"Okay, that's strange."

Tom almost chuckled. Many strange things had occurred around him recently. Nothing he worried much about, no threats or dangerous coincidences. In fact, it was the opposite. This wasn't the first study session in the library where Tom required a specific book for his homework reports, only to find it among the mass of books on his table. He wasn't under the illusion that he was the one who put it there, but still, it appeared when he decided he needed it. Then when he left the table to return the books he no longer needed, desiring to feed the public image that he was the perfect student, any mess papers or ink spills were nowhere to be seen on his return. The most alarming occurrence he couldn't explain was the rumours. One day, students would look his way and stage-whisper that he was up to no good with purebloods in his house. However, the next day, they smiled at him like he was merely the O-grade student he portrayed himself to be. As quickly as a problem showed up in his life, it was solved. And there was no explanation as to why.

"Maybe someone has a crush," Walburga whispered. "And they've cast a good luck charm or blessing or something. Like one of the ancient pureblood ones in my family's library."

Abraxas scoffed, eyes looking to the heavens, "I highly doubt it. If it's someone with a crush, it's much more likely to be some sort of stalker."

Of the two suggestions, Tom decided he agreed with Abraxas more. "I must admit, there are the occasions when I feel watched. Though I chalked it up to the silly girls that try to express their affections for me."

Walburga smirked, "My younger cousin, Orion, has a crush on you. He's only in the year below us but acts like such a child. Says a smart, handsome guy like you is bound to have a stable career, and able to look after a pretty pureblood househusband. I've caught him staring more times than I can count."

Abraxas joked that it wasn't much of a mystery if she could solve it in a single guess. Laughter lit up the table, until Tom's silence mellowed the moment again. They might be foolish enough to accept the first suspect without analysis, but that wasn't a trap Tom would fall for. Neither his companions could explain how the books appeared, they never recognised strange things happening, just the aftermath of the intervention. If Walburga had caught Orion staring so many times, then how had they not noticed him cleaning Tom's ink spillages. It was unlikely he could have been so sneaky in his action when he couldn't sneak a glance.

"Maybe-"

"If we're going to talk about this," Abraxas interrupted, much to Walburga's annoyance, "it might be a better idea to do so in our dormitory. Less potential suspects around."

It was a relief to see common sense return to at least one of his two most trusted followers. He nodded, beginning to straighten the area where he sat. It could be a future trap to leave his mess untouched to lure his stalker someday if he felt he needed to. Though it made sense to him that he was experiencing significant benefits and therefore would leave the lonely soul to his obsession.

Walburga and Abraxas didn't agree with that sentiment. Anyone who glanced at Tom on their way to the dormitory became a potential suspect, boys and girls alike. And Tom allowed that train of thought to entertain his mind on his way to the dungeons. Was it more likely that this mysterious admirer was female or male? The helpful actions and cleaning suggested more that it was a girl, they were often taught to show care by doing things like that. However, silencing rumours seemed an aggressive thing, and hinted that it was likely a boy. So there was no way to limit the suspect pool, by gender or blood status or even house. It was a rather interesting mystery.

After Walburga throwing her cousin under the bus, Tom noticed that he was sat in the common room, talking to another student about a boring assignment from Potions. He remembered someone telling him that Orion was entirely average in the fifth year grade rankings. How the other two entertained the idea of him being stealthy enough to stalk him, without any of the many followers Tom surrounds himself with noticing something was up, the boy didn't understand.

Lost in his thoughts, when he opened the dorm door he didn't think anything was amiss. It wasn't until Walburga gasped and Abraxas shrieked that he even bothered to glance around. That's when he heard the gentle hissing, and the patch of scales on his pillow. Sat in the line of light from the window, a snake was curled contently at the head of his bed, slowly blinking as the noise awoke it.

"Master,"It hissed, gazing around for the scent it recognised from the pillow.

The other two Slytherins circled the room, trying to hide behind Tom from the danger they knew he could control. When bright red eyes found the tall boy's gaze, he could see a shine of joy over the snake. It slithered to the other end of the bed, wanting to get closer, and hissing that they were 'master's gift' and wanted to be 'master's friend'.

"Why do you call me master?"Tom hissed, ignoring the shudders behind him. "Who is it that gives you as a gift to me?"

"A young man, like you in different colours. He spoke to me, told me of your kindness to my kin and the snake magic of your tongue." The snake coiled, looking almost scared. "I was in the forest, injured by spiders and boys in red. So scared, so much pain. He found me, nursed me. Said you were lonely too, lonely like me, even if only he could see it. You won't be alone anymore master, I will protect you."

Abraxas started whispering that he'd been researching snake breeds, the magic and muggle, wanting to impress Slytherin's heir. It was an ashwinder. The eggs were very expensive, though dangerous to uncaring owners. Laying a single egg unchecked was enough to burn down a small house. And they were thought to amplify magic, being created in magic fires. They were rare, because of poachers and inexperienced handlers. Walburga seemed stunned and interested in his words, while Tom disconnected from their conversation immediately. He knew it was an ashwinder, no other snakes had eyes so red or scales like molten silver. It was like his personal golden goose, like the one Mrs Cole read about to the young ones at Wool's, that could lay him valuable eggs and keep him afloat in a materialistic world.

"Do you think it's his stalker? Whoever put it there?" Walburga gasped.

"Of course it was," Tom drawled, a smirk spreading over his face. "Getting into my dorm room is serious, though. I suppose it's time I start looking for them. Get your cousin from the common room, must start the questioning somewhere."

Orion Black looked confused at being pulled upstairs by his cousin, eyes widening on the ashwinder. It confirmed Tom's view that his stalker still wasn't in the room, but that didn't mean there was nothing to learn. The boy had been in the common room, he might have seen something.

"This snake is a gift for me, apparently. You wouldn't happen to know where it came from, now would you?"

Black's eyes closed, an expression of pain wrinkling the corners. So he knew something, Tom was almost surprised he be so useful. Walburga noticed too, pinching her cousin's arm and ordering him to spill his guts or she would. It was those times her Black blood showed the most, in the chilly murderous flash in her eyes and the dark growl to her voice. Abraxas started glaring too, an action that would have a better effect if he didn't look like he was desperate to be a model of physical perfection, but Orion's resolve visibly weakened by the strength of the numbers against him.

"I can't. I mean, I can, but I won't." He affirmed, fixing his cousin with a stare. "I'll tell you I know who's watching him, but he's not doing any harm. The guy just doesn't want to be a bother, like the blithering idiots that flock to Riddle all the time. He wants to make him happy, to help however he can. What's so wrong with that?"

Abraxas scoffed, "I might be wrong, but leaving a fire snake unattended on someone's bed reads a little like a threat, does it not?"

Black backed up like he wanted to avoid having someone on every side, "it might look that way, but it isn't. It's a gift and one that would be really damn expensive. Not to mention the financial benefits of its eggs, Slughorn would sell his arm for a fresh ashwinder egg. Just let the guy do his thing, leave him alone. I'd be bloody thrilled if someone felt like that about me."

"Except I don't want to feel like I'm being watched by a coward in the shadows," Tom spoke, watching Black shiver at his glare. "I don't want the boy's identity, just tell him to leave me alone. Or it will be you I make pay for his actions."

His gulp was audible as Orion nodded, turning tail and running from the room at top speed. Abraxas looked over in confusion, Walburga in shock, as his companions wondered why he'd let the boy go. Tom instructed that they'd wait a moment longer before following him, letting the fool lead him right to his stalker. Then, while Tom interrogated the guy, Walburga would make Orion regret withholding his knowledge and betraying his lord. They nodded, following the heir out of the room, and out of the dormitory as a whole, following the younger student just ahead as he headed in the direction of the library. Tom hoped whichever Slytherin had been following him would come quietly, the library was the worst place to have an altercation.

Except it wasn't a Slytherin. Orion walked towards a corner table, where a Ravenclaw girl and Gryffindor boy sat over a mountain of books, and after whatever Orion said the girl's expression became shocked and the boy just looked sad. But he nodded, placing his hand on Orion's elbow and reassuring him about whatever Orion was blathering about. No doubt the threat to his safety. And from the smile shining on Black's face, it became clear that Orion didn't rat the boy out because he cared about him. How upset he'll be when he finds out he was followed, Tom thought it was best to drop that bomb sooner than later.

He continued towards the table, feeling his companions following close behind him. Orion looked up, the colour draining from his cheeks and a fast apology rushing from his lips. But the boy didn't seem to be listening, his eyes were firmly on Tom.

"Well, this must be the stalker Orion tried to hide," Walburga smirked.

"I think he and our friend need to have a chat, so how about we just sit with you two?" Abraxas suggested, though it wasn't much of a suggestion.

He sat on at the empty space next to the Ravenclaw while Walburga stood glaring at the back of the Gryffindor's head until he reluctantly stood up. Then she perched close to her cousin, eyes dark while she continued to smile at him. Tom signalled for the boy to follow him, surprised when he only received a short nod before he was being followed once more. Where best to have this conversation?

"I passed an empty classroom on the way here," the boy proposed. "It's private, and I'm sure you're capable of a silencing charm."

"If you watched me close enough to tell what books I needed for homework, I'm sure you're aware I can cast a strong silencing charm," Tom drawled, walking towards a corridor of classrooms.

The Gryffindor said nothing in response, just smiled and looked away. A shy gesture from someone acting so confidently, it was obvious he was playing a game to Tom. Not that it mattered, he'd straighten the situation out once he picked a classroom. And he was sure his stalker wouldn't be smiling then. That thought was the only reason Tom didn't snap, waiting for the privacy of an empty classroom to exact his vengeance.

Tom pushed the boy through the nearest door and cast the strongest privacy charms he could, "would you like the chance to explain your behaviour before being punished?"

The other boy made a noise, a groan in the back of his throat as he bit his plump bottom lip. Not the reaction Tom had expected, certainly not a reaction he'd ever received before. And it left him without an idea of how to proceed from that noise. He simply raised an eyebrow, controlling the confusion off of his features. This made the Gryffindor squirm further.

"You found me out, so I guess there's no point keeping up an act anymore," he smiled. "My name is Harry, Harry Potter. I'm a fifth year, like Orion and Jasmine."

Tom had heard of this boy. Top of his class, in every class, superb grades that seemed destined to surpass Tom's own. He'd considered trying to find and recruit Potter, but Gryffindors were meticulous when supporting muggle integration. Thinking the 2nd cleverest boy in Hogwarts was his mysterious stalker made a certain amount of sense. He'd be smart enough to pull off his little acts of affection without being caught. Tom didn't believe he'd ever even caught the boy's attention before.

"Well, Potter, why-"

"It's Harry," he interrupted, biting his lip again. "Please, call me Harry."

Tom decided to ignore the outburst, avoiding using either name as he continued, "why have you been following me? And doing little things you clearly didn't think I'd notice?"

"That's a bit of a long story."

"Tell me anyway."

Harry blushed, looking anywhere but at Tom as he tried to explain.

"It started last year. Orion had started blathering again about being your trophy husband, and back then I didn't understand everyone's fascination. Girls and boys alike swooned over how handsome you are, as if beauty makes up for all flaws or was more important than intelligence or personality. I'd ask what else people liked other than your face, and it was still the same answers. Top of your classes, and very polite. I'm polite to people, and the smartest in my year, that doesn't mean I'm not a psycho or haven't got some pretty big secrets.

"Anyway, Orion was the worst about it. Because he'd say things like 'all the others don't even know the amazing things, or what he's even capable of.' It was infuriating. At least until Jasmine tricked him into opening up. Then everything came out. The little clique you'd formed in Slytherin, what you wanted to do to the world, how determined you were to make it happen by any means necessary. And that you were Slytherin's heir, a real parselmouth in Slytherin again. And I was hooked. I wanted to know more, to know everything I could about you. So I started following you, only sometimes. Mostly just watching you in the library. I didn't want you to notice me.

Tom scoffed, hiding his discomfort over such emotional words. "Why ever not? Did you fear my rejection, like the others?"

Potter looked up, genuine worry and concern burning in his eyes, "I didn't want to risk hurting you."

Another scoff and Tom was tired of the conversation. He warned Potter to stay away from him but was stopped by a hand on his wrist before he could remove his charm.

"Please don't leave! I don't know what I said, but I take it back. Please!"

He turned to the desperate young man behind him, wondering how he was meant to escape this situation. The last time a girl had been like this, he'd kissed her cheek and she'd been so happy he was able to walk away. Perhaps Harry was the same level of obsessed? However, as Tom lean forward, the Gryffindor back away in shock. But he didn't let go.

"Then what do you want?" Tom shouted.

"I don't want you to kiss me if you don't want to!" Harry shouted back. "I'm trying to tell you I'm in love with you here. I'm trying to confess how much I know you, more than the other idiots who just think they love you."

"And what exactly do you think you know about me?"

Harry lowered his eyes, his hand moving on Tom's skin and drawing his gaze. His uncle's ring, bold and black on his finger, gently being caressed by the Gryffindor. Harry's voice was gentle as he spoke, telling the story of his mother saying the last Gaunt had passed, rotting in Azkaban for killing a muggle he'd been tormenting for years. A muggle that shared Tom's name, and many of his facial features. A muggle old enough to be Tom's father. And Morfin had been taken away, without the last Slytherin heirloom they could hold on to. His mother thought it very odd, but Harry could guess the parts in between when the ring showed up on Tom's finger. He looked back up and Tom almost ran away from the understanding green gaze.

"I also may, or may not, have been following you the evening Myrtle died. So I'd say I do know you more than them. I love you more than them.

"That's why I didn't want to say anything, or have you notice me. Because I know what you're capable of, but you don't know me. I can't let you kiss me because it means nothing to you, but I wouldn't be able to let you leave. It's hard enough to stop myself skinning the unworthy whores that keep touching you. I can barely stand the thought of you leaving me now I've told you."

Tome sneered, yanking his hand free, "I suppose your psychotic mind is imagining tying me up here until you're bored."

A crazy-sounding giggle escaped Potter, "Of course not. Has my gift and cleaning up after you not made it clear? I am yours, Tom Riddle. To tie up, or punish, or whatever you would ask of me. I would steal for you, torture for you, kill for you. I'm your slave, no strings attached. I love you, Jasmine thinks too much and I'm tempted to agree with her. I'll never be bored of you and I'll always want you."

It happened quickly, too quickly for Tom to understand why he moved. He went from listening to the declaration of frankly toxic adoration from the younger man in front of him, to pressing Harry into a wall by his throat and delving his tongue into his mouth. He wasn't thinking, just acting. Nobody had ever been so genuinely attached to him before, and it made him burn with want. Maybe that was the trigger of his actions, clinging onto the warm feeling that he'd always been denied. The younger boy gasped, not moving an inch other than his tongue to move with Tom's. And that wouldn't do.

"If you are mine to command, put your hands to better use than keeping them by your side."

"My lord," Harry moaned, sounding like he'd been dying to use the title. "I want to, but I don't want to-"

"Satisfy me. Many fools have thrown themselves at me, and I've never been the slightest bit interested. And yet here I am, with my hand on your throat, wanting your hands on me. I have no idea why I want you, I'll question it later because right now all I want to think about is how good you feel. So shut up."

Harry nodded, raising his hands to pull Tom back in for another kiss. Then they moved again, rubbing his shoulders and moving his hips forward to gyrate against the growing hardness in Tom's pants. Tom tightened his grip on his partner's neck instinctively, enjoying how green eyes rolled back and his hips stuttered. The other boy gave a strangled moan as he fumbled to unleash his lord's erection.

Tom moved to nibble Harry's ear, "I want you across that desk so I can pound you like yesterday's beef."

"Please, Tom. I need you, I can't stop now."

"Then strip and get on your back. Harry," Tom purred.

Potter moved like his clothes were burning him, needing to obey the order from his lover, his lord, while keeping their lips together. Harry practically ran to the empty desk, displaying his nakedness on his back, squirming under Tom's gaze. It sparked a memory, of the fearful squirming his followers did when he used parseltongue. It gave him an intriguing idea to test just how much Harry would accept him.

"You look beautiful laid out for me, Harry."

Harry shivered, biting his lip with a giggle, "in the mood for a surprise?"

Tom nodded, expecting to be told Harry loved the sibilance of the snake language, or he'd heard it from Tom's mouth before and thought it incredibly arousing. That was not the surprise he was given.

Harry opened his legs wider, running a finger down his body and wandlessly preparing his hole, "Please, my lord. Take me, I'm yours."

It was Tom's turn to shiver, vanishing his clothes with magic and climbing on top of Harry. He was a parselmouth. How was that possible?

"We're meant to be. I was made to be yours," Harry smiled, kissing his cheek and down his throat. "Please, make me yours, Tommy."

Without a word, without hesitation, Tom plunged his cock into Harry. They groaned in unison, taking a moment to revel in a physical bond of their apparent connection. Then Tom started moving, hard and rough, determined to make sure Harry would feel who owned him with every step he took. Repeating his thoughts to the younger boy beneath him had Harry begging for it harder.

"Please, I want to feel where you've claimed me. I want you to mark me. Please, Tommy, I'm yours and I want others to know about it. So nobody can try to take me away."

"Never," Tom hissed.

He sucked and bit along Harry's neck, snapping his hips as aggressively as he could, and wrapping a hand around his lover's weeping prick. He stroked Harry's member in time to his thrusts, loving the Gryffindor's uncontrolled ecstasy. It wasn't easy to maintain the speed of his hand as it began to cramp, but he pushed through. The reward of having Harry scream for him and unload over his chest made the pain worth it. Beautiful, satisfied green eyes shone at him, moving Tom's hand to hold his neck and began to beg in parseltongue, urging Tom to keep pounding him.

"I want you to come. I want to feel it inside me, marking me in a place only you know. Nobody has fucked me before, only you. I'm only yours. I'll only ever be yours, for as long as you want me. I love you, Tom, more than anyone. Please, let me feel your love inside me."

And it was like a dam burst, and Tom tensed as he pumped his cum into Harry, licking and sucking the boy's neck as he came down from his orgasm, it was unlike anything he'd felt before. His body was relaxed, his mind at peace and the sensation of Harry's finger running through his hair was soothing him to sleep. He had true clarity for a moment, seeing that he craved Harry's obedience and attention because nobody had promised him such unconditional, and he was starved for such affection.

"I hope you realise I'm only going to get worse with you. And I'll be even worse to the arseholes bad-mouthing you."

Tom laughed, light and genuine, for once dropping the mask he always hid behind, "I thought the sudden end to hurtful rumours was the work of my stalker. You come with so many benefits, don't you?"

"Of course," Harry smiled, making the Slytherin's heart hammer in his chest. "All I ever wanted to do was help make you happy and safe. I was okay staying in the shadows, so I didn't get possessive like I'm sure I will now. But I'll always help where you need me to. All you have to do is ask."

"Then this evening, I want you to use whatever charms you use to get close to me to sneak into the Slytherin dorms. You've done it before to leave me Anguis. I feel I'll sleep peacefully after a romp and with you playing with my hair."

"Anguis? Is that what you named the ashwinder?" Harry smiled, "I've always had a soft spot for snakes. And Seeing how hurt she'd become out there, I knew you'd protect her as well as she'd protect you."

"Yes, she's potential the greatest gift I'd ever received, unquestionably the most touching message. So, my dorm this evening for round 2?"

"Your wish is my command my lord," Harry giggled. "And all you had to do was notice me."

A/N: An idea that came from nowhere while I was trying to sleep. I was throwing about the idea of making it more of a story, like the rest of the relationship, but it was already so long. If enough people like the idea, I might make it into a series, but until then, I hope you enjoyed my bois getting together 3