nine
{Kit’s POV}
|September 7th, 1995|
I’ve never been a party person. I’ll attend them if someone I like is going, but I usually avoid them. For my best friend, obviously I’ll go to her birthday celebration. I basically planned it, after all.
It’s a relatively small gathering; only our friend group and George, which Thea prefers for things like this. Everyone coming is relatively close with each other, with the exception of George, who only really knows me and Thea. The Gryffindor in our group hasn’t ever really interacted with the crazy Weasley twins.
Thea is usually the one to put stuff like this together, so it will not be very good, I guarantee. For this gathering, I have decided to have everyone meet in the super secret room called the Undercroft. Its existence is one of the few good things my mother has ever told me.
It’s a huge room behind a closet on the side of a staircase. There are old cauldrons and chairs and boxes everywhere. Supposedly, it’s tied to really old, ancient magic, but that’s just a rumor.
Beforehand, Cece and I set up a table and chairs on the left side of the room. We set out the various candy and snacks that were retrieved from Hogsmeade earlier. Levi figured out a way to conjure muggle games in the school, so those are set out as well.
As per usual, we each grab a light dinner and head to the meeting place around 6:00. In the Great Hall, I wait until Thea and Al leave their table together, Levi trailing behind. Then Cece gets up with George in tow (Fred had a rare detention without his brother), and Pansy rushes to join her. Once they’ve all left the room, I start leaving with Draco, Theo, and Blaise.
Everyone is accounted for by 6:21. A few gifts have been placed on the floor next to Thea’s chair. She smiles at the sight. I wrote her a long, sorta sappy card, as usual, because I know she loves handmade cards. Apparently, George made her one too. Another point for Project Geothea.
“Thanks for inviting me, Thea!” George says, looking around the room in shock. “I had no idea this place existed. It isn’t on the Marauders Map. Who told you guys about it?”
“My mother,” I explain. “I think she said it’s like a family secret or something? Nobody knows about it. So don’t spill, man.”
He salutes. “Of course, Kitty.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Try to refrain from telling Fred as well.” His smile starts to drop, but I add, “I have to tell him myself. It is a family secret, after all.”
“Fine then.” He collapses into the chair right next to Thea. I notice her cheeks darken slightly at his actions. I am about to join them, but someone grabs my arm. I turn to see Draco there.
“Hey,” he says, his grey eyes shifting around. He’s probably making sure nobody can overhear him. “Can you put this in the pile of presents?” He pushes something into my grip. It’s a baby yellow gift bag with silver accents. The Malfoy family crest sits in the bottom corner.
I grin at the gesture. “Awe, Dray!” He hushes me, so I lower my volume for him. “That’s so sweet of you to get something for her.”
He shrugs, trying to be nonchalant. “She’s your best friend. Why wouldn’t I get her something for her birthday?”
“I know that she’ll love it, Draco.” As I turn away to slip the bag into the waiting pile, I could swear that I saw his pale face brighten. I quickly drop off the present and take a seat beside Thea. On the side opposite George, of course. “I think it’s about time we start partying. What do you think, Mallard?”
She rolls her brown eyes. “If you insist, Ollivander. Let’s begin.”
With that, our little party gathering begins. Snacks and candy are eaten. Muggle games, like one with a bunch of wooden bricks, are played and end up all over the floor. It’s fun. We’re all friends, basically, so everyone is laughing and joking around. Even Draco cracks a few (very horrible) jokes, which he hates doing around anyone outside of our house. The time passes in an instant, and suddenly it’s after 9:00. Cece deems that it’s time for presents. Thea starts protesting that she can wait until she’s alone, but we do not let that happen.
“Birthday parties are supposed to include borderline-awkward present opening!” Alzona declares. A flurry of agreements fly through the group. Thea sighs and complies.
Because she’s a sap, she starts with some of the cards. Levi’s makes her cry as soon as she reads the first line, as always. He moves to her side and holds her hand while she gets through it. She practically jumps on him when she finishes. “I love you, Levi,” she mutters into his ear.
“Yeah, I know,” he responds. He doesn’t say it back, but we know that he also loves her. He’s not much of a hugger, and the Hufflepuff girl knows this, so she breaks away from the embrace fairly quickly. She wipes her eyes and grabs the next card.
It ends up being from Pansy. They aren’t the best of friends, and they only ever hang out when I’m there, but the message inside still makes my best friend tear up a little. It also makes her laugh. “Do what you want, Pansy. I won’t interfere.”
Pansy’s eyes glitter at her response. “Cool, thanks.”
Thea selects a thick card after the exchange with her. I can tell immediately that it’s from Alzona. His cards always have some sort of trick or magic behind them. This one is no different, as we find out very soon. She opens it slowly, in case something inside were to jump out at her.
Surprisingly, it’s only a pop-up picture album of Thea and our friend group. She’s able to scroll through the images as she pleases. Working through them makes her shed a few tears again.
After embracing Al, she reads Theo and Blaise’s cards, which end up just making her laugh (probably what they were each going for). I already told her that she’ll get my card on her actual birthday. Being done with the cards, she starts on the handful of wrapped presents.
Inside all the packages is an array of random books and a few stuffed animals. I’m not a gift giving person, I never know what to do, so I just gave her some of the candy penguin-owls from Honeydukes.
The last one is the gift bag from Draco. He didn’t leave a name and didn’t claim it. Nobody claims it and nobody mentions the obviously Malfoy gift bag, all to keep the sensitive Slytherin’s pride from bruising. But everyone knows it’s from him. Even George bites his tongue.
The gift held inside is a crystal figurine of a pair of rabbits. The stones themselves are a gradient of blue and purple. Thea gasps when she pulls it out of the bag. She holds her breath, clearly being cautious so it doesn’t break from her exhale. It fits in the palm of her hand. The rabbits portrayed are playing together. One is on its hind legs while the other is crouched down as if it’s about to pounce.
Thea slaps a hand over her mouth. “Oh my god. It’s beautiful. And adorable. I don’t- Thank you, whoever this was.”
He doesn’t show it outwardly, but I can tell Draco is super proud of himself. I descretly nudge his leg with my knee, a little gesture letting him know that I know what he’s thinking. His eyes shoot to mine, grey meets green. I let my lips curve into a smile. His mouth flickers for just a moment, but quickly returns to normal.
Cece makes a sudden noise. “It’s 9:30! We best hurry and clean up before curfew!” A couple laughs break out. Trash is collected and disposed of, wooden brick stacking games (and others), are stored in old crates, and chairs and the table are separated to where they came from. With all of us working together, it only takes five minutes.
We decide to leave in small groups. Theo, Pansy, and Blaise exit first, easily putting their cold Slytherin looks back on their faces. Then Levi, George, and Cece leave. Alzona and Thea are close to follow, and then it’s me and Draco.
My dorm is nice and cold when I enter a few minutes later. I had bid Draco a farewell and goodnight the second we entered the common room because I’m tired. Unfortunately, I have homework to complete tomorrow, so sleep is necessary if I want to get any of it done in a timely manner. Staying up late will make me sleep in and waste hours in bed. That’s not something I’m wanting to do tomorrow.