Plans for 5 years

The Slytherin commons, while most of the time filled with study groups and students huddled in corners trying to finish their papers and assignments due the next day, was for once quiet except for the low voices coming from one of the many clusters of couches and plush chairs.

" Wait is the Triwizard tournament next year or?" questioned Lestrange, they had been discussing and explaining the tournament to Tom who had never heard of it except in passing.

" Well it would've been, but since the stuff is still tense, Durmstrang requested the tournament be moved back another year, so it should be 6th year for us." Zabini was the one to answer him, no one really knew how he got the information he did but it was best not to question it lest he stops providing said information.

" Durmstrang is hosting us, right," Abarax was confirmed by nods and he continued, " Merlin, I don't think I would want to go, I heard it's cold enough to freeze your balls off up there," The blonde shivered just at the thought of the Russian cold. He flushed a deep scarlet at his friends' laughs and hard nudges.

" Aww don't tell me your afraid of a little chill, Braxy," Lestrange teased with a grin, the blonde scowled and dodged the other boy's hand trying to ruffle his hair. Abarax let out a loud hmph, crossed his arms, and pouted while the other Slytherins continued making fun of him.

" Are you lot going to be entering the tournament?" The others grew silent, eyes shifting to Tom as they all thought over his question. They nervously shifted and tried thinking up good responses that wouldn't risk their pride in front of each other. Finally, it was Zabini who decided to speak up,

" Though the tournament is amusing to watch being in it is a whole other story. Especially with how dangerous the challenges can get, most of us are told by our families not to enter," He answered, voice seemingly calm but Tom could easily pick up the hint of wavering in the other's struggle as to not seem weak. He paused then let out a quiet hum, the others letting out quiet sighs of relief at not being ridiculed, the conversation quickly shifting off the topic and onto the next; what they would be doing over the summer.

Tom was not paying attention to the new conversation until he heard the mention of his name. Black was looking at him expectingly before repeating his question on where the other would be spending his break. Before he could open his mouth to lie, Malfoy interjected, launching into a rant about how Tom would be once again spending the summer with him. Tom nodded along as the boy haughtily come up with several activities he had already planned for them to do, tone smug and words full of lies.

The rest of the night was spent in such a manner, the Slytherins all teasing each other and launching into different conversations until they could barely keep their eyes open. Though no one wanted to admit to their exhaustion, they all moved the conversation to the dorm room with the excuse of the common room growing too cold. It didn't take long before slowly one by one they fell asleep until it was only Tom and Abarax.

Tom also shifted to lay down and go to sleep but paused at the sound of Abarax saying his name. The blonde's eyebrows were furrowed and he looked conflicted on what to say, Tom waited patiently until Abarax finally collected his words.

" Hey um, I'm really sorry for assuming you would spend the summer with me, I know I told the others that we would but you don't have to you know. I would completely under-" The nervous boy's rambling was cut off by Tom moving towards him and placing a hand on his. The brunette plastered on his best reassuring smile and reassured the now blushing boy that it was quite okay and that he was actually thankful the blonde had offered him a place to stay for the summer. Though Abarax was more focused on Tom's hand over his, gray eyes darting from the conjoined hands to Tom's face.

At the lack of response from Malfoy, Tom gave him one last pat before moving to finish getting ready for bed. He urged Abarax to do the same when he noticed the boy still sitting on his bed, staring down at his hand. He quickly jumped up and mumbled something a Tom, before quickly rushing off to the bathroom. ' He acts so oddly sometimes I swear,' Tom internally shrugged, well not his problem to deal with. He lay in bed, waiting for Abarax to leave the bathroom just in case the boy wanted to start another conversation, but he was taking too long and Tom decided it wasn't worth it and fell asleep.

The hustle and bustle of the morning when everyone had to make it to the train were always overwhelming. Not because Tom had to do any last-minute packing, it was because his roommates always did. He did his best to ignore his frantic friends, desperately running around to make sure they didn't forget anything. Tom was instead sitting on his chest, using his wand to play with Nagini, letting the little snake curl around his wand.

" Zach, do you know where that quill holder is that mother sent me?" Abarax was rustling through his chest, not wanting to accidentally leave the gift. The friend in question turned, holding up the quill holder while asking Abarax if it was the one he was looking for. The blonde let out a sigh of relief while grabbing the holder, " Yes thank you so much, if I had lost it I swear mother would've had my head," He shut his chest but didn't stand up, instead choosing to lay back from where he was kneeling, arms coming to cross behind his head as he gazed up at the stone ceiling.

Another year had already come and gone and Abarax felt as though he barely lived it, feeling like a bystander to the memories of his 4th year. He felt something nothing nudge him in the side, he looked to see a foot and followed it up to meet the eyes of the owner. Tom looked at him with a blank expression, the two sharing eye contact for what seemed like ages, Abarax trying to find something in those icy blues.

" It's time to go, " At that the brunette moved away towards his chest, lowering his hand to allow nagini to slither into his sleeve. The blonde blinked, registering what had just happened before finally getting up and dusting himself off. The two left together, joining the rest of the group outside in the commons where they were saying goodbye to their girlfriends and upperclassmen.

Zabini gave Abarax a knowing look to which he responded with a dark flush and a quick look away, choosing to ignore the boy and instead focused on saying goodbye to one of the upperclassmen who helped him with his potions homework when Tom couldn't. That's right, finally, he would get to spend months with just Tom, his attention being fully on him and no Maria to steal it away.

They were heading out of the castle when they heard someone call Tom's name. The Slytherins turned their attention to see Maria waving at Tom. She turned back to her friends and after a couple of nods, the group continued on without her while Tom made his way to the Gryffindor. Abarax watched the two interact, heart twisting with envy at the soft smile Tom gave her. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Zabini with a sympathetic look, the boy guiding Abarax away from the scene and towards the front of the castle.

Tom didn't join back up with them until the carriages arrived, a drawstring, felt bag in hand. No one asked Tom what he had conversed with Maria on, for one they knew Tom wouldn't tell them, and two they didn't want to crack Abarax's mask of indifference but very obvious glare directed towards the bag in Tom's lap.

Abarax did burst though, but he did so when it was just him and Tom when he saw the look in Tom's eyes when he saw what had been stuffed into the pouch.

" Do you like her?" Tom let out an internal sigh at the shout, he knew he should've opened the pouch in the privacy of the Malfoy Manor guest bedroom. He looked up to see the blonde standing above him, eyebrows furrowed and fists clenched.

" I don't like anyone Abarax," Tom watched Abarax's emotions twist but he didn't care, it wasn't his problem that Abarax had embarrassed himself by asking such an obvious question. The blonde replied with an oh and sat back down again next to Tom, eyes glazed over in thought as he stared off into the fire. The brunette turned to put away the book, sweets, and other knick-knacks Maria had stuffed into the pouch.

Why was it that Rowen made him so angry all the time. It wasn't always like this, the two had been friends when they were younger and though their parents were on opposite sides of Grindelwald's war, was Tom truly the only reason why they never became close. Though where had that led him, Tom didn't like him or Maria, but he had the upper hand didn't he. It was him that Tom decided to spend his summer breaks with, not Rowen. Perhaps he could change those emotions, perhaps he could sway Tom in some way to make him love him. But you couldn't force love, right?