Simply Irrefutable

Chapter 8

Tucking Willow into the bottom bunker, Draco took her spring green blanket, her favorite color, which consequently made him smirk because he couldn’t help but think, Slytherin. Covering her with the blanket, he eyed his youngest when her dark lashes fluttered thrice before revealing light brown eyes that peered right at him.  “Story, daddy?” she asked. 

“Willow,” Draco brushed some of her dark wisps of hair out of her face.  “It’s time to sleep.  Sabine’s already sleeping plus tomorrow’s a big day too.”

However the youngest one wasn’t falling for it, so like her mum or maybe him... Draco actually wasn’t sure but the stubborn expression accompanied with the look of disbelief at being belittled, on her features was awfully familiar.  “Willow,” He tried once more. 

Watching her puff out her cheeks, not budging.  Draco blew out his own breath, his eyes not leaving Willow’s, yet like always, he was unable to resist.   At last, Draco sighed and tapped her forehead. “Short, ten minutes maximum.”

Grinning, Willow buried into her pillow and rested her chin on the top of her blanket.  She glanced up at him with an eager expression.  “Afta plosion,” She said with a yawn, still smiling despite herself. 

Draco had been in detentions before. But he was never so aware of himself and everything around him than in those first few detentions solely with Granger.  She was so silent, sometimes that it slightly freaked him out, but then at other times she was utterly present.  Her breaths, the squeaks of her shoes on the floor, or the motions of her rapid cleaning, like as if she were conquering the unjustness of house elf treatment with each swipe, even the soft motions of Granger pulling her hair out. 

By the third detention Draco had gotten over the feeling uncomfortable staring at Granger because quite frankly she never seemed aware of him.  He might as well not have been there as she furiously washed cauldron after cauldron.  On a roll and utterly focused, Granger cleaned like as if she were on a mission, but what he saw was exhaustion. Rings under her eyes so like his… and a lingering sadness he hoped he didn’t share but his snarky conscience assured him that he was no better at hiding his emotions than her.

Watching Granger’s mane of wildly curly hair bounce, he almost missed the click of the door unlocking. Detention was over.  Looking from the newly unlocked door to his detention partner, his silver like irises widened slightly upon finding Hermione Granger’s eyes on him, slightly narrowed. It looked like she wanted to say something but she never did.  Instead she silently put her last cauldron away and stood up.  Brushing her knee length skirt a few small whiffs could be heard from her hand meeting the fabric of her skirt before she was gone. 

Pushing himself away from the ingredient cabinets, Draco sat down, counting to ten so that he could let Granger get a head start.  At ten he got up, brushing his own pants before leaving too. But he couldn’t help but be frustrated.

“Daddy,” Willow stressed, her face scrunching as if to tell him to not dare stop there. 

“Willow,” Draco groaned. 

“Daddy.” Willow matched him, her bottom lip protruding slightly.  Just as she said so, Lyra came in too, holding Colby’s hand.  Looking at the two of them, Lyra blinked twice before a wide grin spread across her face because she came back just in time for a story.  Letting go of Colby’s hand, she practically flew to Willow’s side, climbing in with her younger sister. 

Silently Colby joined them, sitting on the floor near the bunk bed, briefly squeezing Willow’s hand that she reached out for him. 

On cue all three of them turned to look at him expectantly.