holding on {t.r.}

s i x t e e n

Alexandra walked into Potions, expecting to take her usual seat beside Melissa but finding Avery there instead. She thought it was Melissa's choice to sit beside him, but the smirk on her face told her otherwise.

"You've got to be joking," Alexandra mumbled under her breath, walking to the empty seat beside Tom who had his nose in a book. She turned around, leaning as close to Melissa as she could so Tom wouldn't hear her.

"This is getting ridiculous," she whispered, causing Melissa to laugh.

"He asked Avery to trade," she shrugged.

"In every class?"

"He says he prefers the presence of someone he considers academically equal to himself."

"I assume he justified his request by saying he doesn't like me."

Slughorn entered the classroom, and Alexandra turned back around.

"Who here is familiar with the particular brew by the name of," Slughorn paused, looking almost directly at Tom and Alexandra. "Amortentia?"

"It's a love potion, sir," Melissa answered, quickly diverting the professor's attention. "The most powerful love potion in existence."

"That is correct," Slughorn smiled, walking over to a cauldron on the opposite side of the room before gesturing for the students to do the same. Tom and Alexandra strayed towards the back of the group, and Slughorn took notice.

"I hate him," Alexandra whispered, nervously playing with the hem of her robes. "He knows our stories. He takes pleasure in exploiting others; he's going to-"

"Mr. Riddle," the professor grinned. Alexandra let out a sigh of relief while Tom showed no reaction. "My best student. Come, explain the details of the potion to your classmates."

"Amortentia is known to have a mother-of-pearl sheen-" Tom started, not moving from his spot.

"Come up here, boy, so the class can see you," Slughorn encouraged. The second Tom moved, Melissa took his spot.

"Do you think he can smell it? What if he smells you? What do you smell like?" She asked, making Alexandra slightly uncomfortable as she sniffed her. "Lavender."

"The potion's aroma differs depending on what an individual finds most attractive," Tom explained, focusing his attention on the contents of the cauldron.

"Would you care to give an example?" Slughorn asked so hopefully. Alexandra took a deep breath, the scents of the potion finally reaching her nose.

"No, sir," Tom answered, finding the lid to the cauldron and blocking the release of whatever scent it was that seemed to get his attention. For him, that particular scent was fresh firewood. The scent was one of a few, of course, but it was the most prominent.

"You smelt something. What was it?" Melissa asked. She quickly noticed Alexandra's attention was elsewhere, and watched in amusement as her friend and Tom held deep eye contact that intrigued every single person in the room.

"I think she smelt him," Avery pointed out, causing Melissa to elbow him.

"Thank you, Mr. Riddle," Slughorn concluded, eager to ease the tension that was quick to fill the room. "You may take your seats and begin brewing. Be very careful not to prick your fingers on the rose thorns. One drop of blood will ruin the effects of the potion."

"Bloody rose thorns."

"Oh my god," Alexandra whispered under her breath. She had been right. The potion they made last year never worked. Tom pricked his finger.

She looked at him, wanting so badly to ask why he lied, but not finding it relevant other than to scratch an old itch. He didn't seem bothered by the information, so perhaps he was unaware of his mistake. She didn't want to be the one to accuse him of screwing up.

"What did you smell?" Tom asked, hoping to catch her off guard.

"That's none of your business."

"I think it is."

"I think I don't have to tell you anything. Unless, of course, you'd like to disclose what it is you're so attracted to," Alexandra tested, figuring he was keeping the information to himself for the exact same reason she was.

"I didn't smell anything," Tom shrugged, focusing his attention on his cauldron. "Because I'm not attracted to anything."

"You're lying," Alexandra stated, knowing he wouldn't have looked at her the way he did in front of so many people unless something caused him to.

"Just because I chose to snog you doesn't mean I'm attracted to you," Tom argued, causing Alexandra to playfully raise an eyebrow.

"I never said you were attracted to me," she told him, focusing her own attention on her cauldron. "I just think you smelt something up there and you're too embarrassed to admit it."

"You're stirring the wrong way," Tom stated bluntly, completely ignoring Alexandra's almost offensive suggestion.

"You're stirring the wrong way," she mocked. She heard him chuckle beside her, and she smiled lightly. The moment she started smelling the potion she knew she was done, so she put the lid on the cauldron and began cleaning her station. Tom finished shortly after and did the same.

"Miss River," Slughorn called, getting Alexandra's attention just as she was about to leave the classroom. "I truly apologize for my manner at last week's meeting. I hope to still see you this evening."

Rather than saying anything, Alexandra simply nodded and left the room.

"Will you be attending the meeting?" Tom asked curiously, catching up to her.

"I don't see a reason to," she shrugged. "I'd rather not be humiliated again. You'll have to find entertainment elsewhere."

"I was definitely not entertained," Tom defended. "I only find entertainment when I humiliate you."

"Well, feel free to share embarrassing stories about me while I'm not there," Alexandra sighed.

"That won't be nearly as enjoyable."

"Oh, I'm sure."