A/N: I am overwhelmed by the positive response and encouragement for me to continue this story. Thank you so much. --Rita

Chapter 2

The noise was off in a distance. He couldn't identify it at first. He was running toward the noise. What was it? He couldn't identify where he was either. It was dark, and the ground was wet. There was another set of footsteps running away. He was in a tunnel somewhere and whoever it was that was running away was crying. It was a normal cry; it was panicked. The figure stumbled.

"Please, don't. Please." It was a girl's voice. She was pleading, and terribly frightened.

He could help her if he could only get to her. He had no idea who or what was chasing her. He turned a corner and she saw that it was Ginny. She was on the floor, trying to scramble away.

"Ginny!" Take my hand," he said reaching out. But she screamed and struggled to get up.

"Don't hurt me," she begged. She was crying. Harry reached out his hand again and there was blood all over the floor. Ginny grabbed her neck, trying desperately to stop the flow. Someone was killing her!

"Harry! Please don't hurt me. Please!"

Harry woke up and his scar was pounding. He was covered in sweat and he couldn't catch his breath. Ginny! No, he screamed silently. The parchment he used to write the letter to Ginny was balled up and lay at the foot of his bed.

He started the letter before he fell asleep. He wanted to tell Ginny how much he enjoyed talking with her and was looking forward to spending more time with her. He kept the handkerchief she'd given him and that evening, he pulled out the handkerchief. It was very frilly and had her initials embroidered on it. His fingers traced the initials and he quickly tucked it into his pajama top when he heard one of his roommates get up. He was afraid he would take the handkerchief away from him. He felt silly reacting that way; no one ever seemed to care what he was doing. He waited until the student left the room before he pulled out the piece of linen and held it close to him.

He looked around his bed for the handkerchief but it was nowhere to be found. He took the parchment and smoothed it out. Instead of the simple letter of thanks, the ink had smudged and had turned blood red. The scrawls on the paper were his writing but the words were not his. They were vile and threatening. It described in the most obscene terms what Harry planned to do to Ginny.

This is why no one can get close to you, a voice in his head taunted him. You are evil.

Harry wanted to scream a denial but his head was pounding and he felt like he was going to throw up. It was getting light outside and he knew people would be starting to get up. He got out of bed and tidied up. He took the parchment and began tearing it into little pieces.

He went up to the dining hall for breakfast. He looked for Ginny, who was sitting at the Gryffindor table, laughing and talking with her friends. Suddenly she looked at him and smiled. He froze. He wanted to smile back at her, but he was so afraid. What if he hurt her? What if it wasn't just a dream?

Harry had had these dreams before; dreams where people were running away from him, frightened. But this was the first time he'd actually recognized anyone. In these dreams, he was consumed by such anger and hatred that he felt quite capable of killing someone. He would die if he hurt Ginny or any other living being, for that matter.

When Harry didn't return her smile, Ginny got up and in front of the whole school, she walked over to him. It didn't seem to bother her that everyone, including the faculty were staring at them. She grabbed the lapels of his robe and boldly kissed him on the mouth. The whole school exploded into gasps and then giggles as her brother Ron turned absolutely purple.

Harry's face was scarlet, but Ginny had a smug look. She tossed her hair in a flippant manner, turned and walked out of the dining hall, her head held high. The dining hall erupted in chattering. Harry stood watching her. The room got very quiet as everyone began staring at him. He turned and ran after her.

"W-why did you do that?" he asked somewhat out of breath. For a girl, Ginny Weasley was very fast and it took him a long time before he caught up with her.

Ginny turned, causing Harry to run into her. "Because you ignored me, that's why," she said placing her hand on Harry's chest.

Harry looked at Ginny's hand; it felt red hot on his skin. "I'm sorry," he said.

"You know what your problem is, Harry Potter?" she asked rhetorically. "I'll tell you. You need to man up!" She whirled around and stormed off.

"Ginny wait!" he called after her. She hesitated for a second, but turned to face him.

"Yes?" She spread her arms out in a questioning gesture.

"I don't know if it's a good idea for you to talk to me anymore," he said.

Ginny's face flushed. She looked surprised and somewhat stunned for a moment, then she merely shrugged. "Oh, did I hurt widdle Harrykins's feelings? No problem, then. See you around Harry." She gave him a mock salute and spun on her heels, taking off very quickly in the opposite direction.

She had to get out of there fast or she knew she'd embarrass herself by sobbing. No, dammit, Harry Potter was not going to see her cry. What was wrong with him, she steamed. Boys all over school were fighting for her attention. Ginny Weasley was exactly the kind of girl boys drooled over. It was Harry's loss.

Harry watched her stomp away from him. He desperately wanted to run after her, but then again, he was afraid that his dreams were true and he would hurt her. The evil inside him was capable of unspeakable things and he'd rather be without her than run that risk.

The rest of the day was miserable. During the classes that Slytherin had with Gryffindor, Ginny's brother gave him menacing looks. Every time Harry turned around Ron was sneering at him.

After class that day, he went back to his inner sanctum, the old wizard's oak, clutching his book bag to his chest. Unbelievable, she was waiting for him.

"Ginny!" he said, grinning in spite of himself.

"Hello, Harry," Ginny said. "You owe me an apology and an explanation."