Title: The Myth of Innocence
Author: Catalina Royce
Disclaimer: These stories are based on characters and situations created
and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books,
Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made
and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Rating: R
This headache was blinding her. She rubbed her temples, wondering how long it would last, and if she really cared. She was back. She hadn't believed him, hadn't trusted Thom enough to be truthful with her. Her family had poisoned her mind against him. For that she was sorry.
But he was here now. He'd had two books enchanted. One for him, and one for her. And she'd seen him, earlier, when she'd first woken up. He looked just as he always had; dark and handsome. And she was still a redhead, still pale. Nothing had changed, really, except perhaps the times and those who 'loved' her.
She wondered who the blonde was. The soul who'd joined with hers loved him dearly, and there was something about him that drew even her. He seemed to have been genuinely worried about her, something that she'd never received in her own lifetime.
Adaline stretched and yawned, feeling her muscles protest and the movement. The redheaded boy next to her – he didn't seem to have moved since the first time she'd woken up, except to lean on the side of his chair and sleep – looked exhausted. Pity for him, she thought. Jonathon only cared because he thought he was the one to cause this pain.
The thought made her pause. This was a different time, she must remember. The beds and the chairs were all different. But the people seemed so similar to what she remembered. Except for the blonde. He was different. Once again she wondered who he was.
Adaline sat back in her bed, yawning and closing her eyes. Everything was perfect now. Soon she'd see Thom, and everything would be perfect.
Just perfect.
Draco walked into the potions lesson 20 minutes late, nodded curtly to Professor Snape and indicated Potter and Granger. "I need to see these two, Professor." It was a long shot, he knew, but he did need to see the scar head. If there was something wrong with Ginny – and it was about Voldemort – Potter would be all too happy to risk his neck.
"I'm afraid, Draco, that Mister Potter has yet to master the basics of the potion we are currently studying, and as such cannot leave the class."
Normally Draco would have sneered at the scar head and taken pleasure in his misery, however, this situation was a complex one, and he didn't have time for Snape's personal vengeance. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to see Granger and Potter, Professor. It's about Ginny Weasley." It seemed that these two were actually genuinely worried about Ginny, because at the mention of her name they both stood up quickly and followed Draco out of the classroom, regardless of Snape's refusal.
Harry strode down the corridor, quickly overtaking both Granger and Draco. When he turned a corner, Draco called out irritably, "Where are you going, scar face?"
"Dumbledore's office, Malfoy."
"Dumbledore doesn't want to see you." Potter turned around, an incredulous rage on his face. Draco shrugged and leant against a wall. "I needed to talk to you about Virginia."
"Ginny," Harry muttered.
"What?"
"Ginny." He yelled. "Her name is Ginny." He, too, leant against the wall, eyeing Draco with a wary dislike. Granger looked from one to the other, then stayed exactly where she was. Her fingers were digging into her palms. If she kept doing that, her hands would probably start to bleed.
"Look," Draco began, knowing he couldn't reveal Virginia's secret, but that he had to tell them something for them to help him. "I think Virginia's being possessed by Tom Riddle again."
Thom came back to her room, looking at her anxiously. Adaline smiled in greeting, wondering fondly what he'd done wrong to merit his anxiousness. The only time males looked like that was when they'd done something. She'd forgive him, though, no matter what it was, because she was just so happy to see him. The redhead still hadn't woken up, and she wasn't exactly sure what time she was living in now, and confusion was starting to make her head hurt.
She reached out her arms, but he stopped just out of her reach. Confusion flickered over her face. "Thom," she whispered. "Why won't you touch me?"
Thom took a deep breath. "Look, Virginia." Virginia? "I know you think...well, no, I don't really know what you think. But, I don't think of you in that way. And you're hurting Draco, Virginia. He's completely in love with you." He expelled a breath and look relieved. Thom sat down next to her on the bed, then reached over and hugged her. She had understood what he meant, but he was just so alive, and she'd finally forgiven him for his betrayal. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, trying to deepen the kiss.
Thom shoved her away from him, then ran a hand through his dark hair. "For Merlin's sake, Virginia! I don't think of you like that! You're like a sister, nothing more!"
Adaline's lower lip started trembling. This wasn't Thom. He wasn't anything like Thom. He didn't speak like Thom, or act like Thom, and he didn't love her like Thom did. "Who are you?" She whispered, feeling the hot sting of tears in her eyes. Where was Thom, then? He'd promised her that he'd be there when she woke up. Of course, she hadn't believed it would happen, but now that he had, he had to be here. He'd never failed her before.
"I'm Blaise, Virginia. Remember? Your first real friend? The one who loves you like a sister?"
"Where's Thom?" He wasn't here. Why wasn't he here? He should be here. She paused for a minute. Perhaps Thom wasn't his name. After all, it seemed that Adaline's body was named Virginia. But surely Thom would have revealed himself if he was here?
Blaise looked down at his hands, and stood up, making sure not to disturb the still-sleeping redhead. "I think Draco should explain things to you. I'll go get him."
Draco would explain things. Who was this Draco? What was his connection? Apparently he loved Virginia, so he was probably a fiancée, or even a husband. After all, this body was at least 16, old enough to have been married for several years. In fact, this body could have had children by now.
Children. Her child. What had happened to her child? Had it died? Had it lived and grown? Did it perhaps grow up to be the first half-blood allowed to use a wand? Adaline patted her stomach, wishing to feel the hard roundness of her child growing within her.
She'd lost her child. Adaline clenched her eyes tight, trying to stop the tears from falling. She didn't like this time period. There was no Thom, no child, and family that she didn't know and didn't like.
A door opened softly, and Adaline looked up. The blonde walked in, Blaise trailing behind him. He must be Draco, then. Draco looked around, surveying the room with an unconscious arrogance, and raised an eyebrow slightly at the redhead's sleeping posture.
Adaline watched intensely for a moment, almost laughing with joy when he entered the room with a confident male stride. This was it. This was Thom. Just because he didn't look like Thom, it didn't change what was inside him. And Blaise had said that Thom – or Draco, as he liked to be called – loved her. He'd obviously spent most of his time with her, waiting for her to wake up.
The redhead next to her awoke with a jerk, then rubbed his face and stared at the new comers. He frowned at Thom and Blaise, then smiled as a bushy-haired girl and a skinny boy walked in. Adaline chose to ignore them. She concentrated on memorising the look of her Thom.
She held out her arms, joy registering in her face. Thom was here. He would love her, help her, and show her the way. She sighed with pleasure.
Thom walked over to her, hugged her tight. Her happiness swelled in leaps and bounds, and Adaline kissed him on the cheek. "I'm here, Thom," she whispered, joy overflowing. "I'm here. Adaline's here." She sighed happily and stoked his hair.
Draco pulled away from her and smiled. "I missed you," he told her, keeping his face calm despite the panic seething underneath his skin. Thom? Adaline? He knew the name of the book that Virginia had been reading was called Adaline. There had to be a connection, he was sure. Virginia subsided on the pillows, and Draco tucked the blanket around her. "Now, you need to get some rest, and I'll be back later, to make you better."
"You always make me better, Thom."
He smiled at her, then left the room, grabbing Granger and pulling her behind him. Hermione looked up at him with anger. Draco smiled mirthlessly. "Virginia's been possessed, and not by Tom Riddle. I need you to help me with an...exorcism."
"Oh," Hermione muttered, breathless. "Oh no. This isn't good. It just...it's so badly documented. It rarely...but there was one book. I saw it last time I..." she rushed off. "Tell them I'll be in the Library!" She called. The statement was unnecessary. Potter and the Weasel had had followed them out of the ward.
"She always does that," Ron muttered.
Author's Note: 10 points go to Theophania, who guessed very well. Anyway, I'm incredibly sorry for the delay. Both myself and my beta have been extremely busy [this chapter hasn't been beta-read, sorry. Nicole really is extremely busy.]. I have just started year 11 this year, and I've accepted a moderator position at a forum I frequent, I've been adding to a forum I operate -- Bitter Sweet now has a reveiws site, by the way --, and I've been working on my Harry Potter fanfiction site, which still has a lot to go before it is completed. All together, this means that the chapters can be a long time coming, but believe me, they are still coming.
On another note, after I finish this story -- which isn't very far away, according to my plot (excited? I am. I've been writing this story for over two years!) -- I'll extend Once Upon A Time slightly, which some of you may have seen. If you haven't, I'll reccomend them. My one shots are probably my best writing anyway. And after I've finished that extension (only a short extension, mind you), I'll continue and post my favorite story, Avarice, which is possibly the best thing in fanfiction that I've written. Anyway, I just thought I'd reassure you that by no means do I plan to stop writing fanfiction or The Myth of Innocence. And don't forget -- read and review! I love thee for it.