Real

Involved

"Sometimes we can't always get what we want, because what we want may not always be what we need."

~ Ashley

Ginny paced the dark room she had been temporarily placed for the night. The last night before she would either change the world or die. Isn't it ironic that she ended up in a position such as this because of some stupid diary?

Tom had told her she was involved, ever since she placed the point of her pen to the page in that diary. If Ginny had never talked to Tom, never gone to the chamber, never hurt innocent people, and never fallen in love with the fifteen-year-old ghost of one of the most evil men on Earth...well, she wouldn't be in this position right now.

Pacing the room her mind raced. If she agreed she would simply wake up the morning of her first year to Hogwarts, the first day she had met Malfoy, and relive it all again. More or less, I guess one could say she'd simply find herself in a different life that morning, with memories that were caused from a peak in history. With her power, her position, she could help save lives, lives that would be innocently spent in the upcoming war. Ginny could help change the past and start this nightmare over again, put it in her control.

On the other hand, she could die.

The alternative wasn't too appetizing, knowing that, with Draco Malfoy on his side, Tom would win anyway. Really, for the wizarding world, it was a lose-lose situation. However, it was up to Ginny to choose which path of her win-lose situation she would take.

She sat down on the bed, a collection of dust coming up around her. She remembered something her mother had explained to her once. 'You can't help who you fall in love with.' Ginny knew if that was true she would love Harry James Potter, but it wasn't, and that was reality. Ginny had fallen in love with evil, something she definitely hadn't wanted.

'Sometimes, Ginny,' her mother had said. 'We don't always get what we want, because what we want isn't always what we need.'

Falling in love with Tom was something Ginny had not wanted. Still being in love with him after so long...she had prayed it had faded, but it didn't. What could possibly have been fate's purpose when she forced this to happen? She wanted me to save the wizarding world the only way I can, Ginny thought.

There was still one thing that confused Ginny, though; Tom knew he could've won this battle, could have beaten the boy who lived; so why would he try to change all the things he's ever done?

There was a part of Ginny that knew her sacrifice would save Harry Potter and others in the wizarding world. Sure, she would just be another name in a history book, but it would be worth it.

Ginny lay back on the pillow, closing her tired eyes, trying to slow the thoughts racing through her mind. She kicked off her shoes and pulled herself, one-handed, under the old ancient sheets. All she wanted to do right now was sleep and get away from it all. When morning came, it would come; nothing could stop it. Ginny settled down, enjoying the warmth. This might be the last night she was alive; who knew where she would be this time tomorrow. But, sometimes things didn't always go the way we want.

Tom was right, she knew. She had become too involved with Dark Magic the moment she helped him all those years ago. It was imprinted on her, something she couldn't just ignore. This small little glee she got deep inside every time she witnessed evil triumph, no matter how much she wanted to cry. In fact, out of all the deaths so far in the war, Ginny had only cried once through it all.

Suddenly, just as she had started to drift off to sleep, Ginny sat up. She knew the answer to her only unanswered question, the question that would determine her decision tomorrow.

Her mind was made up.