Dear Elizabeth,
I hope your holiday break has had an eventful start. It's quite boring here and I don't know how many rounds of chess with Henry. However, there is a rumor circulating among the few students who are here. The rumor is that Riddle is trying to do something. It's something bad. Somehow, he got information about how to perform completely inappropriate spells. I'm glad we are both getting a break from that monster. Anyways, enough about him. How are you doing? How is Florida? I can't wait to hear all about your trip when you return.
Warm regards,
Joshua
She put the letter down and sighed. It had arrived at nearly four o' clock in the morning. The energetic owl had been hooting through the screen all night, and Elizabeth had finally awoken in a sleepy haze.
The "J" in his name had smudged as a small tear fell from her eye. She wished she could have him here instead of Tom. Elizabeth felt herself growing away from Tom everyday. Now that her grandparents were leaving her alone with him, she didn't know what she would do. Half of her wanted to kick him out that instant, yet the other half wanted him to stay.
"Maryn," Tom knocked slightly on the doorframe.
"Yes," she wiped the small tear track off of her cheek, turning around to face him.
He walked in and sat down on her bed, "Who's that from?" Tom nodded towards the piece of parchment paper.
"Joshua," Elizabeth replied in a soft voice. Tom's jaw clenched. She put in in a drawer before he could read it or see that his name was on it. "He's only making sure I received the box from Klaus."
"What's in that box?"
She shrugged, "I don't know, it's a gift. I'm not supposed to open it until Christmas." Elizabeth stood, "I was thinking we could go to the beach today."
"The beach?" Tom raised an eyebrow. "Why on earth do you think I want to go to the beach?"
His snarky remark made her feel put down, but she brushed it off, "It's fun."
"Fun?"
"If you go with me, I'll teach you three more spells tonight," Elizabeth bribed him, knowing that was the only thing to make him comply.
"Fine," he rolled his eyes.
Elizabeth grinned slightly and stood up, "Do you have any swim trunks?"
He raised his eyebrows, "Are you honestly asking me to go swimming with you?"
"Oh come on, it will be fun, we can even take my grandpa's sail boat out!" Elizabeth beamed. She didn't admit this to herself, but if she made Tom seem like a normal friend, maybe it could convince her that it were true. "The weather is absolutely beautiful, please?"
"Alright, but make it five spells."
She nodded and darted over to the closet, "One of my cousins may have left a pair for you to use." Tom watched her curiously as she sorted through the drawer. "Ah, here," she pulled out a pair of what seemed like shorts.
"I am not wearing those," Tom established. After a moment of Elizabeth's pleading gaze, he obliged, "Fine, but now you've ran yourself up to ten spells." He yanked the trunks from her hand and walked off to the other room. Elizabeth pulled out one of her own bathing suits which was two pieced. It was navy blue, the bottoms rising up a little over her belly button. It made her incredibly self conscious, all of that skin showing.
She opened the closet again and found a loose, thin dress to put on over it. Elizabeth picked up a small bag to bring with them, containing money and her wand, along with some towels. The area of Tarpon Springs which her grandparents resided in was one of the few wizarding neighborhoods in Florida. So if by chance, someone saw her with her wand, they wouldn't be too confused.
After she had everything together, she walked over to the other guest bedroom. Before she could make a sound to present herself, her eyes caught onto the mirror. Tom's reflection was evident in it. It was the first time she'd seen him with so little clothes. He only bore the shorts she had given him. Before he caught her looking, she walked away, back downstairs.
After a few moments, he came down. He had put his original black pants and button up shirt on. At least it was short sleeved. "Are you serious?" Elizabeth looked him up and down.
"Those shorts are too unprofessional, I'll be fine in this," he explained to her. After a look of disapproval from Elizabeth, he bent down and rolled the cuffs of his pants up to right above his ankles, "Does that suit you?"
"You are going to be hot," Elizabeth advised him. He didn't respond. "Anyways, are you ready?"
"Yes," Tom said. His shoulders were tense and he looked annoyed suddenly. Elizabeth led him out the back door and they walked down to the harbor. The boat was fairly large and had a grand, white sail that was towering above them. "Do you know how to use a sail boat?" he asked, stepping onto the vessel.
As she was untying the rope, she looked up, annoyed, "Yes." Tom always assumed she didn't know how to do things and she hated it. After it was out, she ran over to the ropes and began fussing with it. It was harder than she remembered. Looking behind her to make sure Tom was not looking, she drew out her wand and casted a small charm on the ropes and sail so that it would sort itself out. When the wind hit the large sail, it tightened out and they rode east of the dock. Elizabeth watched the ropes as they moved on their own. As she watched the ropes, Tom watched her.
In a few minutes, they were off the coast of a small beach that was empty. "We can drift here," Elizabeth told him. She performed a spell so that the boat would stay in that one place without them drifting away too far. After she had sorted the boat out, she joined Tom at the back of the boat. The sun was almost about to set.
She sat down next to him.
"Elizabeth," he addressed her.
"Yes?"
He put his arm up on the edge of the boat behind her, "I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Of course, what is it?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing. I was just curious when you were going to call it off with that Corrington boy," he questioned. Elizabeth looked shocked.
She scoffed, "Why would I do that?"
"Elizabeth, you can not deny that there is something between us, something that you and him don't have," Tom nearly shouted. She hadn't given him any information on spells in almost a week, so she needed a small push.
She began explaining, explaining why she couldn't. However, with every second he grew more and more distracted. Elizabeth nudged him slightly. "Tom?"
He didn't reply.
"Is everything alright?" she asked again.
"Who are those people, on the shore?" he whispered in a small breath. Elizabeth looked. There were four figures, all wearing dark cloaks.
Elizabeth couldn't see them, so she stood, walking to the other end of the boat closest to the shore. "Tom, we have to go."
"What are you talking about, who are those- Elizabeth!" Before she could finish his sentence, she was thrown back into the water, her head hitting against the side of the boat. The moonlight rippled where she landed. After a loud crack, the four were on the boat and were aiming their wands, both at the water and Tom. "Who are you?" Tom demanded.
"Kill him," one of them ordered in a dark voice. "Make sure she is alive."
Tom drew his own wand, "No!" He performed one of the spells Elizabeth had taught him on the smallest man. He coiled on the floor and blood shot through his eyes. The other three looked at Tom. "Tell me who you are or else you will end up in the same condition as him."
One of them laughed darkly, "You cannot threaten me, boy. Now, tell me who you are and why you are with that girl." Tom saw a small crest embroidered on one of their cloaks. It read Baxtart's School for the Independent Wizard and Witch, followed by their motto and surrounded by a dragon curling it's claws around the image.
"She is my girlfriend," he lied, "And she doesn't know that I have magic abilities." The three looked in amusement.
"Young man, you aren't the first to defend a student," the largest one growled.
"She isn't a student at your dark, twisted school anymore. I suggest you leave," Tom ordered them.
One laughed, "Very well, she is gone anyways." With a final crack, they all dissapparated. Tom looked around for a sign of Elizabeth. He couldn't leave her.
After running a hand through his hair in distress, he cast a spell, sending light everywhere. He kicked his shoes off and dove into the water. Tom searched for her until he couldn't breathe. He came up for air and dove back under. After nearly ten minutes of the same action, he saw her pale face, eyes closed and mouth open. Blood was spread around her in a cloud. Her brown hair floated all around her. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and propelled himself to the surface. He was out of breath and she had none.
"Elizabeth!" Tom shouted. "No, no, no!" He climbed up the ladder with her in his arms. "Elizabeth you can not be dead!"
He laid her down on the floor of the boat. Tom began performing every healing spell he knew, nearly out of breath in panic.
She wasn't waking up.
-
"Elizabeth," Tom's face appeared above her.
She looked around. It was her room at her grandparents house, "Tom," she whispered. "Tom, what happened?"
He explained everything. The hooded people from Baxtart's. Tom would discuss it with her later, but for now, he needed to sweeten her up. "You also confessed your undying love for me," he added on with a smirk.
"I did not," she protested, leaning up on her elbows. Her chest hurt and she was still wearing her damp bathing suit and dress. Thankfully, he hadn't bothered to change her into dry clothes. "Why did you save me?"
"Because, my dear Elizabeth, contrary to your belief, I care about you."
Her heart fluttered, "I know you care about me."
"How could I not," he smiled softly, placing his hand on her cheek. "You know, I think I deserve quite a few more lessons with this magic of yours, wouldn't you agree?"
Elizabeth was torn. He did deserve it. "Of course," she whispered as he leaned closer to her. He placed his lips on her cheek and kissed it softly before retracting again.
"Get some sleep, we will be working extra hard tomorrow," he dismissed her and walked out of her room.
She was in so much trouble.
a/n: thank you so much to ConceptOfGrace for helping me get some ideas for this chapter. also go read her Tom Riddle fanfic, it's so addictive