Tom had come to terms with the fact his heritage allowed him alowances even if his tainted blood did not. Being the Heir of Slytherin brought a prestige and a clout few would dismiss or ignore. While that was all fine and good there were those others that cared little for those things and measured him on merrit alone and still found him to be an amazing man. There were still others though that didn't even care about any of that and called him friend. Those were the rare few and he was stepping into the Wiltshire home of two of them. Michèle and Rosa were two dear people to Tom far more than the sum of all their deeds to him. Rosa above many was like family that he was never afforded. She had accepted him and been loyal and faithful before any other and he had eventually returned the favor once she had earned his trust.
There were still others that were cherished even above Rosa, well one other. Tom could not say the moment he realized his heart was not a dead decaying husk in the depths of his chest. He could not tell you when the reality of the situation had weighed down on him. He could truthfully say now though that he had been touched by love. He might never openly voice it to any other but he did love Abigail. His love for Abi was prominantly displayed in the fact he had given her his prize posession other than his wand. He had given Abi the Slytherin locket she was now proudly wearing around her neck, a token of his devotion and the promise of marriage.
Tom moved into the ballroom dressed in a simple but elegant set of formal robes. He was a tall man standing inches over many of his peers. There was always something commanding about Tom, one could not help but take notice when he entered a room be it with fanfare or just him simply walking in.