Tom Riddle ²

It was Christmas at Hogwarts, and the castle was unusually quiet, as most students had returned home. Only a few, including you and Tom Riddle, had stayed. Outside, a snowstorm raged over the lake, while the Slytherin common room offered warm refuge.

While making yourself a cup of tea, you decided to make an extra one for Tom, trying to break through his usual isolation, intensified by the holiday he so detested. Upon handing him the cup, he looked up, surprised but cold in his reaction, nodding in acknowledgement.

You sat opposite him, enjoying the silence that, though heavy, wasn't uncomfortable. The crackling of the wood filled the air, and for a moment, the snowstorm and the coldness of his gaze seemed less hostile. Sharing that tea, though without words, was a small gesture to try and break through the barrier Tom had built between himself and the world. Perhaps, that night, he would accept the company in silence, letting the warmth of the fireplace and the simple act of drinking together envelop him gently.