Dark Matter ☽☾ Tom Riddle

TWO

Turning around she collected her things and made her way down and into the Common Room, as she stepped into it, the emerald green fire lit up the room, illuminating Tom's sullen features. He sat in front of the fire, on the floor, staring deep into the fire, Elizabeth forced a smile, making her way towards him, sitting down. "Good morning, Tom." She politely greeted him, sweetness and superiority surrounding her as Tom glanced at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Good morning, Elizabeth," he greeted Elizabeth with a strained smile, blue clashing with green. Despite having only known him for a short period of time, Elizabeth felt something off, something that fed the growing curiosity inside of her. Why a boy, with no apparent magical heritage become a Slytherin, the place where he was least safe? Why did she feel like she knew him? All of the questions that swirled around in her mind and she felt as if he was the only one able to answer them.

"Couldn't sleep?" Elizabeth softly asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Tom shook his head, looking away from Elizabeth and back to the fire. "It's too warm." He answered, his lips tugged into a deep frown as Elizabeth gazed at him quizzically. The dreary dungeons that the Slytherin quarters were located were enchanted to be practically glacial to anyone who wasn't a Slytherin. The pure-blooded parents wouldn't have anything less than perfection, vivacious health and warmth for their children.

"Is where you grew up cold?" Elizabeth curiously asked in an attempt to know him. From what her intuition told her, Tom didn't reveal much about himself, this only really made him more interesting. Someone less than pure among Slytherin was an oddity.

"Do you really care?" Tom questioned her, examining her, carefully circling her. Dumbledore would be a problem; he knew by the way Dumbledore carefully watched him during the sorting ceremony. From what he'd seen, the pure-bloods circles Elizabeth Blakely like vultures, ready to eat at the scraps of greatness she left in her wake. If they cared for her or not was left to be determined. What he understood the moment he laid eyes on her with Abraxas, Avery, Knox and Valeria was that they were loyal, and they rarely socially indulged themselves in anything that wasn't 'pure'. They wrote him off as a 'mud-blood' but a few kind words from Elizabeth had caused them to tolerate his presence.

"Care is a strong word, Tom, but I am interested." Elizabeth proclaimed.

"I'll tell you if you help me with something." Tom bluntly stated, wagering knowledge for a favour. The way her lips twitched into a smile told Tom that she knew he was playing a little game.

"I'll hold you to it, Tom." Elizabeth replied, chuckling lightly and turning to look back at the fire.

"You're not going to ask what kind of favour it is?" Tom carefully raised, surprised by her for a brief and fleeting moment.

"I have a clear vision of who I want to be, Tom. From what I've seen, to get there, there is very little I should not be willing to do. Favours are meaningless if they come at no cost, all I ask is that you be honest with me. Lying to me will not serve whatever ulterior motives you have well." Elizabeth assured him, superiority surrounding her. For all the doubt in her mind, for all the tragedy and pain that she had been drowning in for her whole life, there was not a single part of her mind that was anything but proud to be a Blakely.

"Is that a warning?" Tom asked.

"It's a suggestion, you've been kind to me so far." Elizabeth plainly stated. "Why have you been so kind to me? You don't seem the type." She pointed out, shrugging her shoulders as a soft sigh escaped her lips.

"I think you're like me. You're special." Tom's voice was barely above a whisper as he gave her his best answer. He didn't know what it was about this girl that made him want her approval. But as he saw a weak smile form on her lips and shifted closer to him. As much as he hated it, if his father didn't turn out to be a wizard, she was his best chance at making a name for himself. He needed her more than she needed him.