A/N: An idea that's been bothering me for the last few days... I even started dreaming up parts of it. Mad, I tell you.

Disclaimer: All licensed characters and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros., Bloomsbury, Scholastic, and their affiliates. I'm not rich enough to buy the copyright to the books yet, unfortunately.

The Breakdown of Innocence

Prolouge

"If you ever get near her again, I will kill you! And I don't mean that as a threat!" Ron barked, after turning the unfortunate fifth-year, Colin Creevey, into several creatures and beating him to a pulp. Ron had found his dear sister Ginny by the lake with a boy. A boy. A person of the opposite gender. Although they were just casually talking as friends, Ron had obviously taken it the wrong way and thought they were in a make-out session.

Colin Creevey, having turned back to a human, frightfully nodded and skidded back to the castle, not minding to look back at the now arguing siblings.

"How could you do that? We were JUST TALKING!" Ginny screamed incredulously.

"Ginny," he said, grabbing her by the shoulders and bending down so he could face her. "Boys his age only have one thing on their mind. You have to be careful."

"I AM careful! Colin is the nicest, sweetest, and most honest guy I know. AND WE'RE JUST FRIENDS! We weren't doing anything!" Ginny yelled through clenched teeth, feeling the helplessness of her situation. Ron would never listen to her. God! Can a person be more narrow minded?

"Gin, listen. I know you are responsible and I trust that you won't do anything... unorthodox. It's just the slimy bastards that you hang out with that I don't trust," Ron said, concerned.

"They are not slimy bastards! They are my friends!"

"Okay, okay. It's just your friends that I don't trust. There are a lot of bad people in this world and--"

"So I can beat YOUR friends to a pulp?"

"There's a difference," Ron said, making an expression. "You're a very sweet and innocent girl, 'ny. Boys usually take advantage of girls like you."

"I AM NOT GOING TO BE RAPED!" Ginny heaved, getting increasingly tired of the repetitive argument.

Ron slightly flinched. "You're still young. I know you think you know enough about this subject, but you have NO IDEA what goes on inside the head of a teenage boy."

"I suppose you should know!"

Ron blushed around the ears. "Look. The point is, if Mum knew that you were..., er, with a boy, she'd have my head. So--"

Ginny smirked. It didn't really suit her pale face. "So all of this worrying about me was because you were worried about your own well-being?"

"No! Gin," he raked a hand through his flaming-red hair, analyzing the subject with deep contemplation. Finally, he settled with a thought. "The world is not a happy place. There are a lot of people who act nice and try to befriend you, but when your back is turned, they immediately backstab you. I've seen it happen before. You can't give your trust to everybody. They're just going to use you and throw you aside like a dirty rag."

Ginny laughed, an annoyed and mirthless laugh. "I think I knew all about the "bad people" when I was, hmm... what was it? Nine? Ten years old?"

"Gin, you know I'm just trying to look out for you--"

Ginny raised a hand, feeling tired and defeated. "Forget it, Ron. You're right. I should be more careful. Sometimes my self-confidence cause me to forget my naivety."

"Ginny...."

She smiled. "I'm just kidding. If you don't want me to take moonlit strolls around the lake, I won't. I'll be a good little girl."

Ron heaved a relieved sigh and grinned madly, ruffling his sister's hair. "Thank God. Let's get back to the castle." He turned around and motioned for Ginny to follow him. He was relieved he had finally gotten through to his sister. Amidst his gaiety, however, he ommited something rather important. Ginny's good humoured smile had been replaced by a scornful sneer after he had turned his back.

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Chapter 1: Corruption

Ginny's Point of View

I sat down at the Gryffindor table. Next to nobody. Speaking to nobody. Acknowledging nobody.... Why? Because I was nobody. I didn't mind. I was used to it. It had been a long time since I last had a friend. Actually... I don't ever remember having a friend. I knew people pitied me.... I always saw my classmates giving me sidelong glances. Their eyes were so full of warm pity.... Screw them. How dare they pity me?! They don't even know me! How can they say that they feel sorry for me!? They don't even know what my life's been like.

I continued poking my breakfast, nauseated by the sight of food. I tried not to think too much about the upcoming day. I could already hear Snape and McGonagall's taunting yelling. I could already feel my body shaking and my tears well up in my eyes. I tried to think of something else to cover the sense of foreboding. I looked around. I was alone. I could feel everyone's mocking sneer and hear their laughs. I had long ago learned to ignore the word 'embarrassment', but by doing so, I had lost all my pride. The trade was well worth it, though.

When I felt somebody weighing down the bench next to me, I didn't have to look up. It was them. The Dream Team. The only trio that would utter a word to me or at least sit less than two meters away from me.

"'Morning, Gin!" Ron cried, happily.

I forced a smile. "'Morning."

They continued their conversation. With nothing else to do, I tried to listen in. After all, Ron's words rung in her ears, ... you can hang out with us....

"...Crookshanks's been really fidgety lately. The only time she's ever been like that was in third year when Peter Petti--" Hermione stopped short, hands clasped over her mouth and eyes wide.

I got the hint.

I smiled and asked if I could be excused. They didn't respond, so I just left. So much for hanging out.... As if I was really interested in what they were saying, anyway. With no where left to go, I decided to go to the only physical place close enough to a sanctuary--my dorm. I took my time in walking back to my quarters. I wouldn't have anything to do there, anyway, so why not idle?

The incident that morning kept replaying in my head. I told you. I have no life. I keep thinking about the most useless things. But I couldn't help it. I kept seeing Hermione's face turn to horror when she reached a topic she didn't want me to hear. I keep being left out. I knew I would never be a part of their group, but do they have to keep rubbing it in my face every fucking day?!

My stride had quickened to a sprint by then, and I only stopped when something caught my eye, or nose, rather. I slowed down to a stop. I sniffed the air again. A very familiar fragrance filled it. It was a smoky one. It smelled like some sort of burning herbs. I searched the source of it and found it emitted from a small, abandoned classroom. It was inevitable, I guess, when I looked back to the event. I had stumbled upon a group of Hogwarts students... smoking. Mariquana. Of course, that was not the only drug they used.

I was not scared, surprisingly. They all turned their heads towards me as I entered. Their expressions were of shock or scorn, I didn't know. Nor rather cared, for that matter. There was a congregation of about 12 or so Slytherins. Of course, seeing a Gryffindor enter their threshold surprised them, but seeing a scrawny, pale, defenseless red-head girl enter made them laugh at their initial surprise.

I don't exactly remember how it took off from there. All that crossed my mind at the time was a single thought. This was an escape.... I had bravely walked up to them and asked for a smoke. They sneered and obliged--probably gleeful at the idea of corrupting a Gryffindor.

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A/N: *earnestly* Like it? PLEASE REVIEW and tell me what you think of it. I really need some ideas and feedback. Thx for reading, btw!