Dark Horizons

Chapter two: Many Kinds of Poisons

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Dumbledore and the other students were celebrating Halloween. Only one person was staying far away from the party. Ginny Weasley, a Gryffindor sixth-year was sitting in the common-room, writing her Potions Essay about one of the most powerful and deadliest poisons they would ever learn: The Deceitful Doom Elixir.

In fact, Ginny had been upset for the past two months, since she had received a letter from Harry over the summer, in which he told her that he appreciated her efforts for the past five years but he couldn't love her. Ginny had been destroyed after Harry's message because she loved Harry as she had never loved anyone before.

These thoughts started racing in her head so she closed the book, feeling that she had lost her concentration for that night. She started rummaging in her school bag and stumbled upon her old diary.

Ginny looked at it, thinking, but just then Ron came into the common-room so she had no choice but to keep it hidden for now.

"What are you doing here? The fun's just started!"

"I don't like Halloween, Ron."

"Come on, Ginny, don't spoil all the fun!"

"I'm not spoiling anyone's fun, Ron."

She stormed out of the common-room, Ron still muttering "Testy, aren't we?" Ginny went down the marble stairs until she reached the crowded Great Hall and threw what wanted to look like an awkward glance at the students that were now eating cakes, puddings and cookies and talking happily. She felt a mad urge to join the fun but thought better of it and continued her way outside.

In the meantime, Draco was getting bored very fast at the Slytherin table since he was listening to Pansy and Blaise's comments on Muggle cosmetics. He finally decided to go on a stroll along the lake although it took him some time to convince Pansy that he only wanted to go outside.

Once outside, Draco had to face the chilly wind to get to the shadowy lake. When he reached it, he made out a blurry silhouette standing right next to the lake. He walked closer to it and saw its reflection in the dark water. It was Ginny.

"Hmm, Weasley, what are you doing here? Why aren't you joining the fun back at the castle? Or did you finally give up oozing all over Harry Potter?"

"Oh, it's you, Malfoy. I'm surprised Pansy didn't wrap you tight when you came out, it's a chilly night. Besides, she wouldn't want her little baby to catch a cold now, would she?

"You're a spark tonight."

"Be careful, I might start a fire."

"You have a hearty spirit."

"You don't say..."

Draco looked at Ginny for a few minutes. Something unusual then happened, something that he had never experienced before. He felt he needed to kiss her, to feel her body next to his, to feel her heart beat.

Ginny on the other hand had no idea about Draco's feelings. She was looking at the deep lake, as though she was studying it. Then, Draco pretended to fall and Ginny raced next to him, to see if he was hurt. Draco was very good at pretending, because when he was with Pansy, he always needed to pretend to get rid of her.

Draco pulled Ginny next to him and kissed her gently. Ginny felt every part of her lost in Draco's eerie perfume: roses, forbidden dreams and lonely nights. Ginny felt her lungs intoxicated with the same smell, and yet she wanted this kiss to never end. But just then...

Draco's lips had parted from hers so she could finally open her eyes. She gazed into Draco's grey eyes and lost herself into their cold reflections.

"Why did you do that?"

"Ginny, I..."

Ginny looked at Draco. He started fumbling with her robes, bringing her closer and reached to kiss her again but Ginny pushed him away, got up and left.

***

Back in the common-room, Ginny made her way to the girl's dormitory where she got dressed in silence. Then she took out her diary from under the pillow and started turning the pages slowly, reading every entry. She finally got to a blank page and started writing.

Dear diary,

Today I kissed Draco Malfoy. I don't know what I felt just then but I think that Draco is like poison: sweet at the beginning and yet cold, dark and unsentimental. I think I'm falling in love. Oh God, please don't let it be love again...

Ginny closed her diary and got up. She walked to the window and looked down into the castle's shadows and a tear streamed down her cheek. She saw Draco's silhouette on the grass, looking absent-mindedly at the lake.

***

The shadows crept upon the upper windows of the Riddle house. There was a light at the last window. A slow, cold hiss could be heard from the room. The Dementor was standing next to an armchair. A cold voice came from the armchair.

"Look at it, my faithful servant, look at my potion. It's rising, rising with every minute, its power growing steadier with every second"

The Dementor looked at the cauldron which was boiling on a little fire. The potion was violet with a green glow and little red bubbles.

"The Multiplying Potion... this potion can multiply anything. The clones of that certain thing are bent on destroying only one person. In this case, it is Harry Potter they will destroy since it's his father's bone"

The last sentence was followed by a high laugh that froze the air and there was an approving hiss from behind the armchair.