Present Day
The front door of the flat opened, Hermione and Daphne-both giggling- walking in. "We're back Ron!" Hermione called out as they brought the shopping bags to Daphne's room. She now had all her supplies ready for when school started up again and what Ron would probably consider an overkill of new outfits.
When they went back out to the small hallway, Ron was coming out of his office. He worked from home and did various jobs for people around the neighborhood. Hermione didn't know how he managed to keep it all straight. "Welcome back you two, what're you giggling over?" He asked curiously, giving them both a kiss on the cheek.
"Oh Daphne had told me about you telling her a bit about Ginny and Draco last night. I told her the story of the Masquerade Ball in our Sixth Year." Hermione smiled.
Ron laughed. "I remember that, I was so angry." He shook his head.
After dinner the three of them sat in the living room so Ron could continue his story.
4th Year
It was the final month of school before Summer vacation started and the dead of night. Ginny had gotten in to a row with Harry because he was eyeing Cho Chang at dinner. Even though they weren't actually dating, Ginny couldn't help it. She thought she liked him at least. So she felt jealous that he wouldn't give her that kind of attention.
Sighing inwardly, Ginny dove under the water again. If you went too deep the lake would get dangerous, heck maybe it was even dangerous right here- shallow enough to touch the bottom, but deep enough to be able to properly swim. It didn't matter to Ginny though, she had been doing this ever since her first year. She loved swimming and she wasn't going to let any lake monsters scare her off.
As she came back up to the surface she heard…crying? Turning to face the shore, she tilted her head slightly and began to move closer. Obviously whoever was sitting there wasn't paying any attention at all to their surroundings. "…Malfoy?"
Draco jumped suddenly, quickly wiping at his tear-stained face. "What the hell are you doing Weasley?" He snapped, his voice waivered, but he made no move to get up. Maybe he just felt too drained.
Ginny couldn't ever remember seeing Draco look so…vulnerable. Honestly, she didn't think he was capable of any emotions other than hate and smugness and, well, nothing like this. She walked up on to the shore, the cool air making her shiver before she sat down next to him. Not too close though. "What's wrong?"
"What do you care?" They both kept their focus on the lake in front of them.
"I don't. I was just trying to be nice."
"Why would you be nice to me?"
That was a good question. He was nothing but a jerk to her all the time, though he had seemed to focus more on everyone else lately instead. Ginny sighed softly. "Because I'm not like you."
Draco turned his head to look at her. She was right of course, she was nothing like him. "My mother is dead." He said finally, though now his voice was just deadpan as he looked back to the water.
"I…" Ginny paused. She had never met his mother, though she had seen his father a handful of times in passing. Maybe his mother was nicer? Though Ginny couldn't really picture it. "I'm sorry Draco." She turned and offered a brief smile. "Losing people is hard." She stood up and offered her hand.
Draco looked at it, but stood up on his own and Ginny let her arm fall back to her side. "Yes, yes it is." There were tears in his eyes as he turned to walk back towards the school. Ginny sighed again and lingered a little longer before she started to head back as well.