Twenty Eight

not a lot, just forever

  Pretty bird songs sang into Rosalie's ears, and the sun fell angelically onto her face through the lightness of the curtains wavering in the breeze from the open window as she struggled to open her eyes. Everything was heavy and foggy, her mind fuzzy from any near memories. The bed she lay on was too soft to be the one she had gotten used to sleeping on with Tom.

  Rosalie rolled over, the smell of the sheets all too wrong as well, none of it smelled like Tom or the scent of his clothes or his hair. She finally opened her eyes, looking directly in front of her to the left corner of the room, the wardrobe was familiar to her.

  She slowly pushed herself up against the strain of her muscles,  her head feeling so heavy she thought it might topple back over onto the mattress. She recognised the room instantly but had no recollection as to why she would be here, in Coriolanus's house. What had happened last night?

  Rosalie sat there with her mind in the clouds until she could follow her trail of thought- seeing her father- running from Tom- finding him again and thinking she could try and hurt him- I love you...

  He loved her... Tom Riddle loved her...

  So why was she here?

  She swung herself out of the bed when her body finally allowed her to, stuck in sweat and the same clothes as yesterday, she was more delighted to see this rather than having been changed into something else. The door creaked open and Rosalie made her way down the corridor, the eerie silence making it sound abandoned rather than it being a families home. 

  "Hello?" She called, her hand tracing along the railing as she walked down the flight of the grand staircase, she looked around, her ears searching for any creek or groan the house made. 

  The house was eerily silent as Rosalie walked through the dimly lit hallways, her footsteps echoing off the walls. She called out for anyone, her voice growing more desperate with each unanswered plea. The rooms she passed were empty, abandoned of any sign of life. Her heart pounded with a mix of fear and anticipation as she finally approached the dining room, the last place she hadn't checked.

  Pushing open the heavy wooden door, she saw Coriolanus seated at the head of the long dining table, his back to her. The table was elegantly set, with a single plate at the other end, clearly intended for her. A sense of foreboding settled over her as she stepped into the room.

  "Rosalie," Coriolanus said, his voice calm and measured without so much as looking at her. He gestured to the seat opposite him. "Take a seat."

  She hesitated for a moment, then walked slowly to the other end of the table and sat down. The pristine white plate in front of her was begging to be filled with the array of bread and fruit set out in front of her. Rosalie's stomach churned, but she couldn't tell if it was from hunger or anxiety.

  "How did I get here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she picked up her fork, more out of habit than any real desire to eat.

  Coriolanus folded his hands on the table, studying her intently. "I had you brought here. It was necessary for us to talk, to clear the air."

  Rosalie's mind raced, trying to piece together how she had gone from being with Tom to sitting here with Coriolanus. "Why now? Why like this?"

  Coriolanus sighed, a look of genuine concern crossing his face. "Rosalie, you are in grave danger. Your association with Tom... it has put you in a position that is untenable. I needed to remove you from that situation before it was too late."

  She frowned, trying to understand. "You think taking me away from him will make me safe? Tom—"

  "Tom is not the man you believe him to be," Coriolanus interrupted, his tone harshening. "He is dangerous, not just to you but to everyone around him. I cannot stand by and let you be consumed by his darkness. You don't know who he is."

  Rosalie's grip tightened on her fork. "I know exactly who Tom is, I've had a war in my mind every second that I chose to be with him. But I am not a child, Coriolanus. I chose to be with him, you cannot control my decisions."

  He leaned back in his chair, his expression softening. "Rosalie, I am not trying to control you. I am trying to save you. There are things you do not understand, dangers you cannot see because he refuses to show them to you."

  Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. "You don't know him like I do. He... he loves me."

  "And you love him," Coriolanus said quietly, nodding. "I know. But love cannot blind you to the truth. Tom Riddle is on a path that will destroy him, and if you stay with him, he will destroy you too."

  Rosalie stared down at her plate, the food now cold and unappetising. She let out a bitter laugh. "If I was in any danger, it's only because of you. You were the one who told Grindelwald all those lies."

  "And are they, lies?" He pressed, his expression remaining unchanged. Rosalie could see through his own manipulating gaze and refused to share the truth with even the slightest change on her features.

  "All of them. You were the one who spread those nasty rumours." She finally said. 

  Coriolanus looked at her, as if her voice didn't even resonate in his head, "Where are his horcruxes, what are they?" He asked cooly, obviously not believing his own lie that Rosalie was one of his horcruxes, he wasn't even sure if it was possible when he made up the lie.

  Her mind raced, and she lied quickly, "It's hidden. Grindelwald will never find it."

  Coriolanus nodded, seemingly satisfied. "That's fine. You have your entire life with me to become truthful." He picked up his cup off of the table and took a sip, looking back up into Rosalie's eyes from across the length of the table.

  "What the hell does that mean?" Rosalie demanded, her eyes narrowing.

  He leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady. "I still intend to marry you. Your father thought it was a good idea."

  She blinked at him.

  "Are you crazy?" she exclaimed. "I am not saying yes to that."

  "You don't have a choice," Coriolanus said, his tone cold. "Otherwise, I will have to tell Grindelwald that Tom is an immediate threat that needs to be killed by him personally. I'm sure he'd be more than willing."

  Rosalie bit back her words, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness. Tom was strong, incredibly so, but was he strong enough to defeat her father? Her father, who couldn't be completely defeated, would know to come after his Horcruxes. He would eventually find her and Tom's diary.

  "Tom would win," she said defiantly. "He always wins."

  Coriolanus chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Does he? Then why did his girlfriend spend the night in my house instead of his? Does Riddle even have a house? Any money? Anything to his name apart from a little determination, luck, and skill? He's not all that—"

  "Stop talking before I kill you right here and now, Coriolanus," Rosalie snapped, pulling her wand from her robe and pointing it at him. The thought of ending him right here was tempting; he was a threat, spewing venomous threats, and it would be better if he were just dead.

  Coriolanus merely smiled, a cold, knowing smile that sent a chill down Rosalie's spine.

  "Go on then," he taunted. "But you'll have some trouble. You were very thirsty last night—so thirsty, in fact, you might have accidentally swallowed some Abiit Miniscula... Very unfortunate to lose your magic for the rest of the week."

  Rosalie's face fell, her heart pounding in her chest. Abiit Miniscula was one of the rarest potions in the world due to its incredibly complex ingredient list. But of course, with her luck, Coriolanus had managed to brew—or more likely, buy—a bottle.

  Desperation clawing at her, she threw a simple Expelliarmus curse at him, but nothing happened. Her wand was now just a piece of wood, useless in her hand. She was defenceless. 

  "You bastard," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and fear.

  Coriolanus stood, slowly walking towards her, his gaze never leaving hers. "Rosalie, you must understand. This is for your own good. Voldemort is dangerous, and if you stay with him, you will only end up hurt or worse."

  "You're lying," she spat, backing away, the chair screeching against the wooden floors, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes. "You just want to control me."

  Coriolanus sighed, reaching out to touch her cheek, but she flinched away. "Believe what you will, but know this: if you continue down this path with Riddle, you will not survive. I will do whatever it takes to protect you, even if it means making you hate me."

  "No need, I already hate you. At every turn you seem to want to hurt me."

  Rosalie's mind raced, searching for a way out, but there was none. She was trapped, her magic stripped away, her choices limited. The realisation hit her like a blow to the chest, leaving her breathless and aching.

  "Go to hell," she whispered, her voice breaking.

  Coriolanus looked down on her, pushing his hands into his pockets while he kept his mouth shut and turned away. Rosalie watched him leave with an aching feeling against her chest.

---

  Rosalie had managed to get herself changed later in the day after spending most of it staring at the ceiling of the bedroom she had woken up in. She wondered where Tom was, what he was doing, what he was thinking and feeling.

  She could assume he was worried out of his mind, questioning everyone, taking his annoyance out on Malfoy or Dolohov. Maybe it was greedy but she liked the idea of him worrying about her, it was a sign of his humanity- something most people said he didn't have.

  She spent the rest of the day wandering through the memories of her time with Tom. She walked back down to the lake behind the mansion, where they had spent their first night together, where Tom had really made her feel things she never had before.

  "Look me in the eye and tell me that you hate me"

  She could never do that, not then, not now. She was in too deep for her to change her mind. The water's gentle flow of the lake was a start contrast to the emotions she was experiencing. She could almost see him standing next to her, just as he had done that night. He really did look handsome in a suit.

  Rosalie then found herself in the room they had gone to afterwards, standing at the window she had climbed into and kissed him on the cheek, her heart aching with the bittersweet remembrance of their innocent beginnings. Then, she found sitting on his bed, inhaling the familiar scent of him on the sheets. Each place, each memory, forced her to confront the decision she needed to make: to live her life with Tom or without him.

  Tom had always been clear about his ambitions. He wanted power and was determined to become the Dark Lord by any means necessary. After living with Grindelwald, Rosalie wondered if she could reconcile herself to Tom's desires for power. Perhaps she could support him, even if it wasn't what she entirely wanted. She loved too much to ever let go.

  Before she knew it, it was moonlight rather than sunlight shining through the windows of Tom's old room. She mulled over her thoughts one by one, paying little notice to the creak of the door as Coriolanus looked in, expectant to see her.

  He stumbled in quickly, capturing Rosalie's attention mainly through the fragrant smell of bourbon on his breath. 

  "Rosalie," he slurred, staggering towards her. She stood up, her body tensing. She had the desire to reach for her wand, but she knew it would be no use.

  "Leave me alone, Corio." She said, using his nickname for the first time in months, hoping it would resolute with him in some sense.

  Coriolanus ignored her, his eyes glazed with a predatory look. He reached out, grabbing her arm. "You're mine, Rosalie," he muttered, his breath reeking of alcohol.

  "Let go of me!" she screamed, trying to push him away. But Coriolanus was stronger. He gripped her arm tightly and pushed her back on the bed, wiping the sweat from his own drunken forehead before closing in on her, holding her down as he stood between her legs. 

  She lifted her legs, trying to kick him away, but he just grabbed her legs and stuck them back down. It managed to work in his favour as his hands snuck up Rosalie's dress, wasting no time in pulling down her underwear to her ankles. Coriolanus's hands roamed along her legs, his lips pressing against her neck as he tried to hold himself back from pulling down his trousers and taking her there.

  Rosalie thrashed against him, screaming out to the loneliness of the mansion, but he was relentless.

  He managed to lift her dress and pull down her underwear, his hands roaming along her legs, his lips pressing against her neck. Rosalie screamed, thrashing against him, but he was relentless. He pulled down the top of her dress, groping her bare breasts with one of his hands as he held down her arms with the other.

  She screamed at him again, tears forming in her eyes at the feeling of pity and disgust building up in her stomach. He had tried this with her multiple times before- and each time she had forgotten about it, hoping that he would come to his sense. He never did.

  Coriolanus struggled to unbuckle his belt, the sound of it sending a shiver down Rosalie's spine. Before he could pull it out, The air in the room shifted, and with a sharp crack, Tom apparated into the room, his expression murderous. 

  He took in the sight, Rosalie, barely covered and crying under him.

  Rosalie's eyes met his, and for a moment, everything seemed to stop. Then, Tom's gaze shifted to Coriolanus, and the anger in his eyes was like nothing she had ever seen before.

  "Crucio," Tom spat, his voice cold and deadly. The curse hit Coriolanus with the force of a freight train, sending him sprawling to the floor. He screamed in agony, his body convulsing uncontrollably.

  Tom advanced, each step deliberate and menacing. His wand remained fixed on Coriolanus, who writhed on the ground, his screams echoing through the room. "You dare touch her," Tom growled, his voice low and filled with venom. "You dare think you can lay a hand on her and live."

  Corio's body twisted in unnatural angles, his muscles contracting painfully under the unrelenting curse. Tom knelt beside him, pressing his wand harder against Coriolanus's neck. The man's screams grew louder, more desperate, as the curse intensified.

  "You think you can take what's mine?" Tom snarled, his face a mask of rage. "You think you can defile her and walk away unscathed?" He twisted his wand, and Coriolanus's screams became choked gasps, his body jerking violently on the floor.

  Rosalie watched, her body trembling with shock and horror. The sight of Tom, usually so composed, now consumed by such raw fury, was terrifying. Yet, she couldn't tear her eyes away. She knew Coriolanus deserved this, but the brutality of it all shook her to the core.

  Tom's eyes never left Coriolanus as he continued to inflict unimaginable pain. "You don't deserve a quick death," he hissed. "You deserve to suffer, to feel every ounce of pain you tried to inflict on her."

  Coriolanus's face was a mask of agony, tears streaming down his cheeks. His screams had turned into pathetic whimpers, his voice hoarse from the strain. Tom's hand was steady, his expression merciless.

  "Does it hurt, Corio?" Tom's voice was chillingly calm, a stark contrast to the chaos he was causing. "Do you feel the pain you wanted to inflict on her? Do you feel the helplessness, the fear?"

  Corio's eyes rolled back in his head, his body convulsing violently. Tom leaned closer, his lips inches from Coriolanus's ear. "This is just the beginning," he whispered, his voice dripping with malice. "I could keep this up for hours, days even. You will beg for death long before I grant it."

  Rosalie's breath hitched, her tears falling freely now. She had never seen this side of Tom, this monstrous, vengeful side that took pleasure in another's pain. Yet, she couldn't deny the dark satisfaction it brought her to see Coriolanus suffer.

  Tom paused the curse for a moment, allowing Coriolanus a brief respite. The man lay on the floor, gasping for breath, his body trembling uncontrollably. Tom's gaze was unwavering, his face set in a grim expression of determination.

  "You thought you could break her," Tom said quietly, his voice filled with icy rage. "But it is you who will be broken." He raised his wand again, and the air seemed to crackle with dark energy.

  "Crucio," he whispered once more, the curse hitting Coriolanus with renewed force. The man's screams returned, louder and more desperate than before, echoing through the room like the cries of a wounded animal.

  Tom stood over him, his eyes burning with hatred. "You will never harm her again," he said, his voice a low growl. "You will never touch her, never even look at her."

  With a final, savage twist of his wand, Tom paused the torture curse, allowing Coriolanus a fleeting moment of relief. The man lay on the floor, his body a broken, twitching mess, his voice reduced to pitiful whimpers.

  Tom's gaze flicked to Rosalie, who stood trembling nearby, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. He saw the tear-streaked cheeks, the raw emotion etched on her face. His expression softened, but only for a moment.

  He couldn't be selfish this time.

Turning back to Coriolanus, Tom's face hardened once more. "You don't deserve mercy," he said coldly. "But I won't let you live to hurt her again."

  With a swift, decisive motion, he pointed his wand at Coriolanus's chest. "Avada Kedavra," he intoned, his voice steady and resolute. A flash of green light filled the room, and Coriolanus's body went still, his eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling.

  The silence that followed was deafening. Tom lowered his wand, breathing heavily, his eyes never leaving Coriolanus's lifeless form. Rosalie watched, her mind reeling from the events that had just unfolded.

  Slowly, she pulled her dress down, her body still trembling. She looked at Tom, a single tear rolling down her cheek. He turned to her, his eyes filled with a mixture of remorse and determination.

  "Rosalie," he whispered, his voice softening. "I'm sorry for doing that in front of you, had to protect you."

  Her heart aching with the weight of everything that had just happened. Tom stepped closer, his hands gently cupping her face, wiping away her tears.

  "Forgive me-"

  Rosalie cut him off, her lips pressing against his in a fierce, desperate kiss. "Shut up," she whispered against his mouth, her voice breathless. "That was one of the most attractive things you've ever done."

  Tom smirked, a dark glint in his eyes as he finally realised the full extent of his influence over her. He had twisted Rosalie into the darkness, pulling her closer to his world, his desires.

  Their kiss deepened, fuelled by the adrenaline and raw emotion of the moment. Tom's hands roamed her body, pulling her against him as if he could never get close enough. Rosalie responded with equal action, her fingers tangling in his hair, her body pressing against his with a need that was almost primal.

  In the dimly lit room, with Coriolanus's lifeless body lying nearby, they gave in to their passions. The horror and violence of the night only seemed to heighten their desire for each other, creating a twisted, fevered connection between them.

  They tumbled to the floor, their movements frantic and unrestrained. Tom's hands moved to tear at her clothes, his touch rough and demanding. Rosalie arched against him, her own hands just as eager, just as desperate.

  In that moment, nothing else mattered. The fear, the pain, the blood—all of it faded away, leaving only the intensity of their shared desire. They were consumed by it, lost in the darkness together.

  Tom's hands softly traced her body, lifting her dress once again as he quickly pulled down his trousers. Rosalie pulled himself against him, looking up into his eyes with a dark desire. Tom held his length, slowly pressing it against Rosie's entrance, teasing her clit slightly before giving into his own desires and lowering herself into her.

  Their bodies began to move in unison, a low, guttural sound escaped Tom's lips. Rosalie echoed his need, her cries of pleasure mingling with the echoes of their passion. They were both driven by a need that was as much about power and control as it was about love and lust.

  He pounded into her, his grip tightening on her skin as she tightened herself around his cock. She sat up, pulling herself onto his lap as she helped him into her. Rosalie pressed her forehead into Tom's happiness falling on her ears at the deep breaths he let out with every thrust. 

  He gripped his hands around her waist, looking down to where there bodies met and at the wetness they had made. Tom wondered if it was so wrong, to be so turned on by making love to Rosalie with the man who had just tired to assault her, dead, in the corner.

  He felt her body shudder at his size penetrating her deeper and deeper with each thrust,  her sweet moans in his ear was enough for him to finish right there and then, but he wanted her to feel good first.

  "That's right, such a good girl, I know you can take it." He helped her along, she grabbed onto his chest, embracing him as she lifted herself up and down, the angle hit her right where she needed it, and she felt her heavy moans leave her mouth.

  She could feel his cock twitching inside of her, she could feel him at the end of his ability as she felt herself peaking at her own ecstasy, with one more thrust of his cock in her sending her into a shuddering mess over his shoulder.

  In her clouded judgement of her consuming release, she reached her mouth to Tom's ear. "Finish in me please." She begged, pulling on the strands of his hair.

  Tom smirked, guiding her still up and down his length as he listened obediently and happily to her request, he pushed their bodies back onto the ground, pounding into Rosalie as deep as he could one last time in his release, his breath shuddering as he slowly pulled himself out, trying not to look down at the mess he had just released slowly sliding out of her.

  Their breaths came in ragged, their bodies slick with sweat and desire.

  For a long moment, they lay there in the aftermath, the weight of what had just happened settling over them. Tom's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but one thing was clear—he had claimed Rosalie completely, bound her to him in a way that was irrevocable.

  He got up slowly, zipping up his fly before searching for his wand that he had lost in the heat of the moment. He found it and made his way back to Rosalie, still lying on the floor in her own delight. Tom smiled and reached a hand down for her. She took it and pulled herself up.

  Tom snaked a hand around her waist, pulling up her dress first to cover her cleavage. "Let's go, I can't stand here for another minute," he said, pulling Rosalie out of the room and out of the house. He turned and lifted his wand to the entrance of the mansion, in a swift flick, sending the entire thing up in flames.

  Rosalie's mouth dropped open in shock, and Tom turned back to her, grabbing her tightly once again before pulling her away from the hazard.

  As the house went up in flames, the roaring fire consuming everything in its path, Tom and Rosalie walked away hand in hand, the heat of the inferno at their backs. The crackling of burning wood filled the night air, a stark contrast to the quiet that had settled over them.

  Rosalie glanced sideways at Tom, her brow furrowing with worry. "How will we get away from Grindelwald? How will we ever be safe?" she asked, her voice barely audible over the distant roar of the fire.

  Tom squeezed her hand, a small, confident smile playing on his lips. "Before I came here, I already had a plan. I was always going to kill Coriolanus. I sent Grindelwald a letter, signed from him, saying he had both you and me trapped in the house. He claimed he intended to marry you and kill me."

  Rosalie's eyes widened as she processed his words. "So now Grindelwald should assume..." She trailed off, her mind racing.

  Tom nodded. "That we're both dead. We just have to keep a low profile until Dumbledore is finished with him."

  Rosalie stopped walking, a heavy realisation dawning on her. 

  "I can't go back to see Lily, can I?"

  "No, not now my love," Tom said gently, his eyes meeting hers. "We're dead now. No one is safe. Only Ben knows, he is the only one we can trust, and we will begin to recruit when I find myself a job under a new name."

  Rosalie's heart ached at the thought of not seeing her friends, but she knew there was no other way. They were in too deep, and the only path forward was the one Tom had set them on. As the reality of their situation settled over her, she felt a strange sense of resolve. They were in this together, no matter what.

  "I love you," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

  Tom smiled, pulling her close. "I know," he replied, his voice soft and filled with a rare tenderness.

  They continued walking away from the burning house, their future uncertain but intertwined. The night air was cool against their skin. Rosalie knew she was stepping into a new life, one filled with danger and darkness, but also with the promise of love and loyalty.

  As they walked, hand in hand, Rosalie realised that she and Tom were truly partners now, bound together by their choices and their shared destiny. And as frightening as it was, it also felt right. They had each other, and in that moment, it was enough.

  The flames of the burning house cast a distant glow on the horizon as they disappeared into the night, ready to face whatever came next together.

---

1945

---

  Rosie sat up in bed, tea steaming next to her on the bedside table, the morning light filtering through the curtains of the modest room in the apartment. She held the newspaper in her hands, her eyes scanning the front page with a mixture of relief and sadness. 

  Gellert Grindelwald Defeated; Sent to Nurmengard for Life

  Rosie sat herself up straighter, reading some of the subheading before poking her elbow down  to the man beside her, his arm draped lazily across her waist, still-half asleep. He was unresponsive till she bent down and kissed him along his neck up to his cheek.

  "Rosie... you said you don't want kids right now... you doing this is telling me you've changed your mind."

  "Oh stop going off about that, I do want them but you're too caught up with work right now, plus, someone hasn't even proposed to me yet."

  "How preposterous- perhaps you should kill him."

  "Perhaps I will. But not before I tell him something." She kissed his cheek again and Tom finally opened his eyes and looked at her, grabbing her chin and pulling her back down to kiss him properly before she could retreat away from him. He let her go and Rosalie energetically lay back down next to him, holding the newspaper above them so Tom could see the headline.

  He stirred, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he propped himself up on one elbow. Rosalie handed him the newspaper, pointing to the article. He read it quickly, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Thank God," he said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

  Rosalie, caught between her emotions, slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Hey, that's still my father you're talking about."

  Tom chuckled, the sarcasm evident in his tone. "Aren't you lucky."

  She rolled her eyes, her expression a mix of irritation and amusement. "Lucky isn't the word I'd use."

  There was a moment of silence as Tom glanced back at the article. Then, with a subtle shift in his tone, he asked, "Do you think you'd be willing to go and ask Grindelwald how to get the wand back from Dumbledore?"

  Rosalie stiffened, she knew what he was talking about, and what Tom could achieve with that wand. One of the deathly hallows on Tom's side would be major for him. Her heart began racing at the thought. "I can't face my father, Tom. Don't ask me that."

  Seeing the distress in her eyes, Tom immediately softened. He reached out, taking her hand in his. "It's alright," he said gently. "I shouldn't have asked."

  Rosalie sighed, her fingers intertwining with his. "It's just... I can't. Not after everything that's happened."

  "I understand," Tom replied, pulling her closer. "We'll find another way."

  They lay back down, the newspaper forgotten for the moment. Rosalie rested her head on Tom's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. Despite the turmoil of the past years and the uncertain future ahead, she found comfort in his presence.

  "We'll be okay," Tom whispered, his hand stroking her hair.

  They lay like that for a moment.

  "Would you like breakfast?" Rosalie asked, turning to Tom with a smile.

  "Yes, you," he replied, stretching his arms above his head, a smirk plastered on his face.

  Rosalie bent over the bed to put her slippers on, Tom ran a hand down her side, gripping onto the side of her hip. She slid out of bed before he could grab her back.

  "Nice try, we already went four rounds last night."

  "Five is a much nicer number than four."

  She sent him a serious look, breaking immediately when she saw the smile on his face.

  "You're getting bacon and eggs, Riddle."

   Tom watched her go, a fond expression on his face. 

  "Look at you, making me my breakfast. You really would be a good wife."

  "Hurry up with it then." She yelled from the kitchen, the sound of pots and pans clattering from the cupboard.

  Tom chuckled as he got up from the bed, stretching his limbs before heading towards the kitchen where Rosalie was already busy preparing breakfast.

  As Tom entered the kitchen, he leaned casually against the door frame, his gaze fixed on Rosalie as she moved about with graceful efficiency. There was a sense of domesticity settling over him. Despite everything they had been through, they found solace in these simple moments together.

  "Need any help?" he asked, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he approached her, his arms encircling her waist from behind.

  Rosalie glanced over her shoulder, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Not the help you're thinking of."

  Tom chuckled, the sound rich and warm. "I'm surprised you're not pregnant by the amount of times I fuck you a day, and with all the times I forget  to pick up your potion prescription."

  A shiver ran down Rosalie's spine as she felt his hardness pressing against her back. "That's actually purposeful? Get your dick away from me, Riddle," she retorted, playfully pushing him away.

  Tom's expression softened, his fingers trailing lightly along her waist as he moved closer. "You deserve it, my Dark Lady," he murmured, the words sending a shiver down Rosalie's spine. She both love and hated that name- it was a connection to Tom and his followers.

  By now, Tom had gathered a larger following, assembling the Death Eaters to further his ambitions. While Rosalie preferred to remain on the sidelines, she knew she couldn't escape the role he had carved out for her.

  He guided her to the stove, his touch possessive as he spoke of their future together. "One day, I'll get you pregnant," he declared, his voice filled with a mixture of pride and anticipation. "I want to see you become a mother. I want you to be the one to make me a father. I want to see our son grow up strong."

"Our son?" Rosie asked, trying to hide her smile. When Tom spoke to her with such sweetness when it came to talking about a family, she almost wanted to give him one. But she wouldn't do that yet.

Rosie leant in to kiss him affectionately, her lips moulding against his with a fervent intensity, she felt a rush of warmth spread through her. Breaking away reluctantly, she turned her attention back to the task at hand, plating up Tom's food with practiced ease. She ignored his hands lingering on her waist, focusing instead on the simple act of preparing breakfast.

Handing him the plate, she gave him a pointed look. "Eat quickly and then get ready for work. You don't want to be late working in the ministry," she admonished, her tone firm but affectionate.

Tom grinned, the playful glint in his eyes unmistakable. "Of course, my dear. Anything for you," he replied, his voice laced with amusement. He enjoyed being bossed around by her, relishing in the dynamic between them that shifted effortlessly from playful banter to tender affection.

"Don't forget tonight, we're meeting at the Malfoy Manor."

Rosalie froze at the sink.

"Right." She breathed.

A/N

So um.  Chapters are gonna be different now, no more hogwarts :( but there is still A LOT to come. (more smut too don't worry)