Stained with Ink
Ginny shivered as she sat in the bath. The water was cold, but it was so welcoming, biting on her skin and numbing the pain. Even though she had told Tom everything was all right, that she knew it was just a dream, and even though she had assured Vanessa she was fine, they both doubted her and her façade was starting to wear thin. It was unlikely she would be able to convince the next person who cornered her.
It was dawn when the Dreamless Sleep potion wore off. All of Ginny's roommates were peacefully asleep, their dreams not invaded by cold nothingness and snakes. Looking down at her sweat-covered sheets from the night before, Ginny threw them off. They were so… dirty. And not just the sheets, her robes also found themselves flung onto her bed as she felt bile rising to her throat; she needed to be clean. Eventually, as soon as her shaky legs were able to hold her weight, she was standing, looking at the mangled sheets that covered her bed, wearing nothing; only her hands covered herself pitifully from any wandering eyes. The sun had just begun to rise, and in the first few early pink rays, Ginny saw marks. They covered her body in stretched heaps. Big black fingerprints and hand-sized shapes were randomly placed around her. Trying to scratch them off led nowhere, as it appeared they were a part of her skin now. A tear slipped down her cheek, making her think of scrubbing off the marks with water.
And that was how she ended up sitting in the frigid waters of the first-year girls' bath. The water was tinted red from when she had scrubbed so hard at her skin that it tore. And still, no matter if there was skin or not, the marks remained, as black and unforgiving as ever. She was grimy now; thoughts of his hands touching her in places she kept private even to herself kept plastering themselves to her mind. In her wavering reflection on the water, Ginny saw herself, pale and eyes red from crying, though that might have just been from the red in the water. The marks weren't there. But she could see them! Ginny splashed the water with her hand, sighing in relief as that false reflection gave way.
Taking the white robe that posed for a towel hanging above the bath taps, Ginny stepped out of the tub and wrapped herself up, flinching slightly at how coarse the towel felt against her delicate skin. Darting past the mirror to avoid seeing how bad the marks truly were, she could hear bedsprings squeaking as one or more of her roommates got up. When she looked back at the bathtub, her reflection stared at her; eyes full of pity, until a hand– her hand, reached out and pulled the plug. In a moment of indifference, all the blood-tinted water was gone, and Ginny stood up from the bath's side and opened the door to face her roommates, her eyes showing nothing.
"She won't want to see me. I made her have an attack! Don't make her see me. If you were her, would you want to see me?" Ginny pleaded on and on with the two girls as she dug her heels into the wooly carpet. Blaine leant down and picked up her feet as Wendi carried her upper torso. They were still in the common room, only a stairwell away from their dorm. Blaine threw her an exasperated look.
"Y'know, most people, even if they are being taken against their will, at least get out of the common room before they need to be carried." Ginny used her teeth to undo the neat black ribbons that Wendi had put on her braids this morning and shook out her hair to distract them. Wendi sighed as they stood in front of the portrait.
"Wattlebird. Quiet you," she sternly told Blaine who was still mumbling random phrases directed at Ginny. "It's not her fault she's nervous. Ginny!" As soon as they stepped out of the portrait hole, she had been trying to throw herself back into it. "Don't be so dramatic. It's not a death sentence, you know." She grabbed her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "Listen to me, Virginia. Don't worry so much. Molly will understand. You're not the only one who has lost her temper after those Dreams. She's done it before, and she'll do it again. She's probably forgotten and forgiven already. ARGHHHH!" Peeves flew overhead, dropping a massive vase onto Blaine. She was trapped inside. Wendi rushed away from Ginny to help her out, pushing up hard on the vase.
Ginny took a step back to see better. "Well, you deserved it." She spoke as she watched. Wait a minute, a step back? They weren't holding her anymore. A smirk drew itself onto her face. Wendi grunted and brought Ginny's attention back to Blaine.
"Ginny! A-a little help here. Please." Ginny stepped back. "Ginny…" Another step. "Ginny, don't you dare run away." Another step. "Ginny!" She turned around and started to run. As she looked behind her to see Wendi cursing her very existence, she ran into something very solid. She had run straight into Nessa.
"Nice try Ginny. C'mon. First, you're going to help Blaine out of that vase." Here she covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. "Then all three of us will take you to the Great Hall together." Unfortunately, Nessa was much stronger than the other two; the cause of this is most likely her height. So the counting factors were, Nessa: stronger, Nessa: not a pushover, plus the fact that Blaine and Wendi just really felt like making her suffer by forcing her into the Great Hall. Ginny whimpered as she was pulled forward to help Blaine, who of course never thanked her.
Nessa, Blaine, and Wendi walked into the Great Hall, dragging the still resisting Ginny. They looked like perfectly normal first years, so it came as a shock to most of the Great Hall's inhabitants when they saw them lugging Ginny along. Ginny's fiery hair was in disarray due to all the times she had tried to use her hair to distract them after she had pulled out her braids. Her uniform was rumpled and pulled up in places and pulled down in others. When she staggered in, she fell face forward onto the floor. Everyone became silent. Deathly silent. A pair of eyes was boring into her as all other eyes looked away. As she looked up, brown eyes met gray. Draco.
Suddenly, her view was blocked by red hair and black robes. Fan-bloody-tastic The Weasleys had arrived. All at once, she felt dizzy and disoriented. Sounds around her were muffled and hidden; all the objects and people nearby seemed to be composed only of abstract shapes. The feeling passed as quickly as it had appeared, but when her brothers touched or spoke, they still had a twinge of the way she had felt.
A hand roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Ginny shoved the hand off of her when she realized it was Percy's. All the Weasleys surrounded her and led her to the seats at the Gryffindor table as far away from the teachers as possible and nearest the door. This doesn't look pleasant. Blaine, Wendi, and Nessa sat beside Molly, still in shock at seeing their normal, withdrawn roommate acting out like that.
"What the hell did you do to Josh's sister?" Percy demanded as the twins pushed her down onto the seat. They looked at their older, perfect, Prefect brother reproachfully for cursing to their little sister, but he was too busy eyeing Josh who was watching them rather interestedly from the other side of the Gryffindor table. They knew that something was wrong with Molly and they wanted to know what it was, but there was no need for language. Ginny may be responsible, but she was an innocent thing, and they didn't need to mess that up.
"What did you do? Ginny, we just want to know. We're not trying to pick on you or anything like that, but Molly is our friend as well as yours. What'd you do?" the twins asked as the gazed down the table at Molly who was picking at her food.
Harry and Ron, who had only so far assisted in bringing her to the table, sat next to her, Ron's face burning with anger. He seized her arm and spun her to face him. She turned her head from him, wincing at the sudden touch. "What. Did. You. Do?" Ron demanded, his face continuing to turn an ugly shade of purple as he breathed down her neck. His breath stunk. She shied away from him, trying to hold her breath. And then, as he continued to ramble, she couldn't help but think of a broken record; those old Muggle things that her father always talked about in great length. 'What'd you do? What'd you do? What'd you do? What'd you do?' To her surprise, Ginny's eyes filled up with angry tears. She hadn't done anything! Why were they all going against their vow to protect their only baby sister?
"I don't need this," she whispered with her head down low to cover the tears. Ron stopped.
"What?" He asked, not sure if he had heard a breath of air or she was acting like a five-year-old. She met his eye.
"I don't have to stand for this anymore. I am sick and tired of this Ronald Weasly!" She broke off for a second when she saw the hall door swing closed and she caught a glimpse of a green-himmed robe. "Anyway, I don't have to listen to your namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense anymore. I have friends." She stopped then to skim the Slytherin table for Draco. He wasn't there anymore. "Well, maybe not." Then she thought of Tom. Sweet Tom who had calmed her in her hour of need and who maybe even loved her. Stop it Ginny. Why would anyone ever fall in love with you? "But, maybe so. A boy. And he might even love me, and if he does, I think I love him even more." Ron looked around the table at his brothers, all who shrugged and continued to listen to Ginny's argument.
Harry then joined the conversation at last. "Would this boy you love and who might, maybe so, in a far off universe loves you back, have anything to do with the boy you dreamt about?" He didn't even look at her when he spoke. He just took her hand and played with her fingers. At first, her stomach soared at his touch, but then she was brought back to reality. Mentally slapping herself for nearly letting him realize her feelings, her eyes darkened and she pulled her hand away.
"What boy?" Harry took her fingers again, warming them with his own. She felt an intense urge to just lean over and crush her lips onto his to see what they tasted like. To take her first kiss before someone took it from her. Her mouth parted slightly, hesitating as she remembered how Tom's lips invaded hers, pushing her against the wall. His lips had tasted of blood, but that was probably from her own tongue. Harry would be gentle. He'd tell her of his love for her and… no- that only happened in fairytales. She was a hair's breadth away; if Harry didn't know what she planned to do by now, she had to start hanging out with smarter people. He wasn't stopping her. Just as she closed her eyes, he cleared his throat and dropped her hand.
"The boy you had a dream about. The one who…." He stopped as if picking the right words. He had heard rumors from those who had siblings in her dorm, but like hell he was going to trust them with the right information. "The one who made you scream." Ginny examined him up and down. Did he know? Did he know what she had dreamt about? She couldn't bear him knowing!
"I don't know what you are talking about," she said, her eyes fixed on a high corner of the Slytherin wall. Harry gave a small chuckle and used a finger underneath her chin to lift her head and look into his eyes. She quivered as he, like Tom, put his mouth up to her ear so no one else could hear them.
"We could hear you from the 2nd Year boys' dormitory, princess. I don't think there's a single Gryffindor here who doesn't know what I'm talking about." When he finished, Ginny could have sworn he smelt her hair before moving back onto his seat. Did he really just call her princess? Why all of a sudden did he seem so much like Tom? He was acting like him. Just like Tom.
Ginny covered her ears and whimpered, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. All they were doing was telling her how much they hated her, just like Tom had told her they would. Harry would never love her. Her brothers would never care. Fear gripped its iron hand onto her stomach. She wouldn't tell them anything about Tom.
She began to gasp, covering her mouth to stifle it. Percy tried to calm her down, but she pushed him away, causing a curly-headed prefect from Ravenclaw to make her way over. Her brothers' hands grabbed at her own, but she watched them with petrifying fright and she bolted out of the exit.
Ginny scampered as fast as she could, which was quite fast seeing how she had grown up having to keep up with her older brothers, not looking or even caring where she was going. As she neared the dungeons' steep and stony stairs, Charlie's old hand-me-down robes got caught on the sole of her shoe. She attempt to keep her balance as she strived to pull it out, but ended up tipping over anyway. Trying to grab at the handrail for support, she missed and spiraled down the stairs as her footing slipped.
Ginny groaned and pushed herself up, looking to the top of the stairs where she had started and was now at the bottom of. As she raised herself up on the handrail, she gasped in pain. Her leg was on fire! Well, not really, but that's how it felt. Was it broken? Ginny was no medi-witch but she could tell that it was a serious possibility. She did know though, that if she tried to stand on it again, she would wind up a heap on the floor. Hoping that she was wrong, Ginny braced herself and took a step on her hurting leg.
Nope. She was right. Her leg was killing her, sending waves of pain up her body as she cried on the floor. Tom, please make the pain go away. This is punishment for the dream, isn't' it? I had unholy thoughts about you. Please, I'm sorry. Take away the pain. Like God has actually listened to her prayer and decided to grant it, a green-himmed robe appeared in front of her direct vision on the floor. Tom? She thought hopefully. She looked up, excited to finally see her Tom. But it wasn't him. It was Draco.
"Liking the floor, Weasley? I guess you must be used to it though. I've heard that's what you sleep on at home as well." Ginny scowled at the smirking blonde before beginning to laugh. "What are you laughing at?" Draco spat out like it was disgusting for him to even be talking to her. It was like speaking to a Muggle or even worse, a mudblood. A blood traitor was below everything else. She just kept right on laughing, pointing at him, and then laughing again even harder.
"Your face! Priceless!" Draco scowled and lifted his hand as though to strike her, then seeing no one was around, cautiously smiled. He put his arm around her and hoisted her up. Her laughing face turned into one of anguish. Immediately he dropped her, thinking he was the cause of her pain, but instead of helping, it just made her land on her calf and scream out.
"Ginny… Ginny, what's wrong? What's wrong with you, damn it?" he cried to her as he backed up against the wall, staring at her crying. To see a girl crying on a cold floor caused unwanted emotion in the young Malfoy. Ginny sniffed and looked up to at him. Her eyes fell on her leg and Draco's followed. Her thin leg was bent awkwardly and still swelling. Ginny knew he was trying to act as if it was nothing, but she saw him tense as he stared. "Shh" he cooed to her. "It'll be fine. Ju-just give me a minute to think. Maybe- no. But-the nurse! Ginny I'm gonna take you to the nurse, all right?" She nodded and he leant to pick her up, holding her in his arms as one would hold a small child. Well, He thought. She looks the part.
Ginny's hair, although very messy still from the morning, was cascading down her back in small ringlets. They fell to far below her shoulders and Draco, however disciplined he was to keep his opinion to himself, couldn't help but admire and want to play with them. Her chocolate doll eyes were sparked with intensity and glowed with innocence. She just had this aura about her from her innocence, and the radiance of it was what most people noticed. She still glowed. In this day and age, she still glowed. Draco was different than what he had been. He had most definitely changed since this glowing, beautiful girl walked into his life. Really argued her way into his life. She reminded him of the carefree days when he was younger. She was just like Bian- no, he mustn't think of her.
Ginny threw him a smile, causing him to smile. Was it love he felt? He had been so deprived of it since the day he turned six; he could barely remember how it felt. Draco flamed with anger. She would never return his feelings. She was a Weasley. She was "better" than him and he would just bring her down. The little lost princess. The damsel in distress… Ginny noticed Draco tense again and looked at him quizzically. He merely looked away.
It may be pondered how a person who was raised by someone such as Lucius Malfoy could possibly love, let alone like, a Weasley. Draco sometimes wondered that himself when he lay awake at night. He just saw something in this innocent little Weasley princess that was so…Slytherin.
"Draco…." Ginny whispered his name. He closed his eyes and let her words just surround him. "Draco, where are we going?" His eyes snapped open. They were in front of the Slytherin portrait hole. He had assumed he was taking her to the Hospital Wing, but he went on autopilot as he thought and guessed this was a little hint from his subconscious at what he really wanted.
"I was planning on taking you to my private rooms, Gingerbread. See if I can do anything for that leg of yours." Why did he say that? Ginny visibly tensed and she began to stutter like mad trying to get out a sentence. Draco beat himself up while Ginny's mind begun to hiss like it was trying to ward him off.
"Well, that's all in good fun, but I'd rather just go to the Hospital Wing. Please." Visions of Tom above her on the floor, moaning as she begged him to stop filled her mind. Draco smirked and said the password to the portrait. "Draco, please take me to the Hospital Wing." He shook his head and laughed in merriment. No one listened to her. Didn't they know that no meant no. "Please!"
"It's just my room, Gingerbread. I'll fix your leg and-" He broke off, examining her up and down, squirming in his arms. "Then I'm sure we can find something to do, Little Gin." Ginny massaged her temples as the hissing overpowered all her thoughts and pounded against her head, wanting to get out. It was like the Greek Goddess Athena who pounded to get out from inside her father Zeus's head until she was set free. And she was a goddess and he a God. Who knew what this headache might produce from a witch. Draco took her moment of hesitation to push open the portrait and begin to climb in.
"Draco! STOP!" He froze, rooted to the spot and then he moved, mechanically to say the least, away from the portrait, backing up to the opposite wall. It was like he was just a little wizard pawn and someone high above them that no one could see was controlling him. She was the queen. It was his job to capture her. Gently touching his face, Ginny checked around to make sure he was okay. He opened his mouth and turned his head to speak to her when…
"Malfoy!" Hermione Granger had entered the picture. "Malfoy let go of her. Put her down nice and easy. Now!" Draco rotated around to face her with Ginny, who had her arms laced around his neck, still in his caress. How this must look right now! "I said put her down, Malfoy. Or… I'll be forced to go fetch Professor McGonagall. Ginny unlaced her fingers while Draco sneered and began to take steps toward Hermione.
"Ooh, I'm so scared. Don't go tell the Professor on me, please!" Draco was mock groveling, on his knees beside Ginny whom he had laid propped up onto the wall. Seeing Hermione's blank face, he growlingly stood and they had a stare down. "So Mudblood, the Weasley princess is down. What do you want me to do now? Lick your filthy shoes to prove you are better than such a lowly soul as I? Like that'll happen." Hermione, despite the prowling dragon circling her and talking in that tone, that chilling tone- terrifying because it was normal, held up her chin in dignity and did not flinch at one stinging remark. He scoffed and walked towards Ginny, picking her up again and making her comfortable. Hermione started to protest when she spotted Ginny's leg. Her eyes narrowed as she looked back at Draco accusingly. He scowled dangerously. She was accusing him of doing that to Ginny! "Don't even think about it, Granger. Like I would hurt a Weasley and get expelled for it by Dumb-as-a-door."
Hermione still watched suspiciously but she turned her focus to Ginny. "Ginny, what are you doing? Malfoy is- well, do I dare to say embracing- you and he's heading toward his bedroom. Doesn't this give you the slightest hint of what he's planning? Can you get it through your thick head that Malfoy is taking you to his rooms where he can rape you and say you wanted it because you came to his room!" Ginny began to blush ferociously and Draco burned, wanting to jump this worthless Mudblood and cut her up so she could never hurt his Ginny again. His Ginny. As he thought this, the hissing jumped over to his own head. "Or maybe you do want it. But why with him?" Draco felt his pale complexion, which never strayed beyond slight pink, grow redder and redder each second she talked. Pretty soon he would be a redskin for the rest of his life. Ooh, would she regret it then! "Besides, if you do want to lose your virginity, there are better men who would be very gracious towards you. I know for a fact that Harry is most tender and would treat you well if you went to him." Ginny winced, knowing what would occur as soon as Harry was mentioned. Draco exploded, his voice ringing up and down the empty corridor.
"Why you filthy, little Mudblood whore!" Draco roared, dropping Ginny and pushing her to safety away from him and against the far wall.
"I beg your pardon, Malfoy! I happen to be a virgin!" Hermione argued, her smile turning into a sneer with her shock. Draco turned to Ginny who merely shrugged.
"So how could you know about Harry? I always had my suspicions about you, Potter, and Weasley junior who you hang out with. But you're now telling me that you know he's tender with women... and you also just happen to be a virgin?" questioned Draco. Hermione looked around with wide eyes, wishing desperately he hadn't caught onto that little detail.
"Well..." she started to say, stopping as she realized her brains were still tired from her lack of sleep. After all, how else could Hermione Granger's brains not get the better out of a Malfoy? "All right, I did lie a bit. I don't know "for a fact", as you say, but he is sweet. And I am a virgin. After all, I'm only thirteen years old. Why on Earth would I want to lose my virginity to anyone but my husband? And that young? Tsk tsk tsk, Malfoy. I thought you knew me better. Aren't you a virgin?"
His father, Lucius, had wished his son would be the kind who deflowered all his housemates before his thirteenth birthday. Unfortunately for Lucius, Draco, although maybe becoming that sort of man in the future, had no place or desire to be in his housemates' beds. "Of course, Granger. I, after all, am only twelve. For a few more months at least, I'd honestly rather play Quidditch," he replied smugly. "Ginny here," he pointed to her on the ground. "Ginny would more likely be raped by Dumbledore than by me..."
So, in the past three minutes, Hermione had called Ginny a slut, called Draco a bastard (well, not in those terms exactly), Draco had defended his honor and virginity, while Hermione did the same. And they still wanted to fight? Ginny tsked softly to herself, still denying that Hermione might actually go through with her plan of attacking Draco. Of course, everyone knows that what Ginny denies will generally happen in the next five seconds...
She looked up to the grubby dungeon ceiling so as to not observe the fight and saw the cold stone surrounding her, like it did in her dream. This whole day was practically a duplicate of her dream, a memory inspired by every turn in her path. She half expected Tom to catch her now that she was vulnerable and smother her mouth in a kiss. Shaking her head, she forced herself to watch her two friends. Draco advanced on Hermione, but she had her wand hidden behind her back. Ginny, by watching on the sidelines, could see this. Draco however, could not. Draco!
"Stop it! Stop it both of you. Please, Hermione, I've had a rough day. My sleep is ruined by a horrible dream, my brothers gang up on me in front of the entire school, Percy forced me down into a seat, and I fell down a flight of stairs. Now, there is one person who is actually trying to help me, and you are about to hex him into a million pieces. Just let him take me to the hospital wing. Please," Ginny pleaded, hanging onto the wall so she could stand, but not put pressure on her hurt leg. Hermione looked at her, contemplating her version of the right thing to do, and then looked around. They were in a long corridor of darkness. No stairs.
"I don't see any stairs," she incoherently whispered to herself at last. Ginny gave Draco a confused look and he shrugged his shoulders, muttering something about crazy mudbloods. Hermione caught the phrase, and if looks could kill… "This hallway, it doesn't have any stairs except the one's all the way down there leading to the old dungeons. The Hospital wing is the opposite way. That means you fell down the stairs that I just came down on and Malfoy here picked you up and brought you here so you two could have sex." Ginny gaped.
"That was ever so subtle, Granger." Draco drawled, instantly drawing Ginny's eyes to his. "But here's the small snag in your analysis. What if Ginny was going down to the old dungeons and fell? I, being the helpful person I am," he paused for Hermione to subdue to laughter. "Heard her cry and came down those steps to get her and I brought her up here. It just happens to be that you came right when we were in front of this portrait. And didn't we already discuss the "no one is going to get raped by me" problem?" Ignoring him, Hermione was still trying to prove Draco was up to no good.
"Then what about the scream?" Hermione argued, sticking out her hip and pouting.
"What scream?"
"The one that led me down here!" Hermione screeched, fed up with this polite interrogation. "I was looking for Ginny and I heard her scream 'Draco! Stop!' What were you doing to her, Malfoy? Why did she scream?" Draco was pale as death; all worries about being red for the rest of his life vanished.
"Hermione," Ginny spoke, unable to stand the silence. "Hermione, just let Drac-Malfoy take me to the Hospital Wing. You know, you know, that you are not strong enough to carry me all that way and there are a lot of stairs between here and there. I won't be able to get there by myself. Just let him take me. Please." Hermione watched her for a minute before nodding and hurrying away. She was going to tell Harry and Ron, the two of them knew, but it was the only way she would've let him help Ginny.
Draco sighed, watching her leave. "Ginny…we should hurry and get you to the Hospital Wing. Your leg keeps getting worse and Pothead and Weasel-." Ginny slapped his arm. "Sorry, Weasley, will be here soon to make sure I'm not doing anything bad to you." He paused before picking her up again. She smiled half-heartedly to him as they headed up the stairs away from the draftiness of the dungeon.
As soon as they reached the entrance hall, two identical figures stepped out of the shadows where they had been waiting. It was George and Fred. Ginny braced herself to argue and insult when two more people followed the twins into the light. This time, they were anything but identical. One was looming over them all while the other was just a little taller than Ginny. Molly and her angry brother, Josh. Draco halted, staring at the small girl who filled him with detestation and abomination. Molly ignored his look and casually looked at Ginny.
"Come here, Ginny," said Fred as he held out his arms for Draco to pass her to him. Draco gave a small laugh, which earned him odd glances from the others. Fred grew impatient and made himself known again by whapping Ginny as he pushed his arms out. To hers, and everyone's, surprise, Draco stepped back and hugged her closer to him. There was one thing he might have considered a good thing to remember though, the Weasley temper. George turned as red as a tomato and just grabbed Ginny away from Draco. Fred had had the same idea, so they both ended up with half of her. Ginny cried bloody murder as George held her by the legs, so he dropped her, leaving Fred holding her.
Molly walked to Draco and put her hands on her hips. "Malfoy, this is getting bloody ridiculous. C'mon. Lay off Ginny. What has she ever done to you? Nothing, that's what! And you've broken her leg!" Draco fumed as she continued to rag on him. Did he just give out some mental signal that said he went around in his spare time and broke First-Year Gryffindors' legs? "Now, you break my leg, I understand. We hate each other and are very open about it. Since my first day at this school, you've hated me. You remember that day, when I broke your nose with that rogue spell?" Poor little Molly O'Roark, always bragging. But she had touched a nerve.
Draco was about to attack, ready for the consequences of killing a fellow student, not to mention the sister of one of the most violent students in the school. Josh then made himself known by stepping in front of Draco and blocking his view of Molly. The twins, who were slow learners when it came to common sense, followed his lead and stood in front of their hated housemate. Ginny and Draco's eyes met and he motioned to her his disgust. The twins were fighting Molly's battles. No one ever fought Ginny's that she could remember. Draco could see the loathing welling up behind her eyes. It infuriated her more than anything anyone had said or done to her yet.
"Stop it!" she screamed. Everyone turned to her. Her face was determined as her voice resonated around the bare room. "Someone just take me to get my leg fixed. Please." Draco stepped up to get her when Professor Snape, who had been supervising from a distance at the entrance, rushed over and started dragging him back down the Dungeon stairs with Molly bounding along behind them.
Fred and George headed up towards the Hospital Wing with Ginny holding her little black book. The only way she ever allowed herself to go somewhere was with her diary.
Tom.
Gin my dear! How've you been? Did you speak with that Malfoy lad like I told you to?
Hi Tom, it's so good to hear from you. I broke my leg when I was running away from my brothers. Draco found me and brought me up to the Hospital Wing. Or at least he tried to. The spell to fix my leg is halfway done now.
Wonderful. Listen princess, would you mind doing me a tiny, itsy-bitsy little favor?
Of course Tom. You've done so much for me. You're my only friend.
Tom?
Tom, are you there?
Don't say I'm your only friend.
There you are! Where were you?
I was thinking.
Oh.
Well, this favor. Just relax. Don't panic when I…become you.
Become me? What do you mean become me? I think that just a little bit impossib
What, don't you trust me?
Of course I do, Tom!
Then why won't you do as I say?
I never said I wouldn't.
You questioned my authority.
What's the matter with you today? You seem very… odd. Am I not allowed to doubt something you say?
No you are not, Virginia!
Gin?
Ginny, I'm sorry.
It's fine. Just keep talking Tom.
Gin…I really am sorry. I'm just in a bad mood.
I said keep talking!
All right, my little princess. Now, try to remember this in that beautiful little head of yours.
Tom, I'm not beautiful and you know it.
You are the most beautiful fist year I have ever met.
Really? Thank you. That was really sweet.
I know. You're worth every smile I give you. Go to the girl's bathroom, third floor, and first corridor. It's the one that always floods. Go to the sinks. That's it. Got all that?
Go to the sinks? What kind of stupid favor is this?
I said don't question me! Just do it! All of it. Don't leave out anything. It's simple enough.
Why me?
Beg pardon?
Why me, Tom!
Don't talk to me in that tone, little girl! I mean… because I need you Ginny. A lovely little innocent Gryffindor. A pure, little Gryffindor.
I get the picture, Tom. Sometimes I swear you're bipolar. Why not someone like Molly?
For one thing, Molly is not pure and innocent as you are. No Gryffindor at this school is. None but you.
What do you want me to do afterwards?
Nothing… You can see me if you come now. I'll tell you stories like I used to. Is that okay with you?
You… You're really going to tell me stories again? I thought you said I was too old for stories when I started Hogwarts.
No one is too old for stories, Gin. Go to the sinks, I want to see you.
I… I'm in the Hospital Wing right now.
Please. I love you Gin. You're my little princess.
Really? Then I'll do it!
Excellent.
Okay, time to do the things I need to do.
First of all disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. I don't even technically own the plot. I just own Ginny's side of it. And the actual writing. I own that because I typed it and wrote it myself.
2: If you are mentioned, whether you are a student, or a broom, you are going to be the opposite of how you are in the real world.
3: I'd also like to point out that I am well aware of Ginny Weasly's real name, but I did research on the name Virginia when I was reading a book of names, and I thought J.K. a genius for having put that name because it basically explains Ginny. So for the entirety of this fic, her name shall be Virginia Anne Elizabeth Weasly whether you like it or not.
4: I've mentioned this before, but just to make it clear, if you see a little girl in future chapters named Tirza Snape, that is Molly. I am revising this story and writing the character of Tirza out. Since this is a work-in-progress and not a finished fic, I can still do that.
Anyone's thoughts. (I know it's the same as Ginny's diary writing, but my beta confirmed to me that no one would be confused)
Ginny's diary writing.
Tom's diary writing.
P.S. This story is rated what it is for implied rape, minor language, and self-mutilation in later chapters. If there is any change in the rating (most likely, it might go up) I shall let you all know with R warnings. Like, if there is a part of one of my chapters that is DEFINATELY not PG-13, then I shall have an R warning right beforehand and afterward, so that those who don't want to read the R parts can skip them. If I ever end up doing this, then I will have an author's note at the bottom of the chapter, explaining what happened in the R part so people are not pressured. I know this is not an issue for most fo you, but some of you would not believe the comments I have gotten in the past.
Yours truly,
Emma Riddle, the Daughter of the Dark.
