Challenge Prompt: Write about a character consumed by jealousy.

Setting: Varied, follows Ginny through the years in an AU. Ends in 6th year.

Ginny Weasley was not jealous. She had nothing to be jealous about. Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, would be her husband one day, so what did it matter what he did in the meantime?

True, she was only 12 years old, but why else would he have risked his life to save her from the basilisk last year? All her life she'd known that one day, she would grow up and marry Harry Potter. Her father thought she was obsessed because of the stories, but the stories were nothing like the real Harry. She remembered him from the chamber, when neither he nor Tom knew she had any awareness. Brave, but scared at the same time. No monumental feats of magic, but his victory was even more impressive because he didn't have any special powers. And it was all for her, so of course they were going to be married someday! (He's yours, he'll be yours forever, you belong together).

She watched as her brother and Hermione ran around with her Harry, worrying about Sirius Black. She knew Harry would master the patronus. She couldn't wait to see it!

Ginny Weasley was not jealous. Why should she be jealous? Harry might not be looking at her, but he was looking at a girl. That meant he was interested in girls now!

Everyone knows that boys are stupid when it comes to girls, so it wasn't surprising he was staring at Cho Chang. Older, pretty, a seeker like him, it was only natural she would be attractive to him. It would never work out though, and when it didn't, he would look for other quidditch players. If only Quidditch hadn't been canceled this year! She could have joined the team, and all that practice time together would have been perfect for getting closer! But they would be married someday, so she could wait. She would be patient. (He's looking at them instead of you, don't let him get away.)

Ginny Weasley was not jealous, certainly not of a muggle-born. There was nothing wrong with muggle-borns of course, but the idea that the Boy-Who-Lived would marry a muggle-born, wouldn't embrace the wizarding world… well, it was absurd!

Still, it was probably for the best Hermione didn't make this kind of an effort more often. Harry was staring, much the same way he stared at Cho sometimes… but Hermione was a friend, not some silly crush. If it wasn't so obvious they would wind up together, Ginny might have been worried. But Hermione wasn't even going with Harry tonight, he was going with one of the Patil twins while Hermione went with Viktor Krum. (He's looking at Hermione, she's a threat, be careful of her.)

Ginny was happy. Yes, she was happy Hermione was getting some attention. Soon she'd be back to her old bookworm self. That was fine, of course, but everybody knows that's not what boys were interested in. Hermione was a good friend, certainly not someone Ginny was jealous of.

Ginny was only watching Harry, Hermione, and Ron go off to the yule ball together because she was happy they were going to have a good time. (They'll forget about you, you can't let that happen). Ginny shook her head. It was just the yule ball.

Ginny was still not jealous of Hermione. The DA might have been Hermione's idea, but it was clear Harry didn't want to do it at first, so there was no reason to be jealous of her.

All that time Harry and Hermione spent together after the DA meetings concluded was obviously being spent on lessons, on figuring out what they would teach next time. Why would Ginny be jealous of that? If Harry looked at Hermione with that look in his eyes, well, this year was obviously very hard on him. Umbridge was torturing him! Hermione was being a good friend, it was only natural he'd be thankful. (She's using him, she's taking him, she's a threat). Ginny just needed to get his attention on the pitch some more, and things would be perfect. Soon Harry would be looking at her, not Hermione.

Ginny felt sorry for Hermione. Of the six of them who had gone to the Ministry, she was the most seriously injured. That's why Harry was sitting at her bedside every day, crying. If Ginny had been injured, Harry probably wouldn't be able to eat, let alone leave her bedside. (You're losing him, he's yours, you can't let her have him.)

Of course, Ginny was not so desperate that she was jealous of Hermione for getting herself injured. It was simply proof that Hermione shouldn't be the one standing by Harry's side. She was smart, but she wasn't a fighter, not like Ginny was. When Harry stopped worrying about his friend, he would remember that Ginny had been at his side too, and then they could start their future together.

Ginny Weasley was concerned, not jealous. Harry had grown up in the muggle world. She knew that the Headmaster had his reasons, but Harry just didn't understand how much of their world he was missing, how much he was going to miss if he stayed with Hermione. They'd spent the first half of the summer together, and even now that they were together at Grimmuald Place he was more interested in spending time with Hermione. (Together, behind locked doors, she's a threat!)

Hermione was a great girl, but she wasn't the right person for Harry. (You need to take him back, make him understand that he belongs to you!) Ginny had to make Harry understand, before he made a mistake.

Ginny was outraged. Obviously Hermione had used some muggle trick to convince Harry that he shouldn't be with her. Ginny had tried to kiss Harry last night, and he'd yelled at her! He said that he was with Hermione, and that they couldn't do anything together! And when Hermione came in, pretending to be sympathetic, pretending she cared…. Ginny could see through it. She knew Hermione was just making sure that whatever had been done to Harry was still working. (You won't convince him now, but a potion would get his attention, then he'll be yours again.)

Two could play that game. Ginny was pretty good at potions, and no matter what muggle tricks Hermione came up with, it wouldn't work against magic. (No muggle tricks can hold against magic, give him the potion and you'll be together.) Then she and Harry would be together, the way they were supposed to be.

Ginny was impressed. Hermione was very smart, and whatever she'd done to Harry, it was working even against a weak love potion. Harry had looked her way a few times, but Hermione had been able to get him back with just a few words. (She's clever, you have to be more clever)

Maybe after Ginny won, she could find out from Harry what Hermione had done to him. (Learn her secrets, you need to protect Harry) Once she knew, she could make sure he would never fall prey to it again. And she would win, because Harry had already chosen her, so very long ago. Now Harry was the victim, and this time it would be Ginny who rescued him. (The last potion was too weak, you need a stronger one.)

If a weak love potion didn't work, a strong one would.

Ginny was furious. Her potions had finally worked, only Hermione had figured it out immediately. Somehow she'd taken to carrying around antidotes with her, and had the potion broken in minutes. (Your potion worked, you did nothing wrong.)

Now her family was mad at her, claiming that what she did was a disgrace. How was that possible? Her mother joked about using love potions to get her father's attention, this was the same thing! Maybe she'd used a little bit too much love potion, (No, Harry is strong, you did you needed to do) but Harry was strong, he'd be fine. Everything she'd done… it was what she needed to do. Besides, even if her potion had done something, Hermione had administered an antidote within minutes, anything that was still wrong with Harry couldn't be her fault.

Now Hermione was at his side, where Ginny should be. The Headmaster and the Professors were all watching her, keeping her from going to his side! They said it was her fault that Harry was sick, as if Hermione wasn't the one poisoning Harry from the start. (She's a threat, as long as she's here, you can't get to him.)

Hermione looked sad, but Ginny knew better. She knew that Hermione was sitting there, smug that she had what should be Ginny's. Hermione sat there, while everyone just let her keep pushing Ginny further and further away. (Tonight, go see him tonight.)

Nobody had noticed that Ginny had taken Harry's cloak from the boy's dorm. Tonight she'd go visit.

Hermione was still in the infirmary, still pretending to care. (She's a threat). Harry was lying there, even asleep he was (yours!) beautiful. Ginny just needed to make sure that Hermione wouldn't poison him again, keep him away.

Ginny looked around, saw a shelf with Dreamless Sleep potions. She should use one on Hermione, to make sure she wasn't interrupted. (why one? Why not all of them?)

Better, why not give her all the potions? (She stole Harry from you, she doesn't deserve to live!)

Ginny hesitated, but it made a horrible kind of sense. Hermione was clearly stealing her Harry, and this would be the easiest way to save Harry.

She pulled her wand. She knew there was nothing she wouldn't do, if it was to protect Harry.

"Imperio"

Hermione's eyes drifted open. Ginny spoke softly. "You need to go back to sleep, go drink the potions on the wall, when they're all gone you can go back to sleep."

Hermione stood and walked slowly over to the wall. She hesitated before picking up the first vial, but as Ginny focused, Hermione drank first one vial, then a second… she barely managed to finish the fifth vial before she collapsed.

An alarm sounded in Madam Pomfrey's office. (Run! You can come back tomorrow!) Quickly throwing the cloak over herself, she fled the infirmary and went back to the Girl's dorm.

Headmaster Dumbledore sat at his desk, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seated on the other side. A review of the wards had shown a visitor to the infirmary, along with the use of an unforgivable. The lack of visible evidence led them to check Harry's trunk, and then the Gryffindor quarters, looking for Harry's invisibility cloak. When they confronted Ginny, she hadn't bothered to lie, instead sounding proud of what she had done.

It had taken Headmaster Dumbledore almost two hours to examine Miss Weasley's mind, to discover what had been driving her on. He had seen those who had a jealous and possessive nature before, but never had he seen someone so focused, so blinded to everything else.

"Molly, Arthur, I'm afraid I have bad news for you." the Headmaster began, "Your daughter, it would seem, never fully recovered from the incident in her first year."

"You mean… you-know-who did this to her?" Molly asked.

"Yes, and no. The jealousy was young Ginerva's, but it was magnified. The parts of her that knew what she was doing was wrong were silenced, replaced by a voice that goaded her on. This voice pushed her to claim Harry as hers, eventually causing her to lose sight of everything else."

As Molly started crying, Arthur asked the obvious question. "Is she going to Azkaban?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "She'll be admitted to St. Mungo's, the long-term spell damage ward. With luck, they'll be able to isolate the diary's influence and remove it from her."

Arthur nodded, a small measure of relief evident on his face. "And Hermione? Harry?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Miss Granger passed away this morning. With so much Dreamless Sleep in her system, there was little hope of saving her, even without the Imperius curse amplifying its effect." Seeing confusion in Arthur's eyes, Dumbledore continued, "Miss Granger was told to drink the potions, then sleep. Her mind and her body helped the potions, accelerated their effect. By the time the Imperius had been lifted, the damage was already irreversible. Magical healing, as with muggle techniques, often relies upon the patient's body and magic to speed the process along, and in this case…"

Arthur closed his eyes, a long sigh escaping his nose. "And Harry?"

Dumbledore spread his hands. "Unknown. He may wake, he may not. The healers are doing everything they can."

Arthur nodded, before he and Molly stood. "If there's anything we can do, let us know. And… tell Hermione's parents how sorry we are." At Dumbledore's nod, they walked over to the floo. Moments later, Dumbledore sat alone in his office.

Leaning back in his chair, Dumbledore closed his eyes. 'I was so focused on trying to protect Harry, I missed all the signs. Given the influence of the diary on Miss Weasley…. One must die at the hands of the other… please, Harry, don't let this be what the prophecy meant.'

Sighing, Dumbledore stood and left his office. There was likely nothing he could do for Harry, but he couldn't bear to sit around and do nothing. He would try a few tricks, and if they failed… Hogwarts' library was extensive, he would find something. Anything.

He had to.