a/n: Ok, so I've been getting a little better when it comes to updating and, as promised I will try to make this a longer and more interesting chapter. Review; tell me what you think etc. etc. I seriously appreciate any feedback you might send my way.

D: I do not own any Harry Potter copyrights.

Violet: Age 8

Violet darted shamelessly through the immaculate lawns of Malfoy Manner; paying absolutely no attention to her pretty white robes nor to the frantic maid chasing her, a woman who was already out of breath from their mad dash.

"Little Miss! Little Miss!" The elderly witch huffed as the giggling child got further and further away. "Little Miss please come back! You're expected in for tea!"

Violet only giggled more at the older witch's words and quickened her pace. She didn't want to return to the manner, Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius had company today and she was always fussed over too much when there was company. They treated her like she was a doll and gave her odd, judging looks whenever she spoke. It was torture to be quiet for so long, not to mention a huge bore. She wouldn't have any of that today though; even a born and raised lady had enough some times.

Plus Violet had been planning this adventure for quite some time now; even from before the maid had shoved the dress robe over her head. There were parts of the surrounding forest she hadn't seen yet after all; she sure wasn't going to let this little party ruin her plans.

That's why she had taken off the moment her aging maid had looked away.

Somewhere behind her said unlucky maid tripped over one of the few stones in Uncle Lucy's usually perfect lawns. The witch stumbled and fell loudly; cursing awfully with words Violet knew that her aunt would have a fit if she knew young ears had heard them. That was where the chase ended, Violet's stopped her dash the moment the maid hit the ground. Guilty tears began to well almost instantly, she hadn't meant for the maid to hurt herself after all. She had only wanted to explore.

Forgetting her plans completely, Violet took a step towards the fallen witch.

Perhaps if she had been her cousin, or even one of his burly friends, Violet would have ignored the maid and taken her escape; but that was just it, for some reason Violet had always been different. Even when the patient was one of the small animals her cousin enjoyed kicking, never once had she turned down those who needed her.

There was another hesitant step before Violet turned from where she stood and ran to check on the woman who had chased her so fiercely only moments before.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

The maid blinked in surprise, looking up from the inspection of her ankle only to meet the large, dark eyes of her charge. "No, not really." She let out in a quiet breath, her expression morphing seamlessly into a face Violet had seen on many of the adults in her life. "Were you worried about me Young Miss?"

Violet frowned. Again with that look! They always looked at her like that, all the adults in her life did. She would be kind or compassionate and they would look at her like that, with those confused, comparing eyes. It was like she was expected to be someone else, act like someone else; only to fail horribly every time she was put to the test. It frustrated her to no end every time.

"You fell," Violet replied innocently, brushing off her unease to offer her small hand to the maid. It was taken, but not without the same look gracing the older face. Violet gritted her teeth but ignored it nonetheless. "I wanted to make sure you weren't hurt." She looked up at the maid with the same wide eyes. "Are you sure you're not?"

The maid only blinked again before nodding her head slowly, looking rather like she was fighting a battle with herself. After a while she rose shakily off the ground, balancing cautiously on her good ankle and taking out her wand. For a few seconds Violet was ignored as the maid whispered a few words and tapped her ankle with the smooth wood three times. Only when she was done did she nod to herself and turn back to the child.

"Okay sweetie, this is what we're going to do" The maid began gently, a faint twinkle present in her old eyes as she laid down her plans for the younger girl. "I'm going to run through there," She gestured vaguely towards the woods before turning to point out a large tree nearby, "and you're going to hide in there. Do you think you can do that for me dear?"

Violet nodded eagerly, confused but happy with the current events and her newfound luck. "But why?" She piped, honestly curious and slightly unsettled with how well things were going. "What about tea?"

"Now don't you mind that dear," The old witch let out with a chuckle, "I know for a fact that your cousin and his friends escaped their maids a while ago. I guess it wouldn't matter if you got a day off too." There was a wink as the maid set off towards the forest at a slow jog, her pace just slow enough for the shocked Violet to scamper into the branches of the before mentioned tree.

"You sure this is ok?"

"Now don't you worry dear, I'll make up some excuse and have the house elf sent for you in a couple of hours." From Violet's position she could barely see the woman's smile accompanying her words. "Though I will have you know that this is without my permission."

There was a loud, cracking pop and Violet knew that the old maid had apparated away, probably off to continue her 'search' in some other part of the forest.

Well this was different.

Swinging down from her perch gracefully, a confused but still victorious grin spread openly on Violet's soft features. This was definitely not how she thought it would turn out; it was much, much better. It definitely beat pretending to be perfect while Aunt Cissy pinched her cheeks. The best part was that that maid was just about it for the search party; most of the other staff was either busy or had been fired when the Malfoys purchased the house elf at the beginning of this year.

This of course meant that she truly was free to explore as much as she liked, a fact that excited Violet to no end. She really had to remember to treat that maid nicer; perhaps she would give her a hug next time she saw her, or let her squeeze her into the ridiculously fancy robes that Aunt Cissy was fond of.

Or perhaps just a hug, there was really no need to go farther than that really.

With another grin Violet began sliding easily through the trees at a leisurely pace, swinging on the low branches when she could and wading through the wet leaves when she couldn't. Fifteen minutes later and her formerly pristine robes were hopeless with stains, not that Violet really minded though; she was having a blast enjoying the sense of freedom in the air.

That freedom was shattered fast the moment her cousin showed up though; him and his two burly friends appearing out of nowhere only to barrel into her at full speed. A few seconds later and all three of them were knocked flat to the ground along with Violet; some of them taking a little longer to recognize what had happened than others.

"Bloody hell Violet," Draco moaned, the first to recover. "What are you doing here?"

"What you're doing," Violet let out with a similar moan. From what she could see her cousin and his two friends were all dressed in robes similar to hers, they were even splattered with the stains one could only get from running through the forest. "Hiding from the cheek pinching party."

Draco laughed but it was too hollow for him. It was like he was trying to hide something; an observation that, on closer inspection seemed to be quite true. Violet narrowed her eyes when she realized that little Vinny Crabbe was frantically trying to hide something within the folds of his spacious robes. Too bad for him that the designers of his dress robes hadn't thought to include pockets big enough for an orb the size of his head.

With a battle cry more suited for a medieval warlock warrior than to an eight year old girl; Violet Lestrange pounced on the smaller boy and tore his prize away, grinning triumphantly as her cousin's look of surprise turned to one of horror.

"Hey!" Crabbe protested, trying in vain to get the orb back from the nimbler girl. "Give it back! Give it back that's mine!"

"Doubt it." Violet scoffed as she leapt off his shoulders and landed neatly on the ground. "This looks like something from Uncle's study," She gave her cousin a meaningful look as she lowered her voice to barely a whisper. "His private study."

"And what if it is," Draco challenged, standing up so as to be of equal height to her, "I thought we might need it for. . ." He paused as if he was reluctant but Violet knew he was just bating her. "Something."

"Like what?" She pestered, honestly curious. "I doubt whatever it is is something your dad would agree too, especially with an object that is 'not for the hands of children'" Her imitation of her uncle's demeaning tone was perfect and Violet knew it. Her cousin's poker face was wavering terribly as it was; Violet just knew he was cracking up inside.

She smirked when he let out a snort despite himself, even he couldn't keep it inside forever it seemed.

"Muggles," Draco finally allowed, giving in to both her stubbornness and her veiled threat to tell his father. "One of them was hanging around here a while ago so me and the boys here wanted to teach him a lesson."

Violet couldn't help herself, she gaped. Muggles? Here? Muggles were said to be idiotic and brutal; then again she had never seen one in person before. She frowned as she thought about what her cousin had said, he was planning to drive them off? How?

Violet looked at the orb in her hand, only clenching it tightly when their plan fell into place in her head. Dark magic? How could they even think about such a thing? This was worse than kicking a hedgehog by far!

"No."

Draco blinked, taken aback by her sudden declaration. "No?"

She glared at him in a way completely unlike her; chilling and haunting in such a way that, for a split second, he understood why her mother had been spoken about with such fear. This wasn't like Violet, she was usually too nice for her own good; why then was she reacting so fiercely for muggles of all things?

"Dark magic is wrong." She stated stubbornly, "You shouldn't hurt creatures weaker than you." Ok so he was wrong, this was exactly like Violet.

"You a muggle lover now Vi?" Draco sneered, silently motioning Goyle to move closer to his cousin. Violet noticed and moved out of his way before he could steal back the orb. She smirked at the attempt before turning back to him.

"No, I'm not. This is the same thing as those animals you kick or tie fireworks to." The stubborn set of her jaw foretold no victory for Draco. "Now go home before I call for Dobby to tell on you."

Draco glared back stubbornly before giving in with a sigh. "Fine," He motioned for his friends and waltzed back towards the manor. "We'll deal with the muggle later."

Violet waited for a few minutes before turning towards the manor herself. She would have to put the orb back without getting caught it seemed. Still, her upcoming stunt wasn't the most interesting thing she had to think about.

Violet wondered if she would meet this muggle anytime soon. If they were as brutish as her Aunt implied then they probably wouldn't make good friends. Still even animals did somethings; maybe the muggle would even play dress-up with her.

After all, she did have some bows in her vanity.