"So you haven't shown me anything since I woke up you know."

"What are you talking about." I rolled my eyes.

"Tom you were crying. I know you're not stupid enough to not realise that." Alicia huffed. "Now you're just..."

"This is how I always am." I frowned. "A momentary lapse in judgement doesn't mean I've changed."

Alicia rolled her eyes. "I see right through you."

I sighed and laid my head on her stomach. "I thought I lost you okay. For the first time in my life I was scared."

"I thought I only annoyed you." She smirked.

"No. I mean yes you do but..."

"Tom relax." Alicia laughed a little.

She cupped my cheek with her hand. She was a little warmer now although not as warm as I remember. I closed my eyes and sighed. My head wasn't throbbing as badly and my heart seemed to be a little less hurt. I was glad that she was awake and talking to me again.

"Please don't scare me like that again." I heard myself whisper. "Don't leave me alone wondering around looking for you."

"I won't." She said and ran her fingers though my hair. "Tom, can I ask you something? I want an honest answer."

I opened an eye and looked at her. "What is it?"

She smiled. "Why was my absence so upsetting for you?"

I shrugged and closed my eyes. "I really don't know. It hurt and I just... I wanted to go back. You are the only person not scared of me and you made me forget."

"Forget what exactly?"

"The life I hated." I sighed.

Alicia didn't ask anything as her fingers kept combing through my hair. I had spent the last two weeks falling asleep sitting next to her bed. My head rested on her stomach and her fingers in my hair. I had gradually started to feel the warmth coming back to her but it was taking forever. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let her leave the hospital wing though.

Alicia shifted and I lifted my head. She smiled at me as she sat up. I knew she was about to apologize but I didn't stop her. Madam Pomfrey appeared a moment later with some food. I never really felt the need to thank anyone for anything. It had always been a feeling of people owing me something.

"Miss Reid your progress has been really good so I'll allow you to leave tomorrow. As for you Mr Riddle. I have half a mind to keep you here for not taking care of yourself." Madam Pomfrey said. "However I believe that will change once she leaves."

I shrugged. I wasn't really interested in anything madam Pomfrey said about me. Sure I hadn't been sleeping comfortably and my neck was killing me but I didn't want to leave and risk coming back to find Alicia looking like death again. Alicia giggled and ran her fingers through my hair again.

We ate in silence and didn't even really speak afterwards. At this point we were both comfortable with the silence. I was just glad that I could look at her eyes again. The same striking eyes that always drew me in. That made my heart race and stared into my soul. Her eyes were the colour of... Happiness?

"What are you thinking about?" Alicia asked.

A small smile stretched across my face as I shook my head. It wasn't just her eyes that made me happy. It was everything about her. I leaned forward and kisses her. I hadn't kissed her since the first time when I had hoped it would wake her. It felt so much better now that she wasn't ice cold.

Her arms wrapped around my neck and I sat on the bed next to her. I pulled her closer to me wanting more from her. I had never felt like this before, but she was mine now. Whether she knew it or not she belonged to me and only me. I pulled away from her and rested my forehead against hers.

"You finally smiled." She said breathing heavily. "Seriously, what were you thinking about just now?"

"You." I said.

She looked at me a little shocked. "Me? I was the reason you smiled? I can't believe that."

I rolled my eyes. "You're annoying, stubborn and persistent. You make utterly ridiculous requests and don't seem to care about how much danger you're in. That's why... Why I started to watch the time every day. Why I always pretended like I was busy when I was actually just waiting for you. I started to enjoy having you around and felt so lost when you were gone. Your eyes always drew my attention which is why I was always listening to and watching you. The colour of your eyes make me... Happy? I can't really explain it."

She smiled. "So all it took was my presence. I finally achieved my goal to see you smile."

My expression turned cold and I looked away. That had been the only reason she was hanging around me. She had wanted me to show her a genuine smile. She got what she wanted and she had promised to leave me alone once she did. I felt so stupid for allowing myself to get swept away by her.

"Tom?" She touched my cheek.

"What? You got what you wanted right?" I said as I stood up.

Of course real love never existed, but then why did my heart ache so badly. Why was I constantly longing for her? She got what she wanted from me and what did I get? I got nothing because no one really cared about me. Love was a fantasy.

"Tom where are you going?"

"What does it matter?" I sighed.

She didn't really care. She was a Slytherin. She had been manipulating me the entire time. Ambition out weighed emotions always. I had been so...

"It matters because I love you!" Alicia yelled.

I froze. "What?"

"I love you, Tom."

I scoffed. "You don't even know what love is."

"No! You're the one who doesn't know." Alicia's voice cracked.

Was she crying? Why did I care? She couldn't possibly mean what she was saying. Did madam Pomfrey cook up a love potion? But then wouldn't Alicia be saying other stuff? Wouldn't she be trying to get rid of me not keep me here?

"I don't understand it. How can you say that I make you happy and then walk away from me?" Alicia was definitely sobbing.

"You got what you wanted from me didn't you?" I sighed. "What reason do you have to keep bothering me now?"

"I want to hear you say you love me."

"Well I don't." I felt sick just saying that.

"Then... Then you can't leave." Alicia said. "You can't leave me until you say it and mean it."

I smiled a little. I hadn't faced her yet but I couldn't stop the smile. She was still going to be there. She wouldn't leave me alone after all. But how long would that last? How long until I figured out these feelings? How long until I gave in?

"And then what? What happens when I say that to you?" I asked.

"Then... Then I'll find something else. I'll find another reason to stay by your side if I have to. I'll keep forming new goals. Ridiculous requests that I'll force you to fulfill. I won't... I can't let you leave me when I don't want to leave you."

"On one condition." I said and started walking towards her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Say you're mine. Say that you will belong to me and only me." I said as I leaned over her.

"I'm not an object Tom. I don't belong to anyone but I will be your girlfriend if that's what you want." She said.

As expected I saw no fear in her eyes. "I'll make you say it eventually because you are mine."

She smirked. "I'd like to see you try."

Her arms wrapped around my neck and she pulled me into a kiss. My heart wasn't hurting anymore and I felt completely relieved. I was relieved she would stay with me. Relieved I could kiss her. I truly didn't believe love was real but maybe she would change my mind. She did get me to smile after all.

(1400 Words)