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

4th November 1944
Monday

Tracey runs laughing along the corridor between me and her brother.

We just came from Transfiguration class, where we had to turn our partners into Owls.

Unfortunately, Jessica forgot that Jean had hair and not feathers on her head as she turned her back to her original form.

It just looked too weird.

Everyone laughed, really everyone.

Except for Jean and Tom.
Tom's cheek muscles didn't even twitch.

This sight brought me back to earth pretty quickly.
I was the first one to stop laughing, even before Professor Dumbledore.

When Tom looked at me, I stood there seemingly as uninterested as him looking at Tracey as she clung to the table so she wouldn't fall to the ground.
"Merlin was that funny," she laughs gasping for air..

"You should have laughed as well! After all she offends you whenever she can! "

"I did laugh."

"If that's you in a good mood, I don't want to know how you act when you're in a bad mood," she giggles and I can't help but grin.

"I act like a raging Hippogriff," I answer as serious as possible.

Tracey starts laughs like crazy again, so Sasha and I have to stop.

He also grins amused.

The students that walk past us, throw questioning looks at us.

Tracey is behaving like she's under the tickle curse, though I've only made a bad joke.

"Do you need help?" Tom has stopped about 6 feet away from us.

"All help is too late for her," I giggle.

"We have Potions with Professor Slughorn in a few minutes. You should definitely be on your way there. Just because you are in the Slugclub, it doesn't mean that you can be late. "

"Is this your way of showing concern?" I Inquire with a frown and watch anxiously at a now convulsively laughing Tracey.

"You shouldn't be late for class," Tom says again and starts walking.

Sasha seems to take him more seriously than me, he grabs his sister's hand and pulls her behind Tom.

Pushing my bag back on to my shoulder I follow them to our next lesson.

This is Tom's and my first meeting since Saturday.

I've only seen him at lunch yesterday.

He had just left the hall, when I sat down next to Jacklyn.
If she hadn't told me that he was leaving, I wouldn't have seen him at all.

I don't know what's better.
Not to see him all day or just briefly as he leaves.
I guess both is bad.

I still couldn't figure out whether he liked my kiss or if he doesn't want to have any contact with me anymore.
But if my guess is right and his behavior just now is his way of showing concern, then he didn't dislike it.

Well it's progress that he has spoken to me at all.
However, what surprises me is that nobody has responded to Jeans rumors about Tom and me.

However, some Gryffindor and Hufflepuff and now also Ravenclaw girls are looking at me with a hint of jealousy.

It seems that the rumor has made the rounds.

This is typical of Hogwarts, when a small change occurs, the students start tearing their mouths about it.

I don't really care.
Let them think what they want.
I won't see any of them after this school year anyway.

I might meet one of them or so by chance, but I doubt that they'll still remember me in 50 years.

Also, it's better than walking around with feathers on my head.

Hopefully the nurse was able to help Jean.
I don't dislike her that much that I'd think she actually deserved it.

Her jealousy is unfounded though, because Tom has never given her even a hint bit of attention, but there are many girls who idolize him.
What is absolutely understandable.

He is really the most attractive young man I have ever met.

Once in the dungeons our quick steps echo creepily through the corridor.

We are the last ones to enter the classroom.
All the others are already sitting in their seats and listen to Slughorn's words about the potion, we are brewing today.

"Sorry for the delay, sir," Tom says and Slughorn waves uninterested.

"Now you're here. Up, up! I'm already looking forward to your results. "

I quickly sit down in my seat next to Casey.

"Where were you?" She asks me straightaway.

"Tracey couldn't get her laughter under control."

Casey purses her lips briefly amused and turns back to the deform of the tuber before her.

Crap.
I don't have any ingredients.

I quickly scan the list and see that two of the desired substances are not in my inventory.

I'll have to borrow some from the school inventory.

I push my chair back, stand up and walk around Casey to the supply cabinet.

Once there, I open the doors and let my eyes wander over the repertoire.

"The spider eyes are at the back on the left", I hear Tom's voice close to my ear.

Why does he always sneak onto me like this?

"Thanks," I breathe, reaching into the specified direction and lo and behold: A jar full of spider eyes.

"Do you need some as well?"

"Tonight. Eight o'clock at the Astronomy Tower, " he replies in his usual commanding voice and disappears again.

O my God!
Is this a date?
Just as friends?
Or more?

No.

Wait a moment.
We're talking about the future Lord Voldemort.
He doesn't date.

It's just a meeting between friends.

My mouth is dry and my limbs are as heavy as cement.

Oh my god!

I'm meeting up with Tom tonight.

Without Arithmancy!

I have to tell the girls about this right away!

Taking a deep breath I go back to my place.

Despite everything, I have to deliver a perfect Potion to prove Slughorn that I have earned my place in his elite club.

"Well, is it a date or not?" Jacklyn repeats her question for the twentieth time.

We haven't come to a conclusion yet.

Tracey is convinced that it's a date.

Casey is undecided, as both of us don't think that Tom would chose a romantic starry sky as the background for his first date with a girl.

His only female friend as all three of them are convinced.
They have never seen him with a girl in his entourage before.

"I don't think so," I tell the three of them and shove a piece of fried potatoes into my mouth.

The guys are so engrossed in their conversation about Quidditch that they don't give us the slightest attention.

"You are far too pessimistic," Tracey complains.

"I'm just being realistic", I reply.

Jacklyn thoughtfully weighs her head back and forth.

"No matter what it is, you're getting an exclusive makeover from head to toe!" Tracey determines and I can only stare at her in horror.

Seeking help, I look over at Casey, who just shrugs her shoulders and looks at Jacklyn with an affirmative smiling face.

"By Merlin," I sigh in horror.

I wish I hadn't told them, then I would have a totally stress-free time until my meeting with Tom.

The rest of the lesson seems to like chewing gum in the pull length.

Just incredible how much you can do wrong in Home Economics.

Until today I didn't know that a pot may only be cleaned clockwise and not the left way around, but Professor Phillips almost had a stroke when she noticed my hand this serious error.

Jean is gleefully giggling during the hysterical breakout of our teacher, but this is literally bounced off me.

Tom doesn't care whether I'm good or bad in Home Economics and I'm the one who's meeting up with him tonight, not Jean.

I know I shouldn't be this excited about meeting Tom, but my heart and my head do this automatically, no matter what my mind says.

I don't understand it.
I don't understand myself.

Maybe I should ask Tracey or Jacklyn for advice.

Or Casey.

Or better yet I won't care who I'm going to ask at the end of it all three are going to know anyway and I can listen to an analysis of my feelings.

"Let's start with your nails or better yet with the hair?"

"It's best to leave me alone so that I can do my homework until then", I suggest hopefully.

Tracey shakes her head vehemently.
"Forget it!"

Well that would have been too easy.

At seven we go eat.
They finally left me alone.

I didn't know that you could spend so much time with nails.
But you live and learn.

"You can't eat anything with garlic", Tracey warns me, as I let my gaze pas over the food.

Annoyed, I roll my eyes.
They're going really too far with this.
It's not like I'm going to kiss Tom or to do anything in that direction.

"Yes, Mom," I sigh annoyed and serve some potatoes, salad and a piece of chicken breast on my plate.
They can't argue with my choice of food.

I take my time with the food and strike up a conversation with James about the Care of Magical Creatures class and why he's taking the subject.

In my opinion, 'Because it's easy' isn't an adequate reason.

"Shouldn't you be on your way?" Jacklyn whispers excitedly.

"No," I shake my head.

"I won't be there sooner than necessary. Rather, a few minutes later. "

"Why?"

"Because self-confident girls let guys wait for them," I wink at her and take a piece of chocolate cake.

The glaze slowly melts on my tongue and I close my eyes appreciatively.

"You're going to go now!" Tracey hisses at me and pulls me out of my chocolate dream.

"Riddle left the hall fifteen minutes ago. Without his friends. Now, go! "

"Just let me finish this piece of cake!"

"One more bite and then you're leaving or I'll make a scene that would put Jean to shame. You can't be late for your date with Riddle"

"It's not a date," I growl at her angrily and take a big piece of cake in to my mouth and chew slowly and provocatively .

"Yes it is! And now go! You can finish chewing while you walk. "

"You're overdoing it," Jacklyn murmurs quietly, but well audible.
At least for me, I'm sitting right next to her.

"See you later", I say goodbye and make my way to my meeting with Tom.

I start to nervously knead my fingers.
My stomach starts to rumble, but unfortunately I can't blame it on hunger or on bad food.

It's pure excitement.
Nervousness.
Panic.

I open the door to the Astronomy Tower and look around.

He isn't here.

Slowly I walk up the stairs to the platform and there he is.

He's leaning with his back to me against a pillar and looking at the star covered sky.

Shivering I pull my coat tighter and carefully walk up to him.

"Hey, Tom," I breathe nervously once I'm standing next to him.

"You're late."

"I'm sorry...forgive me?"

He nods once and turns his head to me.

"Haven't you learned anything from Saturday?"

I look up at him questioningly.

What does he mean?

He sighs.
A quieter, sounding frustrated tone.
He slowly raises his wand and aims it at me.

I start to panic.
What is he up to?
Is he going to torture me because I'm late?

He quietly mutters a spell and I feel instantly warm.
I relax immediately.
So that's what he wanted to do.

When he notices how my shoulders sink again the corners of his mouth lift amused for a moment.
He already enjoys it to scare people.

I wonder if he's into S&M?
I quickly shake my head.
I don't want to have that image in my head.

"Why are we meeting out here?"

"How old are you?"

Irritated, I draw my eyebrows together.
What's with that question?
And why did he ignore mine?

"Eighteen."

"You?"

"When's your birthday?"

"On the 5h of May. Why? "

"Taurus. Fits you. "

"What's that supposed to mean"; I smile suddenly amused.

It really annoys me when someone ignores my questions.

Tom is an exception.

Probably because I know that he rarely acknowledges questions.
He's not interested in what other people want.

"You're communicative."

"Yes, so? A lot of people are."

He goes silent.

I lean on the railing and follow his gaze to the sky.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Fascinating," he replies.

We silently stand there for a few minutes together, but the atmosphere is pleasant.

"You're seventeen, right?"

I turn my face to him and realize that he is watching me.

A warm feeling spreads through me.
He's been looking at me the whole time.

"Yes," he says flatly.

"When's your birthday?"

"December 31st."

"But you don't celebrate one nor the other party."

He doesn't answer.

We are both aware that it is true and I know it.

"Let's go to my room."

"All right," I accept his offer, well its rather a command...

As Head Boy, he has his own room with a bathroom and living room.

It's decorated in green, silver and with black furniture.

It suits him.
Simple, elegant and mysterious.

''Take a seat," he offers me a chair by the lit fireplace.

Carefully, I let myself slide into the emerald green chair.

I hear Tom clatter with dishes behind me and hear the whistle of a kettle.

He's making tea.

Smiling I relax a little more and cross my legs.

Without turning my head or to hearing his footsteps, the thick carpet swallows every sound perfectly, I feel him coming to the small seating space.

From the corner of my eye I notice that he's carrying two cups, a teapot and cookies on the tray and places them on the small table near the couch.

"Help yourself."

"You're talking even less than you usually do," I grin at him and grab a cookie.

"I love these things," I mutter, biting into it and roll my eyes appreciatively.

He laughs softly.

Horrified, I stop on chewing and stare at him with wide eyes.

He's laughing.
Quite, inexperienced, but he's laughing.

When he realizes that I'm looking at him in horror, he stops immediately and looks at me with his usual cold mask.

"What is it?" He inquires.

"You laughed," I whisper choking slightly after I swallowed the biscuit down.
He raises his brow.

"I did", he answers back with a surprised tone.

He seems to stare into space for a moment.

"I think it's time for you to go." Tom suddenly says whilst looking at me again.

His expression shows me that he won't tolerate any contradictions.

"Okay."
I slowly get up and walk to the door.

When I'm half way out of the room I turn around again.

Tom seems to be thinking.
He's deep in thought.

"Goodnight, Tom," I say and pull the door shut behind me.

I made him laugh.
I really made him laugh.

As I judge him he will be trying to figure out what just happened for the next hours.

Whether he has to get up early tomorrow or not.

His behavior has confused him and he hates Riddles.
And yet his name means exactly that.

Riddle.
And he is also a single puzzle.

I sigh softly.

The corridors are deserted on my way back to the common room.
Its probably already past curfew.
But I don't know what time it is.

I feel like we've grown closer today.

I mean, I did make him laugh.

Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort laughed.
And it wasn't a evil laughter.
He was really amused.

Maybe I'll enjoy his confidence soon and he'll start to answer my questions.

I have to be verry careful.
I can't let him get away now.
The foundation for my plan is finally set.
I can't make any mistakes.
Tom can't escape me, because my instinct tells me that there is no second chance with him.
____________________

A/N:

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