Draco was straddling her, shaking her shoulders, eyes wide. She grabbed his hands and met his eyes. Both grateful and still terrified from her dream. Then she reached for the locket and tried to undo the clasp. When that didn't work, she started yanking and tugging as hard as she could—where was her wand?

Draco wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him. For a moment, she enjoyed the warmth of his body, the realization that it was no longer Tom's body pressed against her.

She felt herself shaking and fear still rolled through her belly. It didn't seem real. This didn't seem real either.

"Ginny?" A sleepy voice from the bed next to her said.

Draco was gone in an instant yet she could still feel him against her. Her heart hammered in her chest. As much as she wanted to punish Draco—to have him caught in the girls' dormitory, it wouldn't behoove either of them in the end.

"Nightmare," she said softly and her roommate nodded sleepily, lying back down in her bed.

She felt Draco's arms slide around her again and suddenly they were in his rooms again outside of Hogwarts. Immediately, Ginny pushed away from him. Fear and anger rolling through her. She didn't want to be anywhere near him.

"Take me back," she demanded, glaring at him. "Now."

She hated that there were tears in her eyes. She fought to keep them from rolling down her cheeks. Angrily, she stormed toward his bedroom and began searching through his things. She opened drawers, uncovered every inch of surface area she could find. She reached under his mattress, pulled books of the shelves, searching.

She could feel Draco watching her.

"It's not here," Draco informed her, annoyance pinching his features. He didn't stop her. She was nearly done and when all his things were in a disarray she collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face. She covered it quickly, her shoulders shaking.

Thankfully, Draco didn't try to comfort her. When the tears passed, she wiped her face on her sleeve and stood.

Then, Ginny saw a gleam of gold beneath Draco's shirt. She rushed forward, unbuttoning Draco's shirt and saw the reason he hadn't contacted her last night. Against his throat lay a gold chain holding a red stone that matched hers. It was smaller but equally as bold against his pale skin. Surprisingly, he didn't pull away from her hand against his throat. His chest rose and fell quickly, his pulse racing beneath her touch.

He hadn't been wearing it before, she would have noticed.

"Why do you have one too? Don't you know he can control you with it?" Ginny demanded. She may be an idiot but it appeared Draco was one too.

Draco's eyes narrowed, "it isn't the Dark Lord's blood who stained this one."

Ginny yanked her hand away. "Then whose is it?"

"Yours."

Ginny stared at him. "What?" When had he gotten her blood? Then her face flushed. He had taken her virginity. She had likely bled without realizing it. "You're disgusting."

Then, confused, she asked, "Why would you give me power over you?"

"There are other powers to the stone. Besides, you aren't powerful enough to control me." Ginny glared at him and he had the decency to look chastened albeit only slightly.

"Tell me," Ginny demanded, not expecting an answer, but anger giving her a power she hadn't felt in a long time.

Draco touched the necklace with reverence, "it connects us, our powers and our minds. It's how I knew you needed my help."

Ginny touched her own necklace and tried to remove it again.

"Only the Dark Lord can release you."

Tears threatened again. "Could you… were you there too?" She asked, "in the Chamber of Secrets? Did you see what he—" she stopped, searching his face for an answer.

"No, I only sensed that you were… afraid."

Draco studied here intently, trying to read the events from her face. Ginny's arms came around her. She could feel the memory of Tom's touch on her skin.

"What did he do?"

Ginny clenched her hands into fists. "Don't pretend to care about me. Your game is done."

Draco raised his silvery brows. "It wasn't a game. It was my duty."

Ginny shook her head turned to leave, but Draco touched her shoulder and she paused. Before him, it had been so long since she'd been touched, since she'd been able to share her burdens with someone—someone that might understand. She looked up at him, searching his face for answers.

"I never would have guessed it, but we want the same thing," he continued and touched her necklace. "This will give us both what we want."

"And what's that?"

Draco lifted his eyes to hers, hesitating.

Shaking her head, Ginny pushed away his hand and started toward the door.

"It will be your salvation, Weasley."

Ginny paused, heart hammering in her chest. Could she believe him after what he'd done? He had been honest to her about his missive in the beginning. But he had tricked her with the necklace. Slowly, she turned to look at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't tell you anymore than I already have," he snapped.

Ginny rolled her eyes, turning back to the door.

"But he won't be trapped inside you soon enough."

Ginny hated how much she wanted to believe him. She hated that rising sense of hope that maybe she wouldn't have to hurt those she loved, maybe there was another way.

Ginny turned back to him. "When?"

Draco shrugged.

Ginny rubbed her arms feeling chills climb up her neck. "He'll kill me once he's free."

"He won't."

Ginny laughed, "you know him better than that."

Draco studied her, pressing his lips together.

"What?"

He looked away in thought, then seeming to have reached a decision he met her gaze. "I'll be rewarded for my success."

"What do you mean?" Fear drummed in her belly. There was more to his mission than he let on to earn a boon from the Dark Lord.

"I'll ask for you," he said and his face flushed delicately.

His silvery eyes searched hers and Ginny did her best to keep her thoughts hidden. Her heart hammered in her chest. She didn't want to be Draco's. She wanted to be free. Did he think she wanted that? Ginny shook her head, it didn't matter. If she wanted to be free of Tom Riddle and survive the Dark Lord, Draco was her only choice. Once she was free of the horcrux, she would find a way to be free of Draco too.

As if reading her expression, his flush darkened. "I-I don't mean like that. I mean, your life. I will claim your life as my reward so that you can live."

Why would he ask for that? And what would that mean? The Dark Lord wouldn't release her back to her family with all the secrets that she knew.

But she could find a way out. As long as she was free of Tom Riddle, she would be okay.

Ginny struggled with whether to thank him or press his patience further with her questions. She needed to remain on his side but anger of his betrayal still rolled through her. Things between them would never be the same.

Again, he seemed to read her thoughts and she suddenly wondered about the necklace.

"Why would you save my life?"

Draco's expression went blank. "As much as I trust that my Lord will reign, my father taught me to be careful of expectations… if Potter does survive, it won't bode well for me if I've killed his girlfriend. In fact, it might appear that I saved her."

Ginny forced herself to nod. It seemed rational. But a small, foolish part of Ginny had wished he'd given her another answer.

"Will you take me back to Hogwarts now, Malfoy?"

Draco approached her almost hesitantly, "there's still plenty of time before school starts."

Ginny fought to keep her expression blank. She hated the thrill that his words shot through her. Thankfully, anger followed soon after.

"What will Harry think if he found out you were fucking his girlfriend?" Ginny replied. Draco's face flickered with an emotion she couldn't read before he grabbed her hand and Disapparted.