Chapter 19 – Blind staggering

What can one say? The rest of the year moved pretty quickly. Classes continued but without any more exciting challenges or competitions. Mainly, just tests. However, before they knew it, school was over and the students were all packing up for summer.

"So Tom, I was thinking, I mean I haven't talked to my parents, but I think it would be ok if you wanted to spend the summer with us," Serena said, their last day at Hogwarts. She and Tom were currently in the library. She had come up with this brilliant plan the week before. If Tom spent the summer at her house, not only would she be able to see him everyday like she wanted, but, he would also be far away from the orphanage he normally stayed at, AND (this was the best part) he would be with her all summer. Meaning, she would be able to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't get into anything…bad. Although, she wasn't entirely sure what she could do to keep him from something once he set out to do it, but, she did feel pretty confident with her feminine abilities and that she could use them, if necessary, to at least distract him from doing anything too bad. She could at least distract him over the summer.

Tom looked at her, questioningly.

"I mean, that way you wouldn't have to stay at the orphanage, which I know you don't like," She continued. "And it'd be really fun! We have a pretty large house we could easily fit you in."

"I don't know," He said, obviously thinking about things. "I mean, I don't…like the orphanage but at least there they don't care what I do and where I go."

Damn. He was trying to make sure he was able to do just the same things she was trying to keep him from doing. Serena clenched her teeth for a moment, the words 'stick to plan! Stick to plan!' running through her head.

"But you'd enjoy yourself so much more!" She went on. "I mean, you'll have good food to eat, a nice place to sleep and me for company! We even have a huge library where you could do some work."

"Not the type of work I need to accomplish this summer," He said. Serena looked down.

"Meaning?" She prodded. Tom smirked.

"Oh Princess, you really don't want to know," He said. Ah yes, Princess, this was a recent pet name he had given her. And she didn't really so much like it.

"Is that really necessary Tom?" She asked, almost getting whinny. She had worked so hard coming up with this plan and he wasn't even going for it. At all! He shot her a look, his eyes cold.

"Don't you think it's better if you don't meddle in my affairs," He said, somewhat sharply. Obviously she was starting to irritate him. Serena sighed. She was annoying herself.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't offer," She said, jumping off the table and walking out the library. She made her way back to her common room to finish most of her packing.

"So, is Tom going to your house this summer?" Eve asked.

"No," Serena said a little upset. She was looking forward to being with him, but now that he wasn't going to be there, she didn't even know if she'd see if at all this summer.

"Oh, well at least we don't have to worry about you getting pregnant then," Heather said by way of comforting her. Serena rolled her eyes.

"Speaking of that, I'm surprised you're not already," Eve said. Serena dropped her mouth.

"We don't do it that often!" She said. "What do you think I am? A slut?"

Heather and Eve just looked at each other and then back at her.

"Oh honestly!" Serena said, shaking her head, "you both shouldn't be talking."

They all went down for dinner later that night, their last dinner of their sixth year at Hogwarts. And truly, they weren't looking forward to next year at all.

"We'll have our NEWTs to take, and after we graduate we have to find a job," Heather was complaining.

"I don't even know what I want to do," Eve said.

"This year went by way so fast," Serena said, thinking back. "I mean it feels like it was just Halloween…"

"Or Christmas…" Eve added.

"I still can't believe about Hagrid. And the whole Chamber of Secrets thing. It feels like that was such a long time ago," Heather said. Serena's heart dropped a little. Ah yes, the Chamber of Secrets event. That was something she never wanted to think about again. So, she tried to change subjects.

"Hey, are we still planning on spending a month at each other's houses still?" She asked.

"Of course!" Heather said.

"Especially now that Tom won't be coming," Eve said. Serena rolled her eyes.

"So whose house first?" She asked.

"Let's stay at Eve's and then yours and we'll do mine last," Heather said.

"That sounds good," Serena said, looking from Heather to Eve. "Is that ok?"

"Actually, I think so," Eve said.

"Awesome! So we'll meet there next week, right?" Serena asked.

"Sure," Eve said.

Satisfied with their plans, the girls finished eating dinner.

Afterwards, they were on their way out when Tom motioned for Serena to wait for him.

"I'll be right up," She told them and then proceeded to wait for Tom. He caught up with her a few minutes later.

"Have you changed your mind?" Serena asked hopefully. Tom smiled a little.

"No, I have not," He said. Serena sighed.

"So then I probably won't see you this summer, will I?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I doubt it, I'll be pretty busy," He said. Serena pouted a little.

"What if I stop by the orphanage one day, as like a surprise visit?" She asked. He smiled.

"I might not be there during the day, but you're welcome to stay and wait for me, He said, playing a little with her skirt. She sighed.

"And I wouldn't even be able to send you an owl?" She asked. He smirked.

"I don't think the orphanage would take well to that," He said. "They are muggles."

"Hmmmm," Serena murmured while thinking. She could always send him something via the muggle way. Although, she really had no idea how to do that.

"Don't worry about it," Tom said, "I'll be plenty busy." Serena smiled sadly. She couldn't deny the fact that she would miss him.

"Anyways I just wanted to say good bye, as I'll be patrolling the halls tomorrow on the train," Tom said. Serena sighed.

"Ok then," She said as she kissed him. "I'll miss you."

He smirked, no, he smiled! "I know."

They left early the next day, right after breakfast. Their luggage had already been put on earlier that day (or maybe the night before) Serena wasn't quite sure, but they only had to worry about hand bags, or other such carry ons as they boarded the train that morning.

The girls found themselves an empty cabin at the back of the train and it wasn't long before the train took off. The ride was pretty quiet, but the girls did buy candy off the trolley and spent the next hour and a half eating them, and then afterwards, spent the next half hour complaining of how fat they felt. Towards the end of the trip, Serena saw Tom walk past their cabin. She waved to him and he motioned for her to come out side. She left the compartment and followed as Tom took her to the back of the car they were staying in, where the bathrooms were and where one car connects to the other car.

He took her hand and then pushed her against the wall, once they were out of site.

"Still haven't changed your mind?" She asked, just for the hell of it. She knew he hadn't. And she was right.

"No," He smirked, "But it will be a long summer without you." He bent down and kissed her while she freaked out about what he said. Basically, she was thinking to herself, this was as close as he would ever come to saying he'd miss me! She deduced. Though she could never really be sure of its true meaning, and he probably only meant that he would have no one to sleep with over the summer, she decided that if he would miss her body, it meant he would miss her! After a while, he finally released her, though both were breathing slightly heavily.

"I have to finish patrolling the halls," He said, as soon as his breath had returned fully.

"So I guess this is goodbye until next year," She said a bit sadly.

"Guess so," He said. She smiled at him as she opened the door to return to her car, and then to her compartment. He kissed her quickly once more before opening the door that led to the other car.

"Have a good summer," He said.

"You too!"

And with that, they both went their separate ways, she back to her cabin, and he to finish patrolling the halls.

Summer was over agonizingly too soon. Before the girls knew it they were back at platform 9 and ¾ waiting for the train. Though they had spent almost all of their summer together, they still stood together and gossiped about what everyone looked like, etc.

Serena played with her skirt, and kept fiddling with her hair, wondering when she'd see Tom. It'd been a whole three months since the last time they were together. She hadn't heard anything from in the whole time, not that she really expected too. She did try to send him a letter halfway through, though she wasn't quiet sure if it ever made it there. She had found a guy at a local muggle post office and flirted with him enough until he said that he'd be happy to deliver the letter for her. She didn't receive a response though, so she wasn't sure if Tom had even gotten it.

And then the train arrived and everyone started piling into it. Serena craned her neck around to see if she could spot him in the crowd, but she couldn't. With a sinking heart, she clambered on board along with her girlfriends and found a cabin.

The ride to Hogwarts was uneventful and boring. Serena kept her eyes open the whole way to make sure she could wave Tom down if he passed her by, but he never did. She wasn't sure why not. She thought for sure he would have been made Head Boy. But, maybe he wasn't. She gritted her teeth. Her girlfriends asked her if she'd seen him, but she said she hadn't. Sensing her anxiousness, Heather and Eve told her not to go search him out as that would seem desperate and needy, but rather wait for him to come to her.

Serena sighed and agreed that this was good advice, which was something Heather and Eve didn't do very often. So, she waited the whole train ride and never saw him. Trying not to be too nervous, she changed with her friends into her uniform just as they were approaching Hogwarts.

The girls walked up to the Great Hall behind the crowd eager for something more filling than candy to eat, but not wanting to enter the castle as that really meant the official end of holidays and beginning of work.

Serena still kept her eyes open for Tom but didn't seem to see him anywhere. She couldn't deny being a bit sad, made worse by the cynical voice in her head which was throwing terrible ideas at her, such as Tom was hurt by trying to murder more innocents over the summer, Tom didn't want her anymore, Tom found someone skinnier than her who was blonde, Tom found someone skinner and prettier than her who was blonde, etc. Although she tried to ignore it, she found herself becoming more and more depressed as she made her way up the familiar steps of the castle. They were just entering the castle which was already just about full of students catching up and waiting for the doors to the great hall to be opened, when she heard her name being called.

"Serena, your shirt is untucked," A familiar voice said. "Not a very good way to start out the year." She turned around and her heart lifted when she saw him walking towards her.

She couldn't help but smile and wave as he approached, after fixing her shirt, of course. As soon as he reached her, she couldn't help but hug him. His arms found her waist and he returned the hug.

"How was your summer?" She asked as soon as he released her (which was sooner than she wanted but she did want a lot more than just a hug right now, though she was sure he wanted more too, but he couldn't very well take her in the middle of the hallway with everyone else around).

"It was…"He started, apparently looking for the right word," fine. Yours?"

"It was fun. I was with my girlfriends just about the whole time, so it was entertaining to say the least," She said.

"Glad you weren't too lonely without me," He said sarcastically. She was about to respond to that not so nice comment when she saw the shiny badge on his chest.

"Oh Tom! You got Head Boy!" She cried. He only smiled arrogantly.

"You didn't think I would?" He asked, his voice as haughty as his smile. She rolled her eyes.

"Well I didn't see you the whole train ride," Serena said.

"Yes, we were informing the new prefects about the rules and then Rebecca was interested in showing me the schedule she made for night patrols," He said.

"Oh, that sounds, interesting," She forced. He smirked as the students started milling into the now open great hall, even though the meal wouldn't start for another ten fifteen more minutes. With less people looking, Tom managed to pull Serena into a small corridor that branched off from the main hallway so that they were out of sight.

And, as soon as they were, he practically threw her against the wall, kissing her passionately. Serena was so surprised, she actually squeaked a little before his lips covered hers and snuffed out the sound.

"Tom!" She cried as soon as he released her, already breathing a bit heavier.

"You know what I want to do to you right now," He whispered in her ear, sending shivers through her body.

"It's been thre-" She started.

"Three very long months," He said, still whispering in her ear. "Trust me, I know." His hands started tracing her body. "So I'll ask again," He said. "Do you know what I want to do to you right here, right now?" He asked. His voice was quiet, smooth, seductive. His eyes found Serena's when she was quiet, so that she finally asked,

"What?" He smirked.

"I want to rip all these clothes off of you and take you hard and fast. And then, afterwards, we'll do it again, but more slowly so I can truly appreciate you. I'll run my tongue along your entire body," Serena shivered as his hands moved to show Serena what he meant, as if she wasn't capable of imagining herself. "I want feel you move against me while I – " He was interrupted by Heather and Eve saying, "We're the last ones out practically and we're going in now if you guys don't want to be late."

Tom shot them a somewhat nasty glare as Serena turned bright red. He made a sour face as they left.

"Well, I can't be late as I am Head Boy," He said arrogantly and straightening his tie. "But, we're not done yet, Princess. You'll meet me tonight after dinner in this hallway." He said, as his eyes grazed over his trophy.

"I will?" She asked, flirtatiously.

"Yes," He said simply.

"Well what happens if I don't?" She asked as they walked around the corner. Tom smirked.

"You'll be punished."

"ooh, well maybe I won't go on purpose," She said, laughing. Tom stopped her.

"No, you will," He said. She rolled her eyes and followed another girl inside the Great Hall.

She walked over to the Gryffindor table and seated herself next to Heather and Eve while they shot her a dirty look and sniggered to each other. Serena caught the words, "…such a whore…" and "….seen him for two minutes…" and "…just like animals…" She rolled her eyes.

The Headmaster got up and said his normal few words, and then came the sorting hat ceremony. Afterwards, Dippet said a few more words and introduced the Head Boy, Tom Riddle, of course, and Head Girl, Rebecca Lycom. Serena clapped after he announced them, feeling very proud of Tom.

Finally, they were allowed to eat and Serena couldn't help but feel quiet giddy during the first dinner of her seventh year and final year at Hogwarts. Tom still wanted her, and as she guessed from the way he practically jumped her and the passion and lust in his kiss, he didn't get together and fuck some blonde anorexic whore over the summer. And, again, he still wanted her! She smiled and felt herself blush a little at how obviously she had fallen for Tom last year and how she still was, well, in love with him. She still kind of hoped it was merely just a crush, but at the moment she honestly didn't care. She knew it was stupid. She knew she shouldn't feel for him so much because he wouldn't reciprocate the feelings, not to mention he was a murderer. But, she didn't care right now. She caught Tom's eye across the room and he smiled at her. She smiled back, feeling silly and quite happy.

Her last year at Hogwarts and Tom still wanted her: she was content for the moment.