A Trip Through Hard and Rocky Places
15-year-old Ginny Weasley determinedly made her way back towards the castle from Herbology, her coat done up tightly against the wind and rain which made up the late September weather. Her hat pulled down low to protect her auburn hair, and her chin tucked into her collar, she didn't see the similarly dressed figure hurrying in the opposite direction, and he didn't see her.
"Oh!" Ginny cried in surprise as she was knocked to the ground, her books flying into the mud that the path had been reduced to.
"I'm so sorry!" the boy exclaimed. "Let me help you." He extended a hand and helped her up before bending to pick up her books. Ginny crouched down beside him and started picking them up as well.
"It's really alright you know." She told him. "I can finish picking these up. No point in us both being late."
"No, no. It's fine." Quickly the boy helped her gather up the rest of the books and handed her the large stack.
"Thank you." Ginny smiled at him.
"No problem." he smiled back. A sudden gust of wind blew Ginny's hat from her head, and her arms full of books, she was unable to stop it.
"Weasley?!" the boy's eyes widened in disbelief as Ginny's auburn hair whipped around her face.
Ginny's eyes widened too when she remembered that only one person called her by that name...and that person was Draco Malfoy.
"M-Malfoy?" she stuttered weakly. "But you were..." she swallowed. "...nice!"
"Yeah..." he trailed off. "I was." the concept of having been anything but horrid to her seemed to be rather confusing to him.
Ginny stood silently for a moment, then said "Well, I'd better get to class. Bye!" she turned and ran off towards the castle.
"Bye." Draco echoed quietly as he watched her slender figure retreat into the building.