Disclaimer: I own Christine Young, Klaus Lovegood, Edward Potter and Furry, the elf-owl. Sadly, Tom Riddle is not mine.
Christine frowned as she woke up the next morning. She'd hardly expected to wake up with an owl sitting in her forehead. It was one of the smaller varieties, like the one her mother owned.
"Mum" she thought, sitting up, making the owl flap it's wings frantically.
"Sorry, Furry" Christine said as she patted the owl's head and then took the letter from it's mouth. The owl hooted and flew to sit on her bed-post. Christine picked up the letter from her lap and opened it eagerly.
Dear Christine,
I hope you're having a nice time. Your father and I wanted to know if and when you're coming home for Christmas. Is it too much trouble, now that you have Tom Riddle? (Christine blushed and rolled her eyes at her mum on reading this) Anyway, I hope he's making you happy, since you always talk about him. Your father's turned red now, even his ears. (Christine giggled as she imagined her dad's face) So, ask Tom Riddle over. We'd like to meet him, if it's not too much trouble for him. And Edward and Klaus too, your dad really wants to meet Klaus and talk some non-sense with him.
Lots of love,
Mum (and dad, he insists)
Christine smiled as she folded the letter and put it on her night-stand.
"I'll ask them before writing back" she informed Furry, who hooted. Christine then dressed for the day and made her way to the common room.
"Hey" Klaus said as she went into the common room, "Morning, Chris"
"Klaus? What are you doing down so early?" Christine asked, surprised to find him there. Klaus was a typical Ravenclaw, he missed several breakfasts and dinners just to cram that extra piece of information into his huge, thirsty brain. Food was only a means of survival, in the sense that he'd die without it. He would never voluntarily wait for anyone for breakfast or dinner. They were more like chores, than necessities. Which was why Christine was surprised to find him waiting.
"Ed wanted to make sure you weren't going to let the three of us go and bail" Klaus admitted. Christine giggled.
"I'll do that next time" Christine said, "Thanks for the idea"
Klaus groaned as they walked to the great hall.
Ed and Tom were already there, waiting at their respective tables. Klaus waved to Ed and Christine to Tom.
"Morning" Ed said, walking over.
"Morning, Ed, Tom" Christine said, smiling at the two boys, "So, what are we doing today?" she asked as she sat down at the Ravenclaw table and began to eat.
"We're going to the cafe" Klaus said. Christine stared at them, dropping a slice of orange back on her plate.
"That's it?" she asked, surprised, "Wow, you guys really don't know me at all" she said, shaking her head. The three boys looked at her, surprised, Ed especially so. He wanted to claim he knew her better than everyone else, but he knew it was a lie. Christine sighed and smiled.
"Don't worry so much" she said, "I hardly know me myself" she said, continuing to eat. Although the statement had been for fun, it had really hit Tom hard and fast. It was true. He barely knew her at all. All he knew about her was that she was a half-blood, like him and nothing else. As Christine ate breakfast, Tom felt himself growing more miserable by the minute.
"By the way" Christine said as they made their way towards the village, "Mum and Dad asked if you wanted to come over for Christmas" she told the boys.
"Really?" Ed asked, "When?" he asked.
"I got an owl this morning" she said, "So, what do you say?" she asked, looking over each boy.
"Sure, I'll tell my parents" Klaus said, "They're going to Greece for the holidays anyway" he said. Christine nodded and looked at the other two.
"Ed? Tom?" Christine asked.
"I have to go home, I'm afraid" Ed said, "My grandparents are expecting me" he said. Christine pouted.
"At least come for a visit?" she suggested. Ed grinned.
"Sure" he said, "I'll only be a floo away"
"So, Tom, what about you?" Christine asked, turning her full attention to him, "Can you come?" she asked. Tom stared at her as they walked down the hill. Ed and Klaus were on Christine's other side, so her back was to them. Tom sighed.
"I can ask" he answered, "I'll let you know" he said. Christine smiled.
"I hope you can come, Tom" she said honestly, "Mum and dad are dying to meet you" she admitted as she slipped her hand into his and smiled slightly before blushing and looking at the ground. Tom felt his heart skip a beat.
They spent the day roaming all over the village, eating snacks and drinking butterbeer until they were tired and sore. They trugded back grudgingly, Christine scolding the road for being too steep and then huffing and sitting down on the ground, having given up. The boys stopped and looked at Christine.
"You never grow up, do you?" Ed asked, laughing slightly. Christine pouted.
"I'm too tired" she declared, "I'm not climbing anymore"
"Don't be like that, Chris" Klaus said, pouting, "We'll get scolded by Dumbledore again. This will be our third time" he said. Christine shook her head.
"No way" she said.
"Come on, I'll give you a ride" Tom said, kneeling down with his back toward her, "Hop on" he said, looking back.
"Is that ok?" Christine asked. Tom nodded. Christine grinned, climbing onto his back.
"It's been a while since I've been carried piggy-back" she admitted as Tom stood and they continued to walk. Ed gave Tom an irritated look and Klaus shrugged, indifferent.
"Look!" Christine said, making them stop and turn to her, "Up! Up!" she cried with excitement.
"Shooting stars" she sighed happily as a few streaked across the evening sky.
"It's so breath-taking!" she declared, staring at them happily as the boys just grunted in response and continued to walk.
"They're not really stars though" Christine continued, "They're meteors, or meteorites" she said, "the muggles found out about it. It was all over the muggle-news, before the muggle-war started"
"Muggle-war?" Ed repeated, looking at her. Christine nodded, her arms around Tom's neck.
"The muggles are at war with each other right now" she informed, "They call it the great war or something similar" Christine said, shrugging, "It's in Germany and England mostly"
"Oh" Ed said, surprised.
"Don't worry, Ed" Christine said, reassuringly, "We have a protective barrier around our house you know. Just because we live close to a muggle community, we won't be in danger" she said. Ed smiled.
"I know" he lied, worrying about it still.
"Here we are" Klaus announced as they reached the castle gates. Christine hopped off Tom's back, quite literally and then grinned at him.
"Sorry about that" she said, "I get really annoyed with that slope at usually that same spot" she admitted. Tom smiled.
"It wasn't a big deal at all" he told her, his teeth shining.
"I'm heavy, aren't I?" Christine asked, looking down bashfully.
"If you were any lighter, I'd have to worry about whether you're eating right, Chris" Tom said, making her look up and smile slightly.
"Well, good night then" she said, looking at Ed and Tom.
"G'night, Chris" Ed said, smiling.
"Good night, love" Tom said, leaning down and pecking her on her cheek, before pulling away and smiling slightly.
Christine frowned as she reached her room and noticed the small owl sleeping on her bed post.
"A reply" she thought and then, realising how tired she actually was, fell into bed and to sleep.
Christine woke up the next morning and frowned when she noticed the owl on her night stand. She sighed and went to the bath and upon her return, began to write back. A few minutes later, she was done and Furry the owl was off, carrying her love back to her parents'.
Christine skipped down to breakfast and found Tom Riddle waiting for her in their usual spot. He grinned on seeing her happy, smiling face.
"Good morning" he said, "You look happy" he noted. Christine nodded.
"I feel happy" Christine admitted, "And of course, I feel like I didn't climb up a mountain last night" she added, grinning. Tom snorted at her.
"You didn't" he reminded her, "I carried you up more than half-way, remember?" he asked. Christine frowned and shrugged.
"You want a thank-you hug?" she asked. Tom frowned and nodded.
"Yes, please" he asked. Christine froze, turning a million shades of red.
"Really?" she asked, stopping and looking at him. Tom nodded.
"A thank-you kiss would work too?" he added. Christine smiled slightly before wrapping her arms around his torso. Tom's arms slithered around her shoulders, holding her tight and close to himself so he could smell her sweet vanilla and strawberry scent and bask in her heat. Christine, on the other hand, heard the loud heart-beats emanating from his chest, his breath on her neck and shoulder and smelled the musky scent of his cologne. They pulled apart quickly and frantically when they heard foot-steps down the corridors.
A few Ravenclaws walked by, whispering about Christine's closeness to Tom and then, they were alone once again. Christine turned to Tom with a red face and a smile.
"Shall we go to breakfast?" she asked. Tom nodded, took her by her hand and walked to the Great hall.
"Say, Christine, is it really alright for me to spend the holidays with you and your family?" Tom asked. Christine turned to him with a smile.
"Of course! Mum asked if you would come!" Christine said.
"I can come, if it's not too much trouble" he admitted, grinning. Christine beamed at him.
"That'll be great!" Christine claimed, "Liverpool's beautiful this time of year!" Christine said, her smile wide. Tom frowned.
"Liverpool?" he repeated. Christine turned to him and nodded.
"Yes, our house is in Liverpool" she informed, "It's an old cottage on the outskirts" she said.
"That's a village" Tom claimed. Christine snorted at him.
"It's a city" she said, "An educational city. We have the muggle University there" she said. Tom stared at her.
"We?" he asked, referring to the way Christine had referred to the city.
"Dad works there" she said, "In the University of Liverpool"
Tom frowned and nodded.
"I see" he said, not really keen on meeting Christine's muggle father.
"Morning Ed, Klaus" Christine wished the two boys on entering the Great Hall. The boys grinned and nodded, wishing her back as Christine slipped into the Ravenclaw table easily, Tom sitting beside her.
Pretty mellow for something prior to a war, eh? Let me know what you think! Review!