He wasn't gone; he had never gone.

Yes, the diary was destroyed and the basilisk was killed...but Tom Riddle was still there. In her mind. Ginny could here him every night when she closed her eyes. Speaking to her. Telling her things. Giving her ideas, and keeping her awake long into the wee morning hours. Her Tom was still with her.

Ginny Weasley closed her eyes, trying to sleep. She was so tired. But a voice leaked into her head; a low, haunting voice. "Ginny, I know you're there. Listen to me Ginny."

"Go away Tom!"

"Ginny. Virginia. My Queen."

"You lied to me Tom. You told me you loved me, and that you'd never hurt me."

"I'd never hurt you Virginia. I do love you. But do you think I would tell that to that Potter boy? What business is it of his?"

Ginny pulled the covers over her head. "Where are you now, Tom?"

"I'm inside you, Ginny. I am a part of you. But I can be more, if you help me."

Ginny closed her eyes tight, shaking her head furiously. "No! You're evil! I can't...just, get out of my head, Tom! Leave me alone!"

"Virginia..."

"Leave me alone, leave me alone, LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Ginny!"

Ginny threw the sheets off her head and looked over at her mother, standing worriedly in the doorway. She held her wand as if ready to strike. "Ginny, what ever is the matter? I can hear you shouting from all the way down the hall." She gave her daughter a sort of warm, motherly look that made Ginny feel warm all over.

"Bad dream..." Ginny whispered softly, "Can you come...come stay with me until I go back to sleep?" With her mother here, she wouldn't hear Tom. No, her mother would protect her.

*****************************

Ginny sat at the breakfast table the next morning, clutching a cup of coffee. He had wanted to make her his Queen, or so he had always said. Virginia, when I triumph, I shall make you my Queen. Thinking of it made shivers run down her spine. Thinking about how gleeful she had been at the thought of Tom; at the thought of the power. Thinking how her brothers would be sorry they ever ignored her.

Ginny had been a silly little girl forced to grow up fast.

She hated Tom Riddle; she loved Tom Riddle. Her feelings toward him were a complex emotion she didn't nnderstand nor wan to understand. She loved him desperately; he was the only person who ever truly understood her. But she was also deahly frightened of him.

"Come, Virginia, be my Queen..."

"Shut up!"

"You've been talking to yourself an awful lot, Ginny. You okay?"

Ginny blushed red as Harry came into the kitchen. He obviously mistook this as a sign that she still liked him, but Ginny was just embarrassed that someone had caught her talking to Tom. "Sorry..." She paused. She had to talk to someone, and she couldn't talk to her family about it. And Hermione, well, Ginny had nothing against the know-it-all, but she knew for a fact Hermione would want clear-cut answers for everything. So that left Harry.

"Harry...you've heard voices know one else can hear, haven't you?"

Harry looked at her oddly. "Well, yes...its because I'm a Parselmouth. I can hear snakes, but...but you're not hearing voices are you? You not a Parselmouth?"

Ginny looked down and shook her head. Ginny in fact was a Parselmouth, it had been a little gift from Tom, but Harry didn't need to know that. "Well...lately...well not lately, ever since first year...I've heard To-"

"Harry! Hey, Harry, come outside! We're going to play Quidditch!"

Ginny watched Harry's eyes light up at the mention of his favorite sport. "Okay, Ron!" He looked at Ginny. "Um...do you think we could talk later? You know, it can wait, can't it?"

Ginny felt her insides burn. "Sure. Go Harry. It...it wasn't important."

Harry smiled at her and nodded, already halfway out the door. Ginny pushed herself away from the table and started upstairs. She was almost glad Ron had interrupted her. What had she almost done? Told Harry that she was hearing the voice of the memory of an evil Dark Wizard's sixteen year-old self in her head? That wasn't good. In fact, that was really really bad.

"Almost told him about me? Couldn't bring yourself to do it, Virginia?"

"No. That was stupid and reckless."

"There's another reason you're glad you didn't tell, isn't there?"

Ginny paused for a moment at the top of the stair. She finally went into her room, and fell on her bed. "I want you all for myself, Tom." She regretted this immediatly; it meant she still had feelings for this evil being. But she couldn't help it. She was so lonely and desperate...Warm, salty tears began to form in her eyes.

"You only have to say it, Ginny, and I'll be there..."

Ginny shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks. She wanted Tom more than anything, but she knew what he was. Her heart fought her mind. "I can't Tom, I just can't."

"I cannot stand to see you like this Virginia. We can overtake all those who hurt you..."



"No, no, no..." Ginny covered her ears but that didn't block out the voice in her mind, the voice calling to her...

"I love you, Virginia."

This she could not take. Her silent tears became wails. She was choked up with sobs, and barely managed to get it out. "Come to me, Tom..."

And suddenly he was standing there. He put his arms around Ginny, who cried into his chest. When her tears had subsided, he put his finger under her chin, and lifted it up face level. He then leaned over and pressed his lips softly against hers, passion flowing from him. Ginny instinctively put her arms around him, pressing harder, and deepening the kiss.

Every bad thing she had been telling herself about Tom Riddle for the last five years flooded out of her mind, and all she could think of was how much she was glad she had him back.

***************************

End chapter one. This is my first T/G, my new favorite couple. Its so twisted and perfect, isn't it.

Oh, forgot the disclaimer earlier. HATE these things. This applies for the whole story: Don't own it.