A/N: while working on the latest chapter of A Serpentandthe Chamber of Secrets I was stuck by this idea and well…lets us combine the interesting with the adorable…
P.S.: is some of Draco's sentences sound strange, he is only two and no two years old can speak perfectly, to be exact my sister couldn't say 'r' till she was five…
I. Goodnight story
The sun was slowly setting over the little village known as Spinner's End, painting the skies a mix of orange and dark blue. The streets were all deserted and most sounds come only from a five howling dogs and out of the local pub. Three people stood by the open front door of the last house at the end of the dusty little street.
"And you really don't mind taking him for the weekend?" asked the blond woman as she held her two years old son in her arms.
"No, and I think we have already had this for like four times, I don't mind and now go before you are late. Have fun." The black haired man said calmly, but the pair who knew the man could detect the little trace of annoyance in the silky voice.
"You are right and thank you again Severus." The man with long blond hair said as his wife handed the child over to his godfather.
"Be a good boy Draco and don't make to much problems for uncle Severus." Narcissa Malfoy said softly to her son as she gave a kiss to the giggling child.
"Listen to your mother and your godfather Draco." Lucius said to his son as he stroke through the child's hair, then he looked up at the man. "We will pick him up on Monday, and thank you again Sev." Lucius said s e turned back to his wife and offered her an arm which she immediately accepted, then they were gone.
"Bye mommy, bye daddy." Draco said while waving with one small hand.
"Come now Draco, it is starting to get cold." Severus said to the small blond child.
"Omay." The child said as they walked inside the little cottage which resembled on the inside a gigantic manor.
The strange difference between the houses outside and inside was done by magic which was no big surprise considering that the owner of the house Severus Tobias Snape was a wizard and current Potions Master of Hogwarts School for Wizardry and Witchcraft and Head of House of Slytherin. Walking up the long black mahogany staircase he walked inside the bedroom he only reserved for his godson. Lucius and he knew themselves from school and even if not many people believed it they were rather close friends in such means that he was Lucius's best men when he married Narcissa and the blond named him as his son's and only heir's godfather.
"Uncle Severus, pwease tell me a good night story." Little Draco said, big gray-blue eyes looking pleadingly in to his godfather's black ones. 'He got Lucius's look alright…' he thought, knowing that pleading look from the elder Malfoy who gave him that every time he wanted something.
"Alright, so which story do you want to hear out of The Talesof BeedletheBard." Severus asked the boy as he tucked him in under the deep blue cowers.
"Einer." Litle Draco said while hugging the stuffed dragon.
"Then what story would you like?" Severus asked the child as he sat down ont he side of the bed, long fingers stroking gently over soft pale skin.
"Do Muggles tell ney children sories?" Draco asked couriously.
"Uhm…yes…" Severus said confused.
"Pwease tell me one." Draco pleaded and Severus sighed.
"Fine." He said sighing. 'Only a pregnant Narcissa can say 'no' to that look…'he thought as he stood up and walked up to a bookshelf, taking down a tick book he sat back down on the bed. "Hmm…I think I know. Wat about the story, The white snake?" Severus asked the child.
"YAY." Draco yelled cheerfully.
"Well then…;
A long time ago there lived a king who was famed for his wisdom through all the land. Nothing was hidden from him, and it seemed as if news of the most secret things was brought to him through the air."
"Uncle Severus?"
"Yes Draco."
"Is te king a wizard?" Draco asked.
"No Draco the king is a Muggle, but you know in such stories the Muggles like to give themselves special traits." Severus explained to the child.
But he had a strange custom; every day after dinner, when the table was cleared, and no one else was present, a trusty servant had to bring him one more dish. It was covered, however, and even the servant did not know what was in it, neither did anyone know, for the King never took off the cover to eat of it until he was quite alone. This had gone on for a long time, when one day the servant, who took away the dish, was overcome with such curiosity that he could not help carrying the dish into his room. When he had carefully locked the door, he lifted up the cover, and saw a white snake lying on the dish.
"AAAA!" Draco screamed and crawled in to his godfather's lap crying silently. "Bad Muggle." The child cryed.
"Ssss…calm down Draco and lets continue, this man doesn't exist, and if yes I will punish him for hurting the snakes." Severus said softly as he stroke the child'S back to calm him.
"Promisse?" little Draco asked as he looked up at his gotfather with puffy red eyes.
"Yes, promisse." Severus said chuckling as Draco made it himself comfortable in his lap.
But when he saw it he could not deny himself the pleasure of tasting it, so he cut off a little bit and put it into his mouth.
Draco made again a sobbing sound and Severus needed to shush him.
No sooner had it touched his tongue than he heard a strange whispering of little voices outside his window. He went and listened, and then noticed that it was the sparrows who were chattering together, and telling one another of all kinds of things which they had seen in the fields and woods. Eating the snake had given him power of understanding the language of animals.
"Uncle Severus can…"
"I don't know Draco." He said softly.
"But, daddy can talk with dragons an you with snakes." Draco said.
"My skill is blood related, but if you ask your father nicely he will surely teach you how to speak with dragons." Draco nodded.
Now it so happened that on this very day the Queen lost her most beautiful ring, and suspicion of having stolen it fell upon this trusty servant, who was allowed to go everywhere. The King ordered the man to be brought before him, and threatened with angry words that unless he could before the morrow point out the thief, he himself should be looked upon as guilty and executed. In vain he declared his innocence; he was dismissed with no better answer. In his trouble and fear he went down into the courtyard and took thought how to help himself out of his trouble. Now some ducks were sitting together quietly by a brook and taking their rest; and, whilst they were making their feathers smooth with their bills, they were having a confidential conversation together. The servant stood by and listened. They were telling one another of all the places where they had been waddling about all the morning, and what good food they had found, and one said in a pitiful tone, "Something lies heavy on my stomach; as I was eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the Queen's window." The servant at once seized her by the neck, carried her to the kitchen, and said to the cook, "Here is a fine duck; pray, kill her." - "Yes," said the cook, and weighed her in his hand; "she has spared no trouble to fatten herself, and has been waiting to be roasted long enough." So he cut off her head, and as she was being dressed for the spit, the Queen's ring was found inside her. The servant could now easily prove his innocence; and the King, to make amends for the wrong, allowed him to ask a favour, and promised him the best place in the court that he could wish for.
"What did he wish?" Draco asked couriously.
"You will see."
The servant refused everything, and only asked for a horse and some money for travelling, as he had a mind to see the world and go about a little. When his request was granted he set out on his way, and one day came to a pond, where he saw three fishes caught in the reeds and gasping for water. Now, though it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them lamenting that they must perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind heart, he got off his horse and put the three prisoners back into the water. They quivered with delight, put out their heads, and cried to him, "We will remember you and repay you for saving us!"
Draco looked curiously up at his godfather.
"It is a muggle thing they that if you do something good then they will repay you in the same way." Severus who was a Half-blood and grew up in the Muggle World tryed to explain to his little pureblood charge the things as good as he could.
He rode on, and after a while it seemed to him that he heard a voice in the sand at his feet. He listened, and heard an ant-king complain, "Why cannot folks, with their clumsy beasts, keep off our bodies? That stupid horse, with his heavy hoofs, has been treading down my people without mercy!" So he turned on to a side path and the ant-king cried out to him, 'We will remember you - one good turn deserves another!" The path led him into a wood, and here he saw two old ravens
"I like ravems…" Draco said happily.
standing by their nest, and throwing out their young ones. "Out with you, you idle, good-for-nothing creatures!" cried they; "we cannot find food for you any longer; you are big enough, and can provide for yourselves." But the poor young ravens lay upon the ground, flapping their wings, and crying, "Oh, what helpless chicks we are! We must shift for ourselves, and yet we cannot fly! What can we do, but lie here and starve?" So the good young fellow alighted and killed his horse with his sword, and gave it to them for food.
"Poor horsey, but that was nice." Draco said.
Then they came hopping up to it, satisfied their hunger, and cried, "We will remember you - one good turn deserves another!"
And now he had to use his own legs, and when he had walked a long way, he came to a large city. There was a great noise and crowd in the streets, and a man rode up on horseback, crying aloud, "The King's daughter wants a husband; but whoever sues for her hand must perform a hard task, and if he does not succeed he will forfeit his life." Many had already made the attempt, but in vain; nevertheless when the youth saw the King's daughter he was so overcome by her great beauty that he forgot all danger, went before the King, and declared himself a suitor.
"Bet she is not as pretty as my mommy." Draco said proudly and Severus needed to chuckled at this.
So he was led out to the sea, and a gold ring was thrown into it, in his sight; then the King ordered him to fetch this ring up from the bottom of the sea, and added, "If you come up again without it you will be thrown in again and again until you perish amid the waves." All the people grieved for the handsome youth; then they went away, leaving him alone by the sea. He stood on the shore and considered what he should do, when suddenly he saw three fishes come swimming
"The fishy flom before?"
"Yes Draco."
towards him, and they were the very fishes whose lives he had saved. The one in the middle held a mussel in its mouth, which it laid on the shore at the youth's feet, and when he had taken it up and opened it, there lay the gold ring in the shell. Full of joy he took it to the King, and expected that he would grant him the promised reward. But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in birth,
"Why is she not happy?" Draco asked and Severus looked down at the child, he was to young to be touched from the pureblood prejustice, but Severus needed to wonder for how long. Lucius gave in to these teachings fully after he left Hogwarts protecting walls, but atleast they friendship was stronger then pureblood believes.
"You will understand that when you are older." He answered finaly.
she scorned him, and required him first to perform another task. She went down into the garden and strewed with her own hands ten sacks-full of millet-seed on the grass; then she said, "To-morrow morning before sunrise these must be picked up, and not a single grain be wanting." The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might be possible to perform this task, but he could think of nothing, and there he sat sorrowfully awaiting the break of day, when he should be led to death. But as soon as the first rays of the sun shone into the garden he saw all the ten sacks standing side by side, quite full, and not a single grain was missing. The ant-king had come in the night with thousands and thousands of ants, and the grateful creatures had by great industry picked up all the millet-seed and gathered them into the sacks. Presently the King's daughter herself came down into the garden, and was amazed to see that the young man had done the task she had given him. But she could not yet conquer her proud heart, and said, "Although he has performed both the tasks, he shall not be my husband until he has brought me an apple from the Tree of Life." The youth did not know where the Tree of Life stood, but he set out, and would have gone on for ever, as long as his legs would carry him, though he had no hope of finding it. After he had wandered through three kingdoms, he came one evening to a wood, and lay down under a tree to sleep. But he heard a rustling in the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand. At the same time three ravens flew down to him, perched themselves upon his knee, and said, "We are the three young ravens whom you saved from starving; when we had grown big, and heard that you were seeking the Golden Apple, we flew over the sea to the end of the world, where the Tree of Life stands, and have brought you the apple."
"Told you ravems ale great." Draco stated happily.
The youth, full of joy, set out homewards, and took the Golden Apple to the King's beautiful daughter, who had no more excuses left to make. They cut the Apple of Life in two and ate it together; and then her heart became full of love for him, and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a great age.
"So Draco this was the end of the story now i…" but Severus stopped in his sentgence when he noticed that the child has curled up in his lap in a kitten like maner and was sleeping peacefully.
Picking the little body up carefuly he laid him down in his bed and pulled the cowers over the sleeping child.
"Good night Draco." Severus whispered as he stood up and blew the candless out.
Lucius and Narcissa returned from the Ministry-vacation late on Monday so Severus suggested becouse Draco didn't want to go that they spend the night by him like in te old times on some ocessions though Lucius wasthe one who had slept rather often by his friend after his in Lucius's option filth of a father died.
After Draco was put in to bed sat the three adults together on the deep emerald couch with both blonds on each f the blackhead's sides.
"Hope Draco didn't make any problems." Lucius said as he noticed the tired look on his friends pale face.
"He was only acting like every normal child in his age thought you might be happy that he showed his first signs of accidental magic in which he crashed the wardrobe through the ceiling." Severus groaned.
"Uhm…thank for the warrning…" Narcissa said, she would need to hex all the wardrobes in they home so that they won't go flying.
"Father will be pleased to know." Lucius said as they suddenly heard somthing.
Turning around they all spotted little draco in his green snake pajamas holding his dragon and a rather tick book held in his little arms.
"Uncle Severus can…" he didn't even need to finish to see his godfather nodding. Draco imediately run up to him and climbed in to his lap, his parents only staring confused from one to the other.
"He wanted to hear a Muggle good night story and before you say even a word Lucius he used the 'eyes' on me." He said in a gefending tone.
"I want to heal this one pwease." Draco's voice made the three adults look down at him again.
"Fine, let me see what you picked Godfather Death." He read.
"That sounds nice." Lucius said smiling.
"Is that even a child story?" Narcissa asked.
"Yes." Severus said before he started rading.
A poor man had twelve children and had to work day and night in order just to feed them. Thus when the thirteenth came into the world,
"What is he, a Weasley?" Lucius asked.
"No Lucius." Severus said.
not knowing what to do in his need, he ran out into the highway, intending to ask the first person whom he met to be the godfather. The first person who came his way was our dear God, who already knew what was in his heart, and God said to him, "Poor man, I pity you. I will hold your child at his baptism, and care for him, and make him happy on earth." The man said, "Who are you?" - "I am God." - "Then I do not wish to have you for a godfather," said the man. "You give to the rich, and let the poor starve." Thus spoke the man, for he did not know how wisely God divides out wealth and poverty. Then he turned away from the Lord, and went on his way. Then the devil came to him and said, "What are you looking for? If you will take me as your child's godfather, I will give him an abundance of gold and all the joys of the world as well." The man asked, "Who are you?" - "I am the devil." - "Then I do not wish to have you for a godfather," said the man. You deceive mankind and lead them astray."
"Someone is picky." Lucius said.
"Daddy ssss." Lucius only looked shocked at his son while both Narcissa and Severus chuckled at this.
He went on his way, and then Death, on his withered legs, came walking toward him, and said, "Take me as your child's godfather." The man asked, "Who are you?" - "I am Death, who makes everyone equal." Then the man said, "You are the right one. You take away the rich as well as the poor, without distinction. You shall be my child's godfather. Death answered, "I will make your child rich and famous, for he who has me for a friend cannot fail." The man said, "Next Sunday is the baptism. Be there on time." Death appeared as he had promised, and served as godfather in an orderly manner.
After the boy came of age his godfather appeared to him one day and asked him to go with him. He took him out into the woods and showed him an herb that grew there, saying, "Now you shall receive your godfather's present. I will turn you into a famous physician.
"What is that?" Narcissa asked.
"A healer."
Whenever you are called to a sick person I will appear to you. If I stand at the sick person's head, you may say with confidence that you can make him well again; then give him some of this herb, and he will recover. But if I stand at the sick person's feet, he is mine, and you must say that he is beyond help, and that no physician in the world could save him. But beware of using this herb against my will, or something very bad will happen to you."
It was not long before the young man had become the most famous physician in the whole world. People said of him, "He only needs to look at the sick in order to immediately know their condition, whether they will regain their health, or are doomed to die." And people came to him from far and wide, taking him to their sick, and giving him so much money that he soon became a wealthy man. Now it came to pass that the king became ill. The physician was summoned and was told to say if a recovery were possible. However, when he approached the bed, Death was standing at the sick man's feet, and so no herb on earth would be able to help him. "If I could only deceive death for once," thought the physician. "He will be angry, of course, but because I am his godson he will shut one eye. I will risk it."
"Uncle Severus…"
"Draco, you will know when you are older when you can get away crossing your godfather which will be not often." Severus said.
He therefore took hold of the sick man and laid him the other way around, so that Death was now standing at his head. Then he gave the king some of the herb, and he recovered and became healthy again. However, Death came to the physician, made a dark and angry face, threatened him with his finger, and said, "You have betrayed me. I will overlook it this time because you are my godson, but if you dare to do it again, it will cost you your neck, for I will take you yourself away with me."
"Yes Draco?" Severus asked when he felt the child tug on his sleve.
"I cam orly cross you one?" Draco asked.
"Yes, one time is allowed." Severus said.
"Liten to your godfather, you really don't want to see him angry." Lucius told his son.
Soon afterward the king's daughter became seriously ill. She was his only child, and he cried day and night until his eyes were going blind.
"Would you also wommy if I got ill?" Draco asked.
"Darling we love you of course we would worry." Narcissa said as she stroke her son's innocent face.
Then he proclaimed that whosoever rescued her from death should become her husband and inherit the crown. When the physician came to the sick girl's bed he saw Death at her feet. He should have remembered his godfather's warning, but he was so infatuated by the princess's great beauty
"A new one?" Draco asked stunned.
"What darling?"
"A new girl wo thinms she is prettier as mommy." Draco exclaimd in a stern voice at which Narcissa blushed and Severus smiled again.
"Looks like Draco has in herited the Malfoys good taste." Lucius said chuckling as he petted the child on the head. "Well said Draco, our mother is really the prettiest and she is mine.
"Lucius…and Severus, stop laughing." Narcissa said to the two man, the blush on her checks darkening.
and the prospect of becoming her husband that he threw all thought to the winds. He did not see that Death was looking at him angrily, lifting his hand into the air, and threatening him with his withered fist. He lifted up the sick girl and placed her head where her feet had been. Then he gave her some of the herb, and her cheeks immediately turned red, and life stirred in her once again.
Death, seeing that he had been cheated out of his property for a second time, approached the physician with long strides and said, "You are finished. Now it is your turn."
"Nevel closs your godfather." Draco said mater of factly while wagging a little cubby finger, the adults only smiled at him.
Then Death seized him so firmly with his ice-cold hand that he could not resist, and led him into an underground cavern. There the physician saw how thousands and thousands of candles were burning in endless rows, some large, others medium-sized, others small. Every instant some died out, and others were relit, so that the little flames seemed to be jumping about in constant change. "See," said Death, "these are the life-lights of mankind. The large ones belong to children, the medium-sized ones to married people in their best years, and the little ones to old people. However, even children and young people often have only a tiny candle." - "Show me my life-light," said the physician, thinking that it still would be very large. Death pointed to a little stump that was just threatening to go out, and said, "See, there it is." - "Oh, dear godfather," said the horrified physician, "light a new one for me. Do it as a favor to me, so that I can enjoy my life, and become king and the husband of the beautiful princess." - "I cannot," answered Death. "One must go out before a new one is lighted." - "Then set the old one onto a new one that will go on burning after the old one is finished," begged the physician. Death pretended that he was going to fulfill this wish and took hold of a large new candle, but, desiring revenge, he purposely made a mistake in relighting it, and the little piece fell down and went out. The physician immediately fell to the ground, and he too was now in the hands of Death.
"So tis was the end. Draco you have a tendency to pick out the rather interesting ones." Severus said.
Closing the bok he suddenly noticed that not only Draco had falled asleep in his lap, but both his friends were reasting they heads on his shoulders, sleeping peacedfully. Severus let out a deep sigh as he noticed that there was absolutely no chance for him to stand up without waking the three blonds.
"Looks like Muggle good night stories have the power to not only get children to go to sleep…" he said.
This would be a long night and a new book borrowed by Lucius…
Owari
A/N: I really don't know where I got this…