Hello everyone! I just felt like writing a little one-shot because it's Draco Malfoy's birthday today and I had an idea...

Enjoy!

~BH

Remembering Birthdays

It's just another day. I sighed as I sat outside under a tree overlooking the Black Lake. According to my father, this was the rumoured place where Snape called Harry's mother a mudblood.

Every place in this damned school reminded me of something terrible.

I was only here to re do my seventh year. After everything that happened last year, McGonagall, the new headmistress had given us all the option to return as unofficial 8th years. Hermione, of course had signed up instantly, reluctantly followed by Harry. I think that was only because Ginny was still doing her actual 7th year. Most of the old crowd had returned, but I was the only Slytherin. I decided to break off from my family once and for all, and in order to forge my own path I would need NEWT's. Most students were still bitter about my family deserting everything to save themselves, including me. I regret that. Most students only liked me out of fear, and I don't blame them.

Now the fear had gone, there was no reason for anyone to like me.

I'm used to being alone.

My mother fawned over me whenever she could, but she was usually out having important afternoon teas with more significant people, instead of listening to her only son. Likewise, my father was always in work, or doing other mysterious things, with the added bonus that he really couldn't give a damn.

It's no wonder that I turned out, well, corrupted.

Today was the fifth of June. Today was my 19th birthday. Like the previous 18 birthdays, I was spending it alone. Even though my parents often used to shower me in gifts, they were always too busy on my birthday, so it just consisted of a careless present thrown in my direction. There was no thought, no love. Sometimes Dobby would sneak me a cake, only to be scolded by my mother or father. He would stick his hands in the fireplace as a result. All for me.

It wasn't even a weekend. I had just had double potions and now I was free for the afternoon. Slughorn wouldn't have known, despite being my head of house. He only really payed attention to Harry and Hermione anyway. Ron decided to go straight into the Ministry. Minister Shacklebolt had said that anyone who fought in the battle of Hogwarts could go straight into Auror training if they wanted to, but most people didn't. One battle was enough for them. I think for Ron, there were personal reasons involved. They all still lived at The Burrow as far as I knew. They could only just about look me in the eyes these days. An improvement, I guess.

As much as I wanted to change, I was in too deep. I couldn't just simply redeem myself instantly from everything I'd done. I understood that.

I didn't know what I could do.

Happy birthday to me. I thought glumly as I knocked the tree with my fist and an apple fell into my hand. I ate it thoughtfully, thinking about going to Hogsmeade tonight and drowning my sorrows. As an 8th year perk we were allowed to go to Hogsmeade whenever we wanted out of school hours. Since we were here optionally, we could leave optionally too.

I heard footsteps get gradually louder as students walked through the grass to the lake. It was beautifully sunny, which was the only consistent feature about my birthday. The weather was always good. Exam season was over too, so after this week I had to find somewhere to live. I planned on living in the Leaky cauldron and use most of my savings to buy a small house. Then maybe work in the Ministry, or become a Healer. I'd always liked the idea of studying medicine, and I was reasonably good at Potions. Maybe that could be a way of redeeming myself. I had already written to St Mungos and the Ministry of Magic, and I had interviews in various departments at the end of the month. In the meantime, I had been offered a part time job in Borgin and Burkes that I was reluctant to take, but for the first time in my life, I needed money.

"Hey." I heard behind me. I assumed the person was calling to their friends so I ignored them. I finished my apple and tossed it into the lake with a little more force than intended, expecting the Giant Squid that resided there to devour it.

"Hey." The person repeated, as they stepped closer, their voice getting gradually louder. Their voice was familiar, but I hardly knew anyone anymore. That reasonably deep voice stood out to me though.

"Malfoy." He said, addressing me for what must have been the third time.

I turned around, astounded to see that it was none other than Harry Potter. He sat down next to me, not waiting for me to let him. He just sat down.

"Don't call me Malfoy." I said in greeting. "I don't... Use that name anymore."

I was thinking of changing my name to 'Black', my mothers maiden name, to somewhat officially cut off all ties from my family.

"Sorry... Draco." Harry apologised awkwardly. "I know it's been hard for you this past year, I know what it's like to have awful relatives."

Harry never sugar coated anything.

"At least you were brave enough to not be influenced by them." I argued bitterly, pushing my hair out of my eyes.

"Well my relatives were outright horrid." Agreed Harry, also running his hands through his permanently messy hair. "Yours are more of... The sly kind."

I nodded, not quite meeting his gaze.

"Look, I don't hate you." Harry admitted. "True, you pretty much bullied us all throughout school, but I think you've learnt your lesson from that. Although I can't blame everything on your parents, I think the majority of the reasons why you acted the way you did over the years were due to your parents."

I stopped awkwardly playing with my hair. He didn't hate me.

"Why do you think I deserve this?" I asked him quietly, hoping no one noticed the man in red and the man in green sitting together by the lake. Although inter-house mingling was much more common now, it was still quite unusual for Gryffindors and Slytherins to be talking to each other, let alone in a friendly manner.

"Your heart was never into any of it." Responded Harry in his straightforward tone. "We were both entrusted with near impossible tasks in our 6th year. You to kill Dumbledore and me to find those horcruxes. I knew you didn't want to do it, ever since I ran into you in that bathroom."

I didn't know how to answer. I was still astounded that the victim of the majority of my wrongdoings was sitting here beside me. But he was right. I never wanted any of the glory from Voldemort, or my family, for the things they wanted me to do. I despised their opinions and values.

"It's okay now." Harry comforted me. "It's over, You've done everything you can to rectify what you've done in the past, and everyone who has good in their hearts should be able to see that." He touched my arm. "You don't need to be afraid."

"Thank you." I muttered, loudly enough for him to hear.

"And do you know another reason why I knew you didn't have a good relationship with your family?" Continued Harry, now grinning.

"What?" I questioned, curiously.

"You never celebrate your birthday." He answered, pulling out a fairy cake and putting it in my hand. "I noticed how when it was your birthday you'd just sit outside alone, and you looked incredibly unhappy, even in first year." he explained. "Birthdays are the worst." He added, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"How did you remember my birthday?" I asked, feeling shocked and weirdly honoured.

"There was only three of us that didn't take the apparition test in 6th year. I remember how you weren't happy because it was only a few weeks until you were 17." he replied.

"Dobby used to make me a cake and my parents would go insane!" I admitted to him, cautiously taking a bite of the cupcake he gave me. It was delicious, I wondered if he got it from the kitchens or if he bought it.

"Dobby smashed a cake on my Uncle's boss' wife's face on my 13th birthday." Harry replied, pulling out a second cupcake of his own and eating it, licking off the icing first. "The best cake was the one I got on my 11th birthday. Hagrid made it for me, it was amazing!"

"Hagrid made you a cake?" I asked, astonished.

"Yeah, when he came to get me from the Dursleys- they tried to stop me from going to Hogwarts so things got a little crazy." He replied, half sheepishly. "My cousin got a pigs tail out of it."

"Oh my wizard god." I burst out laughing again, mainly due to the absurd nature of the situation I was in. "My favourite birthday was in 5th year. Umbridge got the Inquisitorial Squad together and it was the weirdest thing ever- she offered to torture you in front of me as a gift but I declined."

"That's insane." Harry agreed, all traces of cupcakes gone. "It's weird how this is our first proper conversation."

My smile faded. "Yeah." I replied.

"It won't be our last though." He assured me, getting up. I rose too, planning on making a trip to Hogsmeade anyway.

"I hope not." I said, feeling hopeful.

"Are you going to do anything to celebrate your birthday?" Harry asked, wiping his hands on his robes before running his hand through his hair again.

"I was just going to take a trip to Hogsmeade." I confessed, putting my hands in my pockets.

"Brilliant." Harry said. "I'll come with you."

I never felt so lonely again.