A Story of the Unrefined

~Chapter 1~

     Draco gazed out the window. His white blonde hair was now a pure white. His blue-gray eyes holding just a spark of what, he used to be.

    "Grandpa, why do I look so much different from everyone else?" Draco was torn from his thoughts as he turned to look into the eyes of his youngest granddaughter. Her brown eyes filled with a hidden fire, but bridged with pain.

    "Come, Catherine." He motioned for the young girl to come closer. Catherine walked hesitantly toward her grandfather. "Catherine, sit down and let me tell you a story." Catherine sat slowly and pulled her scarlet hair back from her face. Draco's face took on a glazed look as he began to think back to so many days ago.

     "It began long before I was born the rivalry between the Weasleys and the Malfoys. My father raised me believing that they were inferior to me, and that they should be treated as such. I agreed with him until the year I turned fifteen. I was walking down one of the many hallways at Hogwarts when I ran into her. We were both late for our classes and neither of us were watching where we were going. Books and papers went flying. I stood and brushed myself off and I was about to say something, quite rude, when I saw that famous Weasley hair, but when her eyes met mine, I knew that it no longer mattered to me. A piece of her red hair fell in her face and I reached out my hand and pushed it behind her ear. She looked up in shock, but never said a word. She stood then and began to reach for her things. I had already gathered my own, and I reached for a piece of her parchment and our hands brushed."

     Catherine watched the wistful expression on her grandfather's face and suddenly she felt herself being pulled into that moment. That time.

     "Thank you." Ginny gave a small smile. Draco nodded and kept forcing the emotion from his face.

    "Well, I guess this makes me later then I already was for class." Draco looked toward her. "What class do you have?"

    "Potions." She grimaced.

    "Come." Ginny raised her eyebrows, but followed him. He walked with her down to the dungeons and opened the classroom door.

    "Professor Snape." Snape looked up from his lesson. "Yes."

    "I was sent down here with Miss Weasley. We were both held by Madame Pomfrey and I was asked to make sure Miss Weasley was excused for her tardiness."

    "Certainly." Snape nodded curtly for Ginny to take a seat and closed the door as Draco left.

     Draco walked toward his room. He didn't take the time to go to class. He had gotten Ginny out of trouble and he knew Professor Snape would do the same for him.

     It would be months before he came into contact with her again.

     The school year was ending and amidst the packing and regular grooming of the five girls. Chaos was all around the room. Ginny had packed the night before, knowing what the morning would bring. She pulled the brush through her auburn hair one last time and set off for one last walk around the grounds, so she could have just a few moments of peace and quiet.

     Unbeknownst to her, Draco had already escaped the chaos of his own common room and was lounging in a nearby tree.

     It has become a way of escape for him. Home wasn't what everyone thought it was for him. His father had never physically harmed him, the truth was, his father had never even touched him, unless trying to impress people in public. It had become the normal way of life for him. His mother tried her best to show a bit of compassion, but she had begun to pull herself away from him the day he was born, and with each passing year, she drifted further and further away.

     Draco watched her as she finally sat down beside the lake after walking around it twice. He almost laughed as she slowly took off her shoes and dipped her feet into the water. He smiled at her little squeak of "ow," when a fish nibbled on her toe. As she slipped on her shoes once more, she turned as if she could feel his eyes on her, but he couldn't break his stare. She looked so childlike, so carefree. He hadn't seen her so at peace in days. He often just thought the stress of her family was getting to her, like his often did as well, although he pictured for quite different reasons.

     Ginny's eyes finally captured his own, and she gave a hint of a smile. She had been kind of hoping to see him before she left, but she couldn't have really told anyone way, should they have asked. She worried about him, part of her often wondered if he was ok, and it terrified her a bit. Not that long ago she would have rather spit in his face then let him open his mouth and now, now there was just something. It was something she just couldn't explain away.

     He kept a straight face as she smiled at him, and kept it even as she walked away. He stored away that memory, the memory of an innocent smile, that was actually given to him. It seemed so odd to his way of thinking to believe that something that insignificant could matter so much to him, but it did.

     Day's drifted slowly by. Ginny's summer was listless. Her older brother's had all moved out, leaving only herself and Ron. Fred and George had indeed opened their joke shop, while it was only small at the moment, they were certain sales would increase. Her father had gotten a promotion at his job, so they had more money coming in, and with only the two kids still at home, the family was doing quite well. At the beginning of August, Harry had arrived. Hermione was off with her family in Spain, and of course was diving into the history of the place. Ginny was surprised to find herself at ease with Harry. She was no longer tripping over her tongue every time she saw, or spoke, to him. It even seemed to set Ron off balance for a time, he was a bit scared to see her growing up, she was still supposed to be his "little" sister.