Tears of Stone

Tears of Stone

Ginny Weasley swept through the darkened hallways of Hogwarts, keeping to the flickering shadows that were untouched by the orange torchlight. Casually, she traced the familiar route to the dungeons. As she approached the stairwell that led to her destination, she swept her gaze over the halls, searching for any sign of detection. Her brown eyes narrowed when she saw the gaunt form of Mrs Norris. The cat gave a pathetic mewling sound and wound itself around Ginny's legs. Ginny shot the bedraggled feline a glare before contradicting herself by bending down to scratch behind the sorry animal's ears.

"Who's there, my pet?"

Ginny spun around. Argus Filch's eyes fell upon her with disappointment.

"Oh, it's just you, Miss Weasley," he said unhappily. "I thought you might have been some pesky students. Then I would have been able to deal out some punishment." The caretaker's eyes lit up with dark pleasure.

"How unfortunate, Argus. But I am a student. You could punish me," Ginny raised her arms until they were at right angles to her body, her wrists clasped together in an imitation of imprisonment.

Desire filtered into Filch's eyes, quickly replaced with fear.

"Oh no, Miss Weasley. The Professor wouldn't like that."

"Very well," Ginny sighed, then let out a peal of mocking laughter. "Good night, Argus."

Ginny turned on her heel and sauntered down the stairwell to the dungeons, leaving the caretaker muttering uneasily to himself. Ginny entered the damp hallway that led to the dungeons, and wandered easily towards a single glimmering torch. She lifted an arm and trailed her fingertips along the cold stone walls. She approached the torch, and wrapped her fingers around the handle and pulled down. The deep rumble of stone against stone indicated the passage to the left was opening. Silently she slipped into the hidden chamber. A black robed figure stood with his back to her.

"You're late, Guinevere."

"Please, Severus, Guinevere is so archaic. Call me Ginny."

Severus Snape turned around slowly.

"I'd rather not," the Potion Master's lip curled in disgust. "Sounds like cheap alcohol."

"Then call me something else," Ginny snapped. "I'd rather not be named after a whore who called herself a queen." Ginny grinned wickedly. "You could never call me a queen."

The corners of Severus' lips turned up in a contemptuous smile.

"Very well, Highness," he said mockingly.

Ginny's eyes flashed ominously but she said nothing. Snape looked triumphant and gestured for her to approach him. Once again the irate flicker inserted itself into her gaze, but Ginny obeyed silently. Snape smirked.

Sighing huffily, Ginny plonked herself into Snape's lap. Snape curled a hand around her waist and slipped his free hand into hers. Ginny entwined her fingers around his.

"I wonder what Dumbledore would think if he knew what his Head Girl was doing right now, Highness?" Snape said, derisively.

Ginny scowled and pursed her lips, but before she could say anything his lips descended on hers and Ginny's lips parted in a sigh. His tongue slipped out to glide along hers. Ginny readjusted her position so she was straddled across Snape's lap, her hands applying firm pressure to his shoulders as her mouth moved against his.

Robes were discarded with frenzied haste. Ginny lifted her hips slightly and Snape thrust inside her. Ginny moaned softly, the involuntary sound muffled against Snape's lips. Their bodies moved together, their pace quickening as they climaxed simultaneously. Panting slightly, Ginny leant against Snape's sweat slicked body, rising up and down with the pronounced motions of his chest. Gently, Snape slipped out from underneath Ginny and draped her carefully on the chair, while he picked his robes off the floor and pulled them over his lithe figure.

Ginny followed suit, slipping her slim figure back into her robes. Snape had resumed his position in the chair and Ginny once again settled into his lap. She rested her forehead against his shoulder. Snape twirled a stray curl around his index finger absently. It was dark red, almost brown but with vibrant red strands running through it.

"What are you thinking, Severus?" Ginny inquired softly.

Snape glanced at the lock of red hair entwined around his finger.

"You remind me of someone," he said, his eyes glittering. "Someone from my childhood."

"Who was she?"

Snape smirked.

"Who said it was a she?"

"Well, was it?" Ginny said, frowning.

"Mmm," Snape murmured his assent. "She was quite annoying, really. But she kept trying to help me. I remember her trying to explain to me what the purpose of a rubber duck was. Silly Mudblood. Almost got her killed."

"Trying to explain to you what a rubber duck was?" Ginny said, a smile playing about the corners of her mouth.

"Very funny, Highness," Snape grimaced as Ginny shifted on his lap. "It wasn't what killed her in the end."

"Were you in love with her?" A flash of jealousy streaked through her, suddenly overtaken with relief when Snape gave her a dirty look.

"What killed her?"

Snape traced the sinister pattern on her forearm lightly with his fingertip and Ginny shivered in response. His black eyes locked onto hers and he lifted her arm to his lips, pressing them against the Dark Mark.

"Voldemort," Ginny said shakily. "I'm sorry. That's why you turned?"

Snape nodded, pressing kisses along the inside of her arm, trailing his lips to her fingertips. He let go of her hand and she stroked the side of his face soothingly.

"Perhaps we should be off," Snape suggested.

Ginny nodded in agreement, and rose from his lap in a single, smooth movement. Snape crossed the room to the large cupboard in the corner and withdrew a blackened pot. He offered it to Ginny, who took a generous handful of the shimmering powder. Snape replaced the pot in the cupboard and turned to his young accomplice. Ginny was at the fireplace already, murmuring a spell that caused orange flames to leap into sight. Flinging the powder into the fire she stepped into the green flames without looking back.

"Malfoy Manor!" she said clearly, before whirling out of sight.

Ginny fell unceremoniously into the ornate fireplace at Malfoy Manor. Grimacing at the thin layer of ash that coated her robes, she muttered a cleaning spell. Stepping out of the fireplace she was immediately greeted by the lady of the Manor.

"Narcissa," she said pleasantly, kissing the older woman coolly on the cheek.

"Ginny," Narcissa Malfoy said politely. "Lucius and the others are waiting in the Library."

"Thank you." Ginny swiftly made her way through the winding corridors to the Malfoy Library. Despite entering the room silently, every Death Eater's' eyes swung towards her. Most slipped off her just as quickly, acknowledging her as one of their own. But a pair of silver eyes clung to her as she made her way to her host and greeted Lucius.

Draco Malfoy waited as Ginny's brown eyes swept the room, finally resting on him. She sent him a slight, seductive smile, full of promise, but was distracted when Snape swept into the room. Disgruntled, Draco crossed the room and pulled her out into the hall. His lips crashed down onto hers punishingly, and he only lifted his head when he heard her whimper in submission.

"Draco," she hissed irritably. "Don't you ever think of anything else?"

"Not when you're around," he leered and lowered his head to trail kisses along her neck. Ginny rolled her eyes, and curled her lip in disgust.

"Let's go to my room," Draco demanded. Ginny sighed and followed him to his vast and extravagant bedroom. Once inside, Draco closed the door with a soft click and leered at her.

Ginny gave him an inviting glance and settled herself rather primly on the edge of the large, green-covered bed. Draco crossed to the bed and sat next to her, lowering his mouth to hers. Ginny resigned herself to his sloppy kisses. Draco slid a hand inside her robes, clumsily groping her breast.

"Almost nauseating to watch, isn't it?" said a sardonic voice.

Ginny and Draco broke apart, their eyes darting to the entrance of the chamber. Lucius Malfoy raised an eyebrow at the pair, then turned to Snape. Snape's upper lip curled, then, gritting his teeth, he nodded his head.

"Draco," Lucius said authoritatively. "Come to my Study, there's something I will speak to you about before the meeting begins. Severus, I'm sure you and Miss Weasley can find your way back to the Library."

Lucius sent a disdainful look toward Ginny and swept out of the room, his cloak flaring dramatically behind him. Ginny rolled her eyes at Snape, who looked away coldly. Draco followed his father out of the room, clearly sulking.

Snape and Ginny were left alone. Snape rounded on Ginny abruptly, crossing the room in three long strides and hauling her into his arms. He kissed her harshly, unmercifully, and then, gripping her arms bruisingly, put space between their bodies, his black eyes locked menacingly onto hers.

"You're sleeping with Draco?" Snape hissed angrily.

"Of course I'm sleeping with Malfoy as well," Ginny snapped reflexively. "You know it is part of my duty to the Order."

"Is that all I am? A duty for the Order? Did Dumbledore ask you to keep an eye on me too?"

"No, Severus," Ginny denied calmly. "You know you aren't."

Snape looked at her sharply, his black eyes cold.

"Why are you so upset about something so trivial? It's not as if this-" Ginny gestured to herself and then him, indicating their current intimacy "-means anything at all to you."

Snape let go of her and pushed her away from him. He averted his eyes but not before Ginny saw what lay in the obsidian depths.

"Well, there you go," Ginny said softly, suddenly realising what had been so painfully obvious. "You do care."

"Of course I do," Snape snarled, gently wrapping his long fingers about her upper arms. "I love you, you silly girl."

Ginny stared at him with a startled look on her face. Then she slowly smiled. Leaning in slowly, she pressed her lips against his tenderly, then moved back slightly.

"I love you, too, Severus," she whispered into his mouth.

Snape pulled Ginny to him roughly and took possession of her mouth. His hands were clasped like a vice around her arms and his tongue was sliding against hers. Ginny lifted her hands and slid them to the nape of Snape's neck, returning his kiss just as fiercely.

Ginny broke away first.

"We should get back," she whispered. Snape nodded wordlessly.

A snicker from the doorway caused them to spring apart.

"Meeting's beginning," Macnair informed them. "Malfoy said you two should hurry up."

Macnair leered at the clearly uncomfortable pair and exited, chuckling.

"That was close," murmured Snape.

"Severus," she said pitifully, sounding achingly like the girl she was. "Do you think we will die? Being a Death Eater is awfully dangerous."

"Being a double agent is even more dangerous, Highness," Snape said tenderly. "But I'll protect you."

He smoothed a stray russet lock from Ginny's forehead and pressed a light kiss to her unblemished skin.

"Forever, Severus?" Ginny demanded.

"Forever, Highness. Until the day I die."

* * *

The war had ended.

A hollow sense of victory descended over the wizarding world. Too many lives had been spent on winning the battle against Voldemort. Families waited in fear for the return of their loved ones: dead or alive.

Ginny lay gasping for breath. Blood seeped slowly from the wound in her side. Silently she cursed the mark on her arm. If not for that, the young wizards fresh from Hogwarts would have known she was fighting on their side. Her head lolled to the side, brown eyes searching for his face.

"Guinevere!"

Funny, she could hear his voice, but she couldn't see him.

"Guinevere!" Snape ran to her side, clutching his stomach. Blood leaked from an almost identical wound in his stomach. He clasped her hand in his.

"Severus," she whispered brokenly. "There you are."

"Guinevere-" the blood from his side was pouring out now, must be some kind of curse. "-you can't die," he hissed.

"Of course I can," she said softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Until... the day... I die, Highness..." Snape slumped to the ground awkwardly, his eyes slipping shut. Ginny watched the rise and fall of his chest slow until it stopped. A single tear escaped and slid wetly down her cheek. Then she closed her eyes and let darkness embrace her.

Holding my last breath

Safe inside myself

All my thoughts of you

Sweet raptured light

It ends here tonight.