Deaths, dates and darlings

Ten minutes remained for the breakfast to end and his hair was still a mess. It had been an hour while Tom tried to curl the ends of his hair to perfection. An anxious Abraxas was pacing in the dorm for god knows what reason and Tom was getting quite sick of him.

"Abraxas can you stay still for a second? Your contagious anxiety is making me ineffectual in doing my work here." Tom said tonelessly, without turning his head.

He probably didn't want to miss the breakfast because of Tom but still didn't have the guts to say so. That made Tom smile. "What a pussy!" He thought.

He checked himself in the mirror for the umpteenth time and he felt something still missing. Maybe it was the tie. It looked dull and boring like Abraxas's whole life. Tom needed to get another tie.

"How does your nit-picker personality have anything to do with him? You are going to miss the breakfast if you kept staring at your goddamn face for a single second more. A voice yelled from somewhere and Tom's eyes widened.

"But seriously Malfoy, can't you put your pouncy paws on pause?"

"Nobody asked for your feedback Potter". Abraxas yelled in the background while he was yeeted out of Tom's hearing range.

He turned around hastily in hopes of seeing the black-haired lad just once before starting the day. But the door to the dorm had already closed and the boy had left.

To get cosy with his idiotic little Gryffindors, probably.

Not even waiting for me, huh? A nerve clenched on his face but he turned back to the task at hand.

Maybe he should try the hair one more time. But Harry was right, he could not leave breakfast and miss the chance of seeing him before the classes started.

Tom didn't know how it happened but sharing every meal with Harry had become an unalterable routine of his. A routine, Harry was disregarding for a few days. And while Tom didn't really care about rules, routines and traditions himself, he couldn't deny that it didn't sting a little.

Unfortunately, the bad hair had to do today if he wanted to make it to the great hall on time.

Tom stepped out of the common room to find Barty looking disapprovingly at a hanging Abraxas zoned out on one of the statues in the corridor.

"So, who's wasting time now napping on the arms of a stone soldier? No offence if that's your thing, but it's still a weird fetish to practice this early in the morning." Tom made a disappointed face and pulled Abraxas down by his robes.

A loud thud broke the silence of the dungeons as Abraxas crashed head-first on the floor.

"Remind me Riddle, why am I your friend after all the shit you pull up?" Barty extended his hand after seeing him struggle on the floor like a hurt ferret.

"Friends? When did that happen?" Tom asked with a raised eyebrow. "Anyway, Don't get me started on the weirdest of shits I have to witness every day. You know there are a million things I could be doing right now."

"Yeah, like canoodling with Potter." The short-haired blond said with a disgusting smirk.

"When did I ever do something like that?" Tom looked away and started walking not bothering about either of them following him.

"Of course, I am the one flirting with him all the time." The Ravenclaw stepped in front of Tom, grinning unashamedly.

"Won't you agree, Malfoy?" He questioned Abraxas for reaffirmation, who looked too conflicted to say anything.

When the silence perpetuated for too long, Abraxas finally opened his mouth. "He doesn't roam around us much lately. Maybe the filthy moron has been finally put in the right place."

His eyes burned with anger and Abraxas stopped before continuing with that nonsense further. He always knew how to worsen the mood.

"He's right. I don't see you hanging together that often." Barty looked concerned which was nonsensical considering it had nothing to do with him.

He sighed. "Well, he's the one avoiding me. I don't think I have done anything wrong."

"You're always busy working. Maybe he's just frustrated he's not getting any, with how uptight you are." Barty laughed while Abraxas looked like he had constipation.

"Whatever do you mean?" Tom tried to ignore the conversation.

Barty looked at him like Tom was a strange animal and all of a sudden a realization struck him and he started shouting like a Gryffindor after a game. "Wait! Don't you tell me you have not gotten up to anything with him?"

"I don't know what you are talking about. And we are getting late." Tom continued on the way showing his disinterest in talking about the matter.

"Oh, come on!" Abraxas sprinted after him to keep up with his pace. "Tell me. A blowjob?" Barty shouted, running after him.

"Barty!!"

"Really? Don't tell me you haven't even snogged him?!"

"Abraxas, pick up your feet or I will kill you if I happen to miss the breakfast." Tom pulled him by the shirt and bolted towards the great hall. Not giving a fuck about the students noticing their goody-two-shoes prefect manhandling a student between the hallways.

"See, you are practically dying to see him. Everyone sees what's going on
between you two for years. There's no point running away from the matter."

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" He gritted from between his teeth with slaughter in his eyes.

The background faded in the distance. Fear rose in Abraxas as Tom picked up speed and skipped two steps at a time to reach the Great Hall on time while Abraxas nearly touched his fall.

And there they were standing at the entrance.

The longass tables were empty of both food and people. Above all, there was no sign of Harry James Potter. A few sixth years were gossiping near the corners and a group of Hufflepuffs was rushing out for the classes.

"Susan! Have you seen Harry anywhere?" Tom waved to one of them to stop.

"Yeah! He was waiting for you with Weasley. He just headed out." Hannah responded instead.

Tom gave her one of his friendly smiles. "To the class, I presume. Don't you have it together? Can you tell him-"

"No, Weasley went alone. Harry headed out with Diggory." Susan interrupted. Tucking a strand behind her ear, she leaned forward as if sharing a secret.

"Diggory? You mean as in..." Abraxas leaned forward too.

For always acting all high like an honourable heir, he was for sure too keen on poking his nose in other people's business, whenever he had a chance.

"Cedric Diggory, yes!" Ernie whispered.

"What was he doing with him?" Tom got the chance to say in between them.

"Yeah, I didn't know he had brains big enough to converse with the head boy." Abraxas laughed.

Tom narrowed his eyes and Abraxas disappeared the fuck off.

But fucking Barty brought him back with his 'No one should feel left out attitude'.

"Yeah, his IQ is not the reason why he hangs out with all the smart-asses." Barty supposed his own opinion was needed in the matter. "He was fortunate enough to work with me for the transfiguration project, Granger gets along with him due to their weird bond of friendship, Padma does because of the duelling club, Black does because they are sort of family and you do because of his looks- Ouch!"

The Hufflepuffs snickered. He rubbed his foot where Tom hexed him.

"He is a lot smarter than dumbfucks like you," Tom whispered to him.

"Ahh, don't get defensive. I have nothing against your man."

"Yeah, he's a lot likeable. It's clear you like him for more than his looks. We understand what you see." Hannah teased his fellow prefect.

"Maybe Diggory understands too," Ernie said examining his nails and everyone went quiet.

Every face was discreetly looking at Tom.

"Well, all of you don't need to be so serious. I just guessed that it could be possible since you know Potter's quite a popular bloke. I didn't mean to stir any controversy. Riddle?"

"It's alright, Ernie. Cedric's a Quidditch captain. They are most presumably just talking about quidditch. That's what Harry does anyhow eighty per cent of the time. Or you can ask Cedric about it in the next prefect meeting if you are curious enough about what they were doing." Tom said cooly, smiling a little. "I am not bothered by anything."

"Yeah, okay," Ernie responded cautiously. "We better get going. Otherwise, Trelawney's going to make us her new target for predictions. See you later."

"Yeah, right." Hannah shifted awkwardly. "Let us know the timing of the next meeting if you get it first?"

"You don't need to ask your friends like that. Of course, I'll do. That's not even a question." They exchanged a smile and parted ways.

"Friends, huh? And what were we again?" Barty mocked as they turned to another corridor.

"Fucking bastard! Who the fuck does he think he is to rob Harry from me like this when it's our time to meet. Is he replacing me? No, he can't do that, right? Harry won't do that. He can't do that. I won't let that happen. Fucking Cedric Diggory!!

"Tom! Tom! Are you listening to me?" Abraxas trailed after him. "Tom! Where are you going? We have a lecture in the next hour. Potter would have gone to his class. There's no sense going after him."

"Tom!"

"Here."

Ginny said as she put a plate of sandwiches in front of him. They were sitting in the courtyard, eating the breakfast Tom had missed. Tom could see that she had come straight out of bed with how her hair was falling from a messy bun and the oversized hoodie drowning her small frame in it. They looked a complete contrast to each other.

"Why are you sulking like that?" Ginny said with indifference as she placed her elbows on her legs and tilted her head on her hands.

"I don't sulk," Tom said, looking highly interested in the trees around him.

"Yeah, you only get occasionally sullen due to the many idiocies of the individuals around you. What did your individual do this time?" She asked Tom, who had taken on staring at the many couples sitting around them.

There was some silence between them and then Tom finally spoke.

"Do you think he likes Diggory?" Tom asked absent-mindedly.
He was still munching on the half of the sandwich, Ginny had given him.

"I didn't know Malfoy liked Hufflepuffs, or fucking ripped puffs for that matter. I thought he only had an interest in snobby Slytherins." She said smirking on her own.

"What? Abraxas just dresses good, he's definitely straight. And he was eyeing a fourth-year Hufflepuff last week. So, I think you are wrong in your assumption." Tom put the leftover sandwiches back in the paper bag.

"But she was a snobbish eye candy, wasn't she?" She said while holding up a finger. She seemed plenty proud of herself. "Hmm, can you be called a snobbish eye candy?"

"What the fuck are going around? I am talking about Harry." Tom was getting frustrated.

"Oh! If this is somehow related to your crush on him, I already know. Hell, even my great-aunt knows at this point. My brothers have a bet going around about it. A little creepy, I know. But anyway what about Diggory and him? Is this about the invitation?"

"Invitation?" Tom asked suspiciously.

"Yeah. To the New Year's party, you know about that right? Hermione thinks Diggory is going to ask him to the party, the senior years are having. You told me about the party yourself." She was leaning on Tom, now busy pulling the sleeves of her hoodie over her hands. "I would like to go too. But I don't think I would be able to snatch a seventh year that easily. No one likes to go with a fourteen-year-old."

"You knew that and you are telling me now!" Tom stood up.

"Isn't the student council secretly helping in organising the party? What I was supposed to say to you when you already knew." Ginny leaned back looking totally opposite of how Tom was feeling.

"I didn't know Harry was going to the New Year's Day party. I didn't think he wanted to. He is not even fond of dancing." Tom said as paced around her.

"It's good if he's going. He gets asked a lot but he never goes out with any of them. Not even when Cho asked him the last time. What do you think about the reason he does that?"

She stood up with a jump and pulled back the sleeves of her oversized hoodie. She looked at him expectantly and frowned in frustration when he didn't reply.

"He wants that from you!"

"No, he doesn't. He actually has brains. He never behaves like that with me." He looks down at his palms. "And I can't do all that. I am not someone who can snog him watching the sunset or make love songs about him."

"I know you will never date anyone. If you don't want to date him, at least be happy he's not backing up from doing what makes him happy.

"I have snakes in the house. I ask you because you are the only person who can willingly tell me about him. You are actively supporting Diggory in front of me. Fucking Gryffindors." Tom looked at her with a betrayed expression.

"Stop looking like a kicked puppy. I may be consider you family but so is Harry and I am not going to support you if you plan to aimlessly fool around with him."

She kicked him lightly in the calf.

"Ah!" Tom shoved her away.

"What did you think will happen if you never plan to move forward? That nobody else will do anything too. Now, don't try to eliminate Diggory from your list of obstacles. Talking about it with Harry is the only option that's going to bear any real results if you don't like him dating others."

"And how's that going to turn out well if he's already going with Diggory?" Tom gritted through his teeth.

"Do you know? He always packs only two to three sandwiches when I wake up late. He brought seven today. I think you have some advantage over others." She winked at him. "Now, I don't have class today, but yours starts in fifteen minutes. So, hurry up before you miss that too."

"Take this," Tom said as he shoved the bag of sandwiches to Abraxas who was sitting with Barty early in the empty classroom.

"Did you get it for me?" He brightened up.

"No, Harry did," Tom said as he sat down beside him.

"Asshole. He's more my friend than you. A shame he must have saved it for you, anyways." Barty said perched on a table.

Abraxas took out two sandwiches in both hands and rushed to eat them.

"No, he knows I don't like cheese on my sandwiches," Tom said, looking distracted.

"What happened now? Did you really have a domestic with your husband?" Barty said, biting into a sandwich.

"I think we are not supposed to eat in the classroom, Mr. Crouch." Professor Snape said slowly.

Barty froze in his ministration watching a fully-fledged Snape standing in front of the teacher's desk.

"Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Malfoy?" He tilted his head towards Abraxas who was choking on the sandwiches.

They looked at Tom for help who had already seated on his desk looking innocent and pristine as always.

"Now, out of the class for breaking my rules." He said as if they were fools to not already have done that.

They begrudgingly put the sandwiches down and stood up.

"Sir, I apologize for not being able to stop them from acting so outlandishly foolish in your class and breaking the rules," Tom said grimly.

And the other two looked at him in disbelief.

But he merely smiled looking at the professor and continued in a polite tone. "But the class had not started yet. Hence, they couldn't be compelled to any of the punishments which are supposed to be given during the commencement of the lecture, as you have stated yourself before."

He stood up and walked to Abraxas's side.

"Can you please spare them for a moment? Abraxas here had something to tell you about a New Year's party he is being forced to fund. Surely, you wouldn't let your anger cloud your judgement as a teacher to put a student's call for aid before their little mistakes."

The others looked at him with open jaws as the favourite student forced their potions master to take back his punishment and let them continue their breakfast all the while ceasing any plans of a party to happen and going back to the prefect meeting two hours later to break the news of their plans getting stomped.