Title: The Fire Diamond

By: BlahBabe

Major Help by: Aprila

Disclaimer: I will never own Harry Potter. This is fanfiction, peoples. This goes for the whole story. Don't wanna type it out for each chapter. Lol. Thanks.

Draco Malfoy swore loudly, attracting attention from fellow students in the Great Hall. Headmistress McGonnagal had let him back in Hogwarts for his 7th year. He had no idea why the old bat of a woman did, but she did. Probably cause of his mother wanting him to get a full education.

Narcissa had a flat in Hogsmeade protected by the fidelius charm. Draco himself was the secret keeper for his mother. He had convinced her after Snape had killed Dumbledore that Voldemort and his father would be furious and it wouldn't be safe for her to live at home anymore. Draco wasn't quite sure who he was more afraid of: Voldemort or his father.

He had been oddly curious about his mother's behavior a few weeks before they planned to leave the Malfoy Manor. She had been in the Malfoy library night and day, looking over the strongest and most complex protection charms she could find. He had helped his mother a few times, wondering what in Merlin's name she was doing. But however hard he coaxed her, it didn't work. She completely ignored him, reading her books. He never knew she could be so Granger-ish. He shuddered at the thought.

His mother had installed another vault at Gringotts and transferred almost all the money into her name. Of course, he had to sign the papers because his father hadn't given custody to her but to his heir. Talk about trust.

In the end, Professor McGonnagal had purchased Draco's books so he wouldn't have to go out in public for all of Diagon Alley and so forth knew what happened in his 6th year and chances were they would 'do a favor to the community' and get rid of him all together.

Before leaving to Hogwarts though, his mother gave him something.

"Draco, dear," she had said, her hands trembling as she took something out of her pocket, "Give me your hand." She took a small box out and opened it, revealing a ring with a scarlet stone that literally looked like it was on fire because (he assumed) the light made it look like it was moving. The band was silver engraved with two lines weaving together with a decidedly Celtic look.

"Mum, you're not proposing to me are you?" Draco had chuckled lightly, trying to lighten up the mood.

"Draco Malfoy, listen to me." his mother had replied, "This ring here is a Fire Diamond."

"Ook..."

"Draco do you even read?"

"Occasionally." Draco had rolled his eyes.

"This is a special gem, Draco. Especially since I upgraded it."

"You what?"

"I combined several guard spells, Draco Darling. And then I put them on the ring. As long as you wear this ring, it will shield you from all the usual hexes and curses. And, I'm not sure, but it might protect you from some of the...bigger...ones?" his mother had been hesitant, and her face had drained somewhat of color as she said this. "Just wear it, Draco."

"No way! It's Gryffindor scarlet!"

"Draco Malfoy!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Draco Malfoy you will wear it or by Merlin's name I will go up to the Dark Lord and tell him exactly what I think of him." Draco's head had sagged at the proclamation. He knew she'd do it too. With a scowl, he grabbed the box from her.

"Bye, Mum," he bid farewell, gave her a kiss and got on the train. The thing he had realized when he was half way to Hogwarts was that his mother had never mentioned what the 'special' Fire Diamond did without his mother's protection spells..

They told me. Harry told me. Why am I so surprised? Ginny Weasley thought bitterly. They told me they'd leave, so why did I make a fuss about it? I acted like a child!

They had it coming! She argued with herself. They left me here! I could've come with them! I'm old...what I mean is they haven't finished school either!

Ginny knew it wasn't just that. They had hurt her. Harry had broken up with her. They had left her to fend for herself at school. Ron and she had a big fight that ended badly. She had been nasty to her mum at the platform.

It had started at Dumbledore's funeral. Harry had broken up with her then. He played the 'it might get you hurt' card. Figures. Can he be any more Gryffindor-ish? She pretended it didn't bother her because she knew that if he knew she was hurting so much, it would make him hurt too.

Gryffindor-ish much? her snarky inner-voice asked. "Oh shut up!" she told herself.

Then she had a row with her mum on the platform while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were saying goodbye to everyone. Her mum was talking about her and Harry being together, and Ginny said something nasty, announcing to her mum they had broken up. Her mother had worn a wounded expression before saying goodbye.

Then on the train, the Trio told her they were leaving. Which resulted in a huge fight between her and Ron, which included tears, a few punches and quite a few hexes. The Trio had performed some sort of complex magic (and by the Trio, Ginny meant Hermione) which made the whole train go dark and stop with a sudden jerk. No one realized they were walking out the train door. Five minutes of puzzled conductors and then the train started again.

But before they left, Hermione had the nerve to ask her to take care of Crookshanks and to deliver last minute letters to quite a number of people. And even Ron asked her to take care of Pig! And Ron and Harry (she guessed that Hermione made them) asked her to deliver some letters.

She was left for the wolves. Surely Professor McGonnagal counted her students and would be furious once she found out that they were gone. Even if she didn't count, Ginny was sure McGonnagal would notice her Head-Girl missing!

Ginny walked over to the Great Hall's wooden doors, which were unfortunately closed. It meant she was going to draw in a lot of attention.

Well, here I go. Ginny thought, her pocket full of letters.

Ginny opened the doors, and everyone turned to look at her. Her eyes, though, caught sight of a blonde. The blonde turned and made eye contact with a very very very angry Ginny.

Draco Malfoy swore loudly, attracting attention from fellow students in the Great Hall.

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