Aberration; Tom Riddle

VII

E S T E L L E

It had been a week since Tom had carried her back into the castle. 

It had been a week since Tom had last spoken to her.

It had been a week since she had gotten a invitation to Slughorn's dinner party.

Her thoughts drifted off in her potions class as she tapped her finger against the wooden table. Slughorn's dinner party was today and she still hadn't decided on what she was going to wear. Yes- she had been to them many times before but this time it felt different. Maybe because it would be the first time she would properly talk to Tom since last week. Tom was in fact in her potions class but he was partnered with Rosier this time, so she did not have much chance to interact with him,

 Her thoughts were interrupted by her professor.

"Miss Harper, what is armortentia and what are its characteristics?".

"Armortentia is a powerful love potion that is highly dangerous as it forces this powerful emotion, and a child born under the influence will most likely not be able to feel 'love'. It will smell differently according to what we're attracted to", Estelle sighed a breath of relief. Thank merlin she had read about this in her textbook the day before or she would have been so fucked. She did notice something weird though. Tom flinched slightly when she was talking about the affects of the love potion if a child was born under its influence. It was ever so small but she knew there was something wrong.

Only she noticed.

"well done Miss Harper- I'm impressed. 10 points to Ravenclaw. Another thing to add is that even if a child is born under the effects of a love potion, they maybe able to find love if they meet their soul mate, which we'll be able to learn in next future lessons but in short it's the person you're destined to be with. Although it's hard to meet them because it's all up to fate. Now, Mr Riddle could you tell me the ingredients of armontentia". 

Riddle was able to perfectly say the list of ingredients needed to brew armortentia, which earnt slytherin 10 points. For the first time this week Tom looked at her. Estelle took this chance to mouth something to him.

'show off'

He smirked and mouthed something back 

'don't be jealous love'

Yet again she was interrupted by the professor before she could retort back.

"As Mr Riddle and Miss Harper have extensive knowledge on this area, why don't you come smell it yourselves?"

Estelle and Tom both stood up and walked to the brewing potion. She went first.

"Parchment, smoke, mint and cologne", she said with a shocked tone.

she could only think of one person this aligned with. 

Tom Riddle

"Vanilla, parchment, rain and...apples"

Estelle's mouth slightly hung open as she was forced to go sit back down. She stared at Tom but for the rest of the class he did not look back at her.

***

Estelle was in her dorm trying to find something to wear for the dinner party. Her attempts were proving rather futile. Her clothes were messily tossed all over the floor, while Jas was trying to help her find something.

"What's going on with you and Riddle?" Jas asked.

"Nothing is going on, what do you mean?"

"you know exactly what i mean. The stares across the classroom, what happened in potions today and the fact that he CARRIED YOU INTO OUR DORM IN THE EARLY MORNING", Jas shouted 

"Oh it's nothing- i promise", Estelle said while Jas looked at her with a annoyed look.

"liar"

"Most importantly Jas, YOU DIDN'T COME BACK TO OUR DORM YESTERDAY. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS WEEK. WHAT THE FUCK MAN", Estelle shouted.

"i'll tell you once you tell me what's going on between you and Riddle".

Just when Estelle was about the retort, she found a black satin dress that hugged her body in all the right places, The gift her mother had given her, a year before she had passed away. It was beautiful. 

she was a tad bit late but she knew Slughorn would be talking to different students, which would give her the perfect opportunity to slip right in. Her black heels clicked against the stone floor as she turned the corner, she collided into something. Before she could stumble backwards, a hand gripped onto her waist and pulled her towards them. Estelle smelt the familiar, comfortable scent.

It was him.

All her parchment landed on the floor. she was using it to study for the herbology test next week. Estelle sighed as she started picking them off the floor. "appreciate the help Tom".

"you should really watch where you're going love, this is the second time already", he said with a deep chuckle.

"why don't you watch were you're going", she argued back "you're the one who also keeps on bumping into me", She watched him curiously as he walked to the window and opened it. He pulled out a cigarette and put it in-between his lips before using a unique silver lighter to set it alight. 

'so this is why i smelt smoke' Estelle thought.

"Come here love", Tom suddenly said.

She walked up to him and leant her back against the wall, he positioned his hand right next to her head. She was trapped. Estelle could smell his intoxicating cologne radiating off him. This gave her the time to take in his ravishing appearance. He wore a white button up shirt with black trousers, his hands were decorated with silver rings. Her thoughts were interrupted by his sudden question.

"Do you want some?", he said signaling to the cigarette is his hand. She watched Tom as he rolled up his sleeves and undid his top buttons.

"yes but i don't have any free hands" she said while holding up her parchment filled hands. 

He smirked in return before inhaling the smoke and hovering his lips millimeters away from hers, they were almost touching. He was so close. Tom exhaled the smoke as she breathed it in, a comfortable sensation filling up her lungs. 

"good girl"

Estelle stared up at him as he inhaled the last bit of his cigarette and threw it out the window. "we should get going Harper", he said while walking away from her.

The coldness of the corridor suddenly surrounded her.

"you look good today love"