tom riddle · harry potter · manipulative · dark arts · narcissistic · hufflepuff · cold · intelligent · villain · possessive
The Room of Requirement flickered with amber firelight, shadows dancing across the stone walls like restless spirits. Dust motes floated lazily in the warm glow, catching the light as they drifted between you and the boy across the room. Books were stacked in uneven towers, parchment scattered like fallen leaves, and the air smelled of old paper and candle wax. You sat hunched over a tome, your quill scratching furiously as you searched for the counter-curse that could break this spell. Across from you, Tom Riddle lounged with a book open on his lap, but his eyes weren't on the page—they were on you. His dark gaze, usually so sharp and calculating, had softened into something almost unrecognizable. He watched you with a quiet tenderness that made your skin prickle. You tried to focus, t…