The Beginning of the End ? Tom Riddle

Chapter 27

I turned my head back slightly as I felt him trace along my skin. I thought the touch was random until I realized his fingertips were running over my scars. His fingers followed the lines gently as I felt his eyes move with them.

" Who did this to you?" I hear him question. Not wanting to sound vulnerable I opted for a mysterious response and an eye roll. After all they weren't that big of a deal, just memories of my past.

" Take a guess." I replied with slight sarcasm.

" Isla." I was stopped in my tracks, having never heard anything like that from Tom. The genuine, deep rooted care and concern he conveyed was astounding. To be honest I didn't believe he was capable of such a thing.

" Just my cousins." I responded as I tried to get out of the conversation, rinsing my hair. I was denied this when Tom's hand slipped across my stomach, grabbing my waist as he stood behind me. I tilted my head up to look at him.

" Amycus and Alecto?" He asked as he carefully watched my face. Despite my shudder at the mention of them they weren't the ones responsible for this.

" Augustus , like the rest of them he inherited the cruelty. I'm the black sheep at every family gathering, seeing as I've somehow managed to retain a heart." I spoke bitterly before wasting no time in stepping out of the shower and wrapping myself in a towel.

I felt exposed, not physically, but mentally.

I dressed myself quickly, using reparo to fix the straps on my dress, and grabbed my heels. I slung them over my shoulder, not bothering to put them on. I made my way around the bed to grab the letter to my parents and my wand from Tom's nightstand. I began walking for the door, ignoring Tom who called my name as he dried his hair off.

" The sex was good. See you later." I told him before closing the door behind me and letting out a sigh, thankful to have escaped anymore personal questions. I let my head rest against the wood of the door for a few seconds, unaware the boy inside did the same.

Recomposed, I quietly descended the Slytherin boys dorm stairs and tip toed through the ever shady common room. Before I could reach the door it creaked open as I stilled, wondering who I'd see.

" Oi, mate, watch where you swing those fat arms of yours!"

" Yeah, I bet the ladies really love the incoordination."

"Shove off, at least my bed head hair doesn't look like a hipogriffs nest."

" Oh you want to go? Square up!"

" Would the lot of you shut your mouths for 3 seconds?! I have a nasty headache."

...

" Ok it's been three seconds, back to you, you're going dow- OW!"

I put my hands on my hips as I tried to stop myself from cackling. I knew exactly who it was as they finally came into view. Aldus, Rein, Abraxas, and Xander trudged into the common room, looking like they had narrowly survived a train wreck. Upon studying their disheveled appearances and the unspoken truth hanging around them I let out a laugh.

" Oh, Merlin this is gold. You all got shagged the same night! Aha! You boys really run on the same clock, I mean if this were the Royal Ascot, it'd be a dead heat!" I continued laughing as they all glared at me, rolled eyes, and scoffed.

A/N! The Royal Ascot is a long running and prestigious British horse race! And a dead heat is when the competitors finish so closely together, it must be called a tie.

" To be fair you set half of us up, and you have attractive and good hearted friends." Aldus countered with a light smile and shake of his head. The second half of his sentence bringing a genuine smile to my face. I had finally decided he was a pretty good guy after all.

" That I do." I responded with a grin. My thoughts wandered to the missing member of the Slytherin boyband as my brows furrowed.

" Where's Nox?" I asked as the boys began to disperse to the couches surrounding the fireplace.

" He's probably still sleeping, headed out of the party at about midnight, he's not the hook up type." Rein explained, sighing contentedly as he fell back into the emerald cushions, exhausted.

" He's going to make the best husband one day." I voiced with slightly wide eyes. It amazed me sometimes how much of a good hearted gentleman Lennox was, especially surrounded by this lot. They weren't dastardly, but were far from angels.

" Undoubtedly." The boys chorused, each on the same wavelength regarding their friend.

" Back to the girls though, I swear to fucking Merlin, if you bitches break any of their hearts, Xander won't be the only one getting his arse kicked." I threatened as I made sure to make sharp and intimidating eye contact with each boy.

Mila and Nagini deserve nothing less than the perfect partner. And though I don't know Arabella well, I'll protect her heart regardless. Even Gemina deserves to be happy, maybe Xander and her can bring out the best qualities in each other.

The four nodded quickly, Rein even offering a salute. Temporarily spooking them did me well, seeing as they forgot to ask why I was in the Slytherin common room in the first place.

They probably knew why.

On my way back to Gryffindor tower, I played a game with myself, trying to guess what the aftermath would look like. Nothing was impossible in this case scenario.

" Pars Centralis." I spoke the password to the fat lady who opened the door. My eyes widened as I attempted to hold in a laugh that would've woken sleepers up.

In short, it was a disaster zone on a massive scale. The bookshelf we had used as a makeshift bar was toppled over. Mantel Pevere, a 5th year Ravenclaw lay soundly asleep under it, literally using it as a blanket.

Students were passed out everywhere, cups and bottles littered the floor. A dartboard I didn't think we had was being used as a pillow by a trio of seventh year Gryffindors. Romeo De Niro lay at an uncomfortable angle on the boys dorm steps. I cringed knowing the neck pain he'd wake up to would make the hangover ten times worse.

A 6th year Hufflepuff was alarmingly half in the fireplace as she slept. Multiple students were half naked, luckily none were completely bare, but what got them to that point? Body shots, steamy make out sessions, dares, just about anything you could imagine and then some.

Endless options that no one will be able to confirm, the night an utter blur. I knew how it went. Several bottles of spirits had shattered and littered the floors; I watched my step after seeing that.

I quietly made my way upstairs to the girls dorms and peaked in. Shockingly the room was empty, no couples taking up beds after one hell of a night they'd learn to love or completely regret. I figured the same couldn't be said for the boys dorms, there's no way Killian and Mae weren't in there, still passed out.

I circled back to my own night. Of course I'll never admit it to anyone but Tom was way better than Kurtis. At the same time I couldn't compare them, seeing as one had been my first time. Another thing I would never admit was that I didn't regret a thing, I was almost content now, as if it was a long time coming.

I sighed, petting Leo one last time before raising from my bed and preparing myself for a wild goose chase. Track down all my friends, make sure they're safe, healthy and aren't having a mid life crisis, then take them all to get lunch.

You know its been a crazy night when I'm the resident mother, but at the same time, the protectiveness I show is common. My friends have always been the family I've never had, and I'd do anything for them.