Free at Last - Chapter 5

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ooo – Something Unexpected - ooo

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He was so much like Draco, but with a bigger ego – if that was possible.

Two weeks had gone by. Ginny met with Professor Dumbledore again, who helped discreetly arrange a schedule and a dormitory for her. There was, however, no room in the House dorms, so Dumbledore offered her a room adjoined to the Slytherin common room.

The room was halfway down the stairs that led to the girls' dormitory, behind a picture on the wall. Ginny vaguely wondered who would think of building a secret room there. Then, of course, she remembered that this dorm was build by Slytherin the Utterly Paranoid.

Ginny sat on her new bed. Her fingers were stiff from the overwhelming cold, and she tucked them in the fold of her knees for warmth.

For some reason, she realized, Dumbledore hadn't bothered questioning Ginny's preference of the Slytherin dorm over Gryffindor. Probably doesn't want to interfere with the future, thought Ginny.

Ginny hadn't yet figured out what those plans were. Tom had certainly taken a liking to her. If he wasn't going to be such a malicious git in the future, Ginny might have considered him a new friend.

He certainly was clever, she knew. Amusing. Charming. Egotistical. Arrogant. A strange blend between Gilderoy Lockhart and Draco Malfoy… but somehow, it worked for Tom. He had a strange charm about him, and a blunt evasiveness that was refreshing and annoying at the same time.

Shut UP! she said, slapping herself mentally. He manipulates people. It's what he does best.

She flopped back on her bed.

But not me, she thought. I won't let him.

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"Hello, Miss Weasley."

Ginny jumped as two arms slithered around her waist and embraced her from behind.

"Tom," she said, in way of greeting. He let go and offered her an arm. She smiled politely and took it. They were headed toward their first class of the day: Transfiguration with the Gryffindors.

Ginny felt strange as she entered the classroom. She'd never had Dumbledore as a professor before, and she was looking forward to it.

"Gryffindickheads," Tom muttered as they took their seats in the second row. Ginny smirked. It was an uncharacteristically childish thing to hear from the future Dark Lord of all wizardkind.

"Today, class," said Professor Dumbledore, "we shall continue our previous lesson. Turning something very small into something very large." He produced a small satchel of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from his robe pocket. He handed it to a Gryffindor in the front row. "Each of you please take a bean... and try to refrain from eating it." As soon as everyone had a bean, Dumbledore took out his wand. "Now, everyone will turn their bean into a vase. The incantation is Habeas Vasum. Repeat it for me." The class echoed him half-heartedly.

"You must say the words clearly," he said, "or you may end up with a lemon-flavored vase…" He smiled. "…which wouldn't be so bad, come to think of it."

It was this moment that Ginny realized that she was in a second semester, fifth year Transfiguration class. In the future, she was just starting her fifth year. She prayed that she wouldn't humiliate herself.

She carefully aimed her wand at her bright blue bean. "Habeas Vasum!" she uttered. She winced, hoping with every fiber of her body that it would work.

And it did.

"Impressive, Miss Weasley," said Professor Dumbledore as he walked by. She felt herself glow with pride. Tom, of course, had no problem with the spell. He started to show off by turning his vase into objects of different sizes – his vase to a mouse, his mouse to a ring, the ring to a lantern. When Ginny couldn't stand by and watch him show off any longer, she smirked at him and raised her wand. She turned his lantern into a bubble and then popped it with the tip of her wand. He smirked and nodded in approval.

The rest of the class, however, used up the rest of the period trying. Ginny and Tom were excused from class seventeen minutes early for their 'outstanding performance'.

"Want to stop by the common room before Care of Magical Creatures?" said Ginny. "We have about half an hour."

Tom smirked. "I'll show you somewhere."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "As long as this place doesn't involve a weeping willow, Mr. Riddle, then… sure."

With another half-smile, he seized her hand and led her quickly down the corridor. She jogged behind him down the Grand Staircase, through the Entrance Hall, and down the Dungeon Corridor. They halted in front of a gated area she had never really noticed before.

"Nasus elephanti," he said, and the gate squeaked open. As soon as they were through, it clanged shut behind them. He led her down a narrow hallway that opened up into a large room. They stopped in front of a tapestry at the far right corner of the chamber.

He turned to her. As he held her gaze, and his eyes turned stony. He squeezed her hand as he spoke.

"You tell nobody about this," he said. Before Ginny could even nod, he looked away and traced a large 'S' on the tapestry with his wand tip. It became translucent, and Tom simply stepped through it, still clutching Ginny's hand. She followed him.

Behind the tapestry, there were stairs, leading down to a small common room. There were four sofas that all surrounded a fire pit in the middle. There was a medium-sized cauldron sitting over the fire. The cauldron was empty, but the fire was lit.

"Lux," said Tom, and flames shot up from all the torches on the wall at once. Ginny sat down beside him on one of the sofas.

"This is where my friends and I meet sometimes," he said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Good friends. Useful friends." He looked her straight in the eye. "I am not going to lie to you, Gin," he said. "Sometimes what we do here isn't considered… good by most of the wizarding world. We are students who wish to further their education." Ginny looked past him, taking in his words. He paused. "You're a powerful witch, Ginny. I was wondering if you'd like to join us. We rarely have girls around."

Ginny bit the inside of her cheek. She watched the shadows dance on his face in the torchlight. "You practice the Dark Arts here, don't you?" asked Ginny. She, of course, wasn't the least bit surprised. But the look on her face was troubled, she knew.

"Dark Arts," Tom sighed. "Magic is magic, isn't it? … And we've achieved so much already… We've even unlocked some of the secrets of the greatest Hogwarts founder."

Ginny blanched. "You don't mean – The Chamber…"

"You've heard the myth, then?" said Tom, grinning. "How it will cleanse the school of all it's Mudblood filth, just like Salazar Slytherin meant –"

"I don't understand you," said Ginny, frowning and pulling away from him. "You're part Muggle, you know."

Tom's eyes flashed.

"My father deserves to die, if he hasn't already," he hissed. "Along with his whole bloody race."

Ginny swallowed her words. She wouldn't fight with him – she'd already gotten this far. "What if we get caught?" she asked. She knew he wouldn't be caught, but the last thing she wanted to be involved in was the murder of any Muggleborn.

"We won't be," he said.

Ginny forced a smile. "Alright, then."

Tom nodded. "Good," he uttered. "And don't tell a single soul, or I will…" He stopped and laughed. "Who am I to threaten a lady?" He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're smart. Trustworthy."

Ginny bit her lip. He was getting awfully close again. He gave her a look. No! thought Ginny. What does he think he's doing?

A voice in the back of her mind chuckled. I can use this, though, can't I?

He was leaning in to kiss her. It was now or never.

I'm doing it.

She closed her eyes and met his lips. It felt so awkward. She chuckled to herself, and he gave her a puzzled look. She bit her lower lip coyly, raising her hand to his shoulder. She drew him in again.

It was different this time. Ginny's arms slipped around Tom's neck as his hands slid up her back. She brushed his bottom lip with her tongue, and his lips parted. Ginny felt a strange feeling stir inside of her. She leaned into it. His mouth tasted like Sugar Quills.

It's hima voice screamed in her head. Not Dean! Not some nice boy from the D.A.! It's VOLDEMORT! But she didn't want to think about that. She refused to open her eyes.

Tom pushed her back onto the couch, combing his fingers through her hair. She opened her eyes for a split second, just to glimpse his face. Don't think about it, she thought vaguely. He grazed her cheek with his fingertips. She gripped the pleat of her skirt as his lips caressed her neck. She arched her back, barring her neck for him. Heat churned in her belly. She stopped thinking. Suddenly, one of his hands undid the top button of her shirt, and then the second. His hand moved the loosened fabric, exposing her bare shoulder. His fingertips moved her bra strap off her shoulder.

A red flag went up in Ginny's head.

Ginny stroked his hair when he kissed her neck, glancing at her watch as she did.

"We have seven minutes before class," she whispered. "We should stop." He glanced up at her and groaned in disappointment. She had an idea. She smirked. "For now," she added.

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"No matter. How much do you need?"

"Just enough for a diary and some spare parchment." She clasped her hands behind her back. "I'm sorry, Professor… I didn't know where else to turn. I'll find a way to pay you back – I promise – "

Dumbledore beckoned Ginny to his desk. He turned toward his cupboard and opened it. When he turned toward her, he held out an empty bowl. "This may do the deed of the diary, Miss Weasley." Ginny looked at it. It was made of wood, and runes were carved along the rim. It was a Pensieve. Dumbledore smiled. "It's yours."

"Sir, I couldn't," said Ginny, pushing the Pensieve back toward him. He ignored her and put it into her hands again.

"And as for parchment, I have plenty. Take as much as you need. I can get more from the staff room anyway."

"But Professor, Pensieves are more expensive than what I was going to get in Hogesm –"

"It is no problem, Miss Weasley. I already have one of my own." He gestured toward a much larger basin in his open cupboard. "I received this one as a birthday present a while back. I am glad it can be of use."

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A/N: Review or I'll force-feed you live flobberworms. With sugar on top.