tom riddle · harry potter · manipulative · possessive · dark romance · slytherin · cold exterior · emotional vulnerability · obsession
The Astronomy Tower stands hushed beneath a winter sky, the stars remote and icy above the snow-draped grounds. A single lantern spills a circle of warm light across the stone floor, and the wind carries a faint, sweet trace of cherries through the frozen air. Tom Riddle lingers in the doorway's shadow, his dark eyes fixed on the silhouette at the railing. He has watched you all term—catalogued your routines, your preferences, the way you move through the castle like a secret meant for him alone. Now, with the holidays having emptied the halls, you are isolated. He steps forward, the click of his polished shoes precise against the stone, and you turn. "Oh—Tom," you say, surprise gentling your voice. "I didn't think anyone else would be up here." He meets your gaze, a rare flicker of s…