Chapter Text
Five Years Later
Professor Tom Riddle stood waiting outside the Headmaster's study, flicking through a pile of atrocious third-year essays and occasionally glancing up at the clock. Technically he was meant to be teaching a lesson at the moment, but he was confident that the sixth years could handle themselves for an hour without blowing up the school.
Then the door opened and a breathless, very happy Harry Potter came spilling out of it, a huge grin on his face.
Tom felt his own lips quirk upwards. "How did it go?"
"I got it! I got the job!" Harry was almost jumping up and down with excitement. "You are now speaking to no less than the Head Librarian of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Would you like me to curtsey?"
"Oh shut up."
Harry tucked an arm through his and they began to make their way down the corridor.
"Well he was obviously going to pick you," said Tom. "You are the Saviour of Hogwarts after all."
Harry groaned. "Is the Prophet still calling me that?"
"Unfortunately. At least you've got me to keep your head from being blown up out of proportion."
"Oi! Bit rich coming from you - and aren't you meant to be in class right now?"
"I'm a teacher darling, the rules don't apply to me."
"You wish."
"Anyway, I wasn't going to miss out on the opportunity to congratulate my lovely fiancé on landing his first job was I?" Tom stopped and pulled him into a hug. "Well done."
Harry smiled against his shoulder. The silver ring that sat on his finger glinted in the sunlight.
They both started at the sound of music suddenly drifting down from upstairs. Perhaps it was the radio in Professor Flitwick's office. The piece was a gentle, oddly familiar piano melody.
"Do you recognise it?" Tom murmured.
"Our first dance," Harry smiled again. "I've had a lot more practice since then."
"You're still terrible."
Harry trod on his toes in response.
Laughing, they both began to waltz slowly on the spot, memories of past days and old songs washing over them.
For the last five years had been full of surprises for Harry. Who would have guessed that old Mr Ollivander was actually a wandmaker, or that Flourish and Blotts sold magical textbooks? (Come to think of it, that was probably how it had remained in business, as Harry had been the only villager who set foot in there at all.) His mind wandered, to the teachers who had returned with new energy to their posts, to Sirius who now had his own thriving workshop in Diagon Alley, to Dobby, who had been promoted to Hogwarts Head Chef.
And who could have foreseen that he would still be with Tom after all these years, despite all odds - and for the first time in his life, truly happy. The days of provincial malcontent and cursed castles seemed very far away now.
Then suddenly, there was a loud giggle from behind one of the statues, followed by a lot of high-pitched 'sssh!'ing.
Tom's eyes narrowed.
"Weasley! Granger! Back to class this instant! And twenty points from Gryffindor!"
There was a scuffle and then two first years flew back down the corridor. The boy, all red hair and freckles, was laughing loudly whilst the girl, bushy-haired and buck-toothed, reprimanded him.
"Honestly Ronald, it's not funny!"
"Are you kidding? 'Mione, this is brilliant! Not even Fred and George can say they've seen Professor Riddle actually smile!"
"Forty points!" Tom barked after them.
"They'll get married one day." Harry decided.
"I thought you were the Librarian, not the Divination teacher."
"Oh, I multitask. Little bit of magic, little bit of bookkeeping, some curse-breaking on the side."
Tom rolled his eyes and Harry laughed again, pulling him towards the stairs, half-dancing, half-walking. The smiling Beauty and his Beast.