Tom walked through a corridor. His left hand was holding a small open book as his eyes inspected the words written in it. His right hand was toying with his Phoenix-cored wand. It was a corridor on the third floor which was usually abandoned. Thanks to his Prefect duties; he fairly knew almost every corner of that floor. He was not even bothering to look where he was going. Thus, it was kind of a shock for him when he came across a lean figure sitting near one stone pillar. With its head bent into the book, the figure was completely oblivious to the fact that it was not alone in that corridor anymore.

          "Adrian? What are you doing here?" Tom asked the first-year Slytherin. He pocketed his wand.

          The shock from a sudden intrusion caused the boy to shake. The hold he had on his quill loosened and it landed right where the sixth-year Prefect stood quite dramatically. The senior Slytherin student couldn't help but chuckle. Was clumsiness an integral part of those who shared the blood of Winters? Goldsteins, he corrected himself wordlessly.

          "Oh! Hey Tom," the kid muttered once he composed himself. Well, at least he tried to since his signature pale face was then coloured in his embarrassment. The brown-haired boy stood up from his place and he was about to bend down and pick his quill when Tom stopped the boy and picked it up himself. To be honest, the teenager would have loved to see the younger boy bowing in front of him. It would have definitely endorsed his unhealthy obsession overpower, but at that time in his life, Tom wanted to maintain his good boy facade.

          "Thanks!" Adrian appreciated. His eyes shone from the admiration he felt. Like he wanted to be in Tom's shoes. Like he wanted to be just like an heir of Slytherin. Poor lad! He didn't know how venomous the snake, that he was idealizing, really was. Adrian had no idea how misleading Tom's actions really were. How could he? When even grown-ups like their headmaster Dippet were oblivious to these facts even after knowing that viper for five full years.

            "What are you doing here? Are you alone?" Tom asked the boy. Not bothering with pleasantries, his mind focused on the matters at hand. No one usually bothered coming to the corridor they were in. Maybe it was because it never leads to anything that was a student's concern, but that didn't leave Tom from exploring it. And apparently, it didn't leave Adrian Winters, either.

           "I am studying here alone. No one from my year wants to talk to me." Though he tried his best, his voice broke a little in the end. It was not uncommon for Slytherins, especially pure-bloods, to treat their own kin differently, especially non-pure-bloods. And so, the latter had to work harder when they were in the silver house, to prove their worth. It was something Tom didn't escape from either. However, he had a certain Avery to help him out. And coincidentally, the boy before him had one Avery too. Unlike the previous scenario though, this another Avery was not a solution, but a problem itself. A smirk graced Tom's lips when he recalled one particular night.

*Flashback*

           Tom looked around himself. He was trying to find one particular boy. The dark-headed blue-eyed boy who was quite similar to his one particular pal. He was trying to look for an eleven-year-old Ares Avery. And he had a perfect idea where the latter could be.

           His chocolate orbs landed on a young boy wearing a fitted dress leaning across a wooden door. The boy turned around and his eyes got connected to the most admired pupil of their era. Like any other normal wizard, he was no exception to Riddle charm either.

          "Hey, Tom!"

          "Hello there, Ares!" Tom greeted back. His voice was perfectly calm and collected, hiding absolutely well that he hadn't just come out of his way to meet a younger Avery. Like he hadn't just entered the fifth floor of that ancient castle for the first time, without any Prefect duties.

           "I didn't know you like listening to music as well," Ares added to the conversation. His head bobbed in the direction of a music classroom of the school. It was funny really, to see an otherwise strict boy getting fascinated by something as trivial as vibrations of thin chords or the sounds of any musical instrument for that matter.

           "Now you do," Tom lied through his teeth. His smile was still in its place. Anything to charm his next target to give him what he desired. "What are you still doing here? Shouldn't you be on your way to the common room? It is close to your curfew time."

           "I know, but I couldn't resist. Beside that room suffocates me." Ares spat the last sentence, "that mud-blood in my room makes it impossible for me to have some peace."

           Tom still couldn't get over the fact that how different those brothers were. Anthony was calm, loving and caring to almost everyone, and quite open-minded. Ares was impatient, loving and caring to only a few, and close-minded. They were opposites. The only thing they shared was the love they had for one another. Despite their flaws, they accepted one another. Something that Tom envied, yet admired. Not that he was going to admit that to anyone.

          Tom hid his amusements.

          He wanted to correct Ares, but why should he when he could use it to his advantage?

         "You don't know if he actually is a muggle-born. However, I understand your concern," Tom spoke diplomatically.

         "You do?" Ares asked intrigued.

         "If I was in your place, I would have never associated myself with him as well. I would have left him to fend off for himself."

          There was a little truth in that. If Tom would have been a pure-blood, he wouldn't have associated himself with anyone having even one drop of muggle blood in its veins. His every encounter with the non-magical world made him despise that world more and more.

*Flashback Ends*  

          Tom smiled inwardly. Ares was a popular Slytherin. Even in the span as short as just two months, the boys in his class started following his lead. He was a charmer and a leader in his own way. And the Prefect knew that turning him against young Winters would definitely isolate the boy in his own house. It was something Tom intended to do, in order for himself to get a chance and bring the young boy under his wings.

          "Adrian, why don't you come and sit with us during the dinner?" Tom suggested. That perfect manipulator! He knew when to press which button.

           He had no interest in the boy. Not even the slightest. To Tom, he was just a mean to keep his girl close. To control the girl who belonged to him. The girl which made him lose his control.

*Flashback*

           "W-What are you doing?"

           "Showing off what is already mine." And with that, Tom leaned down and covered Alexa's lips with his.

           He did it to show that she was his. He knew.

            He did it to put a stop to anyone getting an idea otherwise. He knew.

            He did it because of her answer, her innocence nagged him to do it. He knew.

            He did it because he wanted to. He knew not.

            His right hand tightened around her waist caging her petite body in his comparatively bigger, stronger and fitter body. His slightly chapped lips moving across her soft ones in a familiarity. The friction between the set of two lips was commanding the badger girl to kiss him back. To reciprocate the passion that he was feeling. To forget the crowd and enjoy what they shared. To celebrate the fire that exploded between their bodies.

            And she acknowledged. How could she not? His message was loud and clear. The girl kissed him back. Her hands automatically wound around his slender neck. Her palms reached out to trace temporary patterns in those thick, black and otherwise always maintained curls. The simple motion ignited so many emotions in their hormonal bodies. The bodies, whose oblivious owners didn't exactly know, that craved one another.

            Now that he knew that she was not going to pull away from him, he traced his left hand from her chin to her cheek. His long, lean fingers were caressing her freckled skin. Even in that situation, he noticed how her small face fitted perfectly in his slightly rougher and bigger palms. He found her smallness enticing. It made him feel in control. Like if he wanted he could cage her in his hands alone for the rest of their lives. Like if he wanted he could make sure that she would be by his side for the eternity. Like if he wanted he could control her, direct her, and look after her. At that moment, it didn't cross his mind what he wanted in his life, what power meant for him. What mattered was him. Him with her. They together. Against anything that could break them apart.

           As he continued his caressing, his finger touched a small metal. A shiver ran through his body at its coolness. He couldn't resist. His left pointer and thumb grabbed onto her ear-ring. His other fingers buried deep inside her black bangs.

           Alexa shivered as his nails touched her scalp. A moan involuntarily left her mouth as Tom combined his action with parting her lips using his tongue. A motion was so fluid that it caught her off-guard. Her reaction fueled his tongue to dare and explore her mouth. Her tongue, not losing a chance, massaged his, confusing Tom to whether continue the exploration of her mouth or massage hers in return. Not knowing that he had surrendered, unconsciously, he did the latter. His badger was learning. Learning from him, how to kiss. How to seduce. And she had done just that. Quite successfully if one wanted to admit the truth. Their mouths added fuel to their passion.

          By now, they had both forgotten, that this was supposed to be a show. A kiss of just an audience. But the chemistry their bodies shared had obviated any traces of an actual purpose the moment their bodies got connected through their fiery lips. Alexa, feeling daring enough, traced her palms from behind his neck to the front of his white shirt. Her palms rested flat on his sculpted chest. Her right palm could feel the beat of his heart. The speed surprised her. Because not only it was fast, but also it matched hers. They both were on the same page. Same line. Oh, Helga! They were on the same damn word.

           "Mr Riddle!" The female voice shrilled. Apparently, their librarian had kindly joined their audience.

           "Not again! Fu-," Tom swore under his breath. Their kiss, the day they made an arrangement, was also interrupted the same way. That day Tom was thankful for the interruption of Bloody Baron. But today, he was frustrated.

             Even if he didn't complete his sentence Alexa got his message again. Loud and Clear. The deep rosy blush was a real proof of that. Tom knew that this was not just because they were caught. Again. It was because he almost let an F-word slip. The word was used rarely in his times. So... did it mean she knew that Tom wondered. She was not that innocent. He realized. Not anymore at least. Maybe he was growing on her. A satisfyingly attractive smirk graced his plump lips.

 *Flashback Ends*

           "Won't it create a problem for you?" The eleven-year-old brought Tom back to reality.

           "No, it won't. Unlike some, I don't judge people solely on their parentage." And no lie that came out of those sinful lips was whiter than that little sentence.

            No one knew blood-status of Tom. They just assumed that he was pure since he was so brilliant. Sadly, that is the way any society works. People just assume the most convenient thing. A thing that would keep their baseless pride intact. Adrian smiled wide. His innocence shone brightly on his features.

           "If that is the case, I would love to have dinner with you lot."

~*~*~

I hope you liked the chapter. Did you like a small act of manipulation by Tom? I really enjoyed writing that. I wanted to keep kiss more intense, but it was a library. And I have to respect that.

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Thank you all!!!