Chapter 5: Twinkle twinkle little bat

A/N Only a couple chapters left! I want to have this finished by the 1st of August as I'm going on holiday then and I won't have my laptop. I'm trying to improve my writing style so any tips would be good. Considering how short the chapters have been this one is slightly longer.

Enjoy!

"Speaking"

Thoughts

Parseltongue thoughts

"Parseltongue speech"

I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 5: Twinkle twinkle little bat.

Happy birthday to me thought Tom sarcastically as he made his way back to the Slytherin dorm rooms. He hated his birthday because it was the day that his weak mother had died giving birth to him. He hated his birthday because his father had never been there. He especially hated his birthday because it was New Year's Eve, everyone else was happy and celebrating but Tom was left to morn on one of the most important holidays of the year.

Tom had been avoiding his friend since his discovery that Harrison must be from the past or the future. He would prefer to think of Harrison as from the past because it meant that he wouldn't be tempted to ask about his own future. He was curious though and he still missed his only friend, who he had to admit hadn't really been just a friend to him, in short, his resolve was breaking. Tom entered the room of requirement to wait out the entirety of his birthday in peace.

Harrison knew it was Tom's birthday; he had gotten Tom a present from Hogsmeade in fact. He also knew that Tom would be sulking somewhere and had spent the majority of today looking for him; he wasn't in the common room or the dorms, he wasn't in the chamber of secrets (had he been Harrison was sure that he'd have a lot of explaining to do), and Harrison didn't think he would go to the forbidden forest (he checked anyway). That only left the room of requirement really.

Entering the room of requirement Harrison noted the comforting layout of the room; the room was coloured a dark green with black rugs and a silver carpet, the walls were plain stone, and there were two chairs facing a lit fireplace but the room was only warm. Harrison noticed that one of the chairs was occupied and whoever it was they appeared to be crying. The figure hadn't noticed Harrison yet and he considered leaving but they suddenly reached down to grab something from the floor and he managed to identify the figure; it was Tom. Harrison made up his mind; he wasn't going to leave his friend (he used the term loosely considering Tom's recent behaviour) alone crying on his birthday.

Tom wasn't crying. Future dark lords don't cry. Tom's throat was sore, his eyes hurt and his nose was dripping, but he wasn't crying. Tom reached up and wiped his eyes before he leant over to grab another tissue from the floor, then he froze upon seeing that he wasn't alone.

"H…Harrison?" He hated the way his voice shook. He didn't know how long the other boy had been searching for him but he had a feeling that it and been quite a while, that or he had decided to fight a bush today judging by the leaves in his hair. He went into the forbidden forest to find me. Tom didn't know why but his heart gave an unsteady lurch at the thought. Harrison made his way over to the other chair and sat down facing Tom. He slumped back into the large armchair exhausted from running around the grounds.

"Who else would it be? You have no idea how long I've been searching for you, you git."

"Why?" Harrison was shocked. Does he not think that anyone cares that it's his birthday?

"Merlin. Are you that dense Tom? It's your birthday! I'm your best friend, even if you haven't been acting like I am, I've been searching for you all day to give you your present! First you weren't in the dorm and then you…" Harrison cut off suddenly when he noticed Tom's eyes.

"Have you been crying?"

"No!" Tom protested a little too quickly for his answer to be convincing. He quickly tried to distract Harrison from his weakness.

"You said something about a present?" Harrison smiled and Tom felt his lips twitch in response. Harrison's smiles were like a cold; highly contagious. He pulled a package out of his bag and handed it over to Tom carefully as if it were an expensive treasure. The package was small and rectangular in shape, it wasn't heavy, and was wrapped in plain brown paper. Harrison watched with baited breath as Tom slowly opened the gift. He was staring at the present as if he had never seen one before and it was with great sadness that Harrison realised he probably hadn't, not one of his own anyway. As far as Harrison could tell none of the other Slytherins knew when Tom's birthday was and it was unlikely that he had received any gifts at the orphanage.

Tom stared in shocked silence at the present as he opened it. He wondered what it could be, nothing too expensive; he knew that Harrison was poor. It was the first present he had received from anyone his entire life and he was feeling overwhelmed. As the last of the plain brown wrapping paper fell away Tom could finally see what it was. It was a picture of himself and Harrison in a frame.

Harrison began to worry when Tom did little more than stare at the picture as if it would vanish. The picture had been taken in November on a trip to Hogsmeade, when they were supposed to be in lesson but they used secret passages, although Tom hadn't really wanted to go the day ended up being a lot of fun. Tom and Harrison were smiling and laughing at each other in the picture and Harrison knew that Tom had loved it even though he had said it was stupid.

"I…Thank you." Harrison looked up at Tom and saw a soft smile on his face as he gazed at the image. He felt his heart give an uncomfortable lurch in his chest which he didn't fully understand.

"Anytime Tom." Both boys became aware that they were staring at each other so they quickly looked away.

"Did you want to walk around the grounds?" Harrison had become increasingly aware that the room was suddenly too hot, Tom was too close, and his heart and brain really didn't know how to react to that.

Once they were outside Harrison felt much calmer, conversation came easier to him then. Tom and Harrison sat side by side on a wall. Tom held the gift to his chest as if to protect it from the outside world the whole time. He felt much lighter than he had waking up this morning, it was as if his birthday was happening to someone else, all he cared about was Harrison in that moment. His only friend. His best friend. The boy I lov…Wait What? Love? I don't love anyone. Dark lords can't love, love is weakness, and love killed my mother.

"Tom?" His heart beat a little faster as he stared into those green eyes.

"Yes Harrison?" Harrison looked very shy suddenly, his eyes flickered down and he started swinging his feet even though he knew that Tom hated it when he did that.

"Did you have a good birthday?" Tom smiled softly and his voice came out quiet to match.

"Yeah, I did. Thank you Harrison." Harrison looked up into Tom's eyes and both boys felt that they were teetering on the edge of something that they couldn't quite comprehend.

"I'm glad." Harrison replied softly leaning in towards the other boy.

"Really glad." He got closer.

"So glad." There was only a breath of space left between them now. Neither boy could say who moved first but when their lips met it seemed as if the world had stopped spinning and both were aware of how right it was.

Neither Harrison nor Tom noticed Dumbledore watching shocked from the castle doors.

Neither boy mentioned the kiss for weeks after that. All the other houses could sense the tension and Hogwarts School had been on high alert for weeks. Dumbledore had done nothing and no one else knew about the kiss except Tom and Harrison. It all came to a head on St. Valentine's Day.

Hormones filled the hallways as the students rushed around confessing their love and sharing their affections; even the Slytherins, usually so calm and regal, felt the effects of the most romantic day of the year. Shy confessions and declarations of love could be heard everywhere…everywhere accept the astronomy tower. All the students who tried to enter (in hope of finding a quiet corner) quickly left once they noticed the only occupant.

Tom Riddle officially hated Valentine's Day. He had received three quite sweet confessions, which he had turned down, and a few…not so sweet attempts. He panted heavily as he rounded the corner.

"Tom? Where are you?" He stiffened and looked around for an escape route. There! He took one quick glance behind before sprinting up the nearest staircase. Tom shut the door quietly behind him and slid down the wall grateful to be alone.

"Tom?" Maybe not then. He looked up slowly.

"Harrison?"

"and then she tried stuffing it in my mouth!" The two boys dissolved into laughter, they were almost bent double and tears remained in their eyes from previous stories. The setting sun cast a warm glow over the disused furniture and the stars were only just emerging. "I'm glad you're here. It feels like you've been avoiding me."

Tom's breath stilled in his lungs. He stopped laughing and just stared at his friend. Right, we haven't talked since… "I…Yes, I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine." There was a short pause, during which Tom wandered if he should fill it, before Harrison continued. "We can just forget about it, okay?" The two turned to face each other fully. "Unless of course, you don't want to?"

Tom went over his options. One, nothing happened. Two, he could avoid Harrison (it's only a couple more years). Three, he could not forget. One was looking very tempting. Two wasn't really an option. And three was terrifying. Only, staring at Harrison now, three was the most attractive option.

"I'll just leave." After waiting for what seemed like millennia Harrison was giving up. He voice came out weaker than he would have wanted and his vision was a little blurred. He stumbled over his robes and would have fallen if Tom's arm wasn't suddenly around his waist.

"Don't." Option three then. "Maybe this- we could- I think that-" Harrison looked at Tom's face carefully. He seemed a little flustered and was avoiding meeting his eyes.

"Don't hurt yourself." Tom spluttered and Harrison laughed before kissing him gently. "I get it. Happy Valentine's Day Tom." Option three, huh?

A/N So I had a lot of reviews commenting that their relationship felt too rushed. This edit exists to remedy that. I am sorry but the chances of a sequel are low BUT who knows, right? Thank you for reading!

YukiOnnaOfWinter