Soon as we walked into the clearing, I noticed the group stood in a loose circle.
We were only a few feet away from the group when strange flecks began to appear in my line of sight. I quickly grabbed onto Bella's shoulder, steadying myself before I lost my balance as I began to get pulled into a vision.
I gapped for a second before I blinked back into the present. I had seen what Tom was planning now, the question was whether I should let it happen or not.
Tom looked at me with an eyebrow raised. I shook my head at him, to his questioning gaze, before nodding for him to commence.The faster this happened, the faster I could go back to my room, to hopefully get some very much needed rest.
"—seeing as we have almost a month and a half left a school before we get a Christmas break. Earlier this evening I was informed that this year that the staff has decided to have a Christmas party, dreadful as it sounds I expect you all to attend. Everyone will be there, giving me a chance to complete my research." He explained, seeming almost hesitant.
"What does that have to do with us being here?" I asked, unintentionally interrupting him mid-sentence, much to his annoyance.
I watched expressionless, as his forest green eyes flickered towards my direction, a scowl on his face, which changed when he noticed I was still wearing the dress from the ball. I could feel his eyes traveling up and down, scanning me from head to toe. Heat filling my body, as I felt myself begin to react to his heated, penetrating gaze.
It annoyed me to do so, leaving me at his mercy.
"That is where I am getting to, my beautiful, lovely Lady." He replied before scanning the woods behind us.
A smirk began slowly appearing on his otherwise emotionless face.
Wanting to avoid staring at him like an idiot.More than I needed to, I grabbed Bellatrix's wrist, quickly using Occlumency to block any eavesdroppers, before I pushed into her mind, allowing us to speak telepathically.
'Bella, I just got an idea.' I thought excitedly, startling her.
She swallowed her shock and put the unreadable, uninterested expression before tilting her head slightly to the side in acknowledgement.
'Oh, I'll never get used to you being able to do that.' She thought, her lips twitching in acknowledgement.
'Do you want to get back at Rod or not?' I thought to her questioningly.
She moved her head as if looking around, once back and forth.
'I think I'll do this then. Bastian knows why Rod didn't take you to the ball tonight. What's one way to hurt a guy without their knowing it? Their pride. Hang around with Bastian. Since he happens to be his brother, it'll hurt so much more.' I thought smirking as I watched and listened to Tom talk about his plans before the school went out on break.
I realized this meant he was either planning to stay here at school during break, or going to one of the group members' homes. Interesting as it seemed I had already had Mother Superior, from the orphanage that was considered my home until the end of next year, to sign the permission slip allowing me stay at Bella's house for over break.
"Are we clear on everything now?" He asked, finishing.
Everyone replied 'yes' in the same usual monotone they always replied.
"Very well, you can leave now." He said, in an authoritative voice.
I began to turn with Bellatrix, to make our way back towards the school. She looked at me wide-eyed.
'Go. I'll see you back in the room, relax. Nothing is going to happen. Just do what I told you earlier. Bastian will be glad to help you. From what I've heard, I think he might like you too.' I thought, half smiling at her in response before nodding at her to go.
"Anna. I would like a word with you before you go back to the castle." He said in an irritated tone, his jaw flexing as he spoke.
I stood there with my back to him for a second before I turned back to look at him.
"Did you need anything, Tom?" I asked, cautiously.
"Yes." He said, scanning the woods behind us. "An explanation as to why you let Snape escort you to the ball earlier this evening and why you danced with him tonight." He said, simply, his tone still full of annoyance.
"Ah... so that's what this is about." I replied, annoyance beginning to bubble within me.
"Yes, that is what this is about, Anna.." he replied, tersely.
"Oh, so, it's alright for you to escort Parkinson to the ball, and basically interacted with her most of the night but I can't even dance and have a bit of fun?" I asked, in the same terse tone, crossing my arms over my chest, feeling the wind begin to stir.
He sighed exasperated, I believe he was trying to calm himself before he even replied, this went on for a couple of minutes. The wind rustled the leaves in the trees as the silence between us stretched on.
"I didn't escort anybody, especially not Parkinson, to the bloody ball. Those were Dolohov's and Rosier's dates." He finally answered.
"Dolohov went with Parkinson? Right, so I am supposed to believe that? After almost a month of avoiding each other. How can I trust any word you say?" I spat out, turning to leave, but his hand quickly wound around my wrist, pulling me back towards him, and stopping me from moving any further.
"Anna, I wouldn't lie to you. I can't. As much as I've tried to. As much as it pains me to say this. I can't lie to you... I can't willingly hurt you, even if I tried, you've become my one and only weakness, and that has been killing me to admit it, even to myself." He said, through his teeth.
I sighed, closing my eyes, willing my eyes not to tear up once more at his words. Before I opened them and looked him straight in the eye.
"I let Severus escort me to the ball so that Bellatrix and I wouldn't have to go by ourselves. I danced with him, because I knew as soon as I left Bella's side, Rodolphus would go and try to talk to her, though that little move may as well bit me in the ass since all they did was argue. She was truly hurt by his actions tonight. That's the only reason I attended this idiotic ball in the first place. I wasn't planning to attend at all. The only reason I did go was because of her, she needed me." I explained, sighing as I felt my emotions begin to stir.
"Everyone has been telling me the same thing for the past month; that you're sorry, that you care about me, but what about you? You always close yourself off emotionally and act like nothing is worth your time; after I left you that night, I ran back to my room, you didn't even attempt or bother to answer me when I asked you a simple question." I said, continuing my rant, blinking back tears.
"If you are willing to be with me are you willing to put everything you have going against the Riddles and your search for power aside? Or are you willing to lose everything we have going on here?" I asked once more, making up my mind to leave if I received the same reply again.
He looked at me, his forest green eyes ablaze. Not saying anything as a million emotions played in his eyes. Finally, after a while he closed his eyes, and took a deep breathe.
"Alright, alright. If it means this much to you. I'll give you an honest answer, I choose... you." He muttered, exasperated, as he looked down at me.
"You speak as if you've lost something,... It doesn't necessarily mean that we have to give up studying from the restricted section. Those spells and information can help us in the future. You never know when it may all come in handy." I said, knowing that is what bothered him the most.
"The future? What about the future? Have you seen something again?" He asked, concerned.
His penetrating stare, froze me in my spot.
"I can't be sure. But I feel like something is coming. Something rather big." I supposed.
He nodded, shaking his head. "I have a final question before we go back to the castle." He said, looking at me, hesitantly.
"Which would be...?" I asked, feeling the breeze go through my hair as my hood fell back.
He smirked in response, stepping closer to me. I began to feel as his forest green eyes scanned me from head to toe once more, feeling as my body began react automatically, and began to heat up once more under his penetrating gaze.
"Will you stop letting all the males in the school escort you everywhere? That is getting to be rather annoying, especially since that makes them think they have a chance with you.It's beginning to be bothersome to hex them.You are mine, you always will be. I don't think I can ever let you go now. Nor will I ever let you go." He declared, stepping in closer to me.
I rolled my eyes at him, shaking my head trying not to smile at his possessive expression. He smirked at me as his hands slowly made their way onto my cheek and hair as I stared up at him.
His eyes scanning my face as if searching for something, before he slowly leaned down. His cool lips meeting mine once slowly before they came back down onto my lips roughly, as he kissed me fervently. Get lost in the feeling as his hands moved to my waist pulling me closer to his body.
I felt as if the world disappeared around us, until we pulled away breathing heavily. An arrogant smile forming on his face.
"Ugh, woman. You're going to be the death of me." He groaned, touch his forehead with mine.
"You can't die until I tell you to." I whispered back teasingly.
He shook his head at me amused, before smiling widely at me and leaning down to peck my lips once more. Starting at me for a moment, silently, before he grabbed my hand, and turned to go back to the castle.