"The Serpent's Teeth"
(A Tom Riddle love story)

17th January 1945
Friday

I'm just about to head out and go straight for the meeting with the Slug-club when Tracey plunges into the room.

"You don't what's going on in the common room! Jean is screaming hysterically at Jacklyn, because she couldn't find any evidence that you're making Riddle drink love potions. Can you believe that?"

"Yes, actually I can," I admit annoyed and insert a silver clasp in my hair.

I'm sleeping in Toms quarters tonight after the meeting, my things are still there since last week, I no longer bring anything back with me, I rather take fresh clothing with me, since I spend my free time with him anyway.

"This is totally crazy!"

"You seem to have a problem with mine and Tom's relationship," I return subtle and leave the common room with a small smile.

"I am in a hurry. Sasha is surely already waiting for me."

"I do indeed!" Jean calls after me as I slip into my warm coat.

Hopefully I can sit next to Tom again.

"I'm happy for you that everything worked out with Riddle," says Sasha after some time of silence.

"Thank You! He's almost as dump as you with Jacklyn." I giggle.

"Not stupid. I at least invited her for Christmas dinner. He didn't ask you." Sasha smiles proudly.

"He didn't ask anyone."

"If not you, who else? You've been the only girl that he has spent time with alone."

"Really?" I pretend to be oblivious to that fact.

If he only knew that Tom actually never had a girlfriend during his years at school.

I wonder if I'm really changing the future by my intervening in the past..

"There's our Gryffindors! Sit down! Hazel I have specially reserved your seat next Tom! Oh, how wonderful it is that you have finally found each other! I knew from the beginning that you are meant for each other. That you came here for the last year our school is fate. I call it fate. You are made for each other. I could not imagine anyone better for our Tom!" Slughorn lets me know and leads me to my seat.

"Take good care of your girlfriend Tom!" He adds with a wink and rushes to his place, since now everyone is present.

"Did you hear? You should take good care of me," I wink at Tim and he lifts the corner of his mouth mockingly.

"I can't promise you that. You do what you want."

"That's not true!" Pouting I fold my arms over my chest and look straight ahead.

"Behave decently," he sighs and smiles through a story of professor Slughorn that I have missed.

Snorting, I give up my attitude and turn to the professor, who tells us a story that happened to him during the holidays whilst we are having the appetizer.

Apparently he found the Room of Requirement, which was filled with his favorite dishes.

Sometimes I have the feeling that the professor is always thinking about food.

Some time after the dessert all students crisscross chat with each other.
I'm listening to Sasha tell Tom and me about how he surprised Jacklyn during the holidays, as Amalia Jefferson, who is sitting across from us begins to speak louder, so that Tom, Sasha and me can hear her perfectly.

"I wonder what he wants from her, he could have almost any girl, but he spends his time with a wallflower! She doesn't even know how to make something of her appearance!" She hisses provocative and smiles arrogantly with her red painted lips.

I grab hold of Tom's hand.

He closes his fingers tightly around mine and gives it a tight squeeze.

"I've heard that she can't even clean the floor like an ordinary witch," she blasphemes on.

My seatmate feels very uncomfortable.

Toms view adheres to the duo before us.

His eyes are ice cold and I would be afraid of him, if I didn't know that it's not directed at me.

Meanwhile, everyone can hear Amalia.

Even Professor Slughorn, looks visibly shocked at so much arrogance.

"You speak very presumptuous, Amalia," Tom interrupts her in her tirades.

She turns to him with a fake smile.

"Oh, Tom. I didn't want you to hear me, "she says with a winning smile.

Sasha shifts uncomfortably in his chair.

"You don't say," Tom smiles condescendingly.

"I ask you anyway in all formality to apologize."

"She doesn't even manage to talk to me?"

"She does," I smile coldly.

Tom squeezes my hand tighter.

"But why should I?" I raise an eyebrow defiantly.

"In order to preserve a little honor?" She hisses and Slughorn opens his mouth like a fish, only to close it again.

"You find it dishonorable that my boyfriend defends me?"

"Ladies!" Slughorn intervenes.

"Enough now. Eat a little cake and enjoying the beautiful evening."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I would now like to put myself to bed," I smile at him apologetically and stand up.

"Good night, Sasha."

"Sleep well." Slughorn dismisses me with an apologetic smile.

"I'll go with you," says Tom and stands up.

"Good night," he smiles in the round.

Slughorn nods sympathetically and looks at me with an 'I told you'; Look.

It is very strange when a teacher does that.

Really irritating.

Tom puts his hand on my back until the door closes.

"She should not have done that."

"It's all right, Tom. She speaks only what everyone else thinks ", I smile weakly at him.

"They have no right to judge about our relationship."

"I know, but they're just people. No one is perfect," I say, ignoring the pain that her words caused me.

"I hope you know that none of what she said is true?"

"I'm complete and utter disaster in Home Economics, Tom. You know that."

"And you know that I don't care."

"Exactly. Let's just not talk about it."

I'm laying comfortable on Tom's bed, ready to go to sleep and reading from the book that Casey gave me.

The story is such a a cliché.

There will of course be a happy ending, you know it from the first page, as the beautiful protagonist encounters the incredibly attractive wizard.

Nevertheless, I read eagerly as they slowly find each other.

"You're actually reading that book?" Tom asks in wonder and comes up to me.

Leaning against the bedpost he watches me.

"Yes, why not?"

"Because there's only lies written in it."

"It's about a love story between two people, Tom. There is always some truth there," I try to explain it to him.

"There is no love. That is the invention of the weak," he mockingly twists his mouth into a sarcastic scowl and looks down at me.

I put the book down and look him in the face.

"Do you really think that only the weak can love?"

"No, I think that the weak create an illusion to which they can hold, so that they have something in life that distracts the from reality. Something that protects them, reducing their fear of life."

"I think that love makes people strong. It shows strength. It makes you vulnerable when you love someone. Exposing yourself to that danger, to me that means strength, Tom," I calmly look at him.

"So you believe in it?"

"Yes, I believe that there is love. Even if I look weak in your eyes. How else would I describe my feelings for you?"
I look at him questioningly.

"Let's talk about something else. I will not argue with you about something that does not exist, "he says cooly and sits down next to me.

"You really don't want me to bring that girl to silence?"

"No, Tom. This is my fight. Just leave her and come to bed now. I'm tired and want to cuddle with the most unromantic guy in the world."

"You want romance?" He looks at me horrified.

"Oh Merlin, no," I laugh it off.
"That wouldn't suit you."

"Thank Salazar that I have you as my girlfriend," he sighs and comes to me under the covers.

Immediately I cuddle to his side and take a my usual position.
I always thought that he didn't believe in love, I knew it.

I have never thought and never hoped that I can convince him otherwise.
But to hear him say it out loud makes it much more real.

My boyfriend doesn't believe in love.

Maybe he can't feel it love.
But what does he feel when he is with me?

When he kisses me?
When I cuddle with him?
What does he feel?
Does he feel anything at all?
If he doesn't love me, why is he with me?

"Tom?"
"Hm?"
"Why are you with me?"
Tense I hold my breath.
"Because you're mine," he answered simply.
"And now let me sleep."

"Because I belong to you? What do you mean? "
"Are you seriously asking me that?"
"Does it sound like I'm joking?"
I almost hiss at him.
"Hazel. You belong to me. I don't want to share you with others, you're my girlfriend and you will not get rid of me. You are mine."

"Oh ..." Is all I can reply to that.

Was that an indirect marriage proposal or am I crazy?

"Sleep now!"

"Night."

Okay.

So he's with me, because I belong to him. He claims ownership over me.

Doesn't this show that he has feelings for me?
Jealousy, but that's actually a positive sign ...

But you can be jealous about someone without love.
But, then he wouldn't be so... loving.

Then he would not take me in his arms, defend, cuddle with me, kiss me.

Merlin, why must it be so complicated?
Can a relationship work at all if only one partner feels feelings for the other? Romantic feelings?

I don't know.

All I know is that I don't want to lose him in any case.
I could not take it to see him at school without knowing that he belongs to me.

The last thing I will do is to leave him.
He has become such an important part in my life.

I do not know what I'd do without him.
My feelings have put me in a quarrel with my conscience.

Perhaps his attitude is very healthy.

If there is no love, you can not get your heart broken or feel as if you're missing the your counterpart.

And what is conscience?

There is a number of values that I have absorbed from my environment from an early age. Who tells me that this is really true?

Certainly the children of the Death Eaters think that children as well. That they are right and serve a higher target with their brutal acts.

The purity of the magic community.

What should I do?
Should I stay with him?
Escape from my duties and spend my days as the dark lady at Lord Voldemort's side?

But, I don't even know how he will be in ten years.

Will he treat me as one of his Death Eaters?
Will he cast me off?
Who assures me that nothing will change between us?

The risk is high.
Too high.

In poker, I would get out now, but you can not leave the poker table of life. Here there is the all or nothing principle.

What should I do?
What can I believe?