Chapter 12

"I'm tired o' ya moping 'round the hotel, that's why." Heather stated curtly pushing the stroller. "Here it is 'alf way through January, the weather's lovely an' yer holdin' up in the room like there's two meters o' snow outside!"

"It's winter," Draco grumbled, tripping over a crack in the pavement. He caught himself before he fell. Stuffing his hands in his slacks pockets he glowered at the walkway.

"But it's summer 'ere," she told him. "Hard ta believe with all the sunshine, right?" Her attempt at sarcasm only served to push him further into a bad mood. She'd insisted they come to the zoo today. They'd purchased a stroller for Cassiopeia and Heather planned on giving it a good test run. If it could survive weaving in and out of crowds, rolling over the grass and other rough terrain, it was perfect for them. Draco didn't think he could do the same though. They'd only been there for ten minutes and his legs already hurt from walking.

Cassiopeia cooed more interested in the cap shading her head than the animals they'd come to look at. Heather though was thrilled to be there. She marveled at the kangaroos grazing in their pen while Draco sulked at her side.

"Look sweetie. Those are kangaroos," she said smiling, her voice raising an octave as she addressed the infant. Cassiopeia kicked her feet and gurgled, blowing bubbles with her spit.

"She's not interested," he grumbled crossing his arms.

"Well, maybe not now, but in a year," Heather began as Draco threw a suffering gaze to the sky.

"In a year she'll be more interested in her toes."

Heather narrowed her eyes.

"I've just about 'ad it with yer attitude." She growled. "If ya canna be a wee bit more positive, why donna ya wait over by the entrance 'til Cassiopeia an' I are done?" Blue eyes blazed with anger barely under control, but Draco could read the warning. Sniffing, he turned and trudged back towards the entrance to sit wait.

Finding an empty bench he dropped down onto it and scowled out at the world. Muggle families passed by him on their way to the exhibits. He didn't belong here. This was a place for joy and excitement; he felt neither.

"Daddy! You made it!" A little girl exclaimed running into the arms of a tired looking man. Draco jerked as the child nearly ran over his feet in her rush to greet her father.

"Of course I did." The man replied hugging her. "I wouldn't miss your birthday now would I?" The little girl laughed and held him tightly.

Her dark hair reminded Draco of Cassiopeia's. Her father had sandy brown hair that was ruffled making him look scruffy and unkept. The man let go and smiled. They exchanged words too faint for Draco to hear, but suddenly the man brought out a small wrapped gift from the inside of his coat. Eagerly the girl opened it. A moment later she was hugging him again saying thank you over and over. A smiling woman, who appeared to be the child's mother, came up to them. Once more words were spoken before the three headed off into the zoo. As they passed, Draco saw what the man had given her.

It was nothing more than a small stuffed animal. He would've scoffed at such a gift when he was that young, but to the girl it meant more than anything. No, Draco realized as the child kept looking up at her father, it was that he'd given it to her. That daddy had come to her birthday. He hadn't missed it. Draco watched them disappear in the throngs of visitors feeling confused. Sweeping his gaze back to the entrance he began to study the people as they passed.

There were couples, groups of children, friends and families. Babies cried, children rushed around, parents soothed and scolded while others laughed. It was a kaleidoscope of humanity brought to a single place on a sunny day. I'm out of place.Draco thought as he watched a mother lift her baby out of its stroller. She laughed and pointed at a peacock that was roaming the lawn. The baby clapped its hands together happily as its' sibling ran after the bird.

He smiled.

"Papa, Papa! Can I have a drink?" A little boy asked anxiously, jumping up and down. His father nodded and they walked off towards the concession stand.

"Da, can we see the tigers now?"

"Father, Suzie pulled my hair!"

He sat listening to the squabbles, the cries and excitement of the children. Draco didn't know when babies started talking, but when Cassiopeia did he wondered what she'd call him: Dad, Daddy, Da, Papa, or Father? He'd called Lucius Father, but he wasn't sure he wanted to be that. Rubbing his arm, Draco leaned back against the bench. Not that he deserved to be called anything right now. Watching the Muggles he realized how inadequate his attempts were. I've been shoving everything on Heather when Cassiopeia's my daughter. He sighed. She'd only been trying to be helpful, to show him everything wasn't as bad as it seemed.

"This isn't just about me," Draco whispered staring down at his feet. "I can't go crawling back to Father, Lucius," he corrected. "I've been disowned. There's nothing left in England for me. All that's important is here." Taking a deep breath he looked out once more at the world around him. Remembering the little birthday girl and her father, he realized he wanted that. He wanted Cassiopeia to come running to greet him like that, knowing that she was loved. I didn't even get her a Christmas present, he reflected gloomily. It was her first Christmas and I didn't do anything but wallow in self pity.

He remembered the stuffed animal, the present the father had given. It wasn't as expensive as tailored clothes, or as spectacular as jewelry, but it didn't matter. It had been from her dad and that was all the little girl had cared about. Reaching into his back pocket, Draco pulled out his wallet and counted how much Muggle money he had. Slipping it back, he got off the bench and headed for the gift shop.