~ Chapter Twenty Three: Everyone here loves you ~
It actually isn't as easy as I thought it would be to plan a birthday party.
His parents seemed to be warming up to me staying here, at the least. His father made causal small talk, and the conversations, were in fact, very small. His mother seemed to really like me, but I just wasn't sure how to keep the conversation going with either of them.
Draco seemed to have made amends with his father, though they still weren't as close as when he was much younger. By the time Draco's birthday had come, I had gotten him a couple presents that were hidden under the bed. I had dressed in the nice dress that Mrs. Malfoy had bought for me on our shopping day.
I ran a brush through my hair and parted it, so it lay on my right shoulder. The black dress fitted my body well and I decided on my trusted boots.
I went downstairs to help finish the preparations with his mother. His father was talking to someone on the back patio.
After putting some flowers on tables, Mrs. Malfoy asked me to wake up Draco so he could get ready. I obliged and walked back up the stairs quietly. I knocked on the door and when there was no response, I opened it.
Draco was sleeping and he looked peaceful. His pale blond hair was across his forehead and a few strands fell above his eye lids. I almost didn't want to wake him. He didn't want a party. He didn't want to dress up. He was doing this for my sake.
I walked over to his bed and tapped his shoulder. "Draco." Nothing.
After pushing his hair out his face, I said his name again. He rolled flat on his back, his head tilting up, and his eyelids fluttered.
"Morning," I smiled at him.
Draco groaned and sat up. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to push it back, but it just fell back down to the side of his face. He rubbed dust out of his eyes and blinked, then focused on me. His light eyes stared.
"Morning," He replied after a minute of finally waking up.
I sat on the edge of the bed. He asked, "What time is it?"
"Barely a quarter past eight. But I think you should be asking what day is it." I saw the wheels turning in his brain and my smile broadened. "Happy birthday, Draco."
He scooted over, motioning for me to join him. I sat next to him and our hands intertwined.
"Thanks. Is that a new dress?" I nodded and he looked at all parts of the dress. "It's really beautiful."
Our eyes met. I'm not sure if it was in unison or who moved first, but before I knew it, we were kissing. My hair fell back against my back and I wrapped my hand against his neck. He wrapped his hands against my waist and kissed me harder. I stopped for a breath and our chests moved up and down.
"We... shouldn't..." I tried saying. At the same time, however, I was trying to kick my boots off. I just wanted to stay here with him.
His greedy lips met mine again and began trailing down my neck, while asking, "What time is the party supposed to start?"
"Ten thirty." I said breathlessly.
The shoes finally fell off and I wrapped myself around him. He was shirtless and had on loose pajama pants. I lay myself against his warm body.
"Then let's stay here another hour." He said, resting his head against mine.
"If we fall asleep..." I don't know where my worry came from, but it was there. I knew that his parents knew we were serious, but I don't think his father saw us that way. I couldn't imagine what would happen if either of them found us in here like this.
"What are they going to do? Kick you out? I'll just go with you."
I let out a breathy laugh and squeezed his hand. "You shouldn't be so sure about that. Draco, if something were to hap-."
"I'll always be here for you." He says confidently, before kissing my temple.
I stayed, calm and content, right next to him, for a while. We laid in comfortable silence, wrapped in our own thoughts. When we did reach our time limit, he slowly got out of the bed and walked over to his closet, before trying to casually ask a personal question.
"Why do you think he's having a party?"
I thought about it, before answering. "I'm not certain. Maybe he thought he could repair the Malfoy reputation. I was thinking about this, and I think this is his way of trying to apologize for all that's happened."
He looked at me curiously. I continued, hoping he knew where I was coming from.
"Draco, your father loves you. You know that, right?" I ask him.
From being here for four days, I can clearly see that. The way he looks at him, talks to him, and puts his emotions away, to put his son first. That makes me think of how when we were younger, how Draco would say, "My father will hear about this.", when something offensive happened to him. His father has cared about Draco for a very long time. They have had many disagreements, some worse than others, but Draco's always come back.
He was silent as he picked out a pair of slacks and a dress shirt and other items. I stood up, put my boots back on, and walked over to Draco, who stared at himself through the mirror, then at me.
I pulled his wrist so that he was facing me. "Everyone here loves you."
Draco's eyes met mine and without humor, he smirked slightly. "Some a little more than others."
I saw a towel folded towards the bottom of the shelf and picked it up, before swatting Draco with it. My cheeks flushed only slightly.
I raised my eyebrows, trying not to smile. "Was that necessary?"
He took the towel. "Very."
I looked around his room. I hadn't been in here much except the evening when I woke up from the three days of being unconscious. It was really nice and simple, with a mixture of greens, grays, and blacks. It was simple, yet elegant. It fitted him well.
When I looked back at Draco, he had everything needed for his shower in his hands. He waited until he had my attention before speaking again.
"Are you coming too?" The smirk broadened.
"You wish." I laughed softly. "You can do that without me."
"Doesn't mean I want to."
"Well, people don't always get what they want." I replied.
"I have you, don't I?"
"I don't know, do you?"
He threw his items on to his bed, but they somehow landed neatly. He put his hands on my waist and drew my body to him. Our lips nearly touched and it hadn't even been twenty minutes since our last kiss, but my lips were already longing for him. Draco restrained himself and his response came out in a whisper.
"I do."
I gave in first and pressed my lips to his. He responded gently, but then drew himself away. I let out a sound of protest, but he threw me a smirk, and picked up his clothing and towels again.
"You can wait, if you want. There are a few books in here." Draco said, the teasing nature gone. He sobered up, remembering we soon have to socialize with others.
I tried to lighten him back up by letting out a gasp. "Really? You have books?"
Draco let out a small laugh to my relief. I walked over to his bed and looked at the bookshelf, which had around a dozen books. He gave me a last look before heading into the bathroom. I found a Shakespearean novel and flipped through it.
When fifteen minutes had passed, the sound of water ended. A few minutes later, Draco exited the bathroom. His shirt remained unbuttoned and hair barely dry.
I try focusing on the story again. I can hear him buttoning his shirt, but it seemed like he was more focused on something else. I lifted my eyes and saw that something was me.
"When do you think they'll resume school?" He asked.
"I'm not sure," I answer, closing the book.
"Do you think we'll even have to go back? There's only supposed to be two weeks of school left."
"I think they'll have us go back, to at least graduate." I say.
He nodded. "How soon until we need to go downstairs?"
"You need to get breakfast before everybody shows up." I return the book.
"I guess, though they'll probably want me to eat a feast later. What book were you reading?"
"Hamlet."
"Odd story, isn't it? I read it a lot as a child." He smiled slightly.
"Odd is definitely a word for it." I run my hand through my hair, pushing it back to its' original position on my shoulder.
"Ready to face the world?" He asks.
"Ready to have an awesome birthday?" I said.
There is a spark in his light eyes that I love seeing. I take his hand and we exit his room. He turned off the lights and shut the door behind him. We go down the stairs. It's really quiet.
"Birthday spirit everywhere, huh?" Draco asked, also noticing the silence around us.
I look around as Draco takes out a cereal box. I walk around to the edges of the kitchen and see that his parents are in the backyard talking. I tell Draco the whereabouts of his parents as he eats Cheerios. He nods, engrossed in the cereal.
I smile at the sight. The normalcy of something like this is amazing, especially after the war. Looking at the clock, I saw that there was around a quarter left before his party was supposed to begin. When the doorbell rang, I went to get it to allow Draco to finish breakfast.
I greet the visitors with a smile. "Hello," I begin.
The Greengrass family stood on the steps of the Malfoy Manor.
Daphne and her sister narrowed their eyes in recognition. I'm not certain whether or not they know I am Draco's girlfriend or that they just don't like me because I'm a Gryffindor. Luckily, their parents did not recognize me and they offered me smiles as I welcomed all of them inside. The two sisters regarded me carefully, probably wondering why I was here. I refused to let them make me wonder that as well.
Fortunately or not, Draco's parents walked into the living room and greeted them. His mother silently told me to bring Draco in here. So I walked into the kitchen, to see him putting the now clean bowl away.
"The Greengrass's are here." I said.
He nodded. "And I have to go greet them?"
"Yup."
"We could just leave," he suggested. "It wouldn't take very long at all, especially with magic, for us to pack. I don't have to stay here and neither do you."
He almost sounded hopeful. I took his hand, knowing I had to encourage him to stay here.
"I know I don't. But I am, because it's the best place for me and for you. Your parents planned this for you and you should see it through." I leaned up and kissed him quickly. "Now, let's go greet your guests."
He squeezed my hand in reply and led me out of the kitchen. If people didn't know we were a couple, they definitely would now.
Daphne and Astoria's parents were talking to Draco's, so they are were just standing off to the side. He offered them a cold smile. "Hello, Daphne, Astoria."
The girls gave him smile, only one seeming slightly genuine. That came from the younger girl, who kept glancing back at me.
"Hi, Draco." The smaller one said. Astoria, I think.
"It's nice to see you. How are you?" Daphne said, trying to get the formalities out of the way.
His mouth formed into a line, which I assumed was a smile. "I'm fine. And you?"
"We're well." She says stiffly.
Astoria focused her attention on Draco. "When do you think school will begin? You're a prefect."
"I was a prefect. Like I would know anyways." He scoffed.
After Umbridge was taken to Azkaban, they reelected prefects and heads that were associated with 'The Dark Side' which meant to more strolls trying to catch a certain D.A. . But most people actually failed to notice that.
Another set of people showed up when Astoria was going to ask him another question. He ignored her and turned his attention to the guests. A stranger entered, but at the same time, he looked familiar. His hair was dark and curly, his eyes were the color of my hair, but rimmed with a haunted feature. That made him more handsome.
I didn't know who this person was. I glanced at Draco, and he looked back at me, his confusion evident. At a quick look at the girls, it appeared they didn't know the stranger either. He looked about my age, maybe a couple years older. I watched as he greeted the Malfoys politely, but still distant. His eyes drifted over and looked at the girls, then Draco's, then at myself.
Another group entered the Malfoy dwelling and the pale man moved out of the way. He made his way toward the group of teenagers.
He gave a nod. "Hello."
Draco, being the ever-so-happy birthday boy, but more important Malfoy heir, greeted him with a handshake and hello as well. He mostly ignored the Greengrass children. He focused on me and offered his hand. I shook it, almost reluctantly.
"Who are you?" Draco asked. His hand twitched lightly, which indicated he was lying. How could someone lie in a question? Unless he already knew who this person is.
The person glanced at the sisters, as if not wanting them to hear. Nevertheless, he looked at me and Draco. He said, "Thomas Black."
"And you came here alone?" Daphne, the scut asked.
His eyes turned cold as he acknowledged her. "I did. Do you have an issue with that or do you have more nosy questions?"
It took all my power not to completely laugh. The best I did was let out a snicker. Thomas Black met my eyes and he almost smiled, but it appeared more as a smirk. Draco seemed to have developed a respect for Black as he steered him into conversation. The girls huffed and walked into the kitchen.
"Well, Black, you seemed to have upset Daphne and Astoria." He paused. "Thank you."
Thomas Black shrugged, as if to say it was no big deal. "I'm sure you could have found a way to do it as well. Your birthday, I presume. I failed to read the invite. And who is this?"
"Emma." I hesitated, before restating. "Emma Dawlish."
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm sure both of you would have some questions. It's been a long time, Draco." He spoke as if they had previously met.
Draco's arm touched mine accidentally and it seemed to remind both of us of our setting. "It has. I would ask if you would like to go upstairs to talk, but I'm afraid I have to stay."
They seemed to share an uncharacteristic smile. With irony, Black said. "Then I will see you when you finish following orders."
He shot me a wink and then walked away.