Author's Note: Written for...

Hogwarts Assignment #1. Lesson: Sex Ed, task 1. Task: Write about a creature that does hatch from an egg.

Stickers Challenge. Prompts: Write about Charlie Weasley, Write a fic set in winter

Bath Bomb Appreciation Challenge. Task: Set your story during the dead of night.

(Writing Club) Showtime. Prompt: (restriction) Write a fic with only 2 characters

(Writing Club) Count Your Buttons. Prompts: "Why do I bother?", repeat

(Writing Club) Days of the Month. Prompt: Write about a dragon

(Writing Club) Character Appreciation. Prompt: "Obviously!"

Insane House Challenge. Prompt: Dragon

365 Prompts Challenge. Prompt: Dragon

Hatchling

710 words

"What is that?"

Charlie gave his husband a worried glance, carefully shifting the bundle in his arms. "It's an egg."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Obviously. What's inside the egg, Charles?"

"Would you believe it's a really big chicken?" Charlie tried, wondering what he could say to make the situation better. The egg was as big as a Quaffle and he hadn't really expected to be able to hide if forever, but he had at least expected to have a few hours before Draco discovered it. Withering under his husband's unamused glare, he sighed.

"I didn't have a choice, I swear."

"I told you I don't want any creatures in the house. I know you love animals, but I don't want them messing up our house."

"But it was going to be all alone over the holidays and it's about to hatch any day!" Charlie insisted, fondly petting the large blue egg.

Draco shook his head. "Why do I bother? You're just going to do it anyway."

"You know you love me. And you can't kick a poor, defenseless egg out into the snow, can you?"

"I'll kick you out into the snow if that thing ruins my home."

:-:

Draco watched with disdain as Charlie cared for the egg all night, carefully polishing the diamond-shaped scales, applying warming charms and wrapping it in blankets, then repeating the process all over again. He kept it in his lap as they ate and cuddled it while they sat by the fire.

Charlie was quick to point out the blond's jealousy, but Draco scoffed at the suggestion. He was not jealous of an inanimate object, thank you very much.

And it wasn't as if the thing would be joining them in bed, even if Charlie begged and pleaded. It was left in its nest of blankets by the roaring fire.

Despite the knowledge that the egg wasn't doing his home any harm, Draco found it difficult to sleep that night, tossing and turning while Charlie snored loudly in his ear, until it became too much and he shuffled downstairs and made himself a cup of tea.

He sat down with his tea close to the fire to do some reading, but wound up glaring at the egg instead.

Charlie knew Draco didn't have the same passion for creatures as the redhead, and yet he still insisted on trying to smuggle something into the house at least once a month. It was infuriating.

It wasn't Draco's fault the egg's mother had abandoned it, as Charlie had explained at length over dinner, or that it was the only egg left at the reserve's hatchery. He would've rather had Charlie apparate to the reserve a couple times a day over the holidays to check on it than have the smelly thing taking up room.

Draining his teacup, he decided that he would tell Charlie to take the egg back to the reserve or find someone else to look after it.

The movement in the blanket nest was undeniable, though Draco pretended he hadn't noticed until it became distracting and he couldn't resist creeping closer and removing the layer covering the short black spikes atop the egg.

It rocked back and forth quickly and Draco nearly burned himself trying to still it. He vaguely remembered Charlie esplaining how dragon eggs heated up when they were close to hatching. He moved to wake the redhead when he heard an unmistakeable crack of the shell breaking open. Draco stilled, watching in awe as a tiny snout peeked out of the egg.

For the next fifteen minutes he sat in quiet fascination until his fingers were being nipped at by a metallic grey baby dragon with flailing wings twice the size of his body. Draco was enamoured with it, running his fingers over the smooth scales and cooing at it. He couldn't deny how cute it was, even if its teeth were a little too sharp.

He wrapped the baby in its blankets and cast the warming charms over it as he's seen Charlie do earlier.

"Get some rest, little one," he murmured, petting its head fondly. It squawked at him softly. "Daddy's here."

He laid down next to the nest, still petting the tiny creature until they both fell asleep.