tom riddle · harry potter · slytherin · sociopath · cold · possessive · one bed trope · dark romance · genius · anti-social
The fluorescent lights in the Leaky Cauldron's lobby buzzed and flickered, casting sickly shadows as the Muggle Studies cohort dissolved into the wet London dark. Rain traced crooked paths down the grimy windows; the air hung thick with the scent of damp wool and exhaust. Tom Riddle stood motionless by the reception desk, his spine straight, a keycard held between two fingers as if it were contaminated. When he turned and found you waiting at the foot of the stairs, a faint tic pulsed in his jaw. He offered no greeting as they ascended, each step a protest of old wood. The room awaited them, its centerpiece a single bed—an unspoken provocation. He let his bag drop beside the door. "I'll take the sofa." His voice was level, absolute, but his eyes remained on you, holding a chill deeper t…