Ginny decided that she didn't really care what Malfoy thought. All that mattered to her was that some of what he had said was true. She had become everyone's fool. She had lost herself in the darkness of her mind and allowed her mask to become who she was. It was time she did something about that.
The problem was that she still heard Tom whispering in her head. She still heard his thoughts, his reactions. She still heard his opinions and she knew part of her still wanted him around.
No matter how hollow she had been feeling, she always knew she wasn't alone, not as long as he was still there. Even though she knew there was no reason for her to stay where she was, even though she couldn't come up with a reason when she tried, even though she could list a hundred why she should move on, she was still there.
She could still feel him. She knew he was still watching her. She knew he still wanted her. She could feel him pulling her down, further into the darkness. She was still afraid of him. She was still in love with him.
It was time she stopped him from pulling her down. She had to stop it.
She made up her mind. The only way out of this, the only way to be herself again, to be free, was to hunt him down. First, she had to hunt him down and get him out of her head. Then she had to hunt him down and get him out of the world. She could still smell him. He was still alive.
He was still watching her. He still wanted her. Wherever he was, she knew that much. He remembered. He had to. It didn't matter that it was a portion of his soul that was no longer part of him. There was a connection. There had to be. The feeling she had of being tied to him would not be this strong if the one she had been tied to had been completely destroyed.
She also knew this would be the hardest thing she had ever done. She still loved him. He had saved her.
She forced herself to remember. He had raped her. He had controlled her mind. He had completely and totally in every way possible violated her. She would not let him pull her down.
