The Heart Asks Darkness First

CHAPTER FOUR - BIG MY SECRET

The next afternoon, Ginny, Ron, Harry and Cho all made their way to the gardens, not far from the edge of the forest, and away from Hagrid´s hut. Hermione was talking to McGonagall, but had promised to join them as soon as she could. As they walked, Ron turned to his sister. "So, why do we have to be in an exact spot before you can tell us what´s going on?"

Ginny refused to meet his eye. "I...we just do."

Finally she motioned for the others to stop. "Okay guys. I, um, I don´t know if you´ve noticed, but I´ve been kind of...absent lately."

"We´d noticed," Ron lied. He didn´t want to admit to his sister that he really hadn´t.

Ginny stared at the grass as she said, "I´ve been seeing someone."

"Really?" Harry sounded a little surprised. "Who?"

"Well..." Ginny hesitated. "Okay, you have to promise not to be mad at me, but he´s a Slytherin..."

"Malfoy!" Ron almost spat the name. "That would explain-"

"It´s not Malfoy." Ginny interrupted quickly. "Whatever he´s been telling you, it´s not him."

"He hasn´t said anything," said Cho. "Or at least, not as far as I´m aware."

"So if it isn´t Malfoy, who is it?" Ron was eager to know about his sister´s new boyfriend. What he wasn´t expecting was the voice from within the Forest. "That would be me then."

The three seventh-years gasped as Tom stepped out of the Forest. For a long while, no one spoke. Then -

"Tom? Tom Riddle?"

"That´s right Harry." Tom smirked. "Bet I was the last person you were expecting to see."

Ron was furious. "How could you Ginny? I mean, he tried to kill you! Not to mention what he grew up into."

"My, Ronald. We are a little harsh, aren´t we?" Tom remained perfectly calm. This was too much for Ron, who lunged at the other boy. Tom, who had clearly not been expecting this, found himself knocked to the ground. A vicious fight ensued - no one seemed sure what to do, and only Ginny was even vaguely trying to stop them. Much as she protested, however, the two boys were still fighting when Hermione arrived. "So this is where you are. I - what on earth is going on here?"

Cho turned to her. "We´ve just found out that Ginny´s been seeing Tom Riddle."

"What?! But...but..." Hermione trailed off as she tried to digest this statement. Rousing herself, she moved over to the fight and pulled Ron away. "Ron, stop it!"

"But...but it´s young Vol...young You-Know-Who." Ron strained against Hermione´s grip, trying to get at the sixteen-year-old that was now lying on the ground. Ginny was knelt next to him, making sure that he was okay. Hermione looked at her then turned to the others. "I think we´d better go. There´s things we need to...discuss."

"I want her there with us." Ron seethed. "I want an explanation!"

"Which we will get later." Hermione started to lead Ron away. "Once we´ve had a chance to calm down, we´ll talk this through."

Reluctantly, Ron allowed his girlfriend to lead him away. Harry and Cho shot looks at Ginny before following. Ginny glared at their backs then turned to Tom. "Are you alright?"

"I´ll be fine." Tom was still lying on the ground. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Ginny snapped. "It´s obvious they hate me now."

Tom opened his mouth to argue that if Ron hated her, he wouldn´t have tried to defend her, but then he stopped. If Ginny was distanced from the others, it made his task a lot easier. Ignoring his silence, Ginny whispered, "I was right the first time. You are the only person I have."

~GW~ ~TR~

Back in the Gryffindor common room, Ron was still fuming. Hermione was sat next to him, half-hidden behind a pile of books. Harry and Cho kept exchanging awkward glances, not quite sure what to make of the situation. Harry spoke up. "Maybe he´s different. Maybe he can change this time."

"Maybe you should stop defending a young Dark Lord!" Ron snapped. "He was evil the first time; I doubt he´ll be any different this time around."

Hermione slammed her book shut, sighing as she did so. "I just don´t understand how he´s back. I mean, he was a memory to begin with, but now he´s back and with a body."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe someone found another way to-"

"Malfoy!" The hatred in Ron´s voice was all too clear. Leaping out of his chair, he snarled, "I swear, when I get my hands on the little ferret, I-"

"Calm down, Ron!" Hermione pulled her boyfriend back, gently but firmly. "Even if Malfoy is responsible, we´re not going to get anything from him if we storm up to him and attack him. He´ll just get all defensive."

"So...what are we going to do, `Mione?" Harry asked. "It´s not like Malfoy´s gonna tell us anything anyway. And we haven´t got time to make a potion."

Hermione shrugged. "I don´t know. But he must have wanted us to find out, otherwise why would he have come to speak to me and Ron?"

"I think you should try speaking to him," Cho spoke up. "I mean, there´s no harm in trying."

"You´re right," Hermione agreed. "I mean, what´s the worst Malfoy can do?"

"Knowing Malfoy, something nasty," returned Harry. "But I guess you have a point."

"Well I´m not asking him," spat Ron. "I´d die before I actually asked that ferret for anything."

"I wasn´t expecting you to go anyway." Hermione spoke in a tone that suggested she was trying to ignore Ron´s anger. "We want to speak to him, not land him in the Hospital Wing."

"I´d volunteer, but I know he wouldn´t even listen to me," said Harry. "Looks like it´ll have to be you, Hermione."

"I thought it would be." Hermione smiled slightly. "Okay, I´m going to go and find him. I´ll meet you in the Hall for dinner."