A very happy birthday! (Birthday FIC)
... for one the driving forces of the S.S. Sssssss,
elfgirljen! I wrote a little something for the occasion. I had meant for it to be a simple cookie but it turned out a bit longer. (And that's probably the only time you'll ever hear me say such a thing)
So, especially for you:
Disclaimer: Everything related to the Harry Potter universe isn't mine. I think everything is said with that.
Dedicated to: elfgirljen
Title: Exploiting a Weakness
Summary: Detention! Again! Is there a pattern in there?
Rating: PG
Pairing: Harry / Tom-Voldemort
Word Count: 1303
“Detention, Potter!”
Harry sighed, this was the third time in less than a month. One would almost think that professor Riddle held a grudge against him, but wait, how could they possibly come up with that idea anyway. He inwardly rolled his eyes at the self-pity. Ron and Hermione threw him sympathetic looks.
Since the arrival of yet another professor, Defence Against the Dark Arts had undergone a rather drastic change of curriculum. In fact, he had the feeling that the whole world had turned upside down and he was the only one left thinking straight. Perhaps it was hormones or a spell keeping the inhabitants of the castle in its thrall. Teenagers were said to be prone to the first one but Dumbledore certainly should not be susceptible anymore. (though you could never be sure when it came to that man) Harry had no clue about what was really happening but felt quite disoriented of late. Was he the only one to notice?
For one, no one seemed to think it odd that Tom Riddle was teaching and if his eyes had not deceived him Dumbledore had cracked a joke with said wizard this morning during breakfast. The latter had intercepted Harry’s odd look and returned it with one of those mysterious smiles he often gave Harry. It made him edgy, to say the least.
He knocked on the door and entered after Riddle’s smoothly intoned “Enter”. Everything about the man unnerved him and his voice was one of the main things. Together with his eyes. They weren’t red anymore (as if that would be the last straw for it all to become too obvious, not that it made that much difference. His name was a dead give away, to name one thing.) Their dark brown glittering was even worse though, because they conveyed emotion and expression, incredible as it was. They made Harry feel vulnerable and that was one thing he couldn’t afford when in the presence of Tom.
“Good evening, Harry”
“Good evening, professor” he gritted his teeth. “Care to tell me why I’m here this time?”
Tom sighed deeply. “The fact that you have to ask hurts me, Harry. Tell me, haven’t we shared a deepest mutual understanding since the day you were born?”
“Sure Tom, of course we did. You know you lie very close to my heart” Harry said sarcastically.
The other wizard smiled. “There is a certain intimacy in trying to kill each other. If you think about it you’ll have to agree. You occupy a special place in my heart, if only because none of my previous victims managed to keep my attention for so long. They usually died pretty quickly.” He almost seemed contemplative.
“Such a heart-warming speech” Harry said. He sat on the chair before the desk. Tom was drinking tea from a kitten printed mug. The heritage of Umbridge.
“Fetching” Harry grinned, pointing at it.
“Even Dark Wizards have their weaknesses. Don’t exploit it” Tom huffed.
“All right, Voldemort, slayer of kittens. Just once again: how come you are here at Hogwarts? Just… why and how?”
“I told you before that I’d go to greater lengths than you can imagine to get… my hands on you.”
“Right” Harry fidgeted with his bag. “I’ll just write lines then?”
“Harry… give me some credit. Surely we can invent something more creative.”
“I’m quite conventional, actually” he replied quickly. “I don’t much like the thought of you and creative in one sentence”
Tom chuckled. “Yes, my reputation precedes me. I’ll just interrogate you then.”
“On course material?” Harry intercepted quickly.
“Of course” the professor - turned - Dark Lord answered annoyed. “Defence Against the Dark Arts, was it?”
“Yes, Tom. And you’re the teacher, remember?” Harry rolled his eyes.
“Yes, fine. Now, how do you defeat a Dark immortal wizard?”
Harry stared. It was almost too ridiculous but Tom seemed to be enjoying himself reasonably well. “You tell me. And then I’ll test the theory to the practise”
“I’m not telling you!”
“It’s your job, remember?”
“Dark Lords have the privilege to cheat” Tom smiled and showed his teeth.
“I should have known. Next question then” Harry sighed.
“How do you survive a Dark Lord?” Tom asked testily.
“Erm… not anger them?”
“Precisely. You failed miserably, seeing as I put you in detention. Again”
“I prefer that to your cruciatus curse at any rate.”
“You enjoy my company?”
“I didn’t say that. And how exactly did I anger you this time?”
“How do you keep a Dark Lord from being angry at you?” his question was evaded not so subtly.
“Erm… practically everything I do angers you…”
“You’re not trying very hard, are you Potter?” Tom said annoyed.
“You’re mocking me!”
“I am the bane of your existence” the other wizard stated with a smirk. He had his feet propped up on his desk and looked rather menacingly with his black robes and now red eyes again. It was a pity of that teacup. “Another try, Harry, or I might be forced to undertake repercussions” He casually tapped his wand against the desk.
“No pressure at all” Harry mumbled. “Okay… not joining you is a definite no?”
“I love hearing you speak like that” Tom murmured.
“I can imagine. Another go… refusing to torture muggles provokes a really nasty reaction from your side”
“I’d always give you another go, Harry” he smiled wickedly.
Harry faked a smile in response, thoroughly annoyed. “Can I go now? This is so pointless.”
“Try again. You’re doing a great job”
“Allowing your Death Eaters to dismember and boil me alive would make you quite ecstatic as well, I believe.”
“Would be quite the waste. But do ignore my advances. I’m becoming used to it by now, so far into term.” Tom said with an almost convincing pout. He needed just that extra bit of practise.
Tom, I hate you.” Harry pointed out logically.
“I’m your teacher, show some respect.”
“I don’t like you all that much, Sir.” He smiled.
“Is that why you didn’t get me a birthday present?”
“It’s your birthday?”
“It was yesterday.”
“Don’t tell me that’s why I’m in detention…”
“Ah… I thought you needed a little reminder.”
Harry flew up from his chair and pounced on Tom. . “I can’t believe it! I missed Quidditch practise for that!”
“Come on, Harry, don’t skirt around it.”
“Around what?”
“Kiss me already”
“I beg your pardon?” he laughed in astonishment but that didn’t last long. Tom pulled his head down and pressed his lips against Harry’s in one quick motion. His eyes grew big but the other wizard kept his head still with a strong grip. He slipped his tongue in Harry’s mouth. It wasn’t at all unpleasant, actually.
Tom released him but his reflexes failed him, or perhaps his instincts had turned against him. His mind too was rebelling against the small part of him that was shouting silently to find his sanity back, and fast.
Their tongues disentangled reluctantly and they regained their breath. What had been seconds seemed minutes. Harry noticed he was clinging to Tom’s robes and quickly let go. He took a step back.
“That was a more than acceptable present, Mr. Potter. You may go now” Tom said slyly, leaning back and looking very relaxed. And smug.
“Yeah… I’ll be on my way.” Harry replied dazedly. He walked automatically to the door.
“Oh and Harry?”
He looked back.
“Don’t forget your detention tomorrow.”
“I don’t think I will” he answered, still somewhat in trance.
“I’m looking forwards to it” Tom had put his legs back on the desk and smiled that insufferable smile again.
“It’s better than your cruciatus curse at any rate” Harry grinned back before leaving to his dormitory, shaking his head in amazement.
The world had definitely turned upside down.