We Open at the Close (Drarry)

The Best Birthday

Draco stood at the door adjusting and readjusting the collar of his shirt, he felt like it was strangling him. Andromeda batted his hand away.

"Stop fidgeting," she admonished. "You're worse than Teddy for Merlin's sake."

"This was a terrible idea," he mumbled.

"Yes, I quite agree. If I knew you'd be this fidgety I'd have just left you at home," she chided before knocking on the small wooden door.

A moment later the front door flew open and a stout, red-haired witch greeted them warmly.

"Andromeda!" cried Mrs Weasley. "You're here just in time."

"Hello Molly," she smiled, hugging and kissing her. "You've met my nephew before, yes?"

"Ah yes," Mrs Weasley smiled kindly at Draco. "It's good to see you again, Draco. You're looking well."

Without warning she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Draco stood frozen on the spot for a moment while Andromeda smirked over his shoulder.

When she released him he replied stiffly, "Thank you, Ma'am."

She laughed." Ma'am! Call me Molly, dear." Teddy squirmed in Andromeda's arms and Molly cooed, "By Circe, look at the size of him now!"

"I know he's huge," Andromeda huffed, struggling to keep the baby aloft.

"Here, I'll take him," Draco offered, holding out his arms.

Andromeda gave Draco an appraising look and handed the baby over. Molly opened the door further and beckoned them inside.

"Come in, come in! Most people are already here, we're just waiting for Harry to arrive. He and Ron should be here any minute."

Draco followed Molly and Andromeda through the house towards the murmur of voices at the rear which were growing louder with each step. His heart was beating hard in his chest and he wanted to turn tail and run, but he kept walking and tried not to replay in his mind every possible terrible scenario that he ever faced walking into a room full of people who hated him. Mrs Weasley opened another door and loud voices rang out into the corridor.

"More guests, Arthur," she called.

Draco stepped into the bustling kitchen and held onto Teddy a little tighter, struggling to keep his nerves in check. Some twenty people were packed into the tiny kitchen with many more spilling out into the garden under a large gazebo. He recognised quite a few faces. Hagrid, too large to fit through the kitchen door, was leaning through the kitchen window chatting to Neville and Ginny. Ginny was holding onto Neville's arm and laughing hard at something funny Hagrid had said. A few of the other Gryffindor boys— Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan and Oliver Wood— were standing in a far corner chatting animatedly with one another. George Weasley sat at the kitchen table surrounded by other redheads who were all laughing and chatting together, but George picked at the label of his butterbeer not speaking to anyone. Andromeda pushed her way through the kitchen to speak to Professor McGonagall and Fleur, who greeted her warmly with a hug. Draco couldn't hear what they were saying, but he saw them both glance in his direction and nod. Draco turned away and ambled his way to the back wall, holding Teddy close. A few people glanced in his direction, but nobody came and spoke to him. The only person who seemed to be paying close attention to him was Luna Lovegood. She stood in the far corner of the room, her protuberant eyes gazing at him unblinking. With difficulty, Draco looked anywhere but in her direction and was beginning to wonder what had ever possessed him to agree to come here in the first place.

"Where are they now?" asked Mrs Weasley, squeezing past a couple of bodies to stand next to her husband.

"Still at the pub by the looks of it," he replied.