Ginny Weasley, the fifteen-year-old Hogwarts beauty, stepped out into the crisp November air. Even though it was cold, she wore a black tank top and black capris. Her flaming red locks looked stunning against her milky white shoulders, a trait she had always been proud of. Small brown freckles were scattered across her high cheekbones and nose and her cinnamon-brown eyes sparkled with life. She had always loved the snow and spent so much time in it that she never noticed how cold it was.
Meanwhile, a certain platinum-blonde Slytherin was sulking in the Great Hall, bored to death.
"Drakie, come outside with me!" Pansy Parkinson said, pulling him against his will, to the big front doors that led to the frosted lawn outside. Draco pulled his heavy emerald cloak on before Pansy opened the doors, letting in an icy draft.
Ginny turned around and scowled. A very annoyed Draco stood tall, despite the heavy cloak, next to a bundled-up, rosy-cheeked Pansy who clung to his arm as if she had super glued herself there.
'Oh my god, he's gorgeous!' Ginny thought, catching herself, 'Hold up! Me, thinking Malfoy is attractive?' she mentally slapped herself for letting such fantasies get a hold of her.
On the other hand, Draco's eyes had caught onto the flaming red hair and milky white skin and started eyeing Ginny hungrily. 'Wait, me falling for a Weaslette? Ha, ridiculous!' Even still, he couldn't stop staring at her.
"Why don't you take a picture Malfoy?" Ginny snapped, seeing Draco was obviously attracted.
"Take a picture, of you? Yeah, dream on Weaslette!" Draco said, walking past her towards the lake, with Pansy glaring at the small redhead the whole time. 'How can she stand this insanely cold weather? She really should put her cloak on.'
Ginny put her head down and watched as small teardrops fell to the ground. Suddenly the air around her felt colder than ever. For the past weeks, stress had been taking it's toll upon Ginny, both physically and mentally, and Draco's harsh words had triggered something within her. So Ginny did the only thing she knew how to do: run. She glanced at the looming darkness of the Forbidden Forest, which now seemed quite welcoming.
Ginny bolted, her feet taking her swiftly to the edge of the forest and beyond. Draco, hearing rapid, light footsteps behind him, turned in time to see Ginny's small frame dive into the depths of the dangerous forest.
But Ginny kept on running, not caring who saw or even who cared, she just wanted to disappear. Many times before she had run into the forest to a special clearing that kept her safe until she was ready to return back to Hogwarts, where she could curl up into a ball and want to die, but she was safe from herself and everyone else there. It was solitude, isolation from the world outside her own.
Suicide suddenly seemed a good idea to Ginny right now. She had tried twice before. The first time, she had backed down, a mere shadow of a Gryffindor she had thought herself for quite some time after that. The second time, Hermione walked in on her and sent her straight to the school psychologist.
Draco tried turning away, pretending Ginny didn't exist, but couldn't. When he had first walked out that morning, the first thing he saw, along with Ginny's flaming hair and fair skin, were deep gashes in her back and the back of her arms.
'Ginny.' Draco said to himself subconsciously.
"What was that, Drakie?" Pansy asked in her high-pitched baby voice she used to get whatever she wanted from people.
"Nothing, I was just thinking to myself." Draco said, leading them back to Hogwarts.