2. August 10-11, 1998

"When the evening shadows

And the stars appear

And there is no - one there

To dry your tears

I could hold you

For a million years

To make you feel my love."

Ginny's 17th Birthday


Tom sighed softly, tucking Miranda in tightly before padding down the stairs. She'd had another nightmare. Miranda had dreamed that Harry was dead, and Tom had spent the last few hours calming her down, convincing her that it was just a dream. She sat rigid, her hands fisted in the fabric covering her ever growing stomach, and Tom sang brokenly to her until her body relaxed and her eyelids finally fluttered closed. He was exhausted, but knew that sleep wouldn't claim him this night. He was too on edge, feeling like his bones were about to break out of his skin at a moment's notice.

Quietly, he grabbed a glass and poured himself some water from the tap, bringing the glass to his lips and letting the cool liquid flow into him. It did nothing to calm him, but these days, just taking in nourishment was a relief. Things like the simple act of getting a glass of water were ones he'd been denied while trapped by Voldemort. Every one of those things he could do now felt like a miracle in their own right.

"Are you alright?" A soft voice asked, and Tom's eyes caught a glint of red hair in the moonlight.

Although he was in the Burrow, and Weasley's were locally abundant, there was only one voice that set every nerve in his body afire like that. He pushed himself away from the window, "Lovely night, isn't it, Ginevra?"

The red head scrunched her eyebrows together in consternation at the sound of her given name on Tom's lips. She found him irresistibly cryptic, "Yes, Tom, I suppose it is."

"We'll have a full moon soon." Tom commented, setting himself to filling a second glass for his companion. It was the proper, polite thing to do after all.

Ginny nodded, taking the glass from him, her fingers ghosting over his, "Thank you." She looked down at her flannel pajamas and wished she'd changed before she had followed him down the stairs. "You know you can call me Ginny." She whispered.

Tom gave her one of his crooked grins, "Yes, I am capable of saying the name Ginny, but as lovely as it is, Ginevra has a certain power to it. It's a worthy name."

"It makes me sound like someones gran." Ginny deadpanned, standing next to him so she can see the moon through the window. "So why are you up so early?" She found herself asking after several minutes, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Miranda." Tom said simply, setting his glass on the counter before facing Ginny.

Ginny sighed heavily, feeling sorry for Miranda, "She's still having those nightmares?"

Tom nodded, "Every night. She's at least getting some sleep now though. I can't sleep at all."

"I've noticed." The Weasley commented dryly. He spent most of his nights wandering the lower floor, usually accompanied by his pregnant sister.

Tom's face jerked to her, "You've noticed. Ginevra, have you been keeping tabs on me?"

Ginny's face flushed, and Tom was certain that had a light been on, her pale skin would be shown to have reached almost the same color as her hair. "N-no!" She squeaked before her face fell, "I worry about you, that's all. You've been looking tired."

"I am tired." Tom whispered, rubbing his face roughly with his hands, wishing sleep would find him. "What do you see when you look at me?" He asked, standing just inches in front of her, staring down at her with his green eyes almost sparking.

"Uh, a near zombie?" Ginny quipped, faintly tracing the dark circles under his eyes.

Tom laughed, resisting the urge to shiver at her touch, "I was being serious, Gin."

She giggled slightly before answering his question once more, "When I look at you, I see a very handsome man who would do anything to protect his little sister. I know the rest of my family might not see it, but any one of my brothers would do the same things you did for Miranda if they thought it would protect me." He stared at her in awe, causing her to shift uncomfortably under his intense gaze, "What?"

"You think I'm handsome?" He blurted out, miserably failing in his attempts to contain his glee. In the harsh light of most days, he could hardly even get Ginny alone to talk, much less get to any sort of genuine conversation that might lead farther.

Ginny looked at him as if he'd lost his mind, "Really? That's all you got out of that?"

Tom chuckled, shaking his head at his good fortune. "No, Ginevra, it's not the only thing I understood. It's just the one thing I can accept right now. I did terrible things."

"That wasn't you, Tom." Ginny hissed.

He laughed, "You sound like Miranda. She's constantly telling me the same thing. You two are the only people who've seen past what I've done." He pinned her with an intense look, "I'm eternally grateful for that. Seeing you both that night at Miranda's party, it gave me strength I hadn't felt in a long time. I wanted to live. Without the two of you, I'd be dead."

Ginny blushed again, forcing herself to look away from the chiseled lines of his face as the clock tolled midnight, "I think Miranda is more to credit for that." She mumbled.

Tom guided her face back to him with a gentle hand so he could pin her with his eyes once more. He wanted her to hear every word. "No, Ginevra, all those years, you kept me alive. Since your first year when he used my affections to hurt you, I only wanted to survive so I could meet you." He reached towards her again, putting a heavy hand on either shoulder, "I'm so glad, that I've had the most honorable pleasure of meeting you. You are an extraordinary young woman, Ginevra Weasley." He stepped impossibly closer, his hands burning into her. In a swift movement, Tom pressed a kiss to her forehead, whispering against her heated skin before he vanished back up the stairs, "Happy Birthday, Ginevra."


Things are heating up! Review!

-Jenn