A/N: I am so sorry about how long it took to update! The next chapter is completely typed up. I am, however, still looking for a beta for this work. Enjoy!
Ginny woke up the next morning sore and bruised. They had trained for a little over two hours, and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get the upper-hand. Even though he was barking orders and instructions at her telling her what she needed to do. She just couldn't see beyond the rage that was swirling through her mind. Everything about him grated her, and she wanted to lash out as hard as she could at him.
But that wouldn't solve anything. She needed to listen… for now at least. She wasn't sure when the opportunity to take him down would arise, but when it did she needed to be able to fight. She doubted she'd truly make it out of the manor or mansion or whatever alive, but dammit she was going to try her hardest. No one would ever be able to say she went down easily.
She had called Kreacher the previous night, and they had focused on meditating even more. It was hard. Maybe as hard as the training, but she knew what she had to do. This was bigger than her. Bigger than anyone. This was the whole world at stake. Ginny couldn't give up when she knew she was in a position to do something about it. Harry wouldn't give up, and that thought kept her going. It burned in her like a flame no one could put out. Harry would've saved the world if he had the chance. So in ode to her ex boyfriend, she too would do the same or die like he had, upright, on his feet, and noble to the last second.
This morning it was Blinky who woke her with breakfast and coffee, which was always a great way to start the day. Coffee was of utmost importance, as she had explained to Blinky last night, though the elf did nothing more than nod her head, her ears waggling. But then she wasn't itruly/i Ginny's elf. She belonged to Tom and she followed his orders, not Ginny's. Ginny couldn't command the elf to kill him, unfortunately.
"Missus must eat and then get dressed. Missus is having training again," Blinky squeaked.
Ginny groaned and flopped back down on her bed, but she knew this was crucial, so she quickly got up and ate, brushing her teeth and hair. She'd take a shower when she got done with training. Blinky disappeared with a pop, and the devil himself opened the door, probably notified by Blinky that Ginny was ready.
He waved his wand, and once again shackles appeared. Ginny did her best to suppress her anger and clear her mind. It wasn't perfect yet, but it was a start.
Tom guided her to the training room quickly. So quickly in fact that Ginny fell several times. When this happened, he would give a very annoyed sigh and straighten her back up. She could tell he was irritated, and she wondered if he was about to take it out on her. Whatever had angered him had nothing to do with her, but then he had her kill Ernie just for fun. His sick, twisted, warped idea of fun that was.
Once in the training room, he made her shackles disappear. Then he came at her. Ginny ducked and tried to pull away but it was no use. He had her down on the ground, his body on top of hers. He quickly got up and pulled her up with him.
"Ginevra, quit avoiding the attack. You can't usually avoid it. You can choose how to react. Get centered. What can iyou/i do to make sure you don't get taken down by me?" he chided. Ginny shook her head to clear it of the rage, which semi worked. And semi was better than absolutely nothing.
"Use your rage if you must. Just do isomething/i," he once again chided and lunged at her. This time she was able to hit him square in the mouth. Not hard enough, or rather, not as hard as she would have liked to do. But it was better than nothing. Tom didn't flinch, for what it was worth. He didn't seem at all bothered, which was how Ginny iknew/i she hadn't hit him any where near hard enough.
He didn't say anything this time, he just lunged at her, grabbing for her waist. There was nothing for it. She sank her teeth down into his shoulder this time until she tasted blood. Once again, as Tom let her go, he seemed unperturbed. This was nothing to him. Maybe he got off on pain. That could be the case for all Ginny knew. He certainly did love to torture others.
The training continued on until Ginny felt like she wouldn't be able to keep herself standing up any longer.
"Kreacher," Tom called, and Kreacher popped into sight, staring from Ginny to Tom. She knew what he was wondering, but she wouldn't allow herself to even so much as think it. Not here. Not now. Not ever in front of him.
"Two glasses of ice water," Tom demanded. Kreacher disappeared with a pop and reappeared with two glasses of ice water, bowing low to Tom once he had given both of them their waters.
"Is master needing anything else?" Kreacher asked.
"No. Be gone."
Ginny gulped the water down. Probably much too fast, but she was thirsty. She'd been sweating badly, her hair was sticking to her neck and back, and she felt like she'd run several marathons.
"You're improving, but you need to stay focused. I will continue to train you everyday I have free time. I will have Blinky put a punching bag in your room. Your hits are much too soft. We need to work on that," he rattled off, sipping his water, sweat dripping from his hair.
It wasn't fair. He was pure evil, and he was so goddamn sexy. It made Ginny hate him even more. No one so terrible should have the right to look so good. It just wasn't fair. Let the monster show on the outside, too. Not just on the inside. That way everyone could see him and know him for what he was; the devil.
"What about weights?" Ginny asked after she'd drained her water.
"Much too soon. We will get there. Catch your breath and I will take you back to your room so you can get cleaned up. I won't be coming back by today. The Ministry is in an uproar. America is trying to stay neutral in the war, or the President is, at least. But I am sure I can convince them otherwise. I happen to know a thing or two about their Madame President," he said with a smirk.
Anger flared in Ginny. This was why she had to learn. She had to stop him from corrupting the world. Ron and Hermione were out there somewhere fighting the good fight still. She couldn't—no she wouldn't—let them down.
iDo it for Harry/i, her mind sang. Yes, that's exactly who she would do it for. And for every other living soul out there. Ginny Weasley was a fighter.
~~~
Ginny had been taken back to her room in shackles once again. As soon as the door was locked she stripped out of her training clothes—Muggle wear—and headed for the shower, turning the water on hot. She would call Blinky for more drinking water in a moment. For right now she needed a moment to cool her head. And her raging heart.
Every time she saw him, her heart seeped with venom. He had to know she loathed him. She couldn't block that out. She was glad to be shot of him for the rest of the day. Everything from his hair to his smirk made her want to peel the skin off his body just to show him he was human, too. He could feel pain like anyone else, and dammit, Ginny was going to cause the pain, one way or another.
She soaped up, enjoying the lavender scent of her body wash. She took deep breaths and focused on scrubbing him off her. Each pass was another layer of him leaving and staying gone. When she was reasonably calmed down she rinsed her hair—she didn't need to wash it every day—and exited the bathroom, walking naked to her closet. She stood there for a moment before realizing she wanted to crawl into bed naked. He wouldn't be back today. She could just lie on fresh sheets naked and comfortable.
She did summon Blinky to get some more water, and after she had drained it she snuggled up into the sheets and blanket, cocooning herself in their warmth. It wasn't perfect but it was better than nothing. She closed her eyes and began to meditate, not catching herself as she drifted off into a nap.
Blinky woke her up, shaking her roughly and saying, "Master is coming."
Ginny didn't need to be told twice. She flew to the closet and shrugged a night gown on as he walked through the door.
"What were you doing?" he demanded as Ginny walked out of the closet.
"I was putting clothes on," she explained.
"Shouldn't you have already had clothes on?" he sneered.
"Well I didn't expect you to be back, and I happen to like sleeping naked sometimes. There's nothing better than a freshly scrubbed body and clean sheets," she retorted.
He stood there a moment before saying, "Next time I'll knock thrice, and then wait for you to return the knock before I barge in. I didn't… I didn't realize. I, myself, prefer a super cold room with warm, flannel pajamas."
Ginny wasn't sure if he was making small talk or what, but she nodded either way. Some of the anger roused itself back to life, and Ginny tried to relax.
"Why do you hate me so much, Ginevra? I've brought nations together again! I have improved teaching standards at Hogwarts. I have done so much for the Wizarding World, and yet you see me as the bad guy. I am not the enemy here. I am standing up to the socialist idea that you have to appease everyone. That's never possible. Political correctness was a way for us to argue amongst ourselves while the Ministry passed laws they didn't want us to know about. Like the right to kill a House Elf for disobeying thrice. I stopped that. And yet here you stand before me, all rage and hatred, and again, I ask you, why?"
"You can pretend to be the good guy all you want, but I see you. At sixteen you were willing to kill me for your own selfish purposes. You've killed some of my family and friends. You glorify in it. It's disgusting, and I find you to be the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I will inever/I be yours. Please remember that. I might be stuck here with you, but everyday, in my mind, I am visualizing the best way to kill you. It's the one thing that gets me through the day. I'd rather be left for weeks on end than have to deal with your presence for mere minutes," Ginny spat.
Tom shrugged. "According to the prophecy, that won't always be the case. Hate me now, but eventually you iwill/i come to serve me. Or you will die. There are really no other options on the table. Help or die."
"Oh, I plan on dying. But I'll take you down with me," Ginny glared.
She never heard him utter the curse. All she knew was unending pain. She wasn't alive or dead. She didn't exist outside of the bone melting, nerve splitting pain. She wanted it to be over. She wanted to die. Anything to escape this hell, but she could barely even think that thought. She didn't know who she was. All she knew was white hot pain.
When it ended, she was on the ground shaking. She knew she couldn't stand up at that moment even if she wanted to. The pain was gone, but the reminder of it was not. Her body's reaction to it was not. She took deep shuddering breaths and blinked tears from her eyes. She heard a chuckle and looked over to see Tom leaning against the wall, arms folded, looking very smug indeed.
"It truly is going to be so entertaining to break you down until you're on your knees in front of me begging to serve. And you will be. I'll make sure of it."
And then he walked out of her room, still chuckling. Ginny lay there, silently crying. But she knew one thing for sure. She would never serve Tom Riddle.