A/N: Thanks to reviewers! There's a LOT of Tomness in this chappie. Aw, this is one of my favourite chapters. You'll see. It's also REALLY funny at one point. Well. I thought it was.
NOTE: This chapter can be improved greatly if you listen to Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin while you read.
Disclaimer: I own it all. Every plot, every character, every spell, every place. Not.
The Letter P
Chapter Twenty-Five: P is for Punch
Myrtle shook her head. Her brown eyes were wide and she was staring very strangely at Riddle. "I… I can't," she howled, and then plunged back into the U-bend.
How dare you! Myrtle was about to tell me who murdered her!
"Come on, Peregrine," said Riddle frostily, before turning sharply on his heel and marching away, his cloak billowing behind him.
Merlin, how I loathe you.
xxx
They walked in silence. Riddle moved briskly at a pace that would usually generate some sort of noise, but he walked like the dead – silently, smoothly, unerringly. Ginny hurried along beside him, slightly noisier.
Ginny was quite determinedly pretending that Riddle didn't exist. She was looking firmly ahead and thinking only of her Astronomy homework. She would not subject to that arsehole's will.
"I suppose that you're ignoring me because you still think that I attacked you," commented Riddle coolly as they strode down the stairs.
No, you think?
"Peregrine, I didn't," said Riddle coldly, fixing another of his frosty stares on the redhead. "I was in my common room at the time that you were attacked!"
"How the hell am I supposed to believe that?" snapped Ginny. "How, Riddle – after, just last week, I was how easily, how completely and totally naturally you lied. On the spot. Three seconds, and you had a fool-proof lie with no plot-holes. How am I now supposed to believe and trust anything that you say!?"
"I believe you."
Ginny stared at him. She knew what he was getting at. She knew that he was saying: you're a liar as well, but I trust what you say. Pushing these words to the back of her head, she said icily in reply, "I thought that you were smarter than that."
"I don't believe it – are you simultaneously insulting and complimenting me?" Riddle said, a slightly incredulous tone in his voice.
The seventeen-year-old redhead ignored this, and walked faster.
"Peregrine, I did not attack you!" Riddle snapped. "Why the hell would I?"
"I don't know, Riddle!" Ginny shouted, whirling around to face him so fast that her red ponytail hit the side of her face. "Why would you attack me? There's no answer for it! There just isn't! And, while such a thing would usually reassure me… it doesn't! Because, Riddle, there are so manythings about you, your life, and what you do that doesn't add up!"
Riddle took a step backwards.
"Why are you secluded from the rest of the world? Why are you so distant from the real world? Why do you, seemingly, detest being civil over all other things? Why do act like you hate me, yet go to the trouble to make sure I don't pass out and get hurt at the Hallowe'en ball? Why are you such an arsehole?" Ginny yelled, throwing her hands in the air. "Why do you act like you hate everyone in this school – every teacher, every student, every room and every brick in the foundations of the building – why?!"
"Because I do," growled Riddle in reply, his eyes reduced to narrow, dark slits that flashed like fire.
"How can you hate Hogwarts so much?" demanded Ginny. "It's an amazing place – just step back and see what an absolutely incredible place we're in!"
"Yes, Peregrine – but, unfortunately, this isn't the film set of The Littlest Elf," said Riddle darkly. "This is reality, and, here, if you're not pureblood, then reality is absolute shit. Life is hell when you have to be a Slytherin living with the fact that you're related to one of those filthy Mudbloods. Life is hell, and you can't even come close to realizing it, what with your perfect life and friends and blood status-"
"Okay, Riddle, shut the hell up for just one second," Ginny snarled. "Would you like to know something about my 'perfect life'? Here's something for starters: when I was eleven years old I had my mind taken over by the epitome of evil. I raised him to power. I tried to kill my best friend. Finally, said epitome of evil rises to power, and murders everyone I care about. I had six brothers, Riddle," she held up six fingers. "Six! Not anymore. And of course, to top it all off, my reward for reviving the wickedest man alive is to not be killed. In his sick, twisted eyes, the ultimate reward is to live and to watch as every family member, every friend, every ex-boyfriend… is wiped from the picture."
Riddle was actually stunned into silence.
Her shoulders were starting to shake, and her vision was blurring with tears.
No. Okay? No. I refuse to cry in front of Riddle.
Memories flashing back of things she never wanted to see again. She forced her eyes open, and, lips curled in disgust and total hate, she bit out, "don't you dare ever make assumptions about my life."
Taking a deep breath, she told him coldly, "I can make the rest of the way to the dungeons unaccompanied." She drew her cloak tighter about her, lifting her chin. Then, gaze icy and voice arctic, Ginny said to Riddle, "and by the way, Riddle – don't give me that crap about how hard life is not being pureblood… I'm Muggleborn. I am, so quote: 'one of those filthy Mudbloods'."
Leaving that for him to contemplate, she gave him one last disdainful look, said stiffly, "Goodbye", before turning sharply on her heel and disappearing down into the dungeons.
xxx
"Thanks for covering for me," called Ginny from the bathroom the next morning as she brushed her teeth. "Last night, I mean."
"Oh, it was fine," replied Grace. "Ole' Sluggy came down, but I spun him a yarn about you taking a shower and he left. I swear, he was trying so hard not to go and look in the bathroom. I could see it in his eyes." She giggled.
"Ooh," said Ginny, returning to the main dormitory room. "D'you spend a lot of your time looking at Slughorn's eyes, then?" she teased, selecting a green chiffon scarf and twining it around her hair.
"Definitely!"
Laughing, Ginny slipped her feet into her flats and left the Slytherin sixth-years' dormitory room with Grace, meeting up with Alden outside.
"Ginny, I need to talk to you," said Alden urgently as Grace and the redhead emerged from their dormitory.
"Good morning to you too, sunshine," said Grace grumpily, as Alden dragged them away.
Alden looked flushed, but he cleared his throat, and said hurriedly, "Abraxas Malfoy and his cronies have a betting pool. The first to 'make a move on the Mudblood and get a snog from her' wins twenty Galleons."
Ginny frowned. "I didn't know I had my own betting pool," she said in confusion. "Oh well." She winked. "I like a challenge."
Grace's mouth fell open. "What are you going to do?" she whispered.
"Oh, nothing…" Ginny combed her dark auburn hair with her fingers, before flicking it over her shoulder. "Have you got any lipgloss on you?"
xxx
She felt as though she was walking to her death, but, putting on a brave air, she flung open the door to the Great Hall.
Yes, and excellent entrance!
Hazel eyes outlined in dark green, pink lips glowing, and vibrant red hair, brushed for once, flowing over her shoulders, Ginny set her lips into a coy pout and moved towards the Slytherin breakfast table.
Grace and Alden walked a few steps behind her. Their wands, behind their backs, were creating a soft breeze to faintly ruffle Ginny's hair.
The female Slytherin Prefect slipped into a vacant seat and served herself some strawberries – the best breakfast food to eat while still looking sexy.
She hoped.
This had better work. Or I'll just look like a tramp.
Whether Abraxas Malfoy and his friends had seen or not, Ginny was certainly not going unnoticed. Many male eyes were upon her and it was making her very uncomfortable.
You can do this!
Ginny shifted in her chair. The staring was making her uneasy. Then, suddenly, she realized that it was not a number of people staring.
It was one.
Damnit! Ginny swore inwardly. Malfoy was supposed to notice, not you. Oh God, Riddle's never going to let me live this down.
As Ginny had wanted, within minutes Malfoy stood behind the fourth-year opposite her.
"Move," he snapped at the younger student.
The fourth-year squeaked, grabbed his apple, and departed as quickly as possible. Malfoy then slid into his seat, and threw Ginny what he supposed was a winning smile.
Tosser.
"Hey," he drawled, a smirk gracing his thin lips. "What's your name, pretty lady?"
As if you don't know.
"Luna Granger," said Ginny smoothly, selecting another strawberry, and popping it into her mouth. She had already thought this through, and decided that it wouldn't be safe to say Lovegood, as Luna had been a pureblood, and one of her ancestors might be at the school.
Malfoy frowned. "But… your name's Ginevra Peregrine," he pointed out.
"Oh!" gasped Ginny. "But – silly me – I thought that you didn't know my name!" She widened her eyes expressively.
"Well, I lied." Malfoy grinned lazily. "Say, are you single?"
"No," replied Ginny evenly, sipping her pumpkin juice. "I've been married for three years, but unfortunately the union is only legal in America."
She fought to keep a straight face, which wasn't helped by hearing Grace, a few seats down, bursting into hysterical laughter, and Alden patting her on the back, telling a few frightened first-years that 'a piece of banana went down the wrong way'.
The stare upon her was now almost burning. It was like a hundred-degrees heat from a microscan, or a floodlight.
"What?" said Malfoy incredulously, his eyes boggling. "To who?"
Realizing that Malfoy would not give up, and seeing how he was looking at her, she stood. "It doesn't matter. Well, I'll see you later. Maybe," she said with a shrug, and left the Great Hall as fast as possible. To her horror, she heard hurried footsteps following her.
Oh no, oh no… this was a bad idea – a bad, bad idea…
Malfoy grabbed her elbow and spun her around to face him. "To who?" he demanded, stepping closer.
Ginny gestured ambiguously, while discreetly trying to wrestle out of his grip. "You don't know him. He's a Czechslovakian wolf named Paulo."
To herself, she cringed and hoped desperately that Malfoy wouldn't be intelligent enough to remember that Czechslovakia was no longer a country.
She then narrowed her hazel eyes suspiciously. "Why d'you want to know?" she inquired.
"Because," hissed Malfoy, stepping closer until his face was millimetres from hers. She could feel his harsh breath and smell his unpleasant cologne, and she froze. "You, Peregrine, doll, are hot." He stretched out his index finger and trailed it along her strong jawline. Then, his finger lingering by her earlobe, he whispered huskily, "Really hot."
Her breath was hard in her throat and her heart was hammering. She couldn't remember being treated like that in a long time – Harry certainly had never. Scott had maybe come close.
Oh, if there was ever a time for telepathy to work! Grace, Alden, please hurry up out of the Hall!
"What…" Ginny's voice cracked, and she tried again. "What's your name, remind me?" She struggled to keep her voice steady.
Malfoy's lips twisted into a smirk that made Ginny feel sick. "Abraxas," he said, his voice low, quiet, and still as sultry as possible. "Abraxas Malfoy."
"Well," said Ginny, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "Abraxas Malfoy – you can GET LOST!"
She yelled the last two words, and attempted to kick him in the groin. She missed, and hit his knee, hard. Pain shooting through her foot, she swirled away and tried to stagger to the dungeon door, nearby, on the other side of the Entrance Hall.
A hand reached out and grabbed her arm again. Ginny was dragged backwards, spun around again, and this time, crushed painfully against the wall.
"That," Malfoy sneered, "wasn't very nice." He placed his hands on the wall, either side of her head, trapping her.
"I don't give a damn," Ginny growled. "I could be nice until the chipmunks came out to dance – but you're not getting anywhere with me."
Malfoy chuckled. "Is that so?" he hissed, his eyes flashing like silver flames.
A squeak of fear sounded in the back of Ginny's throat, and then the platinum-blonde Slytherin swooped down at her, and smashed his mouth into hers.
No – no – no-
THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!
Ginny squeezed her eyes shut and screamed, thrashing wildly to try and get away. One of Malfoy's hands moved to the side of her face, his strangely long fingernails digging into her skull, and he deepened the kiss, his tongue wandering the depth of her mouth.
OW OW OW!
GET HIM OFF!
HELP!
She curved her hands into fists and started pummelling the other Slytherin chaser's chest as hard as she could, trying to wrestle him off.
"Ginny!"
"Ginny!"
Two shouts of horror rang out. Grace and Alden had arrived, and had seen. Ginny tried to scream again, but Malfoy's nails were digging into the side of her head and her mouth was entirely covered by his.
PAIN –
"Peregrine!"
The world exploded in purple light.
Ginny didn't even notice the lack of Malfoy there, or who had saved her. Soundlessly she crumpled to the ground, collapsing against the wall, and she closed her eyes to try and block out how worthless and weak she felt.
"Ohmigod, ohmigod – Ginny, can you hear me?"
"Don't worry, Ginny, it didn't count – the kiss didn't count. It has to be voluntary."
Blearily, Ginny opened her eyes. The side of her head hurt, but that was nothing compared to the pain throbbing in her mouth.
"Can you hear me? Ginny, say something. What happened? Say something!" begged Grace. The redhead's vision of her was swaying and doubling every few seconds.
"Who?" she whispered, looking between Grace and Alden. She then looked beyond them, and saw her rescuer. The last person that she ever expected to see in that position.
A few metres away, near the door to the Great Hall, was Tom Marvolo Riddle.
He looked angrier than Ginny had ever seen him.
And that's saying something…
His hair had fallen out of its meticulously-combed waves; his face was flushed; he was breathing hard and ragged; he was pointing his wand at where Malfoy had stood a few seconds before, clutching it so tightly that his knuckles stood out, white, in his already-pale skin.
However, by far, the most terrifying was his eyes. Those round, very-dark-but-not-quite-black eyes were narrowed to the slits that Ginny had become so familiar with during the War – except that the eyes she knew were crimson and snake-like – and they were, really and truly, black. They were shadowed, tempestuous and inclement. What was once totally veiled from emotions now radiated absolute fury like heat from the sun.
The swift transition from 'aloof, cold, but still harmless Head Boy' to what could only be described as Lord Voldemort was petrifying.
And it had happened… for her.
His unlit eyes flashing sideways and seeing Ginny's gaze on him, Riddle straightened. Tearing his eyes from her face, he moved towards Malfoy faster than Ginny had ever seen him move anywhere.
"Leave him," said Ginny weakly.
Riddle's head snapped to stare at her, his eyes disbelieving.
Ginny knew precisely what she wanted to do, and she would do it.
You are going to wish so badly that you had never messed with me.
She struggled to her feet, flicked her hair out of her eyes, and then strode smartly until she was standing above Malfoy. Then the seventeen-year-old pointed her wand at his unconscious body, and uttered, "Ennervate."
"What are-"
"Do you want-"
"Ginny-"
Ignoring the incredulous protests, Ginny glared down at the Slytherin on the ground at her feet.
Slowly, swaying, he stood. His lips twisted into a smirk.
And then Ginny's fist flew forwards.
Crunch.
Malfoy gave a loud howl of pain, and fell again. He was out cold.
"Merlin!" exclaimed Alden. "That was one hell of a punch."
"Never underestimate the power of short redheads," said Grace solemnly.
Ginny turned and grinned at her friend, and, as her head swivelled to face the brunette, pain fired through her shoulders and head. She groaned and fell backwards against the wall.
"Oww," she moaned, holding her temples. She sensed someone suddenly nearby her, and looked up – not, as expected, into concerned blue eyes, nor even perhaps brown eyes.
Dark, not-quite-black, bottomless-pit eyes.
Why is he paying so much attention to me all of a sudden?
"Peregrine, are you-"
His words were laced with something that could be defined as concern – only, of course, if the definer was drunk. Because Riddle simply wasn't concerned about anyone.
Period.
He was blocked out, however, by Grace and Alden rushing to help her, pushing him away. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" they chorused worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine," muttered Ginny. "Just got a bit dizzy standing up."
"And, you know, the whole nearly-getting-raped-in-the-Entrance-Hall thing," Grace said dryly.
"That too." Ginny raked a hand through her loose red hair, and closed her eyes. Her lips stung, and she felt weak; worthless.
"Come on. Let's get you checked up at the Hospital Wing," said Alden, taking no half-hearted protests of 'dunwanna' for an answer, and dragging a reluctant Ginny away from the small crowd that had gathered, the unconscious Malfoy, and the tall, pale, dark-haired boy, who Ginny was terrified might actually have a heart after all.
xxx
A/N: Oooooooooh. Thanks to my beta SilvanXan. REVIEW! You know you want to….
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XxRandomHeartxX: Ooh, thank you. Yeah, d'you know Piro? Or however you spell it. He's like a French clown, and he's SO damn scary. He always wears this pointy hat, and he doesn't smile. He wears all black and white, even black lipstick, and he has black tears painted on his face. He freaks me out like hell. ANYwho. Don't die without me. You're one of my most frequent reviewers. –sniffle- Thanks!
creative-writing-girl13: Thanks! Well, I'm slowly making this more and more AU as I go.
AppleC0re: Well, the impression I'm trying to give is that she wasn't killed by the basilisk (that was some sort of cover-up, I dunno) and she was murdered. Thanks!
SiRiUsLyInLuV71: This is a REALLY slowly developing fluff-fic, so he's actually not going to snog her ages. If he snogs her at all. I mean, in my other fic, the two main characters didn't snog until like, the fifth last chapter. But there'll be more snogging in this fic, lmao. Scott? What about MALFOY? Thanks for the review!
BDSanta2001: Thank you! Yeah, that's what I always thought. So that idea is helping the plot to thicken… bwahaha.
Leah: I read your fic, and I reviewed! I love it, it's really good. Yeah, I'm AUing this fic like hell. So if something doesn't make sense, just assume that it's deliberate. Makes it easier.
kyraThePoop: Thank you! OH, that. Yeah. Well. I needed an 'insult' so I just translated a bit. And I also wanted the Arithmancy teacher to be called Professor Maths in a different language. So I chose Dutch, lol. Whoa, you speak a lot of languages. I can top that, however. I speak English, Chinese, French, a little Spanish and a little German. HAH!
chimis: Yeah. Myrtle annoys me a bit. But I love her. She's so gloomy. Well, there's a LOT of Tom in this chapter, consider it a late birthday present.
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