Burning Obsessions; Tom Riddle

26: Awake

[author's pov]

"It was just a dream," Victoria would tell herself on the nights she couldn't sleep. For the next few nights, she had the same recurring nightmare of Dumbledore and his office that grew darker each and every time. When she woke up, she was forced to come face to face with a waking nightmare.

She walked into the great hall alone, still aggravated at Druella. It seemed like the bond between them had been dented. They couldn't speak to each other in class let alone look at each other without breaking down. Though it was like that for her and Theo too but the tension was thicker.

As far as Theo knew, he assumed Victoria wanted space. Even if it meant he had to wait for weeks or months. Still, it was hard for him to not glance at her from across the classrooms. He looked for her face in crowds even though he knew it'd be against her wishes to involve himself in her secrets.

"She'll tell me when she's ready," Theo mumbled to Cygnus. The two sat at the Slytherin table, eating breakfast. Cygnus chewed slowly as he thought about what Theo had discussed over Victoria.

"Don't you reckon she's playing with your heart, mate?" Cygnus asked with a raised brow. "You're together but not on speaking terms? Sounds toxic if you ask me."

Theo eyed him. "What are you playing at?"

"I'm serious, Theodore!" Cygnus saw throwing both hands up at his side defensively. "We're practically brothers, it's best I let you in the know."

Theo's back stiffened as he saw Victoria's face pass by. She looked distracted as she sat down beside some strangers and quickly grabbed a plate of biscuits and honey. She looked unpresentable, yet perfect to Theo. She had always been.

"Listen, mate," Cygnus said. "Just look at the way you goggle your eyes at her as if she's Athena! I think you're blinded about the fact that she's been getting closer to a new man. Maybe what she told you was all excuses! You know she's a sweetheart and not a blunt person"

Theo broke out of his trance. "What?"

"I mean have you seen the chemistry between- hell, you can feel the tension between Victoria and-"

Theo's attention was caught off guard when Riddle entered the great hall.

"Riddle," he said with a low tone.

Riddle slowly approached Victoria's table and to his surprise, Riddle walked past her without a word. Despite this, the interaction made her stand up–as she had a look of discomfort on her face–and she left the great hall. Theo stood up and Cygnus grabbed his arm with haste.

"Keep your head, Theodore," Cygnus said. "If the woman implies she wants time, give it to her."

Theo's brows furrowed with disappointment as he forced himself to sit back down and pretend as if nothing had happened. He looked around and saw Riddle nowhere in sight.

[victoria's pov]

The next few weeks' events cause the school to buzz more than typical. With O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts arriving, there were students preparing at the last second. Serenity's disappearance has been spread beyond London in the Wizarding World. Her disappearance has even reached the muggles, but her case didn't seem as disturbing to them.

Of course coming as the daughter of a big family in the Wizarding World, The Daily Prophet has even been writing about her disappearance, declaring outrageous theories about how she ran away because of family inheritance pressure.

The Daily Prophet had even gone as far as saying how she's probably still hiding on school grounds, which is why the Ministry still had a strict curfew enforced on the school.