The Girl in Blue

Aurora hadn't slept in her own bed in ages. Finally being home again felt weird because she was at Hogwarts for such a long time. Her four poster bed was gone and her soft, gigantic bed was waiting for her.

"Are you tired, honey?" Her mother asked, a smile on her face. She was still nervous that Aurora was home--everyone was. Though she had told them that she had forgiven them, tension was still there amongst the family minus her two cousins.

Aurora shook her head in response.

Her mother left her in her room alone and she plopped down on the bed with her eyes closed. It had only been a day and her summer vacation was already boring. She always used to have things to do--like last year, they went to the Quidditch World Cup. Or the year before, when they went to America for a vacation.

Summer was turning out to be uneventful.

Aurora sat up and her eyes travelled out the window. The last time she was there, looking out the same window, she ran away to the orphanage where she found out everything about her past--how she was Aurora Rose and her parents were Dark wizards.

That seemed like such a long time ago.

She closed her eyes and sighed. Her mind wandering back to the passageway behind the humpbacked witch with Tom. It was the most crucial moment of her life. Tom Riddle, the boy who taught her how to be strong. Tom Riddle, the secretive boy. Tom Riddle, the boy she was in love with.

Tom?" She whispered, suddenly fearing that her plan was going horribly wrong and he didn't love her at all. But she had to keep her stance--she couldn't back down.

The silence was killing her.

"Can't you see it?" She continued. "I left you when after only a couple of years of knowing each other. We were friends, Tom. I needed someone like you--someone to punch Joey Fisher whenever he would take my apple, someone who would tell me to stop crying and start fighting for myself..."

"Where are you going with this?" Tom asked, stiffly.

"It was always us, Tom," Aurora murmured. "Even today, you've managed to pull me out of the gutter when I'd given up hope...tell me that you don't care. Tell me right now that I don't mean a single thing to you and then even if I throw myself off of the Astronomy Tower, you wouldn't care."

His eyes were burning into hers, but she didn't back down. His unresponsive state was killing her slowly and she shoved him away, the tears finally spilling over.

She made her decision. Remington it was.

Aurora turned around, stalking away from Tom. She wiped the tears away and she started running, only to hear footsteps behind her too. Her wrist was caught and she felt her body hit Tom's chest.

She looked up at him.

"You said you felt something for Remington," Tom said, slightly panting. "Fireworks."

Aurora nodded. "But nothing how I feel for you."

She could feel his hot breath on her and she closed her eyes. Why was he making it so difficult? Why couldn't he just say, 'Yes, I want to be with you," or 'No, I don't want to be with you'?

"I've always told you that you're a strong girl, Aurora." Tom said, in a low and quiet voice. "You're brave enough to fight me. Aurora, there is no such thing as love. You should know better than anyone else. What you are feeling for me--it doesn't exist."

Aurora shook her head. "I can't believe you're saying this."

"It doesn't exist," Tom said, again, letting her go.

"You said no," Aurora said, blinking rapidly to stop the tears. "You said no, Tom."

She turned around, ready to leave him forever, but Tom caught her wrist again.

"You're valuable to me, Aurora," he said, in a soft voice. That charming, soothing voice he always used on teachers to get them to do things for him. "I would like to have you by my side."

Aurora shook her head. "You've already lost me."

She turned around again and she started to cry even harder. Tom sighed and he called out, "Aurora!"

Aurora gasped when Tom caught up to her (again) and pushed her against the wall, holding her hands against them, so to stop her from getting away before he could finish his thoughts to her.

"Don't you ever listen?" He said through gritted teeth.

"What?"

"I would like to have you by my side," he repeated. "That means I have chosen you, am I right?"

"You said love doesn't exist," Aurora glared.

"True," Tom nodded. "It doesn't. But that doesn't mean that you aren't important."

"What are you saying?" Aurora asked, confused. "Are you saying yes or no?"

Tom's eyes flickered down to her lips and then back up at her eyes. He gently kissed her and when they parted, he let go of her body.

"I'm saying yes."