Pairing: Tom Riddle x f!reader
Status: Work in progress
Please note: This story is a sequel to Promised. Reading Promised first is recommended, or else you won't know the characters and how they got here.
Synopsis: After the wedding, Tom and you s...
Father laughed as he sat aside his cup. "Son, I've worked there for most of my life before I retired. Let me tell you the secret recipe: Long hours, fake smiles and a good portion of vitamin C."
Tom looked up from his cup, thinking. "C as in connections?"
"You got it."
"That's what I thought. Well, I'm working on it."
"Don't overwork yourself, dear," Mother said. "And make sure you even out the long hours. You don't want your wife waiting for you every day of the week."
Tom's eyes met yours as he laid his hand upon your knee. "I would never."
"But long hours have many benefits," Father said and turned his gaze to you. "They make you tons of Galleons. If Tom does enough hours, you could even stay home and give up your training."
The tiny piece of digestive inside your mouth seemed to dry out your tongue. "Oh really?" you asked when you had finally swallowed it down. "But I don't want to quit it. I like what I do."
"You do?" Father asked as if you hadn't told him that a hundred times before. "You really like getting trained by that old witch?"
"Her name is Miss Toffana. And yes, I do."
"And what are you going to do after? When your training is done."
"Well, I'll be a Potioneer then," you explained. "I could become a teacher at Hogwarts, or work for St. Mungo's. Or at an apothecary in Diagon Alley. Merlin, I could even work for the Ministry."
"Right then," Father finally was content.
"But what about family?" Mother asked.
"What do you mean?"
She teetered around as she was thinking of the right words. "Your plans don't sound like there will be space for... You know. Children."
The sentence hit you like a brick. What did she mean by "space for children"? And why had she said it just to you? It takes two to have a child after all. Tom and you had been together for just two years and she was already waiting for you to get knocked up. Why had you even gone to Hogwarts then, if the only thing your parents cared about was for you to give them grandchildren? Connections? The Gaunt's plan must have served them just right then.
"Well," you mumbled. "We haven't really thought about that yet, have we?"
Tom shrugged and shook his head.
"Not even once?" she asked. "I'm surprised you act so shocked that I asked, dear. It's the logical next step after getting married. That's what's expected."
"Expected by who?"
"Well, society. The whole world. Everyone, I should say."
Of course, the whole world was holding its breath waiting for Tom and you to conceive. Mother's perception of the world must have been a lot smaller than yours.
"We're still so young, I don't think we need to include children in our plans just yet."
Mother nodded, her lips thin and eyes fixated on her teacup. "Don't forget to include the thought when you get older though, will you?"
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