Draco's Dream Epilogue
This drabble of 796 lovely Dramione filled words is for a monthly challenge in hih_insomniacs for July.
Hearing a rustling at his door, Draco was soon wide awake, hand reaching for his wand on the bedside table. However, upon hearing a soft voice his head fell back against the pillow. The door creaked open slightly and a young girl with curly blonde hair looked in.
“Dad? Mum? Are you awake?”
He felt it as Hermione sat up in bed, and he chuckled softly as her eyes blinked wide trying to refocus in the dark. Sitting up himself, knowing it was inevitable, he placed his wand back on the bedside table.
“Yes Rosie, we're awake...now. What is it?”
“Is it time to leave for King's Cross yet?” He could hear the eagerness in his daughter's voice, and it made him smile.
“What time is it?”
“It's...just after 5am Dad.”
He fell back upon the bed again, making Hermione laugh. With her wand she lit a few candles around the room, and gestured for Rose to climb onto the bed. Draco admired his wife's patience. He knew Rosie would be just like her mother, excited for her first year at Hogwarts...but 5am was ridiculous. He sat up against the headboard as Rose snuggled in between her parents.
“Rosie,” Hermione said, “You know the train doesn't leave until eleven. Your father and I said we would leave around ten for the station. That'll give you time to meet up with Albus and all the others before you get on the train.”
Rose sighed dramatically, and Draco pulled her up onto his lap. Running a hand through her hair, he laughed softly as she tried to bat his hand away. She was definitely getting older.
“Your mother's right. You have nothing to worry about. What's got you so worked up? Normally you're harder to drag out of bed than I am...and we all know that's saying something.” He felt Hermione curl up next to him, half pulling Rose into her lap as well. It had been years since they'd all been like this. Rosie had grown out of her nightmare stage and didn't come to her parents' room that often anymore.
“What...what if I end up in Hufflepuff? I mean, everyone says I'll end up in Slytherin like you Dad, or Gryffindor like Mum...but I don't know! What if the Sorting Hat puts me in the wrong house?”
Draco pulled her into an even tighter hug. Growing up, he'd never had this problem. He'd known for as long as he could remember that he was a Slytherin like all his family before him. But his little Rosie was a different story. She was a Malfoy, that was certain, but she was also the daughter of Hermione Granger. She had the brains to suit Ravenclaw, the ambition and drive of a Slytherin, and she certainly got a strong dose of her mother's Gryffindor stubbornness and bravery. Hufflepuff...he hated to admit it, but he could see a little bit of badger in his daughter. He'd never say that out loud of course.
“Rosie, wherever you end up is where you are meant to be. The Sorting Hat has never been wrong, and will put you where you belong. No matter where you end up, your mother and I are very proud of you. You're going to have an amazing time. I can say I hope you don't have quite the adventures your mother and I and your uncles had...but you're going to have a great time. I promise.”
She looked unsure still, but seemed pleased with his answer.
“Now Rosie, how about we all get a couple more hours of sleep, and then we can head out?”
She smiled brightly, and tucked herself tightly with her parents. With both of his girls in his arms, Draco fell asleep soon enough, with a smile on his face.
~~~~~~
“Malfoy? Malfoy will you wake up already?”
Draco bolted upright, hearing his named called, only to find himself not in a comfortable bed back at the Manor...but in a train compartment.
And Hermione Granger was looking at him with the strangest look on her face. He remembered now...they were headed back for their seventh year.
“Malfoy, did you hear a word I said?”
Quickly, he composed himself enough to answer her.
"No, Granger, what do you want?”
“We're needed in the Heads' compartment at the front for a meeting. McGonagall sent me to get you.”
“Ah. I'll be up in just a minute.”
Rolling her eyes, she shut the door of the compartment and walked on. Running a hand through his hair, Draco slumped back into his seat. If his dreams were anything to go by, it was going to be an interesting year at Hogwarts.
Hearing a rustling at his door, Draco was soon wide awake, hand reaching for his wand on the bedside table. However, upon hearing a soft voice his head fell back against the pillow. The door creaked open slightly and a young girl with curly blonde hair looked in.
“Dad? Mum? Are you awake?”
He felt it as Hermione sat up in bed, and he chuckled softly as her eyes blinked wide trying to refocus in the dark. Sitting up himself, knowing it was inevitable, he placed his wand back on the bedside table.
“Yes Rosie, we're awake...now. What is it?”
“Is it time to leave for King's Cross yet?” He could hear the eagerness in his daughter's voice, and it made him smile.
“What time is it?”
“It's...just after 5am Dad.”
He fell back upon the bed again, making Hermione laugh. With her wand she lit a few candles around the room, and gestured for Rose to climb onto the bed. Draco admired his wife's patience. He knew Rosie would be just like her mother, excited for her first year at Hogwarts...but 5am was ridiculous. He sat up against the headboard as Rose snuggled in between her parents.
“Rosie,” Hermione said, “You know the train doesn't leave until eleven. Your father and I said we would leave around ten for the station. That'll give you time to meet up with Albus and all the others before you get on the train.”
Rose sighed dramatically, and Draco pulled her up onto his lap. Running a hand through her hair, he laughed softly as she tried to bat his hand away. She was definitely getting older.
“Your mother's right. You have nothing to worry about. What's got you so worked up? Normally you're harder to drag out of bed than I am...and we all know that's saying something.” He felt Hermione curl up next to him, half pulling Rose into her lap as well. It had been years since they'd all been like this. Rosie had grown out of her nightmare stage and didn't come to her parents' room that often anymore.
“What...what if I end up in Hufflepuff? I mean, everyone says I'll end up in Slytherin like you Dad, or Gryffindor like Mum...but I don't know! What if the Sorting Hat puts me in the wrong house?”
Draco pulled her into an even tighter hug. Growing up, he'd never had this problem. He'd known for as long as he could remember that he was a Slytherin like all his family before him. But his little Rosie was a different story. She was a Malfoy, that was certain, but she was also the daughter of Hermione Granger. She had the brains to suit Ravenclaw, the ambition and drive of a Slytherin, and she certainly got a strong dose of her mother's Gryffindor stubbornness and bravery. Hufflepuff...he hated to admit it, but he could see a little bit of badger in his daughter. He'd never say that out loud of course.
“Rosie, wherever you end up is where you are meant to be. The Sorting Hat has never been wrong, and will put you where you belong. No matter where you end up, your mother and I are very proud of you. You're going to have an amazing time. I can say I hope you don't have quite the adventures your mother and I and your uncles had...but you're going to have a great time. I promise.”
She looked unsure still, but seemed pleased with his answer.
“Now Rosie, how about we all get a couple more hours of sleep, and then we can head out?”
She smiled brightly, and tucked herself tightly with her parents. With both of his girls in his arms, Draco fell asleep soon enough, with a smile on his face.
~~~~~~
“Malfoy? Malfoy will you wake up already?”
Draco bolted upright, hearing his named called, only to find himself not in a comfortable bed back at the Manor...but in a train compartment.
And Hermione Granger was looking at him with the strangest look on her face. He remembered now...they were headed back for their seventh year.
“Malfoy, did you hear a word I said?”
Quickly, he composed himself enough to answer her.
"No, Granger, what do you want?”
“We're needed in the Heads' compartment at the front for a meeting. McGonagall sent me to get you.”
“Ah. I'll be up in just a minute.”
Rolling her eyes, she shut the door of the compartment and walked on. Running a hand through his hair, Draco slumped back into his seat. If his dreams were anything to go by, it was going to be an interesting year at Hogwarts.