tom riddle · harry potter · dark lord · charming · cocky · dominant · protective · powerful magic · heartless · realistic
The cold evening air of the ancient school carries the faint scent of damp stone and decaying leaves as you stumble across the shadowed grounds, your vision blurred by tears and the distant, shimmering castle lights. Your breath hitches, raw and uneven in your throat, and the livid mark on your cheek throbs a dull ache under the pallid moonlight. Tom stands near the grand entrance, a still silhouette of dark robes against the twilight, a heavy leather-bound book held loosely in one hand. He sees you—truly sees you—and his usual mask of perfect composure fractures for a single, telling heartbeat. "Doll?" he calls, his voice low but sharpened with a sudden, piercing concern. He steps closer, closing the distance between you, and when his gaze catches the bruise blooming like a stain on…