TRAINING WHEELS—
DRACO'S BIRTHDAY

034

On the fifth of June, Amora woke up slightly earlier than usual and slipped the present that she had bought Draco into her school bag, alongside her card. The other girls were still snoring away when she climbed into the shower to do her usual routine, however, by the time she had emerged back into the dormitory, everybody was starting to get up and shuffle around the large room.

"It's hot already," Susan groaned, kicking the covers further down her bare legs and slinging her arm over her face where sweat was collecting on her forehead.

Zena, an evening showerer, was already slipping her tie on over her school shirt when she glanced over at the ginger girl.

"There's supposed to be a really bad heatwave this summer," Zena said, "I'm travelling over Europe in August though."

The mention of a heatwave caused flashing images of herself and Cedric jumping over waves in the sea every summer. It immediately made her frown softly as she grabbed her wand off of her bedside table.

"We know," Hannah huffed tiredly as she climbed off of her bed. "You've been talking nonstop about it since the start of the school year."

Zena pouted, slightly disheartened as she finished tying her tie and moved to the bathroom to brush her teeth where Kathy had gone. Amora used a spell to dry her hair and then brushed it out, doing some makeup and then pulling on her school uniform. She didn't bother with her school jumper, deciding that it was far too hot out, and slung her robe through the strap of her backpack so she didn't have to carry it around.

Amora headed down to the Great Hall where the Hufflepuff table was filling up slowly but surely, mainly the earlier years already sat down. The other tables were quite sparse too. Amora's eyes landed on a familiar face towards the top of her yellow table, her heart skipping a beat as she moved forwards quickly, trying not to think much in case it made her back down.

"Cedric?" Amora's voice came out more nervous than she had suspected it to do, a blush coating her cheeks when not only her cousin looked at her, but all of his friends, too. "Please may I talk to you? In private?"

"I'm busy," Cedric said in a warning tone, barely looking her in the eye.

"It's important," she said, her eyes silently pleading with him.

He'd taken far too long to get back to her about catching her with Draco. As every day passed, she felt like her cousin was slipping further and further away from her. Perhaps he'd rather pretend that she didn't exist than try and hear her out.

However, Cedric brushed her off again. "Amora, go pester one of your friends instead. It's too early to deal with you."

One of Cedric's friends snorted, the others looking quite amused. A girl with braids smacked Cedric's arm lightly, shooting him a small glare.

"Cedric, she's your little cousin," the girl huffed.

"Family talk like that with each other," Benny hissed in the girl's ear. "Stay out of it."

Amora didn't stick around for Cedric to change his mind. Draco had told her that she shouldn't beg for his forgiveness or approval. Now that she had put herself out there for him, it was his turn. She wouldn't go crawling back twice in a row.

Her cheeks were blazing red with embarrassment, feeling furious with Cedric for embarrassing her in front of all of his older friends. She sat down in her usual seat, Justin and Leon opposite her as they ate their breakfast. If they noticed that she was in a glum mood then they didn't say anything.

Amora remained in a bad mood right up until her final class of the day-- Divination. She shared it with her friends and also Draco was in that class. She hadn't been able to get him alone all day or even make eye contact with the birthday boy, but he'd looked happy nearly every time she had seen him, so she assumed his birthday was going well.

The classroom was muggy when Amora walked inside, sitting down on her pouffe with Harry, Ron, and Leon. Ron was already complaining about how boiling it was as Amora chucked her bag by her feet, rolling her shirt sleeves up to her elbows and resisting the urge to make similar comments. The fumes from the scented fire felt even more sickly today than ever.

"My dears," Professor Trelawney spoke from the front of the classroom. We have almost finished our work on planetary divination. Today, however, will be an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of Mars, for he is placed most interestingly at the present time. If you will all look this way, I will dim the lights..."

With a wave of her wand, Professor Trelawney removed the room of light and brought out a miniature solar system model inside a glass dome. Amora could barely concentrate on it, her mind dwelling on other things. Cedric had been moved to the back, and now she was just thinking about how she would be spending time with Draco soon. They'd snuck out together three nights ago, but she still managed to miss him dearly.

Her brown eyes managed to sneak their way over to the blond boy. Her lips tilted into a lazy smile upon discovering that Draco was already watching her, a soft smirk on his pale face. She pushed some of her hair out of her face, hoping it didn't look too frizzy from the heat, and nearly blushed when Draco sent her a wink before turning his attention back to Trelawney.

It was then that she realised that Harry had managed to doze off, his cheek pressed against his hand and his glasses nearly hanging off of his nose. Small breaths escaped his nose, his chest rising and falling evenly. He looked peaceful.

The Divination teacher continued to go on and on about the angle that Mars was making with Neptune when, minutes later, a small whimper left Harry's lips. Only Ron and Amora seemed to hear, Ron raising his brows at Amora. Leon was doodling on his parchment, glancing up when Ron leaned forward to whisper to the brunette girl next to him.

"What kind of dream do you reckon he's having?" Ron joked, voice barely above a whisper.

Amora pulled a face of disgust whilst he and Leon chuckled, shaking their heads. Just as Ron was about to do his best friend a favour and wake him up, Harry began to cry out, his body suddenly sinking to the ground as he began to claw at the scar on his forehead. He made noises of obvious pain and discomfort, body withering as his three friends darted from their seats.

Amora raced to kneel in front of him beside Ron, Ron's hands shaking Harry slightly as the rest of the class started to crowd around. His eyes snapped open as Ron called his name, green and watering in what Amora assumed was either pain or fear.

"You all right?" The Weasley boy questioned.

"Of course he isn't!" Professor Trelawney barely looked concerned but looked rather excited instead. "What was it, Potter? A premonition? An apparition? What did you see?"

"Nothing," Harry replied, but as Amora and Leon exchanged glances, they seemed to collectively decide that it was a lie.

"You were clutching your scar!" Professor Trelawney exclaimed, "You were rolling on the floor, clutching your scar!" Come on, Potter, I have experience in these matters."

"I need to go to the hospital wing, I think," Harry dismissed her plainly, "Bad headache."

"My dear, you were undoubtedly stimulated by the extraordinary clairvoyant vibrations of my room," the teacher continued, frowning past her enlarged glasses. "If you leave now, you may lose the opportunity to see further than you have ever--"

"I don't want to see anything except a headache cure," Harry cut her off as he used Ron and Amora for support to climb back to his feet, starting to head for the door. "See you later," he said to his friends.

Amora stared after him with a small frown on her face, wondering what all of that was about. Ron looked even more worried than she did, and the rest of the class felt like it dragged on for years, a mixture of Harry and Draco swirling around in Amora's brain.

D.M + A.B

As dinner wrapped up, the Slytherin table far rowdier than usual as they celebrated Draco's birthday, Amora made an excuse to her friends and hurried to her dormitory where she changed out of her school uniform. Her robe was tossed carelessly onto her duvet, alongside her shirt and skirt and tie, her shoes discarded underneath the bed. She pulled on a pair of mom shorts, belting up the baggy denim and tucking in a lilac short-sleeved t-shirt.

Amora took one glance at herself in the mirror and decided that it would have to do, her heart beating nervously as she emptied her bag of the things she didn't need and flung it back over her shoulders. She glanced down at her watch as she rushed into the Common Room. She had two minutes to make it to the place she'd told Draco to meet her.

She picked up her pace when a hand grabbed her. Cedric held a frown on his face as he released her arm. "Amora. Can we talk?"

The brunette glared at him slightly. "I asked you to talk this morning."

She glanced back down at her watch as if time was escaping faster than usual. Cedric seemed to realise that she had somewhere to be and, without the presence of Kathy or Leon, he had a good idea who she was meeting. He glared back slightly.

"Well now is better for me," Cedric declared.

"Well, it's not for me," Amora huffed and moved past him.

She brushed past a few seventh years as she left the Common Room, picking up her pace and taking her as fast as her short legs would take her. She should definitely not have spent so long deciding whether the lilac purple looked better with her shorts or if she should go green just to gain a compliment or two from Draco about it.

Amora left the castle and hurried down the grounds, closer to the direction of the Quidditch Pitch. She glanced over her shoulder, her legs taking her quicker than usual down a hill, when a pair of hands grabbed her hips. Amora squealed, her soul nearly leaving her body as Draco grasped her, her hands on his shoulders as he smirked handsomely.

"You frightened me!" Amora exclaimed, smacking his chest as he let her back down.

"Sorry," Draco replied half-heartedly, "I was getting bored waiting around the Broom Shed. Had to make sure you hadn't left me hanging."

"Of course not," Amora beamed, smoothing her hands from his shoulders down his arms, grabbing his hands. "C'mon!"

Draco's brows rose in surprise when he was suddenly tugged in the direction he'd come from. He had no chance to utter a word, his knees nearly buckling as she dragged him down the slope. He couldn't hide the smile from his face as he followed the shorter girl, listening to her sweet laugh as she led him down towards a tree.

As soon as they reached their destination, Amora released his hand and whirled around, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down so their lips met.

"Happy birthday, Draco," Amora whispered, watching as he smiled a little. "I thought we could stay under the tree. Some shade for your pale skin."

"I have to keep up the Malfoy aesthetic, you know," Draco teased in a soft murmur, kissing her lips again.

Amora kissed back for about a minute before she forced herself to pull away. "Listen, as much as I would love to kiss you forever, we don't have forever. Blaise told me that the Slytherins are throwing you a small party of sorts in an hour and a half."

"I can turn up fashionably late to my own birthday party, can I not?"

Amora rolled her eyes with a smile, reaching into her bag and bringing out the white envelope with his name written in cursive. Draco's slender fingers broke through the seal and he tugged out what appeared to be a handmade card. He recognised the Astronomy Tower, sketched in a mixture of colours, and instantly felt the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. Written in block writing above it was: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DRACO!

He opened it.

Dear Draco,

Happy Birthday!

I hope you have an amazing day. I always write notes in birthday cards, however, I know you aren't one for too much affection and that it could embarrass you. Just know that you're my favourite person and there's nobody else I'd rather spend my nights on the Astronomy Tower with.

Hugs and kisses,

Amora xxxxx

Draco felt the heat climbing his neck but fought it off with a smirk. "Hugs and kisses?" He teased.

Amora rolled her eyes yet again. "That's how I sign off my cards for friends and family."

"Cute," he muttered, thumb smoothing over the sketch on the front of the card again when Amora drew out a poorly-wrapped present. "For me?"

"No, for Filch," Amora replied sarcastically, earning a small glare. "Of course it's for you. You'll have to excuse the wrapping, though. I'm not very patient with it."

"I can tell."

"Oh, shove off, you!" Amora pushed him playfully as he started to tear away the paper. "You most likely get house elves to wrap all of your gifts for you!"

Draco smirked. "Well, of course."

He finally peeled off all of the wrapping paper to reveal a dark green hoodie, quite oversized. Draco inspected it with furrowed brows, flipping it over. Embroidered onto the left side was the Slytherin crest, done so perfectly that if Draco hadn't questioned why Amora had been studying his robe so intensely two weeks ago, then he would have believed it had been bought. However, he'd never seen a jumper like it.

Amora studied him nervously, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she waited for him to say something. Like usual, his expression didn't give much away, other than the fact that he seemed quite amused, his brows raised. She wasn't sure if he was silently mocking it or if he was admiring it.

"I- I'm sorry that it's not a lot, I didn't have a lot of money a-and I learnt how to do embroidery a few years ago, so I thought something personal could be cool. I- I did buy the jumper, though, so I don't take credit for that obviously, but if you don't like it, then I can just--" Amora's rambling was cut off by a pale finger pressing to her lips.

Draco was shaking his head. "You amuse me," he said, "You and your rambling. I love it, Amora."

"You do?" Amora's eyes widened a little. "I know we're quite literally about to have a heatwave and it's boiling enough as it is, but I thought it would be cool for weekend casuals during the colder months, or if you're just hanging around your dorm and you don't want anybody to see it--"

"Why wouldn't I want anybody to see it?" He frowned.

"Be- Because it's not, like, expensive or anything," Amora said, blushing when she realised that she had made him out to sound like a real douche. "Not what you would usually wear."

"Somebody once told me you can be rich in more ways than money," Draco hesitated to say, Amora's eyes widening again when she realised he was talking about her after he'd joked about the Weasleys. "It might not be threaded with pure gold or whatever else, but you made it for me. It's valuable to me now."

Her heart skipped a beat and then melted. She felt her arms itch to wrap around Draco, feeling as if there was a literal magnetic pull between the two of them. Amora kneeled up and grabbed him, tucking her head into his neck. Draco's hand smoothed down the back of her lilac shirt.

I love you, Amora thought. Merlin, I love you.

The thought nearly made her jump. Her fingers held onto the back of Draco's shirt even harder, bunching it into her hands as she processed what she'd just admitted silently to herself. It had popped up so suddenly, and deep inside her, Amora knew that it was true. She'd fallen harder than she had ever expected to for Draco Malfoy.

"I'm glad you like it," Amora whispered as she pulled away.

Draco glanced back down at the material in his hands. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Draco."

D.M + A.B

Eventually, when Draco's birthday party was about an hour in, Amora managed to get him to part ways with her so that he could enjoy the rest of his birthday with his friends. The sun had set but the air was still warm as she moved through the courtyard. She paused in her tracks when she spotted Cedric and Cho standing by a pillar, a small laugh leaving the blushing girl's lips as Cedric traced the back of his fingers down her cheek.

He was grinning too. In fact, Cedric looked the happiest he had all month. She suddenly felt bad for blowing him off earlier, but she'd been angry with him and wanted to go and see Draco before he thought she'd forgotten about him on his own birthday. As Cedric leant down to press his lips against Cho's, Amora took that as her cue to leave and walked through the entrance of the school.

She found Harry, Ron, and Hermione all sat around, still in their uniforms minus the robes. Hermione beamed and waved when she spotted Amora.

"Been tanning, Amora?" Hermione asked sweetly.

Amora peered down at her legs and realised that they were a little more red than when she had left. "Unintentionally, I suppose," she half-grinned at them. "I was reading down the bottom of the fields. It's quite relaxing, you know? To be by yourself. Boarding school can be intense."

"Try having six siblings," Ron grumbled.

Amora grinned. "Oh, I can imagine!" She sat down with them. "I bet Christmases are chaotic, hm? Especially with Fred and George about!"

"Oh, don't," Ron huffed, "They've just turned seventeen back in April. I am not looking forward to spending my summer stuck in the Burrow with them Apparating all over the place."

"Come visit me!" Amora proposed eagerly. "All three of you, of course. I was telling Harry about it a few months ago. My house is not exactly big enough for an overnight stay, but when it gets hot, we could all go swimming or something. A nice stress reliever before O.W.L year."

"That sounds amazing, Amora," Hermione said.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "If I can escape the Durselys, that sounds good."

"I'm sure those miserable sods wouldn't realise you were gone if you just locked your bedroom door, Harry," Ron grumbled bitterly, not hiding his hatred for Harry's uncle and auntie.

"Yeah, they probably wouldn't."

"Well, my birthday is August second, so... Maybe some time around then. If my mum says yes, although I'm not sure why she'd say no."

"I wouldn't blame her if she didn't want Ron around," Hermione teased, earning a glare from the ginger boy who then rolled his eyes.

Amora giggled, shaking her head. She only stayed with the three Gryffindors for a little bit longer before she decided that it was time for her to go back up to her common room. When she walked inside, it was quite busy, kids and teenagers from all different year groups sat around and enjoying themselves for a few hours. Amora spotted her friends her age sitting around one of the tables at the back of the large room.

"'Allo Amora!" Justin cheered as he smacked his fists down repeatedly onto the table. "Ha! Do you get it? I said 'hello Amora', but it sounded like I said 'Alohomora!'"

Amora forced a small smile. It definitely wasn't the first time that she'd heard that one. "Yeah, I get it," she amused him, placing her hand on the back of his chair and Ernie's. "What's everyone doing?"

"Ernie had a shot," Susan huffed in disapproval.

"A shot?" Amora repeated, confused. "Of what?"

"Firewhisky," Justin grinned, "Leon and I bought a bottle off some Slytherin. Apparently they're throwing some sort of birthday party for Malfoy tonight."

"Seriously?" The brunette grabbed the bottle that Justin was showing her under the table, shooting a glare at Leon as well. "Their party is going to have alcohol? He's turned fifteen--"

"Oh, you silly little Pureblood, you," Leon chuckled, scratching under her chin so she pulled away. "It's Muggle culture to be drunk in a field by the time you're thirteen."

"What kind of Muggle culture is that?" Amora protested.

"British Muggle culture," Leon grinned, holding the bottle up.

"And you know what? We thought, why should Slytherin have all of the fun?" Justin added, "The older Hufflepuffs are way too strict to give us any. They say we have to wait until next year to join in with all of the parties and stuff. So we thought... fuck it. Let's keep a bottle for ourselves. Most of us are sixteen at the end of this year anyway."

Amora chewed down on her lip. "Sixteen's still not legal."

"No, but it's pathetic if you haven't been drunk by then," Zena, a Muggle-born, said matter-of-factly. "All my Muggle friends thought that was what boarding school would be about. Playing spin the bottle in our dorms every Friday night, seeing who can down the most shots the quickest..."

The brown-eyed girl stared between them all. The only one that looked apprehensive about the whole thing was Susan Bones. Even Kathy looked pretty relaxed from where she was perched on Leon's lap, his arms wrapped around her and his chin on her shoulder as she smiled at Amora.

"Are you in?" Kathy asked.

"Just a little bit of alcohol, 'Mora," Leon grinned.

Amora sighed reluctantly. "Fine. Okay."

She hoped she wouldn't regret this.

...

last update of 2020!! hope you all have an amazing year and i hope you and all your loved ones stay safe and well !

<333

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