Dear Mom,
This letter is for your eyes only. Not that I actually care if dad were to somehow get his hands on it and read its contents, but I'm writing this letter so that I can ask you for advice regarding the ever complicated subject of boys. More specifically, pureblood boys who just so happen to have the name Draco Malfoy. As you may already know, from my past letters to you, Draco and I are friends. Verity (Draco's cousin) and I, have noticed that Draco has been acting strange and the two of us have grown quite concerned, but he refuses to confide in anyone - even Blaise Zabini, one of his other friends. I want to help him because he's obviously struggling with something but he won't tell anyone what it is. But this is not the Draco that I have come to know, and admittedly grown fond of; this Draco is someone entirely different. He's much more withdrawn and antisocial, and he's just...different.
I'm worried about him.
I want to be there for him, but he won't let any of us support him because he won't even tell us what is actually wrong! What should I do?
~ Cyn
Cyn stared at the hastily written letter, her brows furrowing as she re-read over the sloppy sentences before crossing out several sentences. She then eventually crossed out the whole thing and re-wrote the letter, explaining everything that had happened in the past month from Draco's personality changing to becoming more withdrawn to what had happened during Hogsmeade. Cyn made sure to write about how she didn't know what was wrong with him, but she wanted to know because she wanted to help him. She emphasized within the second draft of the letter, how much Draco had changed, and how concerning that change actually was because it wasn't Draco and there was clearly something going on in his life that had begun that change.
She wasn't entirely happy with the second draft of the letter, and felt that she could have perhaps worded things more eloquently but, eloquence had been the last thing on her mind. She was worried about Draco. Since Katie had been cursed, he had started acting really funny (again). He was more withdrawn and at times, it was like he wasn't even present. Physically, yes, he was there but getting his attention was difficult and it was even more difficult to actually get him to participate in any kind of conversation. It was like his mind was always focused on something else.
Cyn folded the letter, tucking it in an envelope and sealing it before she went to the Owlery and sent it off to her mom. Maybe her mother would be able to give her sound advice with the Draco-situation; that was after all why she had written her mom. After sending the letter, Cyn headed back to the Slytherin common room where only a few other Slytherins were awake including Verity and Blaise who were sitting in a corner of the room playing Wizard's chess. Cyn sat down beside Verity, who barely spared her a glance as she checkmated Blaise.
The wizard scowled at Verity, and then groaned, "I lose."
"You do," Verity answered smugly. She then glanced down at Cyn. "Are you okay?"
"Of course," Cyn replied swiftly. "Just tired and ready for Christmas break to be upon us so that I can go home."
"Break is in a week, Cyn. I'm sure you'll be able to survive until then," Blaise teased. "Although break can't possibly be that relaxing for you, though. You are a Winters and there are probably certain pureblood expectations that you have to fulfill."
"Oh, that is true," Cyn said with a frown. "It is likely that I'll be attending various Christmas parties hosted by various different pureblood families, as my parents conduct their own business dealings and integrate us into British pureblood society which is entirely different from American pureblood society. Although there are similarities."
"Elaborate," Verity commanded, elegantly crossing her legs.
"Well, marriage contracts aren't as popular in America, for starters. Many pureblood families place less of an emphasis on blood and more of an emphasis on talent, so there's that as well," Cyn murmured. "Of course, that doesn't mean that the families have completely forsaken the idea of pure blood. My family, for instance, has only ever consisted of purebloods. But there are a few American families that have half-bloods or Muggle-borns in their family trees, yet they are still considered to be purebloods."
"Hm, well that's just moronic," Verity sniffed pompously. "You can't call yourself a pureblood if your blood isn't truly pure."
"There are a few British pureblood families, Verity, that aren't completely pure and have miniscule Muggle heritage," Blaise pointed out. "Of course the Sacred Twenty-Eight is probably an exception to that."
"Sacred Twenty-Eight?" Cyn asked, as she tried to remember what that meant. She was sure that she had heard that term before.
"A term coined by the author of the Pure-Blood Directory, that lists twenty-eight families considered to be true purebloods by the 1930's," a familiar voice said, and a warm weight settled itself against Cyn's side. "Some members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight would include the Black family, the Carrows, the Greengrass family, the Lestranges, the Malfoys, etcetera," Draco said from his place at Cyn's side. "Interestingly enough the Zabinis are not a member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight."
"Yes, but we are still considered to be a pureblood family. Just not as pure as one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight families," Blaise muttered, embarrassment coating his voice. "We still have a high standing within pureblood society. Although we cannot possibly hope to compare to the Malfoy family."
"Interesting," Cyn said, her eyes darting nervously between Blaise and Draco for a few moments. She let her body relax into the couch, her shoulder brushing against Draco's, and her cheeks infused with color. "How would my family factor into the Sacred Twenty-Eight then, if we were a British pureblood family?"
"It'd probably become the Sacred Twenty-Nine," Verity quipped.
"Indeed, but I wouldn't worry about it," Draco answered, after yawning. "Everyone knows that your family is a completely pureblood one. Besides, the Weasleys aren't really considered part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight anymore since they are a familiar of blood traitors. If anything, your family could take their place." He smirked, "If you were a British family."
Cyn laughed a little, allowing a small smile to slip onto her face. "That is a very good point, Draco. I suppose it doesn't matter anyhow." She glanced at Draco, "What are you doing for Christmas?"
He appeared hesitant to answer. After seeming to have a battle with himself, he answered with a strained smile, "The usual pureblood duties I would imagine - for example, boring Christmas parties hosted by families that I neither like or care about."
Cyn regarded him suspiciously for a few moments, before she redirected her attention to Verity who had begun speaking about said Christmas parties. Apparently, almost all of the pureblood families hosted a party at some point during the Christmas season regardless of how many others were doing the same. Verity told them that the Blacks would be hosting a Christmas party in France and that invitations would be sent out within the next two weeks and that at the same time the Black family's Christmas party was occurring that another family (the Parkinsons) would also be hosting a party, with many of the same guests being invited.
"Not that anyone will go to the Parkinson Christmas party when they could go to our party," Verity said imperiously, but not before shooting a quick glare toward Pansy Parkinson. "Of course, the Malfoys will be hosting their own party as usual. Isn't your family going to host a party too?" That question was directed toward Blaise.
Blaise nodded, "Yes. My parents have decided that the party we'll be hosting this year will be in Italy at one of our vacation homes."
Verity turned to look at Cyn, "Will your family be hosting a party?"
"I don't know actually," Cyn answered slowly, glancing at Draco whose eyes were locked on the fire burning in the fireplace and then back to Verity. "I would assume not, since we never have in the past but perhaps we will this year."
"Well if you do, make sure that an invitation is extended personally to me," Verity said primly.
"But of course," Cyn smiled. "How could I ever think of doing anything different?"
As the week progressed, Draco was acting more off than usual. Slughorn's Christmas party on the twentieth had certainly not helped matters, because Draco had come back to the common room in an extremely foul mood, and a dark look on his face. All the while, Cyn was anxiously waiting for her mother to answer her letter to no avail. Sitting in a compartment in the Hogwarts Express with her friends sans Draco, it could be said that Cyn was also in a foul mood. Verity had made the astute observation (partially in jest) that Draco's moods often influenced Cyn's, and then poked fun at the elder girl and implied a relationship existed between the two when none actually.
Cyn had not answered her, and had merely crossed her arms and stared out the window with a huff. Slowly the door slid open, and Draco flopped into the seat beside Cyn, a scowl on his elegant features. For a majority of the train ride, the quartet was silent. Actually, for the entirety of the train ride, after Draco had joined them the ride was silent. It was only after the train had stopped and they were all gathering their things did someone dare to break the silence.
"I'll see you all at my family's Christmas party," Verity said, before striding out of the compartment with Blaise on her heels.
Cyn finished grabbing her luggage bags and glanced at Draco who was still gathering his things. "I suppose, I'll see you at Verity's party then." She made to move out of the compartment when a hand seized her wrist. "What?" She asked, staring at Draco.
"Perhaps, you'll also see me at my family's party as well," he murmured.
"Is that an official invitation?" She questioned with a small smile.
"It could be."
The two walked off the train in companionable silence, and Cyn wished that Draco acted this way all the time. As she joined her parents and watched the Malfoys head off, she hoped that once they were home her mom would be able to give her advice on what to do with Draco. Cyn smiled as her father wrapped her in a hug.
"Ready to go home?"
"Absolutely."
