Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do however, own Bob the funny monkey. Wave to the people, Bob!
Hazardous Sanity
Chapter Nine: Murderer
Hard days made me,
Hard nights shaped me,
I don't know,
They somehow saved me,
And I know I'm making something,
Out of this life they called nothing,
I take what I want,
I take what I need,
You say its wrong but it's right for me,
I won't look down,
I won't say I'm sorry,
I know that only God can judge me.
-The Young And The Hopeless by Good Charlotte
Ginny left. It didn't take but two seconds to decide, but she left. The dorm room smelled disgusting and she dared not look around, instead she just walked calmly to the door and down the hall.
"I won't be blamed for things I haven't done. Not again," she whispered.
The sun was rising and the sky looked gold. The world kept on turning. Nothing was disrupted by several innocent teenagers being torn apart violently. There was some curiosity in Ginevra. Why hadn't they hexed the murderer? Why didn't they DO anything? Surely the sixth year girl's dorm knew SOME form of self defense!
"They were surprised and scared. Those girls never saw it coming..." Ginny decided sadly.
Last night she had a plan, a pretty good plan that she started working out with Hermione. But it would never work. Lana Gwen was in her mind. She knew everything Ginny thought!
"The best thing to do," she murmured.
The red head walked around for an hour and then headed for the bathroom on the second floor. Fred stopped her the first time because he didn't know. He didn't know that there was a monster inside of her fighting to get out and kill them all. In a way, Ginny was happy about what she was about to do. What point was there in living? Hermione didn't love her, she could be no real help in the war... Besides, she didn't want to live to see the destruction and horror it caused. This wasn't a selfish thing. It was for everybody's safety. Hermione could at least tell them that.
But as she opened the door she saw that her plan would not be able to succeed. Harry Potter sat on one of the sinks. He looked over at her and gave her a weak smile.
"What are you doing here? This is the girls' bathroom, you know," Ginny said without any real conviction.
Harry looked at her strangely. "Yes, of course I know. How daft do you think I am? I may be thick, but I can still read." He seemed to be taking a stab at humor.
How strange, she thought. He almost never speaks, let alone tell jokes.
He smiled at her again. It looked so forced, so... painful for him to smile.
"Harry," Ginny said seriously. "Why are you here at this time?" He opened his mouth but she interrupted him. "I want the truth, Harry James Potter, do you hear me?" There was a bit of her mother in her voice, and she was almost proud of it.
He blinked. "It's... I just... I've been having these dreams, Ginny... about you. They aren't very good," he finished seriously.
Lana lay on the floor. Her hair stuck to the sweat and blood on her cheeks. On the wall before her was a kind of movie screen. Harry Potter's voice echoed into the dark, dank room as his lips moved silently.
"Last night... I dreamed of you killing your dorm mates... Slashing them to... to..." his voice trailed off as he shuddered and looked as if he was going to be ill. "But it didn't look like you at all."
Ginny glared at him.
Harry looked taken aback at what he just said. "No! I didn't mean that! I meant... I meant she looked like Tom Riddle. She looked evil. I could sense it."
"What do you mean 'I could sense it.'? How could you sense something in a dream, Harry?" Ginny asked him, puzzled.
He ducked his head so his hair hid his face. It was a habit she was used to by now.
"I-I'm not sure. I knew that she wasn't real, though. She didn't have her own soul."
"What?" she yelled. "How can Lana Gwen NOT have a soul, Harry? HOW? She HAS to have a soul! Or how can she be inside of me unless-" Her eyes widened in horror. "No."
Harry's green eyes glanced at her quickly before looking down at his feet again. "Yes," he whispered quietly.
"You are Lana Gwen, Ginny. You always were."
"No, I c-can't be... Why would I... No!" The red head screamed before spinning on her heal and running away wildly.
Lana curled into a ball and cried for herself. She cried for Ginny.
No, no, no, no, no... I amnot Lana Gwen. I amnot Lana Gwen. I amnot Lana Gwen.
I didn't kill a house elf. I didn't kill Sarah. I didn't kill Amber. I didn't kill all of my dorm mates.
I didn't kill George.
Ginny ran and ran. Students glared at her as she shoved them out of her way. Out of Lana's way. Passing the Great Hall, a student stood in front of her and she kept going. Her hands getting ready to push the defiant snot right into the marble floor. Then she saw the cloud of puffy brown hair and swerved sharply to the left, losing her footing.
I'm not a murderer. I'm not a murder. I'm not...
A thin hand wafted into her vision.
I'm not a murderer. Help me... I'm not a...
Ginny let the tears fall down her cheeks as she took the hand and the warm comforting hug that went with it.
"I'm not a murderer, Hermione... I'm not," she sobbed into the other girl's hair. How she have ever thought Hermione spineless, even for a second?
"I know," Hermione murmured, rubbing Ginny's back. "I know."
"Tom," Lana Gwen sobbed weakly. "How could you do this, Tom? I loved you. I loved you, Tom!"
Voldemort slapped her harshly across her face. "My name is Lord Voldemort, you disgusting little worm. I suggest you call me that."
Her black hair started fading into a fiery red. Its original color. She started shrinking into Ginny's small frame.
"Tom," Lana wailed. "Tom! I trusted you, Tom! I trusted you! I trusted you again and you betrayed me! Again!"
"Lana," he growled threateningly.
"No! My name is Ginny! My fucking name is Ginny and you know it, you daft old bastard!" Lana's eyes were wide and crazed.
He raised his wand. "Crucio."
The girl writhed in pain.
On the wall, he could see Ginny fall to the floor mimicking Lana's movements. Lana was resisting the magic, the bond, the sacred oath which to she agreed to.
"Harry Potter knows," Lana yelled madly, cackling like a lunatic as the crucio wore off. "He knows, Tommy! He knows and you're screwed! HAHA! I guess your stupid plan to infiltrate Hogwarts FAILED! YOU FAILED, TOMMY!"
Voldemort kicked her so hard in the face that Lana was knocked backwards into silence.
"Ginny! Ginny, what's the matter?" Hermione asked, panic stricken.
"Pain..." she groaned. "He c-cast crucio on Lana..."
"Oh God, Ginny. Who? Who cast it?"
"Voldemort."
Hermione screamed into her hand. Groups of students circled around them, whispering amongst themselves.
"She's finally cracked, then," Pansy Parkinson scoffed to Draco Malfoy. He didn't laugh. His silvery gaze was set on Ginny. He seemed to know what was going on.
Hermione wanted to demand an explanation from him, but she was too angry and her nerves were too frayed. Instead, she got up, marched over to Pansy, and looked straight into her blue eyes. Everyone watched tensely, everyone except Draco. He was staring at Ginny again, an odd glimmer in his eyes. He looked dangerous.
But all Hermione could see was Pansy. Years of built up rage boiled in her. Pansy sneered back at her, looking more like a deformed pug than anything. "Going to do something, Granger? Your little dyke of a friend over there is waiting for you." Everyone gasped, then some of the Slytherins started laughing.
"You know what you are Pansy?" A voice rang out from the back. "You're a female, and you look like a dog. So I guess that can onlymean you're a bitch."
Everyone's head swiveled to look at Ron Weasley, his ears a record-breaking pink. The Gryffindors howled with laughter, and Ginny smiled tearfully at him. Her older brother, her protector, was back. Harry trailed behind him and hid a smile under his hair.
Pansy directed her next comment to him. "I wouldn't be smiling if I were you, Potty. What happened to your GODFATHER might end up happening to your little friend there." Harry tensed up.
"What, may I ask, is going on here?" A silky voice asked.
Hermione didn't hear it. She dropped her wand, pulled back her fist, and punched Pansy full force on her pug nose. A loud crack was then heard, followed by shouts of shock. Pansy's stumbled over her robes and Hermione automatically grabbed onto her collar, pulling her up and curling her fingers so that she was choking the other girl slightly.
"You'll pay for this, Granger..." she coughed out, blood dripping from her nose.
Hermione let go of the collar and slapped her. She moved to hit the other girl again, but-
"Stupefy!"
She started falling as her body lost its balance and was saved by a pair of shaking hands before she hit the ground. Ginny looked down on her with worry creasing her face before Snape appeared and revived her.
"Sixty-five points from Gryffindor for striking another student, Ms. Granger. Please follow me."
He looked at Pansy being supported by her friends as Draco stood to the side, seeming more than a little amused. "Take her to the Hospital Wing," he commanded them before stalking off with Hermione Granger at his heels.
A/N: Well, I just wanted to tell all of you how much I appreciate every single review I recieve! They lift my spirit to no end! This story is nearing the ending stages, so I hope you'll stick with me!
A/N 6/18/05: I just edited this. I also remembered that I really, really like this chapter ;) Hermione kicks some ass XD The more you review, the faster I update!