t o u c h

f o u r t e e n

Fourteen days passed rather quickly as the couple fell more and more in love. There was talk throughout the school about why Tom had chosen Alexandra, and how his mood seemed to have changed so quickly. It didn't take long for students to suspect the use of a love potion, but they were wrong. Tom had concocted it perfectly, but, unbeknownst to him, it was unsuccessful.

"I see you two are bonding rather nicely," Dumbledore smiled as he spoke to Alexandra in a meeting she had set up. "Although, I would have expected your affection to be more... private."

"I do not think my love for Tom needs to be private, Professor. After all, you are the one who has been encouraging it," Alexandra replied, folding her hands on her lap. "I was skeptical, but I really got to know him when we worked on your assignment. He's truly charming."

"Ah, yes. I sincerely hope you forgive me. You must understand that I only did what I had to do in order to protect you," Dumbledore quickly apologized, not wanting to stir the pot any more than he already has. He could tell by the slightly glazed look of her eyes that these were not her true thoughts. He refrained from bringing it up, though, in the event that Tom was listening from outside his office door.

"I understand," she lied, plastering a smile on her face. "You have all the information you need. May I return to my dormitory now?"

"Of course," he smiled. "Please, take a sweet on your way out."

Dumbledore's smile faded, watching as she picked up a lemon drop before exiting the office. It was a plan the two had concocted together: if he suspected trouble, he offered a candy. If he was correct, she would take one.

Alexandra walked to the dining hall with a fake smile plastered on her face and her chin held high. She wasn't used to students throwing themselves against the corridor walls in order to pave a path for her to walk freely, but she secretly enjoyed it.

"Hello," her smile turned into a smirk as she sat next to Tom and his friends at the Slytherin table. She took a sip of the pumpkin juice in her goblet, and let out a sigh of relief. The bitter taste told her she had taken the antidote, and she would soon return home.

"Welcome back, love," he smirked, shaking his own goblet in the air. "Now all we have to do is pretend."

"What were we doing before?" Alexandra wondered, causing Tom to fall quiet.

Despite taking the antidote, Tom still felt attracted to the girl.

Alexandra was just as confused, wondering why she felt so different after taking the antidote rather than after taking the potion. She felt strange admitting it, but these past two weeks have been the happiest she's been since she arrived in 1943. For a mere moment, she even forgot Tom was the same man her and her classmates feared years later.

It was evident he felt the same, based off of what happened later that night.

Alexandra was in the Room of Requirement, where the two had frequently met up over the past two weeks. She didn't know how she got there, or why, but she found herself waiting for someone she never thought would arrive. Until he did.

She turned her head towards the door, watching as Tom slowly entered. Only, his intentions were different from hers.

He walked closer to her, stopping before their bodies met. Carefully, he took out the time turner and placed it around Alexandra's neck.

As he was lying in bed that night, he realized he was becoming dangerously fond of the girl. He wanted her to stay, but he knew she couldn't. A voice deep inside told him to send her home, and he listened to it. In his first and final moment of true weakness, he let the girl go.