Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Christmas Loan ❯ Dessert and Tickle Monsters ( Chapter 6 )

The Christmas Loan

By: Ellipsis the Great

DISCLAIMER: The idea is from `Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul.' Harry Potter and all things affiliated with him belong to the amazing J.K. Rowling. I own the Potter twins, and all of the plot outside what I garnered from CSFTCS.

Summary: After losing his wife and son to a magical disease, Draco Malfoy puts an ad in an editorial to borrow a son for Christmas. Harry Potter answers.

Rated: T just in case. May change later on.

Spoilers: Five years post-Hogwarts. Compliant with all books, sans the epilogue in DH.

Warnings: None insofar. Also may change later on. Probable yaoi, as my whimsies and muses take me. You've been warned.

 

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CHAPTER SIX: Dessert

 

Byrne eventually managed to escaped Val's overenthusiastic attentions, clambering into my lap. He watched her suspiciously as she sat beside her father, a large piece of chocolate cake sitting in front of her (she had apparently inherited Goyle's appetite for all that she was stick thin).

“You don't want anything, Byrne?” I asked, a piece of cheesecake with strawberry toppings sitting in front of me. “I'm sure they have something you like. At least you could have a bite of my cheesecake.”

Byrne shook his head. “Too sweet.”

“Too sweet?” Millicent asked. “Never heard a kid say that before.”

I laughed. “Byrne's not much for sweets. Are you, buddy?”

Byrne wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

“Has he ever tried dark chocolate?” Narcissa asked. “It's not nearly as sweet as most things.” She waved her wand, summoning a small piece of dark chocolate and allowing it to levitate in front of Byrne. “Why don't you try a piece?”

He gave it an apprehensive look before grabbing it gingerly and, after turning it over a few times, bit off a corner. His face brightened and he awarded Narcissa with one of the few smiles of his that wasn't shy. “Thank you very much, Grandmother `Cissa.”

“You're very welcome, Byrne.” She said, returning his smile.

“Told you chocolate's good!” Val yelled from her seat.

“Not yours!” Byrne retorted, and blew a raspberry at her. Then he seemed to realize that Val and I weren't the only people looking at him. He blushed and turned around in my lap, nibbling on his chocolate embarrassedly.

“He's horribly shy, isn't he?” Millicent asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, he gets that from me. He's got my temper, too, unfortunately. Unexpected, explosive, and relatively short-lived. Usually.” I couldn't help but glance at Malfoy when I said this—I think we were always angry at each other, even when we hadn't been fighting recently.

Malfoy seemed to understand what I was thinking, as his lip curled up into a sneer that at one point in time would have had me muttering angrily for hours.

“And what does Nix get from you?” Luna asked.

“Just the Slytherin bits, I imagine.” I shrugged. “Although I expect he got some of that from Fred and George as well.”

“I always wondered why those two weren't in Slytherin.” Goyle said, speaking up for the first time. “Their pranks could be pretty sneaky.”

“It's because their pranks usually meant taking stupid, foolhardy risks, which a Slytherin would never do.” I said.

“Much like your many little escapades.” Theodore said, grinning.

“Actually, a lot of those were done out of necessity. The others were because I was, after all, Sorted into Gryffindor, where I made Gryffindor friends who influenced my behavior and overall development so that my Slytherin tendencies were suppressed whereas in Slytherin they would have thrived.” I said.

“You quoting a book?” Blaise asked, amused.

“Hermione, actually, but it's probably the same thing.” I admitted with a light laugh. “In the end, I think the differences between the Houses were in our heads more than anything. Honestly, there's a little of each `House' in every person. All the Sorting does is put us in the House that will most help us succeed.”

“I don't think so.” Millicent said. “For example, I could never imagine your friend Weasley being in any House other than Gryffindor.”

I snorted. “Ron is what one might call a `typical Gryffindor,' but if you ever played chess against him you might see him a little differently. He's an exceptional strategist.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.” Malfoy said with a roll of his eyes.

“Mm.” I grunted, having just taken a bite of my cheesecake. I held a hand up as I hurriedly chewed and swallowed. “Who do you think planned half of our attacks against Voldemort? And he was the one to figure out that saying Voldemort's name would get us caught. He's really much smarter than even he thinks. That's not to say he can't be an idiot, because he loses all sense of strategy when he's mad, but when he sits back and actually thinks, he's brilliant.”

“He was a good Keeper.” Goyle admitted hesitantly.

“Thank you.” I said, inclining my head at him slightly.

“May I have another dessert, please, Grandmother `Cissa?” Nix broke in, giving Narcissa his sweetest and most innocent expression.

Narcissa smiled. “Of course you can, dear.” She said, and I only just stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Nix had her wrapped even tighter around his finger than he did Molly.

“Daddy…” Byrne hissed, poking my shoulder as Nix began surveying his options. “Daddy, you said one. One!”

“Your Grandmother Narcissa is in charge of Nix right now, and she said he could have another dessert.” I said. Sometimes it was only Ginny's red hair that convinced me that Byrne wasn't Hermione's son, as much of a stickler for the rules as he could be sometimes. Usually I chalked it up to something he had inherited from wherever Percy had inherited his unusual closeness to the rules.

Byrne scowled, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth and casting his brother a concerned look. “Tummy ache, Daddy?” He asked.

“He won't get a stomachache from just that, Byrne. Promise.” I said, clearing my throat to warn Nix off the all-too-large piece of cake he'd been eyeing. He gave me a huffy look and went for a smaller piece.

“No crying?”

“No crying.” I said, stifling a smile.

“I won't cry.” Nix insisted, narrowing his eyes at Byrne, who stuck his tongue out in reply.

Luna laughed. “Is he still hung up on that `no crying' thing?” She asked.

“Yeah. That's how I got him to agree to come.” I said. “And you know Nix goes wherever Byrne does, so that was no problem.”

Luna nodded and took a bite of the odd and stomach-turning mixture of desserts she had made. I was never sure if her strange appetite was caused by her pregnancy or her natural quirks.

“You said Nix was a little overprotective.” Theodore said.

“You'd never know it if you don't know them.” I said. “I didn't even realize it until just recently, and they're my kids! That's when I started thinking of him as more of a Slytherin.”

“What about Byrne? Any ideas about his future House?” Narcissa asked.

I hesitated. “Byrne is much harder to read, actually.” I said after a moment's thought. “Honestly, I'm not sure. You'd think he'd be headed straight for Hufflepuff, the way he acts most of the time, but I don't think he's nearly as meek as he seems.”

“I don't think he'll be a Hufflepuff.” Val piped up, wiping her face with her napkin. “I think he'll be a Slytherin like I will be someday!”

I shuddered. “Two Slytherins at once? I don't know if I can handle that, Val.”

“I doubt it will be that bad, Harry.” Narcissa laughed.

“Of course it will.” I said, waving her off. “I could hardly handle Malfoy…” I paused, blinked, and shook my head. “Draco, I mean, not you…anyhow, I could hardly handle him back in the day. And these two,” I nodded at the twins, “Will not only be Slytherins, they will be Slytherins from the same gene pool as the Weasley Twins, Ginny, and my father, who was one of the Marauders if any of you have heard of them.” I sighed and allowed my head to droop. “I will probably spontaneously combust if they both turn out to be Slytherins.” Another pause. “Actually, I might do that anyhow.”

Luna burst out laughing again. “Oh, Harry, you'll be just fine whether or not you end up with two Slytherins. Honestly, I will never understand how someone who has faced down Voldemort could be as frightened of two adorable little boys as you are.”

“I would like to point out that you have never had to live with them.” I retorted. “And they're horrid little monsters, not adorable little boys.”

“'M not a monster, Daddy!” Byrne said, glowering up at me.

I arched an eyebrow at him. “You aren't, eh?”

He shook his head emphatically.

“You sure do look like a monster.” I said suspiciously, poking him. His eyes widened as he squeaked and jerked away. “And you move like a monster.”

Poke. Squeak. Jerk.

I nodded sagely. “Yep, definitely a monster.”

“Am not!” He said, giggling now.

“Oh.” I said disappointedly. “Not a monster, eh? You sure?”

He nodded.

“That's too bad.” I said with a sad sigh.

He watched me guardedly. “Why?”

“Well, you see, only other monsters can escape the tickle monster!” I said, and began tickling him in earnest.

He squealed, trying to wriggle away from me but being unable to as the table was in his way. He did, however, manage to turn around in my lap and stretch his arms out towards his brother.

“Help!” He screamed. “Help, Nix, help! He's tickling me!”

Though the table was enough to keep Byrne in my lap, it wasn't nearly enough to keep Nix in his seat. The latter boy leapt up onto the table and crossed it, throwing himself bodily on his brother and me and sending all three of us flying backward with a rather loud crash.

“Oh, my!” I heard Narcissa gasp even as Luna, Blaise, and Val began laughing and everyone stood and watched the boys attack my sides.

“I knew it!” I exclaimed through laughter and gasps for air. “Monsters, the both of you!”

 

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A/N: Because no story is complete without at LEAST one tickle scene. XDD Oh, Potter twins, you DO provide me with an endless supply of amusement. And Harry's being a cutie this time, too! Yay! X3

 

Review Responses:

 

SwarmOfFanGirls: Aww, thanks! I'm glad you like it! Val's a sweetheart, isn't she?

 

suki53: Lol, I agree! But I think she's already turning into his bodyguard/big sister. Between her and Nix he's totally protected! And…@_@ I'm really not sure what's up with Nix! I'm finding all of this out pretty much as you guys do, and he hasn't revealed his inner workings to any of us yet! I hope it's nothing really bad…

 

StunningSpellRocks2345: Thanks! And I'm not sure…I sort of saw their relationship as being more of a big sister/little brother thing, but maybe it'll develop into a crush over time…I guess we'll have to see, huh?

 

AliuIce0814: Lol, I agree, Ice, Val's a cutie! I might have to steal her myself one of these days…*Goyle gives EtheG a suspicious look* ^____^ See you girls around! And get some sleep, for goodness' sake!

 

ranchan-akari: XD I try to update every weekend out of love for my reviewers (and my unhealthy obsessive compulsive tendencies…but we'll ignore that part). I thought his reaction to that was a good one; glad you agree! And Byrne is amazingly cute! I love him! *joins in glomp*

 

Phoenix4life: Lol, thank you! I hope it lives up to expectations!

 

I'm SO glad everyone is liking my story so far!!! Again, for anyone who didn't see, if you go to my PoisonTonicLX account on deviantart there's a picture of the twins! They're so cute! X333 See you next weekend, everyone! Don't be shy about leaving a review! -EtheG