The Darkest Black

This is for the Draco in Leather Pants part of the Tropes and Cliché challenge run by Coding Gengar. It's about someone on the side of the villains having a platonic/romantic relationship with someone on the side of the heroes who tries to change them (and possibly fails). Additional prompt was 'Black'. I don't own Harry Potter.

She was sitting alone in her living room, late at night, when she heard the knock on her front door. She slowly got up to answer it. Other women would be afraid to hear someone knocking on their door this late, but not her. She was a formidable witch. Always had been. Though that wasn't the reason why she was not frightened. It was simply that she knew what to expect. Knew who was knocking.

As she made her way to the door, she thought back to the last time she saw her visitor, three years ago. It should have been the best day of her life, instead it became the worst. For three years she had waited for him to come back for her. Tonight, finally, her suffering would end.

Flashback

There it was, right in front of her. On a red velvet cushion, in an open box in Tom's hand. A ring. A beautiful ring. Gold, with small emeralds let in around the band in equal distance from each other. She had dreamed of this day for over a year. It was perfect. Everything was just as she had imagined it.

It was winter and there was a fire going in the fireplace. They'd had a small dinner. Tom had cooked her favourite. After dinner they had retired to the living room, and just when the full moon started shining through the window, Tom had taken out the box with the ring. He hadn't kneeled, of course. Tom would never kneel to anyone. She loved that about him. She loved every little thing about him.

She looked at the ring. It was glimmering at her. Inviting her. Seducing her. It would be so easy. Say yes, let Tom put the ring on her finger and get everything she had dreamed of.

But now that the moment she dreamed of was here, she couldn't do it. She knew. She just couldn't. She loved him so much, but she knew she would never be able to marry him now. Tom hadn't been the same since he'd come back from his journey to Transylvania a few weeks ago. And now this. She had seen the golden chalice. She might not have studied in Hogwarts, but she knew enough history to recognise it. And she knew that whoever the rightful owner was, it wasn't Tom.

What had he done?

She didn't want to think about it. But it was impossible not to. She was a powerful and accomplished witch. Not nearly as powerful as her love, but enough to feel the dark magic rolling of the priceless artefact in waves. She had felt it before. She knew what it was. The diary.

No, she couldn't marry him now. She could barely keep the tears out of her eyes at the thought of what her answer would have to be.

She could forgive him the death of the girl in Hogwarts and what he'd done to both his parents' families. They hadn't known each other back then. He had never felt loved by anyone before her, and he had done terrible, terrible things. But those she could forgive. She knew about the Gaunts and they weren't a big loss. And at least the part of her whose love for Tom was so great that she'd to everything he asked of her, the part of her that still wanted to accept his proposal thought his father's family had deserved it. The girl was a tragedy, but tragedies happened. It was hard, but she could forgive her love for those things.

But this. This she couldn't forgive. They'd started a life now. It was different for Tom. She had shown him love, she loved him with all her heart. Tom knew this, but now it turned out that it wasn't enough. The same reasons for which she could excuse his earlier deeds meant that this one was unforgivable. Oh, Tom still loved her, she was sure of that. But now he was going down a path she couldn't follow.

She slowly opened her mouth. Every inch cost her an immeasurable amount of willpower. Everything she could ever imagine wanting was right in front of her. The large part of her that wanted nothing more than to jump into Tom's arms and scream 'Yes!' argued that she'd known this was a possibility. That he would fall back. That this wasn't a surprise. That this didn't change anything. But there was a much smaller part of her that knew that wasn't true. And that part persisted.

"I can't…" The two words felt as if she was ripping out her own heart.

There it was. A flash of red in his eyes. She knew what her answer would do to him. Knew what it would mean. Whatever restraint he may have had until now, would be broken.

"Why not?" He demanded.

She reached out a hand and cupped his cheek. Looking into his black eyes. She loved his eyes so much. If she could sink into those eyes forever, she would do it without hesitation.

"What did you do, Tom?" She simply asked, still suppressing her need to cry.

Tom's eyes widened. Of course he understood what she meant. He was one of the most intelligent people she knew. "She was an old woman." He tried to explain. "She wouldn't have had much time left anyway. It's much better the chalice is with someone who can protect and honour it the way it should be."

She looked into his eyes sadly. "And this is you honouring it? I saw the diadem you brought back from your travels, you know? You aren't done yet." It was a statement of fact, not a question.

"You don't understand." He pleaded. She knew she was the only one who could make him plead for anything. "Once I have seven pieces, I will be invincible. We can rule the world. We can have everything you ever wanted." The expression in his eyes was almost enough to make her reconsider. Those eyes of his could make her do nearly anything. Tom was a murderer? So what? He'd done it for her.

With every ounce of her willpower she tore herself away from those black orbs. No. She couldn't. She knew if she gave in, it would never end. Never. And in the end both Tom and she would only be left as mere husks of themselves. And those black eyes that she loved so much would forever turn red. No.

She shook her head. "Everything I ever wanted was you. And now I can't have you." There were tears in her eyes and desperation in her voice.

"So you are really saying no?" Tom asked, his eyes wide as if he couldn't belief what he was hearing. He wasn't the only one who couldn't. After a couple of seconds his voice became more forceful. "You are really going to say no to me?"

His eyes once more flashed red in anger but she didn't flinch away. "I'm sorry." She repeated. "I can't."

There was the hint of wetness at the tips of her fingers, where a single tear had rolled out of Tom's eye. He blinked once and another tear fell. Then he abruptly turned and left the house, without another word.

She waited for him to come back for the whole night. He never did.

Flashback ends

She opened the door and for the first time in three years looked at the man she still loved. Often she had blamed herself. Maybe if she'd been a bit more observant instead of so much in love, she could've seen it coming. Maybe she could've stopped Tom before he committed those acts. Maybe she lost her love because of her own negligence.

The man in front of her barely bore any resemblance to the man she remembered. He was bald now, gone was the beautiful black hair. His nose was flat, like those of the snakes he so loved. But most heartbreaking of all, his eyes. Those beautiful black orbs she had so happily sunk into for hours at a time were gone. Replaced by pure crimson.

She stepped to the side. "Welcome, Tom. I knew you were back. I wondered when you'd come calling." She greeted her love with a smile.

"Lucia." Tom said in a high, artificial sounding voice. He nodded his head. "It has been too long." He stepped past her and into the house.

"It is good to see you." Lucia told him. "Even though the years haven't been kind to you." She added with a snort.

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Still the same humour, I see. And still no fear."

"Why should I fear you, Tom?" Lucia asked.

"You know why I'm here?"

"Of course. What did you bring for me?"

Tom smiled and removed the diadem Lucia had seen him bring back from Transylvania all those years ago. "I'm going to Hogwarts tomorrow to apply for the position as Defence Professor one last time. It seems appropriate that the piece of my soul that is connected to you should reside in the one place I ever felt at home in."

"I appreciate the thought." Lucia said with a smile. There was no point in being afraid. She'd known for a long time that Tom would come back one day to kill her. At the moment she had said no, she had known the consequence it would eventually bring. She was fine with that. Death didn't have any negative meaning to her. It was much preferable to a life without Tom. And in a twisted way she was happy to know he still cared enough to make such considerations as he had just explained to her.

"Will you fight me?" Tom asked interestedly.

Lucia shook her head. "No. I won't."

Tom chuckled. "I didn't think you would. Shame. It would've been a worthy duel."

"Can I make a last request?"

"Of course." Tome smiled magnanimously. "Everything for you."

"Can you show me your real eyes one last time?"

Tom raised an eyebrow. "How do you know I am capable of that?"

"I know you, Tom. You knew I would make this request. And I know you would never deny me that."

Sighing, Tom closed his eyes. "You always knew me better than was good for you."

His eyes opened again and Lucia's breath hitched. There it was. That pure, beautiful black. She smiled and cupped Tom's cheek, looking deeply into his eyes. At that moment, it was as if he was still her Tom. As if everything that had split them apart hadn't happened. Before she knew what she was doing, Lucia had raised herself on her toes and captured Tom's lips in a lingering kiss. Tom hadn't kissed her back, but it wasn't necessary.

She pulled back a little, her hand remaining on Tom's cheek, and stared into his eyes with renewed determination. "I'm ready." She told him.

Tom sighed again. "Are you sure I cannot convince you to join me? A witch of your calibre and intelligence would be a hard loss."

"No, Tom. I could never join you in your quest to destroy yourself. One day all your soul will be back together again. And I will wait for you on the other side when that happens. No matter how long that takes."

"Very well, Lucia. I shall respect your wishes. Not many receive such respect from me. But for you, it is the least I can do."

For a moment, the world stood still, while Lucia simply looked into Tom's face, intently staring into the two black orbs she loved so much. Her life may end now, but she would never regret having met and loved Tom. She could never do that. A smile spread on her face, half because of her state of mind and half because of Tom. It would certainly be a long time before another would give Tom a real, honest, feeling smile. "I love you." She whispered.

There was a flash of green in the room, but she never saw it. Nor did she see the teardrop that rolled down Tom's face. As the life left her body she continued to sink into Tom's black eyes. In the moment of her death it was as if her smile became just a little brighter.

Now all she saw was black. The darkest black. Just like she always wanted.

Thanks for reading :)