A/N: Because this story isn't pre-planned out, it may come across as jumbled or confusing. I hope not very much, though. Also, the Clarissa character's personality may come out as erratic. And even though the main character is named after me, she's not quite me. I had originally intended for her to be me, but I strayed from my personality.

Disclaimer: Tom Riddle, Armondo Dippet, Albus Dumbledore, and Professor Binns do not belong to me.

FEELINGS YOU CAN'T DENY
Chapter Two: Notes

I got up early the next morning since I had so much to do. Clarissa was still asleep when I left our dormitory and headed into the common room. The fireplace was still magically burning and very few people were up and sitting about the common room. I hadn't the time to chat, so I continued out the door. After passing through the immaterial wall, I made my way to my first class of the day, Transfiguration. A very tall man with golden hair and a long crooked nose stood at a shelf of miscellaneous items.

"Professor Dumbledore," I whispered.

He turned to me and smiled, his blue eyes sparkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Good morning, Miss Shay," he greeted kindly. "You're up quite early.

"Yes, I know," I informed. "I just wanted to get caught up. Is there any work you can give me?"

"We did learn a couple of incantations while you were gone," Dumbledore told me. "Of course, it took us a month to perfect each. I'll give you just one and when you can pass it off, I'll let you learn the other."

"I can take them both now," I insisted.

"They are hard incantations, Miss Shay," Dumbledore said, sounding worried. "It would be best if you learned them one at a time."

"I can handle it," I assured him, persistently.

"Alright," he gave in, reluctantly.

Dumbledore went over to his desk and pulled out two large pieces of parchment. He rolled them up and handed them to me.

"Thank you, Professor," I said, leaving the room.

"Miss Shay," someone said.

I immediately turned around and looked up at Tom Riddle. He had such a handsome smile as he greeted me. I felt a tingle crawl under the skin of my arms.

"Hello, Mr. Riddle," I said shyly.

"Let's not be so formal," he laughed. "Just call me Tom."

"Alright," I giggled. "My name is Lina then."

Tom nodded, still smiling.

My toes curled up and rubbed against the soles of my shoes as we just looked at each other.

"Where're you off to?" Tom asked.

"Um.." I wasn't sure. Why had I gotten up so early? Why was I leaving Dumbledore's class? I looked down at the papers in my hand. The incantations. "Homework! I-I am getting homework that I missed."

Tom raised his eyebrows in an amused manner.

"That's good," he chuckled, obviously noticing that I was an idiot and it took me a while to remember what I was doing. I felt like such a dork.

"It'll take much for you to catch up," Tom informed. "You might think of getting someone to help you."

"I can do it," I told him. "I'm sure I can catch up. I just need to work extra hard."

"With an attitude like that," Tom began, "I'm sure you'll be up to the rest of us in no time."

I blushed.

"I'm gonna head off to breakfast," he said, invitingly.

"Well, there's more homework I must get for tonight," I informed.

"I'll see you later then," Tom assumed, smiling pleasantly.

I smiled back at him as he turned and headed for the main staircase to go down to breakfast. I stared after him for a moment. I just didn't understand. How could I care for him as much as I did?

**I'm crazy for you
Touch me once and you'll know it's true
I never wanted anyone like this
It's all brand new**
-"Crazy For You"

I hurried to my other classes to gather the work I had missed. Once my workload had gotten so numerous that I could barely carry it, I headed for Hufflepuff Hall. I reached up to pull the torch when someone came bursting through the fake wall and collided into me. Books and parchment, not to mention broken flasks containing ingredients for a highly complex spell, were everywhere. I was mortified. Quickly, I shot a glance at the clumsy git that did this. Clarissa blinked back at me through crooked glasses.

"Oh, Lina!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry. I was coming to look for you. I was so worried when you weren't in the common room. Look what I did. I am so sorry.!"

"It's alright," I sighed in defeat. How could I be mad at her?

Clarissa suddenly smiled at me, "Eating breakfast?"

"No," I said, "I have way too much work to do."

"You need food if you want to do your best," Clarissa claimed.

I smiled at her. She made a good argument. I could always do my work between classes.

"Alright," I said, "just let me put this stuff in our room."

"I'll help," Clarissa insisted.

Clarissa and I gathered up my things, being careful in picking up the glass pieces. We dropped everything off on my bed. I would surely clean it up later. We made our way down to the Great Hall. It had not left my mind that Tom Riddle was going to be at breakfast at that moment.

Clarissa and I entered the Great Hall. It was late by that time, so not many students lingered there. But Tom did. He sat in a small group, laughing at hooting at who knows what. Clarissa rook my arm and dragged me to Hufflepuff table.

"I thought we talked about that," Clarissa said once we were sitting down.

"'Bout what?" I asked.

"Tom Riddle," Clarissa began. "I don't want to have to say this to you again but-"

"I know!" I interrupted. "I understand what you're saying and you're right. But I just can't help but like him, despite all."

Clarissa shook her head.

"Hey, girls!"

Clarissa and I looked toward Slytherin table. Tom's group was leaving the Great Hall and he was looking at us.

"Time to get a move on it," he informed us.

Clarissa and I got up, taking our things, and headed toward the door. We passed right by Tom. I felt Tom following us out the door. As we turned to walk up the main staircase, Tom left us. I glanced over my shoulder to see him heading out the large front door. He turned back.

"Good luck catching-up, Lina," Tom called after me.

I smiled.

Clarissa grabbed my arm, saying, "He spoke to you!"

Of course he did," I laughed.

"But you're...you and he's....him!" Clarissa exclaimed.

I knew what she was saying, somewhat. He's popular and I'm not. I wasn't sure what that had to do with anything. Tom was nice to me because I was new to the school year and I was behind. I just didn't get her problem.

"Maybe I was wrong," Clarissa gasped. "You two might work out."

"What are you talking about?" I questioned as we were heading down the hall toward Transfiguration. "If we're anything, we're just friends. Its not even that far."

"The best relationships start with friendship," Clarissa informed.

"You're crazy," I commented. "I assure you, nothing could happen with us. Guys like Tom date beauty queens, not girls like me."

Clarissa let it go. Her idea was thought provoking. Was it possible that Tom and my meager friendship could become more? It sounded practically impossible. The idea of Tom wanting a plain and boring girl like me was ludicrous.

Clarissa and I walked into Transfiguration a little late. I wondered if Tom had been late for his class. Since he was heading outside, he had to have Study of Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, or Herbology. Since Study of Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures were both after lunch, he had to be going to Herbology.

"Welcome to class, Miss Shay, Miss Robins," Professor Dumbledore greeted, not looking a bit annoyed. Of course, Dumbledore never really was upsetable.

"Sorry we're late, sir," I apologized.

"It's alright, Miss Shay," Dumbledore smiled. "Take your seats."

Clarissa and I walked back to two seats close together. We took out our Advanced Transfiguration books and rolls of parchment.

"We're going to learn a new incantation for the next few weeks," Dumbeldore informed us. "This particular incantation will help us to change a wardrobe into a pare of trousers."

Dumbeldore went over and pulled a large wardrobe to the middle of the room. He looked quite proud that he could get the large piece of furniture half-way across the room.

"But, sir," a Gryffindor said, rasing his hand, "a wardrobe is much bigger then a pare of trousers."

"Quite true, Mr. Hawkins," Dumbeldore smiled. "You have to understand, though, that when it comes to magic, size doesn't matter."

"This one'll be hard," the boy added.

"Indeed, Mr. Hawkins."

Clarissa set a scroll of parchment on my desk. I unrolled it and read her note.

"D'you think you'll go to the Valentines Ball?" the note asked.

I scrawled the answer, "Not likely. Tom Riddle and I aren't that way. Besides, why would he want to go with me?"

I handed the note back.

"On page fifty-seven of Advanced Transfiguration, you will find the incantation," Dumbledore informed.

While I was turning pages, the note was passes back. I looked at it.

"Why would he want to go with you? He's flirting with you already."

I snorted, writing, "He hasn't flirted with me. What are you talking about?"

I put the note down on Clarissa's desk.

"The second 'the' in the fourth line of the incantation has to be emphasized and the last 'are' in the fifth line should be said with conviction," Dumbeldore instructed.

I found that piece of parchment on the corner of my desk again. It read:

"Just before class. Remember what he said?"

"He wished me luck," I wrote. "Sure, that's a major come-on."

After tossing the paper at Clarissa, I went back to following the incantation. The note was back on my desk within seconds.

"Did you see the smile on his face? The way he was looking at you? That was not just a wish for luck. That was a 'I want you, Lina!'"

I snorted again.

Clarissa, seeing my reaction, added in a whisper, "Maybe not that extreme, but it was flirting."

I just laughed at her.

For the rest of the hour, we chanted the incantation over and over again, trying to remember all the different ways we had to say different words. Nothing happened. When we were beginning to doubt if it was possible, Dumbledore recited the incantation and proved us wrong. The wardrobe shook and gleamed and, with a pop, fell to the floor as a pare of old brown trousers.

"Of course he can do it," Clarissa grumbled. "He's one of the most powerful wizards alive."

After class, Clarissa and I started on our way to Hufflepuff Hall. It was in my intention to organize my things and, maybe, get some work done. As we were en route to the fake wall, we intercepted a group of Slytherin boys. I scanned the crowd for Tom, disappointed to not find him among them.

"Looking for someone?" Clarissa asked, smiling teasingly at me.

"Perhaps," I told her, not wanting to disclose my desire to see him.

"Of course you are," Clarissa said with a giggle. "You're wanting Tom Riddle to come up to you, put his arms around you, and kiss you passionately until you're gasping for air, and you say, 'Oh, Tom!'"

"Talking about me?"

Clarissa and I jumped. Tom Riddle had come up behind us, but how long had he been listening? I felt a rush of heat put redness in my cheeks.

"Talking?" Clarissa repeated, obviously trying to bail me out. "We were just discussing a book I once read. Yes, and we were imagining ourselves as the main character."

Tom looked confused.

"The character likes a boy named Tom...Tom Rocks," Clarissa continued.

I watched Tom carefully, trying to see whether or not he was convinced. He looked more like he didn't have the slightest idea what she was rambling on about. I concluded that he had only heard his name and decided to butt in because of it.

"I told Lina that she needs to get more into stories," Clarissa babbled. "So i was trying to help her visualize herself as the main character. So you can see that we were clearly not discussing you."

Tom blinked at her.

"Alright then," he said, his lips curling into his usual pleasant smile. "Sorry I asked. I guess I'll see you girls in Charms this afternoon."

Tom bowed his head slightly and continued down the corridor.

"Fast thinker, aren't I?" Clarissa asked, sounding quite proud of herself.

"You were great," I said, just trying at reassure her.