A baggage of love ( Tom Riddle x Reader )

Chapter 19

Y/n's POV:

By the end of the day, it's past curfew yet I am lying on my bed still, staring at the ceiling. I can't sleep without my mind asking myself so many questions that I'm incapable of answering.

I take a risk by getting up, I don't know what I'm looking to find but I intend on sneaking into the library as I have all my trust in books.

I put on leggings and hoodie and pull up the hood because it's chilly as I sneak out but when I reach the common room, I see Tom sat on the couches.

He's wearing grey jogging bottoms with a plain black t- shirt and has books all around him, he doesn't even hear me creep down the stairs.

" boo!" I yell as I place both hands on his shoulders.

He bolts up and his book falls of his lap, I cover my mouth with my hands to laugh but he looks enraged.

" you're an idiot!" He grunts as he dirty looks me and picks his fallen book off the ground.

I walk around the couch to join him, " what are you doing up at this time?" I ask him.

" could ask you the same thing"

" I couldn't sleep"

" Oh, I don't sleep" he answers.

" that's not surprising" I say.

" what are you doing?" I ask trying to look at the title of the book he's reading.

" you're nosy, you know that?" He tells me.

I sit back quietly, observing him but it doesn't last long as he puts his book down.

" I've been trying to do some research" he says.

I accidentally laugh and he glares at me.

" what?" He asks annoyed.

" sorry, it reminds me of the other time you told me you were doing some research" I say smiling at the memory.

" the time you were to get me kicked of Hogwarts because ' it's a law they don't accept transfer students' " I try mocking him, I see him trying not to laugh.

" I could have got you expelled" he says with a small grin.

" I could have got you expelled!" I say playfully hitting his arm, thinking back to when I first saved him from when he was accused of murdering Elliot.

He turns a way to chuckle and I'm sad I can't see his smile.

" anyways, what research are you doing now?" I ask him as I interrupted him and I want to hear his voice again.

" research on today's commotion, I can't sleep knowing I apparently hurt Ascot, if he takes it to Dippet I'll be expelled and I'll have to go back to-" he says but then he stops and then looks at me.

I look at him back encouraging him to continue talking, " back to?" I ask even though I know the answer.

He lets out a deep breath, " to the orphanage" he mumbles.

He looks at me as if he expects me to laugh, I don't know what to do but I approvingly nod.

" he won't" I then say after a moment.

" Ascot I mean, he won't tell Dippet" I say in attempt to comfort him but he scoffs.

" yeah because he likes you"

I smile and shrug but Tom doesn't look satisfied with my reaction.

" did you hear me?" He says.

" yeah I heard" I say then he frowns.

" that's the reason I'm up too, I can't stop thinking about it" I tell him.

He sits up angrily, " you can't stop thinking about Ascot?" He growls.

" no! No I can't stop thinking about the situation! It just... doesn't make sense" I explain to him.

He slowly lies back down.

" oh... well it's annoying me too but the library's books are useless" he says as he throws one on to the floor.

I jump at his action and he notices.

I shuffle up closer to him on the couch, " maybe it won't be in books, maybe we just need to think harder"

I feel butterflies at the fact that he hasn't told me to move, and then he allows me to sit close to him.

His runs his hand through his hair and squints when his ring gets caught in it, a small strand of curly hair comes with his hand when it moves it back down.

He removes the ring off his finger and places it on the small table in front of us.

" does that happen every time?" I ask him staring at the thing.

" what?"

" your hair getting caught in your ring"

" yeah, you'd think the ring is too tight but it's not" he says when he scratches his head, the piece of hair that came out must have nipped him.

" How many enemies do you have?" I ask him.

He rolls his eyes like it's a stupid question, " everyone pretty much"

" that's not helpful"

" how is any of this helpful? Nothing is helpful! You or the books! The books just keeping going on about transfiguration and potions and to watch out for imposters-"

I interrupt Tom by sitting up and grasping hold of his arm when it clicks.

" what?" He asks.

" that's it!" I say as a light bulb moment happens in my head.

" your hair in the ring!" I say both excited and proud, I practically climb over him when I shake his arms to tell him my discovery.

" what?!" He asks impatient.

" Someone must have found your ring, knew it was yours and used your hair for polyjuice potion!" I exclaim.

Tom doesn't laugh but he doesn't look convinced, I can tell he's thinking.

" that's... not the most awful hypothesis but it's absurd" he says.

" I don't know who would have the nerve to do that though" he says.

" me neither" I shrug.

Moments pass as we both think in silence but my brain goes foggy and for once my mind goes blank with no thought.

But when it does when I feel Tom's hands on me, he pulls down my hood and puts all my hair, which is down, at the back, I admire his well structured face as he does so.

His hands drop on my shoulders as he rests his forehead on mine, I smile at the sight of him but he remains neutral as he does so.

" we could take this to Dippet..." I recommend.

" that's silly y/n" he says but he doesn't move away.

" I know" I admit.

" it's only so long until I get framed for something else" he says.

It's a serious issue and I should be brainstorming ways to get to the end of this matter but all I can think about is his musk scent and his breath on my skin.

" I wish I could help you" I say slightly deflated as in reality, there is no way to determine this person until they admit it themselves.

Tom's facial expression stays the same the whole time, it's not angry but it's not smiley, that would be scary, it's calming.

" can I tell you something?" He asks.

I feel nervous as it puts me on edge, " yeah" I say.

" I don't like it when you speak-" he says.

" - to Ascot" I continue as I think I predict his words correctly.

Then he pauses.

" to anyone that isn't me" he says.

As soon as he says it, he stands up and doesn't look back at me and heads up to his dorm.