The Babysitter (Dramione Fanfiction)

The Talk

Rose woke up with a jolt, remnants of her scary nightmare still lingering in her terrified mind. Tears steadily streamed down from her face as she shot a panicked glance at her mother. Hermione was sleeping soundly on the bed with her hair messily sprawled all over her pillow.

She knew her mother was incredibly tired after today's work. She had sensed she and her Uncle Harry had worked hard for today when Hermione came by to pick her up from the Ministry daycare. Therefore, despite the fear in her heart, she didn't want to wake her mother up.

Rose had this inkling her mother had been crying a lot because of her for the past few days. Her mother and Draco never really told her anything at all, but Rose knew something big and bad had happened to her after she woke up in St. Mungo's. Ever the curious little tyke, millions of questions ran inside her head. Strangely, though, she knew she couldn't ask her mother out loud, lest she brought her mother into tears once more.

She hated a lot of things in life, like how Mrs. Figg always forced her to wear that itchy scarf around her neck or Sophie Boot boasting that her parents were the bestest – there was no doubt that it was her mother, seriously! – and how people seemed to always glare at Draco when he had been really nice and good, trying his very best not to say bad words anymore. But the thing she hated the most was seeing her mother cry.

Therefore, it was decided. Rose jumped down from the bed she shared with her mother and shivered slightly with the cold. The shadows seemed frightening tonight but she steadfastly ignored them, mustering the Gryffindor courage she knew she inherited from both her mother and father to venture out of her mother's bedroom.

It didn't take long before she finally arrived in their living room. Draco's unmistakable form was sprawled inelegantly on their couch and despite her tears, Rose giggled when she heard him snore.

Rose barged quickly towards the blond and shook him awake. "Draco," she urgently whispered. "Draco, wake up!"

The blond groaned irately and batted her hand away. "Rose," he rasped out, voice still scratchy from sleep. "I don't want to eat cookies tonight." He turned his back from her and buried his blond hair underneath his comforter.

Frustrated and scared, she shook him awake once more. "Draco, please, wake up," she pleaded. Her eyes watered and her bottom lip quivered. Her Gryffindor courage was running low, and she needed Draco to wake up. Now!

She took a huge sniff and felt Draco froze against her hand. Immediately, he shot up from the couch and peered at her worriedly. He grabbed his wand and illuminated the closest lamp from the bed just to give him enough light to see her.

"Why are you crying?" he demanded, grasping on both of her wrists to survey her. "Where's your mother?"

"Mama's asleep." Her voice had quietened down considerably now that Draco was awake. Her nightmare came back to her once more and her tears increased. "D-Draco, I had a nightmare."

Alarm flashed in his eyes as he tentatively pulled her closer. "Was it..." He paused and swallowed. "Was it the same masked men you dreamt before?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "How did you know?" she asked in wonder.

"Lucky guess," he mumbled. His grey eyes darkened with worry as she wordlessly lifted her hand up and wriggled her fingers.

Sighing, he effortlessly stood up and brought her into his arms. Rose tightly wound her arms and legs around him and buried her face against his neck. Draco's hugs were always warm and comforting; Rose already felt loads better just being held by him.

"Does it bother you?" he then asked. "About those... those nightmares?"

She slowly nodded her head against his neck. "But it's okay," she continued. "I feel better now, Draco."