Title: Waiting
Author/Artist: UpCreekNoPaddle
Pairing: Tom Riddle/Ginny Weasley
Fandom: Harry Potter
Theme: #4; our distance and that person (30Kisses challenge)
Disclaimer: If J.K. (owner) knew what I (Fanfic author) was doing with her characters (Ginny and Tom, and others), I'm sure she would pull a Regan. I don't own, or the HP books would have been in the Adult only section

It had taken her 7 years to realize that she was unhappy. It had taken her 7 hours to figure out how she could be happy again. Then it had taken her 7 months to stop trying to convince herself that she was crazy. Ginny had spent 7 weeks searching for her door to happiness. She was unsurprised when Lucius Malfoy held the key.

The diary was battered, more so then the 19 year old remembered. Lucius had handed her the book with a sneer and she took it lovingly in one hand, her other hand busy pointing her wand at the dark wizard. She looked up from the diary, and met his eyes. "You will tell no one that I have it, you will not mention it. If you do, well, you know what will happen if you do." Lucius' sneer grew but she could feel the heat from his eyes as they raked over her body.

"Very well girl, no one will know of its location from me, or mine." Ginny nodded and backed away towards the floo. Lucius watched her go, and she didn't drop her wand till she had yelled out "Hog's Head Tavern", and felt herself go.

Ginny had already realized that 7 was the number it took for everything, so when she found a way to talk to him in six days, she was a little uncertain that it would work. But then she realized that she needed a new moon, which was the next day. That brought her up to her normal 7. Ginny fixed herself a cup of tea as she stared at the diary sitting on her table. The table and two chairs, as well as a mattress on the floor in the corner, were the only furniture her flat had. She didn't mind. Her entire savings had gone towards the rent, as much of it upfront as she could afford. 7 months.

Her parents had been angry, but it didn't matter. Nor did Harry's worrying statements of, "Just move in with me and Ron if you can't be with your parents anymore." Ginny had managed to laugh, pretending to not want to have her older brother's overprotective gaze on her.

Ginny winced as she thought of Harry. When he had destroyed Voldemort, Ginny had rejoiced with the rest of the wizarding world. That old man was not Tom. Tom wouldn't have been that stupid. He would have been more careful, less trusting. Ginny never had the urge to let Voldemort know that Snape was the traitor, because she hated Voldemort. He was not Tom. Harry wouldn't be able to kill Tom.

Harry. Ginny had loved him when she was eleven, so when he returned her love when she was 16, she didn't know what to do with his love. She had played at being with him. After all, being Mrs. Harry Potter, it had a ring to it. But she didn't want to BE Mrs. Harry Potter. At the time she had turned him down saying she was too young, but now she realized it was because she still loved Him.

Besides, it was only five years. Things about Tom happened it lengths of 7. Ginny finished her tea and set her cup in the sink. Picking up the diary she crossed to the mattress and dropped on it, toeing her shoes off. She opened the diary, which she cleaned of the damn basilisk blood. It was empty, but Ginny knew what was still in there. He had to be in there. She needed him. Nothing would keep them apart, not death, not time, not distance. Not even Harry Potter.

Ginny closed the diary and kissed it gently, laying it down.

"Goodnight Tom. I love you. I will talk to you tomorrow."