The Dark Lord's Queen||Tom Riddle

Chapter 11~Feistiness and Friendliness

I stared at Tom for a minute, flabbergasted, watching as his smirk didn't fall an inch.

Should I let them come with us? I asked myself. Even though they're Slytherins, even though Tom can sometimes be an asshole, should I? Will Aly and Tessa approve? Will they be able to play nice? Will the Slytherins play nice?

Tom's voice broke me out of my reverie.

"I mean, I figured you owed me after the whole date fiasco. But if you don't want us to, then..." He trailed off, stepping back, but I quickly straightened up. Be nice, Melissa, I mentally chided myself.

"Of course you guys can," I plastered a smile on my face and Tom's smirk reappeared.

"Excellent," he said, and then, without a word, stepped around me and into the Three broomsticks.

Penny, who was still waiting outside the door for me, gaped when one of the Slytherin boys sneered at her while he was passing by. I hurriedly went up to her after they had all disappeared inside.

"Pen-"

"Are you crazy?" She whispered frantically. I grimaced. "They're Slytherins, for goodness sake Mel, Slytherins! Cold, slimy, heartless, snakes! What are the others gonna think about this?"

"Um," I said, my mind whirling. "Hopefully, they'll remember all the nice things I've done for them and attempt to be civil?" My voice rose at the end, making it sound like a question, and Penny just shook her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe you sometimes, Melissa, you know that?" Without looking at me, she marched inside, leaving me outside, seriously contemplating what I had just done.

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"So," Tom broke the silence. "What's your blood status?" I glared at him and mentally face palmed. What kind of question was that?

Aly's shot him a look of loathing and responded coolly. "Pureblood, but I don't see how it matters." Tom just smiled dryly at her as she crossed her arms.

"Muggleborn," Tessa said, lifting her chin in the air. Victor Lestrange let out a scoff.

"I met a Muggle once," Goyle said, letting out a low chuckle. "Most disgusting thing I've ever seen." Everyone froze. Aly looked as if she was about to drive her wand through Goyle's eye. I opened my mouth to try and make peace, but Tessa was already speaking.

"Excuse me?" she said in an icy voice. Goyle had his butterbeer halfway to his lips and let out a questioning grunt. Tessa set her own cup down and spoke in a voice like the edge of a knife.

"If you have a problem with Muggles, then you can keep it inside your incredibly thick head. Oherwise, you can come deal with me. I am not going to sit here and listen to your dimwitted, moronic comments while you slurp up butterbeer like some sort of dog. Just because your parents are some conceited, rich, purebloods gives you no right to disrespect others. Is that clear?" She said this so forcefully that Goyle jumped, before quickly muttering agreement.

Tessa looked all around the table at the Slytherins, as if daring them to argue with her.

I was shocked. Tessa had never spoken back to anyone in her entire life. She was usually the sweet, kind, tranquil girl, mot the fierce one.

Across the table, I could see Calliope's lips twitching in the corners, and Aly was suppressing a smile. Connie looked incredibly pleased, and as for Penny, she was just staring at Abraxas Malfoy.

Suddenly, I heard someone let out a breath.

"That was incredible," Tom said, chucking. "She's absolutely right, Goyle." Goyle looked even more confused as Nicolas Nott let out a snicker and Malfoy just shook his head in disbelief at Goyle's stupidity.

"Holy shit," Nott said, staring at Tessa admiringly. "I've never seen anyone put someone in their place like that." Tessa blushed and looked down at her drink. Connie let out a choked off laugh, and suddenly, the whole atmosphere seemed to lighten, as everyone started dissolving into laughter. crab thumped Goyle on the back, and he shook his head and forced a smile.

Soon, everyone was talking. Lestrange had Aly involved in some sort of Quidditch discussion, and Connie was debating something with Crabbe and Goyle. Nicolas was smirking at Tessa and saying something to make her smile. Callie was laughing at something Tom had said, while Penny was twirling her hair around her finger and engaging Malfoy in conversation.

As for me, I just stared at our table stunned, amazed at how no one was hexing another person, how no one had thrown butterbeer at another person, and how everyone, well I hoped I wasn't jinxing it, how everyone was actually getting along.

Aly glanced over at me, and I raised an eyebrow and gestured between her and Lestrange. She raised her shoulders in an incredulous manner and then turned back to him, flipping her blonde hair back as she did.

I grinned, and took a sip of my own butterbeer, feeling the warmth of the drink spread through my fingers and toes.

Suddenly, Tom looked at me from across the table. When our gazes connected, he winked at me and I copied his trademark smirk. He laughed under his breath and then turned back to Callie, leaning towards her as she talked animatedly.

I suddenly felt a bit weird about the two of them sitting right next to each other, so close together, but I shook it off. Get it together, Lissa, I told myself, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear, but something in my gut was still twisting, making me feel sick.

I set my drink down on the table slowly, and noticed that my hand was shaking.

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Oooh, jealous much Melissa?

Can you believe it? The Slytherins and Ravenclaws actually got along! Yay!

Anyways, sorry that the chapter was so short, but I will update again, hopefully soon. However, my midterms are NEXT WEEK (Aaaaagbgbgbh, I'm freaking out!), but I will try to keep writing as much as I can.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

~Calliope Brown