DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY.. I never did...

Summary and Warning: Err.. enjoy..?

PAIRING: GINXTOM

Previously...

"Walk," he ordered composedly once more, and Ginny had a bad feeling she wasn't going to enjoy this journey.


Chapter 6-Presents and Secrets

Either she was pretty heavy, or Riddle's muscles were just lacking. He mentally denied the latter assumption.

But at the moment, that physical fitness mattered little, it was his mental fitness- or hers, that irked him terribly.

He had utilized Legilimency on her a couple of times- not the fully powered one, but the wandless sort, but for some bizarre reason or another, her mind was simply impenetrable. Perhaps it was due to her constant avoidance to eye contact? Riddle, had always been armed with the capability to read a person inside out, and this certainly disturbed him. But what actually infuriated him more, was that he just couldn't understand why it wouldn't work on this particular little girl. The problem was...

It wasn't Occlumency she was using in her defense.

If it was, Riddle would have identified it upon glance. For heaven's sake, he had prized himself for being skilled in Occulumeny and Legilimency, and anything related to the clockworks of a person's mind. And after all, if it were Occlumency, firstly, he would known- Secondly, he would have managed to read snippets of her memories before colliding into a mental barrier while trying to gain further access- And thirdly, no one, except perhaps Saint-like Dumbledore and Professor Merrythought, could hold out against his Occlumency. But then and again, they were fully grown, powerful wizards and witches- Not to mention that Professor Merrythought was probably over 200 years of age and had countless practice on that aspect.

And she was a girl, a little one no doubt, approximately a head shorter than him.

He had tried- shifting the weight and momentum of his Legilimency around the impregnable fortress of that mind of hers, searching of some sort of fault, a tiny flaw, but no, not a single gap, not a single snippet of memory, nothing slipped through it. And he had torn at the strongholds desperately, but again, it hadn't moved, nor shaken, nor bowed to his power.

It was as though she had closed herself out of the world, blocked every single prying thought from her mind- out of paranoia. It gave the impression that she was... experienced? Experienced manipulation, experienced pain, experienced suffering, and had decided then on, to shut down and guard herself against all possible threats.

That maddened the hell out of him.

Well, if he hadn't the advantage of his mind this time, he could always make use of his charm- his authority in conversation, to dig out information from her.

They had spoken five sentences, and from the constant flashes that flickered through her brown eyes, he perceived half of them as lies.

And since that Fridwarn girl had decided to clam up on him halfway through the journey, it was an obvious indication of her refusal to speak any further, hence there was no point starting another conversation – and besides, Riddle had never been pressured upon to start one before.

Just from that mere exchange of words, Riddle had already gathered some firsthand information on Fridwarn, which he hoped weren't just blatant lies conjured up by her. He would tally the results with his circle once he got over and done with this, and confirm all his suspicions.

I beat that dimwit of a Malfoy in five sentences exchanged.

Firstly, she was a pureblood, and one of good standing as well. Secondly, her family had long passed on, which he supposed- didn't do any harm in lowering her position in society. And thirdly, she enjoyed eating chocolate frogs, though that was completely redundant, but pretty interesting to know.

"So," the Fridwarn girl suddenly decided to speak up. "Do you like chocolate frogs?"

Riddle was taken aback at this, and didn't bother to even cover that up. Her personality was just… so bizarre, so unpredictable. From weak, to guarded, to open, to smart, to heroic, to defiant, and now just absolutely crazy. What kind of intellectual conversation was this?

"Me?" He replied levelly "Why is it... any of your concern?" Well, truthfully, it did come out blunter than he had decided on.

This, was a complete waste of time. Riddle simply would not comprehend why anyone would engage in such obsolete conversation.

"Do you like chocolate frogs? Or what do you like?" the girl infuriatingly refused to budge, having no intention of steering the conversation elsewhere.

What game was she playing? Riddle's eyes narrowed suspiciously towards her.

"I have no particular favourites," he replied exasperatedly. "My background, as you see, never really provided me the opportunity to try many of them. And yours?"

Wonderful, Riddle thought slyly. A successful maneuver of the topic- to something more constructive for myself to set a firm informative base upon.

How wrong he was. That Fridwarn girl never ceased to surprise him.

"Is that so?" Fridwarn glanced up at him for the first time. "Shall I recommend you some? Let's see, Bertie Botts every flavor beans isn't too bad, but you've got to watch out for vomit flavor, or earwax flavor…"

She maneuvered it back? Riddle thought with somewhat surprise. She seemed at the moment to possess full reign over the direction of their conversation and Riddle wasn't amused at that. Conversation topics were always by his command and he was proud to admit that he had never allowed the engagement in anything this stupid before.

But this time, the only thing he could do was listen. He listened to her strangely-lively-self describe the different flavors of Bertie Botts every flavoured beans the rest of the way to the Hospital Wing.

And as he helped her in, he realized, that perhaps she was pretty normal unlike what her behavior suggested, and against all logical reasoning, that he enjoyed the conversation. Well, just a tiny tiny tiny bit.


Ginny was more-than glad when they reached the hospital wing.

She had nearly run out of flavours to describe to the silently fuming Riddle, and her over-reactive mind had kept screaming: Talk more! Talk more! Distract him! He'll forget about killing you!

Well, if he did want to kill her, Ginny's more logical part reasoned, he would have done it before waiting for her to describe finish the diarrhea flavor-

"OOOH! There you are! My darling Ginny, and OH, what a gentleman Mr Riddle!" The Matron's voice oohed and aahed from within the wing. She peered out, wand at hand, "Do come on in, I'm working on Mr Potter at the moment."

Oh MATRON! Ginny was ever so glad to revisit her previous life saver, and the woman who of which resembled her mother, that she could not help limping forward a bit, dragging Riddle after her, who grasped the opportunity to untangle her arm from his shoulder.

"MADAM!" Ginny yelled excitedly, over-writing Riddle's hypocritical-polite, "You flatter me, Madam."

"No need to scream so, My Dear, or you might just bring the school crumbling down!" The Matron gave an evil chuckle. "Oh Ginny, you're just so prone to accidents are you? That's twice this year. Though, I have to admit, I've been feeling extremely bored without your company!"

Ginny grinned at this, completely forgetting the Dark Lord by her side, looking cool and indifferent to their tearful reunion.

"If you would excuse me, Madam," Riddle voiced out warmly, a beautifully authentic smile etched on his pale face. "I had better return to my class. Transfigurations would be next, and Professor Dumbledore wouldn't be too pleased at my absence."

Ahhh, finally, Ginny heaved a sigh of relief. Run along little Voldermort. No one cares.

But… She realized with some hesitation, it's only right to thank him, right? After all…

"OHH!" The Matron exclaimed once more. "Do so, do so! Your gir- Your friend will be just fine with me! Not to worry! Go on, go on!"

Now! This is the right time!

Ginny opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again, "Errr, thanks, you know…?" Then she tried her best sweet smile which she hoped didn't end up like a sour grimace.

The prefect stared back at her for a moment, with an indecipherable look on his face, before replying, "My honour."

Yes, you should be honoured! That was THE princess you helped here! Ginny found her thoughts becoming bolder with the Matron by her side.

Riddle gave one last respectful nod before sweeping out of the Wing without another word. Either he did not hear the 'girl-friend' slip, heard it but couldn't be bothered to correct her, or simply couldn't care less about it.

Well, it doesn't matter does it? He's-

"He's one nice gentlemanly boy!" The Matron commented, unknowingly finishing Ginny's mental sentence with the exact opposite words. "Armando- I mean, Dippet should take classes from him. Don't you think, dear Ginny?"

Ginny cringed at this, but decided that Dippet indeed needed to take manner-lessons. If Dippet goes on like that, he might find that his only willing companion would be- his broomstick.

"Yes," Ginny agreed thoroughly. "Professor Dippet does need to attend some classes." She leaned forward and watched as the Matron attempted fixing Potter up, with some intricate wand waves. "How's Potter doing?"

"He's still out cold," The Matron smiled as she discarded her wand on the side table. "Did all I could! He's in much better shape now, right? Just have to wait for him to wake up. But I guess it wasn't much work, I suppose- He weren't thrashing about like you were, madly!"

Ginny grinned again at this. "I'm a hard patient, eh? Good luck!" And she shifted herself till she was comfortable on the hospital bed, before feeling her head go floaty-light.

She heard the Matron say something about, "Once Potter wakes up, he'll be completely overwhelmed by your heroic deed!", before her mind irritably pushed it aside, as she fell into a pretty peaceful slumber.


Ginny woke up, feeling much better in a long time. Potter, she noticed was still very much out, and the Matron- She tilted her head to the left -was busy tidying some extravagantly decorated boxes on her side table.

"What are those?" Ginny asked, alert as ever, propping herself up against her pillow- before realizing that she was feeling better-than-ever because her leg hurt not a single bit. "Good Merlin Madam! My leg's completely healed!"

"You're awake, dear!" The Matron chirped merrily. "Of course your leg is healed! Due to someone's hard work!" She winked at Ginny and Ginny felt the urge of embracing the middle-aged lady round her tubby middle.

"Amazing, Matron! And what spell did you use?"

"Something of my own creation! A piece of your bone was jutting out a bit at your shin, so I simply popped it back into place!"

Ginny made a grossed-out face at the Matron's easy-going-manner over such a gruesome subject (but that was just her), and had to resist the urge to imagine a piece of her shin poking out.

Her gaze began to linger on the variety of coloured boxes, around six or seven stacked up neatly by her side table, and out of curiosity, reached for one, and read the few words imprinted on it.

"From Olive. From Olive? To The One and Only Heroine? Gracious Matron! When did she come? I do want to speak with her!"

"You mean, when did they all come? When you and Potter were asleep of course, both of your admirers tried to break down the hospital wing door." The Matron gestured at the stacked up presents on her table, then waved at the entire mountainous load on Potter's side table, and some, even were rolling onto the floor."

"Wha… What?" Ginny's jaw dropped open.

The Matron brushed it aside as, "You're pretty new, but I'm sure once you've been here a year or two, your load might reach that height. Just wait and see!"

Ginny smiled at the Matron, and began to inspect her other presents with care, one at a time. "Olive again! And again! And again! That's four presents from her altogether!"

A normal person would have just delivered one! Oh Olive…

The Matron laughed at this. "Ms Hornby, my dear girl, was extremely flustered over your little injury. The first time she came, she asked 'Is Ginny awake?' I told her no, not yet, and she asked if she could see you. I let her in, and she put the present right here." Dramatically, the Matron, did a little tapping of her feet, before continuing. "Five minutes later, she came to ask again, and that's the second present. Five minutes later again, she asked again, and I told her 'Dear Hornby, let me pass the present for you', so that's the third one. Then around ten minutes later, she arrived with another one, and I told her exasperatedly, 'No, no, she's not awake yet, Ms Hornby!' I swear she looked like she was going to cry!"

Ginny was over the moon when she heard of this. Olive was concerned about her? Ginny began to decide that Slytherins were pretty nice folks other than many exceptions- probably a hundred or two or so.

The next two presents were anonymously from 'two Gryffindor admirers', who happened to drop by the ward. And the last, Ginny noticed, was a box of…

SHERBET LEMONS! Dumbledore had been here?

The scribbled note read: Lemon Drops for the Soul, Get well soon, Professor Dumbledore -)

"Professor Dumbledore!" Ginny gasped in shock. "He was here? Was I thrashing all around again?"

Not Legilimens again, was it?

"No," The Matron frowned. "You didn't move a bit!" Then the Matron's frown deepened as she literally glared down at the Sherbet Lemon as though it were a horcrux or something. "He gave Mr Potter one as well. I did want to throw it out- but he begged for them to stay. I've never agreed with him on this sort of Muggle Sweets! Sugar! The sugar can kill!"

"Matron!" Ginny decided after all browsing gratefully through her beautifully wrapped presents that- "I won't open them now! I think I ought to thank those people. What time is it now?"

"Around dinner, dinner time-"

"I feel perfectly fine! I'm going on out to thank Olive and Professor Dumbledore! I'll be right back!"

"Ginny-"

But Ginny had hopped off her bed, and zipped out of the room like a hippogriff after a piece of meat.

After all, I really want to speak with Olive anyway.


Dumbledore wasn't hard to find. He had been wandering about the corridors near the Hospital Wing, and Ginny nearly crashed head on with him.

Ginny wondered if he wandered often. He does seem like the type to wander and float about aimlessly after all.

"Oh, Ginny," Dumbledore said, looking down at her through that half moon glasses of his. "What a coincidence, I was about to find you."

"Really? Me too. The thing is: I wanted to thank you for that box of lemon drops… Yes."

The man simply smiled warmly, reminding Ginny of the Dumbledore in her time.

"Not to worry. The whole world should share its joy."

"Thank you so much!"

Ginny then remembered something. "So you wanted find me because…?"

The wizard nodded pretty seriously- definitely a bit too serious for a Dumbledore, and Ginny had a feeling she wouldn't like the news. He then began speaking so softly that Ginny had to strain her ears to hear what he had to say. Why suddenly so secretive? What is-

"About your little time mishap. The other day, forgetful me, I forgot to mention- Time travel's prohibited by the ministry. So it's best not to mention it to anyone."

"Prohibited by the Ministry of Magic?" Ginny asked just as softly, the image of Prohibited Time Spells and Memory Charms flickering into her head guiltily.

"Yes. They categorize the crime as meddling with time- which is the most serious offense of all times. It'll get you a life sentence Azkaban, I must say."

"So… What do I do, then?"

Dumbledore seemed to be all calmness, compared to the fretting Ginny- who was twisting her wand away in worry, as he explained slowly. "My advice is for you to try to figure out how to return to your time as swiftly and silently as possible."

Ginny felt her insides turn cold at this supposed advice, and felt herself wishing desperately for the Matron's Butterbeer. That's the only thing I just can't do…

"Professor Dumbledore, you saw the spell cast, didn't you? In my memories… I was wondering… Do you know how it's possible for me to get back?"

And when Dumbledore sadly shook his head, Ginny thought she might roll over and just die. Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of all times, NOT knowing that spell? Then, what am I supposed to do huh?

"Truthfully speaking," Dumbledore finally shattered the dead silence with two lighthearted words. "I didn't see much during the Legilimens. I just saw the older version of myself, and immediately deduced the fact that you were from the future. But I am absolutely sure that you'll make a great start at the library. The Restricted Section of course."

O_Olll… Does he know I snuck in past curfew hour or something?

"Err, actually Professor, I've tried, but the monster-books jump. As in, they can jump out on you and… err, bite you all around."

Dumbledore readjusted his lopsided half-moon glasses till he could see straight. "Do you have a pure, true intention, Ginny? I'm certain they can sense it."

Ginny had no reply for that absolutely nutty question. Has that guy gone off his rockers? Has he eaten too much Lemon Drops? Has-

"The guardians of the book each belong to a certain witch or wizard, whom has sacrificed a bit of their soul to protect the contents of the book-"

"WHAT?" Ginny said a bit too loud, hearing the sound reverberate through the corridors. Now that's one thing I didn't even know after that full-fledged Wizarding War Experience. "Like a horcrux you say?"

Yes, like the diary horcrux of Riddle in my first year… Ginny shivered at the very thought of the guardian seizing control over her.

"No, no," Dumbledore immediately said. "Completely different. I do have a book with important information in which I protect myself- and it's necessary to do so. Can't risk it falling into the wrong hands, no?"

"Oh," was all Ginny managed to say amid the shocking revelation. "Thank you."

Dumbledore smiled that Dumbledore-ly smile of his once again, and swept his elegant-swishy-crazily-coloured cloak about him, and two thoughts entered her mind at that exact moment.

As usual, one was silly, while the other was not.

Cool! I must get one of those swishy cloaks in my old age.

The second was, "Professor Dumbledore sir… If there were many precious things that I've lost in the future, and I know I could change it now… Do I?"

But Ginny already knew the answer. The words 'meddling with time' echoed in Ginny's head, and the answer was apparent, shouting it loud and clear like Snape doing a ken-ken.

A soft sigh, and Dumbledore swished his cloak around to face Ginny, looking older and wearier than usual. "Well Ginny, it would be better if you allow nature to control its flow."

And with those wise words which could not possibly be put any better, Dumbledore made his electrifyingly cool departure, and Ginny found herself staring at thin air.

What? So means I just stand there like a pillar and let Riddle go about his evil devious plans? Ginny just could not digest that idea.


Ginny had headed down to the Great Hall to find Olive next, but unfortunately, was greeted by Draco's grandfather instead, who flapped his arms epically, stopping her from proceeding any further. He did say something, but Ginny didn't exactly process it.

My gosh, he looks like a flapping Poisonous-Duck (like those types bred in the Ministry), what in Merlin's eyebrow could he possibly want to extort now?

"Fridwarn! Listen here. You see, you just beat the best-seeker-ever-to-step-foot-in-Hogwarts to the snitch. So, I was wondering-"

Well of course the snitch's life is more important than Potter's life to him, Ginny couldn't help but notice.

Malfoy flew off at that, running a full circle round the Slytherin table till he reached Riddle at the far end. They exchanged a hushed conversation, with Malfoy looking meek, and Riddle occasionally glancing up darkly to study her closely- as though checking out his new much-disliked broom, before he nodded shortly at Malfoy.

Grandfather Malfoy raced back to Ginny, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, but failing terribly, as every single the pair of eyes around the table, fell upon him, then upon Ginny.

That idiot Malfoy began prodding her about all over, invading her privacy as he inspected every part of her, criticizing it merrily on the way. "Thin" -prod at shoulders- "Small" - prod at back- "Short" -prod on her head- "A tiny little girl" -a hard whack in her back causing her to nearly flip over-. BAS-TARD.

Ginny winced at this, and snarled at him. "What the hell do you think you're-"

Malfoy smirked, and held out his hand to her charmingly, for the first time behaving like a proper gentleman (just that the smirk pissed Ginny off) - and Ginny began to wonder if this was the sort of etiquette in the 1940s. "Perdonami, bella donna."

"What?" Ginny snapped back, feeling her hand itching for her wand in annoyance.

"Forgive me, fair lady," Malfoy translated, sweeping into a too-formal-to-the-point of epic bow. The theatrics were cut short by the teasing smirk reappearing on his features. "Nah," -he straightened and brushed his hair back- "just wanted to ask if you would try out as a seeker. You see Fridwarn, Slytherin has bothered to resort to little girls to help us win the Quidditch cup. We are desperate, you see."

Ginny's eyes narrowed at this. What in Merlin's name was this sexist arse playing it? "Very funny, Malfoy."

"After alot of consideration by our commission- I was one of those who disagreed" -the perfect charmer- "we've decided, for the sake of the house cup, to set aside all ethical and logical reasoning, and allow a girl like you to join the Quidditch team. Be…" Another annoying smirk. "Be Slytherin's seeker."

A mixture of anger due to the prejudice, and pleasant surprise welled up within her.

Ginny was completely unsure. A seeker was cool, but adding a Slytherin at the back of the seeker just turned tables. That was not cool. Furthermore, being under a white-haired Malfoy was just disgusting.

But she loved flying. Flying… Flying set her free.

There was a pause, and she nodded, trying to fumble for an excuse to agree. "Sounds like an order, doesn't it? Seems like I don't have much of a choice."

Malfoy did the Slytherin-trademark-smirk, though needing a slight bit more of improvements before he could actually take on Riddle, before slapping Ginny's back again with vigour. He did seem to have an obsession with abusing girls. "First little girl on the team, do the females proud! I'm your captain! Call me Captain Malfoy!"

Captain Malfoy sounds gross! But then Captain Sestenal doesn't sound much better…

"Right, Captain Malfoy, seen Olive about?"

"Hornby?" Malfoy re-iterated, deliberately switching to her last name- a dark look with a mixture of anxiety, hatred and fear crossing his features. "Nope, not at all." Before he walked briskly back to Riddles side which reminded Ginny of a pet owl.


A/N: Writing is fun! Is this okay?