The Encounter

Quidditch season arrived and Minerva successfully avoided Tom for the next month. Her days were too busy for encounters in the corridors or library, and she finagled a lessened schedule for rounds that didn't involve the Slytherin. She also avoided Dumbledore, unable to bring herself to admitting her failure in the task he had set before her. She was most definitely not getting to know Tom any better. She was, however, a great deal happier with the arrival of her favorite sport.

The first game was approaching fast: Gryffindor v. Hufflepuff. Minerva was happy that they weren't forced to play Slytherin straight off, but she worried for the team. Only three members were returning from the year before - the keeper, a beater, and herself. The rest seemed to think they were ready, but Minerva was unsure. The captain, Rab Kilgore, had initially shown some hesitation in playing the new chasers, but had finally relented.

Minerva scolded herself for getting so excited; after all, the game wasn't until the end of the week. She had three more days of hard classes to contend with first.

"Do you think you guys will finally scrape through with the cup this year?" Orlando whispered during charms. Minerva ignored him, completely immersed in her note taking. She had heard him, but quidditch was no reason to neglect her studies.

"Or are you going to choke again like you did last year? And the year before that…and the year before that…and…"

Minerva slid over and stomped down on his foot - hard. He let out a small cry, enough to draw the attention of the class and Flitwick, but he raised his hand quickly to say he was okay. Everyone turned back to the front of the room as Flitwick demonstrated a cushioning charm.

"What was that for?" Orlando whispered innocently.

"You know very well that if you were on the team, we would have won," she whispered. "I don't understand why you refuse to play seeker. You're so good at it."

"I don't care about quidditch, silly. I'd rather watch you make a fool of yourself on a broomstick."

Before Minerva could reply, the class dispersed about the room to practice the charms. She and Orlando found a place near the window and began cushioning desks and chairs and shoving each other into them. Minerva was finding it a bit too satisfying.

"I'll have you know that I am a perfectly capable flyer. If you had shown up to a few more games, you would have seen that." She cast the spell on a book and knocked him to the floor. He glared at her.

"I was busy. Some of us actually have to study to learn things. Not everyone can just magically succeed."

Minerva laughed. "You? Study? That's ridiculous! Your idea of studying is flirting with Olive Hornby with a book in your hands. You cannot study by osmosis, Orlando."

He cushioned the window ledge and shoved her into it. She nearly missed the place where the charm had been cast.

"Well, at least I have a social life."

"So do I!"

"Books don't count as society, Minerva!"

"I have friends. I do things. I went to Hogsmeade last weekend."

"To go to the bookstore!"

Minerva cast a spell in fury and shoved him down on the ground, but she completely missed her target and he landed with a dull thud on the ground.

"Oww!"

"Serves you right, Hoff."

"Why?"

Minerva paused. "Because."

Orlando smirked at her inability to think of a comeback. "Because why?" he said saucily.

"Because I don't deserve to be made fun of. I have a perfectly acceptable social life. I am not in love with books, despite being quite fond of them. I went to Hogsmeade last weekend and had a butterbeer. I have friends, Orlando."

"Me and Avalon?" he asked with a laugh.

"Avalon and me," Minerva corrected. She drew back her wand and placed it in her pocket. She was tired of arguing.

"Most people have more than two friends." He paused slightly. "Well, I suppose you do spend an awful lot of time with…Tom Riddle."

A few people turned their heads at the mention of the Slytherin's name. While not being widely hated among the student body, his name generally involved some controversy. Minerva's face turned red.

"I'll have you know that I haven't spoken to that monstrosity in thirty-two days."

"So it's upset you enough that you've kept a count? Really Minerva."

"Orlando, you're infuriating!" Minerva yelled. That caught the attention of the rest of the class. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at him. "You're as bad as him!"

"You choose similar people to befriend, I guess."

"I have not, nor will I ever befriend such an ignorant, lowly, prick and if you ever so much as whisper his name to me ever again I'll…"

"Class dismissed!" Flitwick yelled quickly. He hopped from his high seat and strode out of the room. The class looked at Minerva and Orlando for a few moments, before leaving as well. Minerva looked at Orlando's amused expression and she dropped her wand.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled in embarrassment. "I don't really know what's gotten into me lately. I've been incredibly -"

"High strung," Orlando helped. "We noticed."

Minerva hung her head. "I suppose I'll have to apologize to Avalon as well. I just, never mind." She turned towards the door, but Orlando grabbed her arm.

"Something happened with Riddle, didn't it?"

Minerva turned to face him. "Nothing really. He's just such a beast sometimes. Maybe I should give him a chance. Everyone else seems to get along with him okay, except Hagrid and a few other younger kids. He sure likes to pick on a few people."

Orlando put an arm around her shoulder. "He'll grow out of it. You nearly have."

Minerva slapped him playfully and ducked out from underneath his arm. "I'll see you later. I have to go to practice, so we can 'scrape by with the cup' this year."

Orlando grinned and waved goodbye as she dashed down the hall. She hurried to grab her things from Gryffindor tower, including her prized Comet 180, then ran back down. Reaching the second floor she paused. She heard scraping coming from the girl's bathroom. The hallway was dimly lit, as always, and she approached the door cautiously.

"Hello?" she called softly into the echoing chamber. "Is everything all right in here? I thought I heard a noise and it didn't sound too entirely pleasant." She slipped in the doorway and closed the door only to come face to face with Tom Riddle. She nearly jumped out of her skin. His hair was mussed beyond recognition and his tie was askew. Minerva's eyes widened realizing that she had probably interrupted him at a very inconvenient time. He gave her a slightly disturbing glare. Mortified, she turned on her heel and marched out the door.

Stopping in the hallway, she wondered who had been in there with him. She hadn't seen anyone, but that most definitely didn't mean that they weren't there. She folded her arms. Tom should have known better than to use the girl's restroom for his sick 'encounters.' After all, he was prefect. He knew the rules perfectly well. Besides, any number of people could have walked in, as someone unfortunately had.

"I think I heard the same noise you did," Tom said innocently, emerging from the room. His cheeks colored slightly. "That's why I was in there, if you were wondering."

Minerva didn't respond, but stared at him. She hated not being about to discern whether he was lying or not, but no one else appeared in the doorway. Perhaps he was telling the truth.

"I don't generally frequent girl's bathrooms, I'll have you know."

"I didn't say you did," said Minerva quietly.

"Oh, well, I don't."

Minerva analyzed him carefully. Something was different, but she couldn't quite figure out what. "You may want to avoid the girl's restroom for a while, Riddle. It does very little for your reputation, and people do talk."

"Are you going to?" he asked, almost desperately. Minerva was taken aback. He seemed genuinely embarrassed for being seen there.

"Should I not?"

"I don't see any reason to. It's not as if I was doing anything wrong. In fact, I was just doing my job."

His eyes shifted slightly as to not make contact with hers. "In that case, then why should it matter if I told anyone? If anything, they would be happy that you perform your prefect's duties with such care."

Tom frowned. "You wouldn't understand, Minerva."

He pursed his lips and stormed off in his usual manner. Minerva let out a slight sigh. At least they hadn't raised their voices. Maybe they were finally making progress.

Of all people, why did she have to be the one to stumble across him? It was absolutely and undeniably the most infuriating thing he could think about. She was everywhere! Even after avoiding contact with her for a few weeks, he couldn't put her out of his mind. The only reasonable explanation he could think of was that his considerable loathing for her was driving his subconscious to pieces.

That wasn't it and he knew it. He walked down the stairs to the Slytherin common room and melted into one of the green couches. She was just - too perfect. He needed to get alone again, to talk to her. He needed to discover what it was about her that was tormenting him so, and to do that, he needed an incredibly plausible and very reasonable excuse.