She didn't know why she did it, going out into the rain like some sort of mad fool. Ron blamed it on the accident, claiming it had addled her brains to the point that she had lost all common sense, but she just knew it was something deeper, something that extended into the realm of her former life. Today was one such day. The sky had clouded in a riotous manner, and she found herself stepping out onto the lawn just as the first drops of rain tainted the stone steps.

Spinning about, she spread her hands out towards the heaven, a motion that made her seem as if she were trying to capture it all within the delicate hold her of grasp. Laughing softly, she continued spinning, the rain turning her rust hued hair a deep shade as it matted to her lean frame. The rush of joy she got from the rain was the great mystery of her life, or so she thought. It made her smile with regret and she didn't know why.

Little did she know, she was being watched; a pair of calm stormy eyes were following her progress across the lawn. He almost smiled. It was amazing to see the youngest Weasley in so vast a state of joy. Most days, Ginny Weasley ghosted through the halls, existing as a mere shadow of the woman who had once lived in the haven that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But, here the ghost disappeared, a vague hint of her former self glittering at the surface like a beacon of hope. The doctors claimed that one day she would recover, that one day she would remember everything; but, it was too late. Her life would never be what it had been.

Halting with a laugh, Ginny turned her warm amber gaze to the scene before her - the lake was always so beautiful when tossed by the rages of a storm. Her breathing was heavy; all the spinning was still a bit much for her weakened state, but not even that could dim the joyous air about her. For a moment, she could almost hear something on the wind, a distant memory pleading for her attention...but then it was gone, just like the others that had come before it.

Brown eyes narrowed in confusion. She hated when that happened. It made her feel so...incomplete. There was something about the rain that haunted her. It was as if the largest part of her life was simply waiting to be found out in the rain, but she was simply the only person who couldn't see it. No one would tell her what had happened in her former life; the doctors had told her she needed to remember on her own. The past six months had been horrid, though, and she wished she knew just what was missing. Giving a frustrated sigh, the witch turned promptly back towards the school only to have something catch her eye.

Turning slowly back towards the lake, she spotted it once more. A lone form was seated at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, tucked beneath the protective bows of a rather hefty tree. Something about their posture seemed so sad, so horridly forlorn, that she felt as though she knew how this person felt. It was odd, and more than enough to draw her towards the tree in an almost halting manner.

Once she was closer, she determined that the person was a boy, despite the raven mess of his hair obscuring most of his features from her view. A light frown turning on her lips, she felt for a moment as if she should know him, but she figured he was just another person she had seen about school before the accident -- that was the case with most people she couldn't recall. Finally, just outside of the ring protected by the tree, Ginny halted and awaited his attention.

It took a few moments, but eventually he turned the stormy blue of his gaze -- for that was the color she determined them to be upon closer inspection -- towards her. Silence pressed in. Only the sound of the rain splattering upon the leaves echoed through the almost tense air as brown met blue in a wordless examination. One of his eyes, she noticed, had an odd iris that was almost crescent shaped. Finally he spoke, the resonant baritone of his voice stunning in the stillness, "Hello."

One word: that was all it took to make her start from the world of her reprieve. A hesitant smile was given. She was still not used to dealing with people she was supposed to know and was thus quite reluctant to speak to anyone outside of her close circle of friends. Not speaking, she gave him a nod and remained out in the rain so as to avoid getting close to him. “H-hello,” she finally stuttered, turning her gaze immediately upon her shoe.

Suddenly, something in the air changed, it was as if nature itself shifted when the boy began laughing in that rich tone of his. Ginny started and looked up from her shoe to find the most delighted sparkle glittering in the depths of his eyes. She resisted the urge to back up, finding herself all but glued to the spot as he carried on laughing. “You know, it is so odd to hear you speak...I had it on good authority that you don't talk to strangers.”

A vague hint of the old Ginny flared up at that; she felt as if she should have the daring to speak to this boy...but then it faded away as the echo of his voice dissolved into the past. Should I speak? She wondered, giving him the once over. He seemed nice enough, heaven knew his laugh was a lovely sound, but was that enough of a reason to make her answer him?

“Did I know you?” Apparently it was, for the words slipped unbidden from her chapped lips.

He considered her at that, his gaze rather unnerving as its full intent was focused on the willowy redhead. After a moment she blushed and started to rise, halting only when he spoke once more. “Me? No, not really. I knew you, of course, but that was when things were different.”

Intrigued, Ginny sat back down. Normally, she avoided people, but this one claimed she had never known him. That was odd. It seemed since the accident that everyone claimed she knew them, overwhelming her with names that simply didn't fit into the scope of a seemingly empty past life. “Why?” It was an odd question, but one that felt, to put it simply, right.

Another rich laugh hit the air at that; it seemed the boy was easy to amuse. “Why I knew you?” She nodded by way of answering. “I knew you because you were the brightest star of your House, not to mention the one with the most fire.” For the briefest moment, an almost rueful look graced his finely cut features before fading back into a mask of pleasantry.

“I kind of miss the stir you used to make. Being a wallflower does not suit you in the least.” The comment was an odd one, but managed to stir something in the depths of her brain.

~~~

“Ronald Bilius Weasley!” she shrieked, storming into the Great Hall with quite the dramatic flare. “You are going to DIE!” That said, the then healthy redhead launched herself at her sibling.

Being a stupidly over protective sibling, Ron had made the dire mistake of telling Ginny that she simply could not be with...the one she wanted to be with. Apparently, the foolish boy had cornered her lover, delivering quite the hex and sending the boy to the hospital wing. Ginny had just found out and, after checking on her beloved, come to kill the brat also known as her brother. Only the sound of amused laughter caused her to stop in the middle of trying to claw her brother's face off, her attention quickly turning to the source of that glorious sound. The only thing she saw when she turned was a pair of silver eyes bright with loving laughter.

~~~

Ginny started; it was the first time she had remembered something in over a month. Silently, she glanced over at the boy, wondering just how it was he managed to make her recall something that seemed so horridly simple and yet felt vaguely important. “W-who are you?” she managed to croak, watching him in what could be called a suspicious nature.

“Damien Livingston, at your service,” the black haired boy announced, dipping his head as if to emphasize his greeting. “Ravenclaw.”

Well, absolutely nothing about his name struck her as important, that much she was sure of. A brief glance was sent in his direction before she headed back to the castle, intent upon telling Hermione the memory before it faded back into the realms of the past once more.

Minutes passed as Damien watched her, stormy eyes alight with silent joy. She was starting to remember, it seemed, and that was a good sign. What a pity it was too late to save the man she had loved. He was gone.

Ginny glanced out the window, her hollow eyes peering out from behind the veil of her limpid hair. Her hand traced a light pattern on the smooth pane of the window, for some reason tracing the familiar features of that boy. Blinking slowly, she realized what she was doing and stilled her hand at once. It seemed like all she had to do recently was think of him and their odd meeting in the rain. He had been so confusing and mysterious, and yet there was something about him...like he knew just what to say. Shocked that Ginny was talking to her, Hermione had stared at her quite blankly when she had asked about Damien. The older girl then gathered her wits and tried to remember anything she could about the Ravenclaw, but she knew next to nothing. Everything from the name to the description was unfamiliar.

She said he must be the transfer student, Ginny thought to herself with a whispered sigh. It was weird that even Hermione didn't know anything about him (considering her new found obsession with 'welcoming' new students); what could that mean?

Lightly her finger began to trace his face again as her eyes slowly slipped shut. I hope I get to see him again...

~~~

Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table with a light frown resting on her gaunt face. The food on the plate in front of her was easy to ignore in favor of sighing and wishing for the rain, not even Ron's idiotic coaxing could force her to eat more.

"Ginny," her brother whimpered, "you're getting way too thin. Madame Pomfrey says you got to eat something. Please, Gin?"

Ginny wanted to eat something, she really did. It would be so nice to keep everyone from worrying about poor little Ginny Weasley, but she just couldn't do it. What point was there in living when some part of yourself was just...gone? Silently, she pushed her plate away from her and stood, swaying slightly as the blood rushed through her body. Placing a frail white hand on the table she steadied herself before turning to leave. And that's when it started.

Overhead the ceiling crackled with lightning as a boom of thunder shook the windows of the Great Hall. A shadowy smile pulled Ginny's lips as she looked up as the rain began to fall from the false sky above. Before Ron could so much as complain about the rain, Ginny was already out the doors and racing into the wet evening air.

Her hands were spread towards the heavens as the first few drops splattered against her skin. It was like she had stepped from the darkness of uncertainty into the gentle warmth of peace. With each heavenly tear against her skin she could push away the pain and hopelessness that dodged her life and simply be. Slowly, she began to twirl, her breath clouding about her head like a ghostly halo. Her hair was soon stuck to her body and her white socks transformed to a muddy grey mass of cotton.

The sound of deep laughter caused her to stop with a sudden squelch. There, by the tree, was the very figure of her thoughts, watching her with a charming smile on his sharp features. She froze, each muscle tensing and coiling in turn as she contemplated running back for the castle. He was dangerous for her; he had made her talk...and yet, he didn't push her.

Hesitantly, she made her way towards him. Once within ten feet of him, she sat down, the grass squishing beneath her tiny frame. Wide brown eyes met certain blue in an open gaze, silence stretching between them as if it could span the world of misery between them. Nothing was said and only the beating of the rain kept time to their pumping hearts.

What am I doing here? Ginny thought, her mind racing. "Hi," she finally murmured, dropping her gaze to her twined fingers.

"Hello," was all he said.

And then...nothing. He didn't ask her how she was doing or why she had come running out of the school like that. Damian just sat there, now watching the lake as if it held the answer to all of life's mysteries. That was different. Nobody did that anymore, they treated her like she would break if they didn't watch her constantly
.
For a moment, she fidgeted silently and watched him from behind her hair. It felt weird to just sit there watching him watch nothing, but what could she say?

"I like to garden." Oh that was a brilliant start. What would Damian care if she gardened or not? "Especially roses."

Damian turned towards her, that faint smile still tracing his lips as he watched her. "And what is your favorite variety of rose?" The way he watched her, it was almost as if he cared about the answer she would give. Not even Harry pretended to do that anymore.

"The Fourth of July."

He chuckled. "That doesn't surprise me."

Ginny openly stared at him them, curiosity causing her to brush some of her hair behind her ear. "Why do you say that?"

The boy ran a hand through his slightly unkempt hair, leaning his back against the tree. "It's a rose most people don't really notice, but is really quite fantastic when you pay attention to it. The way the red and white splash across each other...it's quite lovely." He paused, shrugging. "My mother grows roses."

So that's how he knew what it was! At least he wasn't a legilimens or something; that would be horrible. Ginny relaxed by the slightest degree, more willing to be around a boy who could at least understand what she was talking about. "So, what else do you like?" he asked, staring out over the lake again.

She blinked, not entirely sure she wanted to answer that. He was someone she didn't know, and she hadn't known him before the accident, so why should she trust him? Because he doesn't know you, her traitorous mind whispered. So far he was the only one who didn't try to claim something of her, that meant he couldn't be too bad. Could he?
"I...I like raspberries and chocolate, especially together." The shy Gryffindor began twisting her hands, watching them as if the world depended on it. "And the rain. I really like the rain."

He said nothing for a moment, but then asked in a hushed voice, "Why do you like the rain?"

Ginny opened her mouth to answer, certain something would come out. But, she didn't have an answer. She didn't know why she went out into the rain; she just did. Snapping her mouth shut, she ran.

~~~

That night as she lay in bed, Ginny could almost feel his eyes on her as she fled. He had asked her something she couldn't answer. What more could she do than get away from him? Asking questions like that just wasn't fair, and he knew it! It just wasn't fair...It just...wasn't...

In her dream, she was walking. Along the path ancient trees tossed and twirled in the gale, rattling eerie warnings. Fear seeped into her bones and slowed her every movement. If she could, she would simply run down the path, but that would alert them to her presence.

Turn back, her mind pleaded with her.

But she couldn't. He needed her to make it, even if he would be angry at her for it. Her own life didn't matter because without love life was nothing. Suddenly a light appeared in the distance and-

Ginny awoke with a lung rattling gasp, sweat trickling down her back. Whatever waited for her at the end of the path...it was going to kill her, she knew it. Outside the rain beat a steady cacophony as tears began to pour their way down her pale cheeks.