MEMENTO MORI | DRACO MALFOY

TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

     Ophelia wished she could stay in bed all day. The first week had passed by in the blink of an eye, and it was already Friday. Everyone except Ophelia had already left for breakfast. She rolled over in her four-poster, pulling her blankets up to her nose. Perhaps no one would find her in there if she pretended she didn't exist.

     Not a chance.

     The door to her dormitory flew open and Thomas bounded inside with a bouquet of flowers and at least ten multicoloured balloons.

"Happy Birthday, Cousin!" Thomas eyed the bundle of blankets on her bed, noticing only Ophelia's eyes and top of her head were visible. "Come on, it's your special day! You only get one a year, don't be miserable."

Ophelia folded her blanket down and sighed while sitting up slowly, checking out the bouquet. "Thank you, Thomas. Appreciated, but not necessary."

"Of course it's necessary. You only turn sixteen once." Thomas grinned while perching himself on the edge of her bed. "Pretty sure Zabini is planning a big party tonight, too."

"Oh good, let's celebrate me being older than most of my year because I missed the deadline by six days." Ophelia murmured unpleasantly.

Ophelia hated her birthday for many reasons. Growing up, she wouldn't have even known what day her birthday was if it wasn't for Thomas and her Aunt Mary always visiting for the day. Her mother had never so much as baked her a cake or gave her a gift. It was no surprise that she hated the day. Plus, it absolutely sucked that she turned eleven six days after September the first, and had to wait a whole extra year to attend Hogwarts.

"Just makes you all the wiser than the others." Thomas said lightly, standing back up. "Get ready. You're going to miss your classes."

"Oh, so I still have to go to classes on my 'special day'?" She grinned, throwing her blankets off of her. "What a stupid rule."

Ophelia's friends were all grinning ear to ear as she approached the Slytherin table for breakfast, and she would have turned around if Thomas didn't appear beside her, lightly pushing against her back, forcing her forward.

"It's one day." He muttered through his smile. "Just try to enjoy it."

Thomas broke off from her and went to go sit further down the table where Gemma was. He eyed her one more time and pointed to her usual seat, next to all her toothy friends.

"Happy Sweet Sixteen, O!" Daphne clapped excitedly. "Blaise is planning a huge party tonight all for you!"

"Oh, great." She said quietly. She didn't intend it to come out so halfheartedly. She frowned when Daphne shrunk into her seat, so she forced a thin lipped smile. "Sorry, just not used to so much attention on my birthday."

"Happy Birthday, Rosier." Theodore Nott nodded from across the table. "You'll get your gift tonight in the shape of a bottle of Firewhiskey."

"Thanks, Nott." Ophelia grinned, she didn't bother reminding him that she didn't drink. "Where is Blaise, anyway?"

Theodore shrugged. "He said he was going to try to see if we could set up the party in one of the tunnels, but we were concerned about that Umbridge woman. Imagine she found us? I told him we'd probably be better off in the Common Room, but he wanted it to be perfect for you."