded her of the 'Black Widow', Zabini's mother. Both women walked around on the arms of the wealthiest wizards, before draining their preys dry and moving on.

"Abbie, darling, you must come see the delightful pastries they have!" Titania exclaimed. "And why on earth do you insist on talking to," her mouth curled into a sneer, "a Weasley?"

Abraxas sighed and placed a placating hand over hers. "Dear, you know that blood prejudice is so last century, don't you?"

Titania pouted. "Fine! Be that way." She spun around and strutted away.

Ginny stared at her, before directing her glance towards Abraxas.

Abraxas rolled his eyes. "My father believes I will say yes to betrothal with her. Mother knows otherwise, but insisted I let the old man have a little hope before letting him down gently. I am about as fond of her as you, Ginevra."

Ginny huffed. "I hate that name. Call me Ginny, we are accomplices after all."

"Yes. I believe I promised you a drink while we discuss." He offered her an arm, and the two headed to the refreshments, whispering and vetoing ideas.

"Hermione?" Harry looked surprised. His nerdy best friend was standing by the punch bowl. The surprise, however, stemmed from the fact that Hermione was near the refreshment table, and Ron was not. The chocolate-eyed girl looked up.

"Harry! Ron just went looking for you!" she exclaimed, as she handed him a drink/

"Huh. That explains why he's not hogging all the snacks."

Hermione laughed, not one bit perturbed at the obvious jab directed towards her boyfriend. She was about to open her mouth, when something caught her eye.

"What?" Harry asked, noticing she was staring at something over his shoulder. He turned around, and nearly dropped his glass of punch when he noticed Ginny Weasley and Abraxas Malfoy arm-in-arm, talking to each other in hushed voices.

"There you are, mate! I've been looking everywhere for you," Ron arrived and threw an arm over Hermione. "What are you both so shocked at?" he asked, trying to spot what had his best friends stunned. Hermione snapped out of her daze and immediately turned around, tugging him in the opposite direction. "Come on, Ron, I think I just saw Dean and Seamus. Let's go talk to them."

Harry watched them go, before glancing back at Ginny. That girl terrified him, and he wasn't sure if he was drunk enough to deal with whatever plan she was hatching with the Malfoy Heir.

Unlike his younger twin, Draco, Abraxas had always been more mature and less hotheaded. That, however, did not change the fact that he was still a cunning Slytherin, and when you paired that with the Weasley brains- Harry shuddered.

He drained his punch glass and set it down, before moving to find another classmate to reconnect with. Spotting Luna, he wondered how she had made it into the party, before shrugging. Knowing the ditzy blonde, she had probably just walked in and no one had had the heart to question her.

Just as he was about to make his way to his favourite Ravenclaw, his path was blocked.

"Hello, cousin." Titania Potter was easily his least favourite family member, and that was after knowing he was blood-related to Sirius' mother, Walburga Black.

He sighed. "Tammy."

"You know, many of us wondered where the famous Potter Heir had vanished after graduating. Too afraid to show your disgraceful face to the people who actually matter?'

"Honestly, Titania. Your definition of people who matter include dogmatist right-wingers who are still living centuries in the past."

" Don't call me Titania," the blue-eyed woman said sharply. "And those people who you brush away so easily just because of your radical ideas are the people in charge of our world, little cousin. The reason you will never go far."

"Is there anything you actually wanted to tell me?"

"Tom Riddle has revealed his inheritance as the Heir of Slytherin."

Harry blinked. "And that is important to you how? Don't you have a betrothal in place with the Malfoy family?"

"Don't be silly, Abbie is just the Heir to a Noble House," Titania said, inspecting her nails. "The Under Secretary to the Minister, who just happens to be Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of the Snakes, on the other hand…."

In the background, Ginny and Abraxas' heads shot up. They looked at each other and nodded.

"Of course, your infallible Black Widow reputation. Quite a cougar, aren't you? Malfoy and now Riddle, who is obviously going to turn you down."

Titania flushed unattractively. "I'm but four years older than you! I'm the adored Ravenclaw Princess, why on earth would he not want me?"

Harry scoffed at her self-proclaimed title. "If he turned down Daphne Greengrass and Fleur Delacour, both Heiresses to their Houses and much more influential than you, what do you think he would want from the daughter of an estranged family line like yours? A pureblood with no Heirships, what would you offer to the Heir of Slytherin, Titania ?" Harry finished with a wicked smirk. His dearest cousin's face was pale with shock.

She turned on her heel and walked away, and Harry couldn't help calling after her, "Maybe you want to try your luck with Minister Fudge?"

Satisfied with the result, he turned around to find Luna again and jumped. The blonde was right behind him, staring up with doe blue eyes.

"You gave me a fright, Luna," he said, calming down.

"I apologize. How are you, Harry?"

"Quite well, thank you. Did you get checked for nargles? You were spewing nonsense earlier, Luna," Harry said, and he couldn't help rolling his eyes as he remembered her comment about him and Tom.

"Why, Harry, those weren't nargles. The Blibbering Humdingers told me that."

Harry sighed. Knowing he had no chance in changing her mind, he steered the conversation away from himself.

Ginny straightened herself. "So we are all set? You remember what to do?"

"Yes, Weasley, now will you calm down? I will be sitting at the same table as Tom, I shall enact your plan perfectly."

She nodded sharply. "I should go before my brother sees us conversing and gets an aneurysm."

Abraxas remained silent, having seen Granger steer away the older redhead before he could see his baby sister talking to Malfoy.

"If I may have your attention," Dumbledore's magnified voice filled the Hall. "It is now time for dinner! Please have a seat."

Hermione and Ron had saved a seat for him, and Luna had brought along Neville, considering she was his guest. He ended up facing the 'Slytherin' table, and was right across Tom. He sighed.

Abraxas led Titania to the table where the majority of his Slytherin peers were seated, and offered her the seat right next to Tom Riddle. The ravenette was extremely delighted, and immediately tried to strike up a conversation with the Slytherin Heir, who was ignoring her in favour of listening to Daphne Greengrass. He sat down himself, and noticed the Gryffindor table right across from them. He caught Ginny Weasley's eyes and tilted his head. The plan had been set in motion.

"So, Tom," Titania said with a giggle, as she speared a meatball. "I heard you finally managed to get Weasley to shut up about cauldron bottom thickness."

Tom turned his eyes towards her. "Which Weasley are you referring to, Titania?" he drawled.

Abraxas turned away from the conversation taking place beside him to hide his smirk. Tom never called Titania by her last name (which he assumed was reserved for the Potter Heir), nor did he call her by her ridiculous nickname.

"Oh, call me Tammy. And I was referring to the one blood traitor who managed to make it to the Minister's office, of course. Percival."

Tom sighed. "Honestly, you do not refer to anybody as a blood traitor. Did your parents fail to tutor you?" He paused. "Apologies. I shouldn't have assumed you would be tutored at all. Your branch of the family doesn't sit in session, do they?"

Titania gritted her teeth, before relaxing her face into the charming smile that had caused many wizards to trip over themselves to please her. Reaching for her wine glass, she took a sip.

"Heir Slytherin, would you do me the honour of the first dance?"

Tom was about to refuse, before he met green eyes. Maybe this is the push he would need, he thought, before replying, "Very well."

Harry couldn't keep in his laughter when he saw his cousin trying to charm the Ice Prince. His laughter drew the attention of his table companions.

"Say, Harry, are you going to come to the after party?" Neville asked.

"What after party?"

"The after party that will have more booze and better music," Ginny interjected. "You have to come."

"I'll see," Harry said, as he met turquoise eyes. Tom was staring straight at him. Harry raised an eyebrow, and Tom turned back to answer whatever ridiculous question Titania had asked him.

"We will now be having the dances!" Dumbledore said cheerfully, after all the tables had been cleared. "I am pleased to announce that the Weird Sisters will be performing live tonight!"

Cheers went around the room, before the tunes of a waltz filled the room.

Tom held out a hand to Titania. "I believe I promised you the first dance."

Harry was dragged onto the dance floor by Ginny. "Just one song," she promised, before positioning herself so Harry would have a direct view of Tom Riddle. And his less than appealing partner, but that was only temporary.

Titania glanced behind her. Harry was dancing with the youngest Weasley. She sneered before winding her arms tighter around Tom. As they spun, she shot her cousin a smug grin. Harry's brows were pinched.

Ginny hid a smile when she noticed the frown on her dancing partner's face.

"What's the matter, Harry? You have quite a deep frown."

Harry broke out of his daze. "What? Oh, nothing."

As the first dance ended, Titania slipped her hand through Tom's arm and led him to her cousin, a victorious look on her face.

"Hello, Harry," Titania said with a smirk.

"Titania," Harry greeted warily. "Tom."

The latter pulled his arm out of the woman's grip. "Harry," he purred.

"I win, cousin," Titania said with a superior look on her face.

"Win what?"

She leaned closer, so only he could hear her next words. "Tom Riddle is mine."

Harry could hear the waves roaring. "Excuse me?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Oh really?" Titania was surprised to see the smile on Harry's face.

Harry glanced at Tom. The Slytherin had a smirk on his face. And I know just how to wipe it off, he thought. I wish I could.

"You forget yourself, cousin," Harry said. "You think Riddle will fall for your paltry tricks and schemes?"

"Time will tell, won't it? And till then, I shall be the one on his arm."

"On his arm or in his shadow?"

"You seem to be much too invested in my latest exploit, Harry dear. Where was this line of questioning when I began pursuing Abraxas?"

Harry froze, before glancing at the Slytherin who had been silent for most of the conversation, granted most of it had been whispers. Tom was staring back, eyes smouldering.

Harry stepped forward. The taller male raised an eyebrow.

The entire Great Hall was silent for the second time that evening. Ginny was grinning from ear to ear as she took a step to the side, pulling Titania with her.

"I'm taking back my earlier words, Tom. You do look quite enticing. And you did draw my eyes," Harry admitted, a light blush dusting his tanned cheeks.

Tom smirked. "Is there something you want to do about it?"

Harry took another step closer, then hesitated.

"Why, Potter, where's all your Gryffindor courage gone?"

Harry looked up with a scowl, tugging at Tom's tie to get him to bend down. And then they were kissing.

Ginny couldn't hold in her wolf-whistle, and that broke the crowd of its reverie. Cheers and hoots filled the room, but Gryffindor's Golden Child and Slytherin's Prince couldn't be least bothered.

"Get a room," Ginny hollered. Harry flung her the bird, and then there was a loud crack, leaving an empty spot and a stunned crowd.

Neville stared at the spot before turning to Luna. "I don't think Harry's going to attend the after-party."

Dumbledore blinked. "Did they just break through the Anti-Apparition Wards?"

McGonagall sighed. "I believe they did. And I also believe we won't be able to find them until tomorrow morning."

Severus scowled. "The brat has left me to deliver the news to Lily! I can't even issue detention anymore," he bemoaned.

Abraxas slipped through the crowd to stand next to Ginny, who smiled. "I told you my plan would work," she said smugly.

"You did," he agreed. "And I will be able to show the pensieve memory to Father and get him to forget about the betrothal," he said with a relieved sigh.

Hermione couldn't help laughing as Ron stood still in utter shock. "Mione, did I just see Harry kiss Riddle?"

"Yes, Ron. You can't tell me you weren't expecting this to happen."

"Expecting it to happen and actually seeing it are two different things!"

Tom woke up to the smell of pancakes and an empty bed. Blinking blearily, he made his way to the kitchen of the apartment he had called home for the past five years, to find Harry cooking breakfast. He walked up to him and hugged him, earning him a joyful laugh.

"Go shower, you stink," Harry said, pushing him away.

"Fine, give me a kiss, at least."

"Morning breath," Harry complained, but nevertheless pecked him on the lips before shoving him out of the kitchen.

As Tom headed to the shower, he wondered when Harry was going to tell his best friends that he didn't live alone. Or that his 'housemate' was Tom Riddle. Or that they had been dating for five years.