Title:Loving Death
Author: Nimbus
Email:aya_ac@hotmail.com
Summary:Voldie's back and badder than ever. Ginny faces the fact that her Tom is the Dark Lord, and Charlie gets the girl! H/C/H love triangle along with R/L. Fleur makes a cameo.
Disclaimers:HP belongs to JK...*pouts now*
A/N: Things will get definintly darker than they are now, it's just the way I write. I understand that this chapter is really short, but they will get longer as the plot thickens. Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors, I'm too lazy to get a beta. Bad Nimbus.

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The next morning, Ginny was especially quiet at the table. She could hardly eat her breakfast, the eggs benedict lay cold in front of her. Ron was the first one who noticed her odd behavior.

"Lo, Ginny, what's wrong?"

Ginny smiled inwardly at this. Ron would have a fit if he knew about the dream she had, and her suspicions about the Dark Lord coming back to life.

"Nothing's wrong." Ginny came up with the excuse of a headache. "My head is killing me."

Ginny wasn't all the way lying, she was begining to have a headache, and the pounding was getting worse by the minute. Ever since her dream last night, she hadn't been able to go back to sleep, and plus the stress of having another dream about him had just put her over the edge. Today they were going to Diagon Alley for their scool supplies. Charlie had given her some extra money for her work with the dragons, and she was planning on spending it.

Mrs. Weasley stood up after everyone had finished and cleared the table of the plates with a flick of her wand. The plates soared everywhich way, and one almost hit George in the head.

"Watch it mum! The workers at the shop are going to be awfully mad if they find out one of their bosses got maimed by their own mothers china!"

Mrs. Weasley just shrugged. She figured he deserved it after years of torture from him and Fred.

Percy and Mr. Weasley had been reading the paper, when the latter announced that they would be leaving within the hour, and that they had better get their stuff together. "And don't forget to pack," he said with a gruff voice, "We'll be staying at the Leaky Cauldron until the first of September, so don't forget your school things. Ginny wasn't worried, she and Hermione had packed the night before, while having one of those discussions about Harry.

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iThey had been packing there trunks. Ginny commented on the new crimson dress robes that Hermione had bought over the summer and she had blushed. Ginny smiled knowingly, Hermione must have got in touch with her hormones over the break.

"Trying to impress a certain redhead again Hermione?" She had asked. Hermione face just got even more flushed as she shook her head.

"No."

Ginny was dismayed, she really wanted to be able to have Hermione as her sister one day. She had gotten depressed when her and Ron had broken up two years ago." Then who are you trying to impress?"

"Are you certain you want to know?"

"I'm certain." The air seemed to get heavier as Hermione let the silence stretch on, she felt as if her friend was fighting an internal battle on whether or not to tell her.

"Harry." Hermione wispered it, praying that Ginny wouldn't get too angry at her, she knew of the unrequited love the young girl had for her raven haired friend. She didn't want to ruin the friendship they had just because of a boy that both of them happened to like.

Ginny let out her breath and gave a short half snort-half laugh. Hermione was astounded.

"What? Why aren't you mad at me."

Ginny decided to go ahead and let everything out. The truth was that she hadn't like Harry for a long time. Ginny had gone through the matter one night after a quidditch game when she had spied Harry and Cho near the Ravenclaw common room making out. She had decided after that night that she didn't need to go through all the pain and suffering that she had been though because of him. Over time, the more she had seen those two together, the less she had begun to like him. One day, she couldn't remember the exact date, she had woken up feeling nothing for him at all. It was a glorious feeling, a feeling of independence.

"Of course I'm not mad. I got over Harry a long time ago." Ginny added with a smile. She felt to older girl need some confidence.

Hermione visibly relaxed, and also laughed. The worst part was over.

"In fact," Ginny continued, "I really hope you two end up dating. I just can't stand the thought of him and Cho getting back together. Hermione's face, which had previously been sporting a smile, faded, as she thought of her rival. At least she's graduated, he won't be getting in my way on the path to Harry's heart, Hermione secretly said to herself.

Ginny shook Hermione out of her thoughts, and they both closed their trunks and set them near the door. They were both ready to go except for the bathroom stuff, which they were required for the next morning.

"Come on Ginny, lets go downstairs, it's almost time to open up your presents."

"Good idea." claimed Ginny with a laugh, she couldn't wait to see what her parents had got her./i
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It had been a strange turn in events, but not a bad one. In a way, Ginny was relieved.

The second she was excused from the table, she bounded up to her room and locked to door. Let Hermione get angry all she wants, she thought. Ginny dragged her trunk over to the bed, and dumped her bathroom items in.

"Toothbrush. Check. Hair potion. Check. Hairbrush. Check."

Ginny patted the side of her robe to make sure her wand was there and then she was pretty sure she was ready.

It seemed she had everything when she spotted her diary sitting on the floor, she must have knocked it off of the nightstand while she was sleeping. Ginny felt that she couldn't leave it, this year was promising to be like the rest, horrible, and she had to have someone to confide in, even if it was inanimate. She closed the trunk and went over to the other side of the room. Hidden there, underneath the floorboards was her money, 35 galleons in total, it seemed like a veritable fortune right now. Ginny's hands were just itching to touch it. She tore the precise board up and grabbed a tiny velvet pouch from the dusty hole. She pulled the strings and let the money spill through her hands. She wished she could see Malfoy's face when she showed off all that she had bought with it. Ginny wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to buy with the money, but she knew it was going to be something fantastic.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. It was Hermione, and she was shouting somthing. " C'mon Ginny, let me in, I have to get my stuff and put it downstairs. Your dad said to hurry up, we're leaving soon."

Ginny put the money down and opened the door for Hermione. She really wasn't happy about the badly timed intrusion, her privacy had been officially invaded. She didn't even take time to pause and realize that while Hermione was a guest, this was her room too. It wasn't that she didn't like her as a roommate, in fact she had enjoyed it immensly. Hermione was the sister she never had, the person she ran too with matters of the heart. Hermione had been the first person to hear her crying over Harry and his crush on Cho, and when she had a small crush on Seamus, she was there for her. Hermione stuck with her through thik and thin. Ginny considered herself lucky.

When Hermione had vacated the room with her baggage, Ginny grabbed her money again and proceeded to dump it in her trunk.

She was set to go.

The twins and Bill decided to ride with them to Diagon Alley. Apparently they were out of Floo powder, and Mr. Weasley had conviently forgot to set up a portkey. It hadn't been a problem, though, they had just arranged to get a car from the Ministry.

The ride was pretty tranquil, save the time Fred and George decided to transfigure the Ministry's steering wheel into a chicken. Thankfully, the spell wore off quickly, before the driver went into a real panic, and decided to go on the side of the road. The twins hadn't changed at all from their time at Hogwarts. Mrs. Weasley was not at all amused by their actions, she let the twins know just how angry she was when they got to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Never in my life!.........we could have died.......disgrace to your father and I......and in a Ministry car no less! You should be ashamed of yourselves....grown men!!!!!!!!!"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron stood behind her for the duration of the rant, snickering the whole time. Ginny stood off the the left, trunk and all, waiting for her mother to finish, she was anxious to set her stuff in her room so she could go and browse the shops. When she finally got rid of her things and went to her parents room where everyone was gathering, Mrs. Weasley told them the rules.

"Now listen, you are to stay in Diagon alley. Don't even think about venturing into Knockturn Alley, or your father and I will have your heads. This includes you to Harry and Hermione."

They both nodded.

"You are all to be back by 6 o'clock. No later. Any slip ups will prevent you from leaving the hotel until the first. Any questions?"

Everyone remained quiet, they knew the rules, even if they weren't planning on carrying them out.

"Ok, you are all dismissed. Go have fun. And don't forget the buy the stuff you need for school!"

Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Harry all decided to go to Madam Malkins first, and then venture their own ways for the things they needed.

"Ginny, come over here! Isn't this one lovely?" Hemione was holding up a set of dark green robes, so dark that they were on the verge of black. They were lovely, and Hermione was holding them up against her small frame."

"Ugh. This makes me look sallow, here, why don't you try it on. You might have the right coloring." Ginny grabed the robes and held them up. Hermione was right, they were right for her. The robes came with a black cloak, and that was one new thing she needed. Hermione convinced her into buying them. Ginny's bag was slightly lighter as she made her way down the alley when she turned the corner and knocked into someone. They shock sent her flying to the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." The lilting voice said. She had heard it some where. Ginny chanced opening her eyes and saw a mass of black hair pulled back to reveal startling blue eyes. Cho.

"No, it's my fault." Ginny said as she got up and began to dust herself off.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to be here with Harry would you?" Cho asked as her eyes lit up when she reconized her a as Weasley.

Ginny reluctently answered her, she didn't have the heart to lie."Yea, he's somewhere around here somewhere."

"Oh thank you so much.....Ginny." Cho's smile was sincere and Ginny's heart felt guilty at the things she had said to Hermione the other night.

"Bye then."

"Bye."

Ginny watched the other girl walk off, a small bounce in her step, and she wondered why she couldn't have the charm and grace that the other girl seemed to posess. Mabye then she would have had a little bit more luck in catching Harry. Oh well, that really didn't matter now. She continued on her path down the alley until she found what she was looking for. Gerchan's House of Wizarding Animals.

Ever since Crookshanks made his debute, Ginny had wanted a cat of her own. She opened the door and was amazed at the display of the animals. Exotic birds, and all sorts of cats, snakes, and other things.

She made her way down the aisle's until she her a soft growl and turned to her right. In the cage was a black cat, with shocking purple eyes. The stars seemed to shine out of those eyes, and Ginny found herself grabbing the cage and bringing it up to the counter before she could stop herself. She felt she simply had to shelter it from the world and give it a loving home. She paid for it and set out again to head towards the hotel.

Ginny was almost there when she found herself in a strange alley, off of the main one. There wasn't anyone down this way, and few shops. She venture futher, thinking that around the corner would be the hotel when she lost her footing and fell down for the twice time that day. As she got up she thought she saw a shadow in the corner of her eye, but she could have just imagined it.

The cat's cage was off to the side and she bent to pick it up.

"Typical of a Weasley. Too poor to afford some balance? Tsk. Tsk." Ginny growled at the harsh voice. It could only belong to one heartless person.

Draco.
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I'm sure you're all wondering why she called him Draco, but you'll find that out in the next chapter. Someone learns about someone elses crush and we delve deeper into Ginny's past as well.

Now you've read, now you can review. Comments are loved, constructive critisism adored, and flames laughed at.