Disclaimer: I do not own HP or the characters.

Prologue

His footsteps echoed eerily on the soggy ground and he glanced warily at the snake statues on each side of him, they felt as though they might come alive and eat him at any moment. As he neared an opening of some sort his eyes were drawn to the small figure lying on the soggy ground and his feet increased their pace.

He ran to the figure side and kneeled beside it, it was most definitely Ginny and she was freezing. Harry's mind raced frantically, what were you supposed to do in this situation? Ginny was so cold and he could hardly feel her pulse; also, the Basilisk might come at any moment.

"Ginny, wake up, don't be dead, please. Wake up. Wake up." He chanted, his hands nervously fluttering over her form. He was out in the open and it was making him feel extremely open.

A deep voice behind him jerked him out of his panic and he whirled around to face the speaker. A handsome teen had stepped from the shadows, his features hard for Harry to discern from such a distance.

"She won't wake up."

It was Tom! The same Tom he had seen inside the diary! Somebody was here with him and relief coursed through Harry, here was someone who might know what to do! He was so relieved that he no longer had to deal with this himself that he flung himself at the approaching teen and clung to the boy's robes frantically.

Tears sprung up in his eyes as he desperately clung to Tom's robes, "Tom, the basilisk and Mrytle, I don't know what to do! Ron's counting on me and Ginny's dying! Dumbledore is gone and Hagrid! I could-"

"Harry?" for once Tom's voice sounded slightly unsure and Harry was reminded of just who he was clinging to. This was someone he barely knew!

Harry flushed and jumped back, he couldn't believe himself. Had he really just done that? Tom was surveying him with narrowed eyes and a small frown on his face. Harry flushed even brighter and bowed his head causing him to miss the small gleam that had appeared in Tom's eyes.

"Now, now. Harry. It's alright. The basilisk has been dealt with already." Tom soothed, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder and Harry's head lifted.

Harry's hopeful eyes pierced Tom, "Really?"

"Yes… though I had to sacrifice Ginny's life so that I might defeat it."

In Tom's mind the lies were carefully weaving together and he adopted a mournful expression. He could use the boy, from what Ginny had told him it was clear the boy was most likely extremely powerful. Why let such talents go to waste?

Harry looked over to Ginny in distress, "You mean she's already dead? It's your fault?"

The older teen flinched as though Harry's word had hurt him and shook his head sadly, then locked eyes with him.

His voice was quiet and filled with sorrow, "Harry, I had to. The spirit of one of Slytherin's heirs was possessing her and forcing her to open the chamber and kill the roosters. I realised too late and… my only option was to regain my body by killing her or to let the school forever be overrun by the basilisk. Do you not understand my choice?"

He let his words sink in as he stared into the boy's eyes, he could see that he had nearly convinced him. All he had to say to finish it was…

"This school is my home. I will do anything to protect it."

Harry's eyes hardened before him and Tom could literally taste his victory. He would have Harry and his powers. Nothing could stop it now.

"You're lying."

Tom flinched, he hadn't expected to hear such cold words from such a child. The boy's voice had almost been as venomous as Tom's when he was at his most displeased.

Harry glared furiously at the teen before him, sudden distrust coursing through his veins. Such a tale had been too neat and clean, not to mention he'd witnessed Petunia's fake sorrow enough times to be able to identify such a thing. Tom was lying to him.

His teeth clenched and his hands formed fists, he'd finally started to trust someone older than him again when this had happened. It was becoming exceedingly clear to Harry that he really shouldn't trust anyone!

"You're LYING!" he yelled angrily and reached for the wand he'd stuffed in his robe's pocket.

It wasn't there.

Harry's panicked eyes met Tom's now cold ones and flickered to the stick of wood being loosely held in Tom's left hand.

"Looking for this." Tom said coldly, revelling in the fear that shone in Harry's eyes.

Tom wasn't pleased Harry had realised that he wasn't being truthful but he had come up with a backup plan or two that would accomplish the same thing in the end. Now all he needed to do was stall for enough time that would allow him to completely regain a flesh and blood body.

"I'm not quite sure how you figured it out, Harry, but I must say I'm impressed. I'm sure you don't know exactly how far the deception goes though… maybe I should enlighten you…"

Slightly curious green eyes appraised him and Tom knew that he wouldn't attempt anything for the moment.

"You see, Harry, I am a memory, one that has been preserved in a diary for fifty years but I never thought anyone would actually write to me. That is why it came as quite a shock to me when Ginny first attempted to write in me. Of course, what should she write about but you. Her darling Harry. My curiosity was aroused and I began to write back. She came to tell me everything, from what she was wearing that day to the colour of her bed at home. It was irritating listening to her blather on all day about this and that when she was only using me like a toy… I decided to return the favour."

"I persuaded her to do things for me, open the chamber, kill the roosters and to write on the walls. She was surprisingly resistant but she always gave in. Do you know why I did those things though, Harry?"

Harry mutely shook his head and Tom grinned, he could feel his magic coursing through his body. He had now nearly absorbed all of the girl's life force and only needed to distract Harry a little longer. Tom began to stalk around Harry, effectively pinning the boy's gaze on his moving figure and distracting him from Ginny's plight.

"Because despite all of her useless blabberings I could tell that there was something special about you, I wanted to meet you. I wanted to talk to you", he stepped forward gently stroked Harry's cheek, "To touch you."

The light touch sent shivers through Harry and, though he was afraid, he found himself unable to step away. He locked eyes with Tom and his heart tightened in his chest. A fierce flame was burning in Tom's hazel eyes, a passion Harry was unfamiliar with, a passion that scared him.

Harry forced his weak legs to take a step backwards but ropes shot out of the wand, binding his arms and legs to his side , and with another wave he was gagged. Tom caught him, gently lowering Harry's bound body to the ground, then straightened and began to stare at Harry's wand in awe.

"This wand is surprisingly compatible to me", Tom grinned down at him, "You are very surprising, aren't you?"

His emerald eyes glared daggers as Tom squatted down above his head, still wearing a smug grin.

"I will enjoy unravelling the mysteries you are fraught with, Harry Potter."

He pointed the wand directly at Harry's forehead and quietly whispered.

"Stupefy."

AN: I have three ways I can do this (only three)

1) Slash between H and T (forced-ish)

2) Friendship than slash

3) Slash with other (later)