For the Marathon Competition (blue/hope) and the Character Appreciation Challenge (Abraxas Malfoy)
The midwife places the baby boy in his arms, and Abraxas feels his stomach flutter. He's a father now. He has no idea what he's doing, but it doesn't matter. All those months of preparing, and little Lucius is here, whether Abraxas is ready or not.
He pulls away the blue blanket, marveling at the tiny body in his hands. Little hands and feet, perfect little lips. Abraxas would be lying if he said that he wasn't terrified.
"Hello, there," he says as his son squirms in his arms.
Lucius lets out a whine, and Abraxas rocks him, making soothing shushing sounds.
"Shall I fetch your elf?" the midwife asks.
Abraxas shakes his head. "No. Leave me. Look after Acanthia," he instructs.
"Yes, Mister Malfoy," she says before hurrying away.
He sits in the rocking chair, still hardly able to believe that this is really happening. He knows nothing about being a father. His own father left him in the care of a nanny at every possible time.
"But that's not going to happen with you," Abraxas says. "You will have a wonderful childhood, my sweet boy. You will have anything and everything. I will make sure of that. And you will always have a father to turn to."
He feels that flutter again, and he realizes that it is not his nerves. Hope. Hope tickles his stomach. He has the opportunity to take this tiny human being and shape his mind.
Abraxas laughs, rocking slowly.
"You'll be a Slytherin, of course. The finest Hogwarts has ever seen. Just you wait. You'll go on to do better things. You'll be better than your father could ever have hoped to be," Abraxas tells him. "You're going to make me proud, Lucius. I can feel it."
And he rocks and rocks until the baby has fallen asleep. When the midwife appears again to bring their son back Acanthia, Abraxas doesn't want to let go. He's never felt such love for anyone, and when he has to surrender Lucius, he feels as though his whole world has fallen away.
"He's perfect," he says proudly, smiling as the midwife disappears. "He's perfect, and he's mine."