Magical Fables !
One Shot No. OO3 :
The Boy Who Was Never Loved
[ Peter Pan Retold ]

Draco was one peculiar kind out there, far from his adulthood yet quite content with the way he was. Though he was always considered alone despite having the 'Lost Serpents' who were a bunch of boys Draco had kidnapped or to him 'saved'— he still felt empty. Something felt lost in him — so deep and vast that not even the happiness of kicking the Pirate captain could fill it.

“…And so, the Prince finally met his true soulmate. He had found her, through everything, and of course, the Princess was more than happy to be his, after all, they were meant for each other.” A soft voice that echoed through the window, was captured by the young ears of the boy. Sitting quietly on top the window, he dove into the words of the wonderful stories, with his aching chest heavy with a lonely feeling and sigh drifting into the gloom of dim night sky.

Suddenly feeling something tickle on his cheek, he looked up at the glittering fairy. Her movement resembled the jingle of tiny bells. “We need to get going!”

Draco shook his head at her. “No Pansy, just one more story!”
“We’ve been here for hours!” she jingled angrily. Her glowing aura brightened, implying that she was flushed with anger.

“Just few more minutes…” Draco's pleas were answered with a kick on his nose from Pansy who's rapidly fluttering wings synchronized with her vibrant red and yellow aura. Rubbing the spot, Draco whined, “Oh, calm down Pans!”

Relaxing against the dark hidden edge he closed his eyes, recalling quite a similar scene that occurred months ago.
He had chosen this specific hidden, but brightly lit house, at the corner of Bloomsbury street, since there were people who had believed in him…he flew over cautiously and sat on the high rail, hidden in the shadows he focused on the lightly spoken dialogues.

“George, dear, do hurry! We cannot be late for this party, you know” A soothing voice spoke, a voice he had heard a little too much on nights like this.

Suddenly there were shouts. Two boys in particular were screaming.

Draco almost jumped back in fright, when he suddenly heard his name. “Blast you, Draco!” A young boy called out, his deepening voice sounded almost threatening. He took few seconds to realize it was a roleplay. He, most definitely, wasn't scared — it was just so sudden.

“Take that you! Give up, Captain Hook!” Another voice roared. Hanging down from the top, Draco peeked through the window to see a little boy, Michael, raising a tiny but effective wooden sword with pride, an expression quite alike Draco's. Another boy with glasses and red bandana, named Daph, held a hanger hook with a nasty smirk playing on his face. He was a little taller than the boy next to him. Draco couldn’t help but grin at those two.

“Never! I’ll teach you to cut off me hand!”

“Daph, no. It was the left hand.” A chuckle resounded, bringing Draco’s attention. The speaker was a pretty girl with glinting eyes  shimmering like a shady forest, her locks fell on her shoulder like dark waterfalls. Indeed, Draco acknowledged Astoria Darling.

Suddenly a dog walked in, holding a tray of water and glass alike bottle. Draco watched curiously as the Saint Bernard cleaned up the room, only to get destroyed in a matter of seconds. The bed cluttered up again, wooden blocks dispersed across the floor, as Mr Darling hurriedly search for something.

Draco was tempted to steal the dog but a jingle quickly interrupted him. “Hey!” Draco whisper shouted, as Pansy flicked his nose. She glared at him with her tiny hands on hips and wings fluttering swiftly. “Just a few more minutes, Pans! I need to get a story out of them!” He flicked Pansy away, which angered her further.

Kicking the air, Pansy disappeared with an angry sigh leaving Draco to eavesdrop on the chaos of Mr Darling's screams, the dog’s growls and the tumbling wooden blocks.

“…Captain Crook, Ferret Pirate…” Mr Darling huffed out.The

Draco gasped lightly in offense. “What did he call me!” He rolling up his leaf green suit sleeve angrily, Draco went ahead to tackle the man down.

“Draco, father.” Astoria corrected, causing Draco to smirk.

“Pirate, Ferret, poppycock!” Waving angrily Mr Darling tried to fix his collar. Draco was on his way to beat the obnoxious man up, when he remembered something and halted.

According to Pansy, he was supposed to stay inconspicuous. Moreover, he wasn't supposed to be seen by adults. They are a bit too nosy.

“Oh no, father.”

“Father have you ever–”

“You don’t understand.”

“Absolute poppycock! And let me tell you, this ridiculous…” Mr Darling growled out.

"Calm down…" Draco chanted it like a mantra to invoke the sense of calm into him against the protests of his own will power, especially given his own hatred against fathers.

“Now, George.” Mrs Darling's sweet attempt was interrupted by Mr Darling.

“Now, George. Now George!” he blustered, “Well, George will have his say! Mary! She is growing up. It’s time for her to have a room of her own.”

Then there was a huge commotion, with more blocks falling and shriller shouts of Mr Darling. Draco honestly had never seen another house with such chaos, and he was living for it. So much ‘stories’ to tell the Lost Serpents! If only he had popcorn—he could ask Pansy, but she had gotten mad again.

“But, mother, I don’t want to grow up.” Draco’s ears perked up, taking the information that she didn’t want to group up. And, what’s a mother? Draco wondered if that was Mrs Darling's name.

“Now, dear. Don’t worry about it anymore tonight.” Draco sighed. As suspected.

“He called Draco ‘absolute poppycock’!” Draco looked around to see if Pansy was around, a little kick wouldn’t hurt anyone,right?

“Don’t judge your father harshly children. After all, he really loves you very much.”

“Oh, don’t lock it, mother. He might come back!”

“He?”

“Yes.” Astoria nodded. “Draco. You see, I found something that belongs to him.” She yawned. “His shadow.”

Draco jumped in shock. She has it?!

“Nana had it, but I took it away.”

“Oh? Alright . Good night, dear.” Mrs. Darling left with a sigh.
Draco waited until they dissappeared. As he looked around for the fairy, he heard the familiar jingle next to him.

“What are you waiting for! Go!” Pansy tinkled. “And quiet yourself!”

Draco hopped down, cursing the dog for stealing his shadow. He grimaced at the thought of introducing that horrid dog to the Lost Serpents he had beforehand. Slowly creeping on to the window he watched the three children sleeping peacefully. Carefully opening the window he stepped in quietly, while Pansy dashed into Nana’s den and returned a second later shaking her head.

“Dang it!” Draco punched the air. “It must be here somewhere!” He flew next to the toy box and dug through it, trying to find the dark shadow of his.

Suddenly he heard a music box and snapped  his head back at Pansy to see her fumbling with the thing. “Stop playing and help me find my shadow Pans!” Draco whisper shouted to which Pansy huffed and flew away to find it reluctantly, only to get distracted by a shiny mirror.

“Shadow? Shadow?”

Pansy checked her reflection,then harshly judged her appearance. Suddenly, she heard a violent shake and saw a thin drawer vibrate aggressively.

She tinkled at Draco. “Here!”

Draco quickly flew over to the little fairy and pulled open the drawer. A shadow rushed out of there. Draco slammed the drawer shut, not knowing Pansy was stuck inside and flew quickly after the shadow.

The shadow was being really smart, up until Draco gave it a sneak and heart attack, tumbled with it and finally grasped it. The Shadow tried to kick out of his clasp, which only made a side table fall down with a clash of jug and cups. He gripped the shadow tightly and started to soap it on to his shoe.

“Draco!” Astoria smiled and giggled. “Oh, I knew you’d come! I stored your shadow for you. I really hope you don’t mind it being rumpled; it gave quite the fright. You look exactly how I’ve imagined you would, you know. Though, a bit shorter.”

She chuckled.

Draco sneered. No one calls him short and gets away with it, not even if the said person is a pretty girl with a pretty voice and smile. But he remained skeptical; what to make of the girl before him. Blinking, he tried to focus on what came here to do.

She noticed him holding soap. “You can’t stick it on with soap, Draco! It needs to be sewed on, then only it’ll last!” hurriedly turning on the lamp, she went to get the needle and thread. Meanwhile Pansy tried to squeeze out of the lock hole. Astoria opened the drawer and shut it harshly leading Pansy to tumble into all the trinkets. Boy, was she angry.

“Come to think of it, I never thought I’d be sewing back shadows on to people. Of course, I knew it was your shadow the moment I set eyes on it. And I told myself to keep it safe until you come back, you had to come back for your shadow.

"Oh, that sounds threatening — sorry. But you did, didn’t you Draco! You can’t abandon your shadow now can you? You’d miss it sooner or later, don’t you agree? I’m really sorry about Nana by the way, I don’t really know how she got it in the first place, she really isn’t that-” Draco floated on top of the bed, wishing nothing more than to fly away from this extremely curious girl  “Oh, please do sit!” She smiled, then threaded the needle. Draco watched her inquisitively.
“She really isn’t that bad, you know. She’s such a wonderful nurse! Although father sa-”

“Girls do talk too much huh?” Draco said.

“Yes, girls talk too–” She stopped, and looked blankly at him. She looked almost hurt. Draco raised his eyebrows.

“Well, get on with it, girl.” He handed her the shadow and his leg. She began to stitch it on.

“My name is Astoria, Astoria Angela Greengrass Dar-” Before she could finish,  Draco interrupted her pulling out a pipe.The

“Astoria’s enough.”

“Oh.” She looked at him, with a skeptical and pained look again, then flitted back to her curious nature. “But how did Nana get your shadow, Draco?”

“Jumped at me the other night at the window. Didn’t think it was that dog though. Honestly thought it was another rogue shadow out for revenge…” Draco sighed.

Pansy was hearing them talk, rant and ramble on and she didn’t like it one bit. She tried to open the drawer, but it seemed wedged in, not even moving a bit. She was starting to get really claustrophobic due to the lack of room to fly around angrily.

“What were you doing there?” Astoria questioned.

“I came to listen to the stories.” Draco shrugged.

“My stories?” she smiled, then looked at him “But…they’re all about you.”

“Of course. That’s why I like ‘em. I tell ‘em to the Lost Serpents.” Draco smirked pridefully. 

“The Lost Ser– Oh I remember. They’re your men.” Draco nodded in answer.

“I'm so glad you came back tonight. I might never have seen you.” Astoria sighed sadly.

“Why?” Draco blurted as he flew up.

Astoria spoke slowly, “Because I have to grow up tomorrow. Tonight’s going to be my last night in the nursery."

“Grow up?” Draco asked, shocked. Then he realized he had overheard their conversation already, which also meant…

“That means no more stories.”

“Mhmm,” Astoria sniffed.

Draco tried to think of a way to save her from this situation. Or else he’d have no more stories to hear. He could never face the lost serpents with no stories! How will any of them sleep at night?

“I won’t have it! Come on!” Draco said loudly.

“But where are we going?” Astoria questioned, curiously.

“To Neverland, of course!” Draco said proudly.

“Neverland!” Astoria gasped in surprise.

“You can never grow up there.” He waved his finger as he flew around her happily.

“Oh, Draco, it would be so wonderful,” she said, clasping her hands together, then she looked away “But wait! What would mother say?”

“Mother?” Draco blinked. “What’s a mother? Isn’t that Mrs Darling’s name?

“Oh, no! Why, Draco, a mother is someone who loves and cares for you and tells you stories–” she said with sweet delight and took slight pity for the boy in front of her.

“Good! You can be our mother. Come on,” Draco said happily.

“Now, now. Just a minute, I got to pack you see. Oh, and leave a note for when I’ll come back. I couldn’t stay too long of course. And then….oh neverland! I’m— oh, I’m so happy! I- I think I’ll give you a —kiss!”

Pansy’s rage intensified upon hearing that. She brought down the scissor and in her flying rage she didn’t know how but snapped open the drawer and flew out.

“What’s a kiss?” Draco asked, confused.

“Oh, well, I-I’ll show you.” She leaned in; Draco took a step back in shock. Was she trying to attack him? But Astoria was interrupted by something or someone pulling her hair with no known mercy.  “Ow!”

“Stop it, Pans! Stop!” Draco tried calling out, but Pansy flew away from him angrily, trying to snap at Astoria again, but Draco caught her by his little archer’s hat. Amid the chaos, the two sleeping boys woke up.

“Daph! Daph, wake up! He’s here!” Michael jumped up in excitement.

Rubbing his eyes sleepily Daph slurred, “Huh? Jiminy!” he grabbed his glasses quickly.

Astoria gasped, as she soothed her hair. “Oh, what in the world was that?”

Draco sighed, “Pansy Park. Don’t know what got into her.” He eyed his hat warily.

“Hello, Draco, I’m Michael.” He ran and stared at Draco in awe.

“My name's Daph. How do you do?” Daph smiled and bowed slightly.

Draco smirked, “Hello boys!”

“Oh look! A firefly,” Michael said, peaking into the hat.

Draco corrected him “A pixie or a fairy.”

“Woah…What’s it doing?” Daph asked as he looked into the hat too.

“Talking,” Draco shrugged. The little tinkles of dust and anger shook the hat slightly. Then she flew out and settled herself on a shelf.

“What did she say?” Astoria asked, equally awed by the flying pixie.

“She says you’re a big, ugly girl.” Draco burst out laughing. Astoria joined in, before she stopped suddenly, realizing what she meant. Her expression saddened, then she smiled slightly “Oh. Well, I think she’s lovely.”

“Well, come on, Astoria. Let’s go,” Draco said as he put the hat back on, opening the window wider.

“Where are we going?” Michael asked, his smile wide and eyes sparkling.

“To Neverland.” Astoria clasped her hand and dragged him towards the window next to Draco.

“Draco’s taking us!” Astoria said excitedly.

“Us?” He looked at her with confusion.

“I can't go without Michael and Daph!” Astoria pointed out, gripping Michael’s hand.

“I would very much like to cross swords with some real buccaneers!” Daph grinned as he worked his way through an imaginary sword.

“And fight pirates too.”

Draco shrugged and laughed. “Well, alright, but you gotta take orders.”

“Aye, aye, sir.” Daph saluted. Michael copied his brother’s action.
 
“But Draco, how do we get to Neverland?”

“Fly, of course,” he smirked. His eyes glinted as he floated in the air.

Receiving a kick on the nose again his little trip down the memory lane was interrupted.

“You’ve got enough stories! Let’s go now!”

Draco glared at the little fairy in front of him. Pansy folded her arms in equal stubbornness.

“I never did see him again, but you’d all hope he is watching over you.” The soft voice turned into a whisper.

His lips tugged upwards, as warmth filled his heart. Although he missed this, he couldn’t bring himself to be obsessed. This was the last time. He reasoned with himself . But he couldn’t help the feel of dread. He wanted to come here every day just to hear the melodic voice, to hear more stories. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss Astoria, Michael or Daph.

But, they were better left here. they had a purpose, a life —love as Astoria put it. But Draco didn’t, nor did he deserve it. He was the boy who never grew up. She was a girl who wanted life of peace and exquisiteness. What say did he have in her life?

Credits !
Author : AntisocialAlien00

Next Up 👉
[ The Little Mermaid Retold ]