Stolen Time A Tom Marvolo Riddle Fanfiction completed

Chapter Ten

"I imagine it has to be indescribable. Feeling him so close, always being connected to him, being with him, with his magic...When he touched me tonight I could feel this endless power...." Bellatrix voice trailed away, a dreamy expression in her eyes.

Cassiopeia glanced at Bellatrix, and suddenly the young witch reminded her very much of herself and the way she had always felt about Tom. For quite some time now she had been suspecting that Bellatrix had a soft spot for Tom, and obviously she had been right. Cassiopeia eyed the other's youthful appearance with a blank expression, her features betraying none of the emotions that were swirling inside her chest, to her utter dismay jealousy being the predominant one. She knew it was irrational, but then again, love always was.

Bellatrix threw another look at Cassiopeia, her gaze still sporting the slightly insane gleam of the memory of her magic being combined with her beloved master's before she finally disapparated. Cassiopeia watched her leave, a strange feeling she couldn't quite place in the pit of her stomach.

Suddenly she heard a soft chuckle coming from behind and turned around to see Tom leaning against the doorframe.

Cassiopeia cocked her head. "How long have you been standing there?"

Tom smirked. "A while."

Remembering Bellatrix' words, Cassiopeia stated sarcastically, "I wasn't aware you've taken to educating students lately."

Tom's smirk grew wider. "Really? Is that jealousy there in your voice?" There was obvious amusement ringing in his tone.

"So what if it is?" Cassiopeia retorted and pursed her lips. "After all, you never coached me to improve my Unforgivables, even sharing parts of your power with me, did you?"

Tom deliberately arranged his features into a look of innocence. "I was under the impression that you didn't want to practice the Unforgivables. In fact I vividly remember you telling me I were atrocious enough for both of us and you'd prefer to stick with the theory." He paused. "Actually I thought you'd be thankful that I always respected your wish. That's the only reason why I never forced you to make some use of this knowledge I perfectly know you to have." He paused again, the smirk now creeping back on his face. "But if you've changed your mind and want to practice now, I'm here and I'm more than ready to coach you this very moment." Provocatively, he held his hand out for her.

Cassiopeia eyed his outstreched hand but didn't take it, and Tom lowered his hand again, his smirk back in place. "Well, seems I know you better than you expect. So where's the point in being jealous if you don't even want what the other gets?"

Cassiopeia returned his gaze and the strange feeling in her stomach slowly subsided. Deep inside she knew she was being foolish to think Tom might have been coaching Bellatrix because she was young and her own kind of beautiful with her long wild black locks. Tom wasn't that way, he had never been. And still there were times when a feeling of doubt crept into her. After all, if he was able to care for her, why shouldn't he be able to care for another?

Tom glanced back at her, somehow guessing her thoughts once again. He wordlessly quirked an eyebrow. Cassiopeia looked back into his eyes, and the sinister yet so familiar gleam in them told her all she needed to know. A smile crossed her face. "You're right, there's none." She walked closer to where he was standing. "And you're right, I don't want to practice and I'm glad you never forced me to." After a moment she added, "Seems I said some sensible things back then. And obviously you paid more attention than I thought you had."

Tom's lip twitched and he slowly pushed away from the doorframe he had been leaning against. The sinister gleam in his eyes was still surfacing but now it was mixed with a sparkle of something Cassiopeia couldn't quite place.

"I know, I'm always right." He shrugged. With a quick movement he grabbed Cassiopeia’s wrist and pulled her towards him. "Your magic and mine, they are special in a way no other will ever come close to. They run wild and free together in a way no other will ever achieve. My power is much stronger with your magic than with any other. I know you've sensed this, just as I have."

Tom's magic had been radiating from him, just as powerful and strong as always. Now he deliberately made it reach out and it immediately found Cassiopeia's magic, forcefully entwining with it, making her feel indescribably alive and content.

Tom's lips turned into one of his beautiful yet so rare genuine smiles. "I would never give up on that power," he whispered and closed the remaining distance between them, his lips possessively claiming hers.

Cassiopeia let herself get carried away by this feeling of utter happiness. To her it didn't matter if he was with her for the sake of the power that her magic was able to offer him. After all, that power resulted from this unique connection between them, no matter how Tom preferred to name it. He was there, and that was all that mattered to her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran a hand through his impeccably styled hair, ruffling it up into the wavy dark mess she loved so much. Tom suppressed a smirk and leaned closer to her. He had long since refrained from trying to understand how she managed to make him feel so strangely at ease. Holding her in his arms and feeling her warmth so close to him left him content in a way that was unique. He hadn't been lying, it was true, nothing compared to her.

He concentrated on the flow of his magic combined with hers, on this strong and steady pulse that was humming in his veins, and relished the feeling of unlimited power it was spreading. How foolish he had been, desperately trying to suppress his desires when he was younger, how ignorant and oblivious to this unbounded source of magic.

Unconsciously he tightened his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss ever so slightly. Thankfully she had never ceased to challenge him, never yielded despite his reluctance, never given up even though it had taken him so long to see clear at last.

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Author's note: Thanks so much for reading!!!