Harry felt the cold, hard stone floor slam into his forehead as he fell headlong from the purple and crimson flames. Without stopping to think, adrenaline pushed him to his feet, wand drawn. His eyes darted desperately around the room, blind to everything except the small, crumpled figure in the middle of the floor. Her face was pale and still. Harry staggered slightly as he leapt to her side. Horror gripped him as he gathered her close. Her eyes were open -- conscious, but unseeing. Was she…? Harry gripped her tighter, heart pounding, his mind screaming – Ginny! Don't be dead…please don't be gone from me – not yet!
"So nice of you to join us Harry."
The voice was cold, delicate like violin strings and black with hatred. Harry stared up at the pale face above him. Lucius Malfoy. The cobweb-like shimmer of his robes looked like a shroud around his face, which seemed as though it were chiseled in a permanent sneer.
"Welcome into the presence of the Dark Lord, Harry." He swept back to reveal the towering, stick-like figure silhouetted in the flames. It glided toward him as if on liquid. Harry felt himself grow cold as he glared up into the glowing red slits that reflected his loathing. Voldemort smiled. It was very snake-like, his lipless mouth stretching back tightly.
"She's not dead, you know." The voice was the same – high pitched like knives scraped across steel. "Oh, she will be. Very soon. This time – permanently. Or perhaps not…Maybe I'll let you decide her fate, Harry. My gift to you." He laughed suddenly, a short shriek of amusement that echoed through the room
"SHUT UP!" The words exploded from Harry as rage engulfed him. It made him sick to see that scaly inhuman face speak of Ginny and then laugh. He pulled his wand and pointed it upward at Voldemort. "Shut up and let her go. You have me. I'm what you want." He felt a stirring in his arms and looking quickly down, saw the beloved brown eyes slowly dilate and focus.
Voldemort had vanished from Harry's mind. The cavern receded, leaving only Ginny still alive and in his arms. All he saw was the love and recognition that appeared on the white face before the horror of realization swept it away, leaving it haggard from pain. He pulled her closer, pressing his lips to her temple.
"Shhhhhhh…don't worry, love. I'm here."
"Harry…." It was a whisper; weak and terror-filled. "You can't… be here!…It's our only…hope."
"Don't say that!" Harry felt his voice grow hoarse as his surroundings crowded back into his consciousness. He took a good look around him for the first time. Torches glowered and flickered from the stone walls, casting the low-ceilinged room in a gloom that was not relieved by the flickering light from the slithering red and purple flames.
"WORMTAIL!" the shrill voice rang out. "Take her!"
Harry tightened his grip as he saw the cowering form of the former Peter Pettigrew emerge from a shadow. Harry flicked his wand toward him threateningly. Wormtail stopped cold, eyes filling with fear.
"Expelliamus!" the voice was Lucius Malfoys. Caught off guard, Harry made a desperate lurch to grab it as it shot out of his hands, but missed. It sailed neatly into the smooth white palm. Soft laughter slid over the walls.
"Oh Harry…see what happens when you get distracted? And lovely young things like this –" Voldemort swept a long arm forward to point a bony finger at Ginny. "Can be soooo distracting…I actually felt slightly diverted myself as I watched her writhe in agony…Does she writhe like that when you touch her Harry? Or have I a special rapport with your love?" Voldemort sneered softly. "WORMTAIL! Take her!"
Harry turned toward Pettigrew. "Touch…her…and…die…WORMTAIL." His voice was quiet. "I may not have my wand, but trust me -- I won't need it if you touch her."
The pudgy bald man began to twist his fingers together, looking up at his master for direction. Lucius Malfoy strode forward.
"Deicio!"
Suddenly, Ginny was torn from his arms. His head exploded in stars as he was slammed back into the cold stone wall. Cords shot out of Lucius' wand and bound his hands together. Another set shot across the room to bind his ankles.
"MALFOY!" Harry didn't feel the strain in his throat as he yelled. "COWARD! At least TOM RIDDLE THERE HAD THE GUTS TO MEET ME ON EQUAL FOOTING!" Harry saw Voldemort's piercing eyes glitter dangerously before he composed himself.
He fought and writhed against his bonds and almost fell over from the effort. His yell of rage was drowned by high screeching laughter. Wormtail cowered and mumbled something as he scurried over to Ginny and pulled her awkwardly up.
"Put her there." Voldemort gestured to a stone slab against the wall. "That should be sufficient. I just don't like clutter on the floor.
Harry struggled and twisted, a guttural cry wrenched from his mouth as he saw Ginny's arm dangle helplessly as she was dropped unceremoniously on the slab. A soft cry issued from her as she hit. She was too weak to protest, too weak to fight.
"So Harry. Here we are. I must say, this isn't quite the challenge I thought it might be. Yes, falling in love ruins a man. Look at your father –"
"Don't even MENTION my FATHER!" Harry yelled, fury making him pull even harder on the cords..
The Dark Lord continued as if he hadn't been interrupted.
"Young and beautiful Lily was his downfall. I might have had a real challenge had he not been so weak and stupid about saving her."
"So INSTEAD a one-year-old BABY defeated you!" Harry shot back with venom – pouring all his hatred and contempt for the dark wizard into one stinging shot.
Voldemort's reptilian face hardened perceptably. The glowing eyes burned -- reflecting his hatred. His mouth opened slowly, revealing long fangs. Harry's eyes widened in spite of himself.
"Do not mock me Harry. I have won. The past was but a prologue. Remember, it was you – your blood that brought me back to life and restored me to power! Have I thanked you for that, Harry? I don't believe I have! Well -- by all means, let me pay back my debt of gratitude!"
The dark robed monster slithered toward Harry until his face was very near his. Harry stared unflinchingly into the glittering red slits. He might die, but he would NOT show fear.
"Choose Harry!" the horrible face was hissing. A foul stench issued from his sick snake's lips "Your precious little Ginny can DIE NOW…Or if you prefer – can live a long, long time." Voldemort turned abruptly and continued in a businesslike tone. "Now, granted, she probably wouldn't be very good company – soulless people rarely are, but at least you'll go to your grave knowing you saved her life…Such a sweet little thing. I was momentarily tempted to keep her for…a diversion. But -- " he sighed, taunting Harry with the implication. "She won't lack for admirers, oh no. There are many, I'm sure, that would just love to give her a little kiss."
Harry's heart froze as he spun his head to stare at the limp form. He could see it shaking now, even from the distance of at least 15 meters. He knew that she heard those words. Too weak to protest or fight back, she would lay unprotected awaiting her fate. She would be wondering if Harry would keep his promise to her. Hoping against hope that he would sentence her to death.
Voldemort strode over to stare down at Ginny. He sneered at her trembling form, lifting a molten lock of hair and twisting it around a finger. Suddenly he twisted his wrist, winding the hair around a fist. He yanked her up to stare into the burning coals of his eyes. A wail of pain and despair tore from her.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER YOU --!"
The Dark Lord sneered, "Do YOU have a preference my dear? Oh never mind! I see that you…."
The words trailed off suddenly. With a swift gesture, he threw her back to the slab. His spider-like arm whipped out a wand and pointed it at her.
His eyes tearing with rage and helplessness, Harry could see her body – and hear the soft gasping sobs.
"GET AWAY FROM HER! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Harry swore, twisting and yanking so hard he heard something in his shoulder give a soft pop, but he felt no pain. He watched the wand glow slightly as Voldemort touched it lightly to her…stomach? He saw Ginny tremble and cringe ever so slightly away from the luminous tip. The Dark Lord turned abruptly and strode away to the fire. He seemed to be thinking; his back turned to them all. A minute passed before Harry heard the soft chuckling. It became a twisted high-pitched giggle as the wizard whirled around to face him.
"Oh Harry…" the grotesque face was gleeful. Harry stared, his heart in his throat. He tried to yell, tried to struggle, but his strength seemed to drain from him at the sight of that grin. The dark wizard started to almost sing – " Oh Harry, you naughty, naughty boy. You have been up to no good, haven't you?" The giggle became a squeal of laughter as Voldemort turned and swept over to Ginny's prone form. "Oh my dear – if only I had known you were so…eager…" A thin tongue flicked out like the blink of an eye. "Hm. Well, it's all the same in the end, hmm? So sorry, Harry, but this does change a few things!" He strode leisurely to a huge chair and sat down, looking thoughtful.
"My Lord?" Malfoy had come forward, bowing questioningly but respectfully.
"Go away Lucius." Voldemort flicked him away like a fly, still staring with amusement at Ginny. "So…Harry….tell me… did you use the Imperius Curse on her or were you just another in a long line of her…amusements? Did she fling herself on you with abandon? Please! Share with us!" The venomous giggle was starting again.
Harry stared, the breath knocked from him. He felt his flesh crawl. What was he saying?
I assume you didn't know that your sweet, lovely, innocent Ginny is… carrying a child?" he drew out the words like a snake's hiss.
Harry heard a sharp horrified gasp from Lucius, saw Wormtail whirl around.
"Though perhaps it has nothing to do with you, eh?"
Voldemort laughed again, madly shrieking with glee. The world was acting very strangely. Harry heard this as though through a snow storm. The words seemed to rip across his face then whirl away again and again as he desperately tried to make sense of them. Ginny…pregnant? He…and she… --
"I take it you're a bit surprised Harry?" the amused words purred. "Poor boy. Such a shock, I'm sure. Shame you won't live to see it.
The Dark Lord was plainly enjoying himself.
" Well, as your reward for giving me back my life, Harry, I will magnanimously assure you that your offspring will be well looked after once we've killed the mother. You, unfortunately, will be dead – oh, but don't worry! I shall treat it as my own child."
Harry stared. He would be horrified at the words if he could make sense of them. His mind was trying desperately to process the information…Voldemort was lying – taunting him. This was one of his sick twisted ideas of a joke.
The despicable chuckling resumed. "Of course, there IS a downside. I'm afraid killing your precious love is out of the question now Harry. She has a great responsibility ahead of her – she shall have the honor of incubating my heir…"
Harry clenched his eyes shut and grabbed on to the thought. His…child. His and Ginny's. In that instant he felt it. He knew. He knew in his heart that it wasn't a lie. A flood of emotions threatened to drown him as he opened his eyes to stare over at her prone form. What was she thinking? Had she heard or had she lost consciousness again? He was about to die and all he wanted was to share this moment of awe and discovery with her.
"So to continue…" Voldemort continued in a brisk, business-like voice. "You'll be glad to know that a child can gestate easily even if the mother is without a soul. How very convenient! So – that was an easy decision, wasn't it? Isn't this a happy ending? Your little Ginny will get to live…more or less…until we're done with her, of course. Your child will become mine – the heir to the greatest dark empire the wizarding world has ever seen!"
The words echoed across the chamber. Your child…your child!
Ginny!
His heart started to race so fast he could feel it hitting his ribcage. His child. His…Ginny – his life…They were a ….family…the first family he'd ever KNOWN! Harry felt something well up from deep inside himself – it grew bigger and bigger. He felt the protective rage he had always felt regarding any threat toward Ginny; only it had been magnified one hundred fold. He knew now with a certainty that shook his very soul – Voldemort was not going to take his family from him AGAIN. He and Ginny – and this…baby…they'd created were NOT -- NOT going to be destroyed by an evil rotting monster.
"WORMTAIL! Please ask our guest to join us…" Voldemort purred.
The huge black door was pulled open with difficulty and the weak wavering light from the torches blinked out. The cold pierced Harry's whirling mind like an icicle as the now-familiar death-rattle signaled the arrival of the guest. Clammy fingers tickled the back of his neck. Numbing horror blanketed him as he saw the huge robbed figure…of a Dementor.
He heard a weak, despairing wail from Ginny's crumpled form.