Dancing With Shadows

Later

You find a rose
And cut your finger on a thorn
So go on and cry Ophelia
It's the only thing to do sometimes
You know I'm crying too
Right there with you

It's alright Ophelia

Everybody cries Ophelia

~ Cry Ophelia, Adam Cohen

The setting sun shone gold, casting pale shadows across Draco's bed. He sat crossed legged on his sheets and stared at the silver mirror, a present from Vlad the Impaler to one of his many ancestors. He scowled at the reflection and tossed his head to the side, letting his blond hair lie in a sheet on his cheek.

"DRACO, you better be studying." Lucius's clear-cut voice shattered through his eardrum and he winced.

"All right, don't have to shout," He frowned and sat violently upright so the strands got in his eyes.

"Bloody father," he muttered and pushed his hair back from his face. "Why can't he do his own dirty work?" He sighed bitterly and swung himself upside down so that he faced under his bed. Piles of school books and long forgotten pieces of parchment in which the name "Draco Malfoy" was scrawled hesitantly in black crayon lay under his four-poster, hidden by the folds of black sheets. The newest addition to the motley collection lay face down in the dust. Draco reached out one pale hand and snatched it up creating a cloud of dust among the forgotten articles. He sneezed and swung the right way round still scowling.

"T. M. Riddle" He read aloud, "Why does my father find such interest in you?" He shook it, expecting to find some of the pages come loose. It stayed intact and he was intrigued.

"Strong little piece of junk aren't you. Your binding is falling off, your cover is damaged beyond repair and your gold engraving has turned to brown." Beneath his fingers the book shuddered gently and Draco stared. He ran his finger down the spine and felt a crackle of magic spurt up from the crumpled paper. Cautiously he opened it. It was blank and stained a thin hole coursed through the first twenty pages, and scarlet ink soaked through most of it. He tapped it with his wand and a little surge ran through his hand.

"Power hungry as well… I'm starting to see Father's attraction." He raised his quill, hidden under the folds of his bed clothes and held it over the diary, letting a drop of ink splash and drain into the pages…

********************************************************

Ginny stayed silent for a second too long and he leaned closer to her, inhaling her scent, fingertips itching with the need for the rest of the story.

"Well? What did he do then?" She turned to him, face blank and closed. Suddenly, she raised her head quickly towards the door and let out a small exclamation. She hurriedly gathered up her wand and her cloak. Tom watched her, curious, "What are you doing?"

"I have to go now," the words broke Tom's concentration and the pictures held up by his mind; of Draco and his room, fell into dust. He stared up at her. Her face was pale and drawn, beads of sweat littered her face like diamonds, but her eyes stayed strong and cold… and empty. He reached for her arm and she flinched back.

"What about the rest, I want to hear it," His voice was too urgent for his liking; it showed she had the power. However, this was his story, he needed to know how she broke him free.

"Later Tom," she soothed, and stood to her feet, defiant and magnificent, "I'll be back later,"

He too tried to stand up, but his legs were wobbly and weak.

"Where are you going? Can you not stay here, finish the story…" She laughed, a low cruel chuckle, it cut through him like a knife. Where was the carefree Ginny of old, who laughed like a bird, bright and tinkling?

"Some of us have learning to do, lives outside dank shells of abandoned classrooms. I promise I will return, now please let me leave," She turned once more to the door, but Tom grabbed her back and held her tight against him.

"I won't let you go, I order you to stay here with me," He kissed her on the top of the head, then on her neck kisses falling hot like embers on her shoulders. For a minute she wielded to him, leaning against his grip that was strong in the heat of passion, then the spell broke and Ginny gently removed his hands. She stared at him mournfully before she ran her ice-cold fingers down his cheek. He held them there for a second before she took it back; he kept his and up by his face, savoring her warm touch. "I order you to…" his voice was hoarse with the raw emotions running through the room, unfamiliar emotions, "To…"

Ginny smiled quietly and kissed his cheek, "I will be back after dinner… I must go now, please don't be angry,"

He stared at her, dejected in his feelings, looking for all the world like a lil-boy-lost. "Don't… don't leave me, let me come with you," He reached for her hand.

"You can't come with me," her voice low and soft, "This is Hogwarts, you will be recognized and killed, I'll see you later." She squeezed his hand and drew away, his hand still clinging to hers until they drew too far apart and his fell to his side, white against the black of his robes. A warm light washed over the room as the door opened. She turned back to him briefly and mouthed; Later, before a dark looming shadow washed over her and the door closed with a click.

Tom stared for a moment, before sitting down on a mattress lying against the wall.

Later…

Another small quiz, apart from the fact no one has guessed quite right the first one: What is the shadow that covers Ginny… any ideas?