Draco stared around the dark and empty room, his expression one of downcast. He could hear his parents arguing with each other lowly in the next room, and he slowly sat down on an arm chair, his hands clenched in fists as he struggled to get a hold of himself.
"I thought you said it was all taken care of!" Narcissa hissed, completely unaware that Draco could easily hear her. "I never said anything of the sort! You told me you were intent on setting everything up by yourself!" Lucius hissed back.
"I meant decorations, Lucius! Now look what you've done! Dracikins will never forget this, and you know who will get all of the blame!" "He's just a child! He has the memory of a flobberworm!" Lucius snapped back, causing Narcissa to gasp and momentarily pause.
"…Did… did you just…. compare our son toa flobberworm?" Narcissa breathed in disbelief. There was another pause, longer this time, and Draco pursed his lips, wondering if his parents had any idea that he was listening to every word they uttered.
Lucius muttered something very quietly, and Narcissa replied just as softly. It was quiet for a few moments, and only low murmurs from the next room could be heard. Draco glanced around the large room his mother had so brilliantly decorated.
Everything was perfect, set up so beautifully… but no-one was there to see it. Draco's 12th birthday and not a single one of his friends had come to his party…Or, at least he thought they were his friends. He just wasn't so sure anymore.
All the Slytherins in his year had been invited, even Millicent Bulstrode (though Draco had warned his mother they would run out of food, she had still insisted on her.) As Draco's mind began to wander, their voices could be heard again.
"What are we going to do? He was looking forward to this so much; I can't believe we forgot to pay" Narcissa said, and Draco's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Should we tell him?" Lucius asked her, and Narcissa shot him a look.
"Tell him what? That his friends aren't actually who he thinks they are and that we pay them to hang around with him? Oh yes, Lucius, that would go so well" Narcissa snapped. Draco's eyes widened in horror, and his head shot up to look at the door.
"He was going to find out sometime!" Lucius shot back, and Narcissa shook her head sadly. "It's too soon… my poor, poor baby" she said, sniffling slightly, her head turning to glance at the room Draco was currently seated in.
Draco could not believe what he was hearing. Surely he had misheard? It was impossible! Absurd! Waves of emotion crashed through him, and he scrunched his eyes closed, trying to make sense of everything.
"He's a strong boy… Takes after his father" Lucius said, and Narcissa sighed. "What do we tell him?" she asked. Lucius thought for a moment. "Let's leave him for now, I have… business to attend to" he replied, and she nodded.
He swiftly turned and strolled off, though Narcissa stayed at the door, wondering what Draco was thinking. He was angry, and bitter. How could they do this to him? All of this time! He should have known, the signs were obvious now that he thought about it.
Crabbe and Goyle would do anything for a galleon or two, the disgusting oafs, and Draco scowled at the thought of Crabbe and Goyle following him around just because they were paid to. Draco couldn't help but wonder how much they were paid.
Did Crabbe get more then Goyle? Or vice versa? He wondered whether the other students in his dorm were paid. It didn't seem like it, Nott and Zabini weren't exactly nice to him. If they were paid, they weren't doing a very good job.
What about the girls in Slytherin? Were they in on it too? Just how many people were in on it? So many questions ran through Draco's mind as he silently sat, though it was far from silent in his head. What about Pansy Parkinson?
Was she just sucking up to him because she was paid too? Draco did love the attention, though had his parents chosen her for him? Draco was a little confused at their choice, but shook that thought off. None of the other girls really gave him too much attention.
Narcissa finally took a deep breath and walked of slowly, and Draco listened as her footsteps began to fade, until he could hear nothing. It was silent, and he was left in a dark, empty room by himself… on his birthday.
Slumping down deeper into the chair, Draco lifted his legs and hugged them to his chest, resting his chin on his knees. He was alone, and his insides were churning, in a way he had never felt before. It was a terrible feeling… a hollow, bitter, empty feeling.
A single, lonely tear slipped its way down his cheek.
