Moonlit [Professor Tom Riddle]

iv

"Yes," Avani started, "I thought I saw a wasp in the hallway and I was just scared."

Dumbledore's eyebrows cocked up. "A wasp?"

"Indeed, Headmaster."

"Scary things wasps. I myself am very afraid of those little creatures. One bit me on my upper lip a few years back. My cheek had swollen to the size of an orange," Dumbledore said, indicating the size of the swelling with his fingers. "I will ask the Caretaker to take care of it."

Avani nodded, rocking on her feet.

"Was the wasp the reason why you are twenty minutes late?"

Avani sucked in a breath, trying to come up with a lie. "It was actually Circe. She was extremely upset because of what went down at the great hall."

"Yes, and I did not get the chance to tell you this before, but I'm very impressed by how you stood up for your friend. Though I would have preferred some less violent methods."

Avani licked her lips. "I'm sorry about that. I lost my temper."

"It's alright. we all do at some times. Now, I should depart. I would hate to waste your time," Dumbledore said.

Avani bid him goodbye and watched him walk down the hallway. When he was out of sight, she sighed, stepping into the office.

"Close the door," Tom said, "wouldn't want that wasp buzz into my office."

"Not when you're already here," Avani said, shutting the door with her foot.

Tom ignored her, sitting behind his desk. He was wearing his glasses, which he usually only wore when he was having a headache. He rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt.

His hair was tousled, and there were dark circles lining his eyes. He looked exhausted. Avani wondered if it had something to with Dumbledore leaving the office just a few moments ago. She had noticed the past few days that the two of them had a strained relationship.

Tom looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. "Get to work."

"You didn't tell me what I was supposed to do?"

Tom leaned back in his seat, looking around the office.

"Did you not think of what I was supposed to do in your detention before? I must say, Professor Riddle, you're slipping."

"I was busy. Start by cleaning the bookshelf."

Avani walked to the bookshelf, dragging a finger across the spines of the books. "It's already clean."

Tom, who had began to mark some papers, looked up, an annoyed expression lacing his face. The look hurt Avani more than it should have. He truly didn't like her.

"Then write an essay expressing your guilt over what you did in the great hall. Make it five feet long," he said and went back to work.

"Five feet? Seems like a rather waste of time, don't you think? We both know I don't regret my actions one bit."

Tom slammed his quill on the table. "What is it that you want to do then, Ava- Miss Chaudhry?"

Avani tried to ignore the ache in her heart that his tone induced. "I- uh could do the homework you gave us today. I haven't done it yet."

"Do that," he said, pulling out a sheet of parchment from his drawer and handed her a spare quill and an ink pot. Avani sat across him on his desk, and began writing her essay on what would happen if an amortentia induced individual was to encounter a boggart.

The two of them worked in silence for quite a while, the sound of their quills scratching on parchment being the only sound to be heard besides the tick of the clock.

After a little time, Avani heard Tom groan, pressing his thumbs lightly against his eyelids. Avani licked her lips, ignoring the flutter in her stomach and went back to her essay.

After a while, she heard him ask, "do you want some coffee?"

Avani looked up, startled, but since she did not have a reason to say no to coffee, she nodded.

"Marvellous, make some for the both of us."

Avani let out a laugh full of disbelief.

"Hurry up. We don't have all night."

"Of course, sir," she said, her tongue dripping with a bitter undertone. She stood up, going to the little kitchenette in the corner of his office. She heated the machine with magic, and placed a tea cup under it. He did not have any sugar or milk in his office, so she skipped making one for her. She made Tom's coffee float around her, making it land softly on the desk.

Tom had stood up now, standing where Avani was sitting before, looking down at her essay.

"Is it going good?" she asked. Something within her craved a compliment.

"It's fine," he said, picking up the tea cup. The white china looked awfully small in his hands.

"You didn't make one for you?" Tom asked.

"I'm not a masochist. I don't like black coffee."

Avani looked at the clock on the wall, seeing that forty five minutes had passed, leaving them with a quarter of hour. She sat down in her seat, deciding she wanted to complete her essay there, instead of having to do it back at the dorm.

Tom stood over her, sipping his coffee as he watched her write. He placed one hand hand on the back of seat, leaning down a little.

He read a paragraph of her work, humming to himself. "That's interesting."

Avani groaned, leaning forward to hide her essay from his sight. "I haven't edited it yet. You don't get to judge."

"If you say so," he said. He continued standing besides her until he finished his coffee and Avani finished her essay.

There we're still ten minutes left. Avani looked up, about to ask him if she should stay there for the left time or if she could leave.

Her words lodged themselves in her throat, curling up and hiding in the safety of her voice box, when Tom rested his thumb on her lip. Avani felt the ache in her lip burn, the little wound still raw.

Tom looked down at her, brushing her lip with tender touch. When he realised what he was doing, he cleared his throat and withdrew his hand.

Avani did not know what came over her, but she grabbed his hand and placed it on her mouth again. His hands were warm and big and everything which had made her fall for him in Paris. His hand melted on her skin, and his eyes darkened when she stood up.

How was she meant to forget him, when he walked around the the hallways looking like the way he did, reminding of the things they had done in the French city. She was neck deep in her feelings, and she did not want to swim out just yet.

So she mustered all the bravery she had in her Slytherin body, and raised herself on her toes, swinging her arms around his neck for support as she touched her lips with his.

He was still for a second, both of their eyes opened as they stared at each other. For a moment, Avani thought he would push her away, lecture her on how she was student and what she was doing was improper. Avani would have told him the thoughts she had at night, and that her actions were not half as inappropriate as them.

Tom did not push her back, instead, he closed his tired eyes and deepened the kiss.

Avani was fuelled with heat and she forgot why she had hated him. She forgot how he had hurt her and how he had left her humiliated, because his touch felt stronger than any of those emotions ever could.