Crystal Power

No Smoke Without Fire

Smoke billowed from behind her, the flames licked at the stone of the ancient castle. Students were collapsed on the grass gasping for air, black smudges adorning their faces. She heard a yell and whipped around, her hair matched the colour of the fire and collided with her face. She saw the blonde man wielding his wand escaping the ruin. She felt her throat constrict and her heart stop, the baby nestled in her arms felt like a lead bundle. The man stopped dead in his tracks staring at her, all sounds of coughing and screaming ceased to be heard by either of them. Another man stepped between them and yelled,

"Expelliarmus!" The blonde's wand flew into the others outstretched hand. The blonde shot backwards, his head colliding with a rock, she screamed and ran to his side.

"Drac," she gasped. Blood poured from a wound in the back of his skull. "Draco." He smiled at her weakly, his eyes looked at the baby she held. He extended his hand to her, she took it and he gave it a reassuring squeeze before his body fell limp. She bowed her head slightly then noticing a glimmer of silver of the ground she smiled secretly. Her lips brushed his forehead and a single tear dropped from her eye. She seized the dagger and hiding it under the girl she stood and approached the other man.

"Ginny?" he asked.

"Harry, oh I've been so horrid," she sobbed. Retrieving the knife she hugged him, the baby resting between them and when she was in an opportune position she drove the metal weapon into his back. She pushed him away, watching him fall to the ground and stood proudly over his body.

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME, HARRY BLOODY POTTER. NO IDEA AT ALL! HOW DARE YOU KILL HIM, I LOVED HIM. AND YOU COULDN'T HANDLE THAT. YOU DESERVE EVERY BIT OF PUNISHMENT HE GIVES YOU WHEN YOU'RE BOTH IN HADES," she shouted. The man she'd stabbed was now dead; she was going to take control. Life imprisonment in Azkaban was not an issue, with her Father in law as Minister of Magic no-one would dare send her there. Her fiery red hair blew around her; she was in charge.

*****

Chapter 18: - Holiday Plans

Vir's head snapped up and she gasped a cool arm was draped around her shoulders and instinctively she screamed and jumped up. She withdrew her wand pointed it at the seeping form next to her. Two silvery grey eyes burned through the darkness at her, and a laugh echoed around the room.

"Is that you Drac?" Her bottom lip quivered but she held her voice steady.

"Who else would it be?" His voice held a flicker of amusement. "Lumos," he commanded. His eyes fell upon her, her lips trembled and her whole body was shivering.

"Idiot. You stupid insensitive git. Argh," she snarled, shaking with relief.

Standing to face her concern swept over him, he reached out to touch her and felt her cold, clammy skin. "Vir, are you all right?" She nodded, collapsing into his arms and sobbing uncontrollably.

*****

It took Draco nearly an hour to convince her to talk, after her initial reaction she was silent but agitated. At the slightest noise she jumped, screaming when she heard an owl hoot. He simply held her and smoothed out her silky auburn hair whispering comfort every so often.

"Draco?" He was so used to the silence that her speech made him jump slightly. Her voice was small and timid and held an air of uncertainty.

"Yep?"

"Is it... Your not... Harry didn't..." Each time she began she was unable to face the implication that Draco might be dead.

"I'm right here, what is it?" he reassured.

"You're not dead are you?" She was barely audible and though he found humour in the idea that he was somehow not living he decided not to let her know that.

"Of course I'm not, Fox. Why would I be dead?" She gazed up at him with puffy eyes and bit her lip.

"Did I kill Harry?" Desperation was apparent in her tone.

"Harry? Last time I checked Potter was very much alive and verbally assaulting me and unless you've been somewhere I didn't know about then I presume he's still alive." She released a long breath she'd been unknowingly holding. "What's this all about?"

"I had a dream that Hogwarts was a ruin, Harry killed you and that I killed Harry. It was so real." A small cry left her throat as she buried herself into Draco's shoulder.

"I'm going nowhere, Vir. Look the Easter holidays are coming up soon, so why don't we leave Hogwarts and stay somewhere less inhabited?" Changing the topic had a positive effect on her.

"Where?" she asked still muffled by his robes.

"Well, your choice. There's the Manor, obviously, our Scottish retreat and one below Pendle Hill, that's Mothers. Erm, then abroad we have a place in The Far East, one on the Continent, and one in New York."

"Really?" Her head came up and she looked at him disbelievingly.

"Of course, I collect brooms and my parents collect property. We can stay in any of them."

"Which do you prefer?"

"Well, the one in New York is relatively new, it's in Manhattan. Father was feeling particularly flushed that week and has spent the past six months grumbling that he spent $4 million on it. Mother wasn't exactly best pleased. The other abroad places are rather isolated and dull. The Manor is, well I spend too much time there, if we stay in Scotland, well we may as well be here. So Pendle might be as good as anywhere else, but it's bloody useless for a tan. But like I said it's up to you."

"Pendle sounds fine enough to me. So long as it's quiet and there are no other Weasley's, Potters or Grangers."

"Nope there are however my broomsticks?"

"And how many brooms do you have?" She queried her eyebrows raised and a smile playing on her lips. Using his thumb he wiped her eyes and cheeks from the remnants of her salty tears.

"I've lost count, but some of them are pretty rare. If I'd married Pansy I'd have got my hands on the last Moontrimmer in the country." Vir smiled at him and rested her head against his chest.

"What time is it?"

"Hmm, almost ten."

"I should go back to my dorm, I can't loose any more privileges. Wandering the corridors late at night is one of the few I have left, besides, unlike you and Herm, Shane and I get along and I should really talk to him." She shrugged.

"He didn't visit you in the infirmary?"

"Yep, it was a little strained. Especially because Bill was there been a domineering prat." She kissed his cheek and stood. "Goodnight, thanks."

"Will you be all right?" he asked, his usually emotionless eyes betraying him and showing concern.

"Shane'll only be next door. Night." Nodding he watched her leave, knowing she was right to return alone. He wished he was by her side, they had to talk, some of his questions were answered by gestures she made, but some were more complex. He could tell she planned to keep the baby; she placed a hand over her stomach whenever she had felt threatened. He wanted to know of her future plans if she had any and did they concern him?

*****

Vir stood in her common room looking at Shane; he smiled at her and then approached her. Extending his arms he enveloped her in a bear hug that said more than any number of words. When they split they smiled and sat in the chairs.

"So you and Malfoy?" he asked.

"We're together. Don't be mad, I wanted to tell you."

"How? He's... He's..."

"He's a Malfoy." She finished for him. "But, he's, oh, he's Draco. He isn't what you think. Herm, Harry, everyone has him down as being evil, a Death Eater, a former servant of Voldemort. I know him, he's nothing like that."

"Hey, it's okay with me. I really can't judge Malfoy can I? His family is pretty much like mine, if I was the perfect son I'd be exactly like him." He shrugged and smiled.

"No. Shane, you are like him. He has no mark, Voldemorts or anyone's. He has a tough exterior that may seem impenetrable but he isn't evil. Your childhood was different to his, your parents showed you love. He's never said it but I don't think his ever have, that's how he got his shell, that's something you don't have. Make sense?"

"You're saying that if Malfoy had received a little love and attention he'd have been a Ravenclaw?"

"No, he'd have known that there was a choice between dark and light. And he wouldn't have necessarily had a battle within himself. He's no more evil than you nor I," she concluded.

"What are you doing for the hols?" he enquired. The topic changed suddenly, Vir knew Shane hated talking about his father.

"Oh, we're going to stay somewhere near Pendle Hill." She replied. "You?"

"Erm, I was going to stay here but my presence has been demanded at home. I'm tired, night Gin. Congrats." With that he left.

*****

Draco notified his mother that he'd be staying at her ancestral family home. She promptly replied with a letter delivered to his and Vir's room. He read the parchment and his smile slipped off his face.

"What is it, Drac?" Vir asked her brow knitted with concern.

"Mother says that Lucius has been selected to become the next Minister of Magic. He's been using my connection to you as a Weasley and your family's murder as his campaign. Fudge retires next week, a profile will be in the 'Prophet' tomorrow."

"That.... Draco that's... How?"

"Easy, money. He will have bought everyone on that select committee. He is up to something, I'm not sure I like it."

*****