RAVENCLAW!

20. Growing Up

"Draco, Darling! Wake up my little Dragon!"

Narcissa's soft voice tore Draco from his sleep gently. Slowly he blinked his eyes open to be greeted by his mother's beautiful smile.

"Happy Birthday, Dragon!"

His heart warmed at the words and he couldn't hide his smile when he whined, "Don't call me that, mum! I'm not eleven anymore!"

Her face went serious immediately and she answered,
"Oh no, of course not!"

After a short pause she added in a whisper tone,
"Dragonheart!"

"Mum!"

She laughed a beautiful laugh before reaching behind her and placing a huge present on his lap. Draco sat up in excitement.
It was long!
Like, broomstick long!

"Is it...?"

"Open it!"

Not giving a damn about acting elegantly he tore the wrapping off and broke into a big grin. In his hands he held a shiny, black-silver broom and on the handle was imprinted, 'Nimbus 2001'.

"Thank you, mother! You're the best!"

Her bright smile shortly got interrupted by a wince.

"Don't call me 'mother', that makes me feel old."

"You call me Dragon, I call you mother."

"So witty, my little Dragon! You really belong in Ravenclaw."

Against to what he would've expected, Draco's heart suddenly swelled with pride and he hugged her. Screw his mask! That could be on again when he met someone else! He didn't need it in front of his mother.
It probably was a good thing that his father didn't witness this moment. Where was he anyway? He often left for a few days when he had work to do but still... This was his birthday... He never missed his birthday...

"Mum?"

Narcissa's face looked concerned at the sad sound of her son's voice.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Where's father?"

Her gaze sank to the ground as if she had dreaded this question.

"I don't know."
Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
"I'm sure he'll be back for your birthday dinner!"

But she didn't sound sure at all.

"Come on. Get up. We'll floo to Diagon Alley."

They had breakfast at a beautiful café in the Alley and got themselves a huge cup of ice cream at Fortescue's. Afterwards they travelled back home and Draco took his new broom outside to fly a bit about their grounds while his mother was watching him fondly but also sadly. He could've sworn he also saw a glimpse of anger in her eyes.
At lunchtime Pansy, Blaise and Theo arrived - his mother knew he prefered them to stupid Crabbe and Goyle - and Dobby along with two other house elves served them some amazing Fish and Chips.
They had a great afternoon: Draco showed off with his new broom and they talked a lot until their parents picked them up around tea time.
Then he had about one hour to get ready for family dinner. Narcissa and Draco stood at the fireplace waiting only for Lucius to show up. When 30 minutes went by and he hadn't shown up they went on their own.

Draco loved spending time with his mom on his own but he really wanted his dad to be here. He didn't treat him like a little child like she did. And Draco had heard Blaise talk about how all his grandparents and uncles and aunts were coming for christmas and his birthday. Draco knew his grandparents were all dead except his mother's mother but she was at St. Mungo's and didn't remember anyone who ever visited her. His father had been an only child and his mother's sisters... well, she didn't like to talk about them but he still knew that the oldest one, Bellatrix, was in Azkaban.

"So what position will you do the try outs for?",
Narcissa asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Draco played along, even though he didn't feel like it.
His father wouldn't ruin his 12th birthday!

"Seeker of course."

His mother's pink lips curled into a soft smile.

"Yeah, I remember you chasing after birds on your first broom for weeks until we bought you a snitch you could practice with."

In the end the evening was very nice and Draco smiled while he was getting ready for bed. When he came out of the bathroom, damp hair and pajamas on, he heard angry voices coming from downstairs echoing through the halls of Malfoy Manor. Curious, he went towards the staircase to hear what they were saying.

"Were have you been?"

"I was selling anything that could get us arrested when our house is getting searched!"

"Today? That couldn't have waited until tomorrow?"

"This was important."

"YEAH BUT SO IS HIS BIRTHDAY!"

"So what? He got one year older, what a shocker!"

When Narcissa answered she wasn't shouting anymore but she sounded at least twice as dangerous as before.

"This is your son. He missed you. Maybe this day means nothing to you but it means something to him and you weren't here. You go upstairs and tell him you're sorry, right now! And you'll make it up to him somehow, are we clear?"

"Yes, Narcissa."

Draco had never heard his father sound so small before and soon he heard footsteps coming closer. Silently he went into his room and lay down on his bed, not bothering to get under the covers, yet. It was too warm. There was a soft knock on his door. Then it was opened a split.

"Draco, my man? Are you still awake?"

The adressed boy ignored him. Maybe this was childish but his mother was right. His birthday meant something to Draco and his father decided that selling some stuff had been more important, not even talking about how he wouldn't even be apologising if it wasn't for his mother.

"Alright. I'm sorry I missed your big day but I really had to get these things done. I'm sure you can understand, after all you are twelve now! I will make it up to you anyway. Sleep well."

And he was gone again.
Draco was confused.
One side of him wanted to forgive his father, his big idol. After all he'd said sorry - even though Malfoys usually didn't do that - and, as his father had said, he was twelve now! He could understand that some business was more important than personal matters. His other side just got even more angry at him.
Could that even be counted as an excuse?

The war inside him kept Draco awake and out of habit he sat up to catch a last glimpse of a sleeping Potter- just to realise that he wasn't there.

Right.

What reason would he even want to look at Scarface for?