Fic: The Seeker and the Fairy Princess
Happy Hallowe'en, folks!
Title: The Seeker and the Fairy Princess
Pairing: Harry/Hermione and Draco/Ginny
Rating: G
Summary: It's Hallowe'en once again and the Potter family gets ready to go trick-or-treating.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: Endless thanks go to aome who actually made this fic ten times better than it originally was. An interesting side note -- we discovered during the beta that the UK editions of the books capitalise the 't' in "The Burrow", whereas the US editions don't. Odd. I've gone with the UK edition.
Harry had just finished reading The Quibbler when Hermione arrived home, giving herself a futile shake as she stepped out of the fireplace.
“You’d think after all these years I’d be used to the soot,” she muttered, shrugging off her white Healer robe and resignedly tossing it into the wicker laundry basket sitting next to the hearth.
“I was beginning to wonder if you’d been held up.” Harry got up off the couch and crossed over to where his wife stood, greeting her with a kiss. Harry never tired of this, of the feel of her warm, soft lips pressed firmly against his; not even after a decade of being her partner.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured against his lips before kissing his nose. “Let me go get changed so we can pick up the kids.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were on the well-trodden path from their home in Ottery St. Catchpole to The Burrow, where their two children, four-year-old Noah and three-year-old Aurora, spent their weekdays with Molly Weasley. Molly had decided to go back to home schooling, something she’d done with her own brood of seven, once the Weasley grandchildren had started to arrive. Now, between her children (which included Harry and Hermione), she had eighteen grandchildren on whom she doted. Although Noah and Aurora were a little young for proper home schooling, they very much enjoyed learning with their Weasley ‘cousins’ and Molly had been happy to include them; so between Harry’s liaison job with the Ministry and Hermione’s position as a consultant Healer at St. Mungo’s, it had all worked out nicely.
Harry glanced over at Hermione as they walked, fingers entwined between them, and listened as she filled him in on the minutiae of her day. She’d changed into jeans and a long-sleeved top, and her hair was messily pulled up into a ponytail. She wore no makeup, but her beauty never failed to make Harry just a little bit breathless. After two children, her breasts were a bit fuller and her belly and hips were a little rounder; but, despite her moaning and groaning, Harry loved his wife to bits.
As he did his children. Two happy little individuals who made him smile at the thought of them and showered him with unconditional love. They drew him pictures and sang him songs and snuggled into him as he told them bedtime stories, and Harry couldn’t imagine his life without his family. A family he had never been sure he’d ever have.
They rounded the corner and headed down the driveway when they reached The Burrow, and the sound of childish laughter told them exactly where they’d find their offspring. Harry blinked a few times when greeted with the sight of at least a half a dozen redheads, one of whom happened to belong to him - nobody had been more surprised than her parents when Miss Aurora Molly Potter had been born with a shock of bright red hair, which had darkened as she grew to be the exact same shade that her paternal grandmother had had. Not that it had stopped her uncles Fred and George making jokes about the identity of her father, but nobody could deny that the pretty little girl with red hair and green eyes could be anyone but Harry Potter’s.
It soon became apparent that red hair matched Aurora’s temperament nicely. She was a tiny bossy boots, forthright and stubborn. Harry sometimes enjoyed their battles; matching wits with a smart three-year-old could be amusing. But add crankiness to the mix, and he had one very hard-to-handle daughter on his hands.
It was clear, however, from her joyous cry of, “Mummy! Daddy!” that Aurora was not cranky today. She reached Harry first and squealed with laughter as he threw her up into the air and caught her again, showering her face with kisses. Noah, who was quiet and calm as his sister was loud and fiery, heard Aurora’s cry and bolted for his parents, throwing himself into his mother’s outstretched arms. Hermione picked him up and asked how his day was, and then Harry swung Aurora onto his hip and turned so the family could indulge in a group hug, something they loved to do.
Once the Potters had greeted each other, the children were put down to grab their satchels and say goodbye to their Grandma and Grandpa, which they did with hugs and kisses. Molly assured Harry and Hermione that both children had been on their best behaviour, and the family set off on their way back home.
Aurora insisted on being carried by Harry, who was happy to oblige her after a somewhat draining day searching for the few remaining Death Eaters. He let himself be revived by the sound of his children chattering non-stop about the day’s activities.
“I missed you, Daddy,” Aurora said, stroking Harry’s hair.
“Did you, pumpkin?” Harry answered, kissing her cheek. “I missed you too.”
“I drawed you a picture.”
“It’s drew, sweetheart, not drawed. What did you draw me?”
“I drawed a picture of you and me and Mummy and Noah and Midnight and Snowy and Uncle Ron and Nanna and Poppy and Grandma and Grandpa and a pumpkin.”
“Goodness, that’s a lot of things. Did you manage to fit them all onto the parchment?”
“Of course I did! Everybody is waving at the pumpkin.”
While Aurora’s artistic talent mostly consisted of stick figures and scribbles, her imagination was quite impressive. Harry grinned. “Is the pumpkin waving back?”
“No, silly sausage,” Aurora said, chortling. “Pumpkins can’t wave!”
Harry tickled her sides and she burst into loud laughter, her little arms around his neck. Her weight was warm and reassuring. He enjoyed the rest of the walk home, listening to his children ramble, his thoughts never far from the three loves of his life, right by his side.
~*~
As the sun set and the stars twinkled, the Potter family’s daily night time ritual was honoured. First up was a tasty dinner, a task that Harry and Hermione shared equally, and then Hermione drew a bath full of bubbles for the kids, who always enjoyed bathing together so they could play. Watched over by their parents, who insisted some actual washing of children happened somewhere along the way, they laughed and splashed and tossed rubber ducks that quacked at each other until they were forced to get out.
Harry and Hermione each took a child to dry and help dress, and once Noah had on his Quidditch pyjamas (which no self-respecting Quidditch fan would be without) and Aurora her sparkly pink fairy nightie, everyone shuffled into the bathroom so little teeth could be cleaned. Once Hermione declared them sparkling, it was into the master bedroom for story time. Tumbling onto the bed, they cuddled up together as Harry read a tale of dragons and fairy princesses and Seekers, the latter two of whom were favourite story time subjects. By the time Harry was done, both children were fast asleep; Noah was draped over Hermione’s lap, and Aurora’s head was on Harry’s chest. Carefully picking their children up, they tucked them into bed with goodnight kisses and wishes of sweet dreams.
Once they were alone, Harry and Hermione spent some quiet time together before turning in to enjoy some well-deserved sleep.
The next day was a Saturday and the Potters had lunch with Hermione’s parents, who suitably fussed over their grandchildren and promised to put up two paintings Noah and Aurora had done for them during the week on their fridge, where all pictures were proudly displayed. Once they’d returned home, Hermione announced it was high time the children decide what costumes they wanted for Hallowe’en, which was the following Friday. All four Potters were sitting on the floor in the children’s playroom; Noah and Aurora both stopped for a moment and stared at their parents, little eyes flitting from one adult to another.
“We’ve already decided, Mummy,” Noah said proudly.
“You have? You’d better tell me, then, so I can make the costumes for you.”
“I’m going to be a fairy princess!” Aurora announced, throwing herself about in presumably fairy-like fashion.
“Big surprise,” Harry muttered quietly under his breath to Hermione, who tried not to laugh. Aurora’s obsession with fairies and fairy princesses in particular was well known to pretty much everyone who knew her. It was what she wanted to be when she grew up.
“What colour fairy princess would you like to be?”
Aurora gave it a moment’s thought. “Purple.”
“Purple it is, then.” Hermione then turned to her son. “How about you, young man?”
“I want to go as Harry Potter.”
This statement startled both Noah’s parents, who stopped and stared at the little boy with black hair and brown eyes.
“You want to go as Daddy?” Hermione asked.
Noah nodded. “Daddy used to be a Seeker when he was in school, so I want to go as him.”
Hermione exchanged glances with her husband. “Why not?”
“But Noah,” Harry said cautiously, “you could pick any costume. Why do you want to dress up as me?”
Noah shrugged his shoulders, as if there could be no other choice. “I asked Uncle Ron for some help picking a costume and he said I should go as my hero, and you’re my hero, Daddy. So I’ll go as you.”
Harry blinked rapidly and cleared his throat softly. “Come here,” he said, holding his arms out to his son, who climbed into them. Harry held him close and kissed the top of his head. “I love you, Noah.”
“I love you too, Daddy.” Noah tipped his head back and pursed his lips, and Harry kissed him.
“Right, we’ll have to make you the best costume ever,” Hermione said. “You know what, I think we might still have one of Daddy’s old broomsticks that you could carry. I’ll make you a Gryffindor Quidditch uniform with Daddy’s name and number on the back. Can you think of anything else you’ll need?”
“I’ll need some glasses and--” Noah paused and looked up at his father. “Can you give me a scar like yours?”
“I’m sure I can work something out,” Harry said.
“I’ll also need some photographs of myself and a quill.”
“What on earth do you need them for?” Hermione asked.
“Uncle Draco told me that Daddy used to give out signed photos of himself.” Noah scrambled out of Harry’s lap and went back to his dragon that breathed real, but painless, fire.
Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth in a vain attempt not to laugh as Harry leaned over so the children wouldn’t hear him. “Remind me to put hemlock into Malfoy’s drink next time he’s here, would you?”
Hermione nodded and burst out laughing.
~*~
Every night the following week, Hermione worked hard on making the children’s costumes as authentic as possible. She only used magic when necessary, relishing the chance to throw herself into something for the kids. She strove to make the detailing perfect, and by the night before Hallowe’en she was done.
“They look marvellous,” Harry said as he trailed a finger over Aurora’s dress. Hermione had laid the costumes out on their bed so he could take a look. Picking up the Quidditch uniform, he held it up in front of him and examined it front and back. It was an exact replica of the one he’d worn himself while playing for Gryffindor, right down to the crest. Hermione had also made a bag in the shape of a Snitch for Noah to carry his treats in.
“You won’t believe what I found packed away,” Hermione said, opening her bedside drawer. She carefully took out a pair of black-rimmed glasses, identical to the ones he currently wore except that they were smaller, and Harry realised as she handed them to him that they were the very ones he’d worn when they’d first met.
“I didn’t know you’d kept these.”
Hermione smiled. “All we need to do is make them a little smaller and take out the lenses, and they should fit him nicely.”
Aurora’s dress was stunning; made of satin with a light, glittery gauze over the skirt, Hermione had attached a pair of wings made from the same glittery material as the overlay that actually fluttered like a real fairy’s every few minutes. A wand and a matching drawstring sweets bag completed the ensemble.
“I can’t wait to see the kids’ faces when they see these,” Harry said with a grin. “You’re a wonderful mother, you know.”
Hermione smiled and kissed him slowly and teasingly in a manner that never failed to drive him crazy. “I love you,” she whispered in his ear, before picking up her wand and zooming both costumes onto hangers in the wardrobe.
~*~
As Harry had anticipated, Noah and Aurora were absolutely delighted with their costumes and raved about them all through breakfast. Aurora demanded to wear hers all day, but was soon cajoled into leaving it until they were ready to go trick-or-treating. Harry assured them that they would be picked up right on time so that there’d be plenty of time to get ready for the evening’s adventures, which would end at The Burrow for a Hallowe’en feast.
The day sped by and it was soon time for Harry to pick up the children. Once they were home, they had a quick bath and then got ready. Aurora was chomping at the bit to go out and show the world what a beautiful fairy princess she was, but was made to wait until Noah was ready, complete with a lightning bolt above his right eye (courtesy of a charm Harry was familiar with), and soon enough the Potter family was on their way.
They went door-to-door in the village, Noah and Aurora greeting their neighbours with an enthusiastic “Trick or Treat!”. Everyone made much of their costumes and the children soaked up all the attention. Aurora waved her wand at everyone, loving the sparkles that showered out of the star-shaped tip. By the time they reached The Burrow, their sweets bags were full.
Molly Weasley opened the door, dressed in a long, flowing robe with stars and moons on it and a large pointy hat.
“TRICK OR TREAT!” the children shouted.
“Oh my goodness, what do we have here?” Molly looked from one child to another. “Arthur, come and see who’s at the front door!”
Arthur appeared, dressed as a werewolf. “Who is it, Molly?” he said, looking at the children and playing along.
“It looks to me like we have Harry Potter and a fairy princess on our doorstep!” Molly exclaimed.
“Harry Potter? Are you sure? I thought Harry Potter was all grown up now!” Arthur said, leaning over and feigning puzzlement. “But it certainly looks like Harry Potter! How are you, Harry? And who’s your beautiful companion?”
“It’s us, Grandma and Grandpa!” Noah and Aurora chorused, delighted to have fooled the Weasleys with their costumes.
Molly pretended to look closer. “Noah and Aurora Potter, is that really you?” Two little heads nodded gleefully. “Oh my, I couldn’t tell with your wonderful costumes! You’d better come in and join the party.”
Molly and Arthur straightened up and greeted Harry and Hermione, who’d come up the stairs as the children bolted inside. “Marvellous costumes, Hermione,” Molly said as Harry kissed her cheek. “You’ve really outdone yourself this year.”
There was quite a number of the extended Weasley clan already in attendance when the Potters got out the back; Bill, Fleur, and their two sons were there, as was Percy, who’d thankfully come to his senses and reconciled with his parents years back, with Penny and their four children.
Draco Malfoy, who had, much to the disgust of many of the Weasleys (not to mention Harry and Hermione) become the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Ginny Weasley a few years after the war had ended, sat in one corner of the yard. His relationship was Ginny was very much on again, and she’d given birth to their daughter, Audra Grace Malfoy, just six weeks previously. Audra was tiny and delicate, and looked like a doll, with strawberry blonde hair and beautiful, big brown eyes. Audra’s birth had finally thawed the icy relationship Draco had had with pretty much everyone in Ginny’s life; he cradled Audra in his arms and nodded to Harry and Hermione.
Harry watched with no small amount of amusement as Aurora marched up to Draco and climbed onto his lap. “Hello, Uncle Draco!” she said. “I’m a fairy princess, can you see?”
“Hello, Miss Potter,” Draco said with a ghost of a smile. “Yes, I can see you are indeed a fairy princess, and a beautiful one at that.”
Aurora beamed up at him. “Kiss please,” she demanded, and Harry laughed as he watched Draco try to bestow a kiss while balancing his daughter in the crook of one arm and avoid being smacked in the face with a wing.
One by one, the rest of the Weasley clan joined in the festivities and took in the spooky decorations Molly and Arthur had set out for the grandchildren. The little ones danced and sang and played tricks on the adults and each other, and shared their sweets with everyone. Fred and George tried to teach them a song, but as soon as Molly overheard the lyrics she showed the twins they were never too old for a clip around the ear.
Finally, after a feast that included pumpkin pie, Vampire Blood (which looked suspiciously like tomato soup) and Ghost-in-the-hole, it was time to get the wee ones to bed. Noah and Aurora were so worn out from all the fun they’d already fallen asleep, so Harry and Hermione decided to Apparate home with a child each. Once changed into pyjamas, the Potter children were tucked into bed with kisses and murmured loving words, another Hallowe’en over.
Hermione found Harry on the back porch; the night was unusually warm for late October. He put an arm around her as she came to stand next to him and accepted the mug of tea with thanks. “I think they had fun,” Hermione commented as she sipped her drink.
“They loved it,” Harry replied, kissing her forehead.
They stood in silence, staring out into the dark and enjoying their moment alone. “I know they can be a handful sometimes,” Hermione said quietly, “but I feel so blessed to have them. Aren’t our kids great, Harry?”
“I couldn’t imagine our lives without them,” Harry agreed. “I couldn’t imagine my life without you, either. I love you so much. Thank you for my wonderful children.” He kissed her properly then, feeling her arm slide around his waist as she moved closer to him, and knew at that moment that there was nowhere else in the entire world he’d rather be than right where he was, with the family that he was able to call his own.
~*~
There is a sequel to this fic called Trick or Treat. It's set the next Hallowe'en and is rated NC-17.
Title: The Seeker and the Fairy Princess
Pairing: Harry/Hermione and Draco/Ginny
Rating: G
Summary: It's Hallowe'en once again and the Potter family gets ready to go trick-or-treating.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: Endless thanks go to aome who actually made this fic ten times better than it originally was. An interesting side note -- we discovered during the beta that the UK editions of the books capitalise the 't' in "The Burrow", whereas the US editions don't. Odd. I've gone with the UK edition.
Harry had just finished reading The Quibbler when Hermione arrived home, giving herself a futile shake as she stepped out of the fireplace.
“You’d think after all these years I’d be used to the soot,” she muttered, shrugging off her white Healer robe and resignedly tossing it into the wicker laundry basket sitting next to the hearth.
“I was beginning to wonder if you’d been held up.” Harry got up off the couch and crossed over to where his wife stood, greeting her with a kiss. Harry never tired of this, of the feel of her warm, soft lips pressed firmly against his; not even after a decade of being her partner.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured against his lips before kissing his nose. “Let me go get changed so we can pick up the kids.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were on the well-trodden path from their home in Ottery St. Catchpole to The Burrow, where their two children, four-year-old Noah and three-year-old Aurora, spent their weekdays with Molly Weasley. Molly had decided to go back to home schooling, something she’d done with her own brood of seven, once the Weasley grandchildren had started to arrive. Now, between her children (which included Harry and Hermione), she had eighteen grandchildren on whom she doted. Although Noah and Aurora were a little young for proper home schooling, they very much enjoyed learning with their Weasley ‘cousins’ and Molly had been happy to include them; so between Harry’s liaison job with the Ministry and Hermione’s position as a consultant Healer at St. Mungo’s, it had all worked out nicely.
Harry glanced over at Hermione as they walked, fingers entwined between them, and listened as she filled him in on the minutiae of her day. She’d changed into jeans and a long-sleeved top, and her hair was messily pulled up into a ponytail. She wore no makeup, but her beauty never failed to make Harry just a little bit breathless. After two children, her breasts were a bit fuller and her belly and hips were a little rounder; but, despite her moaning and groaning, Harry loved his wife to bits.
As he did his children. Two happy little individuals who made him smile at the thought of them and showered him with unconditional love. They drew him pictures and sang him songs and snuggled into him as he told them bedtime stories, and Harry couldn’t imagine his life without his family. A family he had never been sure he’d ever have.
They rounded the corner and headed down the driveway when they reached The Burrow, and the sound of childish laughter told them exactly where they’d find their offspring. Harry blinked a few times when greeted with the sight of at least a half a dozen redheads, one of whom happened to belong to him - nobody had been more surprised than her parents when Miss Aurora Molly Potter had been born with a shock of bright red hair, which had darkened as she grew to be the exact same shade that her paternal grandmother had had. Not that it had stopped her uncles Fred and George making jokes about the identity of her father, but nobody could deny that the pretty little girl with red hair and green eyes could be anyone but Harry Potter’s.
It soon became apparent that red hair matched Aurora’s temperament nicely. She was a tiny bossy boots, forthright and stubborn. Harry sometimes enjoyed their battles; matching wits with a smart three-year-old could be amusing. But add crankiness to the mix, and he had one very hard-to-handle daughter on his hands.
It was clear, however, from her joyous cry of, “Mummy! Daddy!” that Aurora was not cranky today. She reached Harry first and squealed with laughter as he threw her up into the air and caught her again, showering her face with kisses. Noah, who was quiet and calm as his sister was loud and fiery, heard Aurora’s cry and bolted for his parents, throwing himself into his mother’s outstretched arms. Hermione picked him up and asked how his day was, and then Harry swung Aurora onto his hip and turned so the family could indulge in a group hug, something they loved to do.
Once the Potters had greeted each other, the children were put down to grab their satchels and say goodbye to their Grandma and Grandpa, which they did with hugs and kisses. Molly assured Harry and Hermione that both children had been on their best behaviour, and the family set off on their way back home.
Aurora insisted on being carried by Harry, who was happy to oblige her after a somewhat draining day searching for the few remaining Death Eaters. He let himself be revived by the sound of his children chattering non-stop about the day’s activities.
“I missed you, Daddy,” Aurora said, stroking Harry’s hair.
“Did you, pumpkin?” Harry answered, kissing her cheek. “I missed you too.”
“I drawed you a picture.”
“It’s drew, sweetheart, not drawed. What did you draw me?”
“I drawed a picture of you and me and Mummy and Noah and Midnight and Snowy and Uncle Ron and Nanna and Poppy and Grandma and Grandpa and a pumpkin.”
“Goodness, that’s a lot of things. Did you manage to fit them all onto the parchment?”
“Of course I did! Everybody is waving at the pumpkin.”
While Aurora’s artistic talent mostly consisted of stick figures and scribbles, her imagination was quite impressive. Harry grinned. “Is the pumpkin waving back?”
“No, silly sausage,” Aurora said, chortling. “Pumpkins can’t wave!”
Harry tickled her sides and she burst into loud laughter, her little arms around his neck. Her weight was warm and reassuring. He enjoyed the rest of the walk home, listening to his children ramble, his thoughts never far from the three loves of his life, right by his side.
~*~
As the sun set and the stars twinkled, the Potter family’s daily night time ritual was honoured. First up was a tasty dinner, a task that Harry and Hermione shared equally, and then Hermione drew a bath full of bubbles for the kids, who always enjoyed bathing together so they could play. Watched over by their parents, who insisted some actual washing of children happened somewhere along the way, they laughed and splashed and tossed rubber ducks that quacked at each other until they were forced to get out.
Harry and Hermione each took a child to dry and help dress, and once Noah had on his Quidditch pyjamas (which no self-respecting Quidditch fan would be without) and Aurora her sparkly pink fairy nightie, everyone shuffled into the bathroom so little teeth could be cleaned. Once Hermione declared them sparkling, it was into the master bedroom for story time. Tumbling onto the bed, they cuddled up together as Harry read a tale of dragons and fairy princesses and Seekers, the latter two of whom were favourite story time subjects. By the time Harry was done, both children were fast asleep; Noah was draped over Hermione’s lap, and Aurora’s head was on Harry’s chest. Carefully picking their children up, they tucked them into bed with goodnight kisses and wishes of sweet dreams.
Once they were alone, Harry and Hermione spent some quiet time together before turning in to enjoy some well-deserved sleep.
The next day was a Saturday and the Potters had lunch with Hermione’s parents, who suitably fussed over their grandchildren and promised to put up two paintings Noah and Aurora had done for them during the week on their fridge, where all pictures were proudly displayed. Once they’d returned home, Hermione announced it was high time the children decide what costumes they wanted for Hallowe’en, which was the following Friday. All four Potters were sitting on the floor in the children’s playroom; Noah and Aurora both stopped for a moment and stared at their parents, little eyes flitting from one adult to another.
“We’ve already decided, Mummy,” Noah said proudly.
“You have? You’d better tell me, then, so I can make the costumes for you.”
“I’m going to be a fairy princess!” Aurora announced, throwing herself about in presumably fairy-like fashion.
“Big surprise,” Harry muttered quietly under his breath to Hermione, who tried not to laugh. Aurora’s obsession with fairies and fairy princesses in particular was well known to pretty much everyone who knew her. It was what she wanted to be when she grew up.
“What colour fairy princess would you like to be?”
Aurora gave it a moment’s thought. “Purple.”
“Purple it is, then.” Hermione then turned to her son. “How about you, young man?”
“I want to go as Harry Potter.”
This statement startled both Noah’s parents, who stopped and stared at the little boy with black hair and brown eyes.
“You want to go as Daddy?” Hermione asked.
Noah nodded. “Daddy used to be a Seeker when he was in school, so I want to go as him.”
Hermione exchanged glances with her husband. “Why not?”
“But Noah,” Harry said cautiously, “you could pick any costume. Why do you want to dress up as me?”
Noah shrugged his shoulders, as if there could be no other choice. “I asked Uncle Ron for some help picking a costume and he said I should go as my hero, and you’re my hero, Daddy. So I’ll go as you.”
Harry blinked rapidly and cleared his throat softly. “Come here,” he said, holding his arms out to his son, who climbed into them. Harry held him close and kissed the top of his head. “I love you, Noah.”
“I love you too, Daddy.” Noah tipped his head back and pursed his lips, and Harry kissed him.
“Right, we’ll have to make you the best costume ever,” Hermione said. “You know what, I think we might still have one of Daddy’s old broomsticks that you could carry. I’ll make you a Gryffindor Quidditch uniform with Daddy’s name and number on the back. Can you think of anything else you’ll need?”
“I’ll need some glasses and--” Noah paused and looked up at his father. “Can you give me a scar like yours?”
“I’m sure I can work something out,” Harry said.
“I’ll also need some photographs of myself and a quill.”
“What on earth do you need them for?” Hermione asked.
“Uncle Draco told me that Daddy used to give out signed photos of himself.” Noah scrambled out of Harry’s lap and went back to his dragon that breathed real, but painless, fire.
Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth in a vain attempt not to laugh as Harry leaned over so the children wouldn’t hear him. “Remind me to put hemlock into Malfoy’s drink next time he’s here, would you?”
Hermione nodded and burst out laughing.
~*~
Every night the following week, Hermione worked hard on making the children’s costumes as authentic as possible. She only used magic when necessary, relishing the chance to throw herself into something for the kids. She strove to make the detailing perfect, and by the night before Hallowe’en she was done.
“They look marvellous,” Harry said as he trailed a finger over Aurora’s dress. Hermione had laid the costumes out on their bed so he could take a look. Picking up the Quidditch uniform, he held it up in front of him and examined it front and back. It was an exact replica of the one he’d worn himself while playing for Gryffindor, right down to the crest. Hermione had also made a bag in the shape of a Snitch for Noah to carry his treats in.
“You won’t believe what I found packed away,” Hermione said, opening her bedside drawer. She carefully took out a pair of black-rimmed glasses, identical to the ones he currently wore except that they were smaller, and Harry realised as she handed them to him that they were the very ones he’d worn when they’d first met.
“I didn’t know you’d kept these.”
Hermione smiled. “All we need to do is make them a little smaller and take out the lenses, and they should fit him nicely.”
Aurora’s dress was stunning; made of satin with a light, glittery gauze over the skirt, Hermione had attached a pair of wings made from the same glittery material as the overlay that actually fluttered like a real fairy’s every few minutes. A wand and a matching drawstring sweets bag completed the ensemble.
“I can’t wait to see the kids’ faces when they see these,” Harry said with a grin. “You’re a wonderful mother, you know.”
Hermione smiled and kissed him slowly and teasingly in a manner that never failed to drive him crazy. “I love you,” she whispered in his ear, before picking up her wand and zooming both costumes onto hangers in the wardrobe.
~*~
As Harry had anticipated, Noah and Aurora were absolutely delighted with their costumes and raved about them all through breakfast. Aurora demanded to wear hers all day, but was soon cajoled into leaving it until they were ready to go trick-or-treating. Harry assured them that they would be picked up right on time so that there’d be plenty of time to get ready for the evening’s adventures, which would end at The Burrow for a Hallowe’en feast.
The day sped by and it was soon time for Harry to pick up the children. Once they were home, they had a quick bath and then got ready. Aurora was chomping at the bit to go out and show the world what a beautiful fairy princess she was, but was made to wait until Noah was ready, complete with a lightning bolt above his right eye (courtesy of a charm Harry was familiar with), and soon enough the Potter family was on their way.
They went door-to-door in the village, Noah and Aurora greeting their neighbours with an enthusiastic “Trick or Treat!”. Everyone made much of their costumes and the children soaked up all the attention. Aurora waved her wand at everyone, loving the sparkles that showered out of the star-shaped tip. By the time they reached The Burrow, their sweets bags were full.
Molly Weasley opened the door, dressed in a long, flowing robe with stars and moons on it and a large pointy hat.
“TRICK OR TREAT!” the children shouted.
“Oh my goodness, what do we have here?” Molly looked from one child to another. “Arthur, come and see who’s at the front door!”
Arthur appeared, dressed as a werewolf. “Who is it, Molly?” he said, looking at the children and playing along.
“It looks to me like we have Harry Potter and a fairy princess on our doorstep!” Molly exclaimed.
“Harry Potter? Are you sure? I thought Harry Potter was all grown up now!” Arthur said, leaning over and feigning puzzlement. “But it certainly looks like Harry Potter! How are you, Harry? And who’s your beautiful companion?”
“It’s us, Grandma and Grandpa!” Noah and Aurora chorused, delighted to have fooled the Weasleys with their costumes.
Molly pretended to look closer. “Noah and Aurora Potter, is that really you?” Two little heads nodded gleefully. “Oh my, I couldn’t tell with your wonderful costumes! You’d better come in and join the party.”
Molly and Arthur straightened up and greeted Harry and Hermione, who’d come up the stairs as the children bolted inside. “Marvellous costumes, Hermione,” Molly said as Harry kissed her cheek. “You’ve really outdone yourself this year.”
There was quite a number of the extended Weasley clan already in attendance when the Potters got out the back; Bill, Fleur, and their two sons were there, as was Percy, who’d thankfully come to his senses and reconciled with his parents years back, with Penny and their four children.
Draco Malfoy, who had, much to the disgust of many of the Weasleys (not to mention Harry and Hermione) become the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Ginny Weasley a few years after the war had ended, sat in one corner of the yard. His relationship was Ginny was very much on again, and she’d given birth to their daughter, Audra Grace Malfoy, just six weeks previously. Audra was tiny and delicate, and looked like a doll, with strawberry blonde hair and beautiful, big brown eyes. Audra’s birth had finally thawed the icy relationship Draco had had with pretty much everyone in Ginny’s life; he cradled Audra in his arms and nodded to Harry and Hermione.
Harry watched with no small amount of amusement as Aurora marched up to Draco and climbed onto his lap. “Hello, Uncle Draco!” she said. “I’m a fairy princess, can you see?”
“Hello, Miss Potter,” Draco said with a ghost of a smile. “Yes, I can see you are indeed a fairy princess, and a beautiful one at that.”
Aurora beamed up at him. “Kiss please,” she demanded, and Harry laughed as he watched Draco try to bestow a kiss while balancing his daughter in the crook of one arm and avoid being smacked in the face with a wing.
One by one, the rest of the Weasley clan joined in the festivities and took in the spooky decorations Molly and Arthur had set out for the grandchildren. The little ones danced and sang and played tricks on the adults and each other, and shared their sweets with everyone. Fred and George tried to teach them a song, but as soon as Molly overheard the lyrics she showed the twins they were never too old for a clip around the ear.
Finally, after a feast that included pumpkin pie, Vampire Blood (which looked suspiciously like tomato soup) and Ghost-in-the-hole, it was time to get the wee ones to bed. Noah and Aurora were so worn out from all the fun they’d already fallen asleep, so Harry and Hermione decided to Apparate home with a child each. Once changed into pyjamas, the Potter children were tucked into bed with kisses and murmured loving words, another Hallowe’en over.
Hermione found Harry on the back porch; the night was unusually warm for late October. He put an arm around her as she came to stand next to him and accepted the mug of tea with thanks. “I think they had fun,” Hermione commented as she sipped her drink.
“They loved it,” Harry replied, kissing her forehead.
They stood in silence, staring out into the dark and enjoying their moment alone. “I know they can be a handful sometimes,” Hermione said quietly, “but I feel so blessed to have them. Aren’t our kids great, Harry?”
“I couldn’t imagine our lives without them,” Harry agreed. “I couldn’t imagine my life without you, either. I love you so much. Thank you for my wonderful children.” He kissed her properly then, feeling her arm slide around his waist as she moved closer to him, and knew at that moment that there was nowhere else in the entire world he’d rather be than right where he was, with the family that he was able to call his own.
~*~
There is a sequel to this fic called Trick or Treat. It's set the next Hallowe'en and is rated NC-17.