Without Trust There is No Love
Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has to do with Harry Potter; they belong to the genius, J.K. Rowling. I barely own the title because I got it from Moulin Rouge. I own nothing except for this very boring plot.
Author's Note: I am…tired. I don't know what to write.
Chapter 3: Weakness
If only the weak should fall in love, then Ginny was probably one of the weakest. Her infatuation with the famous, Harry Potter proved that she easily fell in love. But after she got over him, never again did she fall back in the bitter hole of love. Of course, Ginny did date Michael Corner in her fourth year, but she didn't consider that love. Nor was Dean Thomas who she dated in fifth year. Without knowing why, Dean and Ginny broke up in the middle of her fifth year. It was probably because they just had nothing in common.
But now, her weakness came back to haunt her. Through denial, Ginny tried to push it away, yet he lingered in her mind. His eyes, his touch, his words, and his kiss were constantly torturing her, and without knowing, she was falling into his trap. Ginny could not understand why she wasn't disgusted by his touch. Ginny could not understand why she didn't slap him when his lips were pressed softly against hers. However, deep inside herself, she knew exactly why.
As Ginny exited the Hogwarts Express, she started her way towards the carriages alone. The clouds still covered the night sky throwing down sprinkles of rain. A once furious wind calmed down into a gentle breeze. Everything in nature seemed to be at a blissful peace. Among the crowd, Ginny saw a familiar giant, Hagrid, calling out to the first years to cross the lake. To look for Ron, Hermione, and Harry, Ginny turned around to see if they were behind her. Surprisingly, she saw Draco in a distance. But he was turned around as well but facing no one.
Before she could figure out why, Ron had appeared right beside her along with Harry and Hermione.
"Hey," she said. "Shall we go find a carriage?"
They nodded, and together walked towards the carriages which were pulled by invisible creatures called thestrals.
"Where were you on the train?" asked Ron.
"Oh, I was just needed some time alone," replied Ginny "To think."
Without saying another word, Ron had climbed in the carriage that Harry had found unoccupied. Ginny followed, then Hermione, and Harry. Once they were in, the carriage started to move towards the grand castle of Hogwarts. Silently, the four of them sat, uttering not even the slightest sound. The silence was most awkward to Ginny and rather uncomfortable. Seeing that no conversation was going to start soon, Hermione quickly pulled out a book and began reading. Ron started fiddling with a piece of thread from his robes, and Harry just looked outside.
Ever since Ginny's mum had died, it has been like this. All words were at loss from then on. Only silence comforted them because no other words could…
When the carriage stopped, Harry opened the carriage door and climbed out, followed by the rest. Other carriages had stopped as well, letting out all the other students of Hogwarts. From second year to seventh year students, all rushed their way into the Great Hall. In the Great Hall, the ceiling was the same as the sky outside: cloudy and dark. There were even the little sprinkles, but the drops of water disappeared as it fell down from the enchanted ceiling. Candles stood afloat in midair, lighting up the Great Hall.
Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat side-by-side at the Gryffindor table. When everyone in the hall was seated, the first years had come in the doors. Shaking and trembling, they followed Professor McGonagall to the front. In the front of the Great Hall, there stood a stool with a dusty hat on top. Silence came upon the students as the hat revealed a mouth and began singing the sorting song. After the song had ended, everyone broke into applause. Then, the sorting ceremony began…
Ginny did not pay attention to the first years. Instead, she began looking at the blonde who sat at the Slytherin table. From the looks of it, he did not pay any attention the Sorting Ceremony either. Instead, he seemed to be very interested upon looking at his empty plate. Crabbe and Goyle were seated next to him looking stupider by the second. Pansy, who sat across from Draco, kept whispering something to him. Either way, he wasn't paying attention to anything.
Could he be possibly thinking about her?
Soon, without even knowing, the ceremony had ended. After the last applause, Dumbledore stood up, and the hall was once again quiet.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, first years." Dumbledore said, "And welcome back, fellow students. I have a few announcements to make to all of you. As you know, the Dark Forest is forbidden to all students. Secondly, I must speak of the war…that is taking place soon."
Dumbledore paused and looked at all the students.
"Lord Voldemort," Some students gasped and winced. " Came back to power two years ago. Within these two years, he has been preparing for this war. He has been gathering followers…I must tell you all to be aware of this war. Hogwarts may be in danger, but I doubt it…"
The hall was still silent. Ginny caught a few smirks at the Slytherin table, and she immediately knew why they were smirking. All the Slytherins were probably among the followers of Lord Voldemort.
"On the lighter note, please welcome back Professor Lupin who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year." Dumbledore said.
The Gryffindor table broke into a loud cheer because Lupin had been the best DADA teacher, compared to the rest. When they stopped, Dumbledore lightly said, "Tuck in" , and the feast began.
Suddenly, food appeared on their plates. The first years stared at their plates in a wide-eyed shock. Everyone else, who were all very hungry, started eating as soon as food had appeared. Ginny only ate a little because her stomach felt already full. She asked Hermione, who was Head Girl now, for the password into the Gryffindor tower.
"Aren't you hungry, Ginny?" asked Hermione, concerned.
"Don't worry. I'm fine." Ginny said with a small smile.
"Well, okay…it's 'thestrals'." Hermione said, still with a tone of concern in her voice.
"Thanks."
Ginny got up from the Gryffindor table and left the Great Hall. The corridors were silent and dark. Only a few torches were lit, but Ginny could still make her way to the stairs. Again, she was alone. The thoughts of her mother began to come again, but she closed her eyes and pushed them away. She couldn't bear to think about her mother again. It pained her too much, and the pain would kill…Tears began to form behind her eyes, but they did not fall. Not yet.
"Thestrals."she muttered to the fat lady before being asked the password.
With a huff, the portrait opened, revealing the common room. It was, of course, empty. Right away, Ginny climbed up the stairs to the girl's dormitory. Once she reached the sixth year dormitory, she found that all her things were already brought up. Blurred by tears, still, she fell upon her bed. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks, and she closed her eyes. Sleep took over her…
By darkness, she was surrounded. All around, she heard laughter; an evil laughter. Ginny groped her way through the dark paths that led her to nowhere. But the laugh, the evil laugh, grew louder and louder as she went on. Then, she saw him. She saw Lord Voldemort standing above the body of her mother, Molly Weasley, laughing. Ginny ran to her mother and kneeled down beside her. Ignoring the fact that Voldemort was right there, she began to shake her as if hoping her mother was just asleep. But never did Molly Weasley stir.
"Mum! WAKE UP!" she screamed.
"Ginny, she is dead." Voldemort said, looking at her with his frightening red eyes.
"No, she's not! Get away from me! GET AWAY!" Ginny screamed, glaring at him.
Voldemort,of course, did not move. Frustrated and scared, Ginny stood up and foolishly whipped her wand out of her pocket. Still glaring at him, she shakily pointed her wand at his chest.
"Ginny, do you really wish to kill me?" Voldemort said, with no expression at all. His face was white as a corpse's, and the look in his eyes could kill. Voldemort looked like one of the living dead who had been rotting for years and years.
Then, before Ginny's very eyes, Voldemort transformed into his sixteen year old self. He turned into the handsome Tom Riddle she once knew. Riddle kneeled down with Ginny and looked at her straight in the eyes. His eyes were such a brilliant green, and Ginny seemed to be hypnotized by them. But she quickly looked away, still trying to wake up her mother.
"Do you really wish to kill the one who knows you the best?" he asked, softly caressing her cheek.
"You know nothing about me…not anymore." Ginny hissed. Instantly, she pushed his hand off her cheek.
"Oh, but I do, Ginny." Tom said, quietly. Reaching into his pocket, Riddle pulled out a familiar diary that Ginny had once written in during her first year. "I have it all right here…"
Ginny opened her eyes and let out a gasp. She looked around and instantly felt relieved knowing that it was only a bad dream. Luckily, everyone was asleep and had not heard her gasp. Realizing she was still in her robes, she got out of her four-poster bed. Feeling not a slight bit tired, Ginny decided to go down to the common room to see if anyone was still awake. If not, she would go out and take a breath of fresh air. Ginny glanced at the clock, and it read 11 o'clock p.m.
Quietly, she went down the stairs that led to the common room which she found deserted. Without a second thought, Ginny opened the portrait door and climbed out.
"Where do you think you're going?" the Fat Lady asked sleepily.
Ginny ignored her and continued walking down the dark corridors. No torches were lit, for the whole school was sound asleep. The moon's pale light shone through the windows, and it was her only guide through darkness. She carefully walked down the stairs leading to the Entrance Hall. Thankfully, no one was there. Quickly, she reached the doors and breathed in the fresh air of the cool night.
Some of the gray clouds had cleared away, revealing some twinkling stars. The moon was shining brightly, lighting all the dark places across the grounds of the school. Even the Forbidden Forest seemed a bit lighter with the moon above it. Finally, Ginny felt fully relaxed and at peace. Everything faded from her mind….even her mother, and that was a first.
Closing her eyes, she again took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
"What are you doing here?" came a voice that made Ginny jump.
He was hidden in the shadows, but Ginny could still see an outline of him. The silhouette moved forward into the moonlight. She realized that it was no other than a Head Boy named Draco Malfoy.
"I have my own reasons to be out here, Malfoy." Ginny said coolly.
The silhouette chuckled and was now fully revealed under the light of the pale moon. He smirked, standing just a foot or two away from Ginny.
" It's back to Malfoy now , huh? What ever happened to calling me Draco?" he drawled.
There's one reason to hate him again. Ginny thought angrily to herself.
"It was never Draco. It is and always will be Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret." Ginny retorted, yet she couldn't help the smile tugging on her lips.
Draco laughed and said, " We'll see about that."
There was a pause. For a moment, they both just stared into each others eyes. Ginny wanted to forget him. She wanted to forget what he said on the train; she wanted it to be gone. It shouldn't be lingering in her mind! But again, her weakness took over, right this moment. But this time, she began to fight it.
"Malfoy," she sighed "Let's just forget about what happened on the train. I don't know why you did it, but I want to forget it. I don't want to think about it anymore."
"Why do you want to forget?" Draco asked, softly. He came closer to her, and now they were only a few inches apart.
"Because I'm infatuated by it. I believe in something that isn't true. I don't want to be heartbroken more than I am right now, Malfoy. I just want this to end before it takes over me." Ginny explained. "I've already got enough on my mind."
Draco's face was emotionless; Ginny could not tell if he was happy, sad, or mad. It was impossible. Biting the bottom of her lip, she looked down at the ground and muttered, "I should go."
Ginny swiftly walked past Draco, but he grabbed her arm.
"No, please stay."he said with a sound of desperation in his voice.
Ginny looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Why?"
"I can't sleep. Obviously, you can't either or else you wouldn't even be out here."
Ginny stared at him, speechless. Looking back at the castle, she sighed.
"Oh..alright, I guess."