After the Lights go Out part 6
Summary: The finale of the Triwizard Tournament have arrived, and Y/n struggle to focus at the task at hand as she remembers the night before spent in the library, where she inevitably encountered Tom Riddle yet again.
Wattpad Link
Pairings: Tom Riddle x Reader
Warnings: (Soft-ish?) Smut, Allusions, Manipulative behaviour, jeallousy, angst, Acromantula`s, arachnophobia.
Word Count: 2.4k
/ Part.1 / part.2 / part.3 / part.4 / part.5 /
Part.6 – The Forest
You were even at last, now that you both had won each your task. It was a strange sensation, the moment you had uncovered the final clue; the golden key, and then claimed it for yourself. The praise and the favouritism you encountered felt utterly intoxicating, so much so that you almost forgot about what had happened with Tom Riddle in the astronomy tower, in your drunken splendour.
Thinking back, the aftermath was covered in thick cigar smoke and celebrations. With Terrence drowning his jealousy with liquor and latching onto your arm as if he then thought he`d only bask in your glory for a little longer. It felt bizarre to be so loved, after initially being declared the weakest contestant in the tournament. Now everyone knew your name, and with your impressive streak of success so far, the final victory felt so much closer than ever before.
In between the waves of euphoria and confusion, the events in the astronomy tower flashed before your eyes like silent cinema. Tom stumbling back the second the boggart was unleashed from the golden egg, when it took the shape of himself – but completely lifelessly fell to the floor, he had lost it completely, unable to see the mirage for what it truly was.
You shuddered, to see someone as calm and collected as him be so vulnerable had frightened you even more than your own boggart. But then, after you had banished it, he had ungratefully attempted to hex you yet again.
15th June 1945
Your eyes were slipping close, each time they grew heavier it took longer for you to wake back up. Before you laid the golden key atop of a small tower of books, books which you had studied thoroughly in order to prepare for the final task. It had been a whole month since you had encountered Tom, despite how you had kept a look out for him around the school grounds. You were starting to believe the events of the previous task had taken such a toll on his ego, that he simply could not show himself until it was time yet again.
You could not stop thinking of him, the way he had crumbled to the floor and lashed out on you rather than to accept your help. Perhaps now at last, Tom Riddle was no longer such an intriguing mystery anymore. It was clear he was just another damaged, frightened little boy. Thus, you had somehow lost an interest in Terrence as well, knowing that this game of jealousy had ended at last.
You felt a cold wind brush against you, as your eyes had slipped closed yet again from the exhaustion. The library was completely dark, apart from the single lantern you had brought with you. It flickered again, and you startled yourself awake, seeing a shadowy figure stand before you, inspecting the golden key in his hands.
You got up from your chair and rubbed your tired eyes. Looking at him with a frown, you awaited whatever way he`d choose to intrigue you next, but he did not say anything.
“I`m not going to offer you any hints, I reckon we`re even now...” you began, while trying to decipher his empty expression, his eyes moved from the key to you.
“Are you really sure about that? Unlike you, I was never in any mortal danger” he retorted, still studying the key in the light of the lantern.
“For Merlin`s sake Tom, had I not banished the boggart you`d have cowered in fear all night”
His nose wrinkled disdainfully at your remark, and you sighed as you continued just as harshly,
“If anything, your reputation was in mortal danger, I’ve never seen anything quite as pathetic”
You heard the sound of the golden key fall against the floor as he suddenly moved closer, once again having you there, mere inches away from his face in brutish intensity. You did not flinch at all, instead looking right back him with a raised brow.
“I`m not afraid of you…” you stated calmly, as you felt his warm breath so close.
“-But you should be afraid of me!” you fumed, and the light from your wand lit up the library in a bright blue flash. Several library books came flying down the shelves, propelling towards him at high velocity. You managed to slip away as he turned to face the malevolent books, and gave his wand an elegant flick.
“Impedmenta!” Tom yelled, thus stopping the books assault with ease.
By this time, you had hid yourself behind a bookcase, several rows away from where he stood searching. You felt your heart hammer in excitement as he called out your name in frustration.
“Y/n! For Merlin`s sake, why are you hiding?” he called out softly, “I did not mean to scare you”
“Don`t flatter yourself!” you shouted back mockingly, “You`re the one scared of your own reflection!”
You heard him hiss and curse, and his footsteps sounding closer and closer as you swiftly moved behind yet another bookcase further away, holding your breath so he would not hear you. Suddenly it was as if some invisible force grasped hold of you and lifted you into the air, and with great speed you unwillingly hovered thro in between bookcases until you found yourself halting right before him, blinking flabbergasted by what had just happened.
“Would you care to repeat that last bit?” he questioned, with a faint smirk at the undoubted success of his hover charm.
“I`ll spell it out for you, Tom Riddle – I think you`re the most arrogant, ungrateful, pathetic little man I have ever been so unfortunate to encounter!”
You looked him straight in his dark eyes as you thundered on, but he did not say anything – he simply crashed his lips against yours hurriedly, as if in an attempt at shutting you up before you`d say anything more you`d regret.
His lips felt warm and harsh against yours, and yet despite the surprise it was in all honesty as if your body had already expected it before it begun. You returned it eagerly, as he pressed you further against the bookcase behind you. You no longer knew his alibi; and you did not care even a little.
There in the darkened library, you gave yourself to him completely. As this was the last night before the final task of the Triwizard Tournament, it all felt almost ritualistic – cathartic even. Like it was all part of the preparations necessary in order to face what was to come. Digging your fingers into his curls, your head fell back as he pressed himself into you. His eyes did not look so empty anymore now that they were filled to the brink with desire and need for you, and you alone.
Had you been able to think of anything else, you might have worried the books would fall down upon you, but all you could focus on was Tom and the strange way he made you feel despite everything that had happened. It felt so overwhelming, and as you rode through waves of pleasure an uninvited intruder entered the library, likely due to the ruckus your duel and it`s inevitable end had caused in the night.
Your head smacked against the bookcase as Tom hurriedly covered your mouth, and you struggled to keep yourself silent when you saw the nearby light of the caretaker`s lantern. You gazed into Tom`s dark eyes, as he expectantly looked into the dark with a sour look on his face. When you wriggled in his grasp, he thrusted you harder back as a warning and you moaned in pain into his hand.
After a few minutes, when it sounded like the caretaker had finally left, Tom took to whisper, with a frustrated look on his face;
“I`ll kill him”
You found yourself standing before the forbidden forest the next morning, along with Tom and Terrence. The time of the final task had arrived at last, and now you were only moments away from racing into the dark forest with the golden key in hand. The rules were simple, somewhere inside, there were placed a treasure chest with the price inside. The first champion to get their hands on the price would win, but as it so happened you were the only champion in possession of the key as you had won the previous task before this.
For all this time you had imagined winning the prior task would come to your advantage, but now it was clear that the key was much more of a disadvantage. Carrying it made you the premier target, and you were now forced to face the fact that a duel between you, Tom and Terrence were an inevitable fact.
As you heard not only the Beauxbatons student`s cheers and shouts of your name, you felt more anxious than ever before. The little confidence you had previously in your victory was now vanishing by the minute, knowing that this would be far more dangerous than what you had encountered so far. As you gazed palely into the dark forest, Terrence grabbed your shoulder so you`d turn to face the camera – which went off in smoke and flashing lights. Once they had gone out a cannon could be heard signalling for the task to begin.
You were the first one to enter the forests thick green barrier, an advantage given in advance of the chase to come. You ran as fast as you could whilst clenching your wand so tightly in your hand that your knuckles turned white. One minute was all you had before the boys could begin their search, and with this and the night before in mind, you struggled to navigate trees and stubs as you ran deeper and deeper into the dark, ominous forest.
Every sound you heard felt amplified as you stopped to catch your breath; the distant screeching of crows, the sound of twigs snapping under something weight, the eerie lack of birdsong despite the time of the year. You hid behind a three as you sank a little down into the moss, your stomach dropped in excitement each time you pictured yourself and Tom, the sensations and imagery flashing in your mind like the sweetest distraction it were.
You were startled as you heard the sounds of twigs breaking, coming closer and closer, getting up to prepare facing whoever or whatever it was. Your grasp around your wand weakened as you spotted Terrence coming towards you, with his wand just as anxiously pointing your way. You knew it was a bad idea to let your guard down, but this was the man you`d spent the last months playing house with, anything else would be awfully rude untill it truly mattered, wouldn`t it?
Terrence smiled as he approached you, and momentarily reached his wandless hand out towards you.
“Come on darling, give me the key” he ordered playfully, and his tone was so peculiar you could have almost passed it as a joke or as banter.
When you did not move or say anything, he frowned as if you were acting strange.
“Give me the key, and we`ll finish this civilly. With the price money I`ll take you back to America, and I`ll make you my wife” he continued, as if he offered you the business deal of the century.
“I`m awfully sorry Terrence, but the only way you`ll get this key is if you take it from my hands with force” you replied, and he rolled his eyes annoyedly.
“I was hoping you would not say that, but I guess you`re giving me no choice” he grinned apologetically, and as he stepped closer you stepped further away. He raised his wand at you, and you raised yours towards him.
“It`s quite tragic really, if only you`d obey me it would never have gotten down to this…but I suppose no one will never know, I`ll be declared champion and a hero..”
Something in his friendly tone changed, and your back wen`t cold as he continued leering towards you.
“There was nothing I could do, that Riddle had already gotten you…Confringo!”
The blasting curse fired towards you, and for a moment you could see nothing but fire. As you ducked away the explosion ricocheted into a tree, and you threw yourself face down into the dampened moss in order to evade possible and likely death. The whole forest floor around you seared in smoke, and as you rolled around to return the attack – you caught side of Tom.
“Petrificus Totalus!” Tom yelled, and Terrence fell onto the forest floor before he even knew what had hit him. It seemed like an awfully light spell considered it coming from him, but before you could question anything Tom had already rushed to your side.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his wide eyes looking you up and down as he helped you up, searching for any visible signs of damage. Your ears were still ringing a little from the nearby blast, but other than that you felt perfectly fine. He held you up in his arms as you replied,
“I-I believe I am…”
“That bastard will regret this, I`m not done with him yet…” Tom raged, and you turned in his arms to gaze towards where Terrence laid paralyzed in the moss. Suddenly you spotted something large, dark and monstrous emerge from some nearby bushes. It had eight legs, and they all thundered over the forest floor towards Terrence`s body. You squirmed by the sight of it, as it was just like what you had seen in your nightmares for so long – but in Tom`s embrace you felt strangely safe.
As the Acromantula attacked and devoured Terrence`s defenceless body, Tom watched on mercilessly – his eyes completely unaffected by the carnage they saw, if anything they looked on entertained. You had to burrow your face into his arms, you could not stand it – the sight, the sounds, it was your worst nightmares come to life.
Struggling to stand upon your weakened legs from the shock, you felt your robes pocket for the key. Amidst confusion and fear, you quickly came to realize it no longer was there. As you looked up at Tom you slipped out from his arms, giving him an accusatory glare.
“Unfortunately, I still have no intentions of letting you win” Tom sneered, his frown mimicking your utter and complete confusion. He must have stolen it while you were distractedly evading the sight of Terrence`s murder.
Part.7 - The Crown (Final part)
Taglist: @moonliightbabes @28cnn
