Chapter One

I stared down at the small stick and was mortified that it read "Pregnant."

What was I to do when I was seventeen and the father of my now baby-to-be had dumped me because of a marital contract. I knew he still loved me… deep down… somewhere… but he had broken my heart.

Only three people had known about the relationship. The whole deal had been kept from the outside world because of what they would say about the youngest Weasley beign courted the only Malfoy.

Maybe it was better that way.

After the disaster during my first year, my family decided I was a disgrace. They didn't communicate or even look at me. Severus Snape became my father… just short of adopting me. I don't know how it happened but I'm glad it did. He has never abandoned me, and never will. He has been there since the beginning and will be here until the end.

Blaise Zabini had been there too. We had become best friends after being partnered for a potions project. I think Severus just wanted me to have a friend my age.

Fifth Year I decided to make a name for myself. I stopped being Harry Potter's girlfriend and Ron Weasley sister. I started to be Ginerva, the Gyffindor who really should be Ravenclaw. Or even Slytherin.

What I didn't know was that I already had a name for myself in a prophecy:

The child of flame

Seven of seven

Will hold power

She will bring peace

To a troubled world.

It was simple. The Weasleys were nicknamed the Fire Children because of our hair. I was the first female born in seven generations and the seventh out of seven children. I had a power… greater than Voldemort or Dumbledore. That was the easy part. The second half was more confusing.

The blood to be spilled

Will change her power

The world will be

In peace forever.

What was that supposed to be? The world was being completely turned around. I had heard the prophecy but hadn't recognized that it had meant me.

My world changed after my Fourth Year and the incident at the Ministry. After that episode, I decided it would be the last time I followed Harry on one of his insane and pointless missions.

I had gone for a walk that summer. That's when I met him. He was dark, suspicious, handsome and young. When he approached me he seemed alluring but beautiful. That was when I figured he was a Vampire.

This glorious creature pushed me up against a wall but I wasn't begging or fighting. He stopped.

"Why, child, are you not scared? You know you will die."

"Yes, I will die. You are just making it easier for me. I did not mean to survive the night." The still emotion of my voice confused the vampire.

"Well then you will come out alive, child. But you will be marked." He whipped his head and bit my neck. He only took a mouthful of my blood. That was all he needed. "You are my child. Your power will be mine. You will be changed on your seventeenth birthday. Until then you will be protected."

That's when my world went black.

When I awoke I was back to my room in the Burro. I had a new life. Something to look forward to. So I went on with two small scars on my neck as keepsakes.

I started my Fifth Year as a new person.

Choosing to avoid my brother, the know-it-all, and scar head made little difference as they wouldn't leave me alone. I stiffly said goodbye to my mother at the train because she was clearly focused on Harry, not her own daughter. I was over it. She had chosen her favorites long ago. I climbed aboard an empty compartment by myself.

Automatically after closing the door, I locked and warded it. I would've stayed alone except the Slytherin Prince's man whore showed up and attempted to pass my wards. I let him in because he was a sweetheart when he wanted to be. Blaise Zabini slid into my compartment and swagger over to the seat across from me.

"May I help you with something, Zabini?"

He looked at me and slid his eyes from my chest to my eyes.

"See something you like?"

He seemed surprised, "Of course I see something I love, babe." There was a slight pause. He shifted into his polite form, "How was your summer?" He was quickly turning into the Blaise I loved.

"Not bad." My mind flickered to the marks on my neck, "Boring really. I had to deal with Mum worrying over the scarhead the whole time. How about you?" We settled into a comfortable conversation for the first half of the ride. If Blaise went missing for too long Malfoy would come looking. I loved Blaise. He was one of my best friends. It was popular knowledge that Malfoy loved sex and that he tended to get whoever he wanted. But when times were tough for Malfoy he had a select few to turn to and one of them was Blaise.

The rest of the journey was quiet for Ginerva. The days at Hogwarts would start slow but by late November life took a turn.

***

November 16th

Dear Diary,

I can't help it, it's like Malfoy is following me. I am also incredibly bored. I have read and practically memorized all the books in the library. But seriously, Malfoy is following me.

My power has grown so that I no longer have to think about things that I want. They just happen. My teachers are amazed. It's a good thing that Dumbledor has given me a room of my own as the magic is out of control. Things keep moving, shifting, changing.

The nightmares from first year are back.

I have to go. Yea for dinner. That means dealing with my brother and Malfoy. Woo.

Love, Gin

***

As Ginerva slid into the great hall for dinner she felt five pairs of eyes on her. Only one was welcome. Blaise came to the rescue as he glided over from Slytherin and for the first time in public was nice to Ginerva. He took her hand and kissed it before leading her to the Slytherin table. All the eyes in the Great Hall were on them. Everyone was waiting for the explosion from Ron.

"What are you doing, Blaise?" Ginerva hissed in Zabini's direction. "I'm doing you a favor. Ron plans to embarrass you and make you drop out of your advanced classes. He doesn't like that everything comes so easily to you." Blaise did care for Ginerva as if she were his own little sister.

When they reached the Slytherin table Blaise steered Ginerva to a spot between himself and Malfoy. There was a momentary pause from Malfoy then he said, "Hey, Red. Bit far from your place now aren't we? At least you choose well." He winked and turned back to his previous conversation. That was the breaking point for Ron. The teachers were paying attention but acting as if they weren't. Severus was the first to realize what was about to take place.

Ron and Harry flew from their seats and sped across the Great Hall drawing wands as they went. Severus moved from his seat and made for the unsuspecting trio at the Slytherin table. Severus met the Gryffindor boys just as they were arriving at the table.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley," he hissed, "Having your wands drawn means that you intend to do magic and since we're not in class I must assume that your purpose is to harm another student." He pursed his lips as he watched their reaction. "I think it would be proper and fitting for you serve detention with me tomorrow around six o'clock, don't you? Yes, now then ten points from Gryffindor each I believe and return to your seats to finish your food as you will need your strength for what I intend for you to do tomorrow evening." He then glided to the Slytherin table.

"Miss Weasley, follow me." To Ginerva he seemed scary and, for a second, almost mad. As if sitting at the Slytherin table made her an outcast and a traitor.

"Professor, she is not a problem… we were just sitting here eating. If anyone should be in trouble it's me for dragging over here." Blaise was trying to not to make a scene so he whispered the message but Severus said rather clearly, "Miss Weasley and I are merely going to talk about her performance in my class. Now I suggest that you return to your dinner and worry for yourself."

"It's alright, Blaise. I'll see you later."

Ginerva gracefully left her seat and followed Severus out the Great Hall. He led her down in the dungeons and toward his office. They didn't stop in his office, however, and proceeded into his private chamber. Ginerva and Severus had become close after her first year. Severus was the only person who would talk or listen to her after the whole ordeal with the Dark Lord. She went and slipped into a chair by the fire. Severus produced two glasses of wine and some food for her. Severus allowed Ginerva to eat before starting the conversation.

"You haven't come to talk lately. Is something the matter?" Normally she was in his office three to four nights a week. Talking to Severus was like talking to a father that cared, not to mention present. A father that loved her.

"I haven't been able to. My time has been packed with the full schedule of classes." She was indubitably the brightest and most successful witch of her generation. She shined with very little effort, which is why Severus knew she was lying.

"I would have thought you were doing fine. I must be wrong about your straight A's and bored expression. I have spoken with every member of the staff and they say that you're the only student with every assignment turned in whether it was assigned or not." He paused to read her expression, "Not to mention they all say you get everything right on the first try and your essays are always twice the assigned length.

"So, Ginerva. What's the real reason?"

Ginerva sat still. She didn't know if it was necessary for Severus to know about the vampire encounter from the summer. Or about how every time she cut herself, she'd heal straight away. She was confused, scared and astonished.

"Sev, believe me when I say I can't tell you. You just have to let things run their course."

"Alright then. How about sitting with Zabini and Malfoy?" His eyebrows rose in curiosity. He had not seen her since the beginning of term.

"Blaise is my friend. He wanted to eat dinner with me. Plus my brother and his buddy have been a real pain lately. He was just trying to protect—"

"By 'protecting' you he has placed you in worse danger than before." Severus interrupted. It was true that by sitting at the Slytherin table she had made new enemies. But along with those enemies came friends. Malfoy accepted her and therefore all the other Slytherins would accept her.

Ginerva changed the subject and Severus got the hint. They continued for a couple hours. On her way up to the tower she ran into Blaise who was patrolling the halls like a good little prefect.

"Well, well… if you weren't so lovely I'd have to put you in detention with your brother and scarhead." He smirked slightly at the name.

Ginerva just kept walking knowing that what Zabini was doing was just to see some emotion. He quickly figured out that she wasn't in the mood.

"So, darling, I'm sorry if you got into trouble with Snape. I didn't think that big of an issue. Well, I knew it would but…" He was rambling. Blaise tended to ramble when he didn't know how to go about doing something. Apologizing was one of those things.

"Blaise it's fine I swear. Don't worry about it. I have to go write an essay for tomorrow."

"Ok, love. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure." Ginerva took off toward her room loving the fact that she didn't need to go to the common room where she knew Harry and Ron would be waiting.

The first few months of school had been calm. It now seemed to Ginerva that this was the calm before the storm. A storm that would change Ginerva and her life forever.