Here's my drabble on He Who Shall Not Be Changed! It takes some months later after Tom arrives in Harry's 5th year
Harry lingered after both of them emerged from the Slughorn’s memories. Albus could sense that the boy wanted to tell something but was hesitant. He stood awkwardly near the door, no doubt deliberating between fleeing or staying back.
“Is there anything else you wanted to share Harry?” he asked as carefully as possible, fully reconciling with receiving an adamant “No sir.”
The boy fidgeted a bit then squared his shoulders in a resigned fashion. “Yes… kind of?”
Albus waited patiently. He sensed that urging an answer may cause his nervous ward to run away like a frightened cat.
“I am all ears..” he said.
Harry looked up and looked down and to his surprise, his cheeks went profusely red. He suddenly found Fawkes very interesting.
Looking anywhere but Albus, the boy said haltingly, “Tom..he.. He.. askedmeouttoHogsmeade..”
“I am sorry. I didn’t get you, my boy.. Did you say Tom asked you to join him on a Hogsmeade trip? You did hint you were getting on well… considering the circumstances.,..?” Albus was thrown off as to why this necessitated such a nervous reaction in the boy.
The boy continued to blush and his hands clenched and unclenched as he whispered… “He asked me **out on a date**, Professor. Just him and me.…” he finished looking shyer than ever.
Albus was fortunate he wasn’t eating anything, or he might have choked.
*I didn’t see that coming. But…, I guess when it comes to these two, was it really so unexpected?*
“And I take it… that caught you unawares?” he asked carefully.
“Yes! I don’t know if I… if I like boys like that…. Besides, it’s Tom, Professor! Of course, I was shocked! I had no idea…” Harry said.
“Well, my boy. As the Muggles say, the ball’s in your court… and regarding his … ah… interest in you… is it that shocking?”
“You don’t mean Voldemort ***likes me like that***?” Harry asked mortified beyond belief.
“Of course not my boy. But Tom Riddle has always been… a rather intense man. The Dark Lord has been rather single-minded in orchestrating your death, and given this version of his is not invested in seeing you buried six feet under the ground, but has instead come to …care for you, it’s not surprising to see his obsession take a different shape…” Albus reflected.
“Either way, it seems you will be subjected to either his wrath or his devotion….” he mused.
“Sir… aren’t we thinking a bit too far ahead?” I am sure this Tom doesn’t abhor me and likes me enough to have asked me on one date. But I am sure he is not obsessed about me…”
Albus didn’t deign to reply. He knew if Tom Riddle had his way, things between him and Harry wouldn’t stop at one date. The boy had always been… greedy.
One version is greedy for your death. This one is greedy for your heart. Either way. He won’t stop until he has you dead or cold, or irrevocably his...
Or... or Or is that little Devil planning something nefarious? Albus thought grimly. But he wisely refrained from voicing his thoughts.
It would hardly be the first time Tom Riddle had used his rather impressive reservoir of looks and charm to get what he wanted...
“You have not told him no… have you?” Albus wondered.
He sensed the boy was shocked, but was far from appalled.
Tom’s amorous interest has been a bolt from the blue for the boy, but has not incited any feelings of disgust… Albus noted wryly.
*Then again, few could resist the lure of handsome, charming Dark Lords in the making*… he thought with a pang of nostalgia. He remembered one sunny afternoon nearly a century ago… of a pair of heterochromatic eyes that gazed at him with unabashed adoration and that held promises of a glorious future…
Albus was dragged from the past to 1997 again, by Harry’s bright, clear voice. The boy was now in a mood to share.
“I don’t know. I never really thought blokes could be an option. But Tom..well.... He is not exactly… ugly… he is not the worst choice if you can go out with another guy,” Harry gestured helplessly.
Albus wanted to snort but barely held himself. Harry thankfully did not look up from his hands.
“And, he has proved himself to be an alright bloke for the most part. And… you did say, we have some things in common…”
Deciding he had had enough of sharing his crisis, Harry stood up and said, “Thank you for listening to me Professor. I am afraid I will be late for Potions at this rate..”
“May I suggest something, Harry?”
The boy hesitated a bit but stayed back.
“If you feel like going with him for an outing, don’t hold yourself back. We are only young once. However, take care not to get too absorbed into his orbit. Loving someone like him can be very heady, but can be..... devastating..” he finished.
Harry nodded and left. He wondered if the 'him' only referred to Tom Riddle.
Okay so I just wanna preface this by saying it's so cool you decided to share your writing with me and I read it three times already. I love it!!
Harry being a total mess and not even talking about what they saw in the pensive to instead talk about tom asking him out is so chaotic down bad bi of him loool. Loved Dumbledores inner thoughts as well especially the mention of Grindelwald and you know what I might just do an Albus pov on the fic cuz that would be fun. He's also very right about Tom being obsessive, I'd say any romantic interest in Harry would definitely be motivated by a lot more stuff than just your average teenage wizard.
All in all I loved this a lot omg and can't wait to get this part of the year in my fic and see how it contrasts or reflects this.
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