Disclaimer: Tom Riddle, Professor Binns and Minerva McGonagal don't belong to me.
A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, but I had killer writer's block. I thought I would never finish this story. Finally, the other night, I was laying in bed with my notebook beside me and I just started writing. Soon, I had almost two chapters. You wouldn't believe how relieved I was to get out of that hole.
FEELINGS YOU CAN'T DENY
Chapter Nine: What You Give to Me
The usually overflowing Great Hall was now nearly empty. A few Ravenclaws were playing Wizard's Chess and a Gryffindor was slurping down toad in the hole. Besides them, there was one Slytherin sitting on the other side of the table as Tom Riddle. I stood for a second, examining the empty Hufflepuff table. I didn't want to sit alone. I guess I was too shy to invite myself to sit with Tom, so I stood idly, hoping he would invite me.
"Lina, over here!"
I let out a relieved sigh as I headed over to him. He smiled kindly up at me, pointing to the seat across from him. I sat down.
"Am I really allowed to sit here?" I asked, looking over at the other Slytherin. "I mean, I'm not a Slytherin."
"I won't tell anyone, and if you get in trouble just blame me," Tom told me, still smiling.
I smiled back.
"How have things been?" Tom asked, offering me a plate of liver mousse. "I haven't seen you in a bit. I expected to at least see you on Christmas day."
"Well, you know," I trailed off, taking the plate of mousse from him.
"Studying?" Tom asked.
I nodded.
"Getting any further?" Tom queried as he cut off a piece of a hot link and lifted it to his mouth.
"Yeah," I said. "I just have a History of Magic test and then I'm caught up."
"That's good," Tom voiced.
I shrugged.
"What's the matter?" Tom asked, setting down his fork and looking at me intently.
"I don't...get it," I admitted. "What I mean is that I can't study this stuff. I look at it and look at it, but I'm not getting any of it. I think I've studied so much that my mind has turned to tapioca."
"When are you taking the test?" Tom queried.
"Tomorrow at noon," I muttered.
"Maybe you just need someone to study with," Tom suggested, smiling confidently. "And I have the perfect person in mind."
"Oh, whoever might that be?" I asked sarcastically.
"Who do you think?" Tom retorted, leaning forward and wiggling his eyebrows.
I laughed.
"Hey," Tom began, glancing down at the table, "what are you doing right now?"
"Eating lunch," I told him, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"No, I mean after this," Tom explained, smiling wryly.
"Nothing really," I shrugged.
"Well, do you mind if I walk you to doing nothing?" Tom asked.
"Sure," I said, blushing a bit.
After lunch, Tom and I started walking down the hall. I don't even know where we were headed, but I did notice that Tom kept putting his hands in his robe pockets, smiling, then taking them out again. I wasn't sure what to think. Finally, after about ten minutes of going nowhere and saying nothing, Tom turned to me and held out a silver-blue box with a small red bow tied around it. I stared at the box, surprised, then glanced up at Tom. He just shrugged, saying, "Sorry, it's a little late for Christmas."
"But," I muttered, feeling a little confused, "I didn't get you anything."
Tom smiled, saying, "That's OK."
Finally, I took the box from him. Tom shoved his hands in his pockets and wore a half smile as he watched me. Slowly, after placing my books under my arm so I had both hands at my disposal, I slipped the small bow off the box and pulled the lid off. Inside was a silver chain with a shining blue moon-shaped pendant. I stared at it. It was so beautiful that I didn't know what to say. No one had ever given me anything so exquisite.
"Don't you like it?" Tom asked, his smile fading.
"I do," I insisted. "I just don't understand why you would give this to me."
"Well," Tom began, scratching his neck, "it's Christmas and I guess I just thought that you deserved to get something special because you're a really special person."
My eyes shot to him in surprise. He thought I was special? Me?
"I'd better go," Tom insisted. "See, I promised Simon Cornby that I would play a game of Wizard's Chess against him in Slytherin Common. I guess I'll see you tonight. We'll do that studying thing."
Tom walked rather swiftly down the corridor. I glanced down at the box again. Did he really like me that much? Right then and there, I set my books down and removed the necklace from the box. The chain felt cool against my skin as I clasped the necklace behind my neck. Somehow, I felt better wearing it, like maybe I was special after all.
*****************
That night, I met Tom in the library. He smiled when he saw me wearing that necklace. We sat at a table and he proceeded to quiz me on people and dates. The studying went late into the night and my answers began to make no sense.
"When was the attack on Ilfracombe?" Tom asked as he stared at my book and yawned.
"After the first ice age," I muttered, my head laying on the table.
"Lina," Tom said, glaring at me. "Your test it tomorrow."
"I know," I groaned, clutching my hair in my fists. "I just can't think this late at night."
"Night," Tom laughed, looking at his watch. "It's tomorrow already. Now, the Ilfracombe attack was..."
"Done by dragons," I announced.
Tom shook his head at me, smiling.
"I know you know this stuff," he told me. "Maybe we should just quit for tonight."
"No," I insisted, looking blurry-eyed at him. "I'm OK."
"OK," Tom accepted, returning his focus to the book. "When was Clause 73 added to the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy?"
I closed my eyes and concentrated as hard as I could in that condition. When? When was Clause 73 added? What was Clause 73? Oh, I couldn't believe this. I had merely hours until my final test. I would be caught-up and be back to having a normal life. All I had to do was answer this question. Now, what was the question again?
"True," I said.
"That's it," Tom began, gathering my books together. "You're going to bed."
After he had my book bag packed, he flung it over his shoulder, then helped me out of my chair, having one hand around my waist as we walked out of the library. My eyelids were so heavy. All I needed to do was lean against Tom and I could easily fall asleep, even while walking. The corridor looked as if it was rocking from side to side.
"Hmm," I moaned as my head fell against Tom's shoulder.
"If you're that tired..." he said. Then he leaned down and scooped my legs in one arm. He carried me across-the-threshold style down the corridor. It was nice and comfortable.
"Lina! Lina!" Tom whispered, shaking me gently in his arms.
I blinked awake and looked up at him.
"I'm sorry I can't carry you all the way to Hufflepuff common, but I'm not allowed to know where it is," Tom explained as he set me on my feet.
I rubbed my eyes.
"Do you think you can make it by yourself?" He asked in a worried tone.
I nodded.
"OK, I'll see you tomorrow then?" He said, handing my book bag to me.
I pulled it on my shoulder, then collapsed from the weight. I didn't mind, just curled up in a comfortable position and closed me eyes.
"Oh, Lina," Tom laughed.
He conjured a couple blankets with his wand, covered me with one, and set the other next to me for himself. He lay down facing me and smiled.
"I'll stay right here and protect you," he whispered.
I just smiled and drifted off.
*******************
A/N: I got the inspiration for this because the other day, I was this tired and my friend Kat insisted on dragging me around Wal-Mart. I thought if only I could get to the furniture section, I would be in heaven. No such luck. Then after we had gotten to her house, she expected me to stay up even longer and talk with some boys on the net. Didn't have much luck with that either.
A/N2: OK, so I don't exactly know what toad in the hole is. I just heard it said on some British movie. If anyone knows what it is, I'm kinda curious.
A/N3: We're not out of the woods yet. I'm still having trouble with the rest of the storyline. I would really appreciate some suggestions. Thanks all.
A/N4: I tried this chapter without the lyrics embedded in the story. DO you like it better with or without the songs?
A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, but I had killer writer's block. I thought I would never finish this story. Finally, the other night, I was laying in bed with my notebook beside me and I just started writing. Soon, I had almost two chapters. You wouldn't believe how relieved I was to get out of that hole.
FEELINGS YOU CAN'T DENY
Chapter Nine: What You Give to Me
The usually overflowing Great Hall was now nearly empty. A few Ravenclaws were playing Wizard's Chess and a Gryffindor was slurping down toad in the hole. Besides them, there was one Slytherin sitting on the other side of the table as Tom Riddle. I stood for a second, examining the empty Hufflepuff table. I didn't want to sit alone. I guess I was too shy to invite myself to sit with Tom, so I stood idly, hoping he would invite me.
"Lina, over here!"
I let out a relieved sigh as I headed over to him. He smiled kindly up at me, pointing to the seat across from him. I sat down.
"Am I really allowed to sit here?" I asked, looking over at the other Slytherin. "I mean, I'm not a Slytherin."
"I won't tell anyone, and if you get in trouble just blame me," Tom told me, still smiling.
I smiled back.
"How have things been?" Tom asked, offering me a plate of liver mousse. "I haven't seen you in a bit. I expected to at least see you on Christmas day."
"Well, you know," I trailed off, taking the plate of mousse from him.
"Studying?" Tom asked.
I nodded.
"Getting any further?" Tom queried as he cut off a piece of a hot link and lifted it to his mouth.
"Yeah," I said. "I just have a History of Magic test and then I'm caught up."
"That's good," Tom voiced.
I shrugged.
"What's the matter?" Tom asked, setting down his fork and looking at me intently.
"I don't...get it," I admitted. "What I mean is that I can't study this stuff. I look at it and look at it, but I'm not getting any of it. I think I've studied so much that my mind has turned to tapioca."
"When are you taking the test?" Tom queried.
"Tomorrow at noon," I muttered.
"Maybe you just need someone to study with," Tom suggested, smiling confidently. "And I have the perfect person in mind."
"Oh, whoever might that be?" I asked sarcastically.
"Who do you think?" Tom retorted, leaning forward and wiggling his eyebrows.
I laughed.
"Hey," Tom began, glancing down at the table, "what are you doing right now?"
"Eating lunch," I told him, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"No, I mean after this," Tom explained, smiling wryly.
"Nothing really," I shrugged.
"Well, do you mind if I walk you to doing nothing?" Tom asked.
"Sure," I said, blushing a bit.
After lunch, Tom and I started walking down the hall. I don't even know where we were headed, but I did notice that Tom kept putting his hands in his robe pockets, smiling, then taking them out again. I wasn't sure what to think. Finally, after about ten minutes of going nowhere and saying nothing, Tom turned to me and held out a silver-blue box with a small red bow tied around it. I stared at the box, surprised, then glanced up at Tom. He just shrugged, saying, "Sorry, it's a little late for Christmas."
"But," I muttered, feeling a little confused, "I didn't get you anything."
Tom smiled, saying, "That's OK."
Finally, I took the box from him. Tom shoved his hands in his pockets and wore a half smile as he watched me. Slowly, after placing my books under my arm so I had both hands at my disposal, I slipped the small bow off the box and pulled the lid off. Inside was a silver chain with a shining blue moon-shaped pendant. I stared at it. It was so beautiful that I didn't know what to say. No one had ever given me anything so exquisite.
"Don't you like it?" Tom asked, his smile fading.
"I do," I insisted. "I just don't understand why you would give this to me."
"Well," Tom began, scratching his neck, "it's Christmas and I guess I just thought that you deserved to get something special because you're a really special person."
My eyes shot to him in surprise. He thought I was special? Me?
"I'd better go," Tom insisted. "See, I promised Simon Cornby that I would play a game of Wizard's Chess against him in Slytherin Common. I guess I'll see you tonight. We'll do that studying thing."
Tom walked rather swiftly down the corridor. I glanced down at the box again. Did he really like me that much? Right then and there, I set my books down and removed the necklace from the box. The chain felt cool against my skin as I clasped the necklace behind my neck. Somehow, I felt better wearing it, like maybe I was special after all.
*****************
That night, I met Tom in the library. He smiled when he saw me wearing that necklace. We sat at a table and he proceeded to quiz me on people and dates. The studying went late into the night and my answers began to make no sense.
"When was the attack on Ilfracombe?" Tom asked as he stared at my book and yawned.
"After the first ice age," I muttered, my head laying on the table.
"Lina," Tom said, glaring at me. "Your test it tomorrow."
"I know," I groaned, clutching my hair in my fists. "I just can't think this late at night."
"Night," Tom laughed, looking at his watch. "It's tomorrow already. Now, the Ilfracombe attack was..."
"Done by dragons," I announced.
Tom shook his head at me, smiling.
"I know you know this stuff," he told me. "Maybe we should just quit for tonight."
"No," I insisted, looking blurry-eyed at him. "I'm OK."
"OK," Tom accepted, returning his focus to the book. "When was Clause 73 added to the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy?"
I closed my eyes and concentrated as hard as I could in that condition. When? When was Clause 73 added? What was Clause 73? Oh, I couldn't believe this. I had merely hours until my final test. I would be caught-up and be back to having a normal life. All I had to do was answer this question. Now, what was the question again?
"True," I said.
"That's it," Tom began, gathering my books together. "You're going to bed."
After he had my book bag packed, he flung it over his shoulder, then helped me out of my chair, having one hand around my waist as we walked out of the library. My eyelids were so heavy. All I needed to do was lean against Tom and I could easily fall asleep, even while walking. The corridor looked as if it was rocking from side to side.
"Hmm," I moaned as my head fell against Tom's shoulder.
"If you're that tired..." he said. Then he leaned down and scooped my legs in one arm. He carried me across-the-threshold style down the corridor. It was nice and comfortable.
"Lina! Lina!" Tom whispered, shaking me gently in his arms.
I blinked awake and looked up at him.
"I'm sorry I can't carry you all the way to Hufflepuff common, but I'm not allowed to know where it is," Tom explained as he set me on my feet.
I rubbed my eyes.
"Do you think you can make it by yourself?" He asked in a worried tone.
I nodded.
"OK, I'll see you tomorrow then?" He said, handing my book bag to me.
I pulled it on my shoulder, then collapsed from the weight. I didn't mind, just curled up in a comfortable position and closed me eyes.
"Oh, Lina," Tom laughed.
He conjured a couple blankets with his wand, covered me with one, and set the other next to me for himself. He lay down facing me and smiled.
"I'll stay right here and protect you," he whispered.
I just smiled and drifted off.
*******************
A/N: I got the inspiration for this because the other day, I was this tired and my friend Kat insisted on dragging me around Wal-Mart. I thought if only I could get to the furniture section, I would be in heaven. No such luck. Then after we had gotten to her house, she expected me to stay up even longer and talk with some boys on the net. Didn't have much luck with that either.
A/N2: OK, so I don't exactly know what toad in the hole is. I just heard it said on some British movie. If anyone knows what it is, I'm kinda curious.
A/N3: We're not out of the woods yet. I'm still having trouble with the rest of the storyline. I would really appreciate some suggestions. Thanks all.
A/N4: I tried this chapter without the lyrics embedded in the story. DO you like it better with or without the songs?