A/N: SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN LIKE FOREVER! My computer got all messed up! I'm gonna try to update better now. But thank you soo much for all of the lovely reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry... HE'S NOT A SLAVE!

The Apology

I heard about your regrets.
I heard that you were feeling sorry.
I heard from someone
That you wish you could
Set things right between us.
Well I guess I should have
Heard of them from you.
I guess I should have
Heard of them from you.

–Dashboard Confessional

"Oh shit, shit, SHIT!" Tom hissed hopelessly, dropping to his knees on the dirty floor next to Dianthe.

Her face was deathly pale, shimmering softly in the candlelight. He noted vaguely that the perfume she was wearing smelled exactly like Faris's. He prodded her with his wand, muttering any spell that might revive her. Trembling furiously, he threw the wand down and began shaking her violently.

"Costa! COSTA! UmDianthe! DI! Get up!" he yelled loudly, hitting her face lightly.

Please, please wake up. I swear to God, I'll never do that again...

It was then, she began hacking. Her voice was cracking in awful blasts of air. She whimpered quietly, clutching her ribs. Tom felt a wave of an another odd emotion. Was he worried about her? No, he merely was worried for himself. He would've been punished incredibly if he had accidently killed her. He wasn't worried for her... he couldn't be.

Her eyes fluttered open, and it was then he realized how immensely close they were. She looked up into his eyes as well, with an expression of pure confusion. Her face was softened, and he couldn't help but appreciate her fairness. She was trembling, and she lifted her hand up to his. He noticed in horror that he hadn't moved his hand from her face when he was slapping her. She wrapped her fingers around his hand, and stared up at him. Her expression changed from sweet confusion to unadulterated rage.

She pushed him in the chest with as much force as she could muster, and pulled herself onto her shaking legs. Holding onto the desk for support, she stared up at him, the color returning to her face. Tom had kept his mouth shut this entire time, but suddenly was overwhelmed by anger. He had just saved her life and she pushes him?

"What the hell!" he said indignantly, twisting his hands as if to rub off her scent.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO TO ME!" she screamed.

It was then, he noticed that she was crying. Very subtly, she wiped her face, still shaking in fury. Though Tom was tempted to bring her down. To yell that she was an idiot, to ask who that man was. Yet his conscience and slight worry for her well being won out in the end. He snatched the chocolate off the table and walked over to her slowly.

"Here, eat this." he muttered as if he hadn't even heard her.

She shook her head in disbelief. "I asked why the fuck didn't you stop? What is your problem!"

He broke the chocolate apart, his already slim patience waning.

"I didn't mean to break that far. I told you I've never done it to another human before. It wasn't my fault."

"Wasn't your fault!" she exploded. "YOU VIOLATED MY PRIVACY!"

That was it. No more disregarding the anger. She was a mudblood and she was going to get it now.

"YOU ASK FOR ME TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING! I DID IT! I'M SORRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, BUT DON'T YOU BITCH AT ME ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU ASKED FOR!"

"TOM RIDDLE, DON'T YOU EVER TAKE THAT TONE" she stopped suddenly, her eyes widening.

"Did you just say you were sorry?" she said softly.

"No." Tom replied quickly, rifling through excuses to use.

"Yes, you did."

"Maybe... do you have a problem with that?"

"You've never apologized for anythingin your life,have you?"

Tom stopped, his mouth open. He never had. The first time he'd apologized for something since he could remember... he didn't really mean to. It had been an unconscious decision to say it. Yet here he was, apologizing to a mudblood Gryffindor. He was disgusted with himself.

"No," he admitted, reluctantly.

She sniffed loudly, her anger seeming to dissipate in the room. She snatched up the chocolate and began consuming large chunks of it. She swallowed loudly, eating it greedily. He smiled thinking about how absurd she looked, chewing so unladylike. She slowly pulled the chocolate away from her mouth, ogling up at him.

"What?" he asked, this time he wasn't annoyed. Actually, he was quite entertained by her at this point in time. I must be still recovering from the Legilimancy.

"You should smile more." she whispered.

As much as he wanted to wipe the smile off of his face, he felt the utmost comfort for a moment. For a moment, everything was calm. Instead of feeling the usual resentment and anger around her, he loved the fact that her voice was small and meek. The strength she usually harbored was somewhat restrained as she spoke to him.

He grinned wider.

"What do you mean? I smile all the time."

"No, you smirk." she smiled slightly, staring off into space.

"So, who was that guy?"

The man in the memory. An asshole obviously, but perhaps she'd done something to deserve it. Tom didn't quite believe in the beating of women and children, but if someone needed to be punished, he supposed it was a necessity. He pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. Her eyes darted suspiciously, but he spoke with as much friendliness he could muster.

"Come on... we can't do lessons if you don't trust me."

She sat down reluctantly, but replied in a rather lurid tone. "I don't trust anyone."

He sat next to her, making sure he kept a good distance away from her. The warm moment seemed to have vanished, but curiosity was eating his innards.

"That was my dad," she said to the floor, wringing her hands. She looked way too frail to be Dianthe Costa. The girl he knew was always on her guard, but ever since she'd begun this year, it was like she was a different being. Oddly enough, he missed the hurdles she made him jump over.

He could feel an uncomfortable silence rising. "Look Costa, if you don't wanna talk about this..."

"Ugh Tom why do you have to be so weird?"

He was stricken.

"Did you just call me Tom?"

"Yup..."

"Does that mean I should call you Dianthe?"

She looked up with laughter written on her face.

"Call me Di. No one calls me Dianthe."

Tom's expression was stony. He didn't quite understand why she was suddenly being friendly. He remembered the conversations with the older Slytherins, about how people grew up as they got older. Maybe she was outgrowing him. That couldn't be true. He was the mature one, not her. It wasn't quite fair. He wasn't accustomed to speak civilly to girls, especially Gryffindors.

He put on a false grin, working on his charm.

Voldemort had perfected his charm as he got older...

"I prefer Dianthe."

She made an ugly face.

"Ick don't you dare call me that."

Tom thought vaguely about the thoughts he had invaded. Schwartz, eh?

"So, you and Schwartz broke up?"

She laughed. Not a giggle. She never giggled...

"Yeah, I guess that relationship was a bust. I'm happily single now..."

Suddenly her face lit up. She grinned at the thought she had. Tome braced himself.

"Hey! Is it true that you are datingsome supermodel who already graduated from Beauxbatons?"

Tom snorted disbelievingly. The things people believed...

"Hah, and where would I have met her? At the orphanage?"

"Well that's what everyone is saying." she grinned.

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

"So, if you don't mind me asking," she began. "Who have you dated? No one from Hogwarts that I know of..."

"It's not worth it." Tom replied, glancing away awkwardly.

"Wait, Tom Riddle has never had a girlfriend?"

"Why don't you alert the media?" he hissed angrily.

"I'm sorry, that was rude..."

They both refused eye contact. Tom was a virgin, obviously. He would be attracted to someone for maybe a second, but they mediocre idiocy would soon turn him off of them. He'd never truly kissed a girl, only once when he was eight. He dragged his fingers through his hair, mussing it horribly. Remembering suddenly how odd it was to be having a normal conversation with someone on an equality level, he stood up.

"I should go," he said quickly.

"Yeah me too." she gathered her things.

Tom hurried, he wanted to get out of that room as soon as possible. Whatever had just happened was a side effect from his horrible Legilimancy. He was under the influence of something or other, and he needed to go back to his dormitory.

He turned the knob and wen to leave without a second glace. However, she had one last surprise for him.

"Hey. This was nice."

He turned to look at her. She was standing with a solemn look on her face. Yet she had confusion as well. He bit his lip, unsure of what to do. She smiled and shooed him away.

"Go on... Thanks."

Voldemort rolled his eyes scathingly.

"God I was an idiot."

A/N: Not my fav, but I'm making them more civil :) OOH tension!

Reviewers that I love:

Flavagurl: Yeah I put in the Dark Mark just to clue everyone in on how he came to be exactly what he is. Look for more of these little hints, I'm gonna try to put them in throughout the story.

MUAH MUAH! (LOL I love that)

LaLuneNoire: Lol yes he is quite evil, but I love it anyway! Lol true Slytherin power! Haha Thank you soo much I'm honored to be on your favorites list :)

Gaerwen: Gracias chica! I wuv the Dark Mark too!

A/N: I need ideas guys! Let me know :)

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LOVE YOU ALL!