Phoenix and the Dragon

By: babykelyse

A/N: First I'd like to say a big THANK-YOU to Kermit for helping me with my story and beta-ing it for me :) This chapter will be so much better than the others now that I have her extra set of eyes :D Anywho, sorry this update was so long in coming. I've been really busy with school starting back and I have finals this coming Tuesday plus this chapter took me about 3 days to write because I was running out of ideas :/ But, my creative juices are back to flowing I'm glad to say :) Also, as much as I hate to admit it, this story is finally coming to a close :( I've enjoyed writing it and I hope you all enjoyed reading it. I'm trying to stretch it out to 20 chapters, but if that's not possible, it will most likely be 17 or 18 chapters....WITH an epilogue. Yayyyyy lol Anyway, I'm done rambling. On with the next chapter!

Author Responses: Kermit- You are an angel among people! lol Thank you SO much for beta-ing this story for me and hopefully you'll be beta-ing my other story I already have in the making :) Krystal1989- I'm glad you're enjoying this story so well :) Hopefully you'll enjoy this new chapter :D Kyouryoku Shin- Thank you! I hope you'll like this new chapter :) tstarr31113- I understand that certain people like to expect the same things in fanfiction as they do in the books, but with my stories how Harry, Ron, and Hermione the general 'good guys' turn out is the way they stay. I don't like to go mostly by the book mainly because I believe that is boring and it doesn't bring a different perspective to a fanfic. In this case...Harry isn't the hero and he's not going to be the hero. The same goes with Ron and Hermione. This story isn't focusing on them, but mainly Draco and Ginny with them making a few appearances. I'm sorry if any of this offends you or upsets you, but its where I stand and will stand. PowerPunk- Wow...that is an odd coincidence and a cool one too! lol Anyway, I'm glad you liked my story :) AJ- I'm glad you're liking it so far :)

Chapter 16

Recalling the Past

Draco carefully fingered the potion that was hidden in his pocket as he watched Lord Vittorio run his purple eyes over everyone in the room. His penetrating eyes blazed bright lavender when they reached Ginny and she burrowed into Draco unconsciously as the rage and hatred deepened in his eyes. He had a look of madness about him. His dark robes billowed around his prone form as his silver hair whipped around his face in strands from the light breeze coming from the window.

He wasn't a deformed creature as many thought. He was, in fact, quite good-looking, and had been a Royal of the court some many years ago, back in Genevieve's time. He had an aristocratic face, with strong features and hypnotizing purple eyes. His death white hair cascaded down his back and lightly brushed the floor like a feather. Gently, Draco set Ginny on her feet, and when she looked up at him with questioning eyes, he just gave her waist a squeeze.

"You'll not get out of thissss one alive, Princesss. I've waited long for my revenge, and I will have it!"

As Lord Vittorio raged, Draco carefully snuck the vial out of his robes and had managed to uncork it, when Lord Vittorio looked his way. Draco smirked at him and tipped the green liquid into his waiting mouth. Suddenly the ground began to shake and Draco reached for Ginny's hands, holding them tightly within his own. A tingling sensation swept across Draco's body and he looked over to see a faint white glow around Ginny. Both she and Draco looked on in wonder as the bruises and cuts faded from Ginny's skin. Her broken arm seemed to right itself, without causing Ginny any pain. The long gash on her side closed back up leaving only fresh, rosy skin in its place. Finally, the bruises from Ginny's beautiful face faded, and her hair and body were now cleansed of the dry blood.

Ginny and Draco felt themselves being lifted in the air and each clutched the other's hands tightly as if they were afraid of losing each other. Both felt a ripple in their stomachs and looked on in wonder as the two souls that had been placed in their body months ago emerged and enlarged. The souls took form and each floated in front of Draco and Ginny. The dark red cloud, which had come from deep inside Ginny, placed her hand upon Ginny's forehead. A sharp tingle began to fill Ginny, but instead of reeling from it, she reveled in it. Her dirty robes were now replaced with a gown of pure white and fiery red wings sprouted from her back. Her hair was now a deep blood red, and her eyes were no longer the chocolate color, but also a matching blood red.

A long, silver sword now graced her side and a small dagger was hidden inside her dress. The mysterious soul removed her hand from Ginny's forehead and then re-submerged herself into Ginny, becoming one with her again. Ginny shivered as the age-old power filled her to the core. As Ginny's transformation was taking place, so was Draco's. The silver cloud placed his hand upon Draco's forehead and Draco felt an icy tingle race his way up his spine. He felt his transformation begin and he smirked. His robes were now replaced with shiny silver armour and the sword, given to him by Genevieve some months before, now graced his side. Instead of turning the blue color he normally changed to, his skin remained his nature pale white, but was mixed with a sort of blue tint. His hair now had alternating swirls of dark blue and black mixed in with his white-blond hair. His eyes changed from their normal silver color to a dark blue color with swirls of grey. Lethal looking fangs were now in the place of Draco's teeth. The cloud re-submerged into Draco, becoming one with him as well and he shuddered from the force of the fierce power.

As these transformations were happening, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, looked on in speechless wonder. Ron looked at his baby sister in wonder and finally saw, with his own two eyes, just how grown up she had become. She didn't need his protection anymore; she had herself and Draco now. Ron felt his throat close up in emotion as he finally realized just how capable Ginny was of protecting and looking after herself. He fingered his wand as he watched the hissing man clench his hands in anger. He may not be able to stop him, but he damn sure wasn't going to let anything happen to Ginny.

Ginny and Draco dropped to the floor, their hands going instantly to their swords. Agilely, they circled around Vittorio as he hissed and swiped at them. Draco roared angrily when Vittorio swiped at Ginny and caught her along her arm. Three lethal looking scratches now graced her left arm. Vittorio leaped to where Draco was standing and began a fierce sword match between them. Vittorio swiped the sword towards Draco's midsection and managed to catch him when he stumbled. Draco showed no pain and plunged his sword into Vittorio's leg. While the battle between Vittorio and Draco raged on, Ginny managed to sneak behind Vittorio.

She plunged her sword into Vittorio's arm and forcefully pulled it down. Vittorio's screams were like honey, a sweet syrupy vengeance, to Draco and Ginny's ears as they watched him clutch his arm. Ron threw a curse when Vittorio tried to swipe at Ginny. Ginny smiled gratefully at Ron before refocusing on her current task. Ginny hissed in pain when sharp pelts of Venissura hit her arms and legs from a spell thrown by Vittorio. Before she was able to recover, Ginny felt herself being lifted and was thrown into a stonewall by her side. A ticking spell, thrown by Harry, kept Vittorio from piercing Ginny's with his dagger.

The fight seemed to last for hours with Draco, Ginny and Vittorio all suffering from minor and major cuts and bruises. Vittorio screamed as a ball of flame hit him in the stomach and began eating away at his flesh. Draco smirked as he formed a ball of pure ice in his palm. He watched it swirl for a moment before forcefully throwing it. He watched satisfactorily as it left a large gash on Vittorio's side. Consider that payback, he snarled mentally. Ginny was now in the air, her fiery wings beating at a rapid pace. Twin flames of searing fire graced both her hands and she began to spin slowly around in the air. The flames began to enclose her body and become transparent as she spun faster and faster. Draco watched as the flames made their way up her gown and over her waist and to the top of her head.

Ginny was now covered in a bright orange shield of fire and her wings increased the span of fire even more. Gracefully, she floated down, her sword clutched tightly in her hands. Quickly, Draco moved to Ginny's side and looked over at her. Her body looked to be transparent as the flames brushed over her skin like a lover's caress. The real battle was now beginning. Draco reaffirmed his tight grip on his sword and prepared himself. He deflected a lethal blow Vittorio aimed at his head, and narrowly missed having his side torn wide open when Vittorio swiped at him in a surprise attack. A ball of lightning hit Draco in the chest and he looked up to see Vittorio smirking down at him, his eyes seemingly filled with bolts of lightning.

Another ball of fire flew threw the air and hit Vittorio straight in his back and he howled like a madman. Angrily, he turned to Ginny and began running towards her, his sword high in the air as he prepared to plunge it through her heart. She easily sidestepped him and rammed her sword into his back. He howled again and swiped out at Ginny, this time managing to catch her across the face. She flew backwards toward the stonewall that had been 3 feet behind her and hit it with a loud thud. Before Draco could react, Vittorio had already leaped to where Ginny was now slumped.

"Now you shall die, Princesss. You'll wish you'd never crossed pathsss with me."

Vittorio raised his arms high up, sword in hand, and plunged it down aiming for Ginny's heart.

"Conjunctivitis!"

Draco watched as Vittorio suddenly discarded his sword, which had been hovering a mere few inches above Ginny, and begin to run around in circles. Draco looked over to the three he'd brought along and smirked as he saw Ron lower his wand. He made a mental note to thank the Weasel. Being if they got out of this, of course. Hurriedly, Draco rushed over to Ginny and helped her up. She wobbled slowly on her feet, before finally regaining her balance and her strength. As Vittorio was running into walls, she walked over to Ron and put her palm to his cheek. He flinched at the flames, but calmed when he saw they weren't burning into his skin.

"Thanks, Ron."

He smiled and she looked over to Vittorio, a sneer gracing her delicate features. She looked over to Draco and smiled slightly.

"Let's finish this, shall we?"

He nodded and picked up Vittorio's fallen sword. He walked over to the trio and held it out to Harry. Harry looked at him for a moment before finally reaching out and grabbing the sword. Draco allowed a small smile, a human smile, to grace his lips before finally turning back to Vittorio. He held out his hands and yelled,

"Finite Incantatem!"

A bright light burst from Draco's palm straight at Vittorio. The temporary blinding spell Ron had placed on him lifted allowing Vittorio to see his predicament. He snarled when he saw Harry holding his sword, and Ginny on her feet. Defenseless, he could only watch as Ginny and Draco stalked toward him with lethal looks of pure hatred on both their faces. Draco veered to the right and Ginny veered to the left.

"Pretrificus Totatalus!"

Hermione's spell made Vittorio's body turn rigid and fall to the floor. Draco and Ginny looked over to her, confusion in their eyes.

"He had a very lethal looking dagger there in his boot. I saw him reaching for it when both your eyes were so unknowingly trained on his face." Hermione stated in a matter-of-fact sort of way.

Both looked to where she pointed. Hermione was indeed right. A small, jagged dagger was pulled almost completely from Vittorio's boot.

"Thank you, Mud--Granger."

Hermione smiled at Draco's almost slip-up and replied,

"I always help a friend, Malfoy."

Draco smirked and nodded his head towards Hermione. Ginny is wearing off on me, he thought to himself. Looking back to Vittorio's body, Harry finally spoke up.

"I say we tie him up and treat him like he's treated Ginny. I'll have a go at him third. Rights to Ginny, Draco and Ron first, of course."

Three pairs of eyes stared back at him, astonishment clearly visible in their faces while Draco fought off laughter, and was suddenly caught in a coughing fit.

"What?!"

A/N: I totally forgot to put this at the end of the chapter lol Anyway, this isn't a cliffy...at least I don't think it is at the moment :) Hopefully I'll be getting the next chapter out soon. As always, read, review, and enjoy :) Ciao