Sinister Charm and Deception

Chapter 8 ½

Disclaimer: I do not own HP (x 100)

Chapter Eight and a Half: Distractions

After packing her suitcase with all her secondhand clothing and books, Ginny looked at one item she hadn't packed.

Tom Riddle's diary.

She sat at the foot of her bed and held it in her hands feeling the smooth dark leather before tracing the letters with her fingers. Now that Tom is back as a transparent ghost she wondered if the diary really was as useful as it was before.

Maybe I should just dispose of it. She muttered to herself.

Sighing Ginny walked down the stairs into the common. The diary was safely inside her pocket, but thankfully everyone has already packed and went outside. Ginny had no idea where Tom was but she didn't dwell much on that thought. He might be somewhere else in Hogwarts now that he has a physical yet invisible form.

Walking over to the fireplace swiftly she held the diary over the fire. The flames eagerly started to lick at the cover as she watched with morbid fascination. Plucking her pinky finger the diary slipped slightly with only three fingers holding it above its impending doom.

Even though the real villain has escaped from this containment, the ebony diary is a painful reminder and it needs to be destroyed. Plucking her ring finger the diary shifted dangerously closer to the open flames.

Ginny was told when she was young to never play with fire because it was dangerous and it could hurt you. But she wondered if it could hurt as much as how Tom hurt her. The pain was still there, buried in her heart.

"I do not repent for doing this to you Tom..." She spoke plucking her index finger. The diary was now dangling loosely above the fire, it's destiny to be decided by the last finger in the hand of an eleven year old.

Come on, come on...just pluck that last finger and this will all be over with.

But will it really be over? Tom now resides in her conscience. Destroying his diary won't affect him at all... But it will make me feel better about this... Ginny thought with a determined frown. The flames, almost as if in a frenzy from anticipation, leapt up—

—and Ginny yelped in pain and quickly pulled back her hand still clutching onto the diary. Her palm felt extremely sore and she turned over her hand and saw an ugly burn mark the shape of an alphabet. The horizontal line was diagonal whereas the vertical line was tilting slightly. But there was no doubt about it. It was a capital 'T'.

Whimpering in pain Ginny clutched her burnt palm close to her, unsure of what to do. Great, Weasley, just wonderful! You were about to burn the possession of someone evil but in turn you were the one who was burned. Ginny would've laughed at the irony had her palm not be in excruciating pain. As if the situation could not get any worse, said diary's owner arrived.

"Hello Ginny...may I ask what you were doing with my diary?" Tom asked coolly an eyebrow rose.

"Uh...I-I..." She stuttered trying to think up of a good reason. "I was—OUCH!" She bit her lip trying to blow on her palm to cool it down.

"Let me see that." Tom took her wrist none too gently and examined her red palm. "Bloody hell, Ginny what did you do to yourself?" He exclaimed incredulously rubbing his thumb over the burnt area.

Ginny was about to answer but the cool feeling of his hand over hers was quite relaxing and it made the burning sensation dim most considerably.

"Answer me Ginny." Tom pressed down on the sensitive skin getting a "That hurts!" from her. Ginny cringed at the sudden surge of pain again. Why does he have to do that? She thought irritated. Then an odd thought came at her. Wait a minute! He is distracted from his diary!

"I was...er, making some of those muggle treats that my dad taught me! I believe they are called S'mores!" Ginny lied giving him a hopefully convincing grin.

Sadly, it just wasn't Ginny's day.

"In the common room?" Asked Tom crossing his arms and speaking to her as if she was too stupid to realize. He looked both sarcastic and annoyed at her senselessness. But nonetheless Tom decided to play along.

"Er, well...outside conditions weren't exactly ideal if you knew what I mean." Replied Ginny as she laughed nervously.

"It's the summer, Ginny. You won't freeze as soon as you step out the castle. Besides," He eyed her legs slyly speaking lowly, "I know that you are lying." He smirked.

Ginny gawked. How did he know? How in the bloody hell did he know that! He looked like he believed her. "Bu-but! How?" She demanded her eyes wide.

"I know you more than you know yourself, sweetie. You wrote to me in my diary that you always kept your knees together and your feet facing towards one another when you're fibbing." His smile turned broader.

Ginny groaned and mentally smacked herself. How could I have been so stupid to write that? Now he remembers and he can use it against me! "Alright! Fine, you win this time, Riddle! I hope you feel smug and all because you just made me make a fool out of myself! Now if you don't mind, kindly wipe that ugly smirk off your face!" She pointed angrily.

Tom just shrugged and his face turned from mirth to malicious. "Now, Ginny, enlighten me. What were you really doing with my diary?" He asked his words dripping with poisonous honey.

"I-I need to go to the Hospital Wing, Tom!" Ginny said in alarm.

"Not until you tell me."

"Tell you what?" She asked innocently.

"Don't stall, sweetie. I do NOT appreciate stalling." Tom hissed.

Ginny gulped and was about to force herself to tell the truth, but then—

— "Hey Ginny! What are you doing here? Everyone is already boarding the train! We have to hurry!"

Ron stood in front of the portrait. Ginny half-expected her brother to panic when he sees Tom Riddle, but then she remembered that Tom told her earlier that no one else could see him but her. Turning around she picked up her things and hastily ran over to Ron.

"I'm ready! I've got all my things!" She said. "Great then. My stuff is with Harry and Hermione. They're waiting in the Grand Hallway for us. C'mon!" Ron opened the portrait door and walked out.

Ginny whipped around just in time to see that aggravated expression on Tom's face. "Too late Tom! Better luck next time!" She smiled sweetly before dashing out of the portrait hole with her suitcase chortling with bubbly laughter.

Tom looked down at the fireplace and then he saw something from the corner of his eye. It was his diary, and he briefly wondered how she forgot about it so easily. What did she do with it exactly? He wondered. But he didn't have to ponder much on that.

One corner of the leather diary has been burnt.

He cautiously picked it up and opened it. Thankfully none of the other parts were damaged. Flipping through the pages he sneered and said to the spot where she had been a few seconds ago, "Yes, Little Ginny...next time..."

---

Ginny Weasley felt her heart was about to burst with a new sense of pride. Thanks to Ron, she was able to escape from her torture. Though she had to resist the urge to whip around and shout, "In your face, Riddle!" she didn't think that would have been a smart choice. Ron would've heard it and who knows what will happen after that?

As she followed Ron to a compartment she wondered how Tom must have felt. Defeated? Probably. He bloody deserves it for all I care! She thought furiously walking into the compartment.

There sat Harry and Hermione who –no surprise here- was reading a book. The compartment was rather one of the small kinds, with only one bench seat. When Ron saw this, he looked at her apologetically and said, "Oh! I'm so sorry, Ginny! I think Fred and George might have some room in the next compartment though." Harry and Hermione both looked at her contritely.

Holding back a shudder Ginny said hotly, "I'd rather sit with a compartment full of Cornish Pixies than with them! They're complete looneys!" With that she walked away in searched of an empty compartment.

So far there were none that were unoccupied. One of them had Colin in it ("Hi, Ginny! May I take your picture?"), another had Percy and Penelope in it (Ginny personally thought they should have put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door) and the last one had Fred and George in it (Ginny actually thought that they wouldn't do anything crazy with her and nearly said yes then Fred grinned and asked her if she cared for a bottle of strong FireWhiskey)

She tried to find a seat with the students of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, yet they were occupied as well. Sighing sadly as the thought of sitting with Fred and George slowly lost its cons, Ginny forced herself to search the Slytherin area.

It seemed that luck was finally on her side as she found one compartment empty—

"Hello Ginevra..." A silky voice drawled out.

—save for the smirking ghost figure of Tom Riddle in all his dark Slytherin glory. He was lying down on his back on the bench seat looking quite relaxed.

Ginny looked horrified. Oh no! Why must fate be so cruel to me? I suppose I do deserve it though, but honestly, why him? I could have handled sitting with any other Slytherin, even Malfoy, but him! Oooh, this is just perfect! Well, Ginny, it's either the looney twins or the scary and dark Slytherin. They say that beggars can't be choosers, but this is just ridiculous!

"Well, Little Ginny? Aren't you going to sit down? It's rude to keep people waiting." He said in a low tone at the last part smiling evilly at her terror-stricken face.

Scared out of her wits Ginny had no choice but to step into the compartment. The door closed automatically though she was positive that she saw Ron close the door with his hands earlier in his compartment.

Ginny shoved her suitcase under the bench seat and then looked up at him timidly. It seemed that her brain couldn't think anymore on account of shock and humiliation. This was weird. Normally they have loads to talk about and she was always the one who talked first. Now the silence that hung in the air was making her even more nervous as minutes tick by.

Ginny gulped and finally managed to squeeze her brain like a sponge until a tiny drop of a conversation starter appeared. "Um, what're you doing here?" She squeaked.

"Well, I am a Slytherin, and this is the Slytherin segment of the Express." He fluidly spoke, smiling when he saw her knees tremble. He loved this kind of control he had over her.

"B-but you're a ghost..." Ginny shyly pointed out.

He shrugged and said, "It doesn't matter. I'm still in the house of Slytherin."

"Oh..." Well so much for that effort, Weasley! This attempt at conversation just went down the drain and it must have lasted no less than a few seconds!

Tom sat up straight and patted the spot next to him indicating he wanted her to sit there. Ginny looked behind her for the other bench –again she was positive there were two since this compartment looked bigger from the outside— but found none. (Poor Ginny is having a really tough day, isn't she?)

"Over here, love." Tom grinned at her.

Mortified Ginny mechanically walked over to where he was and quietly sat down next to him holding herself. Needless to say, her face was hot pink. What's the matter with me? I never felt so uneasy being this close to him! I even let him comb my hair while I lie against him!

"Ginny?"

Ginny jumped. "YES?" She cried.

"You're shivering. I think the cooling spell they cast has increased its temperature." Tom observed.

"Oh..."

He turned towards her with a curious look on his face. He didn't appear teasing or smug, but rather he had that thoughtful expression. "Are you hungry?"

"Um...no, I'm fine."

Her stomach presented its own opinion on the matter.

He didn't laugh or say a snide remark. "You didn't eat much at breakfast, sweetie." Ginny inwardly cringed when he said that. "But I'm not hungry! My stomach likes to make noises all the time!" She fibbed.

"You're knees are pinned and your feet are curved inwards, Ginny." He said in an obvious tone looking down at her. "And what does that mean?" He then smirked.

"I'm lying..." She said lowly hating herself more than him.

"Exactly. You need to eat something, Skinny Ginny." He grinned.

It was at that moment that the snack trolley came by and Tom gave her a look. Sighing she bought some candy hoping that would shut him up for good. "There, happy?" She said tartly.

"Not until you actually take a bite out of something."

Groaning she bit into a licorice wand and glare at him hatefully.

He smiled charmingly at her and said, "Good, we're making progress. Now chew and remember to keep your mouth closed."

After swallowing Ginny said, "I'm not a baby!"

Tom rolled his eyes. "Of course you're not."

Ginny stared defiantly at him and cried, "Well you know what, Tom? You're just a Half—" Ginny suddenly caught herself. No, he'll get really mad at me for calling him that! Then who knows what he will do when he is mad?

"Half-what, love?"Tom asked pleasantly helping himself to a pumpkin pasty. He saw her knees quiver and her eyes wide at realizing her mistake and nearly calling him the one name that would make him angry and punish her.Smiling, his malicious side wanting to tease her a bithe boldly draped his arm around her back. She bit her lip absentmindedly fidgeting with the edges of her skirt.

He wasn't getting much of a reaction from her besides the toying part. Tom decided to probe further. Smirking evilly he slowly leaned towards her face his eyes half-closed. Naturally Ginny let her naivety and curiosity get the better of her, so she merely looked at him wondering what he was going to do.

What is he doing?

Then dread and panic gradually set in when the image of Percy and Penelope flashed in her head, the meaning behind his actions finally dawned on her.

Oh my gosh! He is going to do what I think he is going to do! Ginny's eyes darted around the compartment as she started squirming uncomfortably in her seat. He knows what I was about to call him and he is punishing me! This is odd punishment but I don't like it! I have to find an excuse to...to..distract him! Yes that's it!

"H-half...half—"

"Half-what, Little Ginny?" Tom inquired in a sultry voice, his warm breath tickling her neck and cheek as he partially cut the remaining distance closer to her lips.

"HAVE A CHOCOLATE FROG, TOM!" Ginny screamed turning her face away and holding out a chocolate frog in her cupped palms. The frog croaked before leaping out the open window and flying away. If one where to look at Ginny Weasley's face at that moment, one could actually compare it with the redness of a ripe tomato.

Oh no, I can't believe I can be unnerved so easily like that! Ginny thought horrified. I just humiliated myself!

"I would but it seems that the Chocolate Frog has gotten away." Tom said amused.

"Oh..." Replied Ginny pathetically.

"I guess it IS true..." Tom drawled out as he stared out window smirking, but Ginny was too busy gathering her poise to notice.

"What?" She hesitantly asked.

Tom turned back towards her, a shadow crossing his face as he smiled slyly.

"Oh nothing, Gin. Look, we're already at the station." His sly smile turned innocent. With that he dematerialized into her mind leaving her to ponder on what just happened.

The door to her compartment opened and Ron poked his head in. Harry and Hermione were right behind him. "What're you doing in the Slytherin area Gin?"

"I...I could find anywhere else to sit..." She replied.

"Oh. Well c'mon Ginny! We'd better go! I see mum and dad outside waiting for us!"

Ginny nodded and took her baggage as she made her way off the Express followed by her brother and his friends. Percy, Fred and George already got off and were motioning for them to come over.
We've seen some of Ginny's child-likeness in this chapter and some of her other personalities as well. This is just to let everyone know that she is still a growing kid and behaves like any 11 yr. would do. She isn't all depressed and traumatized nor does she act like nothing has happened. Though I have to say that she recovered quickly due to her inner strength. Oh, and Tom is just as evil as he is pretending to be 'nice' to Ginny.

Coming up next is Chapter 9: Riddle's Reflection