# I can recall a time before the age of tears, a time when nights were short and banquets went all day.#
Draco lay in his bed silently. He could hear the snores of Crabbe from around his our poster bed, and the wails of the whining wind. He only had one name running through his head. Draco had never been in love before.
Draco had been out with loads of girls before, but this was different. He had lost his virginity when he was fourteen, and barely that, but he hadn't thought of love then, just lust. Now Draco couldn't stop thinking. How could one person do this to you?! He hated them for putting him through such pain. He hated them full-stop. Why would some-one do this to him? Why would they want to? What had he done to them? That answer was more obvious than Draco had hoped. Now in his fifth year of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, 16 years of age, things had got scary. He couldn't believe he had himself gotten like this, so out of control, so…totally confused! It scared him: it brought Goosebumps to his arms and neck. This was something he couldn't control. To think, he had laughed at Goyle! Who would have guessed, a few weeks down the road...if anyone ever knew the truth... Yet all the bullying in the world couldn't stop this. The truth had to remain silent. For Dracos own sake...
END OF SECTION
Draco awoke with a thumping headache. He dragged himself out of bed, and into the shower. The water was all over his body, running through down his neck, down his legs and back, but he couldn't feel it. He didn't feel anything anymore.
What would his father say?
He pulled his trousers on, and buttoned his shirt. He walked down to the common room while pulling his robe on.
"Looking good Malfoy," Pansy whistled, "looking fine!"
Draco looked right through her.
He ambled down to breakfast alone, and sat far away from the others. He ate quickly and hurried off to his first lesson - potions, with the Griffindors, fate it seemed had a callous sense of humour.
Draco took his usual seat near the back. The class was empty as he was first there. The bell was a good five minutes away. He, for once, was early. Suddenly the door flew open and in walked Hermione Granger, carrying heap loads of books, as ever. Malfoy would have normally made some snide remark, but he remained silent, keeping his head down. Before he could stop it, a tear rolled down his cheek, and splashed onto the desk.
Hermione stared, "Malfoy? Are you..." she trailed off.
"I'm fine what's it to you anyway mudblood?" Draco spat not looking up. Yet Malfoy's words did not satisfy him as was the norm. "Sorry" he mumbled quickly.
"You want to talk about it?" asked Hermione doubtfully.
Malfoy stayed silent, so Hermione sat down at the front.
"What if there was something about you that no-one understood, that even you didn't understand?" Malfoy whispered.
"You mean..... school, personal...love?" Hermione asked carefully as Malfoy nodded. His cheeks were tinted an unusual shade of pink, but Hermione said plainly, "You either talk to them, or hide it. But can I suggest talking. I don't think someone like you has a confidence problem?" Malfoy smiled slightly, "Then what's the matt...." Hermione trailed off as a large crowd of Slytherins and Griffindors burst through the door. Malfoy quickly wiped his eyes as Goyle sat next to him, carrying a large pile of cakes.
Malfoy didn't think he'd ever be able to look Granger in the eye again.
END OF SECTION
Snape burst through the door just as the bell went. He had his usually strict aura about him, and looked particularly displeased today.
"Party tonight Malfoy," Goyle muttered, "The Griffindors are hosting I think. Interested?" he whispered, beaming at Malfoy.
"I think perhaps I would prefer to report them to Umbridge. After all they are a bunch of losers, the whole lot of them, and I am a prefect you know." Draco muttered.
"No way!" Crabbe said, a little to loudly so Snape glanced at him, but said nothing, "You'll ruin the fun!"
"I'm not in the mood."
"But we can't do it without you! You always lead!"
Malfoy considered it for a moment. He would only sit in his dormitory, alone and depressed all night. He didn't have that much homework, and it was a Saturday. Draco couldn't help thinking he might miss a golden chance were he not to go. "Ok, you convinced me, but nothing bad, yeah? We are just going to enjoy the party. Best behaviour."
Both Crabbe and Goyle looked as though they had missed Christmas.
Later that night Crabbe, Goyle and Draco found themselves knocking on an old and particularly battered red door, which seemed quite unfamiliar to them, and seriously hoping it wasn't about to reveal Umbridge. There was a short pause and the door opened, leaving them face to face with Harry Potter.
"What do you want?" Harry spat eyeing them with great dislike.
"To come in Potter, or to go and find Umbridge" Draco said coolly looking around, shocked how confident he felt.
Harry sighed and stepped aside. There were already lots of people here, from all houses. Malfoy took a seat at the side away from the crowds of people dancing and lip wrestling while Crabbe and Goyle made their way straight to the food counter.
END OF SECTION
For a few hours Malfoy sat alone, only moving occasionally for drink refills. A couple of girls came and asked him to dance, including Pansy Parkinson, whom he noticed was wearing a particularly short skirt. He didn't even bother to respond.
As the night drew to a close, Malfoy, like most people, was feeling a little regretful of the amount of alcohol consumed. Eventually, Draco managed to drag himself up, but only to go and be sick in a toilet somewhere. He stepped over numerous couples lying on the floor, mumbling sorry every time he stepped on a hand, or worse. He saw a door to his left, which he stumbled through. There was just one couple in here.
"Weasley?!" Draco mocked, "How did you ever get someone to..." He trailed off upon meeting eyes with the person Ron had been so passionately kissing. "I don't believe it!"