✖He's Not Mine [An Utterly Ridiculous Dramione Baby Story . . . Sort-of]

SIX

THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT GETS THREE PERMANENT RESIDENTS

It was soon clear that Draco Malfoy could not look after Tobias on his own. He might have been able to if the child stopped screaming for his "mother" through the night.

It took just two days before McGonagall had four different Slytherins in her office complaining that they could not sleep. It didn't help that many other students screamed in their nightmares, but at least they stopped once they were woken and calmed down.

It was also clear that Draco hadn't slept at all during those two days.

That was how Lavender and Hermione found themselves in Professor McGonagall's office after dinner on the third day.

Exhausted, Draco dumped Tobias in Lavender's arms while he and Hermione sat down in front of McGonagall.

"I understand what you're saying," Hermione said, "but we'll have the same result if I keep him. He'll be fine during the day and crying for his "dad" during the night. You'll have Gryffindors in your office after that."

Draco nodded in agreement, too tired to actually say something.

"What if you both slept in the same dorm?" Lavender asked. "You'd both get sleep, he'd stop crying, no complaining students."

"Scarhead and Weaselbutt might have something to say."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Then we'll make them babysit for not even three hours and see what they have to say after that."

"Speaking of," Lavender said, "since it's Sunday and I'm sure you'd like to get some sleep, Malfoy, and Tobias doesn't seem to mind being with me during the day, maybe I could--"

"YES! THAT WOULD BE GREAT!"

Lavender smiled, hearing a form of gratitude directed to her from the Slytherin for the first time. "You're welcome, Malfoy."

Hermione turned back to the headmistress, who pursed her lips. "I do like the idea of my students sleeping peacefully. But where? I doubt either of you want to room in the others dormitories, and both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have heard how awful the child can be at night, so I dare say they won't want him in there."

"Maybe we could Transfigure an unused classroom?" Hermione offered.

"The Room of Requirement," Lavender said. "You'd be set for the whole year in there. Also, you wouldn't have to look for things for him, 'cause the Room would provide it. And there won't be any problem about space, because the Room was large enough to house three quarter of the school last year."

"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger, it is up to you."

Hermione glanced at Lavender and Tobias. "I'll do it if it shuts him up."

"Same here, Professor."

■■■■■

"You're going to what?!" Ron cried.

"You heard me, Ron."

Hermione was in her dorm and haphazardly throwing things into her trunk. Harry and Ron and earlier in the month figured out that using brooms to bypass the stairs allowed them access to the girls' dorms.

"Look, Hermione, I am all for no more fighting with the Slytherins, but that's Slytherin in general. This is Malfoy in particular, he's . . ."

Hermione paused and looked at Ron. "He's a downright arse and many other choice names, but I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing this for the sake of my own sanity. The other option was to take turns looking after Tobias and do you have any idea how that child can scream? It doesn't help that he thinks the first two faces he's seen are his parents. He can't sleep without either of us and apparently the First Year Slytherins are being deprived of sleep."