Chapter 6: July 17th, 1943
My grandfather concluded who I was in about a week of living with each other. For a 9-year-old, he's very perceptive and it didn't creep him out which was even creepier. He's produced a list of 20 people who could be my grandmother on a list and Freya Hass is on the list. I threw that piece of paper in the fire, much to his bemusement. I tell him to just wait for fate to run its course to which he sighs before running off to make another list. I roll my eyes and curl back into the sofa under my blanket in the study to read my book – The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Tom and his family were coming over today as our guests for the next week. I continue to read.
"But Hester Prynne, with a mind of native courage and activity, and for so long a period not merely estranged, but outlawed, from society, had habituated herself to such latitude of speculation as was altogether foreign to the clergyman…"
"Reine…" A familiar voice trails off as their hand strokes my cheek. "Wake up." I open my eyes to the smiling expression of Tom and I smile.
"Hello, Handsome." I greet with a peck to the lips and he gathers me up into a hug.
"Hello, beautiful." He replies as I hug him back. "A little sleepy?" I nod with a tired smile.
"I couldn't get to sleep last night, so, I've been in the study since 2am maybe?" I answer, looking at the clock. 1pm. "Maurice was in here around 11am and I fell asleep around then – reading The Scarlet Letter. I'm almost done." I put the bookmark in the book and place it on the table. "How's your summer being so far?" Tom sits beside me and puts my feet in his lap.
"Good, actually." Tom starts. "It's nice to spend time with my actual family." He pauses for a moment. "Even if they're not wizards." I roll my eyes at that.
"Psychopath." I say with a teasing tone which he rolls his eyes at.
"But I'm your psychopath." He points out which I grin at. Mama pokes her head through.
"Come on, you two." Mama states. "We are having Arròs al forn for lunch. I'll even let you have a glass of Tempranillo from Utiel-Requena."
"Tough for say no to that." I swing my legs on the floor and stand up. Tom stands up as I fold the blanket, placing it back on the sofa. Tom keeps his hand on my lower back as Mama leads us to the dining room. I break away to greet with Riddles with hugs before sitting down on the chair that Tom pulled out for me. Tom sits next to me while Maurice sits on the other side of me. We all make small talk and Mrs. Riddle talked about courting Mr. Riddle – and how it was similar to Tom and me – making me blush quite a bit and even turned my hair pink from embarrassment. That hadn't happened since I was 11 and I started my period during the night. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall had to talk to me quite bluntly. To be fair, I thought I was dying. The Riddles were looking at me in shock. Tom who was biting his lip to keep his laughter in. So much help.
"Did you accidentally turn your hair pink, dear?" Mrs. Riddle says with wide eyes. Do I introduce or not introduce the word Metamorphmagus to their vocabulary?
"I didn't mean to turn my hair pink, but I do have the ability to change appearance. In the wizarding world, it's called a Metamorphmagus but it's a very rare ability to have. It runs in born Géroux's. Like Maurice and Papa." Maurice changes his hair to green and Papa changes his hair to purple.
"And it's called a Metamorphmagus?" Tom's father asks, and I nod. "So, you said you could change your appearance? Were you born how you look now?"
"Technically, I was born with light blue and dark blue streaked hair, but I changed it to match my mama's when I had a sense of awareness." I explain. "I haven't personally changed my appearance aside from that."
"I was the same." Papa adds in. "Light blue and dark blue streaked hair, but I changed it to match my father's instead. An auburn colour."
"I was born with emerald green with the ends of my hair being violet." Maurice chimes in. "I changed it to match mama's as well."
"That's a very intriguing ability." Tom's grandfather starts. "What else can you do?" After asking that, we try to explain Metamorphmagus which then led to us talking about animagi then werewolves then blood maledictions then languages.
"So, what you're saying is – is that the Géroux family are descended from the original Metamorphmagus, so, all born Géroux's are Metamorphmagus. Reine, has the ability to turn into a wolf because she's an Animagus and that is a skill that can be learnt. Reine is not a werewolf nor is any other Géroux." Mr. Riddle summarises.
"Yes." We all agree around the table.
"And Tom has the ability to speak Parseltongue which is a language that you talk to serpents with." Mrs. Riddle begins. "It's an ability you have to be born with and cannot learn." I nod. "And you're a Parselmouth because your mother was one as she was descended from Salazar Slytherin – a famous Parselmouth and founder of Slytherin House. Hence, the serpent crest."
"Yes." Tom replies.
"That's…wow. I'm speechless." Tom's father states. "In a good way. A lot of info to take in but it's…for a lack of a better term…magical." We all chuckle.
As it was a lovely day, we decide to all go to the beach in the afternoon. I walk into my bedroom and change into my swimwear. Swimwear in the 1943 was conservative compared to swimwear in the 1990's. My swimwear was a high waisted polka dot two piece. I put on a light blue dress, sunglasses and some brown sandals before heading downstairs. After everyone was at the front door, we set off to the beach. In 5 minutes, we had umbrellas and towels set up. I took off my sandals to feel the warm sand beneath my feet before sitting on a towel. "Come on, dear. Off with the dress, us ladies are going swimming." I shake my head, fondly before standing up and taking off my blue dress. I follow Mamé and Mary – Mrs. Riddle insisted on it – and walking into the water. I had waded into the water just to under my bust when Tom joins us in the water. He was wearing red swim shorts and nothing else. I bite my lip as I not so discreetly check him out. His whole body was a lot more defined then it was in January. A lot more. I know that I had gained weight as my bra size increased from a 28E to a 32E (I've kept and multiplied my bras from the future) – meaning I've gained more in my breasts as well as my circumference. My hip and butt size have also gotten bigger, I've made my jeans go to a UK Size 12 (US Size 8) than the original UK Size 6 (US Size 2) when I stole them on the run. My waist has gained a couple of inches, but I still have an hourglass figure. No wonder I was getting a lot of leering looks from men and sneers from women. I shudder. It was creepy. Tom walks through the water and stands beside me. "What's wrong?" As he grabs a hold of my hand and squeezes.
"I don't like the looks that I'm getting from people." He looks over at the group of men and women that I point my head too.
"I didn't even think to bring my wand." He says as he looks back at me.
"No." I reply, firmly.
"But-." He protests but I cut him off with a look.
"No, Mi psicópata."
"Did you just call me a psychopath in Spanish?" He asks with furrowed brow.
"No, my psychopath." I correct with a grin before splashing him in the face and all hell broke loose. We were splashing each other with water, continuously. Time went by as we continued to play water games and we were called out the water as everyone was about to leave. We sigh but get out the water and walk over to where our families were. We dry off and I put on my light blue dress again before we walk off home. Once we get home, we all shower in different bathrooms. My bedroom had an ensuite as it did for everyone's rooms. After finishing in the shower, I style my hair into a plait and put on pink silk pyjama top and bottoms before putting on my dressing gown. It was around 8 anyway. I move through the halls and go into the library, shutting the door behind me. I grab my book from the table and sit down on the sofa with the blanket, curling my legs under me. For a few minutes I read in silence until someone opens the door and I lift my head up – Tom. He was also in a pyjamas. "Hey."
"Hey." He murmurs back and walks over, lifting my legs up and sitting down before placing my legs over his lap. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me towards him. I rest my head on his shoulder. "I've been doing some mulling over the past 2 weeks and I think I need to confess something." I look at him with a questioning look. "I heard you on the train. When you were in the bathroom with Burke." I widen my eyes and I move to get up, but his arm tightens, so, I decide to burrow my head into his neck and groan. He places a finger under my chin and lifts up my head before pecking my lips. "Don't hide from me." His dark eyes were looking into my hazel ones.
"How much did you hear?" I ask, curiously.
"Everything." He admits. "I was returning from my rounds when I saw you run off to the bathroom with Burke not far behind you, so, I was going to knock when you started talking." I frown. "Don't be mad, I was genuinely concerned for your health."
"I know." I soothe with a gentle caress of his cheek.
"I had this speech all planned out." I gesture for him to continue as I rest my head on his shoulder and place my hand across his torso, fidgeting with his shirt. "Reine, I have never experienced love or kindness either until you stepped into my life. I was raised in an Orphanage with an old woman who didn't like me, an abusive janitor and children who bullied me to no end. I became bitter, started acting out around the age of 5 – getting into fights and stealing from people. When I was 8, something happened in a cave with Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop. They were my worse bullies. I used a bout of accidentally magic and made them see things that were horrific. After that, it stopped anyone approaching me in the Orphanage – adult and child alike. I didn't get bullied or beaten anymore. Then, in the July after I turned 11, Dumbledore visited me which I know you know the story."
"I do." I agree. "Looked at a pensive with the memory that he left behind." Tom nods in understanding.
"When September 1st came round, I walked half way across London to King's Cross and barely made it too the train but did. As you know, I was sorted into Slytherin. For the first few months, I was bullied severely by the 3rd and 4th year Slytherins as you know that Riddle isn't a pureblood name. It stopped after I beat a 4th Year Slytherin in a duel in my first year. Ever since then, no one touched me, just ignored me which is better than before. It was around the start of 5th Year that I started the Knights of Walpurgis but after meeting my actual family – I disbanded it. Most were ambivalent about the group, but a few were very loyal and disappointed in the disbanding of it."
"Malfoy." I sum up as I get a handful of his shirt in my clenched fists. It always comes back to Malfoy. Tom tightens his arm even more and pulls me into his lap and I lay my head on his chest as he brings his left arm round to hug me closer.
"What I wanted to say is that after everything that's happened – all the kindness you've shown me, despite my less than stellar record – how could I not have fallen for you?" I bring my head up to look at him with shock. "With all my heart and my complete soul, I love you." I release my held breath and try not to get emotional.
"I love you too." I reply with a grin and pull him in for a kiss. I feel my tense shoulders relax as his lips press against mine. I sigh at the familiar feel of his lips. He strokes his hand up and down my calf as I rest my hand on back of his hair – threading my fingers through his hair – with my other hand resting on his chest. I nibble his lip as we continue to kiss – tasting a hint of mint and coconut from our drinks earlier. He nibbles my lip back, making me squirm and open my mouth as I let out a tiny moan. His tongue slides against mine with unhurried strokes as he keeps caressing my calf and back. I hummed with excitement before perking my head up as I hear voices down the hall. "People." Quickly, I scramble to sit next to Tom rather than on and place a blanket over us before picking up a book. Tom throws an arm over the sofa behind my back as we both pretend to read the book. The door opens, and Mamé and Mary.
"Ah, I wondered where you two had gone off too." Mamé states with worry. "Should've just checked the library first hand. You love reading."
"Sorry to worry you, Mama." I apologise with a sheepish smile. "It is a fascinating book."
"What is the book?" Mary asks with interest.
"The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne." Tom answers with a smile.
"Ah, I remember reading it when I was younger, it was a complex book but a good read." Mamé replies. "Now, to the business why we're here."
"Your relationship." Mary continues, and I sit straighter with a frown as does Tom. "We all completely approve. However, we're not that old."
"You two have been sneaking off from time to time." Mamé explains. "The men haven't noticed. God, they don't notice anything, but we have." She pauses. "We just want to set a few ground rules whenever you stay in the same house.
"Firstly, no sex." I widen my eyes at Mary's bluntness. "At least not until you're an adult."
"I'm-we're-not…" I stumble for words and just trail off in surprise. Mary smiles kindly.
"We know." She pats my hand in comfort. "But you are at the very least snogging roundabout the house. Most likely a couple of minutes ago, considering both your lips are swollen and you were both flushed when we came in."
"Number two, you are allowed in each other's bedroom with the door open and only between 8am and 10pm."
"What if one of us, lets say, has a nightmare during the night and needs to see the other?" Tom questions.
"You come and see either Mary or I, and we will allow it." Mamé answers. "But only with the door open and on top of the covers." Tom and I nod.
"Thirdly, Delphine and I aren't quite as conservative as our husbands but please keep public displays of affection to hand holding, hugs and kisses on the cheek. Kissing on the lips should be reserved to married couples in public." I forgotten how conservative that it was in the 1940s.
"Fourthly, if you want to seek off once in a little while for some alone time – we agree that we are both alright with that." Mary continues. "You are both intelligent adolescents. If it happens then I know you will at least protect yourselves. There's the condom which protects against VD as well as pregnancy and Delphine tells me there is a conceptive potion and spell that protects against VD and pregnancy which is more effective." I nod, wordlessly. Birth control wasn't a thing until the 1960s. I'm going to have to somehow replicate the remaining ones I have. "I think that we have covered all areas?"
"I agree." Mamé answers. "Dinner is in 1 hour. We're having baeckeoffe and spätzle." They both smile at us and walk out the room, leaving the door ajar.
"Did that just happen?" I ask with wide eyes.
"It did." He murmurs, distractedly.
"Are you alright?" I question as I look at him. "They didn't freak you out, did they?" He shakes his head.
"No, no." He insists as he brings his arm around my waist, pulling me close. "The women in our families are thinking ahead for us and I would be immature if I did not take what they said seriously." My chest explodes with happiness and I full out grin before I pounce on him. Tom hums in surprise before reaching out to steady me at the waist before kissing back. He tangles his hand into my hair and tilts my head slightly to press soft kisses along my exposed throat. I shiver and dig my nails into his biceps when he kisses a sensitive area between my throat and collarbone. He gently sucks the sensitive spot for a few moments before licking the tender flesh and pecking his way back up my throat; pulling me in for a deep kiss. He pulls back and circles his thumb on my waist in a soothing manner. "Was that okay? Did I go too far?"
"No, no, no." I answer with a smile. "That was perfect." I stroke my thumb over his cheekbone. "Thank you for caring." I wrap my arms around his neck and he nuzzles into my neck.
"Thank you for giving me the opportunity." He murmurs back as he hugs me tighter to him. "Thank you for loving me." I don't say anything but hug him tighter and we stay like that for the next hour.