I Never Had a Choice

Chapter 6- Birthday Surprises

*June 5*

I woke up with in a panic. I wasn't sure why, but I had this unnerving feeling that I had forgotten something. I wonder if this is how Longbottom feels all the time.

I hear a tapping at my window and it finally hits me... It's my birthday. After putting on some sweat pants, and an internal groan, I walk to the window to let the eagle owl in. Father's owl, I know it well, I could probably pick it out of a group at anytime.

I take the letter and give the owl a treat. Then in an instant it's gone. Strange, I figured Father would want a reply, or want to know for sure where we were hiding. Or want a thank you of some sort. This scares me, he always wants a reply, no matter what.

*+*+*

After a shower, and a shave, I go downstairs to eat some breakfast. I hid the letter in my desk, I still haven't gotten the guts to read it. It gives me a bad feeling just looking at it. 

I walk into the kitchen and look around. There are emerald green, silver, and black balloons everywhere. Magic sparklers are above the fireplace place to make the Slytherin crest. I see Mother sitting at the end of the table looking like she doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Then I look to Potter who has the facial expression of a toddler who got told they couldn't have a cupcake. I get the feeling Mother didn't ask him before she decorated his dining room with Slytherin paraphernalia.

I walk over to my seat, and act as if I didn't see anything, grab an apple muffin and start to eat it. I can feel Mother eyeing me, waiting for me to comment on her decorations. She should know better by now, I'm not going to say anything, it's too much fun watching her grow increasingly more impatient.

"Draco, dear, is there anything you'd like to comment on?" Mother says in the sweetest voice she can muster. Bingo, I cracked her now for the final thing.

"This is an excellent muffin, I'll have to tell Kreacher how good it is and request that he makes them more often." I reply in my usual tone.

"Oh, well I'm glad that you like them. Is there anything else?"

"Not particularly. Potter, who took away your broom? Mother I know you like to take mine, but Potter isn't your son, so why did you take his?" I ask

Potter looks at me and scowls, "Nobody took my broom you twit. But all this green is quite annoying."

"Green? Odd, I didn't notice, but now that you mention it, it does look nice. Potter, why did you decide to redecorate? And with such an odd color pallet, for a Gryffindor that is. I figured for the Golden Gryffindor you'd go with red or gold. Not that I'm complaining, I quite enjoy it."

Mother was stirring in her chair.
And then, "Draco Lucius Malfoy, I did this not Harry! It's your birthday! I made sure it was perfect. The decorations, I even had Kreacher make your favorite breakfast. And you don't even acknowledge it? Instead pick at Harry about it, when you know full well that I did it all."

"Well I achieved my goal of drive by you up a wall, did I not?" A scowl was all I got in return. "Thank you Mother, you did a wonderful job, as you do every year." I cleaned my mouth with my napkin and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.

*+*+*

After breakfast we moved into the drawing room, which was also decorated in Slytherin colors, with balloons that spelt 'Happy 18th Birthday Draco'. It was like all the other birthdays, but something felt different. Without Father, it seems more relaxed. How other children probably feel on their birthdays. The letter still loomed in the back of my mind, but I pushed it away and focused on Mother.