She had been just a child when she met him

She had been just a child when she met him. When she first loved him.

Eleven years old. That's how old she had been when she first saw him, his dark hair and pale, mesmerizing eyes. She would watch him in their classes, wanting to know more about this mysterious boy who haunted her every waking minute. He had a way of capturing her attention, making it so she couldn't keep her eyes off him. But it wasn't just her. All the other girls in her class seemed enchanted by him too, his witty remarks and his handsome looks. He confused her, this boy who had never said a word to her in his life. She wanted to know more.

Time changes things. By seventh year she had almost forgotten about him. But then he started noticing her. Smiling at her, talking to her. The same feelings starting up again, that feeling of butterflies in her stomach every time he looked her way. Then it grew into more. The two of them could be found walking in the hallways together, holding hands, sneaking kisses behind teacher's backs. She had never been more happy.

She did learn more about him. He was the most fascinating person she had ever met. Intelligent, resourceful, gorgeous…but somehow a little frightening. Always she was afraid of what would happen if she stopped loving him. He was power-hungry, always wanting and expecting more from everything. She could see it whenever she looked in his pale eyes. But always she dismissed these thoughts as pure imagination. He was perfect. They were perfect.

She had always been told that her wedding day would be the happiest of her life. So she pretended just that. She smiled for all the cameras, holding his hand, returning his kisses. But deep down she was crying out. All her instincts told her something was wrong. But, as always, she ignored these little voices, telling herself she had finally gotten what she had wanted since she was eleven. He had married her, chosen her to be his bride. She was the luckiest girl in the world.

Time changes things. He wasn't how he used to be. The kindness she used to see in him was slowly fading away, like sand trickling through her fingers. She told herself this wasn't true, that he was still the same, she was still the same, they were still the same. But it was getting harder and harder to lie to herself. He was gone all night every night. She tried to find out where he went, but whenever she asked he just yelled and cursed at her. He never used to yell. She cried alone at night.

Things got worse. He started telling her things. She found out where he went every night. He and his friends would go out to small little villages all over the country, abusing people they saw as inferior. He told her of one man, an old "Mudblood" as he called him, whom he had tied to a dead tree in the middle of some lonely woods. They just left him there, crying out. That was weeks ago. She shuddered to think what had happened to that old man.

She thought about leaving him. Just packing her bags and going. But every time she looked into those cold hard eyes, once so loving, she knew she couldn't. She was scared. Scared of what he would do to her if she left him. So she stayed, always telling herself things would be better soon.

He started killing. He didn't deny it. He told her all about his victims, all about their pitiful deaths. It was all over the papers. He had turned into an infamous killer, wanted all over the country. She had never been more frightened. She tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible, always praying she wouldn't do something wrong, wouldn't make him mad…she didn't want to die.

He had his followers too. People who would lie, kill, and die for him. It scared her to see these men and women, all with the same goal as his…achieving power. That's all they wanted. But he wanted it more than any of them. Why hadn't she paid attention to the little signs? It was too late now though. All she could do was watch as he got what he wanted, more power, more influence over people's lives. She hated him. She hated herself. And she hated the baby she was carrying, his child.

She hadn't told him she was pregnant. She prayed he wouldn't find out. She hated to think what he would do to the child. He'd always expressed his loathing for children. But would he hate his own child? She almost hoped he would. If he didn't, the baby would grow up like him…another killing machine. She hated that thought, hated the unborn child, and most of all she hated him with all her heart. But she feared him more than she hated him. So she stayed.

It was all over the papers. She couldn't believe it was true. The thing she had prayed for had happened.

Lord Voldemort Defeated!

She couldn't remember ever being happier. She read the newspapers with growing joy. She was free. He was no longer there to rule over her life. But as quickly as the delight came, it disappeared.

They would come after her.

All the people he had terrorized over the years, they would come after her and her unborn child, seeking revenge. She knew everyone thought she was involved with the killings. How could she not be? It made sense, she was his wife. They would never believe her if she told them she'd done nothing, she was innocent. And they would hate her child more than her. His child, another little bundle of evil. They would kill the baby before she could stop them.

She did the only thing she could. She found the long knife that he had used on so many people, that he had threatened her with so many times. She cried aloud as she felt the sharp blade cut her flesh, felt the blood running down her pale skin. She lay in her own pool of blood, thinking how this wasn't how it was supposed to end. But it was ending, her life was slowly draining from her body. She had never imagined this scenario. But that's how it ended up. Time changes things. She felt a peace come over her, a peace she hadn't felt in years. And finally, she was free.