AU: Ginny Weasley has just finished her final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the age of nineteen. She struggled to keep her relationship with Harry whilst she remained at Hogwarts to complete her schooling after the war, whilst he starting training to be an auror. As a result, she finds herself single and without any plans for her future. Feeling frustrated, one evening she decides to pick up Tom Riddles old diary, which Dumbledore left to her as a reminder of her struggles during her first year of Hogwarts, and what she overcame. However, that night she decides to write on the last page of the diary, the only one that survived the basilisk fang, to see if she can get a response from her old childhood nightmare. Shockingly, it works, and the diary links with the one a twenty one year old Riddle still keeps in 1949. Aware that the diary is unable to harm her in it's damaged state, Ginny continues to talk to Tom Riddle, to find out more about his life before Voldemort. Excited by the thrill that talking to the future Dark Lord gives her, and enjoying the feeling of rebellion against Harry, whom she has still not quite forgiven, Ginny continues to write in the diary throughout the summer. However, she still is not all that best pleased when Riddle himself turns up at the Burrow on a fine summer afternoon as she enjoys painting in the garden. Despite her obvious anxiety and confusion, she agrees to join him for a drink…
'Tom, why exactly did you come here?" I didn't look him in the eye, i was scared to see his face. He lied far too easily.
"You wouldn't believe me if i told you, my dear.' I wasn't expecting that. It wasn't some charismatic chide or well rehearsed story. It seemed almost honest: it sent chills down my spine to think he was capable of telling the truth.
"Perhaps not, but i'd still like you to tell me." I tried to say cooly, hiding the fact i was hugely taken a back.
"I got an invitation to Abraxes Malfoy's wedding" He didn't look at me, but at his wine glass with a glazed look in his eye. I couldn't help it, i snorted loudly and burst into laughter.
"And you had to travel half a century into the future to find the only person who would accompany you?" i chortled at my own obscured joke. He looked at me then, it was the most chilling sight i had ever seen; he was smirking. There was a boyish glint in his face, he seemed like he might have almost rule laughed with me. But the most terrifying thing of all was that, in that moment, Tom Riddle seemed unsure of him self. All that confidence and false charisma hiding him malicious and manipulative self had melted away, but he was not domineering or frightening, but quite, normal.
"Not quite." He took a deep breath and took a sip of red red wine then smiled. A true and honest smile. "You see, i've always thought that forming a romantic attachment would be foolish or make me weak." He looked at me as though testing the water, whether or not he should continue. i nodded. "But, you see, i have always prided myself on the ability to read people, mostly in order to manipulate then, but never the less it is a skill i often utilise. However there i was, at Malfoy's wedding, alone, i might add, and i came across a human interaction that was quite alien to me. You see, when dear Abraxas looked at his blushing bride, i saw something i did not recognise. Something i can only assume was in fact' Then he stopped. He took a deep breath as though he found this particular word hard to say. He help it in his mouth for many moments before continuing. "Love. And well, you see, it got me thinking. There was a time, back in school, when Nott, one of out school friends, propositioned Malfoy's, now, wife, and, you see Malfoy had always been somewhat of a, shall we say all talk no trousers sort of gent. But when he caught Nott with that one girl, there was a power in him unlike anything i had ever seen. Do you follow?"
"Well yes, of course.' I smiled. "It's no secret that love is the most powerful thing in the world. It's what stopped you, in the end." I wondered if i should i have said that, but he didn't seem like it was news to him.
"Precisely, you see Gin, i think i've been terribly naive. I mean, whilst i am quite content that i spend my school years accomplishing new feats academically, perhaps i'm lacking elsewhere in my life."
"Right, i see" I couldn't pretend i wasn't shocked, nee, astounded. "But that doesn't quite explain accomplishing new feats in time travel."
He let out a small laugh and refilled his wine glass, and mine. "The girls in nineteen forty-nine are a little, how can i put it, predictable. Anyone with a family worth being associated with has their sights set on marriage and children and the perfect domestic life."
"So, that's not a scenario you see your self in?" He let out a real laugh then. A cold and chilling laugh, but still hearty and genuine; a reminder of with whom i was speaking. Lord Voldemort wasn't capable of being warm or lighthearted.
"Come on Gin," He raised his eye brows and i felt a horridly warm glow at the sound of him calling me 'Gin', i resented my liking of the way it rolled off his tongue. "I may be taking leaps and bounds by accepting that a romantic attachment may not be the reclusive notion i once believed but we both know i could never be content with that."
I couldn't help but smirk at the absurdity of the conversation i was having. Perhaps it was the amount of red wine i'd managed to drink, but i decided to test Riddles new found honesty, and lack of intimidating atmosphere. "Do you think that's down to your thirst for power or your issues with family?" I watched as his jaw tensed and his grip tightened around the neck of the wine bottle, automatically my mind dashed between fight or flight responses but i couldn't help but feel more relaxed seeing the Tom Riddle i knew finally surfacing. That's when i realised i had in fact deliberately tried to provoke him, and then deduced i had also definitely had had too much red wine.
"Both, i assume." He said blankly.
'Sorry" I said it before i thought it, though i wasn't sure if i actually meant it. Worryingly i think i did. I decided to change the topic of conversation. "So, nineteen forties girls lacked the appropriate sense of adventure, so you decided the only way you could find love was to travel to the nineteen nineties?"
"Not quite,." He seemed to be slowly relaxing again. "When you wrote in the diary again, knowing there was no way of me getting out or you getting in. I realised there had to be a reason. I give you thrills, and Gin, well, you intrigue me. I'd like to get to know you more. Lets say, you are appropriately adventurous." I smiled at him, and then i said something i definitely shouldn't have, and it was definitely the wine's fault.
"You know i happen to know your future, Tom." I smirked at myself, feeling powerful, but i was breaking ever rule of time travel that i knew. He knew of course and raised an eyebrow in warning, which i decided, of course, to ignore. "You're twenty, you know this is the year you" I lingered on the world, feeling it's weight on my lips, savouring the power of this one word. "Disappear."
"I what?" His brow furrowed. He should have stopped the conversation there, but perhaps he had drunk too much wine too.
"You disappear for ten years, according to all accounts you travel the world, when you return, you start gathering followers." I knew i said too much but i didn't care. "So wouldn't it be ironic, if you spent ten years having the most wonderful adventures with me, and then returned to your own time to rip mine apart?" Another glass of wine wouldn't hurt would it?
"Indeed it would be. But adventures with you, Gin. Well, what a wonderful decade that would be." With that i got scared, and confused. Could i do that? betray my family, Fred's memory by galavanting off with his killer? or maybe even prevent the war entirely, though even in my drunken state i knew that was impossible. Suddenly feeling flustered, i stood up, needing fresh air but found my legs to be far more wobbly than i had expected. The next thing i realised was Tom's strong arm around my waist holding me up as he laughed boyishly into my neck. I laughed too, but relished the feeling of his breath on my skin, suddenly noticing the effect the alcohol had had between my legs. Tom and I staggered out of the bar, clinging onto one another for balance, both if us feeling a little more than tipsy.
I breathed in the cool summer breeze as we stepped outside hoping it would sober me up but to no avail. I leant again the cold brick wall of the bar, happy to lift the weight off my feet slightly. Tom stood next to me so that our shoulders touched and i noticed just how intoxicated he was. There was something alluring about it, someone so incredibly powerful, suddenly so vulnerable but also so devilishly attractive. He caught me staring at him and smiled broadly and flashed his white teeth. I decided that if i didn't sober up soon i might end up doing something really stupid.
Reaching into my leather jacket i took a cigarette and lit it. Inhaling the smoke i relaxed immediately and whilst not feeling anymore sober, i felt that i could think a little more clearly. "You haven't got one of those spare have you?" I laughed, really whole heartedly chortled at the idea.
"You cant tell me you smoke!" I giggled, handing him a cigarette which he lit with a wave of his hand, wandless and non-verbal magic.
"You realise i have just traveled here from the nineteen forties, where everybody smokes, right? it's the only way to converse with high society, you know."
He looked so sexy, taking a pull from a cigarette, handsome and free and liberated and i realised i could fall in love with him like this. But he was drunk and it would not last.
"But Voldemort created seven horcruxes to stay alive, and all that time he was a smoker?" I only realised what i said after it came out of my mouth. That was a huge bit a future intel and i raised my hand to my mouth. Tom and i both looked at each other in shock for a minute.
"You shouldn't have said that" And with that we both burst out laughing. I doubled over, he placed a large warm hand on my back for support, as i stood up i turned around to face him, and before i knew it i was in his arms, looking up at him, him looking down at me, our faces only inches away.
"You must bring out the worst in me." i smiled, enjoying the warmth of his body around mine.
"I like to think so." Within seconds, his soft fingers were caressing my cheek and his lips were moving closer to meet mine. I like to blame the drink, but i wanted him in that moment. I kissed him hard and the feeling was like nothing i had ever experienced. My mind fogged over, and my stomach tied itself in knots, i wanted every inch of him, the feel if his skin against mine, i wanted to drink him in and hold onto him forever.
And then it was over, and he looks bewildered. "What?" I asked, catching my breath.
"Is it always like that?" He asked, suddenly less relaxed.
"Kissing a girl?" i asked.
"Yes." He answered.
I thought about it for a moment, and answered honestly. "No, that one was particularly good."
I took a drag form my cigarette, so did he. I didn't know if i should speak but he beat my too it. "Fuck."
"Did you just swear?" I was shocked, i didn't think Riddle, with all his charisma and sophisticated grace was even capable of swearing.
"Yes." All his light heartedness was gone now and he suddenly seamed very sober, and angry.
"What did i do?" i asked blindly, but i didn't realise the words had come out of my mouth.
"Not you" He said offhandedly, then i realised him looking across the road at a dark figure of a man. "It's the ministry."
Then i sobered up too. "Tom," i paused, collecting my thoughts. "did the Ministry for nineteen forty-nine follow you here?"
"I think they might have done, yes." He replied as he started walking away from the bar and into the shadows of the city. I followed.
"Then they will ave contacted the ministry in this time."
"Yes."
"'Tom Riddle' wont be a name the dismiss easily, Tom" I started to feel the weight of the situation and it was extremely sobering.
"I'm quite aware." Then he did something i wasn't expecting, he took my hand in his as we walked. Even more surprisingly, i was glad that he did. It was like he wanted to hold on to me, and i liked that. Because when he was so angry and cold i wanted to run away from him, but it was nice to see he wanted me there with him. I used to dream about us holding hands when i was eleven.
"So, do we run?" I look back now and realise how significant those four words were, and how they changed my life forever.
He looked at me, he was clearly shocked at my question and i wondered whether or not i should have asked it. Then he kissed me.
"Yes." and then we apparated.