Lesser Virtues, Greater Goals | Tomarry

Chapter 7: A little bit cruel

The day after, while the boy was memorizing battle dates from a book about the history of the Mermaid civilization throughout the world, Tom decides to touch upon the subject of the nightmare and the conversation that followed after it.

"So..." He starts off, making the Boy Who Lived look up. "If you don't mind me asking-"

"I probably do though."

"Yes, I know." Snaps the older. "Let me finish."

"Okay." Mutters Harry.

"What was the last night's... subject of your fear?"

"You wish it was you, don't you?" Says the green eyed, with a much accusatory tone.

Tom throws the boy a little glare. "No. I wish you were sleeping, so I could sleep as well."

"Oh." Harry did not expect such an answer. "So you didn't take any pleasure from seeing me torturing myself."

"No. I didn't."

The Gryffindor nods, more to himself and says nothing more at that.

"What did you see?" Asks Tom, not having the patience to wait any second longer for an answer. Everything that concerns the boy is way too interesting for its own good.

"Lots of things." Is the answer he gets. "It was a bit blurred and going too fast. I remember Voldemort and my mum - and Quirrel from last year. That's about it."

Tom is skeptical. He isn't exactly sure what to say next. How does one comfort a twelve year old?
"I see. Well, as I have already said, fear is a reasonable tool to have. It keeps you on your senses. Only a fool would be fearless in the face of danger. You are not weak for being afraid of things that have hurt you."

"But Ginny was?" Asks the bespectacled boy, his eyes glinting even greener, now that he is upset.

The Slytherin sighs. (That girl. Even from inside her prison, she still manages to ruin his day.) "Why do you keep mentioning her?"

"Why don't you?" Hisses Harry.

"Because I don't care." Answers Tom truthfully. "She is not important to me. Irrelevant. Always has been."

"That's what I don't understand." Mutters the boy, "Why value one life and throw away another?"

"I find her boring." The heir's tone matches the statement, not pleased at all. "All these times that she was describing her family life, all of it was dull, normal. Nothing out of order. That is not something I can relate to. You, on the other hand... something is off with you."

"I'm not telling you anything." Says Harry, the fingers of the one hand trembling without his notice.

"I know. I won't pressure you any further. But your behavior has not gone unnoticed."

The Gryffindor stays silent.

"And as regards to the girl," Adds the older. "Her only use was to provide me an escape route. After that was over, I had no need for her anymore."

Harry is slowly getting more angry, hearing him talking about Ginny in such an apathetic manner. "Don't talk about her like she's a piece of a machine. She's a person! A little girl! She has done nothing to deserve this!"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Says Tom in that oh so understanding tone that makes Harry want to crawl under his bed forever, for this is way worse than the boogeyman Dudley used to tell him about, when he was six and crying inside the empty space of the cupboard he had as a room. "Would you have preferred for me to use words of comfort so you can feel better about being so easily attached?"