She Saved Me | Tom Riddle

The Full Story

Tom's brow furrowed in confusion. "You think someone set it loose?" She gave a small nod. "Who would want to hurt you?"

"I don't know."

"Another student? Someone from the Gryffindor team perhaps?"

Ava just shook her head, "I don't know." She looked back at Tom with frustration. "I really don't know."

"Ava, this can't be let go so easily." Tom's jaw tensed, knowing she didn't want to place blame. "If someone tried to hurt you, that is very serious."

"Tom," Ava started to say before stopping. She just huffed and shook her head again with a forced laugh. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid."

Tom sighed out in frustration with her. "But you know this wasn't just an accident."

"I don't know what I think right now."

Tom stared at Ava for a while trying to understand what she was doing. Why did she suddenly change her mind? It made no sense to him. Well unfortunately for her, he wasn't about to let it go. And he certainly wasn't going to be very forgiving when he finds out who pulled such a stunt on her. If she wouldn't take a stand for herself, he'll have to.

"You're right," Tom said instead. "Let's let it go until we find out more."

Ava's attention snapped back to Tom once gearing that. She didn't think he'd give in so easily. If he was being genuine that is. "Right. I think that would be better."

Tom gave her a hard stare, his gaze unrelenting. Ava bit her lip and avoided looking at him after that. He stood from the chair, "I should go."

"Already?"

Tom paused at the pleading tone in her voice. "I need to take care of a few things for classes." He cleared his throat and turned to leave. "If you aren't released today, I'll be back to get you in the morning."

Ava watched after his retreating figure. "Okay," she said quiet enough that he wouldn't hear. She sighed as she leaned her head back to stare at the ceiling. What did she do now?

As the rest of the day passed, Ava lost hope of being able to leave. She already told her parents in a letter that they didn't need to come to Hogwarts. The most severe injuries she had were healed right away, so she didn't see the point in staying in the hospital wing. Any chance of being released was diminished once Madam Pomfrey checked on her. She wanted to give Ava something to treat the bruising on her side and perform one last scan on her.

That evening Ava sat in her cot with only the lamp on the small side table for light. She was thankful that Mia had dropped off some course work for her to keep busy. But it was mostly done and she was just sitting in thought.

She knew Tom was right. What happened shouldn't be let go because it certainly was no accident. Someone caused that to happen. There were multiple people that could have done it for any reason. But Ava had the sinking feeling she knew who did it, without question. It was obvious why too. She should have seen something like this coming.

Ava gave up on the assignment she was working on and put it aside. It was going to be another long night of trying to get comfortable and listening to the groaning of the other sick student a few cots away. She turned the lamp off and laid down, pulling the blanket up to her shoulder. She tried to lay on her side, but her body protested to that as soon as her arm brushed her ribs. So instead she shifted to be on her back, her left arm straight on the bed and her right resting on her stomach.

She stared at the ceiling for a while struggling to sleep. The other student was suffering from some kind of illness that made them insufferably loud. She was sure they moved or woke up to make noise every few minutes. This gave her plenty of time to think over what she's talked about with Tom. Well, to be honest she thought about more than just that.