A/N: Hello people. I tell you: it's 4.00 am, and I'm still awake. I had the urge to write (my muses keep attacking me) and this is what came out.
On with the show!!

TIME-TRAVEL
Chapter 3: Nightmares.



Harry's eyes snapped open. A pale hand was placed on his chest and he could feel Tom's breathing on his neck. He wasn't complaining, but he wasn't accustomed to that kind of... proximity, so to speak.
And even though he felt slightly uncomfortable, he decided not to bother Tom about it. Instead, he stroked the other boy's hair. It felt like velvet between his fingers.

Suddenly, Tom shuddered and Harry removed his hand. The boy kept on shaking, and twisting rather violently. Harry was kicked out of bed. He watched the scene developing, confused.

"No!" Tom screamed "please, don't!!"
Harry shocked.
"NOO!!! Please, father, no more!!" he kept shivering as Harry tried in vain, to wake him up.

He went to the bathroom to grab a glass of water. When he was back, he heard something that stopped him from letting the liquid spill over the other boy's face.

"It hurts..." Tom was now crying "please, don't make me-" he gasped "Mother..." he said, almost in a whisper "Av-Avada Kedavra!"

Right then Harry decided it was time to wake him up. This was too painful, even to Voldemort. He let the water fall from the glass, collapsing with the Slytherin's face.
As Tom opened his eyes, fear still darkening them, Harry knelt by his side. Holding him and muttering encouraging words, he felt Tom tightly retrieving his embrace.

"I'm so sorry" he cried into Harry's shoulder "I'm so sorry..."
"you don't have to be sorry, it was just a bad dream-"
"No!" Tom yelled without thinking "it- wasn't just a dream..."

* * *

Tom was cuddled on one of the armchairs, staring numbly at the fireplace. He had told Harry about that fateful day, when his father found out his wife was a witch. Tom was eleven, and had just got accepted in Hogwarts. His father hated magic, and he got mad at the news, beating Tom's mother to death. Tom thought he was to blame for this, so he felt responsible of taking revenge as well.
His mother had introduced him to the dark arts. He was supposed to learn about this to protect himself, and never even thought of using any form of it.
But he did.

When his father died, Tom was sent to an orphanage until he started school. Professor Dippet had always been protective to him, and had been the only one to stand by Tom's side. The students wouldn't talk to him. Being in Slytherin, he was hated by all the houses except his. But the Slytherins themselves thought of him like scum just for being an orphan. So, basically, Tom was alone in the world.

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked.
"I don't know" Tom kept crying and staring at the fireplace. He was too embarrassed to look into Harry's eyes "I just... trust you for some odd reason..."
"You don't have many friends, do you?" Harry asked as he made his way to the crying boy. He cuddled next to him, holding him.
Tom pulled Harry closer and, burying his face on his stomach, cried "I have no friends"

Harry let a silent tear make its way down his cheek. He kept caressing velvet-like hair.

The crying ceased just as Harry's legs started to ache. He was sitting in a very uncomfortable position. He adapted the best he could, trying not to disturb Tom. He was still holding him.
-Who would have thought Voldemort had such a hard childhood? He was hurt deeply, I can tell... His mother was murdered for being a witch, and, as he was a wizard, it was logical for him to react that way. Still, how could an eleven year old cast an Avada Kedavra?-
Harry's train of thought was cut off by a snore. Tom had fallen asleep. In his arms -I'm going to regret this in the morning-. Without even noticing, Harry started cradling him. He rested his cheek on Tom's hair, the smell of lavender (those purple bubbles) lulled him to sleep.

* * *

He woke up two hours later -It's five in morning already?- to realise Tom was awake as well.

"Why didn't you let me know you were awake?" Harry asked drowsily.
"You were sleeping. I didn't want to bother you... again" Tom blushed.
Harry rolled his eyes in mocking manner "Why don't you get to bed? Maybe you can have some decent sleep..."
At the Gryffindor's suggestion, Tom raised an eyebrow.
"Me? What about you? You need it more than I do" he stated "We'll both go to bed. I'm taking a day off"
Harry smiled "ok, but promise you won't kick me out of bed again"
"I'll try" Tom grinned and led Harry to the bed.

* * *

Harry had no idea that Tom was dreaming about him, even when the other boy was talking in his sleep "Harold...". Harry (Harold) was too caught up in his own fantasy world to notice. He didn't notice either when Tom cuddled next to him, legs entwined, a hand resting on his chest once again.

* * *

The clock on the wall told it was twelve pm. Harry was still drowsy, but decided it was time to wake up. Then again, his mission consisted on keeping an eye on young Tommy here and said boy was sleeping, meaning he'd have to stay in bed.
Tom looked like a fallen angel. Pain still showing through closed eyelids, his perfect body twisted in a weird angle. White as milk, grey shadows under his reddened eyes. He seemed to be in peace, though. He felt secure.

The look was both beautiful and sad.

He could identify with this boy. Both were half-muggle; both were orphans; both were abused in their childhood... Harry only had bad memories about his childhood, and his life in general before going to Hogwarts.

Still, this boy lying next to him was to blame for his parents' death. -No! It has to be a mistake... he couldn't. There has to be something we don't know... this boy can't be Lord Voldemort-
Pain shot through his chest and had the need to hold Tom close. Very close. So close he didn't notice the boy was now awakening.

Half an hour passed before Tom managed to slip from Harry's grip. Smiling, he placed a small kiss on the other boy's lips.
Harry started blushing furiously. His first kiss with a boy.
His brain processed the information, leading him to conclude: -my first kiss with a boy! Tom Riddle, no less... and it felt... right... but it's not- he shook his head -I'll pretend to be asleep-

Tom embraced Harry. And even being almost one in the afternoon, they fell asleep once again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I loved this chappie. I truly did. I don't know why... It was sad, but rather sweet... As long as this doesn't get all corny, I'm fine with it...
Harry liked the kiss... hehe, the perverted bastard...
Anywho, review if you please (or should I say, please review!!!).

"Haemoglobin is the key to a healthy heartbeat..."
(Snape: she's been drilling my eardrums with Placebo all day...)