Well, actually I wrote this little story a while ago in German. But in order to practice my English I decided to translate it.
I would be more than happy if you would let me know what you think about it
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
Trick or Treat
It was the fifth time! The deep, dull gong had already disturbed him four times this evening, and for a brief moment Lucius Malfoy forgot that – normally- even his rage was dominated by a cool and superior demeanour.
He violently shut the heavy book he had been reading, pushed back his comfortable chair, and closed the distance between his desk and the door of his study with three swift strides.
With his lips pressed into a tight line, he rushed through the corridors of his manor.
Again the gong echoed through the whole house.
„Where in Merlin's name is this useless house elf hiding?"
The small creature had just been scurrying in the great entrance hall but its master's furious voice made it flinch anxiously and caused the cautious house elf to hurry back under the dark stairs where it hid in the shadows.
„Lucius, haven't I told you that I sent Brenky in the basement?", the voice of his wife – his second wife – sounded from upstairs. „I experimented with this new potion formula but somehow at some point something went wrong and..."
„I don't see why it should take so long just to clean up some spilled potion", the blonde wizard muttered irritably.
But despite of his fury the young woman had to suppress a smile. „Well, since I'm busy as well at the moment maybe you could answer the door yourself."
Actually, the only thing she was busy with was stopping herself from laughing out loud but luckily for her, her husband couldn't see how she was peering curiously over the stair's railing while her eyes where glittering with mischief.
After the third gong the wizard eventually strode to the door and opened it with an impatient jerk while his wife raised herself on tiptoes in order to get a better view. Even the frightened house elf risked a peek from behind the stairs.
At first Lucius, who had been expecting Severus Snape or maybe one of his other business partners, saw nothing. At least nothing at his eye level.
„Trick or Treaaaaat!"
The high squeal made the wizard flinch for a second but then he lowered his gaze incredulously.
Standing in front of him were... children. At least he thought them to be children considering their height. It was absolutely impossible for him to judge the intruder's age through looking at their faces. All he could see was a mixture of dark, shadowy eyes, white, faked vampire teeth, and variety of other colourful shapes plastered on their faces. In addition to that the children wore dark cloaks and purple dresses or black sweaters on which white skeletons were drawn.
For the first time in his forty-five years Lucius Malfoy was completely dumbfounded.
Muggle! Muggle children! In front of his threshold!
In the last years he had done a lot of things, he never thought he would do.
He had betrayed the Dark Lord, after his threatening to kill Draco.
He had helped the Order of the Phoenix.
He had slightly liberalised his opinion about muggle born witches and wizards ... 'slightly' being the key word.
He had got a divorce.
He even had married a muggle born witch.
But tolerating muggle children dressed in ridiculous costumes in front of his manor was definitely overdoing things!
„Trick or Treaaaaaat!" It echoed again and this time there already was a little bit of impatience in the squealing voices.
Cold gray eyes fixed their gaze on the tiny intruders, and the little vampire standing in front of the group became a few inches smaller than he already was.
„I do not know what you want here", Lucius hissed, „but I give you the very good advice to go where you have come from, and for your own good you should do so as quickly and quietly as possible."
Silence. Faces that were painted in all imaginable colours stared at him in total amazement.
„I TOLD you that we wouldn't get anything here." A mummy, slightly taller and presumably older than the other children, made a dismissive gesture. „We shouldn't have come to this strange house in the first place. Just a waste of time."
„But Dennis said that he and his friends got a lot", the little vampire disagreed. „And Lisa said the same. But they had been here two hours ago." He shot a scrutinizing glance at Lucius, who again was stunned by such boldness. „And I think a woman answered the door. Lisa said she was really, really nice...maybe his daughter."
„I do not have a daughter. The only female living her is my WIFE!", the blonde wizard hissed furiously. The age difference between him and his wife couldn't be called little – even with lots of good will – but to think that she was his daughter...although... coming to think about it...she actually was a month younger than Draco.
„What do you want here anyway?"
„Sweets of course!" The shy, thin voice came from somewhere behind a blue haired clown. Its owner built up all its courage and started reciting a little poem, which beforehand had been practiced thoroughly.
„We are bringing you desaster
because we have a master.
And he gave us the order
to sneak across your border.
So please be sweet
and give us something good to eat."
Lucius couldn't help but picture the Dark Lord sending him and the other Death Eaters out on a mission with such a rhyme. His lips twitched involuntarily but before anyone could notice, Lucius gained back control.
His icy grey eyes scrutinized the clown with blue hair and vampire fangs. After holding the wizards stare for about half a second it hurried aside and revealed the sight of…Lucius had to look twice… a carrot.
Speechless he stared at the small, maybe three year old, child. It wore an orange costume, shaped like a carrot, and on his head sat something that looked like a green pompom. The child's cheeks were painted with orange circles and its lips, which of course were orange as well, were curled into a happy, expectant smile.
„Sweets?", Lucius repeated in a flat voice. That's why he had been disturbed the whole evening. He hated Halloween, had always hated it. Except of course, when he had been a child himself and when Draco had been in a certain age, but all the years before, between and after this ridiculous event did nothing but annoy him.
And now these small, cheeky muggle children dared to... And apparently his wife was...
Something tugged timidly at his trousers leg and Lucius furiously spun around.
„How dare you...", but the sight of the house elf caused the wizard to pause.
Standing right next to him, Brenky tried to hide himself as best as possible behind a big bowl that was filled with all different kinds of sweets and candy.
From upstairs Lucius heard a low chuckle and when he looked towards the stairs he saw a head full of brown hair disappear behind a pillar.
Slowly it dawned on him why the incompetent elf had been nowhere to be found and his wife had been „busy" with other things.
With a furious gesture he yanked the bowl out of Brenky´s hands and hold it out to the impatient children.
„Here. Take as much as you like and then get out of here!"
The kids cheered loudly and the little carrot flashed Lucius a dazzling smile before starting to search for its favourite sweets.
Lucius endured the chaos around him with a stoic expression but in his mind he silently went through all spells he could curse his witch with.
„That's so cool! Dennis was right! You really get a lot here!" To its luck the mummy had already left the threshold because its next sentence caused Lucius to think seriously about drawing his wand. „We have to tell Kira and Thomas to come here! And David and Brendon!"
„Yes", the little carrot squeaked excitedly, „and next year we come back!"
The loud crank with which the ancient door of Malfoy Manor was slammed shut didn't bother them in the slightest.
„Come down here, now!", Lucius hissed silently, whereupon a witch with big, innocent eyes glided down the stairs.
„Is anything wrong?"
„You know full well what is wrong!"
„Oh, do I?" Her brown eyes became even bigger.
„Hermione…"
The witch faintly laughed and, after closing the distance between them, gently put her arms around the wizard's neck.
„Oh, come on, Lucius! You have to admit, that was kind of funny. I didn't know you were that good with children." Her finger tips gently caressed the soft skin of his neck, and Lucius anger disappeared as fast as the sweets in the bowl a few minutes ago.
„We always seemed to have quite a different kind of humour", he grumbled.
„Yes, but just because you don't have any at all", Hermione nodded with pretended seriousness.
Lucius deemed it best to change the topic.
„There was a carrot."
Hermione just stared at him questioningly and now it was Lucius turn to curl his thin lips into a small smile. When his wife saw how his grey eyes became somewhat softer – like they always did when he smiled – she finally understood what he was talking about and burst out laughing.
„Well...", she chuckled after a while, „As I said... Halloween always comes with surprises, even for you."
„So it seems...", Lucius murmured before starting to caress his witch's soft lips with his own.
He had nearly forgotten that he still was a little bit angry with her when suddenly...
GONG!
„You or me?", Hermione smiled into the kiss.
With an annoyed sound Lucius reluctantly let go of his wife.
„Me, than we will get rid of them faster."
Impatiently he yanked the refilled bowl out of Brenky´s hand – after hearing the gong the elf had enthusiastically hurried into the hall – and jerkily opened the heavy, wooden door.
„Trick or Treaaaaaat!"
~End