𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐄-𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐒

𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚

He chuckled.

I gave him a taken aback look, but he continued to laugh and turned around.

Once everyone had a partner, the Professor sent each group off to a table with a cauldron on top of each.

I sighed as I sat down at the table across from Tom. He did not look thrilled either, and I wasn't sure if this was because I was partnered with him or if he was annoyed with the project.

He began to work on the potion as I sat there silently.

"Do you need any help?" I asked, standing up from my seat.

"No." He replied as he dropped something into the cauldron.

"Well, we are supposed to work together," I said, walking around to the other side of the table.

I stood next to him and looked down at his book where the directions were for making the potion. It seemed that he had changed some of the amounts in his book.

"You changed some of the amounts," I said, looking up at him.

He looked over at me.

"I know more than the idiots who make the book." He said plainly.

"I hope so," I said.

I began to grab the other things he needed to make the potion to help him. Once I got everything he would need, I began to put the stuff in according to the amounts he had in the book.

As I went to put in rose thorns, he quickly grabbed my hand before I could drop them in.

"You need to put in two and a half roses worth of thorns, not just two." He said as he gently pushed my hand down.

"Oh." I nodded.

I was temporarily put into a state of shock that he touched my hand like that. I had never seen Tom Riddle do or say anything nice or gently.

I picked the thorns off half of another rose and put them into the cauldron. When I did this, the potion changed from a purple-like color to light and rosy red.

"You can stir it now if you want, or I can?" He asked, looking me in the eye.

"I can do it," I chirped, taking the wooden spoon from his hand.

I saw a slight grin take over his lips when I touched his hand to take the spoon. 

This made me grin too.

I was surprised that he hadn't given me a snarky comment, but I enjoyed the peaceful moment.

Professor Slughorn came over to our table to test our potion just then. 

"Your potion looks great, you two!" He said admirably, looking down into the cauldron.

I smiled at him and looked over to Tom, who had a slight smirk on his lips.

"I can't wait to see how it turns out next week!" Slughorn said just before dismissing us.

Tom and I left the classroom together. Potions had been the last class for the day, so it was now time to go to the library for study time or quidditch for those who played.