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Tom watches as the little minx of an omega began flirting with one of the Weasley twins of all people. He couldn’t believe her audacity. Fred-or-George couldn’t seem to quite belief his luck either, as he stared bewildered at the ice-princess of Gryffindor, heir to the most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, who stared up at him expectantly.
He did find his composure remarkably quickly, to his credit, and before long he was back to easily joking with the heiress, though they didn’t land well enough to justify the bell-like laughter that echoed through the walls. In fact, Tom would go so far as to say that he wasn’t even the least bit funny at all.
But Harry seemingly couldn't care less about Tom’s opinion on anything, judging from the fight they’d just had.
Tom was head-boy of course, and Harry… Harry was also head-boy, just of the omegan variety. Harry was also a year younger much to Tom’s dismay. He’d been quite proud of his achievement until he arrived in school to find that the other head-boy was a sixth year, and he was quidditch captain to boot! At first Tom had been jealous, eager to find anything to discredit the omega… but he couldn’t. Harry was quite literally perfect. Everything he did was done with a precision and a grace that Tom had trained years to even attempt to master. Of course, Harry had quite the advantage, being born into incredible amounts of wealth and prestige that an orphan from London lacked.
Had Harry been an alpha, Tom was sure he would have detested the boy. But Harry wasn’t an alpha, he was omega and as such he was … desirable.
Harry was by far the shortest in the year and even most first years towered above him, but what he lacked in height he made up for in sheer power. Harry practically flew through his classes, mastering every spell with ease— though reportedly blowing up a few potions along the way.
With a bounce in his skirt and a fire in his poison-green eyes, he practically ran the castle and yeah, maybe Tom had fallen for his charm. He hadn’t noticed the omega until fourth year, when suddenly, Harry started smelling extremely nice and Tom started discreetly hexing those that thought it appropriate to stare -or worse, holler- though he hadn’t approached him until, well, this year. Tom didn’t have an inheritance to fall back on, if he didn’t want to graduate job- and homeless, he needed to stay on track and graduate best of his year, with the Ministry already asking- no- begging for him. He wouldn’t take anything less. And he was right on track for it too. If it wasn’t for the truly very unwelcome distraction of Harry Potter, who smelled delicious, who looked literally perfect, not one strand of hair out of place, and with whom he shared living quarters.
Thankfully they had their own rooms, but nothing more, and they often found themselves studying in the common area together, Tom even deigning to help Harry out on occasion. They had been quite amicably living together truly, up until now.
And Tom didn’t even really know what the trigger was, why all of the sudden Harry was giving him the cold shoulder and no longer came out of his room- he’d assumed it was some silly omegan reason, maybe Tom smelled worse during a certain time of the year?
But that surely couldn't be it, or Harry wouldn’t be cozying it up with a Weasley right now, sending him meaningful glances every so often.
Tom had never been the best with social cues and he was still puzzling over this one when Lucius joined him at the table.
“Did you have a fight with Potter?“ He asked, all high and nosy like usual. If Tom didn’t need all the powerful supporters he could possibly get, he would’ve tossed Lucius out a long time ago.
“What makes you think that?“
“Perhaps the obvious attempt at jealousy?“ He answered drily. Jealousy, huh? Tom hadn’t even considered that a possibility.
“Jealousy? Why? It’s not like we’re a couple“
Lucius gave him a weird look and that was Tom’s cue that he’d misjudged something harshly.
“Well, I don’t want to presume anything about Potter of all people but I would assume it is because you have not yet asked him to the Yule Dance-“
Now Tom was really confused, “The Yule Dance? Why would I ask him? As a matter of fact, why would I ask anyone? I’m not going“
At that, Harry jumped up mid-conversation and marched out of the hall, quickly followed by Ginny Weasley, who gave him a stink-eye along the way.
“What? Did I say something wrong?“
Lucius sighed in that way that Tom hated and meant he was somehow oblivious to social intricacies of the magical variety.
“Well, typically, if you are courting an omega, you would ask them to an event such as the Yule Ball, especially, when they have an affinity for such events- like one Harry Potter“
“Yes, Lucius, I know. But since I am not courting Potter, why would I ask him?“
Lucius stared at him. “You are…not…courting him?“
“No? Why would you, or anyone, assume that?“
Granger, over from the Gryffindor bench shot him a deathly glare, and jumped up,
“How dare you play with his emotions like that!“ She said, before emptying her glass of pumpkin juice over his head.
Tom stared after her, puzzled and wet.
He turned back to Lucius, “What-“
The Slytherin sighed and pulled him off the bench. The Gryffindor table was sadly directly next to them, and so all of Potter’s friends had heard the conversation, Tom deduced. He still didn’t know what was wrong with his opinion, as he was not, in fact, courting heiress Potter— a ludicrous idea to begin with, considering he had zero family wealth or status of any kind outside of the school.
But he had to agree with Lucius that such a talk should probably not be continued next to the Gryffindors and especially not the spying ears of the twins.
The image of Harry, thigh to thigh with one of those red-haired clowns flashed through his mind and he was surprised to find that he was indeed jealous. Not surprising since most of all of Potter’s plans worked out like he wanted them to, but indeed curious, since Tim hadn’t been aware there was any sort of amicable feeling between them that went above a casual friendship.
Opening a door, seemingly at random, Lucius pulled him in and charmed it closed behind them. His blonde hair was no longer silky smooth against his back, but charged like someone held a balloon next to it.
“Tom, the way that you have been acting in close proximity to Potter has been that of a courting alpha. I’m sorry to say that Potter will have excepted at the very least an invitation if not a betrothal at some point in the near future“
A betrothal, Tom sputtered, “But, I haven’t done anything! I’ve been cordial, yes, but nothing further“
“You have helped him off his broom on multiple occasions“
“Yes, but that is the gentlemen thing to do, no?“
“You have given him a hug, at least once.“
“His aunt was sick and he was crying!“
“You helped him with homework— You help nobody!“
“So I was friendly, we work together!“
“Tom, I’m telling you you’ve done literally everything an alpha does before you straight up ask his father for permission“
“Surely not“ he protested, but it was beginning to dawn on him that he had indeed acted like that, a lot.
“So you truly have no feelings for the heiress? “
“Ye-“ Tom was just about to agree when he began thinking about the question. His first instinct was obvious, he had no time for interests of any kind, much less those that would never be requited, but… Well, Potter was something different. No one could match his grace, his beauty, his wit, Tom had had a lot of fun with him over the last few months. Would it have been terrible to go to the dance with him? He supposed, if it had to be somebody, he’d much rather have Harry then say… the Weaselette.
“This is what I mean! You keep sending extremely mixed signals. Merlin, why would you not go to the dance with him? Have you looked at him?“
Tom had, thank you very much. And he didn’t much like how Lucius talked about the omega.
He let Malfoy know, who threw his arms in the air in frustration.
“See, there you go again, acting like some sort of protective mate. But you aren’t and apparently you don’t even intend to be one, one day!“
Granted, Tom could understand why this would be confusing, and it was honestly confusing himself too.
“So what you’re saying is that I should ask him-“ He surmised. Lucius rolled his eyes.
“I’d probably try an apology first, but yes. He’s clearly not against this match, even if I don’t see it.“
Tom unlocked the door without another comment, but did allow himself one teeny-tiny hex before leaving. He had a robe to order and an omega to convince…