"Wake up, sleepy head" Aubrey said brightly the following morning while pulling back the bedside curtains to reveal a sleeping Elle.

"Get up already, Elle! We're going to miss breakfast!" Anastasia exclaimed, pulling back the thick duvet and waking her friend who was still in yesterday's uniform.

"What time is it?" Elle groaned, rubbing her eyes.

"I didn't hear you come in last night" Ana said, ignoring Elle's question. "What time did you get in?"

"Late" Elle replied, getting out of bed and making her way to the girl's vanity to get ready.

"How was your date with Brishen?" Aubrey asked.

"Amazing!" Elle beamed, "He's really sweet, you guys"

"Did you guys...?" Ana asked, cautiously.

"What?"

"You know..." Ana winked.

"No!" Elle shrieked, "Ana! Of course not! Black's got to work for something."

"Not much judging by the state of you this morning" Ana retorted.

"We spent some time together, and I was a little late getting in" Elle said defensively, "no big deal...besides, I'm a big girl, I can do what I like."

Anastasia smiled.

"Besides" Elle continued, "you're one to talk Ana, I heard about how you threw yourself on the Smith boy last night."

"Garridan?!" Ana said, turning a bright shade of red, "how do you know?"

"Brishen and I ran into Lestrange last night" Elle started, "and he said that Garridan told him that you kissed him after your study session."

"I would hardly call that "throwing" myself on him" Ana said defensively.

"Well I wouldn't either...but don't start giving me lectures, Anastasia Harrow" Elle teased.

"Do you think I did come on too strong?" Ana asked, concern in her voice. "We were getting on so great, and he's so timid...I thought I'd just go for it."

"I'm sure it's fine, Ana" Aubrey said, reassuringly, comforting her friend.

"Oh God, guys! What if I blew it with him?"

"You didn't!" Aubrey exclaimed, "I'm sure Garridan was thrilled you made the first move!"

"I'm sorry I said anything, hun" Elle said apologetically, "but I wouldn't worry about Ana, Lestrange is so weird...you can never trust what he says anyway."

"I guess" Ana agreed, though she seemed unconvinced.

"Let's go grab breakfast!" Aubrey said enthusiastically, trying to change the subject.

"Okay" Ana said a little more brightly, "you still need to hear about Aubrey's night, Elle."

"He kissed you!?" Elle nearly shouted at breakfast, once Aubrey had filled her in on last night's encounter with Tom Riddle.

"Ssshhh!" Aubrey hissed, trying not to draw attention to herself from the other Slytherins.

"Well how was it?" Elle asked.

"Intense" Aubrey replied slowly, trying to think of the right word to assign to Riddle's kiss.

"Intense?" both Elle and Ana repeated at the same time.

"Yeah, he was sort of...forceful, maybe..." Aubrey trailed off, remembering how Tom had grabbed her before the kiss, pressing her up against the book shelves before putting his lips to hers.

"Well, I think it's well overdue" Ana smiled.

"You just implied that I was moving too fast-" Elle started.

"This is different!" Ana interrupted, "it's Tom Riddle, Elle!"

"I think it's okay to move slower" Aubrey said, hesitantly and suddenly feeling self conscious. She had never had a serious boyfriend before, and the thought of going further than a kiss with Tom, though exciting, made her nervous.

"It is, Bree" Elle said, reassuringly, "and I think it was smart of you not to accept his invitation right away."

"Yeah?" Aubrey asked.

"Definitely." Elle said.

"It must be killing him right now!" Ana exclaimed, "Riddle isn't used to not getting what he wants."

"I just hope he doesn't get annoyed, and ask someone else" Aubrey said, "I would like to go with him."

"He won't, trust me" said Elle.

Aubrey gave Elle a sceptical look, knowing full well that Riddle could have any girl from Hogwarts accompany him to the dance. It was hard to miss the, seemingly endless, flock of girls that swooned over Tom as he made his way throughout the castle, each one vying for his attention.

"I was right about him asking you to the dance in the first place, wasn't I?" Elle said, confidently. "He won't want to go with anyone but you...so you should make him wait a little longer."

"Morning!" Celinda beamed as she joined the girls at the table. "Aubrey! I heard Tom Riddle asked you to the dance!"

"You heard about that?" Aubrey asked, surprised, "news travels fast."

"Yeah, I heard from Gabby who heard from Abraxas during their Prefect duty" Celinda said. "I wasn't really surprised...especially with all the rumours going around about you two."

"Rumours?"

"Mhm" Celinda continued, grabbing a scone, "ever since you two have been working in the library together, everyone's been talking."

"They have?" Aubrey asked. She knew the few people who worked in the library in the evenings had stared at her and Tom working together, as had the few students in their Transfiguration class, but other than that, she hadn't really noticed people talking. "Maybe I am more oblivious to others than I thought" Aubrey thought silently to herself, frowning.

"Oh yeah" Celinda answered matter- of-factly, "some people are even wondering if you're failing on purpose, just so you can spend more time with Riddle."

"What?!" yelped Aubrey, "does the whole school know that I'm failing Charms!?"

"Afraid so" Celinda answered, "everyone's been wondering if you two are together...just think what what's going to happen once more people find out you're going to the dance with him."

"Well I don't know if I am going to go to the dance with him" Aubrey said defiantly, annoyed over the publicity of her failure in Charms and the rumours over her and Tom.

"You mean you're not going?" Celinda asked, as Aubrey rose from the long, wooden table.

"I haven't decided yet." Aubrey said, as Elle and Anastasia joined her and the three left the great hall and made their way to class.

"You are going to go to the dance with Tom though, aren't you?" Ana asked Aubrey, once the girls had exited the great hall.

"I want to" Aubrey said, "I just don't like the rumours...and people talking and speculating." ..assuming I'm going to go with him."

"Honey" Elle said, "if you continue to spend time with Riddle, people are going to talk...you have to realize that."

"I just hate people assuming that I'm going to go with him...as if he has some control over me and I'll oblige to his every request" Aubrey sighed, trying to deny the fact that Tom did seem to have some control over her.

"You can't help that he's charming, Bree" Elle smiled sympathetically, "and besides, making him wait shows the whole school that Tom Riddle wants you! Not the other way around."

"Exactly!" Ana agreed, "you need to enjoy it...I know I would."


That evening Aubrey was walking up the long set up steps to the Owlry, to send a letter to her father, when she met a tall, dark figure at the doorway.

"Hi Garridan!" Aubrey said brightly.

"Oh, hey Aubrey" Garridan replied, "Looking forward to the ball?"

"Yeah, it should be fun" Aubrey replied, "are you?"

"Yeah" Garridan hesitated, "I'm just not sure who I'm going to go with."

"You know, I think Anastasia is looking for a date" Aubrey said causally.

"Do you think she'd go with me?" Garridan asked, "I was going to ask her, but I didn't want to annoy Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" Aubrey asked, "why, does he still like her?"

"I think so...I don't know" Garridan continued, "they used to go out, and he mentioned he might ask her."

"Well, I don't think she'll go with him, Garridan" Aubrey said honestly, "I'm sure she'd love to go with you."

"And you're going with Tom Riddle?" the boy asked.

"I think so...maybe."

"Haha" Garridan laughed, "all Riddle's friends were surprised he asked you...he's never gone to a ball before, apparently."

"Are you good friends with them?" Aubrey asked, curious to what else Garridan had learned about Tom Riddle from his friends.

"Yes, I suppose so" said Garridan, "all the guys in Slytherin seem to somehow be associated with Riddle, so there's not much choice but to be friends with them."

"Right" Aubrey giggled, "so why were they surprised he asked me?"

"I guess he's never really shown much of an interest in girls before" Garridan said, "other than one night sort of deals" and he trailed off, noticing the frown growing on Aubrey's face.

"One night deals?" Aubrey asked. She figured Tom must have had some experience with girls in the past, despite her friend's assurances, but she wasn't sure if she wanted information about his possible one night stands.

"I don't know" Garridan said, trying to change the subject. "I shouldn't have said anything, but Riddle's always working or studying...he doesn't even eat at normal hours."

"No, he doesn't," Aubrey agreed, having noticed that Tom was rarely at meal times in the great hall.

"I'm sure you'll have a good time together, though" Garridan said brightly, "but I'll see you around, good luck with your letter."

"See you" Aubrey replied, as the tall, dark boy made his way down the stone steps.


The next afternoon Aubrey sat in her desk, waiting for Transfiguration class to start, when Tom Riddle sat down beside her.

"Afternoon, Miss Knight" he said pleasantly.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Riddle" Aubrey responded, surprised that Tom spoke to her as silence was usually the norm for them during Transfiguration. Tom smirked at her, which caused Aubrey to blush and smile back, remembering their kiss from two nights prior.

"Good afternoon class" Dumbledore's voice boomed as he entered the room, "I have an exciting new spell for us to practice today!" and he began to explain the new incantation to the students.

After Transfiguration Aubrey was walking up to the library to study before dinner when she ran into David Loxias, the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain from the Slug Club.

"I'm not trying to keep you Aubrey, but I just wanted to ask you something" the brown haired boy said quietly, after they had chatted briefly about classes, tests and Quidditch matches.

"Shoot" Aubrey smiled.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the ball with me, on Halloween?" David asked.

"Oh, David" Aubrey started, surprised by his request as it was not what she was expecting. "I'm really sorry, but someone has already asked me."

"Is it Riddle?" David asked, sounding annoyed.

Aubrey nodded.

"Well" Loxias sighed, "I guess he beat me to you first."

"I'm sorry, David" said Aubrey, and she truly was. If it weren't for Tom she would have seriously considered the handsome Gryffindor's invitation.

"No worries" Loxias replied, "you have a good time with Riddle" and David walked off.


"Are you and Brishen Black going to go to the ball together then?" Aubrey asked Elle later that night, at dinner.

"Yes!" Elle beamed, "I think so, he never really asked...just sort of started talking about how we'd be going together."

Aubrey laughed.

"There you two are!" Anastasia shouted as she came bounding into the great hall. "I have great news!"

"What is it?" Aubrey asked.

"Garridan and I are going to the ball together! He just asked me!"

"Awe, Ana, that's great!" Aubrey responded.

"It is!" Elle agreed, "see, we told you didn't ruin by kissing him the other night!"

"I'm so pleased!" Ana beamed, "I was starting to worry that'd I have to go with Malfoy again."

Elle made a sour face, which caused the other girls to laugh.

"Are you three coming to study tonight?" a voice interrupted the girl's laughter.

"For what?" Anastasia asked.

"For the Charms midterm that's coming up" Gabrielle continued, "it's worth a quarter of our grade, you know."

"Oh right" Elle said, unenthusiastically.

"Celinda and I are studying tonight in the common room if you'd three like to come...I'd recommend it, especially if you want to do well" she finished, shooting a look at Aubrey.

"I completely forgot we had a Charms midterm!" Ana said, once Gabrielle had left the table.

"I didn't" said Aubrey, who had been dreading the test since the start of term.

"I'm sure we'll do okay" said Elle reassuringly, "but maybe we should start studying a bit more."

"Yeah" Aubrey agreed, and the girls got up from the Slytherin table and made their way down to the common room to study for Charms.


"Good job, Ana" Aubrey said as Anastasia made a cluster of feathers dance up off the desk and float into the air in Charms class the following afternoon.

"Alright class" Professor Stretton's voice boomed, causing Ana to lose her concentration and the feathers to glide gently back to the ground. "That'll be all for today, you are dismissed."

"Good thing, I'm hungry" smiled Elle while gathering up her books.

"Miss Knight?" Stretton asked, approaching the girls' desk.

"Yes?"

"As you're no doubt aware, Miss Knight" Stretton said in a barely audible whisper so that the rest of the class wouldn't overhear, "we have a midterm next week."

"Yes, sir" Aubrey responded.

"It's a very important test, Aubrey" Stretton pressed on.

"Of course" Aubrey replied, unsure what the professor was talking about.

"You would do best to study diligently for it."

"Right" Aubrey trailed off, "is there something else, sir?"

"I spoke with Tom today" Stretton said more audibly. "He says that while you're showing slight improvement in your studies, he is concerned about your level of dedication to this course."

"My dedication?" Aubrey asked, perplexed.

"Mhm" Stretton answered quickly. "Riddle is a bright student, Miss Knight, and I know he is taking his role of tutor very seriously."

Aubrey gave Stretton a blank looked, shocked about what she was hearing.

"I hope for your sake, Aubrey, that you're able to put forth a little more effort into this class...for if you do not show improvement with Riddle, we may have to resort to more extreme measures."

"Extreme measures?" Aubrey gasped, "Professor Stretton, I've been studying hard, and working with Riddle diligently-"

"Well not enough, Aubrey" Stretton interrupted.

"Alright, sir." Aubrey replied, giving up and turning on her heel to exit the classroom.

"I can't believe that little prat!" Elle, who had been eavesdropping with Anastasia, exclaimed as the girls walked down the crowded hall. "Riddle's so...slimey!"

"I know!" Aubrey agreed, fuming. "Riddle said he would tell Stretton I was improving if I showed him wandless magic!"

"Then why would he do that?" Ana asked, "why would he lie about your ability in Charms?"

Just as Anastasia finished speaking, the girls rounded the corner of the long hallway and found a group of boys lingering outside an empty classroom. Tom Riddle was in the centre of the group, leaning against the cold, stone wall, looking uninterested and drifting in and out of attention. As the girls rounded the corner, she noticed Tom eyes fall on her, and a smile form on his lips.

"He did it because I haven't answered him about the ball" Aubrey said, handing her books to Elle and marching over to the large group of boys.

"What are you doing!?" Elle hissed as Aubrey stalked off.

"Riddle" Aubrey said sternly once she reached the group of boys. She could feel their eyes follow her figure up and down.

"Miss Knight" Tom replied pleasantly.

"Might I have a word?"

"Oh you can have more than a word, love" Tom smiled, causing the other boys surrounding them to snicker.

"Great" Aubrey replied, grabbing Tom's loose green and silver tie and dragging him around the corner.

"I just had Charms" she said, pushing Tom against a wall and releasing his tie.

"And?"

"And Stretton said that you've told him that I'm not improving" Aubrey continued, "and, as a result, my mark isn't getting better."

"It's unfortunate isn't it?" Tom said calmly, "I was afraid you'd get upset by this."

"Upset!? Tom, if this continues I'm going to fail Charms!"

"I doubt that, Miss Knight" Tom said calmly, "after all, you have me as a tutor."

"What the hell Riddle?" Aubrey cried, exasperated. "You said you'd tell Stretton to back off if I helped you."

"Well that was the initial agreement, yes" Tom said calmly, "but then you refused to give me an answer for my invitation to the dance."

Aubrey rolled her eyes.

"Rumour has it that you're a hot commodity" Tom smirked, "and I don't want you accepting another's invitation."

"I said no to David Loxias" Aubrey said.

"Right" Tom said indifferently, "but you still have yet to say yes to me, which is the whole point."

"So you're holding my charms grade as hostage?"

"Something like that."

"You are beyond low, Riddle."

"You know, there are other ways I could make you do things, Aubrey" Tom said in a more serious tone.

"Is that a threat?"

"I would never threaten you" Tom said calmly, "but just be grateful that I'm using less extreme measures to...make you oblige."

"Stop it" Aubrey said sternly, "just hold up to your end of the bargain."

"You know the solution to the problem, Miss Knight" and Tom walked off, leaving Aubrey alone.