I have been planning on writing something like this for a while and now I finally have. Just some quick notes about this
- Druella is a year below Tom at Hogwarts.
- Her brother Nicholas Rosier is her brother and will go on to become Evan Rosier's father. Evan will be named for Druella and Nicholas' father who died.
- Yes, Druella and Nicholas' father died during the Blitz in 1940.
- I had lots of fun playing with the similarities and differences Druella shares with her daughters, especially her opinion of Tom which compares, as well as contrasts, with how Bella sees him.
Now, on with the show!
Druella knew she should not be doing this: Her mother and aunt would express disapproval while her brother would be irritated. Nevertheless, she could not help herself.
It was easy. So easy. It was as if someone had meant for her to do this.
The back veranda directly faced the small creek and whispering willows where her brother and his friend stood. She had not planned to eavesdrop. She had only intended to have a quick walk around her aunt's property, but, seeing the sight of her brother, and, more particularly, his handsome friend, she could not stop herself.
During her second year, her father and their family home had been destroyed by the horrifying bombs those German muggles had dropped over London. Ever since, Nicholas, Mother and herself, had lived with their widowed aunt, Gwendolyn Yaxley nee Selwyn, in the country. Nicholas was the de facto head of the family, since he was the only male in the house, while Druella was the princess of the home, doted on and educated in womanly ways by her mother and aunt.
She was also fiercely protected by all.
Her mother and aunt had originally opposed Nicholas allowing his friend Tom to stay, but his explanation had been persuasive: His poor friend was not only forced to stay in London where they were still all sensitive to the threat of muggle explosions, but he was also obligated to live with muggles. Combined this with his charming and courteous manner, the woman had relented. After all, he did not seem the type of boy who was anything less than a model of propriety and, during his few week stay, he would be housed at the other wing of the house from the ladies.
Druella knew all of this. She knew more about him than her brother realised. She was only a year below Tom and Nicholas in Slytherin and Tom had always been a source of gossip and discussion for the girls. He was handsome, charming, polite, courteous and so very bright.
The name Riddle was not the finest name, but it was not one he deserved to have. It was only because of his mother. She had been married, yet she had ventured into another man's bed causing her to understandably be cast onto the streets in disgrace. She had even gone so far as to stumble into a muggle orphanage, give her son to them and then allow them to name him after she passed away.
Like many, Druella had been particularly heartbroken by the news and widespread gossip. Poor Tom. He did not deserve to live such a life. She could only imagine what it would be like to be a pureblood and to be forced to have a muggle name and to live with muggles. Some said he was lying, though she knew he was not. How could someone as beautiful, brave and brilliant as Tom be anything less than a pureblood?
So, like many girls, she could not help but stare. However, in contrast to the masses, he actually talked to her. She was not sure if Nicholas or anyone else noticed, but, somehow, Tom would always find her somewhere around the house. He was constantly the upmost gentleman. One day he had walked in on her playing the piano for her tutor. Others had complimented her playing before, though his words had seemed so much sweeter and her cheeks had brightened more than usual. She did not think it mattered. Mother had always said the rise of pink in her cheeks heightened her complexion and beauty. She hoped Tom had thought so.
The next day he had walked in on her struggling over a Transfiguration assignment. Originally she had been embarrassed over her problem, but he had assisted and explained it in such a way that it had made more sense than any clarification offered by Dumbledore. Well, it mostly had, the rest of her uncertainty was enough for her to request his assistance for the several consecutive days that followed. She was not sure how much she actually took in when she had stared into his handsome face and his hand had accidentally brushed against her own a number of times, but that hardly mattered.
She had kept the same Transfiguration textbook with her this time too as she gazed over the cover at the two boys not far away. If anyone knew her, they would know that was odd in itself: She had never put much stock in school work or viewed it as important because of her gender. Her job was only to find a husband and to bring future purblood sons and daughters into the world. From Tom's handsome face, she was sure their children could be very attractive.
Her cheeks coloured a little at the thought as her clear blue eyes again sneaked a peak over the cover of textbook. Instead of finding the pair engrossed in conversation, Nicholas was staring down at a parchment resting on the grass between the two while Tom was gazing directly at her.
The colour in her cheeks only increased. She was very tempted to stare back at the textbook instead she managed to maintain some composure and sense. Lowering the book, she carefully brushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she smiled shyly.
She did not expect him to walk over, but, despite her embarrassment, she was not displeased when he did.
"Good morning, Miss Rosier," he said politely with a small bow of his head once his long legs had reached her side. "You look especially lovely this morning."
Her cheeks were now tomato red, but her eyes did not lower. She continued to smile as she nervously pressed out the invisible creases in her dress. "Good morning to you too, Mr Riddle." She was not sure what to say to the complimented so she only did what her mother would have wanted her to do: Receive it with grace. "Thank you. Your words are very kind."
"Merely genuine." The curl around his lips did not twitch and she glowed in the aftermath of his well crafted smile. "Would you care to take a stroll around the grounds with me?"
It was difficult for Druella not to leap up at once. Her mother had always told her it was wise to not seem too eager. Instead she paused for a few seconds, before she rose slowly and gracefully. "I would be honoured, Mr Riddle."
Taking his offered arm, her fingers rested gently against his robes. She supposed they were not of the upmost quality, but she was too distracted by his crisp midnight blue eyes and the cheekbones that framed his handsome face.
Neither Tom nor Druella spared any thought to her forgotten brother as they walked in the opposite direction. Druella quickly labelled herself as besotted as she found it difficult to pay too much attention to his words. She was sure she had never met a man who was as attractive and as gentlemanly as Tom Riddle.
"I feel I should be very grateful for this walk, Miss Rosier," Tom said softly as they paused by one of the shaded walking trails at the back of the property.
"Grateful?" Druella asked, perplexed. Despite stopping, she made no effort to release his arm. She even felt some of her hair fall from behind her ear. Normally she would have fixed it without a second thought, but she was too distracted by the thought of him to concern herself with it.
"Very grateful. After all, most would be envious of wasting some of Druella Rosier's time with a simple walk." She wanted to protest. She wanted to declare that she should be grateful to be in the presence of such a handsome man, yet all her words were lost in the glow of her cheeks and his hand that had reached up to her face. "May I?"
She could never refuse him, so she only nodded as his hands ghosted against her cheek to secure the stray lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. Even the slightest touch was enough to leave her breathless with wide eyes as she stared up at him. Her heart was racing. She found her concentration that had been focused on his entire face was now concentrated firmly on his lips.
She shuddered pleasantly as she gulped down a breath. Merlin, there was something more in that touch.
Then, in her frozen state, Tom took the initiative.
Leaning forward he pressed his lips against hers. It was tentative, soft and gentle. It was only a small contact. He only stepped forward a little to maintain some form of propriety. Her heart was roaring like a heard of Hippogriffs. She was unsure what to do, but, in all her uncertainty, there was no thought of pushing him away. Hesitantly, she tried to match the movement of his lips with hers with all the uncertainty of a girl experiencing her first kiss.
When they pulled away after only a few moments, she knew she was smiling brightly and she could have sworn he was too. Her entire body was buzzing and filled with butterflies as phoenix song played in her ears.
"Tom," she said, her voice breathless.
"Druella," he murmured back. His tone was composed, like always, but she did not notice. She was sure she could fault him.
In the end, she did.
After several months of bliss and brilliance, she stepped away from Tom Riddle. It never did get too serious. She was still always a model of propriety and it never advanced to anything further than several stolen kisses. Tom never did anything wrong and, when she finally broke away from him, it was with great disappointment. However, it was only her decision. For all his charm and positives, he was still only an orphan. She could never marry him, so she walked away.
Tom went on to never think much of the pretty pureblood girl who was just another he had kissed and successfully manipulated.
Druella was another story. She had not loved him, but, on more than one occasion, she wondered what it would have been like if it would have continued. She would wonder what became of the handsome Tom Riddle and the boy with whom she had stolen secret kisses.
She never learned the truth.
She was never told who handsome Tom Riddle grew up to become.