Disclaimer 1: World of Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Disclaimer 2: For the 1st round of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition (2nd season).

Team: Falmouth Falcons

Position: 2nd Chaser

A/n: Prompts used for this story: (word) colorful; (word) tickle/ish: (word) stubborn/ess

Little Princess

Lucius wasn't sure what it was about his little, half-blood niece that fascinated him so from the moment he saw her. Yes, she was a metamorphmagus and that made her rarer than an animagus... an anomaly even to wizard-kind. But no, that was only a part of it.

The first time he saw little Dora, as he preferred to call her- Nymphadora was simply too much of a mouthful, what was Andy thinking?- the top of her head wasn't any taller than his hips and she couldn't be any older than five.

Her hair, which he later learned she liked to change into very colorful, unnatural varieties, was a shade of baby blue and fell in loose and silky strands to her little shoulders.

The moment she set eyes on him, her hair, much to his shock, started to turn hot pink, but instead of timidly hiding behind her mother's legs as most children do, she walked straight up to him and demanded to be picked up by lifting her arms at him.

And to Andy and his own shock, Lucius had complied with the little girl's demands and hoisted her up until she was settled very comfortably in his arms.

"You have very pretty hair," was the very first thing that little Dora ever said to him.

Lucius recalled smirking at the girl, completely ignoring Andy's tense posture, hovering to his right, knowing his sister-in-law probably wanted to yank her baby girl from his grasp.

"And what's your name, little one?" he asked in honeyed tones he used to charm the most difficult of politicians.

"You have to tell me yours first. Momma says I'm not sposed to talk to strangers," his little niece had replied, her fingers catching his hair and playing with it, her brown eyes staring at his silken hair intently.

"But you can walk up to them and let them pick you up?" he asked, neglecting to mention the fact that she was already speaking to him; poking her lightly in the belly and causing the girl to wiggle in his arms while abruptly giggling.

Nymphadora shrugged in that way only innocent children can as Lucius filed away the information that the small child was ticklish, though he doubted the information would ever come in handy.

"You can call me, Uncle Lucius."

"Uncle Luscious," Nymphadora said slowly, carefully trying to enunciate the word only to get it wrong, and drawing a chuckle from Lucius, who had not yet taken his eyes off the captivating child for even a moment. "Are you really my uncle?" Nymphadora asked, looking up and him and startling him all over again.

The eyes that had been brown only a moment ago, were now pale grey, just as his own.

"Yes," he replied, his voice low and containing awe. He smiled, shaking his head, mindful not to let his hair snag as a lock of it that was still held in one of her hands. "I am your aunt Cissa's husband."

"Who is aunt Cissa?" Dora asked, looking up at him slowly and tilting her head.

"Your mother's sister," Lucius replied patiently. "You still haven't told me your name, little one."

"I'm Nym- Nymfa- I'm Dora," the child replied, apparently giving up saying her name. "Look," she said, looking up at him before closing her eyes tight and scrunching up her face. Lucius stared for a moment, wondering what she was doing, when suddenly the girl's hair started to turn platinum-blonde at the roots.

"That is very impressive," Lucius said when Dora finished and opened her eyes, looking at him expectantly. He couldn't help his hold on the slender child tightening. With her hair and eye color now changed, Dora might have really been his. "How marvelous you are, little Dora."

"Dora, it's time to go," Andy said sharply, causing Lucius to look towards his sister-in-law, who was glaring at him in a threatening manner.

Lucius smiled at Andy in a placating manner, knowing that he'd perhaps pushed the mother beyond her level of comfort, and didn't want to push farther. After all, he'd really rather not be at the wrong end of Andy's wand, as Andy was a very powerful witch in her own right.

Bending down, Lucius placed the little girl's feet on the floor. Taking one of her little hands in his, he gallantly placed a kiss on his niece's hand. "It's been a pleasure, little Dora."

Dora giggled, before pulling her hand away and running over to her mother.

"Bye, Uncle Luscious!" Dora called as she was dragged away by her mother.

For a moment, Lucius merely stood, staring after the child, feeling a clenching somewhere near his heart. His wife, was all the family he had left anymore. Seeing his small little niece, gave him a longing for family he hadn't previously been aware of desiring.

It was almost enough to make him regret that he may never see his niece again.

Though, he didn't forget her. Every year on her birthday, he sent his niece what he thought may be an age-appropriate gift. Whether or not she received these gifts, was another matter. Though, Lucius doubted they were kept from the child, as he was quite sure Andy, stubborn and prideful as she was, would send them back if that were the case, to send a message to him that his gifts would not be accepted.

It was strange, how such an encounter, had Lucius thinking that perhaps it was time to expand his family. And though many assumed that what he desired was nothing but a male heir, what he really wanted was a little girl. One he could dote on, and treat as a little princess.

But as fate would have it, he got a little prince.

It would seem that his estranged niece, was as close as he'd come to having a little princess.

-END-