Disclaimer: Tom Riddle, Professor Dippit and others do not belong to me.
FEELINGS YOU CAN'T DENY
Chapter six: Falling for You
The weekend of the Hogsmeade trip came and left. Nothing all that spectacular happened. I stayed in my dormitory or went to the common room or the library, studying and writing reports until my brain was sore.
I awoke, not even remembering falling asleep, to the sound of Hufflepuffs pouring into the common room. Clarissa ran up to me and was insistent on telling me every little detail of the trip. I could barely keep my eyes open as she went on about the Three Broomsticks, Butterbeer, and Honeydukes.
"Oh, and I saw Tom Riddle," Clarissa said, watching my reaction intently with a smile on her face. "He looked rather lonesome as he sat and stared at that abandoned house on the hill. I think he missed you."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Anyway," Clarissa went on, "what did you do while the rest of us were off in Hogsmeade?"
"What do you think I did?" I retorted.
"What you always do," Clarissa rolled her eyes. "This year is going to be no fun if you don't stop studying."
"After Christmas, everything will be different," I promised.
Clarissa nodded.
*******************
On Monday afternoon, I arrived at the library earlier than Tom and I had planned on meeting. I don't know why I did. Nerves, I guess. It wasn't every day that a Hufflepuff girl, who wasn't all that interesting, got to spend a good part of the evening with a heartthrob like Tom.
To pass the time before Tom arrived, I wondered around the library. What else was there to do really? I stopped by a shelf and scanned over the names. One book jumped out at me, not literally. I pulled it from the shelf and ran my fingers over the title, "Dangers of Dark Arts." Such things didn't interest me, but something about this book called to me. It was begging me to read it.
"Lina?"
I looked up at Tom.
"What are you doing way over here?" He asked.
"I was just," I began, glancing down at the book.
Tom gently slipped the book out of my hands and set it back in the shelf, saying, "We should get studying."
I nodded.
Tom and I went to the table where I had left my books, and we sat down.
"Any preference of where we start?" Tom asked, looking over my books.
"I'm having the most difficulty with Defense Against Dark Arts and Charms," I explained.
"Any particular charm?" Tom queried, pulling out his wand.
"I can't seem to get the Impediment charm to work," I muttered, feeling rather stupid.
"Have you been doing the swooping movement?" Tom asked, demonstrating it for me.
I just nodded.
"Try it so I can see what you're doing wrong," Tom requested, smiling.
I cleared my throat, swooped my wand, and casted, "Impedimenta."
Nothing happened. It wasn't a big surprise to me. That spell never worked. Tom glanced at my wand and gave me a half-smile.
"You need to say it with more conviction," Tom advised. He swooped his wand and declared, "Impedimenta!"
A blue-gray light shot at a nearby book trolley, completely enclosing it in ice. It was a little intimidating. I never had been all that good with casting. My parents were afraid I'd be a squib because of my lack in witchery talent. But it happened, nonetheless. My sister had been taunting me with some stupid magical prank she had gotten from a joke shop. I got so mad that I made lightening strike her. She was OK after a few days in the nearest Infirmary.
"Try it again," Tom instructed. "And this time, really mean it."
I tried it again, but nothing happened.
"Maybe we should try this differently," Tom said, glancing about pensively. "Ah-ha! Got it!"
Tom took my hand and pulled me out of my chair. Both hands on my shoulders, he stood me at one end of an aisle of books. I watched, confused, as he stood at the other end of the aisle.
"I am...a troll."
That was hard to imagine.
"And I'm coming to get you," Tom said, grinning fiercely. "You'd better blast me away."
"I don't know, Tom," I laughed. "This is silly."
Tom scratched his head in thought.
"All right, then," he said, walking toward me. "I'll just have to attack you."
"No!" I commanded, backing up.
**I've been so totally wrapped up
Emotionally attracted
So physically acting
So recklessly
I need you so desperately
As sure as the sky is blue**
-"I Love You."
Tom kept coming, a roguish smile on his face.
"Stop!" I cried, still walking backward.
"You want me to stop?" Tom asked. "You'll have to cast a spell then."
I started grabbing random books and throwing them at him. He dodged them with ease. Must have been all those years of avoiding bludgers.
I stopped, fumbling through my robes for my wand. By the time I could pull it out, Tom was less than a meter away. He grabbed my wand hand, pulling me toward him.
"Impedimenta!" I screamed.
Blue light flew from the end of my wand into the air, missing Tom by a long shot. The blast caused me to loose my balance and pull Tom down with me, landing face to face, Tom on top of me. Neither of us attempted to get up. My heart was pounding so hard, I thought it might break through my ribs. Tom's heart was beating pretty fast, too. I could feel it as his chest was pressing against me. Breathing hard, I stared into Tom's deep blue eyes. He let go of my hand and gently brushed some hairs out of my face.
"Lina," Tom whispered, his eyes scanning my face.
**I surrender
There's no use in fighting
As strong as I am
This is stronger than me
I'm outnumbered
So many emotions are holding me down
And setting me free
So tender
This pull on my heart
I surrender**
-"I Surrender"
I would have given anything to know what he was thinking at that moment. Was he internally ridiculing me for being such a klutz? Was Quidditch flashing across his mind? Maybe he, like me, was longing for our lips to meet.
Suddenly, Tom lifted himself off of me and stood over me with his hand out. It seemed he had been thinking that we should get back to work. I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet.
"Well," Tom began, sounding almost as embarrassed as I felt. "You did a pretty good job on that spell."
"Thanks," I muttered, avoiding his eyes.
"Maybe you could practice more," Tom told me, folding his arms uncomfortably, "so that you aren't knocked off your feet next time."
"I-I'll do that," I said, placing my arms behind my back.
"Good," Tom replied.
"Yup," I said.
"Great," Tom muttered, glancing around.
"Well," I began. "I ought to return to Hufflepuff common. I have many reports to write. I'll see you."
"We do have more things to cover," Tom insisted.
"I think we covered enough for tonight," I said quickly, feeling my face turn red.
Tom just nodded. I made my way quickly to the nearest exit from the library.
"Hey," Tom called after me, "if you ever need more help with...anything, I'd be glad to...help."
"Thanks," I muttered, half-smiling, then continued on.
*************
"Are you going to tell me?" Clarissa begged.
"I don't think so," I muttered, sinking low into the puffy chair I was sitting in.
"Oh, come on!" Clarissa pleaded, dropping to her knees. "Something had to have happened or you wouldn't have been so flushed when you came in. You can tell me!"
"Ok," I conceded. "We were in the library and...and..." I felt myself growing scarlet.
"Did he kiss you?" Clarissa demanded, shaking with excitement.
"No," I groaned. "He just fell on top of me."
"Then what?" she urged.
"Nothing," I assured her. "He got back up."
"That's nothing to be flushed about," Clarissa said, disappointed.
"Have you ever had a guy laying on top of you?" I exclaimed, louder than I had meant to. "Believe me, it's plenty to be flushed about."
"Are you going on another date with him?" Clarissa queried.
"That wasn't a date," I insisted. "And...I don't know yet. I think I'm too embarrassed to look at him at the moment."
**I'm so close to you, baby
But I'm so far away
There's a silence between us
When there's so much to say
You're my strength-You're my weakness
You're my faith-You're my doubt
We've got to meet in the middle
To work this thing out.**
"More Love"
A/N: I think I messed up on the Impedimeta charm. I don't think it does freeze. But, anyway, since my computer crashed, I lost all my spell infromation, so I guessed.
FEELINGS YOU CAN'T DENY
Chapter six: Falling for You
The weekend of the Hogsmeade trip came and left. Nothing all that spectacular happened. I stayed in my dormitory or went to the common room or the library, studying and writing reports until my brain was sore.
I awoke, not even remembering falling asleep, to the sound of Hufflepuffs pouring into the common room. Clarissa ran up to me and was insistent on telling me every little detail of the trip. I could barely keep my eyes open as she went on about the Three Broomsticks, Butterbeer, and Honeydukes.
"Oh, and I saw Tom Riddle," Clarissa said, watching my reaction intently with a smile on her face. "He looked rather lonesome as he sat and stared at that abandoned house on the hill. I think he missed you."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Anyway," Clarissa went on, "what did you do while the rest of us were off in Hogsmeade?"
"What do you think I did?" I retorted.
"What you always do," Clarissa rolled her eyes. "This year is going to be no fun if you don't stop studying."
"After Christmas, everything will be different," I promised.
Clarissa nodded.
*******************
On Monday afternoon, I arrived at the library earlier than Tom and I had planned on meeting. I don't know why I did. Nerves, I guess. It wasn't every day that a Hufflepuff girl, who wasn't all that interesting, got to spend a good part of the evening with a heartthrob like Tom.
To pass the time before Tom arrived, I wondered around the library. What else was there to do really? I stopped by a shelf and scanned over the names. One book jumped out at me, not literally. I pulled it from the shelf and ran my fingers over the title, "Dangers of Dark Arts." Such things didn't interest me, but something about this book called to me. It was begging me to read it.
"Lina?"
I looked up at Tom.
"What are you doing way over here?" He asked.
"I was just," I began, glancing down at the book.
Tom gently slipped the book out of my hands and set it back in the shelf, saying, "We should get studying."
I nodded.
Tom and I went to the table where I had left my books, and we sat down.
"Any preference of where we start?" Tom asked, looking over my books.
"I'm having the most difficulty with Defense Against Dark Arts and Charms," I explained.
"Any particular charm?" Tom queried, pulling out his wand.
"I can't seem to get the Impediment charm to work," I muttered, feeling rather stupid.
"Have you been doing the swooping movement?" Tom asked, demonstrating it for me.
I just nodded.
"Try it so I can see what you're doing wrong," Tom requested, smiling.
I cleared my throat, swooped my wand, and casted, "Impedimenta."
Nothing happened. It wasn't a big surprise to me. That spell never worked. Tom glanced at my wand and gave me a half-smile.
"You need to say it with more conviction," Tom advised. He swooped his wand and declared, "Impedimenta!"
A blue-gray light shot at a nearby book trolley, completely enclosing it in ice. It was a little intimidating. I never had been all that good with casting. My parents were afraid I'd be a squib because of my lack in witchery talent. But it happened, nonetheless. My sister had been taunting me with some stupid magical prank she had gotten from a joke shop. I got so mad that I made lightening strike her. She was OK after a few days in the nearest Infirmary.
"Try it again," Tom instructed. "And this time, really mean it."
I tried it again, but nothing happened.
"Maybe we should try this differently," Tom said, glancing about pensively. "Ah-ha! Got it!"
Tom took my hand and pulled me out of my chair. Both hands on my shoulders, he stood me at one end of an aisle of books. I watched, confused, as he stood at the other end of the aisle.
"I am...a troll."
That was hard to imagine.
"And I'm coming to get you," Tom said, grinning fiercely. "You'd better blast me away."
"I don't know, Tom," I laughed. "This is silly."
Tom scratched his head in thought.
"All right, then," he said, walking toward me. "I'll just have to attack you."
"No!" I commanded, backing up.
**I've been so totally wrapped up
Emotionally attracted
So physically acting
So recklessly
I need you so desperately
As sure as the sky is blue**
-"I Love You."
Tom kept coming, a roguish smile on his face.
"Stop!" I cried, still walking backward.
"You want me to stop?" Tom asked. "You'll have to cast a spell then."
I started grabbing random books and throwing them at him. He dodged them with ease. Must have been all those years of avoiding bludgers.
I stopped, fumbling through my robes for my wand. By the time I could pull it out, Tom was less than a meter away. He grabbed my wand hand, pulling me toward him.
"Impedimenta!" I screamed.
Blue light flew from the end of my wand into the air, missing Tom by a long shot. The blast caused me to loose my balance and pull Tom down with me, landing face to face, Tom on top of me. Neither of us attempted to get up. My heart was pounding so hard, I thought it might break through my ribs. Tom's heart was beating pretty fast, too. I could feel it as his chest was pressing against me. Breathing hard, I stared into Tom's deep blue eyes. He let go of my hand and gently brushed some hairs out of my face.
"Lina," Tom whispered, his eyes scanning my face.
**I surrender
There's no use in fighting
As strong as I am
This is stronger than me
I'm outnumbered
So many emotions are holding me down
And setting me free
So tender
This pull on my heart
I surrender**
-"I Surrender"
I would have given anything to know what he was thinking at that moment. Was he internally ridiculing me for being such a klutz? Was Quidditch flashing across his mind? Maybe he, like me, was longing for our lips to meet.
Suddenly, Tom lifted himself off of me and stood over me with his hand out. It seemed he had been thinking that we should get back to work. I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet.
"Well," Tom began, sounding almost as embarrassed as I felt. "You did a pretty good job on that spell."
"Thanks," I muttered, avoiding his eyes.
"Maybe you could practice more," Tom told me, folding his arms uncomfortably, "so that you aren't knocked off your feet next time."
"I-I'll do that," I said, placing my arms behind my back.
"Good," Tom replied.
"Yup," I said.
"Great," Tom muttered, glancing around.
"Well," I began. "I ought to return to Hufflepuff common. I have many reports to write. I'll see you."
"We do have more things to cover," Tom insisted.
"I think we covered enough for tonight," I said quickly, feeling my face turn red.
Tom just nodded. I made my way quickly to the nearest exit from the library.
"Hey," Tom called after me, "if you ever need more help with...anything, I'd be glad to...help."
"Thanks," I muttered, half-smiling, then continued on.
*************
"Are you going to tell me?" Clarissa begged.
"I don't think so," I muttered, sinking low into the puffy chair I was sitting in.
"Oh, come on!" Clarissa pleaded, dropping to her knees. "Something had to have happened or you wouldn't have been so flushed when you came in. You can tell me!"
"Ok," I conceded. "We were in the library and...and..." I felt myself growing scarlet.
"Did he kiss you?" Clarissa demanded, shaking with excitement.
"No," I groaned. "He just fell on top of me."
"Then what?" she urged.
"Nothing," I assured her. "He got back up."
"That's nothing to be flushed about," Clarissa said, disappointed.
"Have you ever had a guy laying on top of you?" I exclaimed, louder than I had meant to. "Believe me, it's plenty to be flushed about."
"Are you going on another date with him?" Clarissa queried.
"That wasn't a date," I insisted. "And...I don't know yet. I think I'm too embarrassed to look at him at the moment."
**I'm so close to you, baby
But I'm so far away
There's a silence between us
When there's so much to say
You're my strength-You're my weakness
You're my faith-You're my doubt
We've got to meet in the middle
To work this thing out.**
"More Love"
A/N: I think I messed up on the Impedimeta charm. I don't think it does freeze. But, anyway, since my computer crashed, I lost all my spell infromation, so I guessed.