Five Years Later
Without fail, Tom always woke up before Avalon. He would typically have enough time in the mornings to take his daily shower, get ready for the day, and fetch them their two cups of coffee-- which, over the years, had both grown to become the same light mocha color.
The one exception to this routine was Christmas morning.
When Tom's eyes opened, he was greeted with Avalon's excited, hazel stare. She was already wide awake, her grin growing the moment she saw him shift toward her. After spending five Christmas mornings with her, he knew better than to be surprised by waking up to her anxious smile, but her loud greeting still caught him off guard.
"Merry Christmas!" she sang out, laughing at his still-sleepy eyes as he glanced over at the clock and noted the small hand resting on the 5.
"Merry Christmas, dove," he sighed, his voice still raspy when he pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her forehead. He could barely hold her still, she was practically bouncing off the bed with sheer child-like excitement.
Avalon noticed him resting his chin atop her head and could hear his breathing start to slow down again as he tried to go back to sleep and she quickly squirmed out of his grasp, shoving him off the bed with a loud thud. His eyes shot wide open, sitting up on the ground and glaring at her. "What in the bloody hell-"
"Wake up!" she insisted, already springing to her feet and rushing over to her suitcase. She dug around for a moment, tossing her things onto the ground in her quest to find the item she desired. Tom watched as she made a mess of their room, an annoyed groan leaving his lips at the same moment she let out an excited squeal and pulled out her ocean blue sweater, a light grey 'A' knitted into the center.
While she eagerly changed out of her pyjamas and into the sweater, Tom flicked his wand at the mess she had made and watched as her clothes neatly folded themselves and floated back into her suitcase. He got back onto his feet, stretching his arms as he pulled his shirt off over his head and folded it up before he grabbed a black jumper out of his own belongings and tugged it on.
Avalon had already disappeared into the bathroom by the time he even had a chance to glance back in her direction. He followed behind, standing at her side as the couple brushed their teeth and fixed their hair, getting ready for the day. He couldn't help but smile at the way she was bouncing up and down on the tip of her toes, her love for the holidays coursing through her, just as prevalent as it had been the years prior. Some things never changed, it seemed.
His arm snaked around her waist while they got ready, but she dragged him out of the bathroom the moment they were done, hurriedly making her way toward the door when the sight of something overhead caught her attention. She glanced up at the ceiling, noting the mistletoe that hadn't been there before. Her eyes dubiously trailed over to Tom, her eyebrow quirked up as she asked, "Did you notice that before?"
Tom shook his head, shrugging with a slight laugh. "No," he answered. "But why put it to waste?"
And, before she could respond, he pulled her into his hold, his fingers tilting her chin up just a moment before he pressed his lips gently onto hers. She smiled into the kiss, a slight laugh escaping her mouth, giving him just enough of a chance to swipe his tongue across her bottom lip and tangle his hand into her hair.
But, right as she snaked her arms around his neck, desperate to deepen the kiss, a megaphone plopped out from the mistletoe, the loud alarm startling them both before they heard, "No PDA in Fred and George's childhood bedroom."
Not even a moment later, the megaphone sprouted out a sprinkler, releasing a downfall of cold water onto both of their confused figures. Avalon let out a gasp, her eyes widening just as much as Tom's. She flinched when she heard someone pound on the door, still not used to abrupt loud noises, and the slight display of fear only made Tom more upset as he heard the twins cackling outside their door. Without a moment of hesitation, he swiped his wand toward the door, watching as it flung open and whacked Fred and George right in the faces.
"Oi," groaned Fred, stumbling backward and rubbing the red spot on his face just like his brother.
Avalon stormed over before Tom could even begin to stop her, her drenched body marching toward them before tackling the two onto the ground in one catastrophic collision. They all fell back in an ungraceful heap, the twin's laughter ringing through the air as Avalon shouted, "You blithering morons!"
Tom let her at them for a few moments, only slowly making his way over when she had George captured in a brutal headlock, his twin brother rolling on the floor laughing as his eyes bugged out of his head.
"Get your girlfriend," gasped George, looking at Tom as he tried to pry Avalon off his neck, "off of me!" Tom rolled his eyes, walking up behind Avalon and picking her up, putting her back onto her feet as she glared down at her two bothersome-- though, beloved-- friends. "Merlin," breathed out George with a chuckle. "Merry Christmas to you, too."
"Do you two ever take a break from being annoying?" Avalon groaned, shaking her head.
"It's a full-time job," they replied at the same time, wide grins stretched across their freckled faces. They were both dressed in their matching sweaters, an 'F' and a 'G' on each.
Christmas at the Burrow was anything but calm. Tom thought back to the first year they had spent the holidays with the Weasleys-- truly, nothing Avalon could have ever told him would have prepared him for the chaos that had awaited. Over the years, though, he'd grown rather fond of it. It was, without any doubt, Avalon's favorite time of the year, and seeing her so happy-- most of the time-- was enough for him.
And, admittedly, he did enjoy being surrounded by the others. But, he wouldn't tell that to the twins even if his life depended on it.
"You're both insufferable," she said, though all three of the boys saw the slight upward tilt of her lips as she pulled her wand out from the pocket in her pyjama shorts and waved it toward herself, then at Tom, drying the both of them off before flicking her wrist toward the twins and giggling as her wand sprayed them with a stream of water. She paid them no mind as she strode past, ignoring their complaints as the two pranksters got back to their feet, soaking wet and making puddles on the wooden floors that they knew they'd surely be scolded for later.
Avalon scurried downstairs, her fingers laced with Tom's as the pair made their way into the living room, the smell of freshly baked cookies hitting their noses the moment their feet carried them down the stairwell. The Burrow was decorated with a slew of twinkling lights hanging along the walls, a large Christmas tree with handmade ornaments in the center of the space, and wreaths, ribbons, and tinsel hung up on every visible inch of the home. It wasn't fancy-- it never was-- but it was warm and welcoming and it felt like a home.
Avalon always made a point of decorating her and Tom's house-- though she would admit that she lacked a good sense of holiday interior design. It always seemed as though the house was a little too big and the decorations a little too small. Being at the Burrow felt much cozier.
After the Battle of Hogwarts, she and Tom had moved into her parent's old home before going back to the castle to finish their last year. When Avalon had first taken Tom to the place they would call their home, he couldn't stop his own eyes from widening in shock when he had come to realize that Avalon had a much larger inheritance than she had ever let on. The two had been living in the comfort of their own space ever since, but as much as they both loved being together, they also enjoyed being surrounded by the people they cared for, making Christmas one of their favorite times of the year.
Avalon's aunt, Aurora, had immediately moved in with Andromeda after the war had ended, helping raise Teddy in the countryside. The two women and the now five-year-old now stood in the center of the living room, the corner of their eyes crinkling with glee as they saw Avalon and Tom stride downstairs.
"Tom!" exclaimed Teddy, running over cheerfully, his hair bright-red, almost blending in with the Weasleys. Any time he was told he was visiting the Burrow, his hair immediately shifted to ginger, his excitement taking control of his looks. Tom had always been one of his favorites. At first, Tom was reluctant to return the affection. Though, after several months of scolding and guidance from Avalon, he had warmed up to the kid, and as he picked the boy up into his arms, Avalon could see the smile on his lips was genuine.
Avalon ran to Andromeda and Aurora, embracing them in tight hugs and apologizing for missing their arrival when they had Floo-ed in late the night prior. Meanwhile, Tom's attention was solely on Teddy, smiling at the beaming boy in his arms. "Hi, Teddy. Merry Christmas," he said, ruffling the boy's hair, trying to hide the excitement in his own eyes when he saw Teddy's red hair turn into neatly curled, black hair that mirrored his own.
"Happy Christmas," Teddy said cheerfully.
Avalon walked over, a fake gasp on her face as she placed her hands on her hips and looked at Teddy. "Have you already forgotten about me?"
"Ava!" Teddy squealed, outstretching his arms as Avalon laughed and took him into her hold. She couldn't help but want to make sure Teddy felt as loved as possible whenever he was around her. Growing up without parents would never be easy-- that much she knew-- and she was determined to ensure that Teddy never felt as though he didn't belong amidst them. Because she did love the young boy with every ounce of her heart-- they all did. And every time she looked into his eyes, she was greeted with memories of Remus and Tonks that reminded her to take care of their son no matter what. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, hugging him tightly as Tom walked over to Aurora and Andromeda, immediately being stolen into their embraces.
"Tom, dear," said Aurora, hugging him close. "It's so good to see you."
"It's great to see you, too," he said, offering her a warm smile before she let go and Andromeda gave him a hug. "How have you both been?"
"We've been doing quite well," Andromeda replied, her voice light and dreamy. "We heard about your new job at Hogwarts!"
Before Tom could respond, the twins sauntered downstairs, George calling out, "Yeah, congrats, mate! Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, quite a gig!"
"Shame the old Professor mysteriously dropped dead in the middle of a lecture, but surely that's just a coincidence, right?" Fred chuckled jokingly, raising his brow at Tom.
Avalon frowned at her two best friends, rolling her eyes. "Will you two give it a rest? He didn't do it," she groaned before pausing a moment and cheekily adding, "I already investigated to make sure."
Tom let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. "Five years later and still, none of you have any faith in me."
"Sorry, no-nose," quipped George, chuckling.
"Look who's talking, one-ear," Tom shot back, a ghost of a grin on his lips as Fred burst into uncontrollable laughter. Avalon couldn't help but smile to herself whenever she saw the boys interacting-- Tom and the twins' growing friendship had been one of her favorite things to witness in recent years. Even if they had an odd way of expressing it.
Fred and George then proceeded to walk over to Aurora and Andromeda, greeting them cheerfully, allowing Tom to rejoin Avalon and Teddy. Molly walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron before scurrying over toward them, a bright smile on her face. "Good morning, loves!"
"Good morning! Happy Christmas," Avalon said, her eyes shining with pure joy. Tom said a similar greeting before Molly spoke once more.
"Happy Christmas, dearies," she said before pinching Teddy's cheek, her heart fluttering when she noticed how he had made his hair look like Tom's. "My, my... the three of you look like an absolute dream, don't you?" She placed a gentle hand on Avalon's stomach before saying, "I can't wait until you two have a little one of your own running around."
Tom choked on air as Molly walked away without another word, going to greet the others. Avalon stared at her as she left, a flabbergasted look on her own face as Tom stuttered out, "Are you-"
"You don't think I'd have told you if I was?" she laughed, shaking her head.
She couldn't help but notice the slight look of disappointment on Tom's face at the admission, but he quickly masked it and said, "You'd think she'd be satisfied now that Ginny's pregnant, but it appears as though she won't be happy until this house is overrun with children."
As if on cue, Harry and Ginny walked downstairs, followed by Ron and Hermione. Ginny's hands rested on her round belly as she slowly made her way down to the living room, Harry cautiously helping guide her down. "Are you alright?" he asked nervously, constantly worried about his wife potentially falling down and hurting herself.
"Relax," she reasoned, looking at Harry's nervous face. "I'm only pregnant, not made of glass."
A moment later, the sound of roaring flames stole everyone's attention as Bill, Fleur, Percy, and Charlie all Floo-ed in through the fireplace, their sudden arrival causing an uproar of excitement throughout the home. Fleur carried little Victoire in her arms, her baby's blond hair tied up with two red and green scrunchies. Molly scurried over, throwing her arms around each of her sons and her daughter-in-law as she greeted them enthusiastically a moment before she excitedly took her grandchild into her arms. Arthur trailed out of the kitchen with a cookie in his hand a few seconds before he joined the festive excitement. The greetings were neverending, but Avalon was glad to see her makeshift family all together. With Teddy still in her arms, she walked over and said hello to the new arrivals, wishing them all a Happy Christmas as they caught up in the never-ending welcome parade.
Charlie was the first to greet her, walking over with a wide grin on his lips as he said, "Good to see you, Ava."
"Good to see you, too," she smiled before her eyes trailed down to his arms and widened. "Do my eyes deceive me, or did you get another burn on your arm?"
He chuckled, shrugging. "Got in a bit of trouble with a young Norweigan Ridgeback... I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you've seen at St. Mungo's, though. Right?" he pried, nudging her shoulder. "C'mon. Out with it. What's the latest?"
She let out a light laugh, shaking her head. Charlie had a habit of always wanting to hear the goriest stories from her job every chance he saw her. And, with no shortage of tales to tell him from her time as a Healer, she never failed to provide what he wanted to hear. But, with Teddy still in her arms, she called out to Tom and said, "Tom, will you help me out a moment?"
Tom was used to the routine with Charlie, so he walked over and put his hands over Teddy's ears, wordlessly casting a silencing charm on the boy's hearing as Avalon described her latest story of aiding a wizard who'd had his throat slashed, tongue yanked out and tied around his bleeding neck. Charlie listened with a look of content satisfaction, though not too far away, Percy had unknowingly eavesdropped on the gruesome conversation and now looked as though he was about to throw up.
She and Charlie's conversation shifted away from her experience at St. Mungo's, instead focusing on his newest adventures in Romania, so Tom was able to take his hands off of Teddy's ears and instead glanced around the room.
He took Avalon's brief period of distraction to approach Hermione, whispering something to her that earned an excited nod in response. When Avalon noticed his absence, she turned around just in time to see Hermione scurry back upstairs, leaving Tom behind a moment before Harry walked over to him and the two joined for a light-hearted conversation.
Never in a million years did Avalon think the day would come when Harry Potter and Tom Riddle were able to stand together and have a civil conversation. But, there they were, both chatting away a moment before Ron joined the duo and they all engaged in a round of hearty laughter.
The three men had been working together in the Ministry ever since they left Hogwarts. Tom had joined the Aurors in their quest to round up the last of the Death Eaters and other allies of Voldemort, sending them to Azkaban where they belonged for all of time. His special insight into the inner workings of the Dark Lord's mind had proven to be valuable in understanding how to catch the remaining members of his army and, with his help, the Ministry had been able to find nearly every last person that was on their list of wanted criminals.
As Avalon watched the men in conversation, Hermione came back downstairs, a medium-sized, blue box in her hands. Tom took it from her, thanking her right before Avalon's attention was stolen back by Teddy. He gently tugged on her sleeve, his voice barely a whisper when he asked, "Can we open presents soon?"
"Of course we can," she said, tapping him on his nose and watching as he let out a giddy little giggle. "Will you gather everyone?" she asked Charlie.
"Who's ready for presents?" the red-head called out to the group. "I think Teddy wants to see what Father Christmas brought him."
She gently lowered the boy back onto the ground, watching as he hurriedly scurried over to the Christmas tree, sitting down before it as he waited for the others to gather around. She sat beside the boy on the ground, laughing at his innocent elation. Tom put the blue box underneath the tree before joining Avalon, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pressing a kiss to her lips when she tilted her head up to look at him.
"Keep it family-friendly, you two," Fred scolded them jokingly, earning an annoyed roll of Tom's eyes in return.
"Perhaps if the two if you could stay in relationships for longer than a week, you'd also have someone to kiss right now," Avalon retorted with a chuckle.
"I'm starting to lose hope for any more Weasley weddings," Molly said with an exasperated sigh as she made her way over, leaning in toward Tom to add, "But, I'll gladly accept a Riddle wedding in the meantime."
Avalon shook her head, laughing off Mrs. Weasley's hundredth overt jab at Tom to propose. The woman had been nudging him to pop the question for years now, though she and Tom had always been perfectly content taking their relationship slow and steady, savoring every moment and living their lives day by day. They both knew that their futures belonged to one another, and felt no need to rush anything beyond the present.
"Shall we start with a gift for Teddy?" asked Ginny, smiling when she saw the young boy bounce up and down excitedly. Harry pulled out a large, silver box out from underneath the tree, pushing it toward Teddy whose eyes widened in pure joy.
He hurriedly tore the ribbon off and opened the box, letting out a gasp when his eyes landed on the brand new broomstick before him. In his moment of pure happiness, his hair turned bright teal as he stammered out an overjoyed 'Thank you!'
He tried to sit atop the broom, but George pulled him off before he could get a chance to hurt himself, instead pulling the boy into his lap and promising, "Fred, Harry, and I will teach you how to ride once we're all done with gifts. Alright?"
Fred looked at Tom, a sly grin on his lips when he said, "Hey, Riddle. Open yours up next." He flicked his wand toward the tree, watching as a messily wrapped gift floated toward Tom, its red wrapping paper already coming off at the seams. "It's from George and me."
Tom took a hold of the floating gift, his eyes narrowing suspiciously on the twins before he neatly tore off the wrapping paper and exposed the present beneath. As soon as the present became visible to the group, the twins burst into uncontrollable laughter. Molly made her way toward them, smacking the both of them upside their heads a moment before Ginny said, "Will you two never grow up?"
"Try to stay away from this one, Ginny," Fred chuckled, earning another whack to his head from his furious mother as Tom rolled his eyes and set the replica of his old diary on the floor.
"It's only fitting you open your gift from me, then," Tom said to George, motioning for him to grab a small black gift from beneath the tree.
"Oh no," sighed Avalon, already knowing that it couldn't be anything good.
George raised his eyebrow, cautiously opening up the present to reveal the book Tom had gotten him. He scoffed, shaking his head as he held it up for all to see. "'How to Run a Successful Business...' Thanks, mate," he grumbled sarcastically, trying not to feed Tom's self-satisfied smirk.
"Still no gifts for me, Tom?" asked Fred.
"I gave you the gift of life five years ago," replied Tom smugly, never growing tired of using that excuse to annoy the twin.
As the trio began bickering back and forth, the others continued with opening presents. Harry and Ginny were given a slew of gifts to prepare for their newborn which included clothes, stuffed animals, and blankets. Avalon had attempted to learn how to hand-knit something for their baby, but after showing Tom the small hat she had made and being met with never-ending laughter, the two of them ended up giving the expecting parents a small plush hippogriff that came to life when it was pet.
Victoire was given a plethora of dolls and stuffed animals, happily hugging a new plush Phoenix as the others continued with gifts. Teddy was showered with boxes on boxes filled with his favorite toys and treats, as well. The two children excitedly played with their toys together while the adults continued with happy chattering during the gift exchange. Tom gave Aurora a charmed statuette to ward off the gnomes from her beloved garden. Ron gifted Percy a new set of encyclopedias, which he was overly thrilled about despite the groans that rang through the rest of the group. Avalon gave Tom a custom detailed briefcase with his monogrammed initials on the front for his new teaching job at Hogwarts. Hermione surprised the twins with a dozen items from a muggle prank store.
The gifts-- both the joking and the heartfelt-- were exchanged until the bottom of the tree was nearly bare, and the floor was covered in discarded wrapping paper, bags, and boxes. The laughter was incessant and abundant, the conversations light and joyful, and the air filled with happiness and the smell of fresh cookies.
Only two presents remained under the tree-- one of which was the blue box that Tom had requested from Hermione. Avalon noticed Crookshanks had spent a great deal of time circling that particular box, sniffing and scratching at it throughout the entire gift exchange. Hermione, being the one seated closest to it, reached for the box and carefully picked it up before handing it over to Tom, an excited smile on her face.
Avalon watched as Tom gently set the box down in her lap, her eyes narrowing suspiciously at the small holes poked into the lid. She felt something inside it move and her hand flew to her mouth, trying to conceal the gasp that left her lips. "Is it-"
"Open it," he said, a soft smile on his face.
She could barely contain her excitement as she hastily took the ribbon off, followed by the top of the box, letting out a high-pitched squeal as soon as her wide eyes landed on the tiny black kitten that poked its head out and meowed at her, its round amber eyes meeting her hazel ones.
"Reckon she'll finally shut up about wanting a cat," Fred laughed, earning a whack to his arm from Molly. "Calm down, woman!" he complained to his mother, rubbing his sore arm.
"Oh my goodness," Avalon cried out, picking up the small creature with adoration in her eyes. "She's precious! I love her," she exclaimed, pressing a kiss to the top of its head. She pushed the kitten into Tom's face, barely able to sit still as she said, "Look at her!"
Tom frowned as he got a mouthful of fur and gently shoved it away. "I've looked at her plenty, I picked her out."
She ignored his snide comment, once again smushing the kitten to the side of her face. "What do we name her?" Before he could answer, she announced, "I'm naming her Blueberry. Blue, for short."
Tom's face scrunched in confusion, his look of annoyance causing the others to burst into laughter. "Blueberry? Merlin, Ava, the cat is black-"
"And she shall be named Blueberry," Avalon declared with a satisfied smile, rubbing her nose against the kitten's. "Any objections?" Tom raised his hand and she whacked it down with no hesitation. "No objections."
He rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to say something when Mrs. Weasley walked up behind him and placed a silver-wrapped present into his lap. "This one is for you, dear," she said kindly, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"You really didn't have to-"
"Nonsense," the woman said, shaking her head. "Now go on! Open it." He carefully unwrapped the plush gift, revealing a forest green knitted sweater with a silver 'T' in the center. Molly looked overjoyed, barely able to contain her excitement as she said, "I've wanted to make you one for years now but... I just... truthfully, I always feared you wouldn't like it and finding the right shade of green was rather difficult because I knew you'd want it to be the perfect color and-"
"And she wanted to make sure Avalon wasn't going to get sick of you before she committed to making one," Fred interjected, earning another strong whack to his arm, though he and George's laughter echoed throughout the house, joined in by Charlie and Ron.
"It's lovely, Molly," said Avalon, speaking for Tom as he was still staring at the gift, an unreadable expression in his eyes.
"I know it's not really your style," said Mrs. Weasley nervously, "but, you're part of the family, too, and even if you don't wear it-"
"No, he'll be wearing it," said Avalon, shooting a pointed glare at Tom, who just rolled his eyes at her and offered a polite smile at Molly.
"Thank you," he finally said, putting his hand atop Mrs. Weasley's. "Really, thank you."
"Don't be all shy now," called out George. "Put it on, Tommy boy!"
Tom shot the two laughing twins a look of annoyance a moment before he silently willed two ornaments to fly off the tree and pelt into their heads, earning two pained grunts from the twins and a chorus of laughter from the others. But, despite his outward coldness, Avalon couldn't help but bite back a smile when she saw the way Tom was doing his best to hide the excitement in his eyes as he pulled the sweater on over his head, earning a thrilled squeal from Molly.
The others went back into joyful conversation, the warmth of the fireplace dancing along their skin as they basked in the cheerful atmosphere. Avalon leaned her head on Tom's shoulder, her new kitten sleeping peacefully in her lap. He turned his head just enough to softly kiss her forehead, playfully whispering, "How do I look?"
"Like an absolute dork," she replied, to which he jokingly pushed her backward, sending her falling onto the ground in a fit of laughter.
The day passed by in a flurry-- the last of the gifts were exchanged before everyone made their way over to the kitchen and stuffed their merry faces with breakfast. Molly had made everyone's favorites-- over the years, she had grown rather good at keeping tabs on what foods were liked by who, and she never forgot a single dish for anyone.
Avalon was speaking with Hermione and Ginny-- Blueberry still in her arms-- when they heard a commotion in the other room. The three girls ran over just in time to see Tom walk out of the living room, a smug smile on his lips as he sipped from the coffee cup in his hold. They peeked into the room he had left behind, covering their mouths to stop the laughter that threatened to slip out when they saw the twins trying to chase after him, their arms and legs magically bound to one another. They tripped over their glued legs, stumbling onto the ground and cursing after him as he sat down on the couch beside Harry, Ron, and Charlie.
After helping separate the twins, Avalon eventually made her way over to Tom, sitting down on his lap while she happily watched Fleur, Victoire, and Teddy sitting beside the tree playing with Blueberry. The feeling of her fingers being laced together with Tom's stole back her attention and she felt Tom's lips graze her ear a moment later, quietly mumbling, "There's one last thing I'd like to give you." She turned to look at him, but before she could say anything, he grinned and added, "Get dressed-- let's go."
"Get dressed?" she asked, furrowing her brows. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise," he shrugged. "We should dress warm, though," he said. She tried to hide her confusion as she stood up, letting him get off the couch and lead her back upstairs to their room. She eyed him as he changed into a thick black coat and dark pants, and she quickly pulled on a warm sweater, a scarf, and leggings.
"Can I at least get a hint?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her as he led her back downstairs and toward the fireplace, ignoring her question. Her aunt caught her eye for a moment, watching the two of them with a soft glint of happiness in her gaze as Tom reached into the small pot atop the mantle. He grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, throwing it into the flames and watching as the fire turned a bright green.
"Don't tell me you two are leaving!" exclaimed Molly, noticing them about to step into the glowing fireplace.
"We won't be gone too long," Tom insisted, flashing his signature charming smile at Molly.
"Alright, alright," sighed Mrs. Weasley. "We'll see you soon, then."
Tom nodded and Avalon gave a quick wave to the others before they both stepped into the emerald flames and Tom clearly stated, "Defense Against the Dark Arts Office-- Hogwarts."
And, a moment later, the flames engulfed their bodies, transporting them straight to their desired destination. Tom stepped out first, extending his hand to help her out after. Her eyes glanced around the office, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the framed moving picture of herself perched on Tom's new desk.
She couldn't help but smile as she looked at the way he had meticulously cleaned the classroom, organizing every single inch of the space to absolute perfection. He led her forward, leaning back against his desk as he pulled her backward into his grasp, resting his chin atop her head. "What do you think?" he asked, a trace of excitement in his voice no matter how hard he tried to remain collected.
"I think it's perfect," she smiled, giving his hand a squeeze. "And I'm so proud of you."
"I already pulled some strings to make sure I could Floo between my office and yours at St. Mungo's," he said. "So we can see one another during our off-time."
"Tom," she laughed, turning around to look up at him. "We live together. We sleep in the same bed together. We wake up every morning together. I think we can survive a work day apart."
"Just because we can, doesn't mean we should, dove," he said, his thumb outlining the curve of her lips before he leaned down and kissed her. He felt her smile into the kiss and he did the same, his arms snaking around her waist as he pulled her closer.
He never wanted to let go. She had completely, inexplicably, and irreversibly stolen his heart-- a heart that, before her, had beat for no one. And he'd give his heart to her a million times again if it meant she'd stay his forever, because she had given him a purpose that he never had before.
His heart beat for her. And it would until his last dying breath.
She pulled back, her hazel eyes gleaming as she looked up at him. "Professor Riddle has quite a ring to it, I think."
"When you say it..." he murmured, his lips leaving a trail of wandering kisses down her neck, "... I'd have to agree."
She felt her heart racing as his teeth lightly grazed her skin, and her body melted into his. Her arms looped around his neck, pulling him closer until his lips slowly made their way back up her skin until they blended with hers once more. Just as she was about to forget the world around her, she pulled away, suddenly letting out a light laugh. "Wait a minute... is this why you brought me here?"
A look of remembrance flashed across his face and he chuckled, "Oh, right." He took her hand back into his own before leading them toward the exit of his office, the two making their way through the deserted castle.
She couldn't help but think of the first Christmas they had spent in Hogwarts. How empty it had been-- just as it was now. The hallways were devoid of any others, their echoing footsteps the only semblance of noise throughout the silent castle.
It occurred to Avalon that the silence didn't bother her quite as much anymore. It hadn't for a while.
Tom led them through the castle. He was quieter than usual, his one hand holding hers while the other was stuffed into his coat pocket, but his eyes trailed back to her every few moments and their stares would meet. It amazed him how after all these years, the feeling of looking into her eyes still made his heart skip a beat every time, without fail.
He would never get tired of it.
When they left the castle walls, Avalon let out a squeal of elation and let go of his hand to run out into the snow, looking up at the sky to see the tiny snowflakes falling down one by one. The grounds were draped in a perfect blanket of white, enveloping the land in the same picturesque beauty that she adored every winter.
She loved the wintertime. And he loved how much she loved the wintertime.
He watched her reach down and excitedly pat a handful of snow into a perfect little snowball, looking at him with a devilish glint in her eyes before pelting it at him. He put his hand up and the snowball exploded into tiny specks of fine, powdery snow before falling down onto the ground in a tiny heap.
She pouted, crossing her arms against her chest as she shook her head and grumbled, "You're such a bore sometimes, you know," and turned her back to him.
A moment later, she let out a sharp gasp as she felt the cold impact of a snowball collide with her neck. She slowly turned around, eyes wide as she asked incredulously, "Tom Marvolo Riddle, did you just throw a snowball at me?"
He grinned, launching another one at her so quickly that she didn't even get a chance to properly duck before it struck her in the chest. "No, dove," he said smugly. "I threw two snowballs at you."
Her lips twisted into a smile mirroring his own before she quickly got to work making another snowball and throwing it at him, the couple laughing together as they mercilessly attacked the other with their perfectly crafted clumps of the powdery snow. When Tom saw her raise her hands above her head and wordlessly form dozens of snowballs, all of them floating up into the air and getting ready to launch toward him, his eyes widened and he quickly ran over to her, picking her up into his arms. The moment she was in his embrace, she nestled into his warmth happily and the snowballs fell back onto the ground, ending their merciless fight.
"I won," she mumbled as he set her back down onto the ground, though his arm remained slung over her shoulder while he led her toward a spot she was all too familiar with.
"Whatever makes you happy," he said, rolling his eyes despite the smile on his lips.
She let out a light laugh as they walked through the grounds until she could see the peek of green in the sea of white snow.
A hint of a smile found its way to her lips as they approached the sycamore tree. She couldn't say how many countless hours she and Tom had spent sitting beneath that tree throughout the years. There was a sense of peace that surrounded it-- one that could only ever be described as the same peace she felt with Clara and Orion.
At the base of the tree, she thought of them. Every time, she thought of them.
Its leaves were still a perfect semblance of vitality amidst the harsh winter and underneath it sprouted a field of tiny daisies that peeked out beneath the snow. Each time she and Tom visited the charmed evergreen tree, it seemed as though more and more daisies grew around it. She never figured out how they had sprouted there-- all she knew is that they belonged.
Sycamores and daisies. They belonged together. They would always belong together.
She glanced at Tom, who was watching her carefully, a pensive look in his eyes. He was being awfully quiet. She tilted her head a bit, trying to decipher the emotion in his eyes before she asked, "Why did you bring me here?"
He didn't answer her question, though he did-- after a brief moment-- speak. Slowly, he said nostalgically, "I still remember our first Christmas together as though it were just yesterday."
She laughed, shaking her head. "If I recall correctly, you were rather angry with me for asking about your past."
He chuckled and shrugged, a smile on his lips when he said, "I think in hindsight I wasn't so much angry as I was afraid."
"Afraid?" she asked incredulously. "And what exactly were you afraid of?"
He thought back to their first Christmas together, a beautiful wave of deja vu overcoming him as he reminisced about the way she had completely rerouted the course of his future just by being with him... just by allowing him to fall in love with her. "When I was with you, I started feeling this odd sensation in my chest. It was a warmth that I could never quite understand. I couldn't explain it nor put a name to it... And all I knew was that I had never felt anything like that before, and that absolutely terrified me." He paused for a moment, taking her hand into his and lifting it to his lips to press a soft kiss to her knuckles. "Looking back, I realize now that it was love. Even though I didn't realize it at the time, my heart was already yours. It has been yours for quite some time, dove. And it will be yours until the very end of our forever."
She reached forward, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. And, as he always did, he gently leaned into her touch, tilting his head just enough to press a kiss into the palm of her hand. "I love you," she whispered, her heart racing in her chest when she met his adoring eyes.
"I love you," he replied sincerely. "And I mean that with every fiber of my being. Because love... it's not just a word anymore. I used to not understand it-- I hardly believed in it. But, now... it's more than a word. And it's more than even a feeling because it's just... It's just you. It will always be you."
Before Avalon could begin to say anything, Tom slowly got down onto one knee, pulling a small black box out from his coat pocket. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth, her eyes wide as he smiled and said, "You rewrote the stars to save me from myself and in the process taught me everything I know about love. When I think of happiness, it is you. When I think of compassion, it is you. And when I think of the future-- of what I can't live without-- it is you." He opened up the box in his hands, revealing a beautiful golden ring with a sparkling diamond in its center, an array of onyx stones surrounding it. "I want to experience life with you, I want to grow old with you, and I want to be yours until the end of time... Avalon Marie Hendrix, will you marry me?"
Avalon couldn't form words, they seemed stuck in the back of her throat. Her eyes were starting to prick with tears as she finally said, "About time you asked, you bloody-"
He laughed, cutting her off as he asked, "Is that a yes?"
"Yes," she said, biting down on her bottom lip to try and suppress the giant smile stretched across her face. "A million times, yes."
He felt his heart skip a beat as he carefully took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger, standing up just a moment before she threw her arms around his neck and tackled him in a loving kiss that sent the two of them stumbling down onto the snowy ground.
Their laughter rang throughout the grounds as their lips found peace on one another's.
Tom felt complete.
All his life, he had been searching for something, and he hadn't known exactly what it was until he fell in love with her and realized that it was a sense of belonging. Hogwarts had always been the closest thing he had known to a home for as long as he could remember. But, even so, he was willing to leave that home behind in a heartbeat to follow her to wherever she led them next. Because she taught him that home wasn't just a place. It wasn't a house, or a castle, or a dorm, or a library... it could be something so much greater.
Home could be a person.
And she was his home.
She pulled away from him just in time to see a small yellow butterfly flutter past them, resting atop one of the nearby daisies poking out through the snow. Her eyes followed it as it spread its wings once more and flew into the leaves of the lush sycamore tree overhead.
She had never quite noticed how beautiful the color green was.
And so, she laid her head atop Tom's chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat and thinking about how lucky they were that fate was kind enough to give them everything they could ever need.
In a sense, it was calming.
THE END.
Important Author's Note:
Wow... what a journey it has been! I'm going to try and keep this author's note as short as possible because the next chapter (which is already posted!) is all about Kat and I's thank yous as well as contains some VERY IMPORTANT information about not only the future of Catharsis, but exciting news that we can't wait to share with all of you! So, please, try and read the next chapter for all of that xx.
But, I just wanted to quickly thank everyone for reading Catharsis. Writing this story has brought both Kat and I so much joy over the past six months and we never expected to find such a loving and kind community amidst our readers. We adore all of you. This is not the last you've heard from us.
If you haven't already, please make sure you are following my account on Wattpad. All future content will likely be posted under new stories, so you'll want to make sure you're following me so you get the notifications!
I love you all so much. I'll thank you more in depth in the next chapter. Sending you love as always. You're all incredible. Xoxo Daffy.