The morning after the Ball, you wake up a little groggily with Toms' arm thrown over your waist, snuggled together in his bed. You smile and lean back into him, cuddling back into his warmth. When you lift your head up from the duvet, you can feel the cold air of his dormitory hit you in the face so you immediately tuck your head back in.
You look over at his alarm clock and grumble.
"Tom...we missed breakfast..."
Tom doesn't respond at all, he's either sound asleep or not willing to speak so early.
You roll over to face him and his eyes open a little at your movement and he pulls you closer before closing his eyes again. You cuddle into his chest, your head under his chin, your face against his bare warm skin. You can't help but smile at the heavy warmth of his sleepy body.
Almost another hour of quiet cuddling goes by and you feel yourself nodding off a little when Tom finally stretches.
"Morning..." He says in a gruff, half-asleep voice that makes you smile and he leans down and kisses your forehead. He pulls himself up to lean against the headboard and rubs his head before reaching for his phone, his other arm tucked around you pulling you into his side and you rest your head on his chest again.
"So what do you want to do today then?" Tom asks as he checks his phone.
In truth, you hadn't really thought about it. You knew you wanted to go shopping in Hogsmeade but Tom had told you before that he didn't really like going there because of the staring and comments that sometimes came his way because of who he was. You bite your lip a little anxiously on the inside as you try to think of a way to ask him or come up with something else to say. He catches the pause in your reply.
"What is it?" He asks, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head down to look at you.
"I was hoping to go to Hogsmeade...to get Christmas presents and I need to get something for Mattheo's birthday too." You say slowly and quietly, in a tone that tells Tom you know he probably won't want to do that with you. You don't tell him that you need to get him something too.
Tom grimaces as soon as you say the place and then again when you say the name.
"The things I do for you..." He grumbles and you smile widely as he slips out of bed.
"Wait, you mean it?" You ask excitedly and he nods, making you grin.
"I need to get some things anyway. I'm sure a short trip won't hurt." He says as he goes to his drawers and starts pulling out his clothes for the day.
As you watch him you run through your mental list of presents and other items you want to buy when you go to Hogsmeade.
"Oh good! I have a few bits to get. Have you got much to get?" You ask Tom and he just shakes his head as he finds the shoes he wants to wear too.
"So if we're going to Hogsmeade today, and I go home tomorrow... when are you going back?" You ask out of curiosity but you also don't want him on his own for too long, even though you know that's how he prefers it. He prefers to be alone or with you or a very small group of people at most.
"Well the other two are heading back today or tomorrow. I think Draco is going to stay at Astoria's for a few days and I think Mattheo is taking the train tomorrow. I'm not going back for a few days if not for a week. I prefer being on my own here." Tom replies sleepily as he stretches and moves off to his bathroom, closing the door behind him.
You'd gotten used to this now, Tom always had a shower the moment he woke up. You realise you should probably get up and go back to your own dorm to get ready but you're too snug in his bed and don't want to move yet or have him come out of the shower and you be gone. He never took that long anyway, in fact, he probably spent longer flattening his curls down than he did in the shower. It made you smile as you remember him arguing with one particular stubborn curl, cursing it under his breath as it refused to lay flat one morning. You wish he'd leave it curly but you knew it wasn't his style so instead you allowed yourself to soak up the moments where you got to see it in its natural state, like in the morning or when he did wander back out of the shower.
You lie there and look around his dormitory and you can see why he would prefer to be here in a way. His own private space that was perfect for his needs. Hogwarts on his own without his family around was an introvert's paradise. No parents to deal with, no annoying younger brothers and a near empty castle and a massive library? Tom's idea of heaven. He could do as he pleased.
But then again, you think, it wasn't like he was going back to a life of squalor. He was a Malfoy in everything but name. He was heading back to a manor, a splendidly large house with staff, large grounds and a library nearly as big as Hogwarts's. A home and life where he had everything handed to him.
A part of you can't understand why he seemed so keen to reject his life outside of school but you never wanted to ask. You know Lucius Malfoy was not regarded as the nicest of men and it had always made you wonder what it was like to be raised by him. If Draco, his own son, was anything to go by, you knew that perhaps he wasn't the nicest of fathers either.
As Tom comes back out of the bathroom, towel drying his hair, a towel wrapped tightly around his waist, you try not to stare at him. He smirks as he sees your face and chuckles at you.
"Like what you see love?" He says with a coy smile and your cheeks go red as you look down. You hated how he could be so direct. He loved teasing you, especially about your reactions to his looks. He found your shyer nature amusing.
"Can you blame me when you look like that?" You say bashfully and turn your palm upwards and point at him.
He looks down and smirks.
"True... I am pretty perfect." He says in a cheeky conceited way that makes you roll your eyes as you know he knows how good looking he is.
He grabs his socks that he forgot and takes them back into the bathroom with him. You watch him go back in with a raised eyebrow. Tom was usually incredibly organised and he had his clothes folded with a sort of military precision in a neat pile or hung up perfectly, it was not like him to forget things. A part of you wondered if he was doing it to tease you or if perhaps he was actually a little nervous of going to Hogsmeade where people would stare at him.
When he comes back out again, you're sat on your phone scrolling and looking at other people's photos from the Ball. You sit up in the bed properly and look at him, admiring his all-black outfit of boots, jeans, jumper and shirt. His hair slicked into perfect place.
"Are you sure? About going to Hogsmeade, we don't have to you know...I know it's not...a fun time for you." You say with a little worry, not wanting to put him in an awkward or bad position.
"Yes. Besides it can be handy being me in a busy crowded place, people just seem to move out of my way, perhaps we can
"Now you better go get ready. I have something to do before we go and I'll come to your dorm when I'm ready." Tom says firmly, looking down at his phone and you raise an eyebrow at his cryptic words but nod.
You slide out of his bed and make it which makes him smirk.
"Such a good girl."
You look abashed and embarrassed at his words but you smile.
"Well I know what you're like. You'll get all moody if I don't make it if I'm the last one out of it."
He comes over and kisses your forehead.
"You know me so well. But I think you'll have to borrow a hoodie for leaving."
You look down at yourself, realising you're only wearing Tom's t-shirt after last night. You awkwardly bend and pick up your underwear and dress and put your underwear on and Tom hands you his massive black hoodie again.
"Thank you... I'm not walking down to the common room in my dress. It'll be obvious I didn't sleep in my own room..." you say with a little giggle.
"Oh and the hoodie makes it less obvious does it? Still looks like a walk of shame." Tom says with a smirk that makes you smack his arm.
"Walk of shame?!" You say, aghast and he laughs.
"No.. no... you're right. Walk of pride. Hold your head up high when you go out there." He says with a massive proud smirk and you roll your eyes at him.
"Pride because I'm with you or because I fucked you?" You say raising an eyebrow and grinning at him.
"Why not both, love? Besides, I think most people have gone home or are still sleeping, the common room should be pretty empty."
You nod and pull the hoodie on and adjust it down until it goes past your bum. You kiss his cheek and make your way from his dorm, your dress and heels tucked up in your hands and thankfully, no one sees you and you make it back to your dorm without being seen.
You get yourself ready and as you're pulling your winter boots on, Tom's sharp knocking happens at your door. You tell him to come in and he does, his usual smile greeting you again and you look at him, wondering what he was up to.
You lace up your boots, grab your bag and you leave the castle together, heading for Hogsmeade.
"What do you want to do about Christmas?" You ask slightly nervously as you walk together, as even though it was a couple of weeks away, you still hadn't properly discussed if you were getting each other presents or not.
Tom looks at you and he understands your meaning.
"Well you are coming to my house before my birthday, we could do presents then?" He says with a little smile, a smile that told you he had a little secret or that he was pleased about the present he had got you.
You smile at him, knowing that whatever he's got you, you're going to love it but you just hope he isn't going to go overboard like he did for your birthday. There was no way you could spend the same sum of money on him. Your family weren't poor but you didn't have Malfoy wealth behind you like Tom did.
"I like that. Yeah we'll do it then. Do you have any idea what you'd like?" You ask him, hoping he'll just give you an item, no matter how cheap or expensive, just so you can tick it off your list.
Tom just shakes his head.
"I don't really go in for Christmas. I do it because it's expected. In our family it tends to be the same gifts every year or just buying things from a list. Or, if you're Lucius, just let someone else handle it all." He says with a scoff and you nod.
Little by little you were finding out more about his family background and it didn't sound the warmest or most pleasant of Christmas days. It makes you even more determined to give him a gift he will love.
As you make your way to Hogsmeade, it soon starts to snow and you cuddle into Tom's arm tighter and his grip through his black leather gloves tightens on your fluffy mitten covered hand. You look ahead of you and you spot a couple of older students making their way up to Hogsmeade station to catch the next train home.
You spot Andie, one of the seventh year Slytherin girls and you slow your walk a little, not wanting to come into her view so she doesn't shoot nasty looks at you. She was an awful person and the last thing you wanted was to speak to her more or be on the end of her bullying. She wouldn't say something in front of Tom but she would definitely be a ringleader of bullying and gossip when school resumed. Tom notices you slow down and looks at you with a quizzical look.
"Tom I should probably tell you something... I may have...told a few people that we're together, as a couple last night."
Tom slows his walk more and throws a confused look at you.
"I thought you wanted to keep us as secret as possible for awhile longer? I thought we agreed it was best to keep this quiet for now."
"From Matty... but...I'm sure a few people noticed yesterday...and a few people were annoying me."
"Which people?" He says raising an eyebrow.
"Sera and the seventh year girls-" You say but Tom doesn't even let you finish. He stops still and looks up and wipes a hand down his face.
"Oh this isn't about your stupid idea of her having a crush on me is it? What did you do that for?" He says to you with a pissed off sigh and roll of his eyes.
"She was being overly touchy with you Tom and then when I was speaking to her she was rude to me!"
Tom huffs and rolls his eyes at you a little, his reaction showing you he thinks you're being overdramatic.
"She was. You weren't there, you didn't hear what she said to me. As if... I'm not good enough for you." You say with a hurt tone and Tom stops and looks at you hard.
"Well you know that is utter nonsense."
"I know she's just jealous..." You look down and Tom brushes your hair back away from your face.
"She's not jealous, trust me on that. As for the other girls...Try not to let them get to you."
"Sure she isn't. She looked so annoyed and upset and angry that night, all because I was your date and even worse when I told her I'm your girlfriend. You know they only act that way because they fancy you, you know that, right?" You say lifting your eyes to meet his, feeling nervous and annoyed at having to say it out loud.
"Well even if that is true, I don't really care. And of course they do. I'm perfect Tom Riddle, how could they not?" He says with a smirk and strokes your cheek. "Unfortunately for them, I'm very much obsessed and in love with you." He says softly and he tilts your chin up and kisses you and you feel all your worry melt away and you feel shy again.
As he lets go of you and takes your hand, you begin walking. He chuckles a little and smirks and turns to look at you again.
"So...you really stood up to Sera and the other seventh year Slytherin girls?"
"Yes of course I did. She thought she could put her hands on you and make you uncomfortable and I see the way they all look at you. Just... had to make it clear that you're mine. My boyfriend."
Your words cause Tom to smirk more and he laughs.
"That's...really hot. I like the idea of you boldly claiming me like that in public. Did you say that to her? That I'm yours?" He says with a smirk and you smile a little shyly at his words and nod.
"I can't remember exactly what I said, I was... a little drunk but something like that... something about how she could have a good night without someone else's boyfriend." You say and Tom laughs louder and pulls you closer into his side.
"Ah that's my girl. You tell her. Tell them all. I want to witness that next time." He says and kisses the side of your head.
"Well... you're not the only possessive one... I don't like other girls looking at you like that... or trying to touch you, especially when you don't want it." You say to him honestly and he nods and his thumb strokes your hand as you walk, Hogsmeade coming into full view now.
Tom laughs and nods and pulls you closer and kisses you on the side of your head and just shakes his head whilst laughing.
"My brave protector..." he whispers in your ear with a smirk and you shove him playfully for teasing you.
When you enter Hogsmeade, you smile happily as you see all of the festively themed shops and decor, the carollers singing in the square and Christmas music leaking out of some shops.
The first stop for you both is Honeydukes where you sneak an extra couple of chocolate frogs into your basket for Tom when he's not looking.
You pop into a few other small boutique shops, finding cute little gifts and most of the time Tom is silently by your side, watching you shop. His head down but his eyes alert as people look at him every now and again. You find a beautiful leather bound art journal and charcoal pencils that you think will be great for Mattheo's present.
"You're still buying him a present after his little tantrum last night?" Tom says raising an eyebrow as he scans the art books and leather journals in front of him.
You nod.
"Well I can't turn up to his house, after his birthday with no present. I just... we've grown apart a little recently and... I just I don't know what to get him.. so I think these will do. He's always drawing." You say but Tom just nods quietly and scans the people standing around you in the shop before standing close behind you in the queue. You can feel an energy in him that tells you he isn't comfortable being here.
"Okay now I need to get some stuff for taking my cat home for Christmas." You say and look up to the magical creatures and pet shop.
Tom nods and follows you in silently carrying your bags but he heads to an area near the front of the shop and you pull out your list for your cat.
You look around the shop and head over to the cat area, picking out little cute christmas themed toys and treats for your cat. You notice that Tom still hasn't left his spot in the corner of the shop nearly twenty minutes later.
Like a child given freedom in a shop, he'd beelined for that corner whilst you shopped. You walk up behind him and smile as you see him watching the snakes in their glass cages.
He clears his throat and leans up away from them as you approach pretending to be less interested than he was.
"Oh that black one is cute." You say with a little smile trying to prompt conversation from a very quiet Tom, pointing at the snake in front of you.
He had barely spoken to you during this little trip to Hogsmeade and you had seen him trying to keep his head up through the crowds and the shops, even when people stared. You wondered if he felt self conscious or annoyed at being here or perhaps both.
Tom looks at you and you see his face soften slightly as he then looks back at the snake as it slithers around in its cage.
"Mmm she is." Tom says flatly.
"It's a girl, how can you tell?" You ask in astonishment and Tom simply points to the information card with the price, species, age and sex of the snake. You nod and laugh and you watch the way he looks at the snake. He seems mesmerised by it and an idea suddenly hits you. Before your grin gets too big, Tom speaks.
"I need to get Mattheo his present. Should I wait for you, do you want to come to Spintwitches too?" Tom asks raising an eyebrow and you shake your head and tell him there's a few other bits you need to get in here.
The perfect moment being placed in your lap, you had to seize it. You both agree to meet at Spintwitches and he leaves the shop and you quickly dash over to the till and speak to the shopkeeper.
She tallies up the costs of all the items you are speaking to her about and you arrange delivery with her and pay for everything with a big smile on your face. It's expensive and you hope that this and a few other small gifts will be enough for Tom for his birthday and his Christmas presents. You then hand over your basket of bits for your cat and buy it all. She hands you your receipts and tells you to expect delivery on the morning of the 31st. You smile and wish her a merry Christmas and leave the shop.
As you walk through the couple of streets between the pet shop and the quidditch shop you can't help but smile. You had secured possible the best present for Tom that you could think of. It had been far more expensive than you had planned to spend but it was absolutely perfect for his birthday present.
You'd settled in your mind that you were going to give Tom a few presents for his Christmas and the exciting thing you'd just purchased was going to be for his birthday. You felt his birthday was more important than Christmas.
It made you a little nervous as it wasn't...the most easily returnable of gifts and you hope he'll be okay with it, but a part of you knows that Tom will be excited (in his own way) with your gift. He'd probably react negatively at first but then soften, as he so often did with plenty of other things. Now you just had to get a couple of other things for his birthday and christmas.
The book shop was also on your list of places to visit and nip in on your way to meet Tom. You purchase him a gift card for books, knowing that is another good gift idea for him, then he can choose what he wants to buy with it.
When you reach Spintwitches you see Tom paying for gifts for Mattheo and you smile at him as he comes out with another shopping bag.
"So what are you going to get Draco?" You ask him as he appears at your side.
"Coal." He says with a dry tone and a smirk that makes you laugh. "No, he likes expensive aftershave and things like that. I'll get that when I go up to London with Narcissa next week." Tom says and you nod and smile at him.
"Are you all going up? For like a family day of shopping?" You say with a smile, quietly remembering what Astoria had said about being invited to London with Draco and Narcissa to shop before and a part of you wants to ask Tom if he will tell his mother about you but you decide to leave it for now.
"Oh no... just her and I go. That's when she gets things for Lucius, not that he celebrates or cares but he pretends to for Narcissa's sake. We usually make a day of it, lunch and shopping. I don't necessarily enjoy it fully but I prefer to be with her alone rather than all of us, far less arguments." Tom says and you nod.
It makes you realise that perhaps his Christmas days' might not be as happy as yours. He lived in a house with a mother, two boys and a man, all with big personalities and egos...Christmas Day probably was just another day of competing against each other and arguing amongst themselves. You see the awkward look on his face and you place your hand in his and stroke it.
"Well that sounds a nice day out, especially as you haven't seen her for awhile." You say with a smile and he nods and guides you through the crowded streets again. Yet again, you experience more of the staring from others. Tom's ability to part a crowd was almost amusing, as people pull others out of his way as he walks you through the busy streets together.
He nods towards the Three Broomsticks and you smile and nod, pleased to get out of the cold again and spend more time with him. You stomp your feet to get rid of any snow and rub your hands, glad to be out of the cold and look into the busy pub. Tom walks in front of you as you approach the bar.
"Ugh...a Riddle...you have a cheek coming in here...after everything your father and his people have done to us all...he should be barred! Barred I say!" A large man says from his stool at the bar, speaking to Tom before turning to the barman.
His loud outburst causes others in the busy pub to stop and stare and you suddenly feel incredibly uneasy and anxious. Tom turns and looks at the barman to see if he is going to be asked to leave but the barman upon seeing a teenage boy and a girl, he shakes his head and jerks his head over to the booths. Tom pushes you around to the other side of the bar to the booths at the back. His face flat and tight, as if biting his tongue. As you walk away the man calls after you.
"I wouldn't date him if I was you sweetheart, you'll end up dead!" The drunk man shouts at you and the barman shushes him and you turn and hide your head from all the staring.
You look down at the table as Tom exhales angrily before going back to the other side of the bar to the drunken man and picking up your butter beers. You sit and drink yours and try to stop looking over your shoulder at people who keep staring at you both. You hadn't realised just how much people actually stared at Tom. It was incessant.
Hogsmeade wasn't a big place either, the sort of place where you recognised people easily. Once the word had spread that he was who he was, people had stared at him and most had tried to stay out of his way if he'd been spotted in the village.
You reach across the table and stroke his hand and he smiles slowly before he hands you the menu for you to choose what you want for dinner. You decide to follow his lead and ignore the staring and focus on just him. You choose your meal and by the time it comes you're back to having a cosy conversation with him, excitedly discussing Christmas and the books that he bought you that you've been reading in your spare time.
That evening you separate from Tom for a short while to go back for your trip home for Christmas. You spend time wrapping the little gifts you had picked up in Hogsmeade for family and carefully place them in your trunk, hidden amongst thick wooly jumpers to keep them safe and secret.
You smile to yourself as you sit down at your desk and write out the Christmas cards you want to send to family. You were excited really about Christmas and looking forward to seeing your family again but you knew you'd miss Tom a lot, even though it was only a couple of weeks apart at most.
-
The next morning you load your luggage into one of the thestral drawn carriages and you and Tom make your way up the hilly paths to Hogsmeade station.
You look down the carriage corridor and you see Mattheo with his low slung bag and he stares back at you. You nod at the carriage compartment you're about to enter, inviting him to join you for the journey and he doesn't even respond. He just ducks into the compartment next to him, making your smile drop instantly.
Tom clears his throat and you move out of his way as he lifts your luggage up onto the rack for you. You move aside and smile, grateful for his help.
You thank him and he smiles at you and then an awkward silence happens for a moment as he looks you deep in your face and you can tell he feels uncomfortable or unhappy about your departure.
He takes your face in his hands and he kisses you softly and you kiss each other a few times before he hugs you tight and kisses your forehead before making his way off the train to stand on the platform outside of your window.
You smile at him and then whip round when the compartment door opens. You squeal with excitement as Daphne and Pansy appear, pleased that they're getting the same train with you. You hadn't even thought to ask them, you'd been so wrapped up in spending time with Tom after the Ball. You get comfy in your window seat and smile shyly as Tom watches you from his spot on the platform. He reaches into his pocket, the slight wind whipping his hair as he pulls out his cigarettes. You hated him smoking but you knew nothing you'd say would stop him from doing it.
He puts a cigarette to his lips, lights it behind his hands and as the train whistle blows and starts to move, he raises his eyebrows at you and smirks at your shy smile as you wave a little goodbye to him.
He salutes you goodbye in jest and you watch as the train pulls away and he stays standing on the platform for only a few moments before you watch him turn and leave, your heart hurting a little at having to be separated from him for awhile now. Your friends aww you and poke fun at your little goodbye which makes you smile and soon you all settle into chatting and gossiping about the Ball.
-
Christmas Day arrives and you spend it with your family, enjoying a festive day together but all throughout the day you can't help but miss Tom. You text each other throughout the day but when the evening comes you excuse yourself when your phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Hello love. Merry Christmas." Tom's warm dulcet tones reply back to you and you instantly feel your body warm up and you smile.
"Aww merry Christmas to you too....How has it been for you? Have you had a good day?"
"Oh...it's been fine. The usual. And yes, a few nice presents. What about yours?"
"Oh yes it's been lovely, fun too. My family got me some nice bits."
"Good. Glad to hear it."
"How's being...at home?"
"Fine. I've been in my room mostly or just doing what Narcissa has organised for us all. Mattheo has been drunk since he practically got off the train and Draco, I've barely seen him."
There's a slightly awkward pause between you both and you hear a sound that makes you think he's outside smoking.
"So what's the plan for coming to yours for the party?"
"Well you can use the floo network or you can get the train or I can come and get you."
You raise your eyebrows as you hear him and you hope to Merlin he doesn't mean by disapparation again. As speedy a mode of transport as it was, you weren't keen on it especially with luggage. The dizzy sick feeling that lasted after it had nearly made you throw up on his feet the last time you had tried it with him.
"Uhh Tom I don't know..."
"No. I'll get you your train tickets sorted and I'll come collect you from the station." He says blankly down the phone and you assume he means by a car and you actually feel much more relieved.
"Oh oh okay. Yeah that's fine."
"Good. I'll book the tickets for the 29th. You get yourself on the train and then I'll come collect you."
"Okay..."
"I can't wait to see you again...I miss you." You say softly and you hear the slight smirk in his voice as he makes a noise in response before speaking.
"The feeling is mutual, love. Come save me from this madhouse." Tom says and you hear a puff on his cigarette and a smile in his voice.
You soon hang up and you grin as you realise that in a few days that not only do you get to see Tom again, but you get to go to a big fun Malfoy party. You can't wait to give him his birthday and Christmas presents.