Summer Holiday

Chapter 21

***I know I haven't published in some time, but trust me I did not forget about this fic!!! :) I have some new chapters I've been writing. Please enjoy***

The two teenagers residing at Grimmauld Place had not spoken in 6 full days. Draco didn't understand why Sophie was ignoring him.

The silent treatment. How childish.

Draco sat in his room staring out the window at the empty lot behind Grimmauld Place. He couldn't stop his mind from racing.

She couldn't even begin to understand what I've been through. As if I'm supposed to give every muggle born a warm hug just because I didn't take the mark.

A light tapping came from the door. Draco's ears perked up. He pushed himself up from the window and headed for the door. He swung the door open to reveal Kreacher.

Well at least he learned to knock.

"Master Black would like Kreacher to inform Malfoy dinner is ready." Kreacher spoke before slowly walking back down the hallway.

Draco pulled his bedroom door shut as he shook his head and headed down the hallway towards the stairs. When Draco arrived to the kitchen Sirius and Sophie were already seated in their usual seats with plates in front of them. Draco sat next to Sophie.

The three of them began to eat their meals in silence and all that could be heard was chewing and silverware scraping along plates.

"So..." Sirius swallowed his food. "How is everyone?"

Draco looked at Sophie from the corner of his eye waiting for her to respond.

Sophie nodded her head while swallowing her food. "Good." She licked her lips. "I've been fine."

Sirius looked at Draco as he took another bite.

"Oh." Draco cleared his throat. "I've also been fine."

The chair creaked as Draco shifted nervously in his seat.

"Well then," Sirius cleared his throat, "I've also been fine." There was a pause as Sirius stared at the two teens in front of him. "Are you sure the two of you are alright? I haven't seen much of either of you the past week."

Draco fumbled with the napkin in his lap. "No Sirius. I'm fine really. I'm fine because I know everyone in this house is mature and is able to communicate when there's a problem." Draco licked his lips and chuckled under his breath. "Really. No need to worry about us Sirius. No need at all"

Silence followed

"You sure you're alright?" Confusion spread along Sirius' face. "You're talking a bit.....well....out of the ordinary."

Draco's mood switched to anger in a matter of seconds. His head snapped up and he looked Sirius straight on. "I said I'm fine."

This silent treatment was getting to Draco. He knew he had said something that offended Sophie, but they had disagreements before and she would be over it in a day or two.

"Okay. I'll take your word for it." Sirius backed off and picked up his fork to take another bite

Dinner was awkward. Dinner was silent. Once all three of them had finished their meals Sirius stayed in the kitchen to clean up a bit. Sophie headed for her bedroom and left the kitchen.

Draco considered following her and finally confronting her, but it didn't seem right. He sat still as he watched her leave.

"Everything alright Draco?"

Draco turned to see Sirius carefully observing him. Draco contemplated if he would regret what he was about to do, but did it anyways.

"Why did you go against your family?" Draco asked.

Sirius paused and let out a long sigh. He took a seat across from Draco.

"Sometimes I think about how much easier my life would've been if I was sorted into Slytherin." Draco leaned forward. "But that was never the path for me to take. I never would have met James or Remus, and they were everything to me. The right thing to do is often the harder thing to do." Sirius looked at his lap and then back at Draco. "I loved my family, but they didn't love me and I knew that. I knew I couldn't stay here or I would die. I figured this war was bigger than just me, so I picked my side. I don't have any regrets."

Draco bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. He began to stand from the table and head for the kitchen door.

"You know, if you just talk to her I'm sure you can work things out." Sirius spoke softly.

Draco turned his head slightly and gave Sirius a short nod.

That night Draco laid in bed unable to sleep. He knew he would need to speak with Sophie eventually, he just didn't know how. Suddenly Draco's legs were guiding him out of his bedroom and down the hall. The crack underneath Sophie's door was lit. She was still awake. Draco swung open the door without knocking.

"When are you going to stop punishing me?" Draco asked sternly.

"Malfoy!" Sophie gasped with wide eyes as she sat at her desk. "You can't just come in unannounced."

"The silent treatment? Really? How old are you?" Draco questioned stepping into her room and closing the door.

Sophie stared at Draco and back at the door in disbelief. Draco did not move, but continued to stare at her with piercing eyes.

The chair creaked as Sophie stood up from her desk. She sighed, turned her head away from him, and rolled her eyes.

"Are you bloody serious?" Draco scoffed and threw his arms down.

"I'm not giving you the silent treatment Malfoy! I just have nothing to say to you!" Sophie exclaimed.

"That is so unfair."

"Unfair?" Sophie gasped. "I'll tell you what's unfair, you believing you're superior because of the family you were born into!"

"Bloody hell!" Draco yelled throwing his hands down to his side. "You just don't get it. You don't get any of it. You think because I refused the mark I love muggles and mudbloods now?" Draco stared at Sophie intensely. "You have no idea what my life has been like. I was raised by a man who was disappointed with every decision I made. A man who would beat me if I didn't share the same opinions. A man who tried to kill me when I finally stood up for myself. I grew up with an entire class of children telling me I was superior because of my blood. Do you have any idea what that's like? To live in constant fear that someone would curse me or snitch on me to my father? Now everyone in the wizarding world thinks I'm a traitor. I can't go outside without someone trying to kill me. I gave up everything to be here!" Draco was breathing heavy as Sophie stared with watery eyes.

"Malfoy...." Sophie began as she softened her posture.

"Don't." Draco said firmly. "You've made it clear we're done."

"I'm..... I'm sorry Malfoy. I didn't know."

"No. Of course you didn't. Because you never bothered to fucking ask." Draco stormed over to the door. "Instead you treated me like a fucking child. I hope it was worth it to prove your point." Draco opened the door and walked to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

His eyes were blurry with anger as he stormed to his bedroom. This was it. Draco would spend the remainder of holiday avoiding Sophie and making awkward small talk with Sirius. It would be difficult but he could do it.

Draco spent the next 3 days tucked away in his bedroom doing everything in his power to avoid interactions with either occupant of Grimmauld Place. He read various books he had stashed from the downstairs library, and had Kreacher bring him snacks when he grew hungry. On the evening of day three Draco sat in the window sill reading a book while the orange light illuminated his bedroom. He twiddled with his wand in one hand as his eyes lazily glossed over the pages.

A quiet creak could be heard outside the bedroom door in the hallway. Draco stopped reading and focused on the noises. A small knock sounded at the door barely loud enough for Draco to hear. He irritably rose from the window seat and headed for the door. He swung open the door to find an empty hall. Draco glanced back and forth in confusion before looking down. On the floor placed neatly in front of Draco's door was a cake covered in green icing that read "Happy Birthday."