Author's Note: I would recommend rereading the end of the previous chapter before beginning this one. At the time, it seemed like a good idea to split up Charlotte and Tom's reactions, but now I feel like the emotion is more perceptible if the other two scenes are still fresh on your mind. Up to you~

EDIT: As of now, about 2 hours after I first posted this chapter, I changed the ending, extending Valeria and Charlotte's conversation.

Charlotte had run no risk of running into Tom that evening, as he was also avoiding her. Wanting to be left alone, he had thrown the other three boys out of their own dormitory, and was now pacing around the room. He had gotten what he wanted, heard Charlotte tell him she was his, but the interaction had been impulsive; he had looked at her and been overwhelmed, suddenly needing the words right then—foolishly. It had seemed like a perfect time to have things play out as he wished; however, the entire thing, after the fact, felt absurd. He was losing control—not of Charlotte; that he had demonstrated most effectively that afternoon, and it had been a glorious feeling—but of himself. Having allowed himself to act against his better judgment that day, he was concerned for what the future might hold, whether Charlotte might lead him down a path he did not want to take. That was precisely what he had always known love did, one of its insidious designs to prevent true glory from being attained. He had something he wanted to accomplish, the task of the Heir of Slytherin, and feelings for Charlotte were getting in the way, making him lose focus on his goal. It wasn't love,—he hadn't lost himself entirely yet—but it was something that could grow into love. Maybe.

He had never felt love and didn't see how it could suddenly manifest now, but he was afraid it might. Afraid— and he didn't like that. He didn't want to fear anything, and fearing love was especially repugnant. He hated love all the more for it.

A test in Ancient Runes was looming at the end of the week, and Charlotte felt unprepared. As Valeria had said at the end of the previous semester, when end of term exams were taking place, she had a natural aptitude for the subject, but that only made it more difficult when she suddenly found it challenging. She had gone to the library to consult some books in the Runes section, and who should she find sitting there, but Oliver Winship.

She saw him, but he didn't notice her, which was fine in her opinion because she was on a mission. She went to the other side of the bookcase to look for some helpful texts. Having selected a few volumes, she looked for an available table. Before she could get anywhere, however, Oliver came around the corner, a stack of similar books in his hands; he smiled when he saw her.

"That's quite a collection of reading material you've picked out there," he said, nodding towards her pile.

"I've got an exam, and based on how much I think I understand right now, I'll be lucky if I pass."

"Well, I'm still taking Ancient Runes as a NEWT student, so maybe I can help you?"

Charlotte hesitated. Tom took Ancient Runes with her. Letting Oliver help her as opposed to him was not likely to ease his jealousy. But Oliver was more knowledgeable about the subject, so she could justify getting help from him instead of Tom, and Oliver had offered while Tom had not, so… "Yes, please. Thank you," she said, gathering her books to go back to his table with him, and hoping that Tom did not find them there. She should have known better than to not expect to run into him in the library.

Oliver had clarified a number of things she was struggling with, and the tutoring session was going quite well, Charlotte feeling much more confident about that exam, when her boyfriend most inconveniently made an appearance.

"Studying for the Ancient Runes exam?" he asked, with surprising politeness, as he approached their table.

All Charlotte said in response was "Yes."

"How are you, Winship?"

"Not too bad. How about you, Riddle?"

"Fine," Tom answered calmly. Turning to Charlotte, he said, "Well, once the exam is out of the way, you have Hogsmeade to look forward to. I'm certainly looking forward to it."

"Oh? You're going again this time?" She asked with a smile, meant to hide her true present feelings about him, which were in turmoil.

"Yes." He smiled at her. "It's a good time for us to spend together—the closest thing we can have to a date here." Glancing at Oliver and then back to her, he added, "Let's talk more about it later." While he spoke to her, she could tell he was watching her expression. Not knowing his precise reason for doing so, she kept her lips fixed firmly into a smile, having had plenty of experience with this maneuver on the sorts of occasions she had been obligated to attend throughout her life, as the daughter of a wealthy family. Tom had said his parting words, it seemed, and turned to leave.

As he was walking away, Oliver said to her, "Good to see you two are on better terms." Charlotte became tense and just had time to flash him a concerned look before Tom turned back to them again. She kept her facial expression placid.

"When were we not on good terms?" asked Tom quietly.

Oliver, realizing his mistake, laughed heartily and said, "Exactly! That's the joke. When aren't you on good terms? You're a perfect couple."

Charlotte laughed along with him to maintain the cover-up. Still, Tom didn't seem convinced. Before he could say anything, however, Charlotte walked over to him and took his hands in hers. She wished she could spare Oliver this scene, but felt it was necessary in order to secure Tom's trust. "I think we're perfect too." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Let's make plans for Hogsmeade soon. You did want to have a plan, didn't you? Is that not why you said we should talk about it?"

He turned her away from Oliver and said in a lowered voice, "Actually I wanted to talk about plans for after Hogsmeade. As in—"

"That night?" Charlotte cut him off. He nodded. She had been afraid that's what he was getting at.

She could simply decline. But then wouldn't he wonder why? She could make up a reason—but she had a feeling he would be persistent. Yet wasn't that exactly what was her concern was? His occasional controlling tendencies gave her pause. She was experiencing that hesitation right now; however, she didn't know how much longer she could remain in uncertainty. She would have to choose to either confront him or to let it go, very soon.

"I'll see you in the common room then," she said, to imply that they would talk later, as he had intended. She smiled. He simply nodded again and gave a faint smile back.

As she went back to the table, Oliver, this time waiting until Tom was out of earshot, said, "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Well, we handled it. But please don't do it again."

"Have you… talked to anyone else about him? Like Valeria?" Charlotte shook her head.

She took a deep breath and stood up abruptly. "I'll go right now and I'll get her opinion on it."

"I'll put your books away for you."

...

"I'm glad I found you here," Charlotte said to her friend, entering their dormitory. Valeria was standing in front of a dress form, working on the secret project she had hinted about at Slughorn's brunch. Charlotte, of course, knew all about it. "Can you drape and talk?"

"No," she answered. "But I can take a break to chat."

Charlotte sat down uneasily. "It's not exactly… well… It's something serious."

Valeria sat down too and composed herself to hear the serious topic—in a way that came off as a bit comical. Charlotte felt more anxious. She wished she had become closer to a greater number of people. Valeria was wonderful, but there was still that difficulty she had, or that Charlotte felt she had at least, in discussing severe matters.

"Remember when we were talking about Tom and—"

Valeria interjected. "You'll have to be more specific," she giggled. "Sorry." She composed herself again. "Serious." She truly did look upset with herself for her impulsive jest.

"After he first said I love you… and I said I loved him," she added, mostly to herself. "You asked if he made me feel pressured." Valeria nodded.

"And you said no, he didn't. Has something made you reconsider that?"

"A combination of things…"

"Well if it's how he acted towards Oliver, like you told me about—everyone gets jealous. And he seemed civil enough when they were in the same room at the brunch. What are you worried about?" she asked, genuinely.

Charlotte paused. "That's a good question. I don't really know."

"He can't be perfect." Valeria shrugged. "If I recall correctly, in that conversation we also thought maybe you should talk to Tom about your concerns. Can you do that?"

At that point, she had been reluctant when they had talked about that course of action; Valeria had commented, "I can't say that's a very good sign", that Charlotte felt she couldn't talk to Tom about this.

"I guess I already did," she said, remembering their conversation in the deserted classroom right after he had first met Oliver.

"And what happened?"

"He's been better since then…"

"Well that's great! That's as perfect as you can ask somebody to be. You saw a problem, both of you talked about it, and he changed. Ideal series of events. So there must be something else?"

She tried to explain to Valeria what had happened by the lake.

"You still feel like he's getting too possessive?" Charlotte got the impression that she didn't understand. But how could she? She wasn't there. She didn't hear his words for herself. Charlotte couldn't properly express what she had sensed in them. Maybe that meant she had imagined or misinterpreted the subtext that had caused her concern—and it had been easy enough to push away when he was kissing her; she had asked him afterwards, without hesitation, to kiss her again.

"That's what I'm getting at, yes."

Valeria stayed quiet in thought, then said, "I'm sorry; I don't know what to tell you." After further consideration, she spoke again. "Maybe you're afraid of the commitment?" she offered.

"I shouldn't have to think about commitment; I'm sixteen!"

"It's not like he asked you to marry him."

"No, he didn't. But the idea is the same—to never want to be with anyone else?"

"I think you're reading too much into it. People say all kinds of things, people exaggerate. How many romances have started with 'You're the one', and still ended? A lot."

"You're wrong—about me having a fear of commitment. I think it's the opposite," Charlotte said slowly. "I want to love him unconditionally, forever, but I don't want that to be a wrong choice."

"You don't want to devote yourself to someone who is going to disappoint you? That's—" Valeria held her mouth open for a moment and then closed it without saying anymore. Charlotte looked at her questioningly. "I was going to say something sarcastic, but I thought that might be a bit insensitive." Charlotte smiled.

"Go on, I'm curious now," she laughed.

"Well it's just, that's odd. Most people think getting their heart broken is fantastic and actually hope that their relationships don't work out."

Charlotte was glad her friend had initially stopped herself from saying this; it would have hurt, had Charlotte not invited the sarcasm after the fact. But it helped her realize something and, as she spoke, she tried to reassure herself. "I see your point. This is normal. So, I'll try to stop worrying so much."