Hazardous Sanity By Emerald Riddle 3/05
Chapter 8: Punishment For Disobedience
The light in my eyes,
Holding tight and,
Try not to hide how I feel,
Cause feelings mean nothing now,
I can't care to worry,
I'm feeling so lonely,
Breaking apart all this love in my heart -Yesterday's Feelings by The Used
Tom grabbed Lana Gwen by her hair. She wasn't expecting it and squealed in pain as several hairs were plucked from her head.
"What did you think you were doing, Lana?" he whispered harshly in her ear.
She didn't respond and tried to free herself in vain.
"Did you think you could betray me so easily? Did you think you could just disobey my orders?" He yanked hard on her hair before letting her stumble to the floor.
"What did you think you were doing!" Tom kicked her in the side as she tried to crawl away from him. "Answer me!"
"I didn't do anything! I didn't do ANYTHING," Lana screamed.
"Liar. You filthy little liar! I CREATED YOU! I know every little thing you do, every little thought you entertain in that bubble-filled head of yours! You were trying to seduce that mudblood! You tried to seduce her even after I gave you my command to kill her!" Tom towered over her. "How-dare-you," he yelled as he kicked her with every word.
Then he kneeled next to her cowering figure and grabbed her face. "I own you, understand? You will do as I say. Further disobedience will not be tolerated, Lana Gwen."
Lana nodded.
"Say it," he commanded.
"I-I will do as you say from now on, my Lord."
"Good. Be sure of that."
"Ginny," a tentative voice whispered in her ear. "Ginny, are you awake?"
"I am now."
Hermione apologized profusely but Ginny just waved her off. "What do you want, Hermione?"
"I wanted... I wanted to see if you were okay."
Ginny looked up. "I'm fine. I have always been fine; I will always be fine. Don't you understand that by now?"
Hermione seemed startled. "I just..."
"You just what?" Ginny snapped. "You just decided to stop toying with my emotions? You just realized that I'm not in the best of emotional states right now? Did you JUST realize that my brother is dead, my friends are dying, and that I LOVE YOU?!"
"N-no!"
Ginny pushed away her bedding and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. "You disgust me, Hermione. You disgust me."
Tears fell down Hermione's cheeks now. "I didn't- you never- I- I..." She gasped as sobs wracked her body.
Ginevra didn't know what to feel about her best friend right now. She still loved her, but the way Hermione just ignored the fact that they kissed, that they shared a new type of bond, that she knew she loved her... It was tearing Ginny apart! How could Hermione just pretend nothing ever happened? How could she mess with her emotions like that?
Seeing Hermione stand there crying wasn't something Ginny wanted to see. She did not want to feel guilty. She did not want to feel dirty for the things she's done. She did not want to wonder who was going to die next, or if she knew who the murderer was. All she wanted to do was crawl under the covers and go to sleep. To forget about Fred and George, having sex, being gay, and stealing. Stealing! How could I have ever destroyed my family pride so badly that I would resort to STEALING, Ginny thought, feeling dismayed and disgusted at her previous actions.
Almost unconsciously, Ginny turned toward the mirror on the opposite side of the room. The killer glared back. She didn't wink or smile like a demon nymph; she glared and seethed with fury. Ginny was too used to this to really care.
I need to get out of here, Ginny thought to herself. I need to get out of this insanity trap.
Hermione still stood there, crying and shuddering like she would never stop. Ginny pulled Hermione down onto the bed. "Do you want to be useful?" she asked.
Hermione nodded.
"Okay, I need your help. I think I know who the killer is," Ginny announced, her eyes shifting back toward the mirror...
Lana Gwen cradled her bruised arm. She was angry at Tom for treating her like this; as if she was some common mudblood to be kicked and screamed at! No. She didn't belong to anyone.
Tom betrayed her, she knew this for a fact. While she was out trying to seduce her new queen she felt a dark shadow following her. Watching her. It was a familiar presence, too familiar, in fact. It was Ginevra. The little redheaded whelp saw what happened to her brother and knew. Ginny knew. Ginny knew the face of the murderous beauty, she knew of her anger against Ronald for kissing her queen, but most of all- she knew that Lana wanted Hermione with all her heart and soul. With every fiber of her being.
And Tom let her know.
The only way Ginevra could see into Lana Gwen's eyes was if Tom allowed her to. It was his punishment for his "little demon nymph."
Lana scowled. She knew Tom Marvolo Riddle had an uncommon soft spot for the Weasel. It was something about the innocence and fire of the redhead that drove him insane with lust- or was it something else? The way he would look at her now, with black hair and gray eyes, it was completely different from what it used to be. When she looked like Ginevra, he was crazed with sex. Now he looked down on her as if she was one of his servants.
Lana Gwen spat some blood on the floor.
Nobody owned her. She would do as she wished. With or without Tom's help.
Hermione stared back at Ginny in horror.
"I just know it's like last time, Hermione," she said fervently. "I just know it has something to do with Tom- or, or Vold- de- Voldemort. It is just exactly the same! I don't have blackouts, but I don't have dreams... except for one..." Ginny told her about the dream about George and the beautiful girl's reflection in the window.
Hermione paled. "Ginny, your dream, it was-"
"True?"
"Yes!" Hermione exclaimed. "It was true! I was there, I saw her... I didn't know she was the murderer! I didn't know she was Lana Gwen! Oh God, Ginny! She was just so-"
"Beautiful?" Ginny finished coldly.
Hermione stayed silent, a pink blush creeping up on her cheeks.
"Yes, she was beautiful. But she also killed my brother! You are so DENSE when it comes to looks, Hermione! You'll love anything as long as it's pretty enough!" Ginny yelled at her.
"I most certainly will not! You are one of the most beautiful girls I know, but that doesn't mean I love you!"
Time seemed to freeze.
I never thought it was possible, Ginny thought numbly, that someone could give you one of the biggest compliments available, then tear your heart right out with their fist.
He wants me to kill? So I shall.
Lana Gwen threw off Ginevra's bedding impatiently. She listened closely for any movement and peered into the darkness, her eyes glittering like a dragon's. Each girl lay in her bed, breathing deeply and probably dreaming of lollipops and candy canes. Lana threw back her head, her anger raging like a vicious fire inside her, and gave an eerie cackle.
Hogwarts will heed me. So mote it be.
The moon sparkled on her skin, but she did not admire her beauty. She turned to the quaking girls staring at her; and she smiled revealing pearly white teeth.
Ginevra will pay for trying to interfere.
Something smelled funny. Ginny could smell it as she slept. It smelled of fresh death. It smelled like Amber.
It smelled like George.
I don't want to wake up. I don't need to. I already know what I'll find. The thoughts floated through her mind and she accepted them.
There was nothing she could do.
Ginny slept on and tried to stop the tears from flowing from under her closed eyelids.
Nothing I can do...
Lana Gwen succeeded in annoying Tom. When daylight streamed through the window and illuminated her art, her macabre beauty, Lana left to find a seething Dark Lord.
His eyes glowed red. His handsome features melted. For the first time in her existence, Lana was horrified. The man standing before her did not have deep green eyes or thick black hair. He was a pale white with angry little slits for eyes and two snake-like holes on his face for nostrils. Tom was never the young memory he pretended to be. It was a mask. A scam.
Voldemort pulled his lips back into a furious growl.
"Like me now, Lana Gwen?"
Then he grabbed her by the hair and forced her to the floor, tearing the silky white nightdress from her body andgnawing onher lips so hard they bled.
Punishment, Lana thought as she lay on the floor, half conscious. Punishment for disobedience.
A/N 6/18/05: Just edited. Please review ;)