Magical Theory

Incendio
Like Sand in a Time-Turner: V
FireSprite

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to chocagirl23 for giving me the review that made my year. Thank you! And I apologise forever for the wait on this chapter. Life has turned into... life. Sorry! Also it's not beta-read and I've only just skimmed it, mistakes are all mine.

***

Maeve lifted her head and looked up at Donn, her face relaxed and sated for the moment. She yawned delicately and ran her hand over his bare chest, loving the hairless skin. Sighing deeply, she looked about them, casually picking up a daisy from the bed of flowers they were in.

Looking at the petals, she grinned and picked one off. "He loves her," she said, dropping it onto the grass besides her. Another petal. "He loves her not, he loves her, he loves her not, he loves her," she sang, glancing at the last petal and smiled wickedly. "He loves her not." She didn't let that petal fall to the ground, no; she closed her palm around it and crushed the petal to dust.

***

Ginny looked up at Draco, her mouth open in helplessness. He studied her, tying to figure out how she would take this. She, after all, had grown up taught that Death Eaters were the worst possible people on the earth. They ran about hiding behind masks, creating secretive chaos and death. They were the scum of the world.

And Draco was now in amongst them.

Her eyes darkened and she wrenched herself out of his grip. "Don't touch me," she said when Draco moved to pull her back. "Don't you dare."

"Ginny," Draco's tone was calm, as though he dealt with this everyday. "It means nothing."

"Nothing?" Ginny laughed, a horrible bitter laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought I had seen the Mark of the Dark Lord himself. It couldn't possibly be that. Silly Ginny." She shook her head.

"You know what I meant," Draco said, gritting his teeth. Draco couldn't quite fathom why she was taking this so bad. It was mark, it meant nothing. It didn't mean that he believed in what the Dark Lord wanted for himself, for them. It didn't mean he would kill anyone given any chance to escape that situation. It meant no loyalty.

Of course, he hadn't said that to the Lord Voldemort when he had been initiated...

Draco arrived on time; thankfully, and immediately hurried to his Father's study, where he knew he'd be. Entering the room, he couldn't see much. The lights were off; everything was dark except the small circle around the fireplace, where a modest fire was being kept low.

"Father?" he asked, after hesitating a second. The figure nodded slowly, never taking his eyes off the fire.

"It is almost time, Draco," his father said, taking a drink from his goblet. Slowly, he placed the goblet down on the chair-side table and got up; graceful as a cat, Lucius in every way. He stood before his son, looking down on him, a slight smile on his face. "Make me proud, Draco," he said, the slightest hint of pride in his voice already. It was more than Draco had ever heard before.

"Yes, Father," Draco said, bending his head slightly in a small bow. He would never admit it, but his father acting like this--it scared Draco more than when his father was in a rage.

It seemed Lucius hadn't heard. He was staring off in the distance, whispering something in Latin quickly. Suddenly, he snapped to, and looked down at Draco.

"Do not upset him, son," he said, using 'son' for the first time in his life. Draco's stomach sunk. "He is already on edge. Something, someone has caused him to hurry his plans up. He's scared, and given the smallest doubt in your loyalty..." He left the sentence unfinished, knowing Draco understood.

"Yes, Father," Draco said again, with the same nod. "I am only here to serve and protect our Dark Lord."

Lucius looked down at Draco. "I only hope he believes that, Draco."

***

"Ron, calm down." Hermione, as always, was the voice of reason.

"I will not calm down, 'Herm. I can't believe you're just sitting there, doing fuck all!" Hermione sent him a glare, reminding him of his mouth. A few first years near them giggled into their hands and he growled at them, causing them to be quiet. He continued his path back and forth on the rug. "Why is she doing this to me?" he moaned, throwing himself down on the chair. "She'll be the death of me!" He leapt up again, suddenly in a rage once more. "She won't even let me in there!" he said, referring to how her dorm door was securely locked.

"She says she's fine," Hermione said, pressing her lips together. "She won't come for help unless she needs it. I'm sure she thinks the situation, whatever it is, is under control."

"I don't care what she thinks," Ron yelled, red in face as he wheeled around in place.

"Well you should!" Hermione said, slamming her book down on the table with a loud crash and standing up, her fists balled. "Ron, she may be your bloody sister, but she can. Handle. Herself. She is not twelve anymore."

"As her big brother-" Ron started, his eyes flashing.

"Oh sod it!" Hermione said. "You don't actually believe she is your responsibility, do you?" Ron said nothing. "You just want to know why Malfoy is suddenly interested in your darling little sister."

"No..." Ron grumbled, looking embarrassed. Hermione sort of wished she hadn't been right.

"Get off her back, Ron," Hermione warned, "and then maybe she'll come to you. When she's ready."

Ron sneered, turned and stalked out of the room, leaving Hermione fuming.

***

The initiation had taken place in the dungeon; Draco could still recall the pungent smell of ancient stone damp from years of rain and leaks in pipes. The torch that stood in the middle was the only thing to cast a glow in the whole room. The other Death Eaters stood around the edge of darkness. Draco could neither identify them or their silhouettes. He stood in line, behind two other potential Death Eaters--both graduates of Hogwarts. He knew them only by site and house, a Hufflepuff (always weak-willed) and (surprise, surprise) a Gryffindor. Draco had never spoken to them in his life before but already he felt a certain bond with those two.

They were all afraid of what was about to take place. They were doing this for honour. They all had no choice.

"Welcome," a voice hissed from the corner of the room, and Draco saw Voldemort, the Dark Lord himself, step up from the velvet chair he had previously been sitting in. "My new... subjects." The 's' was slightly hissed, giving him a definite snake-like appearance. So, the rumours had been true.

He could very well be Salazar himself.

"Your Lord," Draco and the other two mumbles, unfamiliar with the words. They bowed, as they had been brought up to know by their parents. "We are here to serve you and you only." The words meant nothing to Draco; they had been burned into his brain by painful memorisation lessons when he had been younger. His father had only wanted the best for him. Naturally.

"Good," Voldemort said, apparently satisfied with them. "Now, my children, come into the light. Yes, yes, come to stand here please."

The three youths stumbled forward, their knees about to give out from sheer fear and nervousness. They came to stand besides the Dark Lord, and he placed a hand on Draco's shoulder as he looked out to his fellow servants.

"The day has come," Voldemort said, his voice low but clear at the same time. It rang throughout the small dungeon with clarity. "It is time for a new generation of pure-bloods to join the ranks of our prestigious membership. Let a new day begin with the dawning of the sun! Let us reach our goal and achieve only power we have dreamed of until now. The time has come, my friends, so let us celebrate!"

A cheer rose from the closely assembled ranks of Death Eaters and Voldemort grinned his nasty little grin.

"This is your hour, my children," he told them. "This is the finest hour you will ever know." And with that, he took his wand, cast it into the torch, hissed, "Incendio", causing the fire to flare up, turning blue, then green. Grinning like a madman, the Dark Lord then grabbed the torch, the wand crackling with magic in his hand and dipped it in the fire, whispering something in Latin. He held it up to the dim light and nodded in satisfaction before grabbing Draco's hand and burning his skin like a thousand little flames and knives would.

"Morsmordre!" Voldemort cried with such power, a small wind blew through the room. Draco almost passed out from the pain, but somehow, with a steel look into his father's eye, he stood there with determination.

Draco was now a Death Eater.

***

"Adara?" Colin asked, as he and Ginny's friend sat alone at one end of the Gryffindor table.

"Hmm?" Adara asked, absorbed in one of the heavier books found in Hogwarts. Adara could just barely manage to carry it, but it was worth it. The South American wizards had led such extraordinary lives, Adara thought. Wizarding scientists were just finding their tribes old camps now, and various objects in the burial grounds that showed much promise in unlocking the key to the past.

"Do you... Do you ever feel like your being left behind?" Colin asked. He was leaning over the table, picking at one of his fingers, his shoulders all hunched and looking tense.

"Well..." Adara said, finally lifting her face to look at Colin. She adjusted her glasses before answering, "Yes, I suppose I do. But then again, I usually am being left behind--not anyone's fault but mine."

"It is?" Colin asked.

"Yes. I suppose I just don't care enough to join in on the chatter of the other girls," she explained referring to Ginny, Raina and Anna. "I guess I'm just more comfortable with books and information than boys and leather pants." Colin smiled. "While they're great girls and they do invite me in on their plans... I don't like to. They're too... flightly for me, I believe."

Colin laughed, some of the tension easing out of his shoulders.

"Why do you ask, though?" Adara inquired, looking right into his eyes.

"Well... I guess... Ginny and I, we used to be really close. I mean, she'd come to me for anything, almost. But this last week, I've hardly seen her. And when I do manage to get her alone, she rushes off without a word or an apology. I feel like she's blocking me out on something important that's going on. I feel..."

"Helpless?" Adara supplied.

"Yes, that would be it, I suppose. I can't help her when I can tell something is going on. I want to help, Dar... Ginny, she means the world to me."

"Are you saying you fancy Ginny, Colin?" Adara asked, somewhat taken aback.

Colin coloured and said nothing for a moment. He looked down at his fingers again, before replying. "It's not like I haven't ever given it any thought," he muttered, "but... I don't know. I don't know what I feel. I think right now, I just want to be there for her."

"It's understandable." Adara nodded. "Well... I didn't get a chance to talk to her like you asked me to the other day. Sorry, Col."

"It's okay. I'll try to find her later tonight and figure out what's going on."

"Sure. Good luck."

"Thanks." Colin got up and left the Great Hall.

***

"So, you're a Death Eater." Ginny's voice sounded flat and dead. Draco, who had been caught up in the memory of the night, came to.

"Well..." he said, "yes. I am."

Ginny looked at him, her eyes losing their warmth, their happiness fading slowly from the depths of her irises. Her whole composer tightened and she surveyed him with an air of loss.

"How could you?" she asked, her voice losing some of its loudness. She barely spoke above a whisper. "A Death Eater, Draco! You're bound for life. Eternity. How could you imprison yourself to such a thing--to such a person?" Her voice almost broke and Draco wasn't sure why, but he felt a sudden lost somewhere inside of him.

"It's not like I had a choice, here, Ginny. This was planned even before I was born. It's what my Father wanted; what my Mum wanted."

"And that means nothing. Draco, don't you see? Don't you see what this means?" She looked up at him, her eyes bright and shinning. "Draco, you've given up your freedom! Your entire life will now be run by this man. He'll decide what you do, who you see, who you... who you kill." She paused, taking a breath. "He might decide that you shouldn't go to Hogwarts. And you won't. And you'll have to kill innocent people... because of this--this madman!"

"Ginny, I know..." Draco said, closing his eyes. He rubbed his face with his hands and looked at Ginny. "I know," he whispered. Slowly, he reached out, trying to gauge her reaction as he took her hand in his. She flinched but did not move away. Gently, he sat her down before sitting down on the floor himself. "I knew all of that going in, I'm not blind to his ways. I've been watching how he treats Father ever since I was a baby."

"If you knew, then how could you?" Ginny asked, curling up in a little ball and holding herself. She was cold. This hallway had lost all of its warmth it had moments earlier. She felt desolate now and she did not like it one bit. The world seemed wearier... more grey then ever before.

"Because I had to."

Ginny looked at it for a long moment. She studied his profile, her eyes taking in careful note of his eyes, how they seemed lost as well; cold and alone. His frown was evident. He seemed very aware of what he had lost. And she understood. She knew.

"I see," she whispered, lowering her eyes to her lap, trying hard not to cry. It was all coming so close. Voldemort was getting ready for something; perhaps an attack on her friends, on her family, on Hogwarts. He was gearing up already; it all started with new recruits. Soon, something would happen. Something very, very bad. And she was well aware of what precious time they had was rapidly disappearing. Like sand in a time-turner, trickling down, down, down...

She was afraid.

Arms encircled her, pulling her onto Draco's lap where he held her, just held her. And as much as she hated that she was crying, that she was afraid, she was. She held onto Draco like she was about to fall from the Earth's edge. And he rocked her as she cried, silently. It was all becoming real to her. No more of this kiddie rescuing. People were going to die. Blood was going to be spilled. And she was powerless to stop it.

***

"Where is he?" Pansy snarled, slamming a fist down on the couch and glaring over at Crabbe and Goyle.

Crabbe and Goyle looked up from where they had been staring mindlessly at the wall.

"Didn't we already have this conversation?" Goyle asked, picking at one of his fingernails.

Pansy stopped fuming to glare at her dim-witted friend. "Goyle," she said slowly, patiently, "I'm still looking for Draco." She smiled painfully. "He usually comes in here at 7.15 every night, scowling in his usual way before doing his homework. The last week he hasn't at all."

"I think he's been busy," Crabbe said.

"With what?" Pansy asked, leaning forward, her dirty blonde hair falling in front of her eyes. She pushed it away with an annoyed expression.

"Well..." Crabbe said, slowly, leaning forward as well. "You know..."

"Know? Know what...?" Pansy asked, confused for a few precious moments. Then, suddenly, her eyes lit up and she looked at Crabbe shrewdly. "You mean...? He's already been accepted into the ranks!?"

Crabbe nodded slowly, looking just as pleased as Pansy.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Pansy said, staring off into the distance. "Just think... Draco finally becoming the man he's always been promising to be. Oh, I'm so proud of him. He'll have power now. Real power. And what with the Malfoy fortune already knocking on his door... He'll be more unstoppable than his father, even. He's only learned from the best."

"Why do you care so much, Pans?" Blaise asked, who had just entered the common room and had been in the process of walking by the loud-talking Slytherins. Nothing ever stayed secret in this common room; all the Slytherins were too loud for that.

"Because," Pansy said, brushing aside her hair once again, "I plan on marrying Draco. My mum has already spoken to Dad, and he's going to contact Lucius. I'll marry into one of the most rich and influential pureblood wizarding family in all of Great Britain."

"Oh," Blaise said, nodding his head. "You make me almost wish I was you, Pansy. Imagine what power you'll have."

"Exactly," Pansy said, her eyes sparkling dangerously. "I'll have the power to become one of the most powerful witches around. And to destroy whom I want."

***

After what seemed forever, Ginny calmed down. She felt spent, but the burden she had been carrying around for the last week seemed to have lifted. She wiped at her eyes one last time and offered a watery smile to Draco.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"It's okay," Draco answered, helping her up and getting up himself. "I think you needed that." Ginny only nodded. They looked at each other for a moment, unsure what to say. "So... What now?"

"Now?" Ginny asked, her voice clearer than before. She seemed to have regained the independence had hid into her minutes earlier. "Now we find out who's been messing with us."

"Library?" Draco asked.

"Right in one."

***

The library was more sinister than Ginny remembered, she thought, as she walked through the doors. It was darker; the sun that usually shone through the windows now replaced with moonlight from the clear sky outside. It cast shadows across the floor, vile looking objects living on the carpet. The air was still and lifeless.

Ginny tried not to shudder and succeeded. Taking a quiet calm breath, she looked at Draco who was standing behind her. He was a face of tranquillity, his eyes observing the library and then he looked at Ginny and smirked.

"Well, let's get to it then. I don't want to spend all night in a library. I'd end up like the mudblood." Draco was about to head to the nearest reference cabinet.

"Why do you call her that?" Ginny asked sharply.

"What?" Draco asked, looking at her over his left shoulder.

"Why do you always call Hermione a mudblood? Can't you just use her last name? Do you realise how much that hurts...?" Ginny looked at him; her head turned slightly to one side, a look of confusion on her freckled face.

"Oh." Draco looked uncomfortable, as he shifted from one foot to the other. "I don't know. It's just... It's a habit I guess, from when I was a spoiled brat."

"As opposed to what you are now?" Ginny asked, a hint of a smile and an eyebrow arched. It took Draco a moment to realise that Ginny was kidding. His scowl quickly turned to a slight smile as he turned from her and began looking through the cabinet.

"So," he said, crouching down onto his knees. He ruffled through a few sheets of parchment. "We're looking for Celtic Gods and Goddesses?"

"Yes," Ginny replied. "I think that'd be the best way to find information. Of course, we'll have to cross check them with anything to do with Celtic legends and perhaps the Druids might have something to do with our Gods. They did after all live in the era as the time when the Celtic Gods were worshiped. "

Draco looked up at Ginny, who was leaning over him. "You always do this extensive a research?" he asked, his hand resting on top of all the parchments. Ginny noticed a signet ring on his left hand, pinkie finger and wondered what it was from. Snapping back to Draco, she looked a bit embarrassed.

"When your brother is crushing on the most intelligent witch on earth, it's hard not to pick up some of her habits."

"Oh?" Draco asked, pleasantly.

Ginny smiled. "C'mon Ginny!" she said, imitating Ron's deep voice. "Hermione might be at the library and I need an excuse to sit with her. If you say you need help with this..."

Draco chuckled despite himself, the corners of his eyes crinkling quite sexily. Ginny stared at him for a moment, amazed at actually hearing laughter coming from Draco Malfoy. Suddenly, as though realising what he was doing, Draco cut short, the previous sound now echoing off in the silent room.

"Did... Did you just laugh?" Ginny asked, tilting her head to one side as though to look at him better.

"No. Of course not."

"You're sure about that?" The tips of her lips turned up in a small smile.

"Yes, quite positive."

Ginny only smiled to herself as she too went looking up what books might be useful for finding out the Druids could be hiding.

***

Anna sat on her bed, chewing her nail. A bad habit, she knew, but something she did when she was nervous. Sighing, she took her nail out of her mouth and surveyed the rundown cuticle. She really shouldn't do that... It could get infected, she reminded herself.

"Oh well," she said out-loud. "Nothing I can do about it now."

You're talking to yourself, a voice inside of her told her.

"Yes, I know," she muttered. "I can't help it... I'm nervous."

Then open the book, you idiot.

"What happens if there's some sort of spell on it or something?" she said, her eyes sliding over to where the book.

Then you'd already be dead. Honestly.

Anna looked at her nails, then to the book. Sighing, she got up and fetched the book, crawling back in bed and opening it on her lap. She quickly flipped past the dummy pages about plants and opened it to the very first chapter.

"How to Defend Yourself in a Duel."

"Isn't that just a little too perfect?" Anna muttered to herself. It didn't feel right, this book. There was some sort of dark magic here. But, she reminded herself; you're up against Pansy. Who knows what dark magic she knew.

So, she began to read. So absorbed in all the wondrous world of magic that was opening up to her, Anna didn't notice when supper-time went by, when her friends came up to grab some cloaks and go outside for a rousing game of Quidditch, and she almost didn't notice that it was already 10 o'clock.

Rubbing her eyes, she wearily looked at the clock. Only two hours left! Panic rose in her. She had to practice! Grabbing her wand and her scarf, she ran for the tower, hoping that no amorous couples were there tonight.

Running down the hall, her heart beating in her head, she felt as though she had never felt so alive. The world was brighter now. Everything was aglow and she felt already powerful. She had something no one else had. She knew things no one else knew. She could use this anyway she wanted.

Grinning maniacally to herself, she took a deep breath and looked around wide-eyes and alert. What should she do now?

Raising her wand arm, her wand held loosely in her hand, she pointed the wand at a picture hanging on the wall. The occupant of the picture had left it seemed as no one was there.

"Comburo," she whispered, feeling the power run through her body to course out of her arm and into her wand, before exploding out of the end and slamming into the picture. Immediately, the picture blew up into a million pieces. Bits of the picture frame went flying past her, burning all the while. Anna had to duck not to be hit.

"No need to practice," Anna said to herself. "I'm more than ready."

Twirling her wand, she placed it in her pocket and walked down the hall, feeling more enlightened than ever before. She had power now, and she could use it for whatever she wanted.

***

"Christo!" Taranis swore, pacing up and down besides the stream. He looked up, once, to where Maeve was sitting, lying actually, looking dainty in her medieval dress of red and midnight blue.

"What, ma chère?" Maeve said, running her hand up and down her torso suggestively, an eyebrow arched. "Frustrated? I can relieve you of that, you know."

"Not that," Taranis growled in her direction. He gritted his teeth, trying not to lash out at the goddess in front of him. It was no easy task; she seemed not to care. "How can you sit there, Medb?"

"Ah. Real name basis. I'm in trouble now." She pouted, looking at him with a school girl look.

"Be quiet!" Taranis said. "I need to think." He stopped in front of the water, staring down at the fish, and noticed sadly one of them floating down a few feet away. It was dead. The Sídhe was dying. And they would die along with it. Letting out his breath he had been holding, he turned to her. "Fix it."

She looked up, smiling a wry smile. Their gazes locked; his cold and angry, hers amused and twinkling. "Fix it?" she repeated, stretching out luxuriously, arms above her head as she arched her back. "Why would I want to do that? I am having fun here."

"Salud!" Taranis shot at her. "Wench. You forget the purpose for involving the mortals in this in the first place."

"To have fun?" Maeve asked, innocently.

"No. We have to fulfil the ancient magic. We promised the druids centuries ago that we would. And now? Now they're just your little playthings!"

"But of course," Maeve said, laughing. "I am here to enjoy myself, Taranis. They amuse me, the little mortals. Run, mortals, run," she said, her first two fingers making running motions along her palm. "Oopsie," she said, her fingers falling from her palm. "They fell. Oh dear."

"Maeve..." Taranis said, a warning tone in his voice.

"Ashes, ashes, we all fall down," Maeve said, a chilling laugh bubbling out of her.

***

The field between the school and the Quidditch pitch was dark, the shadows cast by the tall castle looming in the distance as Anna crossed the wet grass, wand in hand. She was trying to keep quiet and blend into the background with her black cape.

What I wouldn't give for an invisibility cloak right now, she thought, gripping her wand tighter. It's just a duel; it's nothing big. We'll throw a few spells and then hopefully, someone'll catch us. The confidence she had felt earlier had somehow disappeared in the last hour. Just melted away. She knew nothing. Now she was more scared than ever before.

Perhaps she should have told one of her friends to come and get her. But Anna hadn't thought that far ahead. She realised now that if someone didn't catch her and Pansy, she could very well end up as one of the unfortunate students in the hospital wing.

There was only one thing she could do then, aside from running away like the coward she knew she wasn't: she would have to beat Pansy before Pansy could beat her. Perhaps she could throw a quick stunning spell or maybe a jelly-leg curse. If Pansy couldn't attack her then Anna was in the clear.

Be quick, she told herself. Be on your feet and fast. Pansy isn't that quick, if you can out manoeuvre her, you can get to her first.

And she only needed to show Pansy that she wasn’t afraid by showing up at the pitch in the first place. She would have proven herself and then she could get out of the way. No one would know. She wouldn't tell and Pansy couldn't gloat to anyone if Anna was perfectly fine.

Deciding that this was the best strategy, Anna stepped onto the pitch, and looked around, warily, knowing the Pansy could already be there and waiting to attack her while she was unsuspecting. No sound.

Carefully, Anna stepped completely into the pitch and walked towards the centre. She almost breathed a sigh of relief at being alone until a voice behind her sounded.

"Waiting for the fireworks?" came the voice Anna knew was Pansy's. Great, she thought, she showed up.

Turning around, she saw the Slytherin standing there, twirling her wand in her right hand, Goyle and Crabbe right behind her.

"Hey!" Anna protested. "They're not allowed to be here. That's no fair."

"It seems to me it's quite fair." Pansy looked at the two behind her and gave Anna a sly smile. "And I'm sure they agree too." Crabbe, in an effort to look menacing, cracked his knuckles with his left hand. Goyle just grunted.

Oh shit, Anna realised. I should have known the Slytherins play dirty every chance they get.

Pansy smiled wider as she approached Anna, who held up her wand nervously.

"I believe we have a score to settle, boys," she said.

***

Ron looked over at Hermione, who was biting a quill as she studied the table in the library. They had both been quite quiet today, as she was still a bit mad at him for causing such an uproar over something "so small", as she had put it. Small, he snorted inwardly. Malfoy bothering his sister was not, in any sense of the word, small.

What if they fell in love? Panic gripped him. That would mean Christmas with Malfoy, New Year's with Malfoy, Easter with Malfoy; he'd never get rid of the ferret. He'd have to be nice, be polite to that slimy Slytherin. Oh he'd never bear it. He'd kill himself first before he allowed Malfoy to sit at the family table. And the children! Ron's mind ran wild. Little pink-haired babies with grey, cold eyes. Oh, they'd look horrible! They'd be the laughing stock of Hogwarts. And no one laughed at Weasley children--even if they were half Malfoy.

And then Ron laughed, a little chuckle, which gave way to the most unmanly giggle he would ever let out. Ginny and Malfoy. Together! Forever! He laughed just a little bit louder. Oh, I'm losing it, he thought to himself. Like those two could ever end up together. Ginny hated Malfoy just as much as Ron did. She'd never even touch the ugly duckling. And Malfoy. Like he'd ever let himself fall for her, and a Weasley at that.

He sighed, glad that that little scenario would ever come true, and glanced over at Hermione, who had been oblivious to his little giggle fest. He could see the faint shimmer of eye shadow on her eyes and the lip-gloss on her lips and his brow creased in confusion. Why was Hermione wearing make-up all of a sudden?

"Hey," he said softly, kicking her shin lightly under the table with his foot. "Why are you wearing that stuff?"

"Hum?" Hermione said, looking up. A tiny dot of ink was in the right hand corner of her lip and Ron couldn't help but smile.

"This past few weeks you've been wearing all that goop on your face," Ron said, treading carefully and trying not to hurt her feelings. You just never knew when a girl would go off at you, so one had to be careful. "Can I ask why?"

"Oh!" Hermione's hand flew up to her lips. "Oh, um. Pavarti and Lavender just decided that I needed to... you know... update my look." Hermione wouldn't look Ron in the eyes, though, so Ron pressed on.

"But you've never let them do that to you before. You said they were just being silly and that if guys were actually interested in someone, they wouldn't care what you wore."

"But what if you liked a guy and he just didn't seem to notice?" Hermione asked, her voice low. She chewed her lip and looked into Ron's eyes. Wow, Ron thought. I've never seen eyes like that.

"Oh... well," Ron said, scratching that back of his head. He looked at Hermione and couldn't help but feel like he knew what she was secretly saying. Unable to help it, Ron broke out into a goofy grin.

Hermione smiled back.

***

"Here," Draco said, slapping down a piece of parchment on the table Ginny was currently sitting at. She jumped, having been so absorbed in studying the ancient piece in front of her.

"What?" she asked, picking it up and squinting at it in the faint light.

"It's what we've been looking for." Draco sounded please and he watched as Ginny quickly read through the paragraph Draco had showed her, picking up phrases as she read and saying them out-loud.

"Maeve... blah, blah, Queen of the Daoine Sídhe until she was banished... She is goddess of war, sexuality, and intoxication... runs faster than horses... Great and mighty Queen of Connacht... the Earth-bound Goddesses of Sovereignty in Irish Mythology... a strong-willed woman with a good mind and extreme battle-skills... Maeve was very secure in her femininity and her sexuality... Insatiable sexual appetite", she clearly used her feminine attributes to obtain what she said out for..." Ginny looked up at Draco, who was grinning grimly. "That's her all right, I'm sure of it," Ginny said.

"I'm more than sure," he told her, but offered nothing more.

Ginny looked at Draco for a moment; a long steady gaze, before shrugging. "Oh," was all she said. "Well..." She turned back to her own parchment. "I think I've found our God."

"Let's see," Draco said, hand extended. Ginny handed him the paper and he looked over it. "Where?" he asked, not seeing what Ginny meant.

"It's really small..." Ginny said, getting up and pointed to the second last paragraph. "It's a blink and you'll miss it paragraph. I wonder why there isn't more on him, though."

Draco looked at the sentences. "Taranis - God of the passing seasons, storms, thunder. Features: Very fair, blue eyes, wild hair and beard, blue grey and white tunics and mantle. Cult Objects: The eight spoked wheel," he read. "And you're sure?" he asked, looking at Ginny.

"Dead sure. He told me when I was in the Underworld that that's who he was..." she trailed off as she sat down in the chair again, feeling so very... scared again. As much as she tried to get rid of the images of that horrid, horrid house; as much as she pretended she hadn't ever been there; as much as she pushed her thoughts away whenever she began to think towards those memories, she couldn’t get rid of this uneasy feeling of calm terror.

Draco looked at Ginny, who looked almost terrified and he didn't know what to do. How do you comfort a girl? He hadn't ever really cared enough about any girl to comfort her before when she was scared. But now... Seeing Ginny like this, he felt an ache of... helplessness as he saw that she was shivering.

"Hey..." he said, getting on his knees and looking her in the face. "It's fine. They can't get you, all right? You're safe here."

Ginny looked at Draco and he saw unshed tears in her eyes. "You don't know that..." she whispered. "I was just outside of here when I got pulled down to there... You don't know what it was like... It was horrible." Ginny's lip trembled as she desperately tried to pull herself together in front of Draco.

"No one should go through that, Gin." He sighed and tried a weak smile. "But you know what they say: Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Ginny laughed a feeble laugh and looked at Draco. "Thank you," she said, hugging herself. Quickly, she leaned over and kissed him, softly on the lips. Leaning back, she looked at him--gauging his reaction. He looked pleased. "C'mon," Ginny said, happy now, taking his hand as she got up. "I think what we both need is some hot chocolate."

"What about the-?" Draco asked, looking at all their research.

"It can wait."

"No complaints here."

***

"Pansy, back off!" Anna snarled. She wrapped her fingers around her wand again, re-adjusting them, and stood, hovering from side to side, ready to move out of the way at a flick of the Trio's wand.

"Ah, a brave Gryffindor is what we have on our hands," Pansy grinned. She clearly revelled in the blind terror that was almost hidden in Anna's eyes. Anna knew; she knew well of Pansy's handiwork. Pansy lived for these moments. The time when the cat was finally tired of playing with her little mouse. The time when the cat gave one big clawed swipe down onto the mouse, making the body of the mouse skid across the room, the wonderful red blood matting the previously pure white fur.

"I'm not afraid of you, Miss. Parkinson," Anna spat her name, as if it were a dirty word.

Pansy rolled her eyes at Anna. "Getting a little dramatic, are we?" she asked in a bored voice. "Listen, this is how it will go. We'll duel, I'll kick your scrawny little arse, you say nothing about it, and we move on our merry little ways, got it?"

"Stupefly!" was the answer from Anna. Goyle was out, cold.

"Now, now, that wasn't nice," Pansy said. "You might get me mad doing something like that."

"That..." Anna said, looking at Pansy and almost trying not to laugh, "was so, so sad."

"Crabbe..." Pansy said, with a flick of her wrist. "Dispose of her, please."

But before Crabbe could even move, "Stupefly!", a spell that hit him right in the chest. He felt to the ground in one graceful movement. Probably the most graceful he'd ever be in his life.

"You little bitch," Pansy said, walking towards Anna. She tried to tower over Anna, but as they were the same height, found it impossible.

"If you play dirty, I'll play dirty," Anna answered, looking Pansy right in the eye.

"Don't mess with me, Gryffindor," Pansy said, taking her wand out. But before she had a chance to even threaten Anna with her wand, Anna punched her right in the nose. Pansy staggered backwards, almost falling on the wet grass and clutched her nose, glaring at Anna.

"My name is Anna," Anna said, her voice shaking somewhat. She couldn't believe she just hit Pansy. "Anna Whittleman. You'd better learn my name, and learn it well because if you ever threaten me or my friends again, I will come after you."

Pansy said nothing, but kept giving her the dirtiest look she could muster through all the pain. Her nose was probably broken.

Anna turned around and walked away, telling herself that she had done the right thing.

The next thing she knew, she was falling into blackness.

***

"So..." Ginny said, as she sat down in the kitchens with Draco. She gripped her mug of hot chocolate to her hand, letting the warmth course through her, warm her up from the outside in.

"So," Draco responded. Then he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What do we do from here?"

"Well..." Ginny said, tapping her fingers on the table. She drummed them softly as she propped her chin on her hand. "I haven't a bloody clue," she grinned after a moment.

Draco snorted. "What a pair we are, Ginny."

Ginny nodded and smiled into her mug of hot chocolate. She felt... warm inside, despite the latest revelations. Draco hadn't changed, not really. He was still that arrogant, little twit that she knew she was falling for. And damnit, she didn't mind falling for him. Though she really should. It just felt... right.

Bullocks to the lot of them--they can think what they bloody well want. She would enjoy her time with Draco and if nothing came of it, so be it. But she wasn't going to hold back because it might be frowned upon in the Wizarding World. Imagine, a Weasley and a Malfoy. She could almost see the look of terror in her Mother's face.

Oh, wouldn't Mummy be happy, she though, savagely. Not that she didn't love her Mother, it was just... Ever since the Chamber of Secrets incident, her Mother had been very over-protective of her. Ginny wished sometimes she could just break out of that house and run away. Forever. Have some actual freedom during the summer months.

Perhaps she could go somewhere warm and lie in the sun and watch all the blokes playing sports in their swimsuits. And maybe one of them would ask her to dinner and they'd have a lovely time and afterwards, they'd take a walk on the beach and he's kiss her and whisper how much he'd love to stay the night with her and...

"What are you smiling about?" Draco's voice entered her thoughts. She looked up, startled.

"Oh," she said, her hand straying to her neck. She almost felt embarrassed. It's not like he knew what you were thinking about... she reminded herself. "Nothing?" she almost asked, her hand closing around the pendant that hung around her neck. She felt calmer holding it. It filled her soul, once again and she closed her eyes for a brief second, enjoying the feeling.

"Ginny!" Draco's angry voice echoed in the kitchen. Could he have actually seen her thought? she wondered, eyes flashing open.

"What?" she asked, startled.

Draco was up in a second. He strode over to where she was sitting and grabbed the necklace in his fist, ripping it from her.

"I told you to get rid of this!" he yelled at her. "I told you to keep it safe and not to wear it!"

"Well, I did and look, I'm alive, wonders of wonders, Draco!" she yelled back at him, trying to grab it from him, but he held it above his head. She was petite and even jumping she couldn't reach it. "It's mine, Draco. Give it!" Rage boiled within her, rage she hadn't known she possessed. It was hers; he couldn't just take it from her.

"No." Draco said. "No. I will not let you have this again. I made the mistake of giving it back to you once. I will not let you get it ag--ouch!" Draco said, dropping the gem. It fell to the floor and Ginny made a dive for it, but Draco pulled her to him, restricting her movements.

"Let me go!" she yelled, trying to get out of his grip.

"No!" Draco grunted, as he was using all his energy to keep the fiery little redhead from reaching the gem. She made a sudden movement--perhaps to catch him off guard--and he fell, her with him. They both fell to the floor and looked over to the gem, which was a few feet away, at the same time.

It was growing cloudy in the gem again, as it began to light up. Inside, the smoke swirled, as it had once before for Ginny--revealing its secret to her and Draco.

"What is that?" Draco asked, watching in fascination.

"I don't know... It's done it before, but I had no idea what was happening," Ginny whispered, as though talking would ruin the moment and force the gem to retreat its secret.

In the midst of the smoke, which was quickly turning green, the sword--the sword that Ginny had seen only once before but hadn't forgotten--became visible. It was as awesome as it had ever been. Ginny watched, awe-struck and the sword stopped spinning in the smoke and lay floating in the middle of the gem.

"Hey!" Draco cried, quickly crawling over to the gem and carefully picking it up. He inspected it, holding it up to his face. "I know this sword," he said, turning to Ginny, who was still unable to move from the floor.

"You do?" she asked.

"Yes, it's hanging up in my Father's study. He got it as a gift from the Dark Lord a few months ago. He was told to keep it safe... Someone would want it soon and it could prove fatal to the Dark Lord." Draco looked up at Ginny.

"Maybe that's what we're supposed to find..." she whispered.

"I think," Draco said, returning to look at the gem, "that you are absolutely right."

***

This chapter has now ended.

Author's Note: YES! Finally, it's done. I know it took forever and it's not long at all, but um... My life became busy? It's my only excuse. I never, ever had time to write. I'm sorry. I felt so bad, and all of you have been such great fans waiting it out for me. I love you guys! Hee. Also, I just want to say, Bella: I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you. You are one of the most amazing people I know and I want to thank you your friendship--especially when I had that little scare. To all: I PROMISE, PROMISE, PROMISE the next chapter won't take so long. Love you all!

Also, I have fanart! I loff Linn for this picture ( http://dracoginnyawards.tripod.com/Ginny_uni.jpg ) and I drew a picture of Maeve, my Maeve, ( http://dracoginnyawards.tripod.com/maeve.jpg ) for all to see. To see these pictures COPY AND PASTE into the browser, otherwise they may not turn up!

Chapterl-y plug for the group Brianna [MochaButterfly] and I have: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/firespriteandmochabutterfly . It's for all our 'fics and the story Bri and I are working on, which is Desired Life. [Can also be found on ff.net and Schnoogle.com]

And my chapter-ly plug goes right here: If you'd like to get an email when I update my stories instead of losing track of them, just go here ( http://firesprite_fanfic.tripod.com/notify.html ) and sign up! I am now going to send out cookies and ETA's for each new chapter to my list, so if you'd like a sneak peak, make sure to sign up. I will email you if you ask, but I'd rather you just joined this; it would make everything easier on me.

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Draco and Ginny belong to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Warner Bros and various other corporations. They are being used here without permission and/or affiliation with the above. None of the authors listed here make any profit from these stories.