~.+*+.~
(Y/N) yawned as she headed downstairs into the common room. A new day of Hogwarts had started, and she had to get ready for yet again, another Potions class. But she was much more conifdent than last time, since she had been getting lessons from Tom ever since the first day they met.
It was nice having a friend in Slytherin, considering that everyone always made fun of her whenever she hung out with Lily and Molly. It wasn't that she disliked her Gryffindor friends; it was just because she felt lonely whenever they took different classes.
As she wore her Slytherin robes and went outside, she saw Tom walking past her, not seeming to notice her staring at him as he walked away. What was even more strange was that he had come from the direction where the girls bathroom was. What was he doing there? Or perhaps he was just passing by, and this was merely a coincidence.
Yeah. A coincidence.
(Y/N) scuttled after him to head to Potions. As she entered the gloomy classroom, she noticed that the seat next to Tom was empty for once. She hesitated, but sat next to him after a few seconds of thinking.
Tom didn't turn to look at her, and just stared at the blackboard which was at the front of the classroom. Then, a few Slytherin girls came marching to their seat, and they glared at (Y/N) with jealousy written on their faces.
"Why are you sitting with Tom?" she hissed, her tone high and squeaky.
(Y/N) held back a laugh. She didn't want to fight and get in trouble, so she sighed and prepared to stand up. But Tom grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down on her seat, making her face slightly flush red. The Slytherin looked at the two with envy.
"(Y/N) was here first, so she has no reason to leave." Tom said. His voice wasn't blunt. Instead, it was firm and commanding. The Slytherin girls whined and sulked as they went to find another seat. (Y/N) gently removed her wrist from Tom's grip, and smirked at him.
"Enjoying your popularity, Riddle?" she chuckled, meeting Tom's steady gaze. Tom shrugged. "Popularity is exhausting. Also...Why were you going to leave this seat?"
(Y/N) blinked her (E/C) eyes at his unexpected question.
"Just 'cause I didn't want an unnecessary argument. Not having much friends in Slytherin is bad enough, but having enemies? Even worse."
Tom nodded and turned his head to stare at the blackboard once again.
"I see."
The Professor then entered and started to teach them about Potions like he had always did. (Y/N) could understand a lot more thanks to Tom's tutors, but there were still a few things that she couldn't quite catch. Professor Slughorn showed them the ingredients required for brewing the Invigoration Draught.
Tom had taught her this before, so she knew exactly how to make it. Well...hopefully she remembered it right.
(Y/N) took a few Alihotsy leaves and put it into the cauldron, while Tom watched her brew the potion carefully. He was probably testing her to see if she had payed attention to him when he taught her how to brew the potion in his tutoring lessons.
It took quite a while, but she managed to finish the potion with some Lovage, and started to mix it. The potion ended up having a colour of both orange and blue, which was a sign that she had brewed the potion correctly.
(Y/N) turned to grin at Tom, who just nodded as they met eyes. Professor Slughorn walked towards them and laughed happily as he saw their potion.
"Well done, Tom! You never seem to disappoint!" he clapped. But Tom looked up to stare at his Professor.
"Actually Professor, it was (Y/N) who brewed up this potion. I merely watched her brew it." he explained, his voice charming and calm.
Professor Slughorn seemed taken back. "(Y/N) (L/N)? That was...unexpected. But incredible, nonetheless. Your grades last year were quite subpar, but I see you've improved, Miss (L/N)."
(Y/N) shrugged, but had a smile on her face.
"I had a great mentor." she murmured, looking at Tom with cheeky eyes. Tom met her gaze, and hummed in satisfaction. The Professor examined her potion closer.
"Your mentor must be greatly talented, having to have taught you this." he commented, pouring her potion into a clear bottle.
"This is a perfect Invigoration Draught that you brewed up. So good that I-"
BANG.
It was all in a flash. A cauldron fell from behind them and hit (Y/N) hard on the back, making her yelp and fall in surprise. Tom reacted instantly, and caught her before she could hit the concrete floor. As Tom looked behind them, he saw the Slytherin girls smirking at (Y/N), chuckling amongst themselves.
This was no accident.
Professor Slughorn looked the way Tom was looking, and instantly figured out who the culprit was.
"You three! All of you, detention!" He then turned to Tom and (Y/N).
"Take Miss (L/N) to the Hospital Wing, will you Tom?" he said, picking up the cauldron with a levitating spell and putting it on a table. Tom hesitated, before nodding and supporting (Y/N) with his arms.
The two walked in silence as they headed towards the Hospital Wing, only hearing the pained groans of (Y/N) as they stepped closer to the Hospital Wing.
"...Are you alright?"
Tom was the first to start the conversation; something that he almost never did. (Y/N) scoffed. "What do you think?" Tom didn't reply, and instead tightened the grip on her shoulders.
'This is embarrassing...' (Y/N) thought, feeling flustered as Tom held her shoulders in his firm grip. As they arrived at the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey hurried towards them, and Tom calmly explained what had happened.
"Hurting students on purpose. What a foolish thing to do.." Madam Pomfrey muttered to herself, shaking her head in disappointment. She made (Y/N) sit down on a bed, and made her take off her robes. She then lifted the back of (Y/N)'s shirt, making Tom look away.
Madam Pomfrey rubbed some medicine on the bruise, and lifted her wand.
"Episkey."
(Y/N) felt the pain go away bit by bit, until she was able to straighten her back fully, unlike before.
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey." she said politely. Madam Pomfrey smiled, but then nodded towards Tom.
"Thank that young man, too. He supported you all the way here from the Potions classroom, did he not?"
(Y/N) quietly groaned and turned towards Tom, who was smirking in amuesment.
"Thanks...Tom.." she groaned reluctantly. Tom stood up and nodded.
"You're welcome." he purred in a playful tone. As the two exited the Hospital Wing, class had already ended. (Y/N) then saw Lily and Molly running towards her from a distance, and both had worried expressions on their faces.
"Are you okay?! We heard from the other Slytherin students that you got hurt!" Lily exclaimed, grabbing (Y/N) by the shoulders. As (Y/N) talked to her friends, Tom swiftly walked away, disappearing into the crowd of bundling students.
"I'm okay, Lily." (Y/N) assured her, patting Lily's head as if she was patting a cat. Molly pouted and ruffled up (Y/N)'s (H/C) hair.
"Be more careful next time, silly." Molly said. "And what's with you and Riddle? We've noticed you two sticking around each other for a while now." (Y/N) tried her best not to look too flustered.
"He and I made a deal. If he teaches me advanced Potions, I give him secret information I collected in my wolf form!"
Lily sighed in disappointment. "I was hoping for a more interesting reply."
(Y/N) flinched. "Wait, what?" Molly joined in on teasing (Y/N).
"Yeah, no kidding."
(Y/N) glared at them. "I hate you guys."
"We love you too."
But her friends weren't wrong. (Y/N) had always felt interested in Tom and his personality ever since they had met. She now considered Tom as a friend, but didn't know if Tom felt the same.
What is she was just making a show by herself? What if Tom was just seeing her as just another puppet in his own show? (Y/N) sighed and run a hand through her hair.
She didn't know for sure. For now at least.
~.+*+.~
2023/4/13
1428 Words