"Going somewhere?" A cool voice drawled, halting me in my tracks. I had decided to leave the library after all and had passed Tom, who had been watching me the entire time.

"Back to my common room," I replied coolly. "What's it to you?"

I bit my lip as Tom's face hardened and he suddenly shot up from his seat and seized my arm in a tight grip. Sparks shot up my arm and I gasped, yearning to yank my arm out of his grip but as if Tom felt them too he suddenly dropped my arm as though it were bathed in lead. He took a step back, stumbling slightly.

"Well," he said angrily, his nose up in the air as he fixed his clothing up. "I do hope you're aware that I'm Head Boy."

"So?" I said, amusement in my voice. I looked down at the desk he had been sitting at and looked at all the scribble marks on his parchment. "Need some help?"

"Need some help?" Tom scoffed, squinting slightly. "I should be asking you the same, though you aren't getting any from me."

I then noticed that some books had fallen out of my bag because the bag managed to tip upside down. But that wasn't what bothered me the most. No what bothered me the most was how much of a tool that Tom was suddenly being towards me.

I took a step closer, trying my hardest not to give him an evil stare. "When someone is being nice to you, you're expected to return that kindness."

Tom ignored me and sat down back in his seat, but he was still staring up at me, mischief in his eyes. "You know I never admitted that I murdered my father, Abigail..."

I was taken aback by the sudden comment and barely realised that all the books in my bag had toppled out. Tom rolled his eyes. I walked closer so that I was out of earshot of others.

"What do you mean?" I gritted my teeth. "You did admit it."

"Maybe if you hadn't walked away with your beloved then I might have."

He knew. That had I not walked away he'd admit that he murdered his father. But what had he meant when he spoke about Avery that day in the forest. Tom must have noticed and I decided to just leave my books on the ground with my bag and I took a seat next to him quickly. Tom didn't have any reaction towards this whatsoever. In fact, he looked a little keen about something.

"Avery isn't as innocent as you think, Abigail," Tom smirked, staring at me with a look I couldn't name. "In fact, I suggest you leave him right away before you end up getting hurt."

"What are you talking about?"

Tom didn't say anything. Instead, his smirk widened and he kept quiet, watching me suffer. When I figured he wasn't going to reply, I leaned back, exhaled, and stood from the seat.

"You know what? I don't have time for your rubbish, Tom," I snapped, moving over to pack the books back in my bag.

"Everyone is a sinner, you know?"

"Not me," I gritted, shoving the books in my bag with several grunts. A few people looked at me funnily.

"Really?" Tom's voice came out softly with a touch of humour. "So are you saying that looking into someone's past without their permission isn't a sin? Even if you don't mean it?"

"It's my gift. It's what I am supposed to do. I wouldn't exactly call that a sin, Tom." I then stood up and slung my bag over my shoulder.

"Then it isn't a gift. It's a curse."

•¥•¥•¥•¥•

The Valentines Ball was drawing nearer and nearer by the day. Hogsmeade trips were becoming more frequent and giggling girls were becoming even more giggly if possible. Professor Merrythought held some dance practice lessons during our free periods which was a disaster. I managed to stub many toes including my own somehow.

In our third dance practice Merrythought made me practice dancing with Lestrange who wouldn't stop insulting me under his breath. According to Merrythought, Lestrange was a fairly good dancer. But I thought she had yet to wake up.

I stood on Lestrange's foot. He just grumbled something under his breath and looked at me with an annoyed expression.

"Sorry?" I smiled nervously, 'whoa-ing' every time Lestrange roughly spun me around or twirled me.

What made it ten times more embarrassing was that Merrythought had everyone practice dancing individually with a partner whom she picked out. People wouldn't stop snickering at our performance. I was a little glad that it was just us seventh years and not the entire school because that would have been devastating.

I then tripped over Lestrange's foot and he had the decency to keep me on my feet rather than let me face plant. I had a small feeling he tripped me on purpose.

"Professor?" I called out during our dance.

"Not just yet, Benjamin," I heard Merrythought say absently. She was clearly observing our balance and moves.

"Please. I'm not exactly interested in attending this ball, anyway."

Lestrange twirled me under his arm and grabbed onto my hand again. Well at least that worked.

"Oh, no, dear. All seventh years are required to attend."

At this, half of the boys started to groan and yell while a few girls looked relieved that all the boys would be going no matter what.

After Lestrange and I's performance, Emily got called up to dance with Abraxas Malfoy. Emily looked a little annoyed and reluctant seeing as she had argued with Merrythought for a different partner, but, surprisingly, the pair danced gracefully together. They looked absolutely perfect. To my not so surprise, Emily and Malfoy looked like they were having small conversation, and Malfoy looked at Emily like she was the only thing that mattered to him in the world.

Tom then had to dance with a Hufflepuff named Jenny Abbott who looked a little too happy with herself.

Tom looked bothered at Jenny's excitement but didn't argue about having her as a dance partner for the lesson. Tom managed to glide easily across the floor with Jenny in his arms whilst she just gawked up at him with her mouth moving nonstop. She looked like she was talking to Tom and gushing about something while Tom looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. I felt a little bad for him.

When Tom leaned over Jenny so she was able to lean back over his arm, Tom decided he wouldn't let her fall head first against the ground and his eyes suddenly connected to mine as if they had found their own set of magnets.

My heart jumped into my throat at how long he was just standing there, Jenny bowing backwards, his eyes on mine, and people beginning to look back and forth between the two of us. I raised my eyebrows but he still hasn't moved. Jenny was clearing her throat- he still didn't move.

"Riddle," Merrythought clicked her fingers and immediately snapped him out of his trance. Tom then forced Jenny up harshly and finished the dance quickly so he could take his seat again. People continued to look back and forth between Tom and I and I felt my cheeks burn.

After the lesson, I picked my bag up slowly and waited for the rest of the seventh years to head out of the great hall. It was easier exiting last rather than first because people were just naturally so pushy.

Muggle studies was a disaster. Avery wouldn't stop staring at me questioningly from across the room until Professor Callahan made him stop staring at me. It wasn't like I was his girlfriend anymore so he had no need to nose about. At least Tom had stopped staring at me though. He hadn't once glanced at me which was a relief because a few girls were giving me death stares.

Callahan didn't give us homework because he believed one of those mean looking girls who told him we were all exhausted from dance practice. That was obviously a lie. It was almost funny when Callahan took no notice of the girls attempts at flirting and seductive blinking. Callahan was quite young so it made sense for girls in my year to be flirts.

After muggle studies, that very same girl walked past me with a very harsh glare and bumped my shoulder very hard, causing me to drop all my books and new bottle of ink. I looked at her, about to demand her problem but she gave me a fake look and threw three fingers over her mouth.

"Oops!" She then gave fake puppy eyes. "Sorry! I didn't see you there." And then she walked off laughing with a few other girls.

I sighed and bent down to pick up my books and didn't look up as another set of hands decided to help me.

"Don't let them get to you, Miss Benjamin," Professor Callahan said softly and I looked up at him smiling at me. He handed me a few of my books and I took them gratefully and put them in my bag. "That was Nora, by the way. Do you know her well?"

I shook my head, still surprised that Callahan was actually being nice. He was usually very stern and looked as though he had no time in speaking with his students most of the time.

"That is the first time I've noticed her, sir," I replied.

Callahan didn't look surprised. "Yes, she has a bad habit of skipping class sometimes, that one. Although when she doesn't her actions toward her teachers are very inappropriate."

"Right..."

"Well, have a good day then," he smiled and walked back toward his desk.

I quickly left the classroom and jumped at the sight of Chris leaning against the wall right outside of it.

A hand naturally clutched at my chest. "Merlin's beard, Chris, are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

Chris grinned. "Possibly. No, actually, Stephen wanted me to come and ask you to come down to the Quidditch pitch and watch us train."

"Erm, actually-"

"It wasn't actually much of a question. He told me to escort you down anyway."

I didn't get a chance to argue as Chris linked his arm with mine and pulled me with him down to the Quidditch pitch. I hadn't ever been down to the Quidditch pitch because I didn't care much about watching the games. Chris forced me to sit and stay in the stands, and I gave in and sat next to Hannah Lovegood; she looked a little lonely.

Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor would be held a week after the Valentines ball, and after watching the Ravenclaw's and Gryffindors train separately, I was a little too excited about watching the next match.

•¥•¥•¥•¥•

"Well, then? How was that?" Alison asked breathlessly, sweat dripping down her forehead.

"That was excellent! How come you didn't dance like that earlier?" I questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

Alison shrugged. "Because it was with that gross Slytherin who was gawking at my chest the entire time."

"You loved it, though, right?" I winked, earning a pillow slapped against my face.

It was safe to say I deserved that.