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“Granger.” Draco Malfoy shook the his wife frantically. “Granger, wake up!”
After a three-day labor, Hermione Granger awoke with a start, convinced something horrible had happened.
“Granger,” Draco’s voice was now a whisper. “I broke the baby.”
Wandlessly, she added more light to the room where she saw her husband holding their newborn son, Scorpius, with a nervousness she’d never seen from him before.
He placed the baby in her arms where she saw that little Scorpius appeared to be breathing just fine with all his fingers and toes. As she watched the newborn’s tiny belly move up and down, she once again found herself in awe that this beautiful creature could have come from her and her husband.
After a moment where she was utterly unable to identify anything that could be amiss with her child, she felt an intense annoyance bubbling inside her. Did her husband, by all accounts a bright man, not realize that roughly 72 hours of labor had left her worn completely out?
“Draco, did you hit your head?”
“No!” He was completely exasperated now. “Watch more closely this time!”
It was hard to tell because of the tuft of hair Scorpius claimed as his own was so fine but when Draco picked him up, his hair definitely lightened to a pale blonde to match his father. Then, when he set the baby back in her arms, his hair darkened to match hers.
Chopping it up to her exhaustion and a trick of the light, she sighed and handed the baby back to his father. “Draco, I’m exhausted. The Healers looked him over nearly a dozen times because you were so convinced something was wrong.”
“It did take a long time for him to finally pop out.”
“And yet, none of those with years and years of Healer training were concerned. No, the only one with any concerns was the one with a Potions mastery.”
His nostrils flared in anger. “Hey! I worked hard for that and you know it.”
“Yes,” she said while closing her eyes. “But it doesn’t qualify you to determine if the baby is healthy.”
“So they said,” he mumbled under his breath before shaking his head and remembering what he’d woken her up for. “Granger, listen! His hair changes to blonde when I pick him up! And then it’s darker when you hold him.”
“We can ask the Healers about it when you no doubt call them for a non-emergency,” she said without bothering to open her eyes.
Off in his own world now, Draco began to rant, “I didn’t charm him, I swear! I don’t understand how I broke him. Maybe he got into my Potions stock? I mean, I baby proofed it a week after you told me we were gonna have a baby, but maybe I missed something? But no, that doesn’t make sense since I was holding him the entire time. But you know, kids can be little troublemakers. I wasn’t because, I mean, you met my dad, but I’ve heard your school stories. I should have guessed that our children would be prodigies at trouble making. Maybe you should be in charge of him because you obviously think like him. I’m so sorry that I’ve already failed at parenthood. I knew I would struggle with fatherhood but I thought I’d make it longer than a day before…”
Hermione impatiently interrupted him. “Merlin, Morgana, and all the other gods, you are the most dramatic human to ever walk the earth.”
“Wow,” Draco mouthed as she picked up a piece of parchment and a quill.
“I’m going to write to Andromeda and get her to visit us soon. This sounds like what Remus described when Teddy was born.”
Draco paled. “You think he might…”
“Yes, I think it’s entirely possible that something in your gene pool causes metamorphmagi.”
“So it is my fault!” Draco moaned as he sat down in the plush armchair next to her bed.
She picked up the quill and began furiously scratching out a note she also dictated,
“Dear Andromeda,
If you could please visit Malfoy Manor at your earliest convenience, Draco and I would appreciate it greatly.
I have no doubt that Narcissa has already informed you that Scorpius James Malfoy arrived this morning after an arduous labor and we’d love it if you could take a look at him. When Teddy was born, I recall Remus saying that his hair changed colors within hours of his birth and that Nymohadora did the same thing. It appears that our sweet child may have the same qualities.
If you could pop in to confirm our suspicions and impart some of the wisdom you no doubt have, we would appreciate it greatly.
Oh, and I’m sure little Teddy would love to meet his baby cousin.
Hoping to see you soon,
Hermione
P.S. If you speak to Draco before you get to me, ignore him. Childbirth appears to have made him hysterical.”
“Hey!” He cried with a light laugh at the last line. “I am not hysterical!”
“Well, something is definitely wrong with you,” Hermione snapped before she handed him the letter, “Send this to your aunt immediately. And Draco?”
“Yes?” He asked frantically, clearly noticing that she was prepping to go back to sleep and leave him alone with the baby again.
“You are and will be a great father. I’ve believed this for a long time.”
“But Granger, how could you ever say that? Even my mum says my dad was awful and I didn’t have any other examples. My godfather was Severus Snape, for Salazar’s sake!”
“Hush,” the finality in her tone shut him up at once. “You are a great father who cares very deeply and I love that about you. But even great fathers need guidance sometimes, that’s why there’s mothers. So I’m here to tell you what great fathers do.”
“What’s that?”
“They let the mother of their child sleep after labor.” Her face softened into a small smile. “No, really. You’ll be fine. He’s not broken at all and we both love you very much.”