Charlie Weasley sat in a corner of The Leaky Cauldron, his mind a million miles away.

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger sat staring at him with concern. They didn't know Ron's older brother as good as Ron did, but never had they seen someone become so defeated over a picture. Nor did they know Malfoy to fly off the handle for nothing. The last time that Harry could remember him getting that upset was when Harry had made a crack about his mother. The result of which landed Malfoy as a bouncing white ferret. So whomever it was in that picture must be close to Malfoy. He didn't know Draco to have any siblings or at least any that he knew of, so maybe Ron was right and she was his girlfriend.

"Hermione, that girl in Malfoy's photo, did she look familiar to you?"

"Yes," Hermione said, thankful that he had mentioned what she was obviously dying to discuss.

"I don't recognize her as being anyone in our class."

"Neither do I, but I could have sworn that I have seen her before. Maybe an upperclassmen?"

"Or maybe she doesn't even go to Hogwarts, the photo could have been taken anywhere."

"She had Slytherin robes," Ron chimed in as finished eating his food. "She's definitely a student."

"Glad for you to join the conversation Ron," Hermione said glaring at Ron with a menacing stare.

"What?"

Hermione gave Ron an even more menacing look before returning to the subject at hand.

"If she is a Hogwarts student, then I don't think she currently attends."

"What makes you think that Hermione?"

"Charlie," she said turning around to look at Ron's eldest brother who nursed a butterbeer.

"What about Charlie?

"Honestly, Ron, you don't pay attention, do you?"

"Why should I, that's what you are for."

Hermione seemed as if she wanted to pummel him, as they launched into a vicious row. But Harry was busy staring at Charlie. He looked so depressed. He was beginning to suspect that Hermione was right. The girl in Malfoy's photo didn't attend Hogwarts with them, but he would venture a guess that she did when Charlie was there. Charlie Weasley had been out of Hogwarts six years, having completed his final term the year before they were to attend. But in all the years he had known the Weasley's he never really took the chance to get to know Ron's elder siblings. There was so much he didn't know. Harry sat there and wondered. Who was that girl in Malfoy's photo, how did Charlie know her, and why did he get this sinking suspicion it was all tied into that blasted dream.

For Charlie Weasley the bottom of his world had just been pulled out from under him. Again. It hadn't been that long ago since the first time it happened, but it seemed like a lifetime. He was young then, so very young. His life hadn't even started. It was easy for him to stat over, if it had happened more recently he did not think he could. He went as far from anything and everything as possible. He always was good with animals, especially Dragons. He even planned to one day work with them. He just never expected it to be so soon. If life had went the way he had planned it he would have spent the first five years of his life playing Quidditch for England. Then settle down for a while with the family as he and Mrs. Weasley studied Dragons in Romania. Yet, much to the surprise of his family, he moved to Romania straight after leaving Hogwarts. He spent several months not really speaking to his parents. With the exception of the occasional owl to ensure they didn't Apparate their immediately to ensure that he was all right. He never told his parents the reason behind his decision, only that he had decided that he wanted to work with Dragons more than he wanted to play Quidditch.

He had managed over the years to create a life for himself. To put the past behind him and move on. Its not like he never thought about it. He did. However he found that it was best not to dwell on things that he could not change. So he had built himself up a wall around it, and closed it tight. A wall that just happened to come crumbling down at the mere sight of a photograph. One that he had taken himself and given to Draco personally a few months after he took it. A photograph that seemed so fresh in his mind, nearly six years after it happened.

It. He always wondered exactly what It was. He knew what the official story had been. He knew what his father and many others had suspected. However he did not know what his beliefs on the situation were. The last few days of her life were like pieces of a puzzle, only some of those pieces were missing, and the picture was incomplete.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy stood looking out the bay window at the starry sky. It was a beautiful night. He thought back to all those times when he used to take his children into the garden. They would sit on the stone benches and listen as Lucius would point out the constellations. They were quite small. Draco had to be no older than four. It had been something Lucius has reveled in. To see his children, their rapt attention giving him such a powerful feeling. They had spent almost all of their nights, especially Morgaine's holiday off from Hogwarts, to look up at the stars. He missed that. He never realized how much he missed that. He missed her. To most people, including his own family, he was an unfeeling, often cruel tyrant. Which was a mostly fair assessment of his personality. However, not when it came to this ever so blinding fact: Lucius Malfoy loved his children.

Sometimes he thought too much. To most of the wizarding world, that would not seem possible. Especially to Arthur Weasley and his brood of red headed Muggle loving spawn. It made him shudder to think of how close he had come to what he referred to as a travesty to all pure bloods. Luckily, he had taken the necessary steps that made sure such a thing was avoided. But it came at a price. Some would have said it was too high a price to pay but for Lucius, it was a necessary evil.

"Where's Draco?" Lucius said as he turned to find Narcissa standing in the doorway.

"In the garden. He'll be in shortly."

"Good. When he comes in the Manor, tell him that I wish to see him."

"Yes, Lucius," Narcissa said.

As she began to leave, Narcissa hesitated. She wanted to say something else, and Lucius could venture a guess at what it was.

"Say what is on your mind Narcissa."

Narcissa's eyes grew painful, "Do you miss her Lucius?"

Lucius Malfoy said nothing as he turned to face the windows. Narcissa, who became irritated by his lack of response stormed from the room.

"Everyday," He whispered as he saw Draco walking up the Manor steps.