Ginny dropped to her knees. She stared at the lifeless body of Draco and could feel her throat closing up. She was having a difficult time breathing, but she didn't care. That didn't matter.
Nothing mattered if Draco was dead.
Slowly, she crawled over to his body. Hoping beyond hope, she grabbed his wrist and desperately looked for a pulse. There was none. Which only meant one thing.
"Why Tom?" Ginny whimpered. "Why did you have me do this?"
I can't tell you how pleased I am that you survived, Ginerva..."What?" she whispered.
I had a plan...I wasn't sure who would survive. I much admit, that you are alive pleases me, very much so..."You bastard," Ginny said in a steely voice.
Temper, Ginerva...
"You fucking son-of-a-bitch!" Ginny screamed.
You will watch your tone, Ginerva...
Ginny stood up and punched the wall next to her. "I would have given him up if I knew you would kill him!"
That is not your decision, Ginerva. Together, you were both weak. One of you had to be killed. You were the stronger one. You are rewarded with your life...
"For how long, Tom?" Ginny raged. "How long until you decide that I'm not worth the risk anymore?"
You will live until you are no longer useful...
"Get out of my head!" Ginny yelled. "Get out! I don't want you here anymore!"
You have no choice in the matter...
Ginny used all her mental will power to break the connection between her and Tom. Finally she realized that he had indeed left. "For now," she muttered.
She sat next to Draco's body. Ginny pulled him close to her. She breathed in deeply, trying to capture his scent. Ginny knew there would be no recovering from this.
She felt a tear fall down her cheek and wiped it away violently. Even though she was dying inside, she would not cry. She would not give that bastard the satisfaction of making her cry.
A sudden thought flashed through her mind. She could only think of one thing. Ginny needed to talk to Professor Dumbledore.
-----
Ginny ran through the halls of Hogwarts like a woman possessed. She had only been in the Headmaster's office twice during her time here. She wasn't quite sure the route, but she would run until she found it.
After ten minutes of searching, she finally recognized the gargoyle statue that led to his office. Pretending to be with Harry had its advantages. He had told her what the password was.
"Ice Mice!" Ginny screamed. The gargoyle woke up and a staircase was revealed. She ran up the stairs, two at a time, and was led to a door.
Ginny walked up to the door and starting pounding with all of her might. "Professor Dumbledore!" she screamed. "Open up! Professor Dumbledore!"
The door opened suddenly and Ginny practically fell inside. Professor Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, holding a quill.
He looked up and gave Ginny a slight smile. "You've come to tell me the truth at last, haven't you?" he said sadly.
The simple phrase caused Ginny to break down. She collapsed where she stood and started crying loudly. She knew she was making a fool of herself, put she didn't care.
She would never feel his arms around her again. They would never try to sneak a quick snog between classes. He would never tell her again, in his wonderful tenor voice, "I love you."
Professor Dumbledore helped her off of the floor and led her to a small couch, near the fireplace. There was a roaring fire, and the heat felt good, considering Ginny was numb inside.
Professor Dumbledore sat next to her. "What has happened?" he asked gently.
Ginny stared at her hands. "I just killed Draco Malfoy," she said quietly.
"I see," Professor Dumbledore said. "Correct me if I am wrong, but Tom is still possessing you on a regular basis?"
Ginny could only nod.
"Was he in possession when Draco Malfoy was killed?" the Headmaster asked.
Ginny nodded again, still staring at her hands.
The door suddenly opened. Ginny looked up sharply and saw Professor Snape burst in. "Albus! Draco Malfoy, in the Room of Requirements..."
Professor Dumbledore put up his hand. "Was killed. I am getting an explanation from Miss Weasley."
Ginny looked into Professor Snape's eyes and felt a hatred in her gut, unlike she had ever known. Ginny jumped up and took her wand out. "He's loyal to Tom!" Ginny screamed.
She felt her wand leave her hand without a word spoken. Professor Dumbledore held her wand calmly. "Professor Snape is loyal to me, and me alone, Ginny."
"That's impossible!" Ginny cried. "Tom raves at how good of a spy Snape is. He couldn't possibly trick Tom like that!"
"It is indeed very possibly, Ginerva," Professor Dumbledore said. "Severus has always been good at playing both sides."
"He gave me fake Veritaserum," Ginny said menacingly.
"Simply to reinforce to you that I was on the Dark Lord's side, Miss Weasley," Professor Snape said.
"Bullshit," Ginny snapped. She stood up quickly, but then slumped down. She didn't have her wand; there was no way to hurt Professor Snape.
"Miss Weasley, we have believed you to be in some form of contact with Tom for some time. He can see your thoughts. We had to make you think that Severus was loyal to him," Professor Dumbledore said.
"What about now?" Ginny cried. "I know now! He could possess me at any moment, and you'll be found out."
"That is a risk we will take. Severus has a way of getting Tom to believe what he says," Professor Dumbledore said.
Ginny looked out the window. Everything felt wrong. That she was in this office, telling her secret to the man Tom hated most, felt wrong.
But Draco being dead was wrong, too.
"When did Tom find his way back into your head?" Professor Snape asked.
"He never left," Ginny replied listlessly.
Professor Dumbledore looked puzzled. "He's been with you all this time?"
Ginny nodded.
"Did he ever ask that you sacrifice yourself for him?" the Headmaster asked quietly.
Ginny looked up sharply. How in the world did he know? That was one thing she had never told anyone, not even Draco.
"At least once a year," Ginny said softly. "Last year, I came close. Since Tom had a body, he said that if I died, his body would go back to being Tom. Then he would raise me from the dead."
"You came close?" Professor Snape asked.
Ginny nodded. Somehow, it felt good sharing this with someone. She had kept it bottled up for so long. "Last year. I was in my bed, with the curtains closed. I took my wand and did a cutting spell on my wrist." Ginny closed her eyes tightly, remembering how the blood spilled out of her body, and feeling weaker and weaker.
"At the last minute, I realized I couldn't go through with it. I took my wand and tried to heal the cut. I couldn't quite do it though. I had just enough strength to run to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey healed me in an instant," Ginny said. "She told my parents, and they made me go to a therapist over the summer. But no one else knew. Not my brothers, Harry, anyone."
"Tom wasn't pleased, was he?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
Ginny shook her head. "Not at all. He punished me a great deal over the summer," Ginny whispered. She glanced up and saw Professor Snape shuddering. She imagined that he had been punished over the years by the Dark Lord as well.
"When did he start possessing you again?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"The night of the quidditch tryouts," Ginny answered lifelessly.
"And you never tried to fight back?"
"No, Ginny asked, sounding surprised. "I was on his side. I was willing to do anything, give up everything to help him."
"Even kill Draco Malfoy?"
The question was like a dagger to her heart. "No," she whimpered. "Not that. I wouldn't have been willing to do that."
"Miss Weasley, if you are on his side, what are you hoping for by telling all of this to me?" Professor Dumbledore asked quietly.
Ginny stared into the fire. She saw Draco's face dancing in the flames. She remembered, and she felt alive. She knew what she had to do.
Ginny raised her head and met Professor Dumbledore's gaze.
"Revenge."