Dear Diary

Like many fairytales, this one begins with once upon a time and has a princess in distress with an evil villain out to get her. The difference however is that our evil villain is also the charming prince...

Once upon a time there was a family, the Weasleys. There was Arthur Weasley, the father, Molly Weasley, the mother and seven Weasley children, six boys and one girl. Bill, Charlie and Percy had all graduated from Hogwarts and were now working for themselves. Fred and George, the twins were in their last year and planned to open a Joke Shop. Ron was in his fifth year and best friends with the famous Harry Potter. Then there was Ginny, youngest of the seven Weasleys and the only girl, both the baby and the princess of the family. Now, the Weasleys were a very close family and there weren't many secrets. Everyone knew when Bill started dating Fleur and that Ron had a huge crush on Lavender. There were however some things that they didn't want the others to know. The fact that one of Percy's chief duties when working overtime at the ministry was to dress as a slutty French maid and see to the 'needs' of Mr. Crouch was something he preferred to keep private. Also, no one knew a bout the nights Ron and Hermione spent together in the Astronomy tower, 'exploring' the human anatomy. Everyone in the family had one secret that no one knew of, no matter how hard the others pried, and little Ginny had one of her own as well.

Right before entering Hogwarts, Ginny found a little black diary. At the time, the little girl was growing up and with a house full of boys; there wasn't really anyone she could talk to about the new feelings and emotions that she was developing. She couldn't even imagine walking up to Ron and telling him how bad her cramps were or that whenever she saw Harry, she had a funny, tingly feeling in a place right below her stomach. Molly was very busy taking care of everyone, especially with troublemakers like Fred and George that sometimes, not intentionally she did overlook Ginny. So, she began to write in the diary, pouring out all of her emotions and all the things that she never said aloud. Now this journal was a magical journal and every word she wrote was absorbed into the pages and only returned when she wanted them to. When Hogwarts recommenced, Ginny brought her diary with her and continued to write in it. One night, someone wrote back. After she had written an extend ed entry about the way Harry's hair was just the right length, she sat and waited for the ink to be absorbed. The page however, did not turn blank. Instead, the letters began rearranging themselves.

Ginny, why do you waste your time with him? You deserve much better.

She had been terrified, but more then that, she had been curious. Taking up her quill, she wrote back.

Who are you?

Well Ginny, my name is Tom Riddle and I was a student at Hogwarts fifty years ago.

Ginny was shocked, fifty years was a long time ago. The words on the page continued to appear.

I was head boy, but this journal was mine long before that. It was, as it has become for you, a place where I was able to get out all of my thoughts. So, when I was sixteen, I decided to use it to preserve my spirit.

It took a few moments for Ginny to take in the words. The journal that she had so lovingly kept had belonged to a sixteen-year-old boy. She had poured her heart and soul into those pages and someone had been there to take it all in. There was someone who knew her darkest desires and deepest secrets, someone who read every word she wrote, someone who thought she deserved much better than Harry...

Why didn't you write back earlier, Tom?

Ginny scribbled the words onto the page, but what she really wanted to ask was why didn't he write back earlier when it was obvious she needed someone to talk to, to understand her, to listen and not laugh, when it was obvious in every word she wrote that she needed a friend.

His response surprised her.

Ginny dear, I didn't want to scare you off.

She picked up her quill to assure him that she wouldn't have been scared but rather would have welcomed his presence when more words appeared.

And of course, I wanted to get to know you better.

***

Ginny kept the diary a secret and continued to write in it everyday, Tom wrote back. He became her closest confidant and friend. There wasn't anything that she didn't tell him or ask him. To Ginny, Tom knew everything; he knew so much more about life, love, trust and hurt then she did. He guided her through her first years at Hogwarts and taught her how to get what she wanted by manipulating people. He also taught her about boys, what they wanted and how to give it to them. The little girl adored Tom but it was quickly becoming evident that he knew much more about her than she did about him. Every time she asked Tom a question about himself or his family, it was avoided. Tom would always answer but he would never really reveal any information about him or his life outside of Hogwarts. Sure he gave her a lot of information about being head boy and a prefect and how young professor Dumbledore had been and even about the other students. Tom never mentioned what house he had b een in though or much about his friends or what he looked like. One night in fourth year, Ginny couldn't hold her curiosity anymore and instead of edging around the question the way she usually did, asked him bluntly.

Tom, you've never told me what you look like.

Well you've never really asked before, Ginny dear.

What if I did ask?

Are you asking now?

Ginny paused but steeled her resolve and wrote back.

Yes.

Well Ginny, I've actually been waiting for you to ask me that for a while now. After all, it has been four years since we first "met". What if there was a way I could show you how I look, what if I could bring you to me so we could meet properly.

What do you mean?

Well you see dear, I could bring you to me, inside the journal, just for a little bit, and we'll be able to talk face to face. You'll have to trust me though for it to work.

Of course I trust you, Tom, and I would like to see you.

Why don't you run off to dinner now Ginny, people will start to wonder if you're not there. When you come back, I'd like to see your pretty red hair and freckles.

***

"Ginny wow, you're really shoveling it down today," Ron commented as his sister continued to eat as fast as she could.

"Yeah," Ginny giggled nervously slowing down her chewing, but not by much. "Actually, I'm not really feeling that well, a headache. I'm just going to head to my room and go to bed early," Ginny announced standing up from the table.

"You ok Ginny?" Allie, another fourth year Gryffindor asked.

"I'm fine, just a little headache," Ginny put on a reassuring smile and walked out of the great hall.

Ron watched as his sister left, "I don't know, she's been acting kind of weird lately, staying in her room a lot more and apparently she's writing in that journal of hers even more often than before."

Allie, one of the girls who Ginny shared a dorm with, spoke up, "Ginny's always writing in her journal, she has been since first year. No one really knows what she's writing though. She's really protective of that book."

"A girl's got to have some secrets," Lavender stated. "Leave her alone, I used to keep a journal too."

The talk at the Gryffindor table turned away from Ginny and sometime later they'd begin talking about Quidditch matches, the little red-head long forgotten.

***

Tom, I'm here

Ginny dear, do you have your wand? You'll need it.

Yes Tom, I do.

Are you ready?

Yes

As Ginny finished writing the word she felt the room start to spin. Everything around her blurred and she closed her eyes trying not to fall over. She felt like she was spiraling into...something and then everything stopped. She was still wearing her school robes, and looking around, Ginny saw that she was in the dungeons of Hogwarts, only she knew that it wasn't the Hogwarts she knew. She had traveled fifty years into the past, to a memory, to meet Tom Riddle. The corridors were empty.

"Tom," Ginny yelled out, she started walking slowly, looking around her.

Ginny walked, calling out for Tom. She rounded a corner and arms grabbed her from behind and pulled her against their owner. She screamed.

She struggled and felt lips being pressed to her ear.

"I thought you'd be happier to see me, Ginny dear."

She stopped struggling, "Tom?" she asked softly. The arms around her held her tight, one across her chest and arms, the other around her stomach.

"Were you expecting someone else?" she could feel his breath against her cheek.

"Did you hear me calling you? I was looking for you. You don't have to hold on to me, I'm not scared of you Tom," Ginny said trying to slow down her heart.

Tom removed his arm around her stomach and Ginny let out a deep breath before realizing that his hand was moving up and down her side. His hand moved down to her thigh and reached into the pocket of her cloak, he took out her wand.

"Tom, what are you doing?" Ginny asked panic starting to seep into her. She felt him press his lips to the side of her neck sucking at the skin. She heard him taking in a deep breath, taking in her scent.

"Ginny, do you know how long it has been since I've tasted flesh so sweet, soft and innocent?"

She felt him wrap the arm with her wand around her again and panic seized her completely. She began to struggle again, kicking and twisting. She felt his arms slacken as she threw her head back connecting with his chin. She ran but Tom grabbed at her cloak, she shrugged it off and kept running. She never turned back to see the satisfied, cold, calculating smile on Tom's face as he threw down her cloak and began to walk after her.

***

She ran, but all the corridors looked the same. No matter where she ran, she was only met with dead ends. She was terrified and her legs weren't moving anymore. Every corner she turned, she was scared that she'd meet him. Her clothes clung to her and sweat dripped from her face. Running around another corner Ginny sagged against the wall and cried when she found yet another dead end in front of her. Her legs shook and she crumpled to the ground. That was how Tom found her.

He shook his head and knelt down to face her, "You shouldn't have ran Ginny dear, you'll have plenty of time to fight but wasting all your energy running...tsk. You should know that this is my world, and you're not leaving until I let you."

Tom grabbed her chin and lifted her head up. He took out her wand and waved it in front of her. A spark of hope flashed through her eyes and Ginny grabbed at the wand before Tom moved it out of her grasp. He shook his head and snapped the wand in two. She sagged back against the wall and cried. He moved towards her and brought his head close to hers.

"Don't cry Ginny dear, I thought you were dying to see me in person," he hissed at her before pressing his lips hard against hers. She tried to push him away but she just didn't have the strength. He grabbed her wrists and pushed her against the wall. She felt his teeth bite down on her lip and tried to scream. His tongue licked away the trickle of blood and forced its way into her mouth. He pushed her down on the ground and pinned down her arms above her head with one hand.

"Well Ginny, dear, it has been an awfully lonely fifty years in this diary. I will have to thank you for volunteering to keep me entertained for the next fifty years."

Ginny spat at him.

Tom smiled, "Let's see how long it'll take to break this spirit of yours, trust me, the longer it takes the more I'll enjoy it." He ripped open her shirt and trailed his fingers across her skin. His hand reached down and he dragged his nails up her thigh. They were like knives, slicing at her skin. She could feel the blood running down her leg and chest. His touch was pain, and she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

She could feel him against her and the tears wouldn't stop.

He entered her. She screamed.

***

Allie found Ginny in the morning, apparently asleep over her journal. She tried to wake her but the red headed girl didn't move. When Ginny didn't respond to anything, not shouting, water, Allie ran to find Professor McGonagall. Ginny was brought to the hospital wing where she remained unconscious. Her breathing remained shallow and at times there would be tears staining her cheeks. No one could wake her though.