Disclaimer : I profit from nothing. I own nothing, but the plot. I wish I owned Draco Malfoy, but I could not be so lucky :(

The brisk wind whipped his face as he dove through the air, swirling lazily high above the empty pitch. Draco dove down and quickly pulled out of the maneuver, the toes of his boots skimming the ground as he glided easily across the arena that was familiar territory to him. Pulling back and leaning low against the polished wood handle, he kicked off the ground hard and took to the sky once more. The clouds were heavy and would make it hard to see for a less experienced flier, as would the mist that was thick in the air. Even through his layers of clothes it bit at his skin and sent goosebumps running down his arms and legs.

Winter was upon them and that was just fine with the blonde paused high above the ground. It was actually his favorite time of year. He'd never tell anyone, but it was the only time of year his family actually acted like a family. Like normal people. The decorated the manor in lights and ornaments, had a huge tree that he and his father picked out and he and his mother decorated. There was a feast prepared and family he didn't even know he had came to visit and enjoy the holidays.

No, Draco Malfoy would never admit it, but he loved winter. His other favorite part about it was the snow. He loved to wake up to the grounds blanketed in white. Flawless, pure … everything that the world itself wasn't. He always pretended to hate snowball fights, and sledding and all the usual childhood winter activities; truth was he loved them. Lost in thought he continued to fly, feeling the cold air whoosh past his ears. That was until he felt the cold mist turn into solid chunks and they began sticking to his cold flushed cheeks and platinum lashes.

As his lips pulled into a rare smile, Draco began to cut through the air with renewed vigor, the snow getting heavier, the flakes larger. He was doing some rather impressive moves when he realized he wasn't the only one enjoying the winter weather. A shock of red stood out on the frozen ground below, which was now covered in a thin dusting of white. Having not been noticed yet, Draco flew out of the person's sight and swooped low to the ground. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that the figure on the ground was a Weasley, though he wasn't sure which one of them it was. Staying in the shadows of the stands and changing rooms, Draco watched to see who it was.

Ginny Weasley stood there bundled up in a heavy cloak, no doubt a hand me down from one of her brothers from the fact that the hem dragged on the wet ground. She had a dark green scarf with purple trim wrapped several times around her neck, and a matching hat on top of her head. He cheeks were bright pink with the cold, as was the tip of her nose. Draco watched as she stared up at the gray sky and began to spin in lazy circles, sticking her tongue out as she did this.

Getting off his broom he slung it over his shoulder and walked toward the girl, leaving the sanctuary of the shadows. She was completely unaware he was there as she seemed to be fully lost in her twirling routine. She looked so peaceful, so happy. In true Malfoy fashion, Draco packed a snowball tight as the younger redhead spun around and around, her eyes on the clouds, her arms stuck out to her sides. Waiting for the opportune moment, he threw it hard when she had her back to him, nailing her in the upper back. He watched as the compacted powder burst on her cloak, the force of it making her stop dead.

He was holding back laughter when she turned to face him, her features contorted with shock and confusion. Trying to shake the snow off of her back, so it didn't melt there, she glared at him. "What in the bloody hell was that for, Malfoy?"

"For my entertainment, Weasley. Why else?"

"Maybe because you are just a jerk, Malfoy. That's my guess."

"Oh come on, Weaslette, lighten up. It was only a snowball. It's not like a killed your puppy or something."

"No, but I bet you would if you had the chance."

Draco looked at her for a moment, his face pulled into a shocked expression. Sure he was mean, rude, smarmy even; that didn't mean he was cruel though! "I would do no such thing, Weasley! The fact that you think I would is insulting to say the least."

Ginny felt the urge to giggle at his indignant tone, but suppressed it. "A Malfoy feeling insulted? I didn't think it was possible," she practically snorted, putting her hand to her mouth and feigning surprise.

"Oh, har har, Weasley. Very funny. You should be thanking me, you know," he said eying her with his trademark smirk pulling at his lips.

"Thanking you? Why in Merlin's name should I be thanking you, Malfoy?"

"For making you stop spinning in circles. You looked utterly absurd, standing there spinning around with your tongue hanging out. What if some civilized person saw you. What would they think?"

Ginny snorted out loud this time, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You would know all about being civilized, right Malfoy?"

He scowled at her. "More than you, obviously."

"Now who's the funny one," she said laughter bubbling up with her words. "Did it ever occur to you that I just don't care, Malfoy? That I don't care what other people think. That I don't care what YOU think."

Draco let her words float around in his brain for a minute or two before saying anything. She had gall, he'd give her that. She was so sure of herself and really meant what she said. She didn't care, he could see that much. He never thought he would be able to see the girl as anything, but another Weasley, but there was more to her than the red hair and freckles. There was something different about her.

"It must be nice. You know, not caring," he said not quite able to meet her eyes.

Ginny smiled softly and looked at him for a minute. He really wasn't that bad. A bit on the smarmy side, but at least for the moment Malfoy wasn't insulting her family, or friends. He wasn't showing off for his thugs. He was just Malfoy. There was a sadness in him that she'd never noticed before, a vulnerability. It was weird hearing him speak, as if her were actually a regular human. She'd never seen him let down his guard before and she had to admit it was a pleasant change.

"I can help you if you want. To not care, you know. It really does make life easier."

"Why would you want to help me? I'm always such a jerk to you. To everybody, really. "

"I know, Malfoy. I like helping people and you seem like one person who needs as much help as he can get," she said with a smile.

"Weasley, did you just try to cleverly call me a nutter?"

"Did you just admit to being one," she laughed at him.

Draco smirked at the girl and in one swift motion scooped up a handful of snow, throwing it in her general direction and covering her in the cold white powder. The splash spread across her chest, and the collar of her shirt, little bits of it sticking in her fiery strands about her shoulders. Ginny squealed loudly and began squirming around pulling at her top.

"Did you just squeal, Weasley?"

Ginny's cheeks were flushed as she glared at him playfully. Leaning down she picked up a ball of snow and threw it at Malfoy, hitting him in the head, the dust scattering and settling into his now messed up platinum strands. She watched as Draco began brushing the snow out of his hair and watched as little rivulets of water seeped down the side of his neck and into his shirt. He tensed up and she laughed at him, the ringing sound echoing around them.

"Perhaps. Are you cold, Malfoy," she asked, rubbing her gloved hands together and grinning at him.

"Not nearly as cold as you are going to be," he smirked at her.

She didn't have time to process his words before he ran into her knocking her back and tackling her to the ground. The snow quickly seeped into her heavy cloak, through her shirt and pants. It was everywhere and the only thing distracting her from the chill seeping into her bones was the weight of Draco's body on top of her own. She was looking up at him and he didn't look like the boy she'd known all these years. He was smiling, his cheeks were pink with cold, his eyes were glinting with mischief and he looked happy. Surely she was imagining things. Malfoy never smiled, ever. Yet when she blinked and looked at him again, he was still smiling down at her.

Draco wasn't sure what had come over him. The Weasley girl had him in some sort of trance or something, because he knew this wasn't like him. He'd tackled her into the snow. Playfully. What was wrong with him? Now he was just laying there, pinning her to the ground, smiling. That was a new one. Smiling? And yet he was completely content to stay where he was. Looking down on her, he took in her smile, the red curls the stuck to her flushed cheeks, her full lips. How had he not noticed all of this before?

Leaning down, he was aware of her lips moving, but he couldn't hear anything coming from them. His mind was blank and before he even knew what he was doing he felt her soft mouth connecting with his own. He kissed her softly at first, feeling her hesitation. Once she relaxed however, he kissed her greedily, hungrily. When she pulled away to catch her breath, everything came back into focus. The pitch, the snow that was now falling heavily around them as they lay on the cold, wet ground. Had that just happened? Had he just kissed Ginny Weasley? He looked at her and knew indeed it had. She had a smile curling her full lips, which were swollen from his attack on them.

Pushing himself up and getting ready to right himself, he was caught off guard when she leaned up and captured his lips once more. He felt her fingers tugging at his hair and dancing up under his cloak. They were cold and he tensed as she ran them over his bare skin, raising goosebumps where her nails grazed his flesh. Giving in to his instincts, he tangled his fingers in her hair and kissed her hungrily once more, their tongues tangling and fighting for dominance. He sucked and bit down on her bottom lip, eliciting a small moan from her and causing her nails to dig into his skin. He felt the heat radiating from her body, despite the biting cold around them. He also knew it wasn't just her heat between them. Ginny Weasley did something to him and even though he wouldn't admit it to anybody else, he liked what she did to him. She made him feel alive again.

Pushing up and rolling off of her before she had a chance to pull him back down, he smiled at her and held out a hand to help her up. She gave him a pouty face, but then smiled and took his hand and he pulled her upright. Sighing lightly, Draco brushed himself off and tried to fix his hair, but it was a lost cause. Looking over at her, he noticed she was trying to tame the fiery tangles around her face, but was having little luck. He smiled and took a few steps before remembering how this bizarre incident had come to be.

"Weasley, what on earth were you doing earlier, when you were spinning around like a loon?"

Ginny gave him a reproachful look, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. "I did not look like a loon. And if you must know, Malfoy, I was catching snowflakes on my tongue."

He looked at her confused. "Why?"

Sighing, Ginny smiled at him and shook her head. "Because, it's fun! Because I don't have any worries when I do it. Nothing else matters, or exists to me when I do it. Does that make sense?"

Nodding his head, Draco smiled at her once more. "Can you teach me?"

"Can I teach you what? How to catch snowflakes?" She looked at him, confusion obvious in her features.

"No, Weasley. How to become Potter's friend," he drawled his voice oozing sarcasm. "Yes, how to catch snowflakes!"

"I – I guess. I'm not really sure how to teach you. All I do is spin around and try to catch them. There's not much to it really, Malfoy."

Taking his hand she pulled him out into the field a bit, and faced directly into the wind, so the snow was falling toward their faces. Moving far enough away so she wouldn't run into him, she looked up and began spinning in lazy circles once more. Looking over at him, she noticed he was standing still and looking very awkward indeed.

"Loosen up, Malfoy. Spin, have fun. Forget everything for now."

She watched as he slowly began to spin, he eyes on the clouds, but it seemed forced and not peaceful at all. She wanted to laugh at how the simplest thing was difficult for him, but thought better of it. Walking back over to him she put her arm around his muscular waist and felt him relax a bit. Once he was relaxed she began to spin him around and then stepped back to watch him. He seemed much more at ease and was even smiling again.

As he spun in circles trying to not get dizzy, he called out to the redhead over his shoulder, "Weasley, how do I look?"

"You look utterly absurd, Malfoy. Like a complete loon," she said while smiling to herself.