Star Crossed

Chapter Four- A knowing glint in those blue eyes

Christmas had come and gone. Christmas Day had been the most enjoyable it had been in years. Professor Slughorn's drunken ramblings, along with Professor Dumbledore's terrible jokes had made the day pass by in a fit of giggles and smiles. Tom had sat looking characteristically uncomfortable throughout the whole proceedings, which had only fueled my laughter. I had however felt his gaze fall upon on multiple times throughout the feast yet whenever I met his gaze he hastily averted his own. Yet now it was New Year's Eve. I had not saw Tom since the Christmas party, he was not even in his usual spot in the library. He could of course of been hiding out in the Slytherin common room, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed that he had not so much as approached me to thank me for my gift or ask if I had enjoyed my Christmas. Then was I really surprised? I scolded myself for always expecting more than was likely, leading myself into a trap of frequent disappointment.

"Ah Miss McLaggen," a familiar cheering voice called out, I looked around from my spot stood at the railing of the astronomy tower.

"Ah this tower, a perfect place to reflect I always find," he continued, a knowing glint in those blue eyes, half covered by a pair of half-moon spectacles. I did not respond but merely smiled,"Beautiful isn't it?" He smiled, coming to stand next to me overlooking the view of the black lake and sea of mountains. I nodded.

 "A new year is dawning. I perfect time to reflect, to acknowledge, appreciate and move on from the past and look forward towards the future. I can't help but come to notice that you spend a fair bit of time around Mr. Riddle in the last year," Though caught off guide I couldn't help but smile at the offhand and almost cheeky way that Dumbledore slipped this into the conversation. 

"He is an acquaintance of mine Professor." I replied, focusing on keeping my voice as casual as possible. "Will you be celebrating with him this evening then I presume?" He asked, while pretending to take in the expansive view.

"Celebrating Professor? The new year?" I asked, puzzled.

"Naturally, of course his birthday is today also." Dumbledore replied nonchalantly, yet his eyes seemed to sparkle even more if that was at all possible.

"His birthday!?" I blurted out, I had never known when Tom's birthday was, he had never told us or so much as hinted.

"Oh yes, it will be his fifteenth if I am not mistaken," he continued.

"Oh I didn't know..." I replied, I turned around and Dumbledore had gone. Leaving me stood alone once more upon the tallest tower within Hogwarts. I stood for what must have been not a minute short of an hour trying to decide if and how to acknowledge Tom's birthday... I had to! It was just sad to ignore it, who else did he have? He couldn't spend it alone. 

That afternoon I had found myself in sneaking through the secret passage ways into Hogsmeade. I wrapped my cloak around myself tightly, the blizzard may have subsided but it had left an icy cold behind that scattered a layer of frost over everything it came into prolonged contact with. I wondered around absentmindedly, hoping for some inspiration. It was difficult to buy a gift for someone so soon after Christmas... I thought of maybe a book, but it was impossible to keep up with what books Tom hadn't yet read. I then passed by the window of Gladrags Wizardwear, where an emerald green cotton scarf caught my eye draped around the neck of a mannequin.

Back in my dormitory I sealed the silver wrapping paper with my wand and attached the green envelope to the outside. I bit my lip sitting back to appreciate my work, picking it up and hiding it under my cloak I set off, I hoped he would be there, I had sent him an owl to meet me under the clock face at quart to eleven that evening. 

I walked down the deserted corridor my footsteps echoing around me, I stopped as I reached the large clock face; I looked around but could not see any sign of Tom. My heart dropped slightly, but just then there was a soft cough behind me. I turned to find Tom stood before me, my breath hitched. The moonlight illuminated his face, defining his sharp jaw and features, his dark hair shining in the silvery light. He was wearing a black thick suit coat which made him appear even taller than he already was, in that moment I felt something I hadn't felt before.

"Good evening," was all I managed to croak out, I internally kicked myself for how awkward I must have sounded, yet Tom seemed undeterred.
"Evening," He simply replied, raising his eyebrow, clearly waiting for an explanation for the late night meeting.
I took in a deep breath, there was no point beating around the subject,
"Happy Birthday," I breathed, taking the gift from within my cloak and handing it towards him. For a moment Tom's face lost its usual composure and instead displayed shock, a moment later his face returned unreadable. He slowly extended his hands to take the gift from my own. I dropped my hands back to my side and watched him turn the gift over a few times in his hands. I laughed lightly,
"Well you can open it," I smiled, Tom's eyes flickered to me for a second before returning back to the gift. He was treating it as if it may have been charmed to explode. Hesitantly he pulled off the envelope and pealed it open, removing the card from within. The black shiny card had an image of a silver Slytherin crest upon it and inside read,

'To the Heir of Slytherin, Happy 15th Birthday, love from the Heir of Gryffindor.' Tom seemed to take an unnaturally long time to read the words and slowly closed the card and placed it into his pocket before taking a long thin finger and slipping it under the corner of the wrapping. I stood rooted to the spot, agonised by Tom's lack of hast. Gently he withdrew the scarf from his wrappings and held it in his hands, surveying it carefully.

I shuffled my feet, which seemed to startle Tom back to the present, as he looked at me. He cleared his throat,

"I... thank you," his voice was not its usual crude tone, it was soft almost tense."You're welcome, here is to the next year," I smiled, lightly elbowing his arm as the clock chimed twelve above us.