Jeb and Sarah

They are meant to be an exaggeration. One of the reasons I actually chose to make the assignment in Nebraska was because they were voted to have the most neutral accent, (yes, believe it or not) and this way I wouldn't have to make everyone's accent so strong, because here in my hometown, we have no accents. But, yes they are a definite over exaggeration of the stereotypical southern American, and unless they moved to Nebraska or their family had, you wouldn't find someone with such a strong accent in Nebraska.

Anyway, if you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask because I love that everyone reads so carefully as to pick out the details and I will be happy to answer anything. That being said, thanks for reading and thanks especially to those who reviewed. It really makes me happy! And, chapter eight is being beta-ed! Which means it will be up soon! YAY!

Chapter Seven The Longest Hour

She sat alone, in the chamber, waiting. When footsteps resounded through the darkness, her heart raced. He was coming.

She shakily stood, hoping her voice wouldn't crack when she told him she didn't want to do this anymore.

His shadow appeared on the wall before she saw his face. "Ah, Ginerva," he said sweetly. "How is my little agent of death?"

Her heart was pounding wildly. "I won't do it," she whispered.

"What?"

Her voice gained volume, "I won't do it anymore."

His semi-smile turned vile, "I control you now. You will do as I tell you."

She felt her arm rise slightly, and now he had control of her body. She watched as she picked up the blade she was so used to using on herself. Her hand hitched her gray skirt up slightly and she watched as the blade was pressed onto her pale skin. She bit her lip as blood seeped out, and she closed her eyes as the blade ran across the length of her thigh. She never cried out, because she had learnt the first time he'd just do it to her again.

The blade fell from her limp hand and she slowly opened her eyes. He was holding the blade and smiling. "Now, it's time to sleep," he told her.

And everything went black.

Ginny started. She'd been having this nightmare ever since Harry brought up the cutting thing. Why did he care, anyway? It wasn't like it was his body that some psycho murderer made him cut up every time he screwed up his evil plans. Ginny threw the covers back and stormed into the bathroom.

She realized as the water hit her that it was only 3 in the morning. She grumbled a few choice words before scrubbing her hair and body. She was already up, so she might as well do something.

After stepping out, she wiped off the steamed up mirror and took a good look at herself. She didn't look as bad as she had last night, the bags under her eyes were gone, and there was a look of grim determination on her face. She wasn't about to let some dead bastard start controlling her life. He was six feet under, and she was here. Alive. She had bounced back once, she could do it again.

"I win Tommy," she mumbled, grabbing her toothbrush. Then why am I so upset? Her mind screamed.

She shook that annoying voice out, and made herself a promise. There would be no more crying over Tom Riddle, her first year or Harry Potter. Once again, she had bounced back once, there was no reason on earth she couldn't do it again. Enough tears had been spent on them, and she was sick of crying.

After drying her hair, she walked back into her room. Rummaging through her drawers, she found what she was going to wear and after changing, she stormed downstairs. There was no one awake, so she had free reign of the place.

Setting a kettle on the stove, she brewed herself some tea and sat at the table. She still wasn't used to the stupid time change, and now she was going to be tired for the rest of the day.

She took a sip of the warm liquid, letting it flow over her tongue and down the back of her throat before swallowing. She made a face before taking another sip. It really wasn't very strong, but it would do.

She grabbed a piece of paper off the counter and began to doodle absentmindedly, thinking back to the Chamber.

She had never let herself really think about it, just because she was afraid she'd remember something terrifying, but now, it was like she had to. While Riddle and Harry were talking, she had heard every word, but she was completely unable to do anything. When she finally heard Riddle scream, she felt relieved. Like invisible chains had been lifted, and she when she felt Harry's hand brush hers, her heart jumped.

Kind of like it did whenever he looked at her from then on. When he finally asked her out in her sixth year, his seventh, she felt like the luckiest girl in the world. From then on they had been practically inseparable. When he had graduated, she had cried for an hour before he finally told her he'd put off becoming an auror and stay in Hogsmede. She, of course, told him not to, but it was the thought that counted.

Even though auror training kept him busy, he always managed to sneak away and visit her every other weekend. All the girls that were in her year envied their relationship, and several girls would hit on him every time she left him alone. But he had never reacted to it, the only thing he ever did was politely turn them down.

After she graduated, she went straight into training as well. Since they kept such odd hours, he would always have a note waiting for her when she stumbled into her flat and one waiting whenever she woke up. How he managed it was a complete mystery to her, but there was never a time when there wasn't one.

She loved it when he'd pop into her office unannounced with dinner or lunch. She never managed to actually surprise him, but she had done the same on numerous occasions.

The night he finished training, she had wanted to take him out to dinner, but the rest of the guys from his unit were going out, and he told her he wanted to go with them. She reluctantly let him, but he promised to buy her dinner the next night.

That morning, when she woke up, there was no note. Worried, she had apparated straight to his flat, wanting to make sure he was okay. When she had first stepped into the flat, she was so worried, but when he stepped out of his bedroom, she had been relieved. But that didn't last long.

When she saw Cho stumble out of his room as well, her stomach plummeted. She noticed they were both dressed, but it looked so bad. His eyes were confused when he turned around, and she didn't even want to know what he had to say. She just disappeared.

She had gone straight to the Ministry, intent on transferring. The only problem was, she hadn't finished her training yet, so the supervisor of the department wouldn't let her go until she finished. She threw a fit, crying andswearing athim, so he finally let her go to Ireland, the only place she could finish training.

The paperwork wouldn't have been final for a month, so she rented a room in the Leaky Cauldron. It just so happened Harry and Ron had come there looking for her a week later, so she just jumped the train to Ireland.

After finishing training and establishing her career, she had made time for men. None of them, naturally, had compared to Harry. They were all self-centered, or too eager to get in her pants, so she eventually went through every man in the Irish Ministry. Finally, she gave up. Now, she lived for her job.

And that paid off. Slowly but surely she climbed the ladder up, finally landing the biggest bust of her life.

They had been chasing the last ragtag band of Death Eaters around for almost six months before they had gotten a solid tip that they'd be having a little get together in a countryside pub. She and one of the girls from her unit, Charlotte Havington, were the only ones who believed that it was a legitimate tip, so they went to the pub themselves.

It had been dark and dank in the pub, and after three drinks and two dinners later, they saw the six dark figures waltz in. Ginny had given Charley the sign, and the two began to circle the table. Ginny shot the first stunner, and soon, they were all on the floor. She and Charley dragged them out by their heels, transporting them to the Ministry.

It had been all over the paper, and after Charley transferred to Cambodia, Ginny got all the praise. That was when Luc began to give her real cases, including this one.

She put her head in her hands. This was the type of case that could make or break a career, and at the rate it was going, they were going to be here forever. Which really wouldn't have been such a bad thing if it weren't Harry was paired with. Any other man, she could have handled, but it had to be the one who could break her heart by just looking her way.

"Thanks," she mumbled sarcastically to whatever divine being was watching her suffer and enjoying it.

She picked up her cup of tea and went over to the sink. After rinsing it out, she leaned heavily on her hands and sighed. This was going to be a long day.

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This is just a filler, as will the nextone, butI was so tired of tiptoeing around the plot twisters that now, Chapter ninewill be wherethe plot really begins. Just thought I'd let you know… so now, you can review!