Chapter 1 - Memory Lane

~Dark's POV~

I was walking along the uneven cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley, the sound of the usual school-time chaos around me. I made my way to Flourish and Blotts, pushing through the crowds, trying to get a way into the bustling book shop without being turned on my ass. I finally made it through the crowd, I walked into the bookstore. I would have thought that the store would be more crowded, but I was wrong. It was way less crowded. I walked around, first getting my books I need and paying for them. Then I went to the back of the shop to look at other books to just read during free time.

I wasn't watching where I was going and I accidently bumped into someone.

"I'm so sorry." I laughed nervously.

"My bad," she said, blushing softly. "I didn't watch where I was going; I was buried." She held up a thick, leather-bound book and smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, It's okay. We are both at fault," I said, laughing. "Hey, what is your name? My name is Emily Isabella, but I go by Dark," I said, introducing myself.

"I'm Lydia. But my friends call me Envy," she said with a shy smile. Her large, round, olive-green eyes were bright with what seemed to be nervousness.

"Nice to meet you, Envy," I said with a big grin as I stuck out my hand. "Wanna be friends?"

She looked shocked at this, as if someone had asked her to dip herself in acid. "I... I guess."

"Awesome. Don't worry; you will get used to my randomness," I said while laughing.

She smiled sheepishly. "Okay.," she said, tucking a stray strand of dark red hair behind her ear.

"I love your hair by the way," I said. "What house are you in?"

"Thank you," she said softly. "I'm a Ravenclaw." She beamed proudly when she said this. "What House are you in? I don't know if we've ever met before."

"Oh, me? I am in Slytherin," I said as a big smirk crossed my features. "I eat Ravenclaws for dinner," I said jokingly.

She looked interested by this. "A Slytherin? I don't think I've ever actually spoken to a Slytherin before," she said. "And I wouldn't want to eat me; I probably taste like dusty old books and ink." She winked.

My smirk grew bigger as she said that. "Oh, don't worry, Envy. That's my favorite taste," I purred to her, winking.

A flush bloomed on her cheeks, turning almost as red as her hair. She turned her face away, hiding behind her book. When she finally looked at me, she was still blushing, but looked more composed. "Um... How interesting."

"Oh? You think so?" I winked as I kissed her cheek.

She turned even redder, and her eyes widened. "Um... I... I-I should p-probably get going," she stammered as she headed towards the door. "My mum is waiting for me; I'll see you around I guess."

And with that, she dashed out the door, the bell tinkling behind her. I stood there, watching the door long after she had gone, trying to figure out what just happened. I tilted my head slightly. I turned towards the books and looked through them even though I wasn't paying attention to any of the books at all.

I continued down the row of books when I accidently bumped into someone. I almost fell over as said person did not almost catch me. I looked at said person in the eyes. I couldn't tell who it was at first. It was a male with the most gorgeous gray eyes that were filled with pain and sorrow.

And loneliness?

"Thank you," I said to him as he held me a little too long.

"You're welcome," He said to me in return, I gave a small smile.

He looked familiar, but I couldn't put a name to his beautiful face.

"What is your name?" He asked me as I blushed realizing that he was talking to me.

"Emily Ashley Isabella. What is your name?" I asked him back as I blushed.

"Draco Malfoy. Wait, do you have a nickname by 'Dark'?" He asked as I realized who this was.

"DRAY!" I shouted as I wrapped my arms around his neck, crying softly out of happiness.

"Darky.. I have missed you so much," he said as he hugged me, rubbing my back. After a while I stopped crying and looked him the eyes.

"I missed you, too, Dray," I said to him as he helped dry my tears away.

"Draco!" I heard a male voice call.

"I have to go. I will see you at school," Draco said as he kissed my cheek. I looked at him.

"Yeah, see you at school in the common room," I said as I watched him walk down the hall and hearing the jingle of the door. I knew he walked out of the store, but I didn't understand why he kissed my cheek. He never did when we were kids.

I walked out with the books I already bought and walked to the last store I had left.

Buying cat food and owl food for my owl and cat. I had a beautiful black with blue streaked furred cat waiting at home for me. The brown owl that also waited for me was once my mother's. My step-mom, aka my aunt, let me keep her. Surprisingly they let me keep my lovely cat. I have had my cat since I started school and since he was kitten.

After I got what I needed, I met up with my aunt at Three Broomsticks for lunch. I told my aunt I finished shopping and I was hungry. We got lunch and ate in silence.

My aunt and I barely talked anymore. Ever since her brother, my dad, died in a bad accident.. She began to shut me out. I reminded her of my father to much. My father was killed by Death Eaters. Apparently, my uncle leaves the house occasionally and won't come back until a few weeks later.

I wonder what he does while he is gone. I once heard my uncle talking to someone named Tom. I wasn't sure who that was, but my birthday is coming up soon. I'll be 17. Draco seemed to be the same age too. So did Envy...

I sighed and I realised I was back at home. I was so lost in thought that I was still standing outside the protective ward around my new home. I looked up at the house, well mansion really, and looked at the lights flickering inside. I walked inside and walked to my room.

We lived out in the country away from people. My aunt and uncle don't like people. They have a personal tutor that teaches me about the muggle world, because they wanna act like I am muggle, so we blend in more. I wish I had friends here, but I don't.

My room was painted purple when I was very little, my bed sits in the middle of my room. On either side of my bed is a nightstand, my trunk tucked under my bed. I have a tv in my room because they hardly want me out of my room. My closet is a walk-in closet and I also have a dresser for my parents things. They let me have some of their things at least. I had a picture of my mom, my dad, Draco, and I at my 5th birthday party, sitting on my dresser.

That is how I let those three live on in my memory. I barely remember them, I hardly remember their voices. I was happy I saw Dray. I sat on my bed, thinking and pondering on what to do next.

Lydia
I had been having the strangest day of my life. It all began when I went into Flourish and Blotts; I had gone in to get the few new books I needed for school, and ended up with my nose in an entirely different book, although that wasn't unusual. I was lost in the volume, which was detailing the origins and history of wandlore, a subject that had always deeply fascinated me.
And then it just got strange from there.
I was walking between the shelves, reading notes that were personally added to the book by Ollivander himself, when I smacked right into someone. I looked up in horror to see who I had run into, and saw someone that I wasn't sure I had ever seen before. Well, I had seen her before, but I had never spoken with her, and could never place who she was, or what her name was. She had long, deep black hair and bright blue eyes. She wore mostly black, and looked just as startled by our collision as I was.
She introduced herself as Emily, but asked me to call her Dark instead. For some reason, I found myself telling her that my friends liked to call me Envy. I'm not sure why I shared this with her; but she did share her nickname, after all. It seemed only fair for me to do the same. I thought it would be rude, otherwise.
Again, things got stranger from that point on. The conversation started off as polite and simple; she asked what House I was in, and I obligingly told her that I was a proud Ravenclaw, as if my being buried in the book weren't indication enough. And then she proceeded to... well... to flirt with me. I was filled with embarrassment, and made a complete fool of myself, blushing and running from the store, my hand pressed to my cheek where her soft lips had grazed the skin there. I knew I was still as red as a tomato when I found mum walking out of the apothecary as I made my way down the street.
"Lydia, darling; why are you so flushed?" She asked, taking in the sight of my bright red cheeks. "And why were you walking so quickly? Are you alright?"
I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yes, of course. Someone... someone set off a dung bomb in one of the alleys I was walking near; it was just awful," I said, feeling awful for the lie. But I simply couldn't tell her what had really happened I could barely process it myself.
"Well there's no need to be so dramatic about it, is there?" She shook her head. "Teenagers. Anyhow, you can go off on your own for a bit to get anything else you need; I'm going to take Jason to go get fitted for his robes. Meet us at Florean's; we'll have some ice cream, before we finish up."
I smiled and nodded. "Will do. See you later, mum."
With that, she walked off with my brother, leaving me on my own. I started out towards the end of the alley before I remembered that I left the book about wandlore at Flourish and Blotts. I headed back in that direction, praying for my reputation's sake that Emily had left by then. When I walked to the door, however, I saw that she was still there, but no longer alone, as I had left her.
I saw her in the arms of the handsome and devilish Draco Malfoy, much to my surprise. What would she be doing with someone like him? The sight gave me a shock. I wasn't sure how to react; although I didn't have much time to decide, either, because before I knew it, he was heading towards the door. I flattened myself against the wall and put my head down, as if looking like a complete nutter could save me at this point.
After he walked past, I waited for Emily to leave the store; I didn't want to confront her just now- not after the way I had run out on her. I needed to gather my thoughts, anyway; what was I going to say about my behavior? There was nothing I could say without sounding like a prat, really, so I settled for avoiding her and saying nothing at all. I wasn't sure if that was worse, but I settled to ignore that, as well.
I was just full of bad ideas, today it seemed.
Finally, after an agonisingly long moment, she left the shop, her purchases in hand, and headed the opposite direction. I watched her walk away from me, her books tucked into their little bag on her arm, and wondered just what I had gotten myself into with her.
I walked into the shop, the scent of books surrounding me; a spicy perfume of parchment, ink, leather and age- it made me dizzy for a moment, as it always did. It brought an instant smile to my face. I made my way through the place, going between the high, stuffed shelves and the patrons browsing them, until I found the book I had dropped lying prone on the floor, looking lost while not in a shelf or someone's eager hands. No matter, though; those eager hands would be my own.
I picked up the book, gently smoothing out the pages, and brought it to the counter. Truthfully, I had already purchased my textbooks; I had just felt the need to see what else I could get from here with my spare money. It pleased me to know that I had enough for the book.
After being rung up, I took my neatly wrapped new book and headed back out into the street. The gears in my head were still churning, however, as I walked through the crowds. Even the excitement of my new book couldn't distract me from what had just taken place here earlier. I replayed the interaction between Emily and Draco in my head on a loop as I walked through the crowds, making my way to meet mum. It was all so strange; she didn't seem like the type to be hanging around with someone like Draco Malfoy... But then again, I had only just met her. And, not to give in to stereotypes, but she was a Slytherin... Still. There was the wondering.
As I met with mum and Jason for ice cream, I put it out of my mind. It seemed to silly; worrying over some girl that I had only just met. So, against my better judgment and my Ravenclaw curiosities, I put it to rest for the moment, and enjoyed the afternoon with my family.
I would soon learn, however, that there was no such thing as simply putting Emily away.