The Slytherin prince

Chapter 30: silver necklace

I woke up with a huge hangover the next morning. It had only been hours since I went to bed. Sunrays of sunshine were already kissing me a good morning, even though it clearly wasn't a good morning. I got up, A sharp pain stabbing my brain. At least the nausea was gone. Last night was fun, till Fred decided to ruin it. My stomach was hauling. I got dressed and took off to the great hall for breakfast. On my way there, I looked over at the big clock hanging in the Slytherin room. I had slept for a solid 4 hours. Other students were probably still sleeping, so I tippy-toed my way out of the common room.

"What are you being so secretive about?" I heard a still sleepy voice say at the top of the stairs. He was still in his pyjama's, a gray t shirt and sweatpants in the same colour. His platinum blond hair was messy and graciously falling over his forehead.

"Nothing, just tried to not wake anyone." I whispered to him, I felt embarrassment rushing inside me, colouring my cheeks. My interactions with him last night burned through my cloudy memory.

"I am surprised that you are already up." It was 7am.

"You are up yourself." I commented. He came downstairs.

"I am a morning person, not good at sleeping in and all of that." He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and tilted his head slightly while eyeing me carefully. "Going for breakfast?" His mood sounded light. I had never seen him like this, easy to talk. It was confusing.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, suspicious.

"I just asked if you are going to breakfast?" He looked confused.

"No, you know exactly what I mean, Malfoy."

"Oh so we are again on last name turns." He answered sarcastically. He turned his back towards me to grab a little box out of the bookshelf on his right. It was a little black box covered with velvet.

"Don't pretend we-" He broke me off, mid-sentence.

"You were the one who said that you missed me, yesterday. Don't you remember?" His back was still towards me.

"I was drunk Draco, I was exaggerating." He turned himself around and looked me straight in my eyes.

"Drunk people mostly tells the truth." He smiled. Anger and more shame were welling up inside me. "Anyways." He began after a staring battle that I lost. "Happy birthday." He handed me the little velvet box and shoved it inside my hands.

"You remembered." I said blankly. I wasn't expecting this at all.

"I am not a dork like some of us." He said mockingly and headed back towards his dorm, I presume. He was out of sight before I could thank him. I suddenly got very aware of the box inside my hand. A small reflection of green-blue-ish light caught my eye the moment I opened it. Inside was a silver necklace of a snake covered in blue and green diamonds. The sale was twirled around a carefully sculpted rose. Roses were my favourite flowers. It was absolutely stunning. Such a shame I can't wear it. I closed the box and shoved it inside my robe. At breakfast, only first years were present. Other years were probably still sleeping. I placed myself at my usual spot at the end of the table and filled my plate with croissants, chocolate and a green apple.

"Someone's hungry." A quirky voice said behind me. The crips in her voice made me not recognize it at first.

"You look terrible." Anna sat beside me, her hair a bird's nest and her eyes darker than my cloak. She kicked me at my comment. "How are you already up?"

"I heard you sneaking out and then talking to someone." She grabbed the exact same things as me for her breakfast. "How did you get at your dorm last night? You were pretty hammered." Her attention at her food in front of her.

"Uhh, Draco brought me." I took a bite out of my croissant. She looked up at me.

"Since when are you guys talking again?"

"Since I was drunk and in need I suppose." I looked away, embarrassed. Her eyes lightened up and a smile formed onto her lips.

"Happy birthday!" She congratulated me. "Sorry I couldn't get you a present though, studying and all. Will make it up to you, I promise." She kissed me on the cheek.

"Thanks Anna. No effort needed, you being my friend is more than enough." I said.

"Ahhww. No I want to, 18 is quite the age." She winked at me. "Kind of funny that you share a birthday, don't you think?" She added casually taking another bite.

"Share a birthday with who?" She looked up from her plate and raised her eyebrows.

"It is Draco's birthday too, didn't you know?" She asked me.

"Oh no, he didn't mentioned anything this morning." I felt kind of guilty.

"This morning?"

"Yes, he wished me a happy birthday... And gave me a present."

"Really? Damn, dear cousin is overshadowing me." She laughed. "What did he get you?" She looked at me, hopefull.

"A necklace."

"Well, did you like it?" She tried to fish for details.

"Yes, sure." But I didn't want her too.

"Then why aren't you wearing it?" Why did she always ask the things I didn't want her too ask.

"I can't, Anna. Don't think I have to explain why." I sighed deeply.

"I don't get you, Victoria. We got passed it, right? Why can't you guys?"

"It is just different." I tried closing the conversation.

"It's not like he is an actual death eater, he is just born into it, just like me." She clarified.

"I know." I said a little too loud, irritated.

"Vic?" Fred approached me with carefully chosen steps. "I just wanted to say, Happy birthday. I got you something, you can do with it what you want." He placed a small pink bag in front of me and turned himself around.

"Thank you. Can we talk, maybe?" I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to set things straight for myself and him. Anna looked annoyed at me with her dull eyes. Fred was surprised at my question.

"Uhh, yea sure. When?" He looked hopeful, but was clearly suppressing his excitement.

"Right now, maybe?" I looked at Anna, who was about to murder me. "If Anna right here doesn't mind sitting at her own for a bit?"

"Anna right here does." She answered looking at me and then at Fred. He flinched at her expressions.

"No she doesn't." I looked at her with a smile. "Remember that present that you didn't give me? Perfect opportunity to pay off your debt." I teased her. She groaned lowly like an animal.

"Come." I ordered him. He followed me towards the exit.