Title: Crystal
Rating: PG-13/R
Genre: Romance/Angst/Humor
Summary: AU; "He's as… fragile as crystal…" To wear matching rings is believed to be the ultimate expression of love… complete detail inside
Pairing(s): Harry/Tom R.
Warnings: AU Yaoi, slash, Boy/Boy
Disclaimer: Don't own fandom. Concept behind story doesn't belong to me either. Story itself does. So does Moorinto… and various cameo characters. So don't sue me or have me erased because I'm not going to lose my very first-ever paycheck to people who don't know how to read a disclaimer.

Summary: The ultimate expression of love… In the small town of Moorinto, it is believed the ultimate expression of love is to wear a matching ring with the one you love. It could also be the deepest sign of friendship, depending on which finger you wear it on. When the semi-loner Harry Potter suddenly finds his matching ring with the person he least expects, it's an up and down coaster ride to discovering if this person could be his worst enemy… or his greatest love.

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AN: My, aren't you the lucky ones! Only one more chapter after this, folks. And an epilogue… maybe. ::looks at the hopeful faces:: I said maybe!

By the way, is it jut me or is no one else getting emails from FFN either?? It's really bugging me!

Happy new year!

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It was almost bittersweet, like a sad ending to a long story. Harry's silence worried his family for days. They wondered what had happened to make him revert back to the way he was after the crash, but they didn't pressure him.

He spent his days in a sort of mindless monotony, feeling impossibly numb. During school, he evaded Tom in a way that was slowly turning into an art form, ignoring any mention of him within his classroom. Whenever Ron would question him he only smiled sadly in response and looked away. Midweek, he overheard a conversation between his best friend and his sister.

"Nadi, I'm really concerned about this. He doesn't talk to me or anyone else, he barely participates in gym… I don't even know if I've seen him eat." Ron's voice was beginning to sound desperate. "He just… sits there, staring out of the window. What's going on? Did something happen?"

"I don't know," Nadi's soft voice drifted up the stairs. "He's been like this since the weekend. He won't talk to us either, Ron, and we don't know what to do! He hasn't been like this since…since we first moved here. I thought, I'd hoped he'd been getting better, but something happened last weekend that made him completely shut down. I have to admit it's scaring me." There was a short moment of silence.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Just do what you've been doing. Just talk to him, be there for him. That's all we can do, really."

"Of course. I'll do my best."

"Thanks Ron. It means a lot to me."

He had felt a bit of guilt for worrying his family and his friend so much, but in the end it paled in comparison to the shadows he felt in his own heart. Just like the rain that streamed down the window from the dark clouds in the sky.

"Hey, Harry." Ron filled his line of vision, forcing him to look up. "Want to go do something later? That movie you were raving about came out today. Why don't we go see it? My treat."

Harry stared at him blankly. Ron had claimed no one would be able to drag him to that movie if they'd paid him to go. However, now he looked anxious, obviously hoping he'd say yes. Harry sighed, feeling disgusted with himself. It was then he decided he couldn't let this… whatever it was control him any longer. It was obviously hurting those he cared about.

"Sure, Ron." He gave his friend a small smile. "I'll go, as long as you're paying." Ron looked startled.

"Really? I mean, great! Cool." Ron gave him a big grin and moved off to his own seat with a thumbs-up.

I guess one movie couldn't hurt. It was a good choice. I feel better for saying yes. Things are starting to look a bit brighter.

It was at this moment that the door to his classroom was opened rather loudly and forcefully.

"Harry Potter!" The class as a whole jumped and looked toward the door. Tom Riddle looked around the room, looking rather pissed off. "Where is he?" When no one answered, he stalked forward until his eyes landed on Harry, who stared back at him with wide eyes.

I think I spoke too soon….

"I need a word with you," Tom said coldly, staring at him with narrowed eyes. Without letting Harry answer him, he grabbed his wrist and nearly dragged him from the room. Speechless, Harry followed him.

The short walk seemed to have calmed the older student a bit for as he came to a stop in front of a rarely used classroom, his tone was less acerbic as he bade Harry to enter the room before him. Once inside, he closed and locked the door.

"Sit down, please." Harry looked at him silently for a moment before slowly doing as he told. Tom sat down on the edge of the teacher's desk and stared at him for a moment before sighing and running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. I've been angry since this weekend. I had a horrible birthday. I didn't mean to take it out on you, even if you are involved." Harry narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. Tom looked at him.

"Just answer me something. Just when did I start dating your sister?"

"What?" Harry said, startled. "What are you talking about?"

"The rumor that I'm dating your sister. Did you start it?"

"What about it? What happened?" Tom waved his hand.

"What happened on my birthday doesn't concern you." Harry frowned.

"But you just said…."

"Forget what I said. Did you start it or not?" Harry gazed at him for a moment before looking away.

"No. But I didn't stop it either."

"Why? You want me to date your sister or something?" Harry looked up.

"No, of course I don't. I figured if I ignored the rumor, it would go away eventually like all the rest. I guess I was wrong." Tom huffed.

"Damn right you were wrong."

"What happened on your birthday?" Harry demanded. "If it has to do with that rumor, I'm sorry, but…."

"I told you, it has nothing to do with you," Tom said, leaning back onto the desk.

Harry sighed and looked away. The loss of Tom and his ring still pained him, even if he had decided to rise above it. Now that he was alone with him, though, the loss was even more prominent and threatened to engulf him again.

"Is that all?" he asked, sighing. He used a hand to move his bangs from his face. "Can I go now?"

When Tom nearly launched himself off of the desk in order to grab his wrist, Harry jumped. Harry watched him in shock as Tom stared wide-eyed at his empty right hand.

"Your ring. It's gone," Tom said finally after a moment, a strange quality in his tone.

"Y-yeah…."

"Why?" Tom said harshly. "Where did it go?"

"I got rid of it." Tom stared at him.

"Got… rid of it? Why?" Harry looked away from him, trying to pull his hand from Tom's grip half-heartedly.

"I don't know," Harry said softly. "I guess… it hurt. The significance of your ring means more than mine ever could. I thought… that if I didn't have mine anymore, it wouldn't bother me so much that when you looked at me you… weren't seeing me. So…"

"That I wasn't…. Harry, that's not true." And suddenly Harry's world dropped away from beneath his feet.

Tom's lips were warm. Incredibly warm. Harry felt fevered. His body tingled where Tom's finger's rested; his grip on the older boy's shirt tightened and pressed against the hard chest underneath. A breathless whimper escaped him as he was drawn closer to the taller body, even as he leaned harder into the kiss.

This is… this feels…. A flash of Tom and the older woman crosses his closed eyes. They flashed open in panic. This is wrong!

He shoved hard, pushing the other away from him and took several steps backwards, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes burned.

"You… you bastard! What do you think this is, some kind of game? I'm not a toy you can play with and discard once it gets boring. It's not funny. That was cruel, even for you. Bastard!"

Tom stared at him silently for a moment, a strange, angry look on his face.

"You have some nerve," he said harshly. "You make it sound like I'm some sort of bad guy, like I've done something wrong. But look at you. You're so cold and cynical; you can't stand to let anyone close to you, couldn't bear the thought that someone might want to get to know you or care about you. Your supposed best friend knows so little about you I'm surprised he considers you his best friend. You keep everything bottled up inside, Harry, and I think if you don't let it out it's just going to fester until it drives you mad. If you don't let whatever it is-."

"I don't care what you think!" Harry cut him off loudly, balling his fists. "You know nothing about me, Riddle, nothing. You're calling me cold and cynical? What about you? Ever since you met me you've been nothing but harsh. I don't recall ever doing something to deserve your criticism, which is all you've given me since we accidentally switched rings. What the hell did I ever do to you, Riddle?" Tom winced.

"I… I know. And I'm sorry. I just didn't know how to react to you." Harry scoffed.

"Like it's so hard to exchange neutrality to someone you don't even know. And now you're trying to tell me that I need to, what, 'talk about my feelings'? You can't treat me coldly and then act like you care." Tom scowled at him, his hands fisting.

"Well maybe I do! Is that so difficult to stomach?"

"Like I said before, you don't know me. And I don't think I want to know you." Tom took a step back and gave him a startled look.

"What…." Harry steeled himself.

"I don't want to know you, Tom Riddle. I don't want to see you or talk to you or even hear about you ever again. I'd appreciate it if you left me alone. And now that my ring is gone, it shouldn't be too hard. No more mix-ups."

"But…. Harry, wait….."

"No. Goodbye, Tom."

Harry left without looking back.

That night, in the darkness and solitude of his own room, he cried himself to sleep for the first time in years.

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…. Don't kill me. ::hides::