Chapter Two:

She felt her lungs close up just as she was opening her mouth to scream. She felt her entire body tense greatly as she sunk back into her pillow. He had penetrated her mind after she blocked him out for five years. He'd planted something dark and full of sensuality...but why? What was the purpose?

Quickly and quietly she grabbed the black cloak from her bedside chair and headed down into the Gryffindor common room. She padded softly across her room and headed for the stairs. Soon, she entered the common room and walked over to the couch and slumped down it in; she put her head in her hands and sighed deeply.

"You look ill my love...was I too much for you?" Ginny lifted her head, expecting to see Tom standing before her, looking very smug and potent. But in front of her was just the crackling fire and the sound of her own gulping breath. So, where had the voice come from?

She shook her head and walked toward the portrait. "Chocolate Frog..." She yawned as the portrait swung open, she stepped out into the hallway. She managed to make it to the staircase by the Great Hall before someone stepped into her path. It was a tall someone; a shadow that hovered over her. No doubt a male. He reached his hand out to her and she stepped back. Suddenly she put her hands to her head and latched her nails into her skull.

"Please...go away." She cried out in a whisper and slowly dropped her hands to her sides, swayed on her spot and fell forward. The man caught her around the middle and held her tightly against himself. She was trembling and breathing abnormally. Her eyes were shut tightly and she was silently crying. What was plaguing her mind? Carefully, he picked her up and headed in the direction of where he had come.

"Stay away from me...please..." Ginny pleaded as she stepped back. A coldness like no other swept up into her body as she struggled against her captor.

"You will stay...you told me that you would stay forever!"

"That isn't what I said!" Ginny cried out and bent down and sunk her teeth into his hand. He howled and snarled then slapped her. She staggered, but didn't go far because he still held her.

"It's too late. By midnight of the seventh month...you will be mine. No one will save you then...you will be a sacrifice for the darkness and you will become my Dark Queen. You will never see the light again."

Ginny awoke later that night-or early morning hours-and looked around. She barely registered where she was until a voice spoke.

"You're safe..."

It wasn't until her eyes fell upon the owner of the voice did she gasp. He was leaning against the wall that hadn't been in her eye view; his long robes billowed about him even with a faint breeze.

"What am I doing here?" Her voice was torn between physical pain and exhaustion.

"Something happened to you in the hall...why you were out well after curfew, I have no clue. You were having a fit...an episode, if you will. You looked absolutely terrified about something, your actions were rather sudden. I picked you up after you fainted and brought you here. It's nearly time for breakfast...if you're well rested, I will be leaving." He stared at her for a moment and she felt herself nod. He did not smile as he left.

"He wants you dead...they all do. Severus Snape has no use for a Muggle loving Pureblooded witch in his school."

"Hogwarts does not belong to him!" Ginny whispered, finding that her voice had gone rather hoarse.

Things seemed to be getting worse by the minute. Why the most hated teacher in all of Hogwarts had saved her, she hadn't a clue. But what really scared her was as she left the infirmary; she had the strangest and most morbid feeling that she was being watched.

The eerie feeling did not cease as Ginny made her way down the hallway that same morning. Something had urged her to go past the Great Hall and into the Dungeons. She glanced behind her as people walked by, they were looking at her funny.

"Tell them to sod off...they have no business snooping into your life."

"Leave me alone. You've done enough damage."

"Is that crying that I hear? Poor girl...you should know to be brave; you are a Gryffindor after all."

"You should go now...you have no business here." She looked up into the eyes that she hated to love; red and snakelike. His uniform was as she always remembered it, tattered and dusty.

"I doubt it is up to you to tell me when to leave. You do not own me, I own you...and I always will."

"No...just go away."

'You are not the one to give orders. You receive them, my dear. Now shut up and walk."

Ginny stopped just at the door to the Dungeons; her hand was on the doorknob, but she couldn't bring herself to open it. What was on the other side?

"Fine..."

Invisible cold fingers viciously clawed at her hand, tearing her skin open. Somehow she was now looking at an empty classroom...an open and dark classroom.

"Get in..." His voice was raspy, but she could tell he was angry.

"Let me go." She shook her head as she felt his hands come around to grasp her arms and he pushed her inside.

"I just want to talk to you..."

"Let go of me!"

"You should really stop giving orders...I don't want to hurt you."

"Like hell you don't. I hate you Tom...please, just let me go." She had her head down, she refused to let that monster see her cry.

"Please? You never begged that night in the rain...do you remember?"

"That was a dream...it never happened."

"You wanted it to...I could see it when you looked at me. You wanted me to touch you...wanted me to hurt you."

Something in Ginny made her fall silent as she felt her body grow limp and she was hurled forward. She fell to her knees in the room and heard the door slam behind her.

"Now you will pay...for crossing me again." The sudden empty and stillness of the room was frightening. But it wasn't as painful as the hands that suddenly came from out of nowhere and grabbed her.