Despite the fact that Malfoy had just pissed me off, I smiled in spite of myself. I cherished the reaction on his face – hurt. Like he didn't deserve it. After everything he'd done to me, I could have used some pay back right about then. I took a deep breath, telling myself to calm down . . . and opened the doors to the Great Hall.

Maybe I shouldn't have calmed down. If I'd been mad, I would've done something.

All I saw was Ron get up, walk to Finnigan, mouth a few things, and then him punch Finnigan in the face. I gasped loudly, feeling sick. I immediately let the door shut in front of me. I could not go back in there. I shook my head rapidly, and ran away from the door. I dashed past Malfoy – I heard him laugh. I looked back briefly.

"So. You want me to stay out of your life, but you come running back to me? Sorry, but I don't play like that, Woods." Malfoy smirked what seemed to be a trademark smirk – something I'd never gotten used to. It still shook me, after every single year, every single day, every hour . . . every second.

"I ran past you, moron!" I shouted indignantly, scowling. And then I continued to run to the Gryffindor common room, my heart thundering in my chest.

DRACO'S POV

The next thing I knew, we were in the park, our hands joined. It was a friendly matter – we were only seven years old, for Merlin's sake. But I couldn't remember how it had happened. One moment, we were both angered at having to join our mothers for tea – another moment, and we were both in pleasant company.

"Slide?" she asked, pulling me towards a long, yellow slide.

I glanced up at it. It curved violently; how did Bianca want to go on something like that?

"Looks scary, doesn't it?" She looked up at it, too, and let out a small laugh. "I've gone on it tons of times, though. It's really fun. You'll love it."

I shrugged. "Alright, but you have to go down first – I don't believe you've gone on it."

Her mouth fell open. "Draco! Are you calling me a liar?"

I looked at her intently, crossed my arms, and smiled. "Maybe I am."

"Fine – I'll prove it to you. I'm not scared." She stuck out her tongue playfully, and scurried up the playground ladder. "Look!" She called to me once she was up. She leaned over the bars beside the slide, and her blonde hair hung in her face. Bianca smiled. "Watch."

Then she swung down, and immediately slipped down the slide like a thunderbolt. I heard her scream, and then saw her at the foot of the slide.

Her breath came out in pants. "Okay . . . I admit." She shook her head. "That's scarier than it looks." Bianca got up, and walked over to me. "Your turn!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. I'm sure I'll be scared silly," I said sarcastically. I climbed up the ladder, and she watched me from the ground.

"Scared yet?" she asked playfully as I got to the top.

"Not quite." I looped down under the slide's bar, and immediately slid down the slide. It was steep, so I set off like a rocket – it really was unnerving. By the time my feet hit the ground, my head was spinning.

"Oh, look at that!" Bianca hopped up and down, and then ran over to me. "If that's not fright, I don't know what is."

I laughed. "Okay – but you were scared, too."

"I won't be scared this time," she said, caressing a look of toughness.

"Really? Well, then, neither will I."

"Bring it on, Drakes," Bianca pressed, grabbing my hand and dragging me back up the ladder. By the time I'd pulled my legs up, she was sitting at the edge, her legs hanging over the side.

"Look – you see that?" She pointed to the horizon; the sun was going down, and it looked like the sun was dipping into the depths of the ocean.

"Woah." I was in total awe.

"Yeah," she said, letting out a sigh. "It's really cool. Pretty, too. Don't you think?"

I glanced at her sideways. "Yep," I said, and looked back to the horizon.

If I didn't know any better then, I would've said I had a small crush on Bianca.

Okay . . . maybe not so small.

I sat up, my head pounding. "What the hell?" I said loudly. I glanced over at the clock, my brows furrowed in frustration – it was just about lunch time.

I got ready for the rest of the day, but my dreams didn't leave my mind. They were like nightmares. They made my breath speed up, and I found myself dizzy. I went through the day, dreading every step – and I dreaded my own breaths as dinner came around.

I knew I should've just gone back to the Slytherin Tower, but I denied my instincts. I trudged along. Actually, I would have been fine, drowning in memories . . . if I had been blind.

I absentmindedly found myself glancing towards the Gryffindor table, straight to Bianca. And when I did, my mind filled with flashes of . . . everything. Small flashbacks. Hauntings.

The feeling of her hand laced in mine.

The shade of her vivid, electric green eyes.

My hand tracing circles on her back to calm her down.

Hugging her so tightly, trying to tell her non-verbally I never wanted to let her go.

I blinked rapidly and shook my head, ruffling my white-blonde hair. I swore under my breath, got up from the table, and left the Great Hall.

I'd been pretending like I didn't care.

BIANCA'S POV . . .

"Hey Bianca."

I turned around, immediately recognizing that soft, warm voice – it was Jordan. I wasn't in the best mood, so my smile must have looked completely fake. "Hey Jordan."

"I need to ask you a quick something . . ."

"Malfoy already asked me."

He looked at me, his head tilted to the side in confusion. "Asked you what?" He looked extremely taken aback.

I was confused, too. "Um . . . about the Ron and me thing?"

"Oh." His mouth formed a perfectly round 'o' and he nodded. "That's not what I was going to ask though . . ."

"Okay, then ask away." I shrugged, pushing my hair over my shoulder.

"Remember that thing I told you about Malfoy?"

I stared at him blankly. "No?"

"It was . . . before . . . before you started school. When you were still friends."

I blinked, and suddenly, I did remember – though I never wanted to again.