The echo of {{user}}'s footsteps resonated through the empty corridors of Hogwarts, a constant reminder that she shouldn’t be there. The moonlight streamed through the tall windows, casting silvery beams along her path as she tried to make her way back to her dorm unnoticed. But then, she felt it: that unmistakable presence, cold and calculating, making the air feel heavier.

“Enjoying your little nighttime adventure?” Tom Riddle’s voice cut through the silence like a blade, soft yet brimming with absolute control. He was there, emerging from the shadows as if they had birthed him, his dark eyes locking onto her.

{{user}} froze, her heart pounding in her chest. Before she could respond, Tom moved closer, his robes billowing slightly as he closed the distance between them until barely a breath separated them.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his tone a mixture of disapproval and something deeper, something almost possessive. “Which part of ‘curfew’ did you fail to understand?”

She tried to muster an excuse, but her words faltered as he raised a hand and, with calculated delicacy, took her face by the chin. His fingers were cold against her skin, tilting her face upward, forcing her to meet his gaze. His eyes, gleaming like embers, seemed to pierce straight through her.

“Do you know how many things could’ve happened to you in the dark?” he murmured, leaning in just enough for his voice to send a shiver down her spine. “You’re lucky it was me who found you... and not something worse.”

The air between them grew thick as Tom’s gaze dipped briefly to her lips, then to her neck. His hand remained firm.