When waves collide [t.m.r]

[5]

Hogwarts, January, third year

"So, Miss Bailey, would you like to tell me why you're up here now?"

The sound of his voice echoed, bouncing between the roof and floor of the astronomy tower before eventually being discarded into the night. A small frown tugged at her velvety lips as she contemplated the question. Was she up here because she'd been wallowing in self pity over the noticeably absent "happy birthday!" from either of her parents? Or was she up here because she wanted to be alone, just her and the world sitting together in a somber silence?

"I couldn't sleep so I came up here to write." Instinctively, her fingers coiled themselves tighter around the leather-bound book she had in her possession, shielding it from his view. "Now it's your turn. Why are you up here?"

Tom noticed the way her arm tensed, trailing his dark eyes down her arm until he spotted the corner of her diary peeking out from underneath her fingers. "I told you, I come up here to think." Once again, a silence wrapped itself around them, comforting like a blanket. Annette could feel the January breeze tickle her skin so she pulled her robes tighter around herself.

Then he spoke again. "Why didn't you return home for the holidays?"

She blinked. "Why didn't you return home?"

Riddle narrowed his eyes at the sky,

at her words,

at the term home.

He'd never had anywhere to call home, not really. From the minute he'd entered this world, he'd been forced into the dismal building that prided itself with the name "W.O.O.L.S Orphanage.", and for years he'd been confined to a cell-like room. But he couldn't even claim the room as his own, hundreds of other unlucky children had resided there before him, slept in his bed, paced his tank and even stored their clothes in his wardrobe. Tom knew that that's all he was to the orphanage, a name on a list that would be replaced as soon as he turned eighteen. Whenever he thought about the place, he was overcome with hate, annoyance and... fear.

Yes, Tom Riddle was scared of the orphanage.

Every time the children slept, the building awoke. Like a dementor, the house waited for the sun to set before it opened its hungry eyes and fed from the happiness of the occupants inside. So Tom didn't sleep until the sun rose. The orphanage noticed and grew angered by this, snarling at him throughout the night as he lay awake listening, the sound of the floorboards creaking never failed to send a shiver down his spine.

Then there was Hogwarts. The place was his sanctuary, the saving grace that had gently freed him from the tight clutch of the orphanage, prying the monsters claws off one by one. Could he call it a home though?

Home's were supposed to be permanent, somewhere you knew you could go whenever you sought comfort or love. Tom knew he couldn't rely on Hogwarts to be a permanent part of his life , every year the castle offered him back to the monster, serving him on a silver platter without a care in the world and eventually, like the orphanage, he'd leave and have to find somewhere else to go. Perhaps he would become a professor at the school, it would give him an excuse to stay at the one place in the world he'd ever felt remotely happy.

"Answer my question first." He commanded, mind still faintly caught up in the mess that was his thoughts.

Annette swallowed the stubborn words that her mouth had threatened to spill, deciding that she quite liked the fact that they were engaging in a civil conversation for once. It was unusual and an odd feeling simmered in her stomach. she ignored it.

"My parents thought it would be safer for me to stay here. The Muggle War is causing chaos, my streets already been bombed so it would be risky to return." It wasn't a full lie- yes, her street had been bombed twice already but no, her parents hadn't thought it would be safer to stay at the castle.

Annette briefly wondered if her safety had even been a concern to them.

Of course it has, they're your parents.

But -

They love you.

You're right.

Noticing her inner conflict and wanting to know what had made her look so troubled, Riddle locked his eyes with hers.

Annette didn't have time to appreciate the beauty of his ocean eyes as the tide drew the water back, forming a wave that only increased in size as he sent it hurtling towards her. She was quick though, having taught herself occlumency, she quickly copied his movements, sending a wave catapulting in his direction and then,

the waves collided.

His opaque waters faught for dominance over her transparent ones, but she would not allow him to have it. Your mind is supposed to be a safe space, not somewhere that anyone could have access to, and Annette Bailey certainly wasn't going to let Tom Riddle see into the deepest, darkest parts of her mind.

As their waves continued to clash and battle, Annette visualised a wall of water, just as opaque as his own, that would act as a defence mechanism and finally, he was pushed out of her mind.

Tom was the first to break eye contact, both their breathing growing heavy with exhaustion. They both felt like they'd just narrowly escaped drowning. And in a way, they had.

Her jaw clenched tightly. "Don't. Don't every try that again."

Without thinking, Riddle gave a sharp inclination of his head that she assumed was a nod, raven hair falling into his face. He hadn't listened to what she'd said though, a million thoughts whirling around in his head;

How did she know occlumency?

How did she overpower him? Was he weaker than he'd thought?

What was she hiding?

Why did a tiny part of him want to learn everything about her?