An ordinary day in Wiltshire comes to a close. DRACOās putting his two children, eight-year-old SCORPIUS and ten-year-old PENELOPE, to bed. HERMIONE and GINNY are watching from the doorway.
PENELOPE: Noooo! He's told that one a million times already!
SCORPIUS: But it's my turn. And I want that one!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā PENELOPE folds her arms, protesting.
DRACO (stroking PENELOPE's hair): Don't be cross, my darling. You get to pick a story tomorrow!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā PENELOPE calms down.
GINNY: I didn't believe Harry, but he really is brilliant with them.
HERMIONE smiles at DRACO who returns her gaze in a way that can only be described as "smouldering".
GINNY (grinning): You two are revolting.
HERMIONE (wistful): And you don't even know the story of the dangerous sorceress who held him captive on an island, for weeks and weeks⦠(GINNY snickers.) Ah, our honeymoon...
PENELOPE: I want to hear it, too!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā DRACO glares at HERMIONE and GINNY who break into peals of laughter.
DRACO: Now, look what you've done, witch!
HERMIONE (apologetically, to her kids): How about the one where daddy fights the Cantankerous Cyclops?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā SCORPIUS and PENELOPE break into cheers. DRACO looks a bit hesitant; ultimately, his kids wear him down.
GINNY: Which one is that?
HERMIONE: That was during the war, at Grimmauld Place. It's a good one!
DRACO: I'm telling the story! (clears his throat)
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā SCORPIUS and PENELOPE settle under the covers, listening attentively.
DRACO: A long time ago, our hero, the handsome and quick-witted Dragon Prince--
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā GINNY snorts.
DRACO (louder): --is having a difficult time. He's slain a vicious, two-headed monster--
HERMIONE (whispering): Nagini and Bathilda Bagshot.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā GINNY shudders.
DRACO: --which he and his companions only survive by the skin of their teeth. He returns to his castle, where he throws himself into the arms of his maiden. She's his only confidante, and as such, they can't bear to be apart.
GINNY: That's the censored version, yeah?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā HERMIONE smirks.
DRACO: But danger's not over. Suddenly, the Cantankerous Cyclops bursts into their room. Heās suspicious and quarrelsome, and threatens to transfigure our hero into a teeny-tiny rabbit--
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā SCORPIUS, PENELOPE and GINNY all gasp.
DRACO: Without his wand, our hero is helpless against the foe, when out of nowhere, an old, wise crone--
DRACO: alright, alright, not crone--goddess strides into the room. 'How dare you threaten our hero,' she cries. āHeās innocent!ā She wields her wand with furious justice, banning the Cyclops, never to return.
The kids cheer, all thought of sleep soundly forgotten. DRACO starts reading proper bedtime stories to calm them.
HERMIONE and GINNY return downstairs.
GINNY: So, Mad-Eye caught the two of you shagging like bunnies, hence him wanting to transfigure Malfoy into one?
HERMIONE (grins): He thought Dracoād imperiused me.
GINNY: And McGonagall stepped in? Unbelievable!
HERMIONE: I know! Minerva saving Draco from Transfiguration punishment, again?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā (grabs Hermione by the shoulder, staring at her)
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā McGonagall saw you two bloody starkers???
This was written for @dramioneldws ROUND 6 | WEEK 4: Athena. War. Wisdom.
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