A Riddle or a Rhyme

Ginny Weasley

September 16^th

7:00 pm

Hermione and I got in a fight. We were talking at breakfast about what I was writing about on Wednesday. I mean, about first year. She already knew about my nightmares about Riddle, but she didn't know that I wasn't having them anymore. She seemed worried. I know. It's weird that she'd be worried about them going away, but I feel the same way. It seems odd that they should just stop occurring. So she asked me if I could remember anything about Riddle, anything at all. Of course, I said no. She even asked Harry, and strangely enough, he couldn't remember anything either. All he remembered was that Riddle had said they looked something alike. Then they exchanged this glance, like they thought they knew exactly what was going on. I had to admit, it was all pretty weird, but I didn't understand what they were getting at.

Then she said- and this is what got me mad- that it was strange that a boy named Tom showed up, right when my nightmares stopped, and when we forgot what Riddle looked like. She said it was curious that this boy, Tom Rhyme. did look a little like Harry. So at that point, I was mad, but then she said, "And Ginny, don't try to deny that you've been seeing Tom Rhyme. We've seen you two together. And Ginny, he's having the same affect on you that Riddle did." I couldn't stand to listen to her saying that the boy I was in love with had once tried to kill me. I didn't want to believe her. And I didn't.

I got up from the table and stormed outside. I didn't have any warm clothes, and it was already getting cold, even though it was only halfway through September. Being a Saturday, I was supposed to meet Tom outside anyway, so I sat under the tree and decided to wait there. Apparently Tom had seen me rush out of the Great Hall, and ran outside after me.

I really must have been weak, because I collapsed under the tree when I reached it. I lay there, crying, while trying to steady my breathing. I was not in a good state when Tom came out fifteen minutes later. It seemed that he had gone back to his dormitory to get warm clothes, and had brought extra for me.

He knelt down beside me and rapped an extra cloak around me.

"Ginny," he said quietly. "What's wrong?"

My quiet tears became sobs. I mean, how would you react if your boyfriend asked you what was wrong, and the answer would be, "You tried to kill me in my first year, didn't you?!" Really. So instead of prompting me to answer, he sat down next to me, helped me lean against the tree, and put an arm around me. He was so understanding. He let me cry into his shoulder for a few minutes, before asking me again what was wrong. I couldn't avoid it. I had to say something. So...

"Tom...who are you?" It was all I could think of. Seriously, could you have done much better? Tom stared at me for a second.

"Ginny, you know very well who I am. I'm Tom Rhyme-"

"No you're not! Tom, stop lying to me! Please...Please, just tell the truth." He looked at me disbelievingly, and knew Hermione had been right. I just couldn't believe it. I didn't want to.

"Ginny...How did you find out?" he asked me.

"The other day, when I fell, I noticed that I was acting a lot like I had in my first year. You remember that, don't you? When you possessed me...tried to kill me...You were trying to do it again..."

"Ginny, I can't believe you found out. Ginny, the thing is...I was trying to kill you, but this morning I stopped the spell. The spell that was giving your power to me. I performed it to get your powers, so I could become stronger and help the present Dark Lord regain his power. But Ginny, I knew it was hurting you, and I couldn't bare that. After I noticed how sick you were getting, I stopped it."

I gazed up into his eyes. I've noticed that when most people lie, their eyes give them away. But his expression was sad and full of concern. I could tell he would never try to hurt me. So I believed him, and gave him my trust. I promised not to tell anyone.

He stared at me, a slight smile on his face, not a smirk, a smile. I gazed back, and as if we could read each other's thoughts, we moved closer. Then he bent down and kissed me. It felt so much lighter and happier than I had in ages. My heart seemed to have dissolved and when we pulled away, we were both smiling. Then I passed out. Simple as that. I fainted. He must have thought it was pretty stupid. But he woke me up and helped me up to the castle, where he told me to go straight back to Gryffindor Tower, for some rest. Then...ah, I love this; he said he was in love with me. I nearly fainted again. With that I turned around and practically skipped back to my dormitory.

So that's how it happened. I'm dating Tom Riddle, the boy who tried to kill me when I was eleven.

This is way too bizarre.

~*~*~*~

Tom Riddle

September 16^th

9:13 pm

I love my naïve, little Ginny. I'll say it straight out. I love her. Her and her stupidity. She, of all people, should know all too well never to trust Tom Riddle. My little Ginny figured out who I am. Oh yes, she knows I'm Tom Riddle, not her beloved Tom Rhyme, but she trusts me, anyway. I do have a way of influencing those I need.

I was watchingher, this morning, from the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. She was talking to that Mudblood and Potter, looking very upset. The suddenly she ran from the hall and out onto the grounds. I did what any good young man would do for the girl he loves, and decided to follow her. I did run to my dormitory first, however, to grab some warm clothes, as neither of us had.

I walked outside to find her crumpled beneath what we have labeled our tree. Her face was buried in her hands, and she was sobbing angrily. I walked over to her and rapped a cloak around her. She was shivering violently, and I had a feeling she'd be even sicker after this. Perhaps it might even make the spell go faster. So, I asked her what was wrong, but she didn't answer. I had her lean on my shoulder, where she buried her face and cried for a few minutes, before I asked again what was wrong. After a moment, she asked me who I was.

I was really sure how to respond so I said, "Ginny, you know very well who I am. I'm Tom Rhyme-" which was where she cut me off. She seemed angry and yelled at me to stop lying to her. I had no idea what to say, but I knew she had figured me out. I froze, but apparently she didn't notice.

"Ginny...How did you find out?" They were the only words I could think to choke out. She explained how she'd come to the conclusion that I was, indeed, Tom Riddle, the one she'd met in her first year. The boy who she'd confided in, and then tried to kill her. Tom Riddle, heir of Salazar Slytherin, the Dark Lord Voldemort.

To her explanation I responded, "Ginny, I can't believe you found out. Ginny, the thing is...I was trying to kill you, but this morning I stopped the spell. The spell that was giving your power to me. I performed it to get your powers, so I could become stronger and help the present Dark Lord regain his power. But Ginny, I knew it was hurting you, and I couldn't bare that. After I noticed how sick you were getting, I stopped it."

I was very proud of this lie, you know. Though, at the time, I'm sure pathetic little Ginny would have believed anything that could let her trust her perfect Tom. But, of course, I hadn't, and still haven't, stopped the spell, and I was breathing in her soul with every minute I spent there with her. The only part of this whole ordeal that really made me nervous was what came next.

She studied my eyes for a long time. I felt odd under her stare. It was unnerving. I felt as though she could see right through me. Then...I don't know what made me do it, but I leaned down and we kissed. Not just a peck. A real kiss. And...my stomach felt like it had deflated, but it was okay. I felt wonderful. Though, I don't know how good Ginny felt. She passed out almost the second we pulled away. And I felt much stronger. I believe she's getting weaker. So anyway, I woke her, helped her back to the castle, and demanded she go get some rest. She didn't object, but gazed at me, lovingly. Again, I felt very uncomfortable. He staring at me like that was enough to make me tell the truth...

Which I'm starting to think I did do, because for whatever ridiculous reason, I bent down and whispered in her ear, "I'm in love with you, Ginny Weasley." And I have no idea why I said it. Unless, you know, it's true. Because I would know if I was lying. And the thing is, I felt embarrassed after saying it, but she smiled and me and said, "Same to you, Tom." I smiled, and with that I turned away, and began walking back to the Slytherin Common Room.

Perhaps I will stop that spell...

I didn't write that. I haven't been myself lately. That girl is messing with my mind. I'm going to get some sleep.