The Seductress

Part XII

The Red Ribbon

Ginny Weasley was awestruck. The girl, no, woman before her looked almost like her, except a little more taller. Faint freckles outlined her small face. Her hair was a bit darker, and her eyes had a slight auburn color mixed in with them. The red dress, the flowing, red dress that Ginny had tried so hard to make longer, was waving it's fabric swiftly and carelessly on the floor.

"Amazing. You, a brainless, unattractive nitwit have the nerve to look like me," Virginia stated harshly. Ginny flinched at her insults. Puzzlement was still ringing into her ears, waiting for answers.

A odd familiarity came to the name. No, she hadn't heard it before, but it felt a part of her, like her last name was Weasley.

"Virginia Riddle...why does that name sound so damn familiar?"

Ginny did not realize that the question had been spoken aloud, and her face was flushed when she saw the smile creeping on Virginia's face.

"Huh...dumber than I expected. Nothing like me. Only this," Virginia said, tugging at her dark hair, revealing the hemline of a red ribbon shining, and caressing her dark auburn strands.

"Only this, could make you anything exotic."

Ginny tried hard to fight the tears that were forcing themselves unto her eyelids. Anger was rushing through her, a rage to kill that frightened her. She fought hard to keep her dignity, and her face straight with no emotion.

"What - what do you want from me? Who the hell are you?" she spat, unable to keep her temper in.

"I already told you, Ginny. I'm Virginia Riddle."

"And why are you in my dorm, trying on my red gown?"

Virginia's eyes glared at her. "Yours? Yours? It's mine. I deserve it. I never got my chance. Your stupid Valentine's Day puppy love can wait. This is my chance, finally."

"Chance?" Ginny repeated blankly. 'What is she talking about? She's mad!'

"Yes, chance. Though dim witted you are, Ginny, I could not fight your power of innocence that beheld you. But this one," Virginia pointed to her body, "Can stay long enough until I have accomplished my greatest goal. It has been years, years, Ginny, since I've heard my lover's voice. I don't care what he looks like. I don't care if he's an old man, or even a woman. I want him, once more. I want to marry him, like I should've. If my cleverness is correct, things will go exactly as planned this time."

Ginny's mind was swirled into puzzlement, shock and numbness was surrounding her mind. There was something suspicious going on here, and questions still unanswered.

"Please - please, tell me what you plan to do," she pleaded.

Virginia grinned, and Ginny noted that it was the most evilest grin she had ever seen in a lifetime. It was slightly crooked, like a smirk, but showed some teeth, and her eyes flashed dangerously as one eyebrow casually rose up. This woman, no matter how beautiful she was, was insane. Insane, and desperate, Ginny added silently, observing her carefully.

"If you're smart enough, Ginny, you'll figure it out. I'm afraid I won't use your body, but I'll have to take your little lover away. He's mine, Ginny. All mine."

These were the last words said before suddenly, darkness flooded Ginny's pupils. There was a sharp blow to her head, as she felt liquid pour through her red strands, and she found herself hitting her body with a thud on the hard floor.

Virginia Riddle proceeded to kick her under her own bed, and organized the sheets so they covered any trace of her fragile body.

She began slipping her clothes off, slowly and methodically. She had little time to prepare, to look beautiful enough for the man she had been waiting to marry all these years. Then, she picked off the red, flowing dress on the floor, examining it as she slipped it swiftly over her head. She frowned a bit. Faint traces of smeared blood floated across it. She scowled at her reflection. It would have to do.

~

Draco Malfoy eyed his fellow Slytherin dorm mates rather nervously. They were completely relaxed, talking and laughing dumbly about their dates, form fitting their dress robes and suits, unaware of the nervousness that was hunching itself onto Draco's stomach.

It would be their first date. Sure, he knew it was not traditional to do more than kiss before a first date with a girl, but what did that matter?

It didn't matter. He was going with Ginny Weasley, the shy, responsive, sweet, and feisty girl he had grown to take a liking to. The girl he had known since the age of nine. Draco looked at the mirror with satisfaction. He was wearing dark green dress robes, which outlined his gray eyes perfectly, and strands of silver hair fell onto his forehead.

It was 7:55. Time to pick Ginny up, he thought nervously. He checked himself in the mirror reluctantly. Did he look alright? He shook his head, tugging at his robes anxiously. It was time.

~

The pieces of the puzzle kept swaying in Harry's mind, and he had a right to feel the urging contempt of dread in the drop of his stomach. The books were in front of him, and his eyes were pondering them quickly for any trace of what he was looking for. He examined his tiny muggle watch that he often wore and saw that it was 7:55. He took an intake of his breath. He had not seen Hermione all day, but he was already dressed in his dress robes. He chose a raven color of black this year, for he was tired of emerald green that shined and matched with his eyes and people called "adorable."

He looked at the book on his lap, which was the pure color of blood red. He examined the fancy lettering and meekly opened it, searching through the pages.

When he got to the place where he had read Hermione's article last, he was oddly not surprised that new curly letters were beginning to perform in the page next to it.

February 14th

She was with child. She had a vague feeling of what was happening, but she could not tell herself the truth. In a few moments, she would be walking down the aisle, greeting her fellow family and friends, and wedding the man that she had strived for love in. The gown grew more loosely around her neck...

There was a scribble next to it, as if the person who had printed these words were merely confused of what would happen.

There was a sharp blow to the head. She hid her under her bed...

Beautiful she looked, in glowing red...her two thin straps hung lowly below her neckline, which glimmered a gold chain, with a heart shaped locket. But the most beautiful thing she wore was the red, flowing ribbon in her ..

The rumble of her stomach continued and darkness flooded her. She clutched her stomach, moaning, as if she would throw up any second. Virginia had the ribbon...

Harry shut the book and left it in the library as he ran out, shutting the door behind him, with a bang. He was sure Madame Pince would soon scold him after that, but he didn't care. He was smart enough to realize what was going on, even if nobody else did. The problem was, he might've been too late.

~

"Ginny!" he called, knocking on the door lightly. He knocked harder this time, and finally got a response.

"Be right there," a voice called. Draco Malfoy frowned a bit. The voice was not unlike Ginny's, yet so much different, a different kind of emotion.

Suddenly, before he could think anymore, the door swung open to reveal Ginny. Draco gaped. He couldn't help it. The dress was lengthened, and still had the pretty smears of red over it, and Ginny's neck contained a gold chain, shimmering in the beaming light, with a tiny heart shaped locket. Never had he seen Ginny so glamorous. He closed his mouth quickly. There was something different about her...she was a bit taller, for one thing, but that might've been the heels she was wearing. Her eyes were a different shade from the usual hazel brown that Draco was used to, but a little more darker shade of red, maybe. He grinned, shaking his head mentally. She was growing up, and hardly looked like the normal, innocent fourteen year old schoolgirl he had grown to like. What right did he have to complain? After all, it wasn't a crime for a nice, sweet girl like her to be a bit adventurous, right?

So why did he feel so awkward, as if meeting her for the first time? His mind tried to shake the thoughts away.

"You look really nice," he finally said lamely. Ginny, however, gave him a small smile.

"Shall we go, my love?" she said, grinning, and grabbing him, smothering a kiss right on the lips. He kissed her back politely, frowning through their embraced and occupied lips. Ginny didn't usually act like this. In fact, he was always the one to land the kiss on her, mostly, or they would collide their lips if there was a sudden hormonal urge for it. But this was not the Ginny he knew. She didn't even kiss the same anymore. She held onto him until the great surge for oxygen and let go, her hand in his. The warm tingling when Ginny's fingers wrapped around his was not present. The fingers he held now were not fragile and skinny like hers, but thin and long, with thick skin.

This was not Ginny Weasley. Was it?

Draco shook his head. It's just a phase, everyone freaks out in a relationship, he told himself. His footsteps repeated against hers, and he found himself just two more steps from the Great Hall. The common room was behind them, and Draco was twisting himself into anxiety and slight nervousness. She knew that her brother didn't like him 'ruining' his little sister, even though he had already did, he added mischievously with a grin.

He took a deep breath and smiled at her steadily. He had to try. He reached up with his index finger to pull her chin up so that she was looking up at him. The same, wide brown eyes were not there. Instead, a sinister shade of dark auburn lay around the pupils. He found himself being lost into them, questioning them slowly. It was then that he happened to glance up that he noticed the red ribbon shimmering in her hair.

Before he could do anything, the girl, whoever she was, reached up and gave him a light kiss. He found himself not being lost in Ginny, but whoever this mysterious look alike was. She had soft lips, soft lips that he wanted to suffocate himself into. It felt as if he was gracefully falling into a whirlpool, which kept on turning. His eyes closed, and his hands found themselves into her shoulders, grazing her creamy white shoulders.

Creamy white shoulders...

Draco pulled himself away from the kiss and grinned at the beautiful girl before her.

She smiled back, her eyes glowing more than ever in the lovely flowing dress of hers.

"You're back," she whispered seductively in his ear, pushing her hand against his chest.

Draco's usually gray eyes gleamed a sudden emerald, matching his green robes perfectly.

He blinked.

~