Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter characters!
Chapter Nine
Continuation
Emma Ashwood was unable to concentrate on her essay. Not when Tom Riddle's thigh was brushing up against hers as they sat on the couch, and all she could think about was their near-kiss. Her boyfriend was on the other side of the room, glaring at the two of them, and for a minute, she felt a rare burst of compassion. She looked to her right, and Tom was already staring at her.
"Go ahead." He said, "I'll be able to work without you."
She smiled in thanks, and stood up, adjusting her skirt as she did so. Tom watched as she walked away, a bit of a swagger in her step. He rolled his eyes. Emma was bursting with self confidence, something he'd never really had until he met her. He knew exactly what he was capable of course, even when that old fool had come to talk to him, but being around Emma for the past years had changed something.
Emma slowly walked over towards Abraxas. Part of her mind—the part the cared, knew that she had not been a good girlfriend lately. Malfoy, she knew, was aware that she and Tom were 'up to no good,' so to speak, and had a plan, but almost kissing the damn boy and throwing herself all over Avery were unnecessary.
Abraxas smiled when she walked over to him. "Hey there, Emma." He said, taking her hand, "What brings you to this side of the common room?"
"You looked lonely sitting all alone over here." She smiled softly, "I figured you could use some of my company."
"I would never reject your company, that's for sure." Malfoy was still grinning, and he put an arm around his girlfriend. Emma took a few minutes to take in his appearance. He was tall—not as tall as Tom, but tall enough to be towering over her. He had a very pale face, and his white blond hair complimented it. She'd met his parents, and white blond hair seemed to run in the family. His eyes were a greyish blue, and Abraxas was positively handsome, in her opinion. Just not Tom.
"I want to apologize, Brax." Emma said quietly, "I haven't been the best girlfriend lately."
Abraxas bit his lip, "You and Riddle are up to something." He said, "I don't know what it is, and right now I don't even want to know. But I've known the two of you together for the past five years, and you're clearly doing something. I mean, you barely talk to the boy in public! You're always talking together and exchanging these—looks, and I'll be honest, Emma at first I was jealous. At first I thought you were being unfaithful to me, but then I realized that it's probably for the greater good."
When Abraxas finished ranting, Emma smiled at him, leaning up and kissing him softly on the lips. "It is for the greater good, Brax." She said softly, between kisses, "And one day we'll have the world."
She stayed with him for a while longer, occasionally feeling Tom's eyes burning into the side of her head. She was so confused she felt as though she was going insane, but she knew that her relationship with Abraxas had to remain stable.
"You should go finish up that essay before you do rounds." Malfoy finally said, and Emma, who had been resting on his chest, her eyes closed peacefully, opened one up and looked up at him.
"I guess so." She said quietly, standing up and stretching. "I'll see you tonight?"
"Do you want me to wait up?"
"Honestly, Brax?" Emma looked up into his eyes, "Tom and I may be later than usual—there are some things we want to check out."
"Alright," Abraxas bit his lip again, "I won't wait up for you then." He kissed her one last time before she crossed the room again, and plopped back down next to Tom. She pulled her essay towards her again, and grabbed a quill, adding a couple sentences here and there, when finally, she couldn't stand his unwavering gaze anymore.
"What?"
"Nothing." He said coldly, "Are you ready to go patrol now?"
"Tom." Emma said loudly, her voice firm, "Tell me what's wrong." She demanded. He looked her straight in the eye and said,
"No."
"Then you," She said, "Can go do this without me."
Tom glared at her. Why did Emma have to be so difficult? "I'll tell you on the way." He spat, standing up. She followed suit, glaring at him even more, and followed him out of the Common Room. Their essays lay forgotten.
As they hurried quickly down the dungeon corridor, Emma said, "Will you tell me what's wrong now?"
"It doesn't matter anymore." Tom said. He seemed to have calmed down a great deal. "We're looking for something now."
"Figures—you'd lure me out here with a promise you can't even uphold." Emma muttered, but she didn't press the issue. He was right. They were looking for something.
"What is your plan, Tom?" Emma asked after they ascended up the stairs to the Entrance Hall. They were on the "ground" floor, but there were no bathrooms anywhere near what could have been living areas.
"I don't really have a plan." He said, "We're just looking."
Emma groaned, muttering something about spending time with her boyfriend instead, and Tom glared at her, quickening his pace so he was much ahead of the girl.
"The first floor has a boy's washroom... but it doesn't connect to anything. I've been in there a couple times—it's much cleaner than the dungeon bathrooms." Emma nodded in understanding. The Slytherin boys were pigs. Tom went on, "Have you ever been in the girls?"
"No." She replied quietly. But it is next to whatsisface's office. The caretaker's."
"Mr. Renah." Tom supplied helpfully; Emma rolled her eyes.
"Yes, him."
"That could be a lead." Tom said, biting his lip, "Let's get up there."
"Remember to pretend like you're patrolling." Emma put in, and Tom restrained himself from glaring at her. He said nothing though, and just nodded in agreement.
Together, the pair made their way down the corridor and to the bathroom. "You go in... I'll go talk to Renah." Tom said, "And scope out the office."
"You do that." Emma said, walking into the bathroom. She hadn't forgotten how moody and annoying Tom could be, and was very happy that she'd picked Malfoy, who was always pleased with her.
Malfoy is a git. Her inner voice told her, You know he's only good to you because he's had a lifelong crush on you.
Emma rolled her eyes at the thought, looking around the small bathroom. It had about three stalls and two sinks, with mirrors behind them. It was a very cramped space—it felt as though they'd tried to shove a mini bathroom into a closet. Her eyes scanned the walls, looking for signs of a door or window to another room, but apart from a window that led outside and a door that led to the hallway, the rest of the wall was covered by the toilets and sinks.
She frowned and walked back outside to see Tom talking to someone.
"Oh there she is. Finally finished in the bathroom?" Riddle turned around and Emma almost cringed to see that he was talking to Albus Dumbledore.
"Yes, sorry to hold up our rounds, Riddle." Emma said, instantly playing along, "Something I ate at dinner must have not agreed with me."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you should go back to the Slytherin Common Room... if Mr. Riddle will not object to doing rounds alone... but in the circumstances."
"Yes, of course Sir." Tom cut in, "Ashwood, go back to the Common Room, and get some rest."
Emma nodded, and turned on her heel, but Dumbledore called her attention. "Yes, Sir?"
"Remember our last discussion."
Emma nodded, and didn't dare look at Tom before she turned around and walked back down to the dungeons. Abraxas was still in the Common Room when she got back in. Hoping he wouldn't see her, she walked quickly up the stairway to the girls dormitories and lay down on her bed.
"Emma?"
She propped herself on her side to see the girl who spoke her name. "Yes, Gertrude?"
"We haven't spoken much since the year started." The black haired girl pouted a bit, "How are you?"
"I'm lovely, Trudy." Emma replied, using the nickname she'd made up back in First Year. She really hated the name Gertrude. "How are you?"
"Still desperately trying to attract the attention of your best friend."
And this is why Emma barely spoke to Gertrude since third year. She was always trying to get to Tom.
"Thomas is being very, difficult right now." Emma said with a small smile, resisting the urge to say, 'Tom will never want you so get over him!'
"Oh, I understand." Gertrude gave Emma a small smile. Having lived with her for the past four years, she knew exactly how much her roommate's moods changed. Although sometimes she'd wondered if Emma controlled them perfectly.
Emma looked down at her watch. She'd wasted ten minutes up here so far. "Well, Trudy, I think I'll make my way down to the Common Room to work on some sort of homework. Perhaps my boyfriend will still be down there."
"Oh! Who are you dating now?"
"Abraxas Malfoy." Emma said, biting her lip as she looked for the other girl's reaction.
"Finally!" Gertrude cried happily—she was Brax's cousin. "He's only been talking about you for ages!"
"So I've been told." Emma said unenthusiastically. "I'd better get down there before Catherine and Martha return."
"Good idea." Gertrude agreed, "Cathy still hates you."
"Right." Tell me something I don't know.
Emma hurried down the staircase back to the Common Room, and began to make her way towards her platinum blond boyfriend when a hand grabbed hold of her own and pulled her back into the shadows.
"I found it."
A/N: Sorry about the long wait! I've been having some serious writer's block, and this chapter was a filler. Next chapter will be a bit of a time skip, and then even more to the action, since this story will incorporate much of their sixth and seventh years... Anyways, hopefully this was sufficient, I'm currently also working on a Draco Malfoy story and ... some original pieces ;) But let me know what you think!