Only the Ring Finger Knows
By Lizzie
A/N: I'm putting off my FFVII Seph/Vin fic for this one, because this idea wouldn't leave me alone (and no one's reviewed the latest chapter…). It's directly taken from a manga of the same name by Satoru Kannagi. No plagiarism is intended; I'm just using the concept. So don't sue! I'm a poor vampire (phlebotomist)!
Story concept belongs to Satoru Kannagi (with tweaking by me to suit my purposes)
Characters belong to J.K. Rowling
Thank you, and enjoy!
Prologue
The war had been grueling. More people had lost their lives than I'd care to remember, on both sides of the conflict. In the end, it had come down to Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hermione, Malfoy, Snape and me against Voldemort and a handful of his Death Eaters. It had been an unspoken agreement that the others would take care of the Death Eaters, leaving me to deal with the Dark Lord myself. I knew that Dumbledore was watching to make sure that I wouldn't be left alone in the event of an emergency, but I still resented the fact that everyone assumed that I was the only one who could defeat the Dark Lord. Perhaps I was, but we'll never know, because no one ever tried.
I know that I sound bitter right now, but I suppose it's to be expected. I don't really resent anyone now, I've gotten over those feelings, but I look back and find that everything that had been done was to ensure that I would be the one to face Voldemort. The whole wizarding world had really placed all of their eggs in my basket, and truthfully they're lucky that I didn't break them.
In the end, it hadn't been an Avada Kedavra that had killed Voldemort, not directly at least. I had tried many times to aim the killing curse at his foul visage, but he had blocked them each time. I was starting to lose the hope that he could be killed at all, and I was starting to feel fatigued from all the energy I'd been using both attacking and defending. Voldemort was rapidly gaining the upper hand, and I'll never forget the look of glee on his face as he hit me with a particularly nasty curse.
I had doubled over in pain, it was one of the most exquisitely painful moments of my life, and for a moment I thought that Voldemort was going to finish me then and there. When it didn't happen immediately, I looked up. He was standing two feet from me, a sadistic gleam in his creepy eyes, his wand pointed at me. I knew at that moment that I was going to die, and there was nothing that I could possibly do about it.
At that point, a happy accident occurred. Malfoy, in his infinite wisdom (please ignore my sarcasm), decided then to try and heal me. I assume that he was trying to heal me, at least. But, in the heat of the moment, his aim was off, and the brunt of the spell struck Voldemort rather than me. I got some of the residual effects, making the pain of the curse lessen, and Voldemort got a chest full of positive energy.
I suppose that it was the fact that it was positive energy to his negative energy that did it. He stumbled backwards, clutching at his chest as if he were in the throes of a heart attack, and nearly tripped over a rock behind him. I used his vulnerability to my advantage, and gathered the rest of my energy around myself to be drawn on as I cast the final spell of the final battle in the largest wizarding war in nearly three centuries.
I find it funny that I cast an Unforgivable, and have not been prosecuted for it. It just shows you the double standard of the laws. People will overlook the breaking of laws as long as the result is favorable for the powers that be.
When I confronted Malfoy after the battle's end to thank him for saving my life and the rest of the world, he merely sneered at me in typical Malfoy fashion. I believe his exact words to me then were "Merely looking out for my own survival, Potter." I hardly should have been surprised considering our history and his attitude.
All this happened during the spring of our sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
My story happened during our seventh year of school.
After the war, things were both the same and different. Classes went on as if nothing had happened out of the ordinary, though those classes were missing some familiar faces. Casualties of war. Those that were still attending looked somewhat the worse for wear. Ron, for example, wore a continually saddened face – his brother Percy was lost on a Death Eater raid of the Ministry of Magic, and Bill was in a magical coma in St. Mungo's due to a curse he fell to. I could empathize, and often comforted the redhead when he succumbed to the overwhelming feelings of sadness he experienced. Hermione was a huge help with him when I was feeling under the weather myself.
There were examples of such changes all over the school, but overall none were very drastic. War had changed things, changed people, but it was for the better. It brought out the natural resilience known to humankind, the adaptability that had made it possible for the survival of the species. Of course, there were a couple of exceptions to the changes. Some were not small; some were not for the better. The biggest exception was Draco Malfoy. I swear, I didn't think that the boy had it in him.
It seems that in the months since the end of the war, Malfoy had gotten an attitude adjustment. It started showing itself toward the summer holidays of our sixth year, and apparently it stuck. At first, people were wary of the 'new and improved' Malfoy, and generally steered clear of him. Especially the Gryffindors understandably, he had been a great git to them for most of six years.
When his attitude didn't change after the summer, people reluctantly started trusting that it was permanent. Some of the rumors I heard about his change of heart were that he no longer had to worry about impressing his father, or the Dark Lord, or other such drivel. I myself thought that he was biding his time, planning something spectacular (because nothing Malfoy does is ever mediocre). I didn't trust him one bit.
But I had my reasons.
After-chapter noteage: Well there's a start at least. A setting-the-stage chapter. Is it unreasonable to withhold the next part until after I've received at least 5 reviews? Maybe, maybe not, but I want reviews, dammit! So do so, reviewing brings faster chapters!