The closet was dark. Marcy could see the crack of light from under the door. Brutus was nowhere to be found. What do I do now? What do I say? What about Tom? Is he dead? A million questions were racing through Marcy's head. She thought the first question was obvious. Tell a teacher what Brutus did to her, but in truth it was not that simple. There is something you need to know about the Malfoys. They take matters into their own hands. If Brutus was expelled for what he had done, his mother and father would not accept that. The Malfoys were always right, and always perfect. According to them anyway. Surely Marcy's family would pay the price. The Malfoys would fire them and make sure the Nott family would suffer. The Malfoys were close with the Blacks and Lestranges. They would even hire someone to kill the Nott family. Marcy had no options. She curled up into a ball, and sat on the floor of the closet. Her white shirt was completely ripped on one side and her skirt was ruffled up. Her hair was completely messed up, but she smoothed it out with shaky slow strokes. Her sweater vest was curled up on the floor next to her; she grabbed it and pulled it over herself. Marcy stood up and walked out of the closet Brutus was asleep on the couch in front of the fire place. Simply looking at him was painful. Her wand was on the floor. Marcy walked over to the corner where she saw Tom. He was lying there, motionless with his head against the wall. She was almost positive he was dead until his chest slowly rose and fell. She let out a sigh of relief. She knelt next to him.

"Tom? Tom, wake up" she said shaking his arm. His eyes fluttered open and he saw her. She quickly ran to her dorm and jumped into bed. It must've been early, because the sun was still behind the trees of the forest. Marcy put the sheets over her head and sobbed. Her room mates would stay asleep. Today was the last day, and then Hogsmeade and Brutus would be gone for two weeks. She could hold out. But there was something that was not right. She felt incomplete and destroyed. She couldn't talk to Tom anymore. Not if this was the outcome. This was by far the worst year at Hogwarts. For about five minutes she lay in that bed, until she went completely mental from the silence. She stood and went to the showers. She then readied herself and went to breakfast. She finished before Tom got there and she ran to potions and grabbed a seat next to Mercy Trelawny, a tall blonde girl with tan skin and electric blue eyes. Tom looked puzzled as he sat by himself. All the classes went by in a blur. Marcy did not speak, she did not pay attention, and she did not think. She was broken, and dead inside. She was empty. Everything was going smoothly until Transfiguration. She sat next to the Ravenclaw girl again, Mercy Trelawny. She didn't speak to Marcy. The only bad thing was when Tom sat at the table next to them. He actually sat directly next to Marcy. She didn't look at him. Dumbledores voice flooded over the room.

"Today I will be helping you master the art of transfiguring a dangerous creature into something completely harmless. Today you will be dealing with a Dendroaspis Polylepis " He unveiled a cage with tightly placed bars and a huge black snake curled up in a ball. Everyone backed away. It was a black mamba. A killer too many wizards. The only one that didn't look frightened was Tom. He actually looked quite pleased with Dumbledores choice in creature. Professor Dumbledore opened the cage and lifted the creature out of it with his wand. With a simple flick the creature turned into a harmless field mouse. The class burst out clapping.

"Okay now everyone can try. Who would like to go first? Mercy?"

Mercy stood up and went to the front of the classroom. She aimed her wand at the mouse and it transformed back into a snake. With a same smooth flick of the wand she turned it into a bumblebee. Mercy was congratulated as she lightly fluttered back to her seat.

"Now every pair will get their own snake. Please be careful, best of luck" and a snake appeared on everyone's table. Mercy and Marcy worked together wonderfully. They took turns and watched each other carefully making sure they wouldn't slip up. But all good things come to an end. Mercys' latest crush, Caleb McCauley strutted over to their table, as Marcy had the snake high in the air. Caleb bent over Mercy and began to talk slowly and coolly. As Mercy began to stand up to walk with Caleb her stool bumped into Marcy and she lost her hold on the snake. It landed straight into her lap. Marcy froze as the snake hissed at her. Dumbledore gradually walked over to her. Marcy could hear a strange hissing behind her. It was slow, and high pitched. It was bizarrely familiar. From the corner of her eye she could see the owner of the hissing making its way towards her. Tom. The snake reacted to the hissing and slithered off of her lap towards Toms legs. He hissed something loudly and the snake made its way to the front of the class room, and into the cage. Everyone stared at Tom and then Marcy and then Tom.

"Thank you Tom. I'm sure Miss. Nott is very grateful for your noble deed" said professor Dumbldore as he patted Tom on the back. "Miss. Nott it appears the snakes' fang must have slightly scraped your hand. You may be excused to go to the infirmary. Tom, would you please escort her?"

"Yes professor, of course" and he held out his hand for Marcy to take. She did and he basically lifted her off of her seat. She was still shaking but capable of walking. When they exited the classroom, Marcy looked at her bleeding hand. It stung, and she could see the swelling, even the area around the cut began to turn a shade of purple. Tom looked down at her.

"I know you have been avoiding me Marcy" he said with a voice of boredom. She didn't answer him. She didn't even hear him. She was lost in a sea of thoughts and pain. "Marcy. Marcy!" he said "What's wrong with you?" he said furrowing his eyebrows. She looked up at him, with tears in her eyes. A sob came out of her mouth. She could feel the hot tears falling down her cheeks. Her back met the wall.

"I can't talk to you anymore Tom" she said, refusing to make eye contact. "I'm sure you don't even care but I can't. It's complicated." She wiped the tears and kept walking towards the infirmary.

"I care" he whispered. She looked back at him and he seemed to be concentrating on his feet. She didn't answer. She didn't want this. Any of it. Why was Brutus so attached to her? There were so many girls at Hogwarts but he chose Marcy. It wasn't fair. Her head began to become dizzy and everything was blurry. She stumbled backwards and Tom caught her. He steadied her until the nurse, Madame Goldstein, came and hurried her to the closest bed. Marcy closed her eyes to stop the room from spinning. She could hear their conversation.

"Tom, what has happened to this girl?" she said in panic.

"The fang of a snake seems to have cut her hand. It's nothing to serious, but the poison is affecting her."

"Oh my, what kind of snake was it?" she said as she rushed to Marcy's side with a warm, damp towel.

"It was a Black Mamba. Professor Dumbledore, told me to take her here. I hope she'll be okay…" he sat at the end of Marcy's bed, but his voice did not sound as concerned at it should have been.

"She should be out of her bed before dinner. Do not fear Tom" and she began to treat Marcy's hand.

"I have no fear" he said bitterly.

Madame Goldstein was incorrect with her predictions for Marcy. The swelling in her hand would not recede and Marcy was forced to stay overnight. Marcy didn't mind staying in the hospital. It was comfortable, and quiet. She liked being alone. She was able to think more easily and she quickly fell asleep. Marcy had a dream that day that scared her. It was Tom and she, sitting on the edge of the lake. He had the same handsome face but with harsh snake like eyes. He was talking in the same hiss as when he saved her from the snake. The lake water was black, and cold. Lucretia Black and her friends were behind Marcy, the Black clan began to push Marcy into the lake. And Tom watched. The harder Marcy tried to regain control, the more Tom laughed. In the dream it was like Marcy could feel herself drowning. Her breath was being swept away. When she began to fade away into the lake, Marcy was suddenly jolted awake. She was breathing heavily and beads of sweat were pouring down her face. The air was cold and she swiftly rubbed the white sheet on her face and burrowed further under the throw. She tightly shut her eyes to fall back asleep, when a painful memory slashed through her. Brutus' laugh, the horrible laugh he repeated as he attacked Marcy. She could hear it echoing in her mind, over and over again. She could feel the pain she felt. She shoved he face into the pillow and screamed. She screamed until all the pain she felt was out. It wasn't fully gone but she felt better. The door to the infirmary was slightly open and light from the torches was peeking through. Marcy could see a shadow slowly walk by the door. The monster she thought. Marcy knew she had nothing to worry about, the monster attacked the muggle borns, but still the monster was on a rampage. Marcy carefully outstretched her hand to the side table, and found her wand. Marcy threw the quilt over her head and huddled under the pillow, she squeezed her eyes shut and hoped for the monster to leave. From under the quilt she could see that the light had flood through the infirmary, she could hear soft steps coming from the door. The monster it's here the thought raced through her mind. Something was on her bed. On the edge of her bed near her feet, she almost screamed in panic. The quilt was torn away to expose her face. A silhouette was on her bed, no monster just a student, a sigh of relief escaped her mouth. She settled back against her pillow and spoke with a clear sturdy voice.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

There was no response just a faint laugh. The owner of the laughs hand rested itself on her thigh. Marcy searched her memory for who the owner might be and then it hit her. Tom. Marcy relaxed a little more.

"Tom?"

"Of course it's me, who else would it be? Honestly you need to use your common sense sometimes." He said with a voice of monotony.

"What do you want at this hour Tom?'

"I wanted to see if you were okay…" he said as he looked away "but it's obvious you are so, goodnight" and he began to walk away.

"No wait, please don't leave" she said calling behind him.

"You made it clear we can no longer associate with each other. I was just seeing if you were okay, nothing more."

"But, please just don't go. I don't want to be alone…" she sobbed. She put her face into her hands as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She could hear his heavy sigh, and she knew he was probably rolling his eyes at her but she didn't care. She didn't want to be alone.

"Fine, what's wrong with you?" he spoke as he plopped himself down next to her.

"I can't tell you"

"Well, I'm not going to beg." He said.

"I want to but I can't. You don't understand"

"Just tell me, what can possibly be such a big ordeal in your life that you can't tell me?" He said with a shrug

"It's Brutus. It doesn't matter, but I did want to ask you something…" she said trailing off blushing furiously.

"What?" he said with genuine curiosity.

"Well, tomorrow everyone goes to Hogsmeade… I was wondering if, uh, hmm, ummm…" Marcy couldn't find the right words.

"Stop being dim Marcy" he said rolling his eyes.

"Fine. Never mind. I don't even care anymore." She huffed crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm…" he trailed off.

"Sorry? Were you about to say you were sorry! Tom Riddle, sorry? I never thought I would see the day!" she squealed.

"Oh, hush. I am. I'm…sorry" a huge smile broadened across both their faces.

" Well, I wanted to know if you were going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" she said looking into her lap.

"Probably not" he snorted. Her sweet smile faded into a frown

"oh, okay" Tom realized her sudden sadness.

"What about Savannah and Purple?" he said with a teasing tone in his voice. Marcy gave a small laugh and looked him right in the eyes.

"They're names are Hannah and Violet. They're not the same as you though"

His eyes averted from his hands that were twirling his wand into between his fingers. Toms eyes locked with hers.

"Are you saying you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?" he said in complete bafflement.

"Err, Yeah I guess" she said rubbing her arm nervously. She looked up to see that his eyes were glowing and he had the most genuine smile on his face she had ever seen him give. He slowly made his way closer to her, and wrapped his arms around her small body. She nestled her way perfectly into his and she felt his lips meet the top of her head.

"Thank you" he whispered.

"So that's a yes?" she said looking up at him. There was a small laugh and then silence. "there's just one diminutive setback…" she explained.

"What might that be?"

"Brutus… He doesn't want us to be together."

"I'm not afraid of Brutus" Tom whispered. "He'll do what I say, everyone eventually comes around…"

I'm afraid of him she thought.

So this chapter is longer, but I personally think its rather boring. Not my favorite chapter, anyway, there will be more very soon!