Title: Lady Darkness
Author: Emcee and rain
Summary: Tom returns to a world quite different than the one he remembers.

Author's Notes: Thanks to Pablo for the beta. Lyrics in the chapter title from "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" by Peter Townshend

Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" and the characters, places and things related to it do not belong to me. They are from the brilliant mind of JK Rowling. They belong to her and her publishers. I am not making any profit from this fan fiction.

iii. Tommy can you feel me? Can I help to cheer you?

Tom blinked the light from his eyes. He had been asleep for far too long. His mind felt fuzzy, his thoughts a jumble.

Then it came screaming back to him. Potter! Potter had sent him back into the diary. He had stabbed him with the Basilisk fang.

But then how was he formed again? The poison had weakened him so much, he could not even manifest in words.

The girl before him looked somehow familiar: the fiery mane spread over her shoulders, those hardened brown eyes filled with a mix of determination and adoration. Could it be--?

He finally found his voice, "Little one? Is that you?"

"Yes." Tears slid down Ginny's freckled cheeks. "Be careful, Tom. You're weak."

Tom put a hand to his forehead, the memories swirling in his mind. Why was Ginny smiling through tears at him? Why was he even here? Why did he feel so terrible? "Forgive me if I am mistaken. My mind is a bit hazy. Did I not try to kill you the last time we met?"

Ginny wiped her tears away. Tom wasn't mistaken: she was looking at him in awe. "Well, yes, you did. But I don't think we should let that ruin our relationship."

Tom crossed his arms over his chest, cocking his head as he surveyed Ginny. "When one is nearly killed it is not standard practice to say 'no hard feelings'."

Shrugging, Ginny gave him a smile that Tom could only describe as coquettish. She batted her eyelashes at him. "Few things I do these days are standard practice. All thanks to you. You shook me to my core."

Tom raked his eyes over Ginny's form. She had grown quite a bit since he last saw her unconscious on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets. If he guess right-- and he was always right-- there was only a few months' gap in their ages now. He smirked. "I bet you say that to all the boys, little one."

He looked down at himself. He was washed out, slightly fuzzy around the edges. "I must say, all of this is a surprise. A pleasant one, mind, but a surprise none the less." He looked over at the body spread out on the floor. "What's that?"

"I needed blood to give you shape. Just taking energy from someone wasn't enough to bring you out. Harry really bollocksed things up with the poison." Ginny toed the body carefully. "He is dead, isn't he?"

Tom nodded, impassively watching the tableau. "It appears so from here. Is he your first?"

Ginny nodded, kneeling down beside the corpse. Tom stepped closer. "You knew him?"

Nodding, Ginny brushed the corpse's hair off of his face. "He was the father of a fr-- someone I know." She stood back up. "I've orphaned Luna." She looked at the ceiling, appearing to be working out the information in her head.

"Does that bother you?" Tom had never witnessed someone processing their first murder. Of course, the only person he knew who had killed someone was himself.

After a long moment, Ginny shook her head. "Not really. I was just wondering if Luna would cry."

"They always cry," Tom replied. He reached out to touch Ginny's shoulder. There was a heady sensation in his gut as his fingers passed through her. Ginny shuddered and turned to him. Tom locked eyes with her. "Do not think me ungrateful, but why did you bring me back, little one?"

Suddenly, it hit him. He looked around frantically, trying to find where Potter was hiding. He pointed an accusatory finger at Ginny. "This is a trap! You and your little boyfriend Potter are doing something!"

Ginny clutched her stomach. "Ugh... I'm sorry. Thought I might throw up. Just hearing Potter called my boyfriend..." She shuddered. "This isn't a trap. Believe me, the last thing Harry wants is for you to be brought back. I brought you back because a light like yours should not be hidden from the world."

Tom narrowed his eyes to slits. "What are you playing at?"

"Take your rightful place as Dark Lord, Tom," Ginny cooed. She brought her hand to his cheek, skirting the blurred edge of his incorporeal form. "Claim what is yours. And if I am to be rewarded for remaining loyal, even after you almost killed me... So be it."

"There is something you are not telling me, little one." Tom chuckled. Ginny was never able to keep anything from him. "Why did you bring me back?"

Ginny pulled her hand away, her eyes downcast. Gone was the sexually charged routine she had been putting on for his benefit. She now looked small, innocent and ripe for the taking. "I love you. When you were in me, my life changed. I knew I would not be complete without you."

Tom's smirk grew. Few women had been able to resist his charms when he had been alive. He was surprised that attempted murder wasn't enough to deter Ginny's feelings for him. He had to admit, he liked the changes in Ginny the years had wrought. "Now we're at the heart of the matter. You do know I will not be sending you mushy letters and going home to meet your parents? I'm sure Dumbledore and Potter told you what I am-- Who I am."

Ginny looked up at him again, her eyes still filled with that unwavering admiration. "Whatever you are, that's what I want."

Tom looked at his fuzzy hand again. "So how do we make me corporeal? I can hardly strike fear in the hearts of my enemies while in this condition."

"Use me," Ginny whispered, "as your vessel."

Arching a brow, Tom let out a snort. "Now, little one... I know you love me, but really... Willing to die for me so quickly?"

"No!" Ginny threw a hand over her mouth, her ears going red. "I mean, yes. I am always willing to die for you. But you can use me to draw energy from others. You'll need more than one person. As I said before, the Basilisk poison has weakened you considerably. But it does come with one advantage. I think the Basilisk poison is inside you now, part of your body. The essence of the diary is still inside me. You can allow me the ability to harness the poison, just as you allowed me the ability to use Parseltongue. I will pass the poison to others and as the poison takes over their body, it will filter out their life force. Then you can take it."

Tom nodded slowly. He could indeed feel changes within himself. He was not the same man he had been before. Perhaps Potter inadvertently did him a favour. "Little one, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a Ravenclaw." He sighed, moving closer to Ginny. He leaned in, whispering in her ear, "Of course, if it doesn't work I will drain every bit of energy from your body and leave you dead in a ditch."

A satisfying squeak of fear escaped the girl. "I'm pretty sure it will work."

"Well then." Tom angled his head so his mouth was millimetres for hers. "Let's give it a try."

Kissing in his incorporeal form was one of the oddest sensations Tom had ever experienced. While he was aware of the location of her lips, he could not feel them. He was sure the sensation was just as peculiar to her. Of course, Ginny's comfort was no worry to him. All that mattered was that he became whole again.

When he pulled away, he could see the changes. Ginny's lips, once a sweet pink, had turned cherry red. Her eyes were shut, her cheeks furious with blush. "Was that your first kiss, little one?"

Ginny's eyes fluttered open. "The first one that mattered."

Tom nodded. "All right. Now you go out and try out this ability on someone. Make sure they're strong. A man. A wizard. I don't want any shoddy energy in my body. Try to make it from different area than this. Dispose of the body. We don't want let people in on the game too early, do we? Then you will come back here, if I'm feeling different, I won't kill you." He smiled brightly at Ginny. "How does that sound?"

Ginny's euphoria over the kiss quite obviously deflated as her shoulders sank and her smile faded. "You're not coming with me? Can't you just make yourself invisible and watch me? Like you did when I ordered the Basilisk to kill the Mudbloods?"

If he had a solid hand, he would have struck the insolent girl. He was not to be questioned. "My condition appears to be quite different than last time. Now mind me."

Ginny nodded, licking her darkened lips. "All right." She took a large breath, puffing her chest out. Tom took a quick moment to admire the action. Time could really do wonders with a little sprog. He might even have to stop calling her 'little one'.

After Ginny had left, Tom looked around, his lip curling in a sneer. Where in the hell had Ginny chosen to resurrect him? It looked like it was condemned.

He moved through the kitchen, feeling something strange inside him... Fondness for the wreck?

This was Ginny's home. He had never actually seen it, but he knew it in his-- no, that couldn't be his heart. There was nothing in there.

Whatever this feeling was, Tom didn't like it. He didn't like things he didn't understand. Things he didn't understand were utterly wrong.

Yet still he was compelled to explore the debris. As he examined the scattered artefacts, the feeling grew.

He paused, shutting his eyes. He would just stand still and wait for Ginny to get back. Everything would be fine if he just didn't look at the place.

An hour into his resolve, Tom shivered as something took him over. It rushed through him. He fell forward, gripping the table to steady himself.

He was able to touch the table. He had form again. Well, it appeared Ginny was right in her theory. He had to admit, he was glad. Considering how loyal Ginny was, it wouldn't do to kill her right away. She could still have her uses.

Only a minute had passed when Ginny tumbled out of the fire. She covered her head, as if afraid the building would collapse on top of her. "Tom?" She got herself up off the floor. "It worked, didn't it?"

Tom nodded, holding out it hand. "You did well, little one."

Ginny reached out, her hand trembling. Tom took it, threading their fingers. Ginny's flesh felt hot against his.

"You're cold," Ginny commented, staring at their joined hands.

Tom brushed a bit of soot of her nose. Every sensation was a joy, reminding him how close he was to being human again. "I will need more. You've served me well enough for today. What did you do with the body?"

"I left him in an alley. Someone will think a dissatisfied customer killed him. It was Mr. Borgin."

Tom nodded. So Mr. Borgin was still peddling his dark materials fifty years later? He supposed he wasn't peddling them now, thanks to Ginny.

"I think--" Ginny tightened her grip on Tom's cool hand. "--since this place is falling apart, and Borgin and Burkes has lots of fun things for us to exploit and it is closer to where I'm staying... Maybe you could stay there? Put the closed sign on the shop and just enjoy all of Borgin's marvellous toys?"

"Perfect," Tom snapped, before he even realised what he was saying. He just knew he wanted to be away from this place and the feelings it was stirring up. He looked around the house one last time as Ginny led him towards the fire. "What did happen here? Your family may be a bunch of bloodtraitors, but you gave me the impression they were fairly innocuous. Who did you cross?"

Ginny paused, shutting her eyes. "Dammit. I knew I forgot to tell you something."

It took two hours for Ginny to explain the whole story to Tom after they took the floo to Borgin and Burkes.

He was pacing the floor, his jaw firmly set. His hands were clenched behind his back. He paused mid-step, turning to face Ginny. "My elder self. Resurrected."

Ginny nodded, wringing her hands together. The situation she had perfect control of had immediately ceased being in her control the moment Tom was resurrected. She couldn't predict a single one of his reactions. "Two years ago now. There was a big resurrection ceremony, with blood and a bone and a severed hand... I understand it was quite the event."

Tom began to pace anew. After another minute, he stopped again. He stroked his chin. "Two years and he still hasn't managed to kill Potter?"

"He's very well protected." Ginny gave a nod, going over the members of the Order of the Phoenix versus the Death Eaters in her head. "And I don't know how loyal Voldemort's followers are. I think if someone else were to appear more powerful they'd leave him--" she snapped her fingers. "--like that."

Tom furrowed his brow. "If he is around, why did you bring me back?"

Ginny felt her heart flutter in her chest. She could feel his eyes upon her and it made her quake. Had he always been this commanding? "You may be him, but he's not you." She winced. That had to be the dumbest thing anyone could say. "It made sense in my head."

She put a hand to her chest as Tom's look softened with a smile. "Do not get me wrong, little one. I am grateful to be resurrected, even with this unusual addendum. But this does makes things much more difficult."

Tom sat down beside her, taking her hand. "I doubt my elder will be very happy to know I am around."

"Why do you think that?" Ginny asked, lacing her fingers with Tom's. "Isn't two of you more dangerous?"

"If I were him--" It was now Tom's turn to wince. "He will see me as competition. He has forty years experience on me, not to mention an army-- regardless of loyalty, that is still quite an obstacle. As valuable as you have proven yourself thus far, little one, those odds are not good."

Ginny nodded. "I understand."

"We will try not to worry about that for now." Tom smiled at Ginny, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "For now, we will lay low. You will keep draining people for me until I am fully alive. I will work on building my power and planning our next course of action. Until then, I suggest you go about your routine. Is your family expecting you?"

Nodding, Ginny got up. "They are. Mum'll be going spare. She doesn't like me being out so late." She then rethought the statement. "Or really, at all."

Tom stood up, clasping Ginny's shoulders. "Do not let them suspect anything is different. I will be contact you when I need you."

"How?" Ginny asked.

I have my ways, little one. Tom's voice filled her head. She gasped. Tom simply leaned in, pressing his icy lips to her forehead. "Go now. I promise we'll see each other again soon."

As Ginny left the shop, she felt her knees go weak. Had she really done it? Or had this day been a wonderful dream?

If it were, she hoped she never woke up.

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