Ooh, another chapter! What's going to happen? :D
Disclaimer: I own Christine Young, Klaus Lovegood and Edward Potter. Sadly, I don't own Tom Riddle.
"You were right" Tom admitted as they walked to the Ravenclaw tower, "The spinach and lettuce were better than the chicken"
Christine smiled.
"You lived an orphanage, right?" she asked, suddenly, remembering something she'd heard a long time ago. Tom frowned and turned to her with a glare.
"So?" he asked, his teeth clenched. Christine sighed.
"Gods! Don't misunderstand!" she said, "I just felt like knowing! I didn't know you'd get upset so easily!" she declared. Tom frowned at her. His display of anger was minimal, absolutely controlled. How did she know he was angry?
"I just meant to ask that the food there must've been awful" she said slowly, "I mean, I've only ever seen one orphanage. It was for some charity thing dad did when I was like seven. The kids looked miserable there. Like they'd rather rot out on the streets" she rambled, "It must be awful to go back there, every summer"
Tom sighed, silencing Christine from her rambling and making her look up, towards him. Christine bobbed her head to one side, looking at Tom.
"Did you have dinner with me because you pity me?" he asked. Christine shook her head.
"I don't know all these new feelings that I have. I mean, I don't have words to describe them, but it most definitely isn't pity" she informed, "I know what pity's like. It's how I feel about myself, when I realise that I have one friend in my house and hundreds of others outside" she muttered. Tom sighed.
"You're really complicated, Christine" he said, making her smile.
"Dad says that too" she admitted, "Although, he says it when I talk about magic"
Tom shook his head.
"Why did you ask about my orphanage anyway?" he asked. Christine shrugged.
"I don't remember" she admitted, looking up at the ceiling, thinking back, "May be I wanted to say something about the food" she said, shrugging, making Tom chuckle. It wasn't just chuckling, it was all-out laughing, with little wheezes of breath in the middle. Christine cracked a smile and continued to walk.
"So, I guess this is where we part" Christine said as they stood a hallway down from the Ravenclaw common room entrance. Tom nodded and sighed.
"Sit with me in class tomorrow" he said firmly. It wasn't a request, Christine noted keenly, but said nothing and nodded with a smile.
"And the next day and the next" he added, with a grin. Christine smiled wider.
"It would look like we're together" she said, "You know, like you're courting me"
Tom nodded.
"It would be good to scare off potential seekers" he whispered, leaning towards her ear. Before Christine could respond, he placed a firm kiss on her cheek and left her in the hallway, alone.
When Christine's senses returned, she reached her hand up to her cheek and touched it where Tom had kissed. The skin still tingled.
Christine woke up with a start. When she remembered the incidents of the previous night, she felt the blood rise to her cheeks. Then, she trailed a finger where Tom's lips had touched her cheek and felt her skin tingle. She smiled a little and hurried to get dressed.
Christine wasn't surprised to see Tom the same place he'd dropped her the night before. He looked at her and smirked.
"Good morning, love" he said, making her grin and blush at the same time.
"Morning" she wished and to her surprise, Tom swooped down to press his lips against her cheek. He then took her hand and folded it in with his and they walked to the Great hall.
"So, we're together" Christine said, "and I don't have a say in the matter?" she asked. Tom looked at her.
"If you don't want to, just say so" he said, "And I'll let go"
Christine groaned.
"That's a really hard thing to do" she admitted. Tom smirked and they sat down at the Ravenclaw table for Breakfast. A few of her housemates glared at Christine for inviting a "Slytherin" over. Usually houses didn't mix like that. In the Great Hall, every one always sat with their house-mates. Except Christine and Klaus, and now, Tom Riddle. Tom looked at them and they looked away wih annoyance.
Christine helped herself to a hearty breakfast and Tom noticed that she was quite the eater. When she caught his eyes, Christine gave him a sheepish smile.
"You think I'm a troll" she said, sipping her juice delicately. Tom frowned and then shook his head, proceeding to pile food onto his plate.
"No" he said, "I like a girl with an appetite" he admitted, making Christine look at him oddly.
"Are you going into Hogsmeade village tomorrow?" Tom asked. Tomorrow was Saturday. Christine shrugged.
"I guess, if Ed and Klaus are going, I'll just tag along with them" she replied, buttering her toast. Tom frowned.
"Even if they aren't going, will you come with me, instead?" he asked. Christine shrugged, taking a bite out of her toast.
"Sure" she replied, "But if they're going, you have tag along with us instead" she informed. Tom frowned, but nodded, hoping against hope that Ed and Klaus would stay back at the castle instead.
Christine spent most of the day with Tom, seeing as they had similar schedules. Except for Potions, which was a combined class for NEWT levels, all the other classes were grouped as Slytherin and Ravenclaw; and Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. For lunch, Christine dragged Tom to the Gryffindor table, but he let go of her hand and promised to pick her up after lunch. Christine pouted towards him, but he just chuckled and left.
"So, what's with you and Riddle today?" Ed asked, once Tom had left. Christine shrugged.
"We're together" she said, "May be, sort of" she added, eating an apple. Ed looked at her with disbelief.
"You're with him?" he asked, a little loudly, "As in Riddle is courting you?!" he said. Christine blushed at the loudness, for a few neighbours turned to them and snickered.
"Hush! Ed!" she said, pressing his forearm, "You'll tell the whole hall!"
Ed frowned at her.
"Why?" he asked, "Why, in Merlin's name, did you accept?" he asked. Christine shrugged.
"He's really nice" she said, "And he said he liked me from first year" she added. Ed shook his head with disbelief.
"And you believe him?" he asked. Christine frowned at Ed.
"Are you really asking me this? Why I'm with Tom all the time? Why I believe him when he says he likes me? Ed, you are so over-protective!" she scolded. Ed glared at her.
"Come on, guys" Klaus said, trying to make peace, "The Professors are looking this way! You'll get detention!" he informed urgently. Christine sighed.
"Look, Ed" she said, her voice lower and calmer, "Tom's a great guy once you get to know him. You just haven't had the time yet" she said. Ed frowned at her.
"I don't trust any Slytherin" Ed said, glaring at the entire table of Slytherins. Christine sighed.
"You're being a racist" she said, "Talk to me only after you've cleared your head" she said sternly, stood and left, still biting into her apple.
"What's wrong?" Tom asked as they met up outside the Great Hall, "You caused quite the commotion in there" he added, nodding towards the hall. Christine sighed and stared at her apple. Green apples were Ed's favourite fruit. Christine sighed again.
"Ed's being a brat" she complained, "he doesn't believe that you're not a bad guy" she added and sighed again. Tom wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. Christine smiled a little when she looked back up at him.
"He'll loosen up and understand" he said trying to cheer her up. Christine snorted.
"Ed is a stubborn Gryffindor" she said, "He'll probably fume about it until I go calm him down" she added. Tom looked at her seriously.
"Then why didn't you do that now?" he asked. Christine smiled weakly up at him.
"He's a little hot-headed now" she said, "Even if I explain it to him, he won't understand unless his mind's clear. I have to wait for that" she said. Tom nodded, like he understood, but in truth, he didn't understand anything at all. One thing he did understand, after seeing Edward Potter's outburst in the great hall: Edward liked Christine, who was blissfully unaware of his feelings and walked all over him, all the time.
After spending the next few hours in class, with Tom, Christine excused herself from his company.
"I'll go talk to Ed" she informed him when he asked her where she was headed.
"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked. Christine shook her head.
"It's alright" she said, "Besides, if Ed sees you, who knows what he'll do!" she said. Tom snickered in his mind. Christine really did blow things out of proportion.
Christine sighed as she spotted Ed with his housemates. They were dressed in Quidditch clothes, meaning they were going out for practice.
"Ed!" Christine called and Ed stopped and glanced at her and then slowed down to meet her.
"What?" he asked sourly. Christine smiled.
"I have something to say to you" she said, "So, I'll wait for your practice to end, ok?" she said. Ed frowned, but nodded.
"Yeah, I have something to say to you too" he admitted, "I'll see you after practice" he added with a grin. Christine smiled back enthusiastically.
"Do your best!" she encouraged and Ed nodded and strode off towards the field. Christine smiled to herself and settled down on the bleachers.
The next three hours flew by as Christine sat in the bleachers and sketched in a small parchment book she'd fashioned during the summer. She'd used charcoal and graphite and the resulting sketch looked pretty professional. It was a picture of her house, back in Liverpool, how she remembered it. It made her smile when she was done. But, every few minutes, she'd glance back at the sketch and make a few additions. Deletions were few, and easy with the help of her wand, but additions were something that was pain-staking, even for a Ravenclaw. As the Gryffindor team finished practice, Christine made her way down to meet Ed. When she did, he'd already changed into a white shirt and school pants. He smiled at her, only a little.
"So, where do you want to go?" Ed asked. Christine shrugged, pushing her sketchbook into her bag.
"Don't care" she muttered. Ed nodded and eyed her book, which Christine caught.
"Want a peek?" she asked, pulling it out. Ed grinned and nodded and skimmed through the pages slowly as they walked in circles. They stayed silent save for the rustling of their clothes.
"This is really precise" he said, gesturing to the one she'd drawn that day. Christine beamed.
"You think so?" she asked, "I thought the lines were too shabby" she admitted, tracing a few with her fingers gently. Ed shook his head, his eyes burning into the picture.
"I think it's an exact copy" he informed, "Just like I remember it"
Christine smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, Ed" she said. Ed smiled and handed her book back. Christine let out a breath.
"I really do like Tom" she admitted, at last, "And I know it's only a small liking, I've never felt this way before" she told him, looking up at him, "The way he makes me feel is incredible. I like it" she said. Ed nodded, frowning a little, but forcing a smile.
"I understand, Chris" he told her, "But, if he ever makes you sad, just tell me, I'll kill him, personally" he told her. Christine smiled at him.
"Thank you" she said, wrapping her arms around him in a hug, "For understanding" Ed frowned as his arms easily held her. But when it was time to let go, they just wouldn't listen. Christine smiled at him.
"You can get to know him" she offered, "By going to Hogsmeade together?" she suggested. Ed almost groaned. Almost. He sighed heavily.
"Alright" he said, "We can go to Hogsmeade together"
Christine smiled and then turned to the castle.
"Let's head back" she suggested, "Almost dinner time"
Ed nodded and followed her as she skipped along happily, completely ignorant of the two pairs of eyes watching her with longing. One was, of course, Ed, who seemed to realise how much he cared for Christine only then. The other belonged to a particular Slytherin and this longing was not of the heart and it wasn't for love.
This one was of lust.
Christine smiled as they met Tom on the way to the great hall. He grinned at her, but his expression turned to a scowl on seeing Ed with her, with tousled black hair and dark brown eyes.
"Potter" he acknowledged with a nod. Ed nodded back, biting back a sour remark.
"Riddle" he said. Soon, Christine had lead them into the Great hall. Ed held her right hand and tugged her towards the Gryffindor table, Tom holding her left, pulled her towards the Slytherin one. Christine blinked at the tug of war between the two men.
"I'm going to sit at my table" she informed them, "You're welcome to join me"
Tom immediately took up on that offer. Ravenclaws generally got along well with Slytherins. They both shared that cleverness. Gryffindor was better friends with Hufflepuff, because of how easily trusting they both were and how wary they were of Slytherin. Ed frowned as Christine looked at him. He'd never sat at the Ravenclaw table before. But since Tom Riddle could sit there, so could he. When he saw Klaus, Ed dragged him towards where Christine and Tom were seated and suddenly, Tom found himself in the company of Christine's friends. Mostly her friends, anyway. Most Ravenclaws disliked Christine. A few juniors had taken a liking to her, as had a few seniors. But Klaus was the only one in her year and house to be her friend. He easily slipped into the seat on her right, which was vacant and Ed was forced to sit on Klaus' right too. Christine grinned at Klaus as she ate her food.
"So, we're going to Hogsmeade tomorrow" she informed Klaus and Tom, "together" she added as she ate some plain, uncooked vegetable. Tom sneered and Klaus choked on his soup, Ed having to help by smacking his back, a little too harshly. Christine winced as she noticed Klaus' pale face.
"You look sick" she told him, "Drink some water or something" she added. Klaus shook his head and pulled out his wand and cast a spell. Soon, his colour returned and he looked less pale than he did previously. Christine smiled.
"Now, why didn't I think of that?" she wondered as Klaus returned to bingeing. Then, she caught Ed's eye and an understanding passed between them.
"So, what are we doing tomorrow?" Klaus asked, "Hog's head inn?"
Christine shrugged.
"I don't really care" she admitted, "Anywhere's fine by me"
Then, she slipped out of her seat easily and looked at the three pairs of eyes looking at her. She raised an eyebrow and drank her water.
"Why don't you guys decide and surprise me" she said, smiling, "I'm sure you'll remember something special for sure" she added and then left, humming to herself.
The three men stared after her. Here they were, an odd bunch, sitting at the Ravenclaw table, staring at the door, their plates and each other repeatedly until Klaus interrupted the awkward silence with an awkward laugh.
"How about we go to the Quaint cafe?" he suggested. Ed frowned.
"That place gives me the creeps" he admitted.
"But Chris likes it" Klaus intervened. Ed sighed.
"Fine" he said, grudgingly, "What do you think, Riddle?" he asked, turning to Tom.
"Sure" he said, "Anything to make Christine happy"
Ed rolled his eyes at how dramatically Tom had said it, as if doing so was absolutely terrible and he'd endure it to make Christine happy.
"Right then" Ed said, easily taking the role of leader, "We'll meet here at nine a.m" he decided.
"I hope you mean the Great Hall and not Ravenclaw table" Tom said, looking at him in a strange way.
"Here, the Great Hall, Riddle" Ed said, rolling his eyes, "I don't see what she sees in you" he admitted. Tom scowled.
"I don't see what she sees in you" Tom retorted. The two glared at each other until Klaus interrupted them.
"Professor Dumbledore is looking straight at us" he informed them, making the two turn. Indeed, Dumbledore was looking at them, his blue eyes piercing through them.
"Well, I guess we'll meet tomorrow" Tom said, standing up first and then walking away, annoyed that Dumbledore was taking that much interest in him these days.
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