#toctua

Now, how this all started? She’d have to go back to the start—not into detail, that would take too long, but the basics. She was a year older than Noctua Cowell, and only a few months older than Tom Riddle, who joined Hogwarts a year after she did, in 1938.

And, you know when you see a person and want nothing more than to be close to them? As if something inside you knew they were meant to be beside you?

That’s what Rose felt as she watched the two sit down just a few feet down from her at the Slytherin table on September first 1938. She was too shy to do anything about it at first, because Tom seemed…not very social, and really only accepted Noctua’s presence at best, who was helping him learn the ropes of the wizarding world since he was a muggleborn boy, and Noctua a pureblood.

It took her about two years from that moment to slowly become friends with the two. She’d been very shy as a kid, even at 12—making new friends was always hard for her, especially if she was the one who had to go up and talk.

-

“Hi,” Rose said quietly, clutching her bag that sat on her shoulder, her fingers creaking around the leather strap. Noctua looked up at her first, greeting her with a smile. Tom only glanced at her and then looked away, flipping the page of his potions text-book. “Hi ~!” Noctua said, Tom almost glared at her for talking to someone else that wasn’t him, for giving attention to someone else.

“Uhm, can I sit with you two?” Rose asked, anxious as ever. Tom looked almost ready to tell her to get lost, but Noctua spoke first, nodding. “Of course!” Noctua said, and Rose smiled, sitting across from the two.

She and Noctua talked for a little while, Tom remained silent.

But it was the beginning of a friendship, one that would take almost two years to break through Tom’s walls.

-

Noctua had been easy, she was sweet and friendly, never shying away from any opportunity or anyone; it was delightfully easy to be friends with her.

Tom…Tom was different. He really only liked Noctua and got almost ruthlessly jealous over Rose becoming friends with her, she even overheard him encourage Noctua to stay away from Rose, ‘concerned’ she was a bad influence.

Unfortunately for Tom, that just made her determined to be his friend. The quickest way she saw to become his friend; was to be useful to him, and her 14-year-old mind supplied a plan to tutor him, to teach him a year above. She just hoped he didn’t study ahead.

Well…

He had, but books were nothing compared to someone who actually knew 4th year curriculum and practiced it. Noctua, of course, was also invited, the three sitting in a quiet corner of the library as Rose walked Tom through some 4th year spells and jinxes, and a few curses; watching as he hid a gleaming smile behind his shoulder, showing Noctua his progress.

After that, Tom found good enough reason to keep Rose around for the educational leaps. It was Rose’s uncanny ability to make even the ‘scariest/meanest’ people like her that got her beyond just an tutor/acquaintance to Tom.

For Tom, it happened without his realization; him and Noctua had been heading to the library to study while everyone else was out at the quidditch pitch—realizing that Rose had not followed like usual.

He turned, watching as Rose hung back, putting a book away in her bag. “Rose!” She perked up, her blue eyes catching his—her blonde dark brow raising. “You coming?”

Rose grinned, as did Noctua, the two making a space between them as Rose skipped forward. “I’m here! I’m here,” Rose chirped, and Tom continued forward, not even realizing what he’d just done. Rose was no longer an inconvenient stake between him and Noctua; she was now a cog, turning with them in sync to keep them all flowing.

It helped that she was funny, and understood his humour.

“I’m going to jump off the astronomy tower,” Tom grumbled, glaring down at his divination homework, a class he was only taking because it was an easy O, and was the only class that could fit into his schedule this year as an extracurricular.

“Make sure you do a flip, get the top spot on tomorrow's paper,” Rose mumbled from across him, midway through writing her Charms essay. Noctua, who had only been half listening as she suffered over her potions essay, muttered quickly; “I’m not going to your funeral,”

Tom actually looked offended. Rose burst into laughter that she had to stifle so they wouldn’t get kicked out.

Things blossomed from there.

Tom was cynical, tactical, volatile in his emotions, and unhealthily attached to those he allowed close enough; aka, Rose and Noctua. Rose forced him out of his comfort zone—doing the same for Noctua as well, and both girls brought out a softer side to him.

She invited both of them to her house for Christmas and made Tom hold her guinea pig so she could clip its dramatic nails. Tom made the funniest face as the guinea pig squealed and protested, tilting his head back as Noctua laughed from behind him, holding Rose’s other guinea pig.

Noctua was sweet, understanding—yet stubborn as all hell; she and Rose were able to meet Tom head-on when he got into one of his fixations and refused to budge on his stance.

Rose was sarcastic, judgmental, and clingy—forcing affection onto both Tom and Noctua, especially Tom, she could tell he was a touch-starved guy and was happy to provide.

They worked well together, balancing each other out where one needed it. Rose could snark, and Noctua would chastise her—though not without laughing a little. Tom would bury himself in his studies, and Rose would force him to go outside and touch some grass with her and Noctua. Noctua would be anxious about her grades in potions, and Rose and Tom would pull her out for a much-needed break.

It was, easy, for the three of them—almost natural.

“Tom,”

He was ignoring her, staring at the book he’d managed to get from the restricted section. Rose sighed, dramatically, rolling her head on the desk, catching Noctua’s eyes as she sat on Tom’s other side, also looking quite bored. She’d already finished studying, Rose was bored, and Tom was ignoring them.

“Tom,” Noctua said next, quietly, leaning into his eyesight. Tom continued to ignore them, his dark eyes intense as he stared at his textbook.

“Toooom,” Rose drawled, poking his elbow.

Still no reaction.

Rose huffed, and shared a look with Noctua before a devilish grin grew on both their faces, and they leaned in close. Rose grabbed his tie, Noctua grabbed his fae, and they both laid a noisy kiss on either cheek.

The indignant squawk that left Tom was worth it.

Rose and Noctua burst into laughter as Tom swerved back, and his chair tipped with him—Rose just barely catching his chair before it tipped completely over. “Well, that certainly got his attention,” Noctua snickered, the two grinning as they stared at Tom’s bright red face.

“What?” Tom snapped, glaring now, though the intimidation factor of it was severely diminished with how red he was. He looked like a tomato.

“We’re bored.” Noctua said, leaning forward, putting her crossed arms on Tom’s lap—as he was still tipped back in his chair, being held by Rose. “Very bored.” Rose sighed, dramatically, letting his chair tip back forward and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

“Well, what the hell do you want me to do about it?” Tom grumbled, standing to grab the book that he’d flung by accident. “Entertain us,” Rose said, stealing his seat. Tom glared at her as he turned, seeing her in his chair beside Noctua, who was giggling—leaning against Rose.

“Bite me.” Tom snarked, in no mood, his cheeks going red again as Rose grinned. “Is that an invitation?” She teased.

“Goodbye,” Tom grumbled, snatching his bag from his chair Rose had commandeered, storming out of the library, a laughing Rose and Noctua following behind.

“I hate this,” Tom had to yell over the noise of the roaring students. It was an exciting quidditch match, Rose only attended one if she was in the mood, but this time she’d dragged Tom and Noctua along with her—forcing them out of the empty library and into the wooden stadium.

“Who put a broomstick up his butt?” Rose asked Noctua, who snorted, standing on Rose’s right, scarf tucked around her neck—fastened tightly by Tom. “I heard that.” Tom grumbled, yelping as Rose pinched his side. “Rose!”

“Tooom,” Rose whined back, grinning, Noctua snickering as she watched Fleamont Potter chase after the Quaffle, which was in the Slytherin chasers grasp. Slytherin vs Gryffindor, a classic match. 

Tom was bored, not understanding the hype of it all. Noctua was only slightly better, wanting to show interest in the wizarding sports game that Rose liked.

Three minutes later, Rose huffed. “Okay, I’m bored, we can go,” Tom was the first to stand—not even questioning it as Noctua laughed aloud, grabbing Tom’s hand as he offered it to both girls, the three leaving the stands and heading back to the castle.

“Why did we even go? We weren’t there for an hour,” Tom drawled, a hand hovering behind Rose as she walked along the cobblestone half-wall, hands out stretched for balance.

“eh, I wanted to see if it would be interesting at all this time, barely was. Baseball’s more interesting than that,” Rose muttered, kicking up icy snow.

“Base, Ball?” Noctua asked, and Rose grinned wide. Tom face palmed, regretting this already.

Tom felt the warmth of the common room fireplace on his face, his eyes heavy from the combination of a long day, the warmth, and the weight of both Noctua and Rose tucked against him. Rose was against his side—her back against the couch; always more weary of being on top of someone, she preferred being under rather than over. Noctua was on top of both of them, dead asleep—her hair half braided by Rose before they climbed on top of Tom and fell asleep.

He was halfway there himself, but forced himself to stay up just in case. They were in the common room after all, and his trust in its safety only went so far.

Tom’s fingers were absentmindedly combing through Rose’s short hair, eyes glued to his book—the Hobbit—a gift from Rose.

He lifted his hand as Rose began to stir and she stretched out—her head hitting his jaw lightly before she shuffled out of place, climbing over the back of the couch to get out of the cuddle pile.

“I’m going to bed,” she mumbled, and by pure instinct, kissed Tom’s head, and Noctua’s cheek. “g’night, love you,” Tom stared straight ahead, not even looking at Rose as she went down the dorm corridor to her dorm room.

Tom cleared his throat, staring at the words in his book that were hard to focus on now, ears burning. Noctua remained asleep.

-end, for now-