George's excitement at being with Caly was almost impossible to contain. "To be honest, I wasn't really expecting you to come with me." He said, as they laid in the grass, the wind nipping at their noses.

"I'm glad I did."

Silence passed between them as George stared at Caly and Caly stared at the sky. As much as he did not want the day to end, he felt like he should offer for it to. "If you're ready to go back…"

"Are you asking because you are?"

"No. I'm asking because normally you would have said you needed to go back to Draco by this point. I don't want you to feel obligated to stay."

As he looked at her, he saw a smile shake her lips. "I want to stay. For a little bit longer at least." Silence came again before she broke it. "The sky is so pretty."

The purity of her words caused him to smile. "It is; pretty and big. Seeing it like this makes me wish I took the time to look at it more often."

"Things in life become 'more important', you know, to the point where doing something you enjoy is seen as wasting your life or wasting precious time. If you can't make a living off of it, you shouldn't bother. People don't really make a living off of admiring the sky."

Again, her words were more genuine and passionate than he could ever hope to be. "Is that what you believe?"

She thought for a moment, truly thought. During the silence, George couldn't help but think about how often people don't allow themselves that moment, wanting to answer the moment a question is asked. He thought of how often people fear silence. "Not necessarily," she finally said, her voice gentle. "I guess it's something like most pure-bloods kind of live by, subconsciously, but I'm not necessarily an advocate of it. People should have things they enjoy in life simply for the sake of enjoying them."

"What do you have?"

"Hm?"

"What do you have in life that you enjoy simply for the sake of enjoying it?"

Her hesitation spoke volumes for her, before she even opened her mouth. "I mean, I enjoy living. I like my job life and I love my new family so…"

"But you have to have a hobby of some sort."

She wasn't ready to share that yet. Not yet. "Nothing really special. Like I said, I don't advocate the need to always be productive, but I'm kind of a hypocrite in that sense." George understood that the subject ran deeper than she wished to go, and readily fell back into silence, looking again to her as she looked to the sky. Another offer to leave nearly came to his lips when she stopped the thought. "What do you think makes a person?"

The question threw him, and he was unsure of what to say. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… is a person nothing but the product of the things that happen to them? Are they their actions or their thoughts and intentions despite their actions or… I don't know." Her final words came out almost defeated.

"Well, a person is definitely more than the things that happen to them. Bad things happen to good people, right? Sometimes people react badly or in a way they normally wouldn't to try to cope with their experiences, but… I'm not sure how to explain it."

"So… if something really bad happens to a person and in return they do something they normally wouldn't, something that could hurt someone else or… if someone used someone else just to make themselves feel better…"

"Why are you asking?"

Once again, her teeth met the inner part of her lower lip. "I just… there's something that I…"

The quiver in her voice was unmistakable, leaving George's mind to travel to the look of defeat he had seen on her face as she sat on the ground outside the bar the night they met. He thought of that persistent smile, never willing to admit something was wrong. "Did something bad happen to you?"

"Oh, no." Her answer came more quickly than it should have. She knew she wasn't exactly lying. He knew she was lying. Neither pointed it out. "It was just a question. I guess looking at the sky made me feel all philosophical or something. I uh… I should get going." Caly began to rise to her feet, George following suit a second later, though not quite able to catch up. "I have to study with Draco, so… yeah. This was fun. Thank you. Really, thank you." Just like that, she left.

CALY'S POV

As i walked back to join the other students, i looked up at Draco. I thought back to the question I had asked George. A memory of my first month at the Malfoy Manor crossed my mind.

FLASHBACK

Night surrounded and swirled around me and I suddenly wondered why it was impossible for me to fall asleep in this house. Was it a lack of light that created the feeling? Everything was spinning like and the world was upside down like I had something to say but couldn't form a sentence. The vague notion that I was stumbling across a gravely surface crossed my mind. My mother was gone and i had moved in with my biological father. Nothing I saw made sense. Swirling colors tye-dyed my field of vision. Honks flew like diamonds through the sky and lights smeared across the landscape of my mind as if nothing was wrong, as if today were only a stroll through the country. But... I wasn't in the country anymore.

I sat across from the boy that was supposed to be my brother, reading a muggle book i had pick up from the shop near my old house before i left. It was called 'Stillness Speaks'. Draco looked at me, not in a hating way, but in a curious or excited way. From what i knew he was an only child as well... you know, except for me. He began talking first, "Father, wanted me to share a few of the rule with you." I nodded. "Well, first. Average people think MONEY is the root of all evil. We know POVERTY is the root of all evil."

"What is wrong with not having a lot of money?"

"Everything. Our family is held as one of the highest in the wizarding world. I suggest you start acting like it." I silently nodded.

"Two: selfishness is a virtue. Its not your job to take care of other people. Let them do it for themselves."

"That is the biggest load of bullshit-" Draco cut me off.

"Do you ever shut up and listen? Third: You have to make something of yourself. You know, get a high ranking job."

"That's dumb."

"Shut up! And lastly, the golden rule. We NEVER shame the family."

"You're joking."

"I don't joke."

"Where you you learn these 'rules', some sort of handbook?" I laughed. Draco however, kept his same straight face.

"Take my advice. Follow them, and you won't get on fathers bad side."

"Ohhhh his bad side?" I said faking being scared, "Whatever blondie. Here, you should read this." I slid the book down to him and got up from the table. Patting him on the shoulder as i left, I went to my new room. I laid down and took a nap. I was finally awoken by yelling. I peeked my head into the hallway, until opening the door fully, and following the sound.

"What is the one thing that you should ALWAYS follow?" Lucius was yelling at Draco.

"Never shame the family." He answered looking down at the floor.

"Look at me when i'm talking to you!" Lucius snarled. Draco's head immediately shot up. His face looked so sad and innocent. It seemed as if his permanent scowl, had faded.

"Sorry, sir" he mumbled.

"Stop looking like a sad little troll. You're a Malfoy for Merlin's sake. If i ever catch you with this muggle garbage again, there will be consequences." Lucius quickly threw the book into the open fireplace and straightened his robes. I watched Draco's eyes, he looked as though all of the life was drained out of him. For once, since the days i've met him, he looked as though there was no reason for him to be alive.

CALY'S POV

From that night on, Draco's attitude towards me steadily dropped. He became meaner and nastier. I though for a moment. Maybe, it wasn't his fault that we didn't get along. Maybe... It was his upbringing.