Chapter One
For The First Time Ever

Draco Malfoy had never given Ephyra Kindle a second glance the first time he saw the soon-to-be Gryffindor on the Hogwarts Express in their first year. She was, quite plainly, a chatty Kathy who only liked to hear her own voice, in his opinion. Her bushy dirty-blonde hair, cropped short was never tame and pretty much looked like a bush. The one thing he did notice though were her eyes...such a sparkling pair of sea blue-green ocean depths he had never seen before. But he never got distracted by those, and if ever it was only for a fleeting moment.

But this was their 6th year, and everything would be different, he had vowed that to himself. Soon he would be given the Dark Mark by his father's master, Voldemort. It gave him such pride to hear the name, even think it. Soon he would not only be his father's master, but Voldemort would be his master also. With these thoughts he walked into the Great Hall, silently admiring the ceiling as he always did. For some reason the night sky in all it's glory, even if it was only a bewitchment, gave him chills.

He spotted his two best friends, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, soon to pronounce their pledge of everlasting faith to the Dark Lord also, waiting anxiously at Slytherin table for the feast to commence. Typical, thought Draco as he smirked to watch them flinch and stand up quickly to greet the 'Leader of the Pack' as you would probably say.

"Sit down you two, and try not to make fools of your selves. I know it's so unbelievably hard for you to do, but do at least try." He laughed a bit at his own joke, but stopped suddenly. Malfoy's don't smile or laugh, he reminded him self firmly but silently. They smirk, and that's about the extent of things. At least in father's opinion. He's none for jokes. Strictly business, and not a man to cross. He shuddered and remembered the time in his 5th year at Christmas holidays.

"Father, I didn't mean to!" A teenage boy yelled across the dinner table as his father came at him with ruthless, unforgiving gray eyes. "Forgive me Father, please forgive me! I was all my fault just don't hurt Mother any more!" His mother crouched in the corner, silent, shuddering sobs racking through her body. His father raised the cane and hard, sickening blows reached the poor boy. Finally the pain ended and his father trudged out of the room. Draco pulled himself toward his mother who held him close, their blood and tears mixing together, staining the expensive rug. They both knew that more anguish was to come for that.

Draco shook off the memory. He hated his father. He would do anything to defy him, except refuse the Dark Mark. He wanted that too badly. Distracting himself, Draco looked over to the Gryffindor table to see if stupid Potter and his silly friends were here yet. Yep, there they were, Potter sitting next to his best gangly, red-headed friend, Ron Weasel. Oh, excuse me, I mean Weasley. On Harry's other side was Weasel's little sister, Ginny. Pathetic little cry-baby. And next to Ron was, of course, the Mudblood, Hermione suck -up Granger. It was so obvious they liked each other, it almost made him sick to know that neither of them had told the other. Grow up, we're all big kids now and we can like the opposite sex. You're not gonna get COOTIES or anything, good Lord. But next to Hermione was someone Draco didn't fully recognize. Then those dazzling eyes hit him like a ton of bricks. Ephyra Kindle. He couldn't believe it. Her hair was finally grown out and about half way down her neck. It wasn't exactly curly, but there was a hint that her twisted hair still remained. She had it cut to shape her face and it was actually kind of straight. She laughed at something Ron had said, and her whole face lit up. Draco could hear Ephyra's laugh, a heart-felt laugh that resounded deep in the back of her throat. Her eyes lit up as if the sun had risen on the incoming tide and blinded all who saw. And that smile. A smile had never been so brilliant and genuine, it almost made Draco want to smile. Almost.

Then Dumbledore stood and gave them the usual run down of rules. No charms in the hallways, don't go into the Forbidden Forest, yadda yadda yadda, I'm an old git who needs to retire, and so on and so forth. Finally the feast started. Not being much of a talker, Draco ate his meal in peace very slowly, enjoying that he wasn't at home. He looked around savoring everything in the Great Hall and just taking it all in, when his attention was suddenly drawn to the Gryffindor table, as if by force.

Ephyra's aquatic eyes were staring deep into Draco's as if searching for something. An unseen reason or a hidden meaning of something. He didn't know what she was avidly looking for, but apparently she knew and had found her signification and smiled at him. His cloudy, silver eyes widened with this unexpected show of friendship. He almost smiled back. Almost.

Suddenly a shrill voice clanged into his ears. "Hi Draco! Fancy seeing you here! HAHAHAHA, just kidding! I knew you were going to be here because we still have two more years together! I was making a joke, you see?" Her laugh sent shivers up his spine and left a ringing in his ears. Only one person in the entire school ever called him by his first name.

"Yes, Pansy, I do see. And unfortunately I was enjoying a fine meal until your piercing voice penetrated the lovely silence that I was accepting gratefully. Do you like to ruin everyone's life or just mine?" He turned around and faced Pansy Parkinson, a moderately attractive, yet highly annoying girl in Slytherin, same year as Draco and his friends.

"Oh Draco, you're so silly! Hey, I'm already done with dinner...will you walk me to the common room? I'm afraid Peeves might attack me or something. Plus, I think I've forgotten the way, and I'm pretty sure I don't remember the password." She laughed again and Malfoy cringed.

"Fine." he said, and walked away with Pansy who automatically linked arms with Draco. I really wish she'd stop doing that. Draco took a glance over his shoulder to see if he could glimpse those oceanic eyes once more, but the 'Gryffindor Groupie' had gone.

"Who were you looking at when I came over anyways? You looked like you were in a trance or something. It was so WIERD! Omigod, I remember when my grandfather once got put into this trance-y thing..." Draco instantaneously tuned Pansy out of his mind. Why must she always ramble like this. I swear to God, I think she may be the Wizarding World's version of the muggle's 'Energizer Bunny' or something like that. He walked along to the common room, cringing every time that high-pitched giggle echoed off the castle walls.