Enigma [A Tom Riddle x Reader fan fiction]

I reached for a piece of bread, trying to push the warmth I am feeling strongly on my cheeks. But before I could brush away the crumbs I felt on my lips, Abraxas leaned forward.

“Hold still,” he murmured.

His thumb gently brushed the corner of my mouth. My entire body went still. His touch was warm, light, like he knew exactly what he was doing.

“There. You had something on your cheek,” he said, letting his hand drip with a lazy smile. “Sitting this close to you, it just confirms what I already thought.”

I raised an eyebrow, trying to mask how fast my heart was starting to beat. “Which is?”

“That you’re even more beautiful up close. It’s the kind of thing you only see when you’re this close.”

THIRD-PERSON POV

She stared at him, unsure whether to roll her eyes or laugh. But something about the way he said it, direct, calm, and sincere.

Unfortunately, a small part of her smiled.

“You’re ridiculous,” she muttered, shaking her head, hoping he didn’t notice the heat rising to her cheeks.

“I’m serious,” he said, still grinning ear to ear. “But if it helps, I can be ridiculously serious too!”

She groaned, but it was betrayed by the faintest laugh escaping her lips.

Cassius and Mari continuously exchanged wide-eyed glances across the table, clearly already plotting their next tease. Y/N pretended not to notice. She focused on her plate instead.

The feast went on, conversations rising and falling like waves. Abraxas continued small talk, followed by light questions about her summer, favourite subjects, just trying to get to know her better. It wasn’t forced. In fact, it was oddly easy to converse with him. He didn’t seem bothered by her quiet pauses or sharp remarks. If anything, he loved them. He even confessed his tragic inability to keep a plant alive in herbology.

By the time plates began vanishing and students stood up ready to head to their next classes, Abraxas stood with her, and quiet confidence in his step.

“Speaking of Herbology, I believe it’s time for me to go and attend it Malfoy.” Y/N informed.

“I shall walk you to your next class then.” He beamed, offering his arm.

Before she could respond, Cassius raised a brow, but Mari wrapped her arms around his and pulled him away, “Let her live.”

Y/N gave in with a small nod, she hesitated at first, but soon looped her arm through his. “I suppose you shall.”

At first, she only wanted to loop her arms around his, but Abraxas ended up fixing that position and interlocking fingers with her instead.

As they reached the corridor split, Abraxas turned to her with a smile and gently lifted her hand, brushing his lips against her knuckles.

“I’ll see you then, Y/N.”

She stood there, contemplating what just happened. Her eyes caught movement from up ahead, bringing her back to the real world.

Riddle stood by the classroom door, arms crossed, eyes locked onto them. The look he shot her wasn’t jealousy. But instead, he looked disgusted?

Y/N quickly slipper her hand away from Abraxas’s, mumbling a goodbye before stepping into the classroom.

Inside, the seats were already filled. She slipped onto her usual spot near Tom without a word, the tension thick between them.

Tom didn’t look at her when he spoke.

“I suppose you aren’t as bright as I thought you would be.”

The words cut deeper than she expected, but the pause that followed held something else. A warning, perhaps. A subtle threat of, “you don’t know what you’re getting into.”

She clenched her jaw, refusing to let him see the effect his words had.

But something told her that was exactly what he wanted.

—TIME SKIP—

Finally, all classes today are finished. I headed to the library to finish off some work I still have uncompleted.

After a full day of classes, I finally sat down to study the one subject that made me want to vanish into the floor, Arithmancy.

I stared at my notes, chewing the end of my quill as I squinted at a string of equations that may as well have been in ancient runes.

“Are you alright?”

I jumped, slightly, hearing the sudden voice.

Abraxas Malfoy had already pulled himself a chair across from me, smiling like he had been waiting for this moment. His voice was smooth, although a little smug.

Before I could answer, Tom Riddle appeared. He said nothing, just dropped his bag next to Abraxas and sat down.

“I saw you struggling with this earlier,” Abraxas said, already pulling my notes toward himself.
“Mind if I help? I am quite good at Arithmancy, you know.”

I didn’t even get the time to process all of this. What I thought would be a peaceful study soon turned into something else.

“Come on, closer,” he said with a grin, patting the empty seat beside him.

I hesitated, then got up and moved around the table, slipping into the seat next to him as Tom watched me with his cold gaze.

Abraxas started explaining. At first, some of it did sound helpful, but the longer he went on about the lesson, the less sense he made. At some point, I found myself questioning the subject even more. I wanted it to make sense, no, I needed it to. So even though I doubted some of his answers, I still listened attentively.

And then, finally breaking our focus: “That is incorrect.”

Tom’s voice cut in sharp and clean, making Abraxas stiffen beside me.

“It is not,” Abraxas argued, his jaw tightening.

“You miscalculated the whole formula,” Tom replied, unbothered by Malfoy's Tone. “If she solves it like that, it will ruin the entire set.”

I watched as both of them argued. It didn’t really matter if they were, I was already too stressed about finding the correct answer. But something in Tom’s tone, sounded more straight-forward, he didn’t sound as though he was bluffing at all.

“I know what I’m doing, Riddle,” Abraxas snapped, shooting a displeased look towards Riddle.

Tom stood up.

He didn’t say much. He just made his way around the table and stopped at a student sat beside me. “Move.”

With just one word, the student hurriedly moved places allowing for an open spot beside me.

He leaned over and grabbed the parchment away from Abraxas. “Here,” he said, lining the numbers with a flick of his quill. “You align the columns like this.”

I leaned in, letting his voice guide me. Somehow, the way he explained things—slow, quiet, calm, and precise—made it all too easy to follow. I didn’t feel like I was being judged for my stupidity.

Abraxas looked at us and scoffed. “Y/N, come on. Let’s study somewhere else. It’s too crowded here.”

“I’m fine,” I said, still focused on the paper.

Tom didn’t even glance at his reaction, as if he already knew how Malfoy would act. The slightest curve tugged on his lip said more than words. He was enjoying his annoyance.

Abraxas had enough. He muttered something under his breath and stood. “Whatever. Have fun,” he said before storming out of the library. His friends just across our table could be heard laughing.

Tom didn’t move. Didn’t even acknowledge his exit. He just nudged the parchment toward me again.

“Alright then, let’s continue.”

I did. And the silence that followed…wasn’t really silence. It was calm, comforting even. It helped me focus in a way I hadn’t been able to, the whole week. His voice stayed low and steady, walking me through every doubt I asked. He was never impatient or patronizing. Just exact.

I didn’t even realize how tired I was until my eyes began to get blurry and droop, my head feeling heavier by the minute.

“You’re getting tired,” Tom said. Not with concern, just observing.

“I’m not.”

“You are.” He glanced at the clock just right above the shelves. “We’re nearing curfew. We’re done here.”

He began to gather his things efficiently, leaving me no room for debate.

“But I still have plenty to learn… I can’t just stop now!” I whined, rubbing my eyes.

“And there is still plenty more time to study. But right now, I don’t want to be caught staying awake past curfew.” He reassured, picking up the pile of parchment he used as examples when he was explaining.

THIRD-PERSON POV

Y/N didn’t know what she found more surprising, the fact he noticed her being tired or that he offered to tutor her despite him needing to finish other tasks of his own.

They walked back to the common room in silence, the castle dim and quiet around them. When they reached the stairs leading to their rooms, she paused just before heading to bed, eyes flicking toward him.

“Thank you, for helping me,” she said softly while smiling at him. “Goodnight Riddle.”

But he didn’t respond. He seemed to have been staring more than he should have, and soon realized it. He looked at her one last time, and without a word, he turned on his heel and disappeared to his room.

Final Word Count: 1531 words