A/N: It isn't mine. THERE IS DISTURBING CONTENT HERE! MENTIONS OF RAPE/NONCON! Please do not read this if you are not prepared for this, or if you plan on flaming me for mentioning it. If you do well... I'm not really sure what you're expecting to read here, but please, do go find some G-rated H/G author who's willing to write the fluff you're looking for. I don't write happy endings all the time, nor do I have any intentions of doing so. This could not be the disturbing fic it is today with the help of sea-serpent, who wins. As for the inspiration for this - I was having a bad day, and sometimes, you think about what psychopathic sixteen year old boys who can talk to snakes do when they've trapped young girls. Again, and for the last time: mentions of rape/noncon.

25. Demons

Ginny has her demons, but she puts a good face on it. A good, brave face for all her fears, a mask that she's not sure how to take off anymore. She's not sure who she wears it for, though. Her whole family used to expect her to be afraid of everything – but that was only for two weeks.

If you don't remember it, did you really do it? If no one) died, is it a sin?

Harry doesn't know. Harry doesn't know she's afraid of anything. If he knew, she wonders, toying with her wedding band, would he leave her? Does Harry only love her because she can go into the battlefield laughing? Does he even know her? She doesn't think so. He forgot. He forgot how she got ruined, he wouldn't understand. Harry's life is worse, pity Harry, take care of Harry. A good wife.

Her kids don't know. Too dangerous, too dark. They should be happy, because we weren't. All those chances. Maybe they'll finish school. Maybe no one will ever try to kill them. Maybe it'll all be alright in the end. A real happy ending.

Doesn't meant that she doesn't cry in the pantry some days, doesn't mean that when she tells Harry she dreamt of the War she didn't really dream of snakes slithering over her, under her, in her.

Harry thinks it was Dean, or Michael. Maybe he thinks she's a slut. Maybe he thinks she cried the first time because she was moved, or it hurt or… Harry doesn't know. Can't know. Women's business, her mother said, nobody's fault but yours, her mind told her.

Ginny has her demons, and no one ever needs know about them but her. After all, she doesn't remember any of it, really. She was only a little girl, poor tricked thing. No clue what was going on. Frightened of her own powers, of her own shadow for weeks afterward. Talked to snakes – imagine the nasty things they've got to say. Killed chickens, nearly killed her best friend. But look at her, strong and brave. A good wife, takes such good care of him. Good mother, adorable children. Happily ever after, maybe. Someday.

If only she didn't remember. If only it was half memories and shadows. If only she didn't need to be weak some days.