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Draco raised an eyebrow as he entered his study, only to find it already occupied. His son was perched on the window sill, watching the world outside.
He allowed himself a fond smile before immediately schooling his expression. The children knew they were not allowed in his study. Of course, Albus was at that age when he would want to test boundaries but that was precisely why the rules had to be enforced.
“Albus?” Draco announced his presence.
His son whipped around at once, blinking in surprise. Draco allowed himself a small smile. It was remarkable how much Albus resembled Harry with his big, green eyes and wild hair. It made his heart tug a little. “Young man, what have I told you about playing in my study?” he asked, in a gentle but firm tone.
Albus blinked again, evidently considering his options. “No play,” he replied finally.
Ah, a technicality. Apparently, Draco had a future member of the Wizengamot on his hands. The thought made him chuckle a little.
“I see,” he quipped, letting a little amusement seep into his voice. “Well, if you’re not playing in here, what are you doing?”
“Hide.”
Hiding? This time, Draco blinked. What on earth was Albus hiding from?
“Are you playing hide and seek with your brothers?” he asked.
Albus shook his head, black curls bouncing with the motion. He cast a worried glance back at the window, prompting Draco to take a step forward. Whatever this was, he intended to sort it out.
He saw it at once. Draco’s lips twitched and he took a deep breath to compose himself.
“Albus,” he ventured carefully, “are you afraid of the snowman?”
Al nodded fretfully and huddled against Draco. One green eye flitted back to the admittedly large and imposing snowman that James and Teddy had built yesterday. Draco grinned and ruffled his son’s hair gently.
“It’s alright, Albus,” he said softly. “It won’t hurt you. Snowmen are very friendly.”
Al looked thoroughly unconvinced. Instead, he just held his arms out, silently demanding to be picked up. Draco obliged, allowing the little boy to hide in his neck.
“Tell you what,” he said, still petting Albus gently. “Why don’t we go downstairs and say hello?”
It took a while but ultimately, Albus donned his mittens and snow boots and followed Draco outside, keeping a firm hold on his hand and skittering behind him as soon as the snowman was in view.
“Albus,” Draco chided gently, “I promise there’s nothing to worry about. Honestly, it’s not even a very good snowman.”
Not that he would ever tell James and Teddy that their artistic abilities were anything less than stellar, of course. But he had to admit the snowman left a lot to be desired. It was lopsided, for one thing. It didn’t have a hat or a scarf. The eyes were crooked and the smile looked more like a grimace.
Come to think of it, maybe Albus had a point.
Albus was still watching the thing with an anxious eye. “In,” he whined, tugging at Draco’s arm. “In, Fadder. Now.”
Draco picked him up again, if only to stop him from running inside and spending the rest of the season under his bed.
“Hush, love,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the wild, black curls. “It’s okay. We just need to cheer the snowman up, that’s all.”
Al mumbled something vaguely unhappy but he just looped his arms around Draco and stayed put. Draco hummed thoughtfully to himself as he catalogued a few things he would need. Finally, he raised his wand and Summoned his old broomstick, a hat and a carrot.
“There we are,” he said, setting Albus down as the things came to rest at his feet. Al skittered back a few steps and Draco let him go. He set to work on the snowman, setting the eyes and the smile to rights, then patting and smoothing the snow down to give it a better shape. Once he propped the broom up by its side, he had to admit it looked much better than before. Bit by bit, the snowman came together.
He was aware of Albus watching his every move, but Draco just kept at it. Still, when he heard little feet pattering towards him and a small, gloved hand reached for the carrot, he smiled.
Draco stumbled indoors, flushed, numb with cold and with a three year old wrapped around him. Albus mumbled in his sleep and snuffled into his neck. Draco patted him absently, his eyes roving the room and landing on the warm, roaring fire and almost immediately after, on Harry.
Harry smiled and approached him with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Draco was only too happy to accept the drink and a kiss.
“I saw you two playing outside,” Harry said, running a gentle hand through Albus’s hair. “It was adorable.”
“We weren’t playing,” Draco protested. “It was an exercise in character building.”
“Mm hm,” Harry replied noncommittally. He leaned in again and brushed their lips together, eliciting a soft hum from Draco. “Do you want to play now?”
Draco shoved him playfully. “In a minute, Potter. I have to put this one down for a nap first.”
He was up the stairs and in Al’s bedroom in record time. Al turned over as Draco tucked him in, one sleepy eye opening to look at him.
“Fadder?”
Draco suppressed a groan. “Go to sleep, love,” he murmured. “It’s time for bed.”
“No monster?”
Ah, of course. Draco made a show of nodding solemnly and checking under the bed. “All clear,” he reported.
Al heaved a sigh of relief and settled in again. Draco smiled and bussed a kiss to his head, before turning out the lights and shutting the door with a soft click.
As he made his way downstairs to Harry, he reflected on how odd life could be. Harry was the one who’d fought Dementors, Dragons and Basilisks by the dozen. But somehow, in Albus’s eyes, it was Draco who was the hero.
It wasn’t something he’d signed up for, but Draco had to admit, he wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.