Sparrow: Tom Riddle x Reader

It had been a few weeks since the weird interaction between Tom, and your invitation to the slug club.  it was safe to say you were no closer to finishing your 'task' then when you had begun, if anything you were further from it as you went from him not acknowledging your existence, to hating you. No. loathing you. You couldn't decide if that was good or not. Technically it was progress... just not necessarily good progress.

Everyone was heading to hogsmeade in the morning, but seeing as you had no friends, you didn't see much of a reason to go. Instead you made your way to the library to do some research for class. You walked in, and as you expected it was empty other than the librarian who was fast asleep at her desk, probably assuming she would have no people in there at the moment using it to her advantage and napping. 

You went to the back of the library and to the last aisle attempting to find a book you haven't read yet, which wouldn't be an easy feat considering you've probably read almost every book currently in the school's possession. You skimmed the last spine on the shelf brushing your hands lighty down it. In faint writing it read 'the secrets to mastering the dark arts.' intrigued you gently pulled it off its place on the shelf and sat at the nearest table flicking through the obnoxiously large pages.

"What are you doing reading about the dark arts, you don't exactly seem like the type." You audibly sighed rolling your eyes and looking up to see Tom standing, his hands placed neatly behind his back.

"What's that supposed to mean? And I'm sorry, weren't you the one who told me to stay away from you and out of your life?" Your tone slightly cold and exhausted.

"What I meant was you aren't exactly the type of person I would have pegged as the 'dark' kind, you're much too meek. And well yes, don't get me wrong, under normal circumstances I would stay as far away from you as possible, however you are currently in possession of the book I was most intrigued to read." You looked down at the book and back up to the black haired boy straining from rolling your eyes again frightened you may give yourself a concussion.

You huffed closing the book sliding it across the table.

"Fine, if it means you will leave me alone, by all means, take it." He looked at you with slight shock as if he was expecting you to put up more of a fight and slowly took the book from the table. By the looks of it, he almost looked as if he was sad you didn't arise into an argument, like he craved your rash words and bite that he gained from no one else.

"Oh well, in that case I shall leave you." He began to walk away when he suddenly just stopped and turned around pulling out a chair opposite you and opened the book like nothing was happening.

"Umm. What are you doing." 

"This is where I usually read, just because you're here doesn't mean I should have to change my routine." He stated not looking up from the book.

"Fine, I'll leave then." Even though I just gave you the book- You stood up pushing in your chair and walked past Tom stopping as he grabbed your robe sleeve and pulling you lightly back.

"What?" You asked rather coldly, a lingering hint of confusion on your tongue, his captivatingly dark eyes locked onto yours and a small smirk pulled on the corner of his mouth.

"First I couldn't get rid of you, you were desperate for my attention. Now you're almost going out of your way to avoid me. I can't help but be intrigued." 

You suddenly remembered your 'task' and how you had to get close to him, you realised you were letting your own emotions and opinions get in the way. You sighed knowing at some point you would have to be around him more for the sake of the future, but you thought a sudden change in attitude towards him would be suspicious for now.

"Because Riddle, at first I was intrigued. girls would fawn over you drooling at just the mere sight of you. I could never see the appeal however. The teachers also seemed to favour you, that didn't surprise me much considering, although I hate to admit it, you are in fact very brilliant and in other words, also a complete suck up. I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Lets not also forget you constantly telling me to stay away from you." 

"And?"

"And what?"

"What do you think of me?" You continued to look straight into his eyes, the eyes that held such an immense amount of mystery that made all the girls swoon. However you knew the darkness that laid behind. There was a short pause before you spoke up.

"I think you're a prat." You wrenched your arm out of his grip and continued to walk out.

-Tom's POV- 

I continued to glare into her (E/C) eyes as she was speaking, rambling on about how intrigued she was of me.

"And?" I questioned after her little rant. Her eyebrows had furrowed slightly in what looked like confusion.

"And what?"

"What do you think of me?" The eye contact we had kept seemed to go on for ages, for some reason her eyes drew me in, I couldn't help but stare. I couldn't quite make out the look on her face, it was as if she could see right through me, like she was taking a glance at my soul. It was almost as if she could tell everything that was going on in my mind. 

It took her a second to answer my question, her facial expression hadn't changed at all though, she still looked at me coldly which I had done to her so many times before.

"I think you're a prat." She spat before wrenching her arm out of my loose yet firm grip and proceeded to walk out the library.

Something about her was different. I couldn't quite tell what though. Most girls would kill to even just be in my presence let alone have my undivided attention, but it was almost like she could see past the persona I put forth for the world. I didn't expect her to think I was a saint based on the way I treat her, but that's not what I meant. It was like she could see through that as well, as if knowing my full intentions and desires. All I know is this girl is dangerous and it would be naive of me to underestimate her. She's smarter than she comes across as, and to me that was a disaster in the making, knowing she could possibly ruin everything.

I attempted to snap myself out of my thoughts and took out my journal that I had kept in my robe pocket and began writing.

~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours had passed and I got up making my way to the exit of the library, I turned the corner to see Y/N sitting on the floor uncomfortably with a bunch of papers sprawled out around her. Curious I began to make my way towards her. She looked stressed out and her eyes appeared tired.

As I stood in front of her she didn't seem to notice my presence, too focused on not losing the place in her books, refusing to crease the edge as a marking point as it would permanently ruin the page.

"What are you doing?" I asked, now kneeling down to her level so she would finally acknowledge my existence.

"Homework." She stated rather stiffly.

"I meant more, why are you doing it on the floor in the corridor. Especially one right outside an empty library." Her face turned a little pink as I mentioned that. And she looked to the floor slightly embarrassed.

".. Well to be honest I was in the library for a reason, so when you came along and I ended up practically storming out forgetting why I was there in the first place.. I thought it would be awkward and embarrassing to just walk back in and sit down so I just stayed out here." For some reason I found that rather amusing and let out a genuine chuckle. Something I had never done before.

She looked as shocked as I did at the sound that just came out of my mouth.

"You're certainly a strange one, L/N." A small smile visibly played on her lips.

"You're one to talk Riddle." The sound of my last name would often make me cringe seeing as it is shared with my foul muggle father. But it sounded surprisingly sweet coming from her mouth, I didn't mind it.

I held out my hand for her to take while standing back up, she looked at it sceptically for a second then turned to pick up her papers and hesitantly took it, standing up.

"Thank you." She mumbled slightly, I just nodded and we both parted ways.

Very strange indeed.