Story Title/Link: Frozen Hearts and Burning Love

School and Theme: Hogwarts, Creature Induced Injuries

Main Prompt: [Emotion] Fear

Additional Prompts: [Object] Torn T-shirt, [Emotion] Heartbreak

Year: 7th Year

Wordcount: 3,273 10%

This is an AU where Tom Riddle and fem!Harry (Hazel) grew up together. I also had to create the main creature in this, the Frozen Snake, so . . . yeah. That's mine. I couldn't find any Harry Potter creature to fit with what I needed. Also, huge thanks to my Betas

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!

That seemed to be the only thing that Hazel could think as she strolled through the forbidden forest.

They say hindsight is 20/20, but what is it called when you do something in the moment, and in that moment, you know it's a horrible idea? She had known that sneaking out of Gryffindor tower to go explore the forest was a bad idea. Had known that fact from the second it hatched in her brain. But, in her defense, she wasn't thinking clearly.

She hadn't been thinking clearly since she and Tom had gotten into a fight last week.

She didn't even remember what it was about, only that it had happened, and now he refused to look at her, talk to her, or even be in the same room as her.

Winter break sucked.

She wrapped her cloak tighter around her body, and breathed deeply. The cool winter air scorched her throat and set her lungs on fire, but it felt good. Any pain was better than the pain that currently thudded in her heart with a sound in her ears that sounded almost like a death-sentencing gong. She held her breath until she got lightheaded, and then she slowly let it out. She watched the steam that formed in the air as the heated breath met with the below-freezing air that held her in a tight embrace.

She heard the snow crunch behind her, and turned to look, but saw nothing.

She stared at the trees, the path, and the bushes, searching for something…perhaps someone, but was assured after three minutes of staring that she was alone.

A violent shiver wracked her body. She turned and continued to walk further into the forest. Perhaps Buckbeak would be willing to have some company for a while. Maybe he'd be willing to share some body heat with her too.

This was a really bad idea.

A twig snapped behind her, and she turned with her wand in her hand, but saw nothing. Her heart started to pound rapidly in her chest, while she broke out into a light sweat. "Who's there?" she demanded in a hoarse, shaky voice.

No answer.

She scanned the area behind her, looking for something—anything—that would indicate that she wasn't alone, and again found nothing.

She bit her lip, and despite everything in her being telling her to go back to the castle, she refused. She couldn't go back to where her best friend was…the person who was currently avoiding her like she was the bubonic plague.

Thinking about Tom, just brought the heartache back, and a tear that burned like fire and ate at her skin like corrosive death streaked down her cheek.

She swiped her hand across her face, internally berated herself, and continued on in her foolish quest.

As she walked, she didn't pay attention to what was in front of her, or around her, she focused on what was behind her. It took a while, maybe five minutes, but then she heard it.

Heavier footsteps. The rustling of robes. The occasional cracking of sticks. Breathing that wasn't her own.

Fear sent her heart into overdrive, and she could no longer hear anything She couldn't see anything, except for the distant end of the trail. Fear filled every one of her senses, and how it burned to have it devour her alive.

She tried to turn her head, to look without tipping whoever—whatever—it was off, that she was aware of their—its—presence. All she saw, was a tall, dark cloaked figure.

That was all she needed to see before she ran as fast, and as hard as she could.

She jumped over roots, ducked under branches, and dodged around trees in the winding path. Her cloak got stuck on something, and instead of pausing—they were right behind her—she undid the buckle at her neck, and continued to run, only clad in a pair of her mother's old muggle sweatpants that she had to alter to fit her long legs, and one of Tom's muggle t-shirts.

Branches tore at her skin, and clothes, and she got caught on one when she ducked under a branch, and tugged at the fabric until it tore, and she was free. A sob tore out of her throat.

She missed Tom.

Was the tearing of her shirt an indication of what was to become their relationship?

"Hazel! Stop!" Apparently, she missed him so much she was hallucinating his voice. "Hazel! Please, stop!"

She glanced over her shoulder, and saw that Tom was indeed the one chasing her. But, looking over her shoulder, while still running, was quite possibly an even worse decision than coming out in the middle of the night to a very dangerous forbidden place.

She tripped over something large, and landed hard on the snow-covered ground with the air knocked out of her lungs. The only warning she had that she hadn't tripped over a log, was a loud hiss, before large fangs tore into her stomach.

Her body started to convulse, and her stomach started to burn. Hissing filled her ears, and the snake released her, before warm arms wrapped around her.

"You foolish girl," Tom admonished as he pulled her into his lap.

"I know," she gasped as she continued to twitch.

"I'm going to petrify you. It'll slow the poison down, and it will give me time to get you to Madam Pomfrey."

She nodded her head, and she lost complete feeling in her body, but she also stopped moving. "What was that?" she asked once he somehow removed the spell from her head.

He stood, and started to quickly walk back towards the castle.

"A Frozen Snake. Highly poisonous, thrives in the winter, hibernates in the warm months. Extremely territorial."

"You saw it."

"I did. Why didn't you listen to me?" he demanded. It was only because she knew him so well that she heard the concern and hurt in his voice.

"I thought I was imagining you," she said softly. She groaned as her stomach began to burn through the spell, and she couldn't help the tears that fell as it spread down to her pelvis. "You've been ignoring me."

"After our fight…I thought you'd want me to stay away."

"I don't even remember what it was about anymore. All I remember is that we fought, and suddenly we're not speaking anymore." The burn spread to just below her breasts. "It burns, Tom."

He paused for a moment. "How bad?" He continued walking again, this time faster than before.

"Pretty bad. My entire torso is on fire."

"You're freezing from the inside out. I'm not surprised you feel like you're on fire. The last place it'll get to will be your heart."

So, it would be a painful death.

"Please, Tom. It hurts."

He began to run, and while he tried to keep from jostling her too much, but despite his efforts, she still moved, which meant the poison spread. By the time they made it to the castle, the fire had reached her toes, and she was starting to feel the burn in her arms.

By the time they made it to the hospital wing, she was a burning husk with a soul begging for freedom.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Tom shouted as they entered.

"What's going on? What happened?"

"She was …forbidden forest…bitten…Hazel…awake…please."

The world went dark.

A fourth-year Hazel Potter sat in one of the abandoned common areas that had been sprinkled around the castle, but had all eventually been turned into a classroom at some point or other.

There were desks against one wall, and chairs against the other. The only reason that she knew that this had been a common area at one point in time was the large fireplace that was now lit, and spitting flames as she continually shot little balls of fire into it.

She was alone, as she waited for Tom, and she relished the quiet. While she loved Ron and Hermione, and her Housemates, she could only handle so much activity at any given time. It almost felt like the older she got, the more she began to dislike noise.

She almost wondered if she should have allowed the hat to put her into Slytherin. Honestly, now that she was older, she thought that it would have been an amazing idea, just so she could have seen her parent's reaction to their eldest daughter getting Sorted into the house of the snakes.

Really, she was kind of shocked that her mother hadn't been put there, just by the sheer cunning and deviousness that she possessed in her short, thin body.

The door opened behind her, and she turned and grinned at Tom. "Hey! What are you doing here so soon? I thought you had class?"

He was silent as he stepped into the room and sat on the floor behind her, and pulled her to his chest. "We were released early due to a student getting injured." He rested his head against hers.

She hummed. "Did you do something?"

He smirked against her hair. "Perhaps."

"Tom!"

"What?" he laughed, "I missed you, and that oaf Hagrid is a failure of a teacher."

She pinched his thigh, and he hissed. "Hagrid is my friend, Tom. Don't insult him in front of me, because if you do, I'm not to be held accountable for my actions."

He laughed and held her closer. "What are you going to do?"

"Hex you."

He hummed. "Do you even know any hexes to hex me with? Other than the Bat-Boogey Hex?"

"I know the Twitchy-Ears Hex."

He laughed once more. "Fine, fine. I won't insult your friends in front of you."

"Thank you."

"She needs…moved…Mungo's."

"Why?"

"I can't…poison…only…"

"Save my daughter, please."

"Hazel?"

"Hm?" She was on the verge of sleep, being held in her best friend's arms. They were fifth years now, and both hid in the common area to either study for OWLs, or get away from studying.

That day happened to be a no study day.

"You know I'd do anything for you, right?"

She nodded sleepily against him. "I know. I'd do anything for you as well."

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and she fell into a land of dreams.

"Please, Hazel. Wake…need you. Come…to me…love."

The music grated against her ears, and the laughing couples made her want to puke.

Why had she agreed to attend the Slug Club party again?

"May I have this dance?"

Right. That's why.

She turned towards Tom, and smiled at him. "Hmm…I think I'm free to dance with you."

He laughed, and pulled her into his arms, and onto the dance floor. The two seamlessly blended into the waltz. "I see mother's dance lessons are paying off," she commented idly.

He groaned. "I should hope so. She spent two hours, every day manhandling me into dancing with her this summer."

Hazel laughed. "It's what dad did for me and my sisters, and what mom did for my brothers."

"Oh good, it's nice to know I'm nothing special," he deadpanned.

Her heart hurt, even though she knew he was just joking. "You're special Tom. If not to anyone else, you're special to me."

He pulled her close, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You're mine, Hazel. I'm not letting you go."

"Hazel, I know you're not the most fond of me right now, even if you can't remember why. Merlin, I hope you remember why. Just know that I love you, I always have, and I always will. If you wake up, I'll keep you safe, and I'll do everything in my power to make you happy. Just…come back to me, Hazel."

Tom's fear-filled voice broke, and she fell back into darkness.

The door slammed open, and the Head Boy, Tom Riddle, marched into the room with a pout on his face.

Hazel looked up from her essay and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Weasley was all over you today."

She scoffed. "Which one? I swear, they get more, and more touchy-feely the older we get."

"Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Yes." Her head tilted to the side. "Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're mine. I'm the only one allowed to touch you."

She frowned. "That's not fair, Tom. You know I like touching people."

He crouched next to her and tightly grabbed her face in his hand. "You are mine, Hazel James Potter. Do you understand? I don't share, what belongs to me," he snarled viciously.

She tore her face out of his grip and stood. "I'm not an object, Tom. You can't just own me."

He stood and held her neck loosely in his hands and tilted her face up to meet his eyes. "I do not share, Hazel. I have made that clear from the beginning. I made it clear on the train in first year. You are mine."

She pushed him away. "Am I not allowed to have friends other than you?"

"You're allowed Hermione."

She threw her hands up. "Why? Why just Hermione?"

"Because you're mine, and she understands that."

Hazel laughed incredulously. "Why am I yours, Tom?"

"You're mine because I said so."

"Why? I know you, Tom. You don't do things without a reason. Why am I yours?"

He swallowed. "Because I love you." She stopped and blinked. "I've loved you since you convinced your parents to let you stay at Hogwarts during Christmas because I would have been here alone. Everything about you, is amazing, Hazel. I need you to stay with me."

"Because I'm yours," she said softly. Tears began to pool in her eyes.

"Exactly."

She shook her head. "That's not love, Tom. That's possession, and lust, and infatuation. It's not love."

"You know it's the closest thing that I can feel for love."

She closed her eyes. "Just because your mother dosed your father with a love potion, doesn't meant that you are incapable of love. You can feel, Tom. You have one of the biggest hearts that I've ever met. But ever since we learned that you were born under a love potion, you've stopped yourself from feeling. And until you can stop limiting yourself, until you can stop seeing me as an object, I don't want to talk about this again."

"Hazel, wait—"

She flicked her wand, and her things piled neatly into her bag, and her bag landed on her shoulder. She turned towards the door, and walked towards it.

He grabbed her wrist, and turned her around. Before she could protest, he pressed his lips against hers. Everything felt right. The person she loved, and had loved since she was thirteen, was kissing her.

Everything was perfect, until she remembered she was just an object to him.

She pushed out of his arms, and tripped over the pesky raised stone in front of the door, and fell back and hit her head hard on the ground.

Everything went dark.

Hazel's eyes flickered open.

Her head hurt, and she was so cold, she felt like she was either about to die, or had died, and had gone to Hell. Or purgatory. Or something in between.

Either way, she was cold.

She swallowed harshly, and groaned as the heated saliva burned her frozen throat. A shiver wracked her body, and she breathed deeply as she tried to stop herself.

It didn't work.

She opened her mouth, and exhaled, and whimpered when small particles of ice filled the air.

Movement shuffled in the chair beside her. "Hazel?"

She turned her stiff neck just enough, so she'd be able to see out of the corner of her eye. "Tom," she stuttered out as more shivers shook her frame, and more ice filled the air.

He nodded, and sat on the side of her bed. The torn, blood-covered, t-shirt she had been wearing was held tightly in his hands. "It's me, Hazel."

"Where am I?" She was kind of fascinated with the sparkling air.

"You're in St. Mungo's. Madam Pomfrey didn't have the training to be able to remove the poison from you, and keep you alive at the same time."

"Poison?"

"You were bitten by a Frozen Snake."

More frost filled the air as she exhaled once more. "Why am I so cold?"

"The poison freezes you from the inside out, and…it reached your heart before they were able to get it out. It's going to take a while for your body to heat back up."

"How long?"

"A few weeks. They think that you'll be able to leave at the end of the week. You won't be completely defrosted, but you'll be close enough that they won't need to monitor you anymore."

"How long since?" It was getting hard to hold her eyes open.

"A couple days. You woke up a few times, but you didn't stay awake for long."

She shivered again. "Can you hold me, Tom?"

He laid down next to her, and pulled her frozen body into his inferno. "Of course."

Another shiver wracked her body, and he pulled her just a bit closer. "I love you, Tom. I have since third year," she whispered.

"I love you, Hazel."

"Do you still see me as an object?"

He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "No. I don't."

She snuggled close to him, and closed her eyes. "Good."

Tom Riddle stumbled down the train, his trunk already stowed away, and the only thing on him was a book bag that was stuffed to near bursting with his schoolbooks. He had already read all of the assigned books multiple times, but he was intent on reading them several more times.

He couldn't risk failing his classes, and getting kicked out of this wonderful world he had just discovered barely a month ago.

He eventually found an empty compartment near the back, and claimed it for his own. He pulled a book out of his bag, and began to read. He was pulled out of his reading a few minutes after the train departed when the door to his cabin opened.

He stared into beautiful green eyes that almost seemed to glow.

"Can I join you? The rest of the train is full."

"You may."

A smile tugged at her lips, before she stepped into the cart and sat across from him. "I'm Hazel Potter."

"Tom Riddle."

She smiled at him, and opened her mouth, but the words that filled the air were not her own as a boy stood in the doorway. "So, you're a little mudblood, are you? Hazel, you shouldn't sit with such filth."

Hazel rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "Go away, Emmet. You're not wanted here. Like you said, I don't want to sit with filth."

The boy who seemed to be older than both him and Hazel raised his wand. "Why you little brat."

She lifted a brow. "I dare you. If you hex me or Tom, I'm going to write to both of our fathers." The boy paled. "And, to make it interesting, I'll write to my mother as well, and we both know that she'll write to your mother, and we both know what will happen when Auntie Amie finds out." The boy left. "Sorry about him."

"How do you know him?"

She seemed too pleasant to be associated with someone like him. "He's my godfather's sister's eldest son. They still follow the Olde Ways."

"What are those?"

She grinned, and in that moment, he knew that she was his, and would always be his.

Until the day they died.

This is quite possibly one of my favorite things I have ever written, and I hope you all liked it.

If you liked this, the rewrite, Frozen Memories, is up. Go check it out if you'd like. You don't have to.