The girl on his arm, he decided as they walked toward the appararition point at Nott Manor, was as lovely as she'd been at Malfoy Manor. He was wearing the same dress robes, as men (other than poppinjays) were allowed to have standard dress robes for occasions. When women did the same too close together, it was social anathema. Thus, Elena was no longer in the silver gown that had so hugged her curves.

No, this gown was a deep emerald green satin, strapless and fitted with a corset style bodice. Her breasts were displayed to their advantage above the sweetheart cut of the top. Black lace with shining stones sewn in trimmed the grown and trailed up along the pleats of her A-line skirt. Her hair was in wide, glossy curls around her shoulders, gleaming so they almost looked metallic, a dull gold. Her lips were dark, blood red. Again, her eyes were widened further by the makeup around them, her cheekbones high, cheeks blushed. She was wearing a golden necklace set with emerald drops all around, her shoes black velvet. Black gloves graced her arms to the elbow.

His free hand stroked over the silk-clad fingers at his bicep, as he contemplated her. Lestrange had called her "a little mousy" when Tom had asked his knights about her upon first noticing the girl last school year. She was undoubtably a mouse. Her fair wheat colored hair, her quiet disposition, her reluctance to be around others, even her small mouth and nose and too-wide eyes.

She looked anything but that tonight.

His fingertips stroked higher, until he met the soft warmth of her skin. "Are you ready?" he asked.

She nodded, her mouth set in a line as she tried not to chew at her painted lips. Ophelia had spent ages with the girl, painting her, styling her, corseting and primping her; her last words to the girl before they set off were, "Do not undo all of our work just because you get shy. You are too beautiful not to even pretend to be confident, dear heart."

He smiled, fingers tightening on her small arm before they winked away.

The London home of the Vablatskys was not nearly as impressive as Malfoy Manor, but it was lovely nonetheless. It was brick, with high walls around the garden, tall windows, and door that revealed an open entryway to them. Stairs on either side of the entrance led to the second floor, while between them seemed to be the social space, as there were tables at the edges of the large room and people milling about.

"It's a lovely home," Tom told the girl, who grimaced a smile in return.

They swept past the staircases and into the room proper, and the people nearest them stopped their conversation. One of them, adorned in a sober, regal black gown, was Cassandra Vablatsky. From the memories he'd seen, Tom knew who the barrel-chested man beside her was even before he introduced himself.

"Elena!" cried the woman, drawing her daughter into a hug and air-kissing just above the girl's cheeks. "I almost didn't recognize you, darling. You look so grown up!"

Aurek Vablatsky turned toward the pair, his eyes flashing with displeasure. "Yes, mausi, you've certainly matured." His bright eyes looked over Tom, sizing up the younger man as Tom did the same. He was a large man, perhaps seventeen stone, and around his own height. It had been difficult to divine these things from Elena's memories; she was perhaps 8 stone, and nearly half a meter shorter. Outside of Elena's memories, the man also seemed to loom less, his face prone more toward warmth. He was in whites and creams, the colors flattering to his golden palette. Whatever he saw in the darker, paler, blade-slim young man made him frown before he turned back to his "daughter."

He took her free hand in both of his and pulled her toward him. The girl took a step forward, but her hand stayed firmly on Tom's bicep, which flexed as though to keep her rooted firmly there. Aurek Vablatsky brushed his lips across her cheek and to the corner of her mouth before pulling back, though he kept her hand trapped. "I almost do not believe it still," he said through his heavy accent.

"Yes, well," she murmured, her heavy lashes downturned.

"She has grown into a veritable doll of perfection," Tom cut in. "She was the belle of the ball at the Malfoy Yule event." He touched her chin, turning her gaze to him. "Lord Malfoy himself was enchanted. Isn't that right, doll?"

"Lord Malfoy is an awful flirt," she said. While her other hand was still grasped by her would-be father, it was in that moment as though it were detached from her. The corner of her mouth twitched upward. "And I am fairly sure he was the belle of the ball."

Tom chuckled. "To be sure." As though only now remembering them, Tom turned toward the Vablatskys. "Forgive me, I seem to have forgotten my manners." He favored them with a disarming smile, inclining his head toward Cassandra. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Madam Vablatsky." His smile sharpened as he switched his gaze to the other man. "And you must be Aurek Vablatsky."

"You have me at a disadvantage," the large man said. "A father should know the man who escorts his daughter."

"Tom Riddle. I'm in Elena's year at Hogwarts."

"Tom is Head Boy," Cassandra confided to her husband. "I've asked around a little about him. Our Elena's beau is a rising star."

Without taking his eyes off the other man, Tom said, "You flatter me."

"Hm. Well, we appreciate you bringing our little girl home for the holiday," Aurek said at last.

"It is an absolute pleasure to be able to spend this winter with her," he responded. "Now if you would kindly excuse us, I am parched. Elena, pet?"

"Yes, let's get something to drink," she agreed, tugging at her hand until Aurek reluctantly released it. It went immediately to his left hand, and he led her toward the bar. As they stopped, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, bracing herself on him. It was strange to see her so ruffled, and not be the cause of it himself. He didn't not like it. As she came back to herself, he ordered them two glasses of wine, and guided her to the side of the room, away from prying ears.

"At some point tonight, I am going to speak to your—Aurek."

"You don't have—"

His grip on her hand tightened, and she obediently fell silent. "I told you, Elena; no one touches what is mine without repercussion."

"I'm not yours," she grumbled out.

"Don't mumble, doll. It isn't ladylike." He released her hand to cup her cheek. "And you are mine, whether you think it or no. It doesn't change that I've claimed you, and I always get what I want." The last was a dangerous whisper over her skin. "Enjoy the benefits, and don't fight it." He followed the line of her throat as she swallowed before she nodded. "Good girl."

He would not let her out of his sight for the evening. They danced, and he tugged her this way and that as he introduced himself to guests. They were all over the floor, nearly always engaged, until midnight approached.

Aurek Vablatsky finally cornered the couple as they took champagne in preparation for the countdown. "Mausi," he declared. Elena's grip on Tom's arm tightened. "Come, let us ring in the New Year as we did when you were small."

Tom saw a flash of something—the older man bending toward her for a kiss— and smiled cuttingly at the older man. "I'm afraid I'll be taking that liberty tonight. It is more appropriate, considering our… relationship."

"Elena is my daughter," the other insisted, glaring at the younger man.

Tom's voice flattened, eyes shining carmine in the soft light. "Is she?" Aurek's eyes narrowed at that, and he glanced from Tom to his daughter, and back again. "You'll not be spending time alone with Elena during this very short visit."

The large man stepped toward the couple, one fist tightening. "How dare you—"

"You do not want to upset me, Mister Vablastsky." He slipped his hand into the one with which she clutched at him as he stepped forward. "Elena and I have become very close this last year. She has confided certain things to me, things which I am sure you would not want others to know." Aurek became rigid, jaw clenched, eyes wide. "I know all about your fatherly affection, and I will not hesitate to use it to my advantage."

"Tom," she girl whispered behind him desperately, pulling at him.

The man's face had grown hilariously red, flushed down where his neck met his dress robes, and to the roots of his golden hair. "You would not dare risk—"

Tom's face went eerily blank, even as something close to cruel joy hissed through his voice. "Oh, I would. I promise, I would love to destroy your life, you, completely and utterly. I await a reason to do so."

Aurek's gaze darted between the pale-face terror of the girl and the strange calmness of the boy, the color in his own face settling down. "It would risk her—the other—" he was trying to reason, but Tom loosed his high, cold laugh.

"While Elena may care about that, I do not. Do not test me." With that, he turned, tugging the girl away from the little corner and out into the crowd. The man stared after the two of them, locked on them as the surrounding guests started counting down from ten. As the cry of, "Happy New Year!" rang out around them, Tom tipped Elena's face toward him, lowering his own until his lips slid across hers. Her mouth parted as a gasp of air brushed him, and he took full advantage, tongue darting out to sweep against the bottom edge of her lip, then pulling it into his mouth to nibble on it as she so liked to do. He could taste the blood near the surface, sign that she had done so recently, and found he quite liked the taste. The girl was trembling against him.

He looked out into the crowd, once more locking eyes with Aurek Vablatsky, who was once again red with fury. The large man's hand was clenched into a fist so that glass from his champagne flute dug into his flesh, and blood and the gold liquid dripped down his hand.

Tom's lips curled upward as he leaned away from the girl in his arms.

Notes:

Again, keep in mind, I read Tom as canonically a bit too psychopathic to have romantic feelings. I see him as a charismatic psychopath. Psychopaths as a rule don't feel love or remorse, but can experience regret. They otherwise feel a range of emotions. They tend to be charismatic, have high sex-drives, and some have tendencies toward violence. Even if they don't, they won't react to violence like non-psychopaths. Over time (with the horcruxes), I feel that certain things degrade/diminish with him. His sex drive, need to sleep, etc., will reduce quite a bit. However, he also becomes more impulsive, prone to outbursts.