LIFE AFTER DEATH:
Part Three: New Years Eve.
Ginny looked down at the new dress that Tom had just presented to her; it was dark purple with an almost unnoticeable red flower pattern that went all the way down to her feet, the sleeves were purple too, and made out of chiffon. In one word the dress meant 'extravagant', and Tom obviously wanted to show her off at the New Years Eve party that very night.
"Aren't you supposed to be receiving presents?" she said with an inquiring look. "You're not meant to be giving them."
"What are you on about?" Tom frowned at her.
"Well, it is your birthday, isn't it?" Ginny pointed out, placing the dress carefully on the bed as she spoke. "And it is a well-known tradition that you receive presents on your birthday."
"I am aware of that, Ginny," he said bluntly as he began to sneer at her matter-of-fact tone again, "but, I don't need presents, I have what I want, and I don't need anymore." Tom pulled her toward him, twirling a loose tendril of her red hair around his index finger. "And why do you care that it is my birthday?" he whispered in her ear.
Ginny shrugged. "I don't know," she replied, "perhaps I was just curious as to why you always buy me things." She gestured to the dress on the bed.
"Because, you're my little Empress," he said quietly, reaching down to touch her large stomach, "and so you should look like one." Tom liked showing off how beautiful his girl was, because he knew that his followers envied him since most of their wives were brash, cold, and rather fake. But, Ginny rarely spoke unless she was required to at the social gatherings; she hated most of the people that attended, and she remained at Tom's side at all times, but that was just because he had ordered her to stay next to him. She acted too; by holding Tom's arm dutifully, and touching him with her free hand, she could give the impression of eagerness if he was talking to her, or the impression of warmth and caring if he were talking with someone else. "Ginny," he whispered into her neck, "maybe the best present for me would be that you remained attentive to me tonight."
"Well, I can't walk here and there," she replied in a lucid tone, "I can hardly bear to stand for too long."
"I've had a special throne made for you, comfortable," he said as he turned her to press her back against him, "and, so, you don't have to stand up unless you want to."
"Oh," she said, and she felt herself falling into his arms, closing her eyes as he stroked her stomach gently. Then she realised what she was doing, her body was betraying her, and she took control immediately; she wriggled out of his grasp, and faced him again. Tom stared at her as she looked down. "Tom, can I ask for something?" she said in her soft voice.
"What?" he said in an almost eager tone since she was actually asking something of him.
"Can I visit my brother?" she said tentatively.
"I thought you didn't want to visit him," he said in a hard tone, "you told me he would be angry at you for being pregnant."
"I don't care anymore," she said with a frown, her arms folded across her chest tightly, "I want to see him, and Hermione."
"And the Mudblood, too?" he sneered, turning his back to her. "Tell me, Ginevra, weren't you jealous of her because she went around with Potter?" He smirked to himself as he said this; no matter how much he wanted Ginny to be happy, he did like the occasional sad face.
"I don't love Harry anymore," she whispered, and his smile grew wider at this, "and that was years ago, Tom."
He spun on her, grabbing her arms, and looking hungrily down at her. "Who do you love?" he said in a low voice, the look in his eyes becoming very hazy and dream-like as his breath quickened. "Who do you love?" he repeated in a growled tone.
Ginny stared back up at him, her eyes looking worried, and her mouth open slightly at Tom's reaction to what she had just said. "You," she finally whispered, lifting her hands to settle on his chest, "I love you," and she rested herself against his tense frame, his hands still gripping her arms tightly. "Tom… you're hurting me," she said gently.
And he let her go instantly, leaving his hands to fall to her waist. "You can visit them after breakfast, Ginny," he stated clearly to her. "And do you think you can handle wearing your own bathrobe tomorrow?"
"No," she replied, "I like yours better, it's not pink. I mean, whoever told you pink goes well with redheads?"
Tom kept his promise, and after breakfast Ginny did go to see Ron, but was told that her brother was still sleeping, so she just looked in on him; he looked very healthy indeed for a prisoner so close to Harry Potter. Ginny was glad that Tom had kept his promise to her by keeping Ron alive. Now, Ginny had just entered Hermione's cell.
It was spacious, and rather cosy looking; it looked like a normal room, except with bars surrounding the door, and windows. Hermione looked healthy too, and clean. "Hello, Ginny," Hermione said from her place on the small bed by the window. "I've been wondering why you haven't been visiting, and, well, now I know."
Ginny gave a nervous smile at Hermione's calmness. "How have you been, Hermione?" Ginny said softly.
"Oh, fine," she replied, rather enthusiastically, "I suppose I'm better off than you are… sorry…" Hermione said quietly.
"It's OK," Ginny replied, "I suppose I've gotten used to it; Tom's obsession that is. I even had to tell him that I loved him this morning, just to see you," Ginny said in a low voice in case a guard overheard. "How was Christmas?"
"They let me and Ron eat together," Hermione replied with a small smile. "He really misses your visits, you know, and he's worried about you."
"I was scared he'd be angry with me," Ginny admitted, "even I was ashamed with myself when I first found out. It's like my body is betraying me, Hermione, it won't close off to him, it will readily give him the children he wants," she gestured to her burgeoning stomach, "and just this morning it was willing to fall into his arms."
"Maybe you are falling in love with him," Hermione stated, standing up to casually peer out of the window. Ginny could not understand how Hermione could be so calm about this, and her situation.
"How can you even say that, Hermione?" Ginny said in a demanding tone.
"It's a possibility," Hermione said in a firm voice, "the way he treats you now is very different from how he used to treat you, Ginny. He takes you around the world, he buys you expensive gifts, he says nice, albeit obsessive, things to you, and, well, you are carrying his baby. What is it this time? Another boy?"
"No, a girl," Ginny answered dutifully. "He hit me the other day, just because I didn't tell him that the baby had began to kick, how can I love that?"
"I don't know, Ginny," Hermione replied with a smile, "maybe you have a thing for bad boys."
"Come on," Ginny scoffed, "he's too bad, anyway." She watched Hermione's next movements as she sat back on the bed, sighing. "I always thought that I'd be working for the Ministry, you know, or some other job."
"Well, I had aspirations, too, Ginny," Hermione muttered. "How do you think I feel? I can't even remember the last time I felt a cool breeze…."
"I know, I'm sorry, Hermione…" Ginny had trailed off at the strange glow in Hermione's face. "What?" she said nervously.
"You know, Ginny, you're the closest to the Dark Lord -."
"No, I'm not-!"
"You are," Hermione insisted, "and you know it. You could get me and Ron out of here, all you have to do is sweet-talk him-."
"What!" Ginny exclaimed. "I don't have that kind of power over Tom, and even if I did get you out, what are you going to do after?"
"Gradually build up a resistance," Hermione replied smoothly, "and you do have that power over him; he's obsessed with you loving him, isn't he?"
"Well, yes," Ginny replied, her head reeling at this crazy idea, "but there is no one left, Hermione, who is going to go along with this resistance?"
"Oh, I don't know, Ginny," Hermione said in an irritated voice. "I just want to get out of here, and so does Ron. You're the only person that can help us, Ginny, if you come back tomorrow, I'll give you my plan, and you can forward it to Ron."
"Hermione, I'm heavily pregnant here, I can't involve myself in these dangerous plans right now," Ginny said quietly.
"You don't have to do anything, Ginny," Hermione continued, "all you do is talk to him, that is all."
"What if he found out?" Ginny questioned worriedly. "He would kill you no matter what I ask of him, and then he would punish me, and harm the baby. And, I'm still not sure that I can easily persuade him to do as I want."
"Ginny, if we execute this carefully, then it will work," Hermione said gently to soothe a nearly hysterical Ginny, "and he'll hardly hurt you since you are pregnant. It will work, Ginny, I promise you. All you have to do is show some kind of affection to him, and he will do your bidding."
"He has some limits, Hermione," Ginny said bluntly.
"I'm sure he does," she said pleasingly. "Tell me you'll help us, Ginny, please…?"
Tom gazed at Ginny as she stood in front of the mirror, the light flickering from the torches on the walls made her hair appear more fiery than usual, and she looked even more beautiful in the dark purple dress he had given to her that morning. He was wearing black trousers, a very dark red shirt with ornate silver markings along the chest area, and long black robe with similar silver markings, but his favourite part of the outfit was his boots; they looked as though they could crush a persons ribs quite easily. And there was Ginny, looking so vulnerable, she wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone crush ribs.
"Ginny," he said in a calm voice as he stood behind her, "are you ready?" He placed his gloved hand on her stomach, causing her to jump slightly. "What's wrong? Is the baby restless?"
"No," she replied, her voice trembling, "I-I… I'm just nervous, that's all, yes, I'm just nervous…" she flashed a smile up at him, and stiffened as she felt him bring her closer to him, scared at how her body would react. Tom kissed her bare shoulder, then proceeded to suck on her neck despite her protests that they were going to be late.
"I want to make love to you," he growled hungrily, "I want to feel you again…."
"Not now… Tom," she gasped as he bit her neck gently, "I'll be too exhausted to go to the party… maybe later, if I'm not tired."
"The voice of reason speaks again," he sighed, and she had saved herself. "I can't wait for this baby to be born," he muttered, "I'll have you to myself again. Come then, let's go," he held out his arm for her to take, and she took it like she always did, allowing herself to be led away.
The next day, Ginny visited Hermione, having told Tom that she had visited them for only one day of the month, and that she was eligible to go and visit them again since it was a new month. Hermione had instructed Ginny to tell Tom after her February visit that she and Ron had broken to the will of the Death Eaters, and that they were willing to comply. She had also told Ginny to ask Tom if Hermione and Ron could see each other, since she thought it best if Hermione told Ron that Ginny was pregnant again, and she could explain the plan to him as well.
So, now, Ginny sat on her bed, contemplating on how to ask Tom of this until he lay next to her on his side, staring at her, and he reached out to touch her stomach, but changed his mind and rested his ear against her instead. She smiled as she remembered what Hermione said about showing affection. "Are you tired?" she said softly, placing a hand on his head, and running her fingers through his jet-black hair.
"I had to check through a lot of plans," he muttered, "and I went to the base in Brazil, and too many incompetent idiots infuriated me."
"Well, I'm here now," she said soothingly.
He grinned, his eyes closed. "I can hear the baby," he stated in a low voice, and Ginny wondered at what moment she should ask him, and when she saw that he was sitting up, leaning forward to kiss her, she let him. Then she felt him slide his hand up under her nightdress, and she decided that that was the opportune moment.
"Tom, I need to ask you something," she said quietly, "before we…" and she saw a light flare up in his eyes when he heard her indication that she was going to spread her legs for him. He nodded in acknowledgement, and she continued. "Well, I was wondering if you could allow Hermione and Ron to visit each other once in a while; they miss arguing with one another."
"What?" he said stonily, his eyes snapping back to reality until Ginny touched his chest, and looked up at him with a doe-eyed expression. "Visit each other?" he muttered. "I'll think about it."
"Does that mean 'yes'?" she pouted.
Tom stared at her as he felt her undo his shirt buttons, then he pushed her down, kissing her fiercely. "Yes," he mumbled, "yes, it means 'yes'." Ginny smirked as he buried his face in her neck, feeling she still had her old ability, but she couldn't stop thinking whether she was falling for her own act.
Studiofreek: Thanks for your review, I liked your analysis since I was actually trying to show this. So, thanks!
All American girl 50: Sometimes it's really tempting to write Tom like that, and sometimes it does leak through, but it's just because he likes Ginny so much. Thanks for reviewing, please review again!
PrinceDiamondLuver: He is, isn't he? There's nothing like a bad boy to get you going! Thanks for your review!
Beauty-turning-beast: I'm glad you like it, I hope this chapter lives up to the previous chapters.
A/N: Can any of you readers draw? Because I would really like to see some pictures of this fic, since I'm rubbish at improvising pictures. So, if anyone is interested, please contact me via e-mail, and show me your work, and I'll post one on my profile page everytime I update!
Anyway, thanks for all of your reviews, sorry I couldn't get around to answering others, it's just that I can't reply to very short reviews. Also, the normal 8 REVIEWS please, they are greatly appreciated, and remember, it's like getting paid, which I ain't getting in real life, unfortunately. If I was getting real money, I wouldn't be updating as often as I do.
Next Chapter: It's called Elizabeth, and perhaps you can guess what is going to happen in that chapter, but I don't know when I'll be posting it, maybe next week on Friday, or Wednesday as I'm going out on Thursday.