The very first time they met, they were children. It was a clueless bliss they lived in, unaware to their roles in their own worlds.

Hailey's family had dragged her off to America to visit a distant relative to Vernon's. May Castellan was her name, and she had a little boy name Luke, who was two years older than Hailey.

Luke, as far as the Dursley's were concerned, was a disgrace.

Illegitimate child, they whispered. Father's run away, they said.

Hailey could not have cared less.

Luke knew all about Hailey Potter.

His mom's uncle's nephew's orphaned niece by marriage, he didn't know what to think of her.

The pity whispers he heard seemed strange.

Why pity her? It's not like she could remember them anyway!

So when Luke finally met her, he had no pre-opinion formulated.

"Hello!"

Luke looked up, his sandy blonde hair falling in his eyes.

The girl in front of him was beautiful. Black curls, falling in her face, covering her emerald green eyes, but not fully, and they sparkle and dance in the afternoon sunlight. Not a typical beauty, but a dangerous, harsh beauty, that you know is bad for you, but you go after anyway.

She can't be more than six.

He is eight, but still, a two whole years makes a lot of difference.

"I'm Hailey Potter. I guess you are Luke, right?"

Luke nods once, a short jerk, almost as if to say yes, now go away.

She doesn't.

"Whatcha reading?"

She flops onto the ground next to him, black curls bouncing, as she gestures to the book sitting in his lap.

"I'm doing summer math homework. It's to complicated for you!"

He shoots back angry, obviously, she can't understand what a go away nod means!

her perfect black eyebrow raises, about a quarter of an inch.

"Then I suppose you'll have to teach me. Because, Luke, I'm not leaving you alone."

Luke looks back at the girl in next to him. He sighs. "Alright. I'll teach you."

As the summer goes on, the pair bond. Luke teaches Hailey math, and how to steal without getting caught.

In return, she teaches him to throw a punch or two, and outwit opponents.

And they teach each other how to trust.

Because both children have been hurt. And with each other's help, they begin to heal.

But with as with all good things, their blissful summer ends.

And with the end, comes three things: a locked box, a key, and a blue shoelace.

"HAILS!" Luke runs down the hill, towards the car, a bundle under his arm.

Hailey looks towards her uncle, silently begging him.

Five minutes, her eyes plead, and with a grunt, her grants her three.

Running to meet him, they collide at the hill's base, a lapse into fits of giggles.

"Hailey, I got something for you!"

He shows her the bundle. It's an antique box, with an old fashioned key. Inside are hundreds, maybe thousands of stamps.

Her confusion shows on her face, because Luke explains.

"So you can write me. The box is a place you can keep the letters I write you."

She takes the box from him, and the key as well.

Turning the key over and over, she murmurs "I'll lose this."

Luke, having thought of this, reaches towards his untied sneaker.

Pulling out the blue lace, he takes the key, threads it onto the lace, and ties it around Hailey's neck.

"Try and lose that!" He says, pulling away, triumphantly.

"Now why would I do that!" She asks, looking honestly confused.

"GIRL!" Uncle Vernon's shout makes them both jump. Hailey's eyes widen, and she turns towards the car, carrying her box with her.

"Goodbye Luke, I'll miss you!"

It will be near three years before she sees him again. He won't be the same boy. But then again, she won't be the same girl.

A/N: Ahhhhhhhh! I'm in a deep, dark hole. The story of Luke and Hailey has taken over my heart, and my soul. I'm crying. I kid you all not, writing their story is making me cry. Because I'm not sure how I will end it, but one way will make everyone, if they have a soul, cry.

There will be some slight AU, because of the ages, and whatnot, but just to give some reference, SOM should be happening around Hailey's fifth year summer. Possibly. Lets just cross that bridge when we come to it.

Disclaimer: I own the concept of Hailey, and the plot. Nothing else. Luke is Rick Riordan's and Vernon Dursley is J.K Rowling's.

Review's make my day. Honestly, you all have no idea. The few seconds it takes to write a few words, makes me so happy. I feel appreciated, and heard, in a world where I have so little voice.