Chapter Twenty-Five: Pureblooded

Cordelia had forgotten how good of a distraction balls happened to be.

There was something about the urgency to maintain a sense of perfection that left no room for any invasive thoughts, especially ones that revolved around the missing Dark Lord who loved to rain on her parade.

It had been almost a week since Tom had returned from the ministry with Dumbledore and Dippet, allowing the trio to subject the poor Gryffindor half-giant to a broken wand and ostracization of the worst degree. However, Cordelia had not once spotted the notorious brunette boy throughout those seven days.

One would presume the two would at least cross paths once or twice due to their close quarters, however, that thought was almost as foolish as Cordelia's hopes to interact with him in classes.

Tom had all but taken to pretending she didn't exist, and if it weren't for the off side glance during the classes that forced them to sit together Cordelia would have probably thought he had forgotten she existed.

His ignorance was agitating but it also allowed her some time to get back to her normal self, indulging in balls and usual academics that served as stellar distractions. After a week of working on every angle of the ball and ensuring it was perfect, it was safe to say Cordelia had returned to her usual self, which she missed far more than a certain head boy.

Missed.

The mere thought of missing Tom's company was enough to make her scoff as Cordelia yet again attempted to fruitlessly twirl her hair into a hairstyle that suited her gown. Slughorn's ball was due to start any minute, but even with the perfect gown she somehow couldn't bring her outfit together.

Cordelia had taken quite an affinity to gold over the past few weeks, swapping out her black and silver gowns for ones with intricate gold detailing similar to the one she chose to wear for the Slug Club's first ball.

Silver normally brought out the blue in her eyes, but it was gold that made her brown strands and porcelain form seem almost ethereal. With her long hem, sweetheart neckline and gold heels Cordelia was certain to steal the show that day, however, somehow she couldn't find it in herself to feel the confidence she usually exuded.

"Do a half-up."

The sudden intrusion made Cordelia automatically whirl around, coming face-to-face with the very boy who had been ignoring her.

Of course, Cordelia had forgotten to lock her room door while getting ready for the ball. And of course, Tom had taken that as an invite to intrude on her privacy, just like he loved to do whenever presented with the opportunity. However, unlike every other time over the years, she found herself feeling a sense of relief as their gazes met.

Tom didn't wait for a response, moving away from the door frame he had been leaning against to instead slot himself behind her and begin styling her hair.

It was only when he parted the upper half of her hair into two bits and pinned them together that Cordelia finally decided to break the silence, addressing the real reason she had felt a sense of unease throughout the entire day, a reason that she refused to admit even to herself.

"You're coming?"

Tom hummed at the simple question, only responding once he had finished her hair and turned her around to face the mirror before them.

"You promised Slughorn we would attend together."

As their gazes met in the mirror Cordelia couldn't help but feel her unease return. Usually, it would be their close proximity or his hand on her hip that would make her feel uncomfortable, but this time, it was Tom's red-rimmed eyes that made her feel like a prey dancing around its predator's home.

The change wasn't strong enough to be noticeable to most, but it was the kind of shift that you couldn't unsee once you noticed it. And unfortunately for Cordelia, who always had an affinity for looking at people head-on, a simple change in irises was more than visible.

However, as she turned her head to the side to examine her hair she couldn't help but replace the feeling with pleasant surprise as she noticed the gold and black flower hair clip he had used, one that she certainly had never seen before much less owned.

"Shall we?"

Being the witch on Tom's arm was a tricky affair, but as she accepted his hand and allowed Tom to lead them towards the dungeons Cordelia realised she preferred being by his side over being yet another worthless pawn in his eyes.

Slughorn seemed elated as he introduced Slytherin's best to his special guests.

In a way, it was befitting that the head of the only pureblood house was someone well-associated with important figures throughout the Wizarding World. Be it ministers, celebrities, political figures or up-and-coming stars, Slughorn was seemingly associated with every single important witch or wizard.

It was one of the things that made his Slug Club meetings worth it. After all, what was a little bit of patience and endurance if it meant meeting people who could heavily influence your future career?

"-I've been telling the two to join the ministry for ages! However, they still haven't disclosed any plans."

The minister by Slughorn's side sent Cordelia and Tom a surprised look at his words, no doubt seeing the moment as an opportunity to stir them to work under him. However, just like every other person they had spoken to, the two were quick to ease their way out of any discussions of the future.

After all, becoming the minister of magic and a self-proclaimed Dark Lord wasn't exactly the kind of life goal to be discussed with authoritative figures.

"Actually, Mr Travers, I would like to steal Cordelia away for a dance before the night ends."

The two of them had been saving each other with such interventions for the entirety of the night, however, this time Slughorn was sly enough to actually trap them into dancing with one another rather than letting them linger in the corner of the room for a moment or two.

"Tom m'boy that is a grand idea! The night, unfortunately, isn't as young as it used to be, so how about we end Cordelia's exemplary ball with a dance or two?"

Students and guests alike were quick to grab a partner and head to the centre of the room as they heard Slughorn's exclamation, urging the band playing at the back of the room to switch from their upbeat music to a softer ballroom song that was fit for slow dancing.

Slow dancing was always an intriguing feat.

It allowed people to simmer down and focus on the moment itself, bringing together people in the best, and sometimes worst, kinds of ways. Some of Cordelia's favourite memories as a child were made during slow songs in pureblooded balls that made for excellent opportunities to mess around, but those songs also held the bittersweet sting of reality and adulthood.

How she had changed from the fun-loving little Lia who led the gang of pureblooded misfits of the decade to Cordelia Black, the refined pureblood witch who had to be on her best behaviour constantly.

Yet somehow, it was Tom Riddle who brought a balance to those two worlds, who allowed the part of her she loved and the part of her she needed to coexist without wreaking havoc to the world in the process. Unless, of course, that was what they wanted.

And in a way, even if he would never admit it, Cordelia knew was what brought that balance to his life. The person who allowed him to be Tom Riddle and the Dark Lord without having to choose.

If only their relationship hadn't been so complicated, if Cordelia had roped him into her little group or he hadn't manipulated his way in and out of her life time and time again. If only things were different, perhaps then they could be with each other and allow their best selves to coexist.

But they weren't, and there was no point fantasizing of what-ifs when the present reality needed tending to.

"You didn't have to do the work for me."

Tom whispered the words against the shell of her shoulder as he twirled her in time to the music, ensuring he was low enough for no one to pay them any mind.

"It's the least I can do after you cleared my name."

He was surprised, to say the least. His reaction was justified considering Cordelia herself was surprised at her honestly, after all, even when their faux friendship was at its peak she had never been this nice to him. His surprise, however, was quickly replaced with guarded disdain when she continued.

"You know, after putting in all this work on your behalf I think you owe me something."

"And what would that be?"

Cordelia waited for the music's build-up to pass, only responding once Tom had dipped her and once again brought her impossibly close to him.

"The truth."

He remained quiet for a large portion of the song, genuinely contemplating her demands and searching for a response that would satisfy her but not reveal too much. In the end, he decided to settle on figuring out how much she knew and moving forward from there, which, as always, was a smart move on his part.

"What do you know?"

Cordelia took a second to adjust her stance so that she could look over his shoulder and make sure no one was paying attention to them, only speaking once she was certain the coast was clear.

"I know you made a Horcrux."

If she thought they were close before then their current proximity would be considered another level of closeness with the way Tom tugged onto her waist and pulled her close enough for Cordelia to feel his black button-up press against her as he spoke directly into her ear.

"You catch on fast."

His nonchalance bothered her more than it should have, making Cordelia sigh and consider abandoning her pursuit entirely. However, that was hard to do when his hand was gripping hers in a death hold while his other hand on her waist ensured she didn't move more than the dance required.

"A Horcrux is no joke, Tom."

With the way she uttered it, his name felt like it was meant to be spoken by her and her alone, like a sacred prayer that could make Merlin himself bend in her favour. The sound made him loosen his hold enough for Cordelia to move around so she could stare into his eyes as she continued.

"This isn't just cursing classmates or stealing books, it's murder."

The way she hissed the last word made his lazy smirk return as Tom yet again twirled her around, this time making her walk a step back before pulling her in again, as was customary for the dance.

"What you don't seem to understand, Cordelia is that this is exactly what I have been planning my entire life."

If the way she said his name sounded like a prayer then the way Tom said hers couldn't be compared to anything but an imprecation. Like dark curses muttered in the middle of the night and soft swears concealed under the mask of sacrilege. If her call for him was a plea for safety, his was but a curse of chaos, one that had her stunned into silence as he continued.

"This is the beginning of my story. And neither you nor Dumbledore can steal it from me."

As the song came to a final booming crescendo Cordelia couldn't help but feel her heart fall with the beat, for Tom Riddle had handed himself over to the dark side, and there was no coming back from the sins and sacrilege he would no doubt commit.

However, somehow, she found it in herself to paint on a small smile as he leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead long enough for the likes of Slughorn and Druella to notice.

The room around her seemed to erupt with gossip and murmurs as Tom Riddle excused himself, but even as Druella squealed by her side and went on about how glad she was that they had finally begun courting each other, all Cordelia Black could think of was his bloodshot eyes.

And the promise they held of a dark paradise she couldn't change.