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That her body hurt was an understatement.

Kate could feel a sharp pain at the base of her neck and all across her torso as she woke up, a rather surprised Alden Greengrass greeting her.

"Well, you healed faster than anticipated," he spoke, and she made an effort to sit up, causing her to collapse back in bed again.

"My body feels like it's on fire," she replied, settling back into the pillows. "What happened?"

"A Bludger hit you square on your side and brushed by your head after that." Kate mentally calculated the height of the fall and its effect on her already injured body.

"How bad was I?"

"A couple of broken ribs and a crack at the base of your skull." That didn't add up.

"Someone broke my fall, didn't they?" Alden's face fell, a look of disgust taking over.

"It was Riddle."

"Tom?"

"How many other Riddles are there at school? Well, he spotted the injury and cast a Cushioning Charm to break your fall, then mended your ribs. Madam Pomfrey said your heart and lungs had almost collapsed."

"How did they restart them?" The look on his face intensified.

"Well, for starters, Riddle snogged you." She was shocked before she realised what the blonde Pureblood meant, laughing as she did so. "What's so funny?"

"Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."

"…What?"

"Do wizards not use it?"

"What arcane Muggle method is this?"

"It's a new measure introduced by the Allied armies as a life-saving technique - you pinch the victim's nose, then blow air through their mouth as you attempt to restart their lungs and heart."

"Looks like snogging."

"It's also called the kiss of life, so…" This news surprised her - Riddle didn't seem like one to care even a modicum for anyone else apart from himself, and yet he had taken the pain to save her life. "Could you send for him please?" Kate did not think it to be possible, but Alden's look of disgust and latent anger further intensified. "What is it, Greengrass? He may be a world class git but he saved my life."

"He was confident you'd send for him."

"Because I suppose he knows what etiquette is?"

"Kate, he treated you like you were some sort of prize to be fought over. He… Good Merlin, just forget it. I'll fetch your knight in shining armor." Kate still couldn't make out why her best friend was so livid. She owed Riddle a lifelong debt now - this was barely civil.

A few minutes later, Tom Riddle's tall figure strode into the empty hospital wing, making swiftly for the chair beside her. "How are you?" His face reflected genuine concern for her, and Kate wondered what she'd done to capture Tom Marvolo Riddle's attention so sharply.

"Aching all over, and my blood feels like it is on fire."

"I suppose that is due to the Replenishment Potion Madam Pomfrey fed you while you were still unconscious. Do you have any difficulty breathing?"

"No - you made a fairly good job of mending my insides," she smiled at him, gratitude clear in her expression. "Thank you."

"It was only my duty, Kate."

"Good Lord, first terms now?" She mocked gasping, a hand on her heart. "Must have been quite the ordeal." He smiled, lips pressed together in a barely-there grin.

"I suppose so, madam. House Slytherin is undeniably rattled by this incident."

"Who was it?"

"Pettigrew. Was aiming solely to scare you, but neither Greengrass nor the rest of the team buys it. Even Lupin gave him a dressing down."

"Lyall has always been one for strong principles." He nodded, passing a bowl filled with Bertie Bott's. A pack of Cauldron Cakes lay on the bed-table, along with three new books and what seemed like a rose.

"Is that a rose, Riddle?" He picked it up, twirling the thin, long stem between his pianist fingers.

"Well, a red rose is what it looks like - you certainly have quite an admirer, to give you such a present." She scoffed, sighing happily as the bean in her mouth turned out to be a caramel one.

"I have no time for such useless pursuits - admirers are only as good as their usefulness, which I see in none."

"Well, you never know how resourceful one might turn out to be."

"I'm resourceful enough for myself for now, thank you very much." While all his niceties were perfectly enjoyable, Kate refused to be another name in Riddle's list, and furthermore refused to be like the girls who were desperate for his attention but acted otherwise. "You should leave, Tom. Have you no classes to attend?"

"Merrythought's class isn't the same without her favourite."

"What is the day and time right now?"

"Friday - it's just after lunch - Dumbledore's class."

"Well then, Professor Dumbledore would hate to have the Head Boy play truant, especially due to a girl."

"I suppose he wouldn't mind this once," he dropped his voice to a near whisper, "after all, this is not some ordinary girl we're talking about."

"Says you - not Dumbledore."

"Well, he isn't the one truanting, is he?" With that, Tom left as swiftly as he came, and Kate noticed that the rose was replaced by a bouquet of red carnations and camellias.

She'd have to ask a Ravenclaw what those flowers meant.

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