The day after Christmas, Teddy and I leave the Burrow. We'll be back for new years, but for now, we're going to spend some time with our other family. Not my bio family, Merlin no. We plan to spend the week at Andromeda's, also making some time to visit Snape.
We floo over shortly after breakfast, and I am pleasantly surprised to find someone else there.
"Draco!" I grin, wrapping him in a hug.
"Daco!" Teddy shouts happily, his hair changing from Potter black to Malfoy blonde.
"Merlin! He's a giant!" Draco exclaims, looking down at the baby. Teddy's grown considerably in the two and a half months since they last saw each other. I pass Teddy over before I drop him. The little one is leaning to Draco so far, he is vertical to the floor. I hear footsteps hurrying closer and a moment later, Andromeda enters, beaming at her grandbaby.
"Hello Hazel dear." She greets me with a hug before kissing Teddy's white blonde hair. Draco watches Teddy while Andromeda helps me get settled in a guest room. After getting Teddy's crib all set up, we return to the living room to find Draco sitting on the floor stacking blocks with his nephew. Andromeda both stop and watch the two from the doorway for a moment. Draco is so gentle and soft with the boy.
"It means a lot to him that you trust him with Teddy." The woman beside me whispers.
"Well, he earned it." I shrug, my heart warming. "Being locked in a room for three straight weeks together really brings people together."
"Only because you gave him the chance to earn it."
"It wasn't really voluntary on either of our parts." I sigh, remembering how tense it was with the full moon in jail. He had been terrified that I was lying about keeping my sanity. I had been scared that he'd turn me over to the ministry. Despite all the things changing in the wizarding world, I still don't want to end up on some werewolf registry. I'm not enough of a fool to give them permission to treat me like a monster.
"Mama!" Teddy yells, startling me. He has his little arms reaching out to me.l
"I didn't teach him that!" I protest immediately. And I haven't. I don't call myself "mama" to Teddy. I'm not trying to replace Tonks.
"Hazel, it's okay." Andromeda promises, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You're going to be the only mom he knows. I don't think my daughter would be upset."
"But..." I frown, eyes tearing up a bit.
"As long as you tell him about her, then you aren't replacing her."
"I don't know." I decide I'll think about it. Teddy crawls to me and I scoop him up, kissing the top of his head.
Since we weren't here yesterday for actual Christmas, we have a bit of a second one. Teddy, having learned yesterday that fun things are hidden in the colorful wrappings, eagerly rips into his gifts from his grandmother. He seems to take a liking to the stuffed niffler, tucking it into his little armpit and carrying it around with him the rest of the day. At one point before bed, he drops it and it takes us a few minutes to realize what he wants when screaming "Nef!"
After Teddy is all tucked in, Andromeda heads to bed as well, leaving myself and Draco.
"Do you play chess?" Draco asks, lounging on the living room sofa.
"Not much. I tried a few times, but I'm pretty terrible." I admit. "Why? Are you good at it?"
"I'm not so sure I'd go that far, but I've played my share of games." He tilts his head back, blonde hair flopping back.
"Could you teach me?" I ask, understanding that he wants to play, but feels weird asking.
"Sure, if you want." He shrugs nonchalantly, standing from the sofa. I fight back my smirk as I follow him to the table in the corner with the full set of wizard's chess.
We take seats across from each other and he starts walking me through things, starting at the very basics.
We end up playing late into the night, slowed by our frequent bursts of laughter at my atrocious playing. One round I manage to lose in a mere five turns. Thankfully he is patient with me, just enjoying playing and not taking it too seriously.
Around one in the morning, we both retire. I lay on my bed, listening to Teddy's breathing, staring at the ceiling. It's still so wild to consider that Draco both friend and family. While I never really had anything against him back in school, I didn't think much of him either. I would hear the whispers about him, mostly bad. But that was all just his family's control on him. Draco is actually quite quiet and gentle. I feel bad that he's got such a terrible reputation.
I drift off into an uneasy sleep, unfortunately plagued by images of a handsome werewolf dying by my hand.
***
The week goes by peacefully, and I really enjoy my time here. Draco and I visit Snape twice, giving Andromeda some alone time with her grandbaby. The ex-potions master is happy for our company. Apparently he's started writing a book about his experience with the dark arts. I tell him I'd like the first copy when it gets published, and Draco threatens to fight me for it. Snape had rolled his eyes, but I think he was secretly pleased by our reactions.
Halfway through the week, I start feeling under the weather. My body starts aching, and I get quite irritable. I just end up spending a lot of time reading to cope. By the time it's time to return to the Burrow, I am practically dead on my feet. I am exhausted, nauseous, and am running a fever.
Draco helps me pack up, insisting that I'm too ill to do it myself. I try to protest, but he tells me to "shut up and sit down." When he's finished, he carries my bag downstairs, me trailing slowly behind, my joints complaining with every step. When we reach the living room, Andromeda is waiting there with Teddy.
"Hazel, are you sure you feel well enough to go? Maybe you should wait until you feel better." She frowns, putting her hand to my forehead.
"I'm fine. It's just the stupid moon." I sigh, sitting down on the couch. I need a break after the stairs.
"The moon?" Andromeda pales, clutching Teddy closer to her chest. I groan, dropping my face in my hands. I feel Draco pat my head soothingly.
"Hazel, are you a werewolf?" The woman doesn't dance around it.
"Not fully." I grumble, relaxing a bit as Draco's hands run through my hair. Maybe it's my inner wolf, but apparently I like being pet on.
"How much then?" Her tone is cautious. I suppose the woman has a bit of experience with wolves considering her son in law was one.
"I shift but keep my senses. Like when regular werewolves take wolfsbane, but without the need for the potion." I explain, yawning at the end.
"Do you have sufficient support? It can't be easy to deal with a baby around the moons." Andromeda chews her lip, brow creased with concern.
"Charlie helps."
"Maybe you should have Draco come out and help sometimes." Andromeda offers her nephew's services.
"It's fine. He doesn't have to." My eyes are closed and I'm starting to drift a bit. I feel the couch dip a bit as someone sits beside me, and I lean into them.
"I don't mind Hazel." He murmurs as I lay on his shoulder. "Just let me know when you need me."
"Okay." I mumble, slipping into sleep.
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The chapter is titled because the Black naming convention of using constellations, I didn't know if that was clear or not....