Title: Turning a Corner
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Merope Gaunt, Mary Riddle
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 279
Summary: AU. Merope will keep trying to win her mother-in-law over.
Notes:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Two Week Drabbles Wars - International Woman's Day: Task Prompt - Write your character doing something good/good for/good to someone. : Dialogue Prompt - "I'm going to kill him! I'm going to finish him like a cheesecake!" - Pitch Perfect

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Podric Piles - Bronze - Prompts Used - Scarlet, Game, Stockings, Stairway

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: [Writing Club!] The Word Prompt Express - Prompt Used - 60. Bedroom

200 Characters in 200 Days: 178. Mary Riddle

Merope exited her bedroom and walked down the stairway. Tom was out for the day so she decided to pay a visit to his parents.

They weren't exactly fond of her so she put on her best stockings and her scarlet dress, the one Tom always admired her in, and took a deep, calming breath.

Whenever she tried to make a good impression on his parents, Tom always asked if it was a game to her, putting herself through that kind of torment. She ignored his sarcastic question. There was nothing wrong with wanting her husband's parents to like her. In fact, it was a perfectly normal desire, wasn't it?

She took the box from the stand by the door and quickly left her comfortable house. It was a short five minute walk to Mary and Thomas Riddle's home and she entered without knocking.

She heard sounds coming from the kitchen and stopped at the entry to the small room, watching Mary angrily scrub the counter with a sponge. Merope opened her mouth to announce her presence, but Mary irately muttered, "I'm going to kill him! I'm going to finish him like a cheesecake!"

Merope cleared her throat.

Mary looked up and glared. "What are you doing here?" she rudely questioned, throwing the sponge down and putting her hands on her hips.

Merope held out the gift. "H-Happy birthday," she shyly stated.

Mary looked shocked. "Not even Thomas remembered," she explained.

Merope continued holding the gift out.

Mary carefully took it. "Thank you." And for the first time, she smiled at Merope.

Merope smiled back, hope filling her. Maybe, just maybe, Mary would finally accept her as Tom's wife.