The Girl with Candy Hair
The air had turned cold that winter so Draco had gotten used to spending most of his time indoors, playing in front of the fire with his toys and mummy. But today it was Christmas, and mummy had told him that they would be visiting grandmother and grandfather Black for Christmas lunch. Draco didn't know what Christmas was; only that daddy had bought a large tree for it and decorated it with little broomsticks and glowing dragons. But then this morning, mummy had woken him up really early and taken him downstairs to open loads of presents under the tree. Draco had received a bundle of toys, clothes and a new mini broomstick…
Draco wished he could be at home playing with his broomstick now. Instead he was sat on a little chair inside a shop filled with books. After lunch grandmother had wanted them to go to their favourite restaurant for tea like when mummy was as little. Draco couldn't imagine his mummy being little, but mummy had promised him cakes if he went like a good boy. He didn't think grandmother would drag him to this shop so that she could play with books before going to eat.
Draco looked up at the tall rows that went on forever, then back to grandmother who was saying something to the lady who owned all the books. The lady started walking away and then grandmother walked over to him looking annoyed under her big red hat.
"Draco, I'm just going to look at a book for a minute. Now be a good little wizard and don't move, then we'll go meet your mother and father at Fortuna's Temple."
Draco nodded slowly and grandmother gave him a small smile, before disappearing after the other lady.
Draco looked around and sighed. He hated books. He couldn't read yet so mummy often read to him, and normally it was from books that had large pictures that came out of the pages. Draco had looked through many here and none of them had any pictures. He wondered why anyone would want to read them.
"Nathaniel, look at the bloke in this book! Doesn't he look just like Professor Snape?"
Draco looked up and it wasn't until he found the owner of the voice that his mouth dropped open.
There was a girl holding a large book like the ones Daddy kept in his study, except she had bright pink hair. Draco had never seen anyone with hair like that before. He was certain that it was made of candy, the way it glowed like vampire sugar strings and was spiky like rose-flavoured beetle horns.
It could be nothing but candy. He wondered if she had used magic to give herself candy hair. Maybe he could ask daddy to teach him so that he could eat candy all the time. His grin at that thought faltered when his stomach rumbled loudly.
He looked back up at the girl and saw a boy walking over to her. Draco wondered if she'd mind him taking some of her candy hair. His tummy hurt from being hungry and grandmother had already spent ages looking for books to play with, so who knew how much longer she would be.
The boy started laughing at something in the book that the girl was holding up.
"He's too old to be Snape! But I know what you mean, that nose…"
They both laughed again. Draco wondered what was so funny about a snake. The girl then turned towards the boy and said "You mean a nose like this?"
Draco gasped. The girl's nose had suddenly become long and big, just like Grandpa Abraxus's. Mummy had never told him before that people could do that with magic. All he'd seen mummy do was use her wand to put his clothes on and make him feel better when he fell down, and sometimes throw things at daddy when he made her mad. Draco stared at the girl in wonder.
"Yep! You'd think he'd be able to afford a correcting charm to make it less noticeable."
"I think he likes looking that way so that he can scare us firsties. Mother went to school with him and said that back then he tried to be intimidating as well."
"Really? I wonder what that was like. I bet his hair was really greasy back then too Dora."
"It was," said the girl. "Mother said everyone took the micky out of him for it. Not surprised, can't imagine him ever being liked."
They both laughed again. The girl with candy hair stopped laughing when she glanced at the clock.
"Damn! I was supposed to meet Mother at the Leaky Cauldron ten minutes ago. If I don't get back she'll probably get her hat in a twist."
"Oh really? I'll probably see you on the train back to Hogwarts then. Have a nice holiday Dora!" The boy said with a smile.
"Yeah you too," the girl said hurriedly as she threw the book they'd been laughing at on one of the shelves. She then turned around and headed for the door.
As the candy hair moved further away from Draco, he suddenly stood up and looked around. He could see grandmother still talking to the other lady about books at the far end of the shop; she wouldn't like it if she found out that he'd wandered out after telling him to stay here. Draco then looked back and saw the bright pink hair floating towards the door. What about the candy?
He then looked back at his grandmother. If he went and came back really quickly, she probably wouldn't even notice that he'd been gone. And he could get some candy and stop feeling so hungry in the meantime.
The door opened but before it closed behind the girl, Draco ran forward and held it open before sneaking through it. It was cold outside, and the streets were heavily-laden with snow. He looked down at his green boots and tried to walk steadily in the thick layers of white, which the girl seemed to also be struggling with.
She walked down the street and Draco slowly followed her, making sure that she didn't know he was behind her. She still wasn't close enough for him to reach out and grab a few strands of her candy hair, so he kept following.
His little legs were getting very tired when to his relief, the girl slowed down and turned left into a brightly-lit shop that smelt of Christmas and was full of people sitting at tables. Draco followed her in and felt warm again. When he looked around however he was surprised to see different kinds of people dressed very strangely; some weren't even wearing robes! Mummy said a wizard always wore his robes. Draco wondered why these people weren't.
The girl pushed through a crowd of people and Draco followed her through, glad that it was too busy for her to notice him. The girl finally walked over to a table where a tall lady with brown hair was sat drinking from a cup of tea like mummy always did in the afternoon. When the woman noticed the girl with candy her, she stood up and raised her hands with an angry look.
"I was beginning to get worried! Where were you? So help me Nymphadora, one of these days when you wander off you'll bump into the wrong sort and…"
"Sorry! I got a bit carried away in Flourish and Blotts with Nathaniel. Besides, I'm old enough to go shopping on my own mother," the girl replied defensively as she sat down. Draco quickly ran forward and hid behind her chair, hoping that the older lady didn't see him. He breathed a sigh of relief when she said nothing and sat back down in her seat.
"Being eleven hardly makes you old enough, and I don't think your father would like the idea of you being alone with boys in bookshops," the lady said pointedly. Draco looked up at the girl's hair and saw it bob slightly when she snorted. The other woman gasped.
"Nymphadora Tonks, ladies do not snort in public." She sounded like mummy when she snapped at him for running through the Manor.
"Alright alright, calm down mother."
Draco looked up at her hair again, wondering if he could reach it if he stood on his tiptoes. He stretched his hand upwards, but it only got as far as her shoulders. He turned around and wondered how he could reach it. Spotting a bag on the floor under the table, Draco had a sudden idea to use it to stand on so that he could reach the candy.
He poked his head out from behind the girls elbow, relieved to see both her and the lady staring through the window at something outside. As quietly as he could, Draco crouched on all fours and slowly crawled under the table, making sure to avoid their feet and the table legs. He'd become great at playing hide and seek whenever Teddy Nott came over.
When he finally reached the bag, he picked it up slowly and pulled it with him, crawling back out. He looked up and was glad to see they hadn't noticed him. Draco quickly sneaked around the chair and put the bag on the floor.
He climbed onto it and tried to balance himself, holding onto the chair slightly for support. To his delight, his head was almost near hers, making him grin madly. He leant his nose up to smell her hair. It smelled a bit like candy, well, flowers, but he supposed all candy tasted differently. He saw a stray hair on her robe and picked it up with his little fingers before placing it into his mouth.
It was stringy, but didn't taste of anything. Draco decided he would need to eat a bigger amount to see if it tasted any good. He stretched his hand out towards a clump of pink spikes, and then with sudden force pulled on it.
A loud yelp followed by a glass bottle smashing on the table made Draco drop his hand as the pink hair swirled around and two large brown eyes stared into his own.
Draco felt his face go red as his balance wavered and he desperately leaned out to try and grab the chair for support.
"What is it Dora?" The lady behind her asked. But Draco didn't have time to hear what she said back as his hand missed the chair and the bag slid under him, hurling him backwards onto the floor.
He landed hard on his bottom causing sharp pain to spread all the way to his legs, making tears spring to his eyes.
"What in Merlin? Kid, are you ok?"
Draco's vision blurred as the embarrassment of being caught and the pain in his bottom suddenly became too much. He felt tears slide down his cheeks and his lips quiver, before finally opening his mouth to cry.
The chair slid back and he suddenly felt a hand gently grabbing onto his shoulder to pull him up. He could barely balance on his legs and was about to fall back down again when the girl with candy hair stretched her other hand out to steady him.
"It's alright, don't cry!"She said desperately as she cast her eyes at the people around them, who had turned to stare. She quickly turned around and yanked a napkin off the table before dabbing it at his eyes. Draco sniffled loudly as his vision began to clear. The girl had knelt down to his level and was still trying to dry his face, looking at him like mummy did when she was worried.
"Nymphadora, who is he?"
The girl shrugged but didn't turn around to answer the other lady. Draco's sniffle turned to hiccups as he slowly realised that his bum didn't hurt so much anymore.
"Do you know where your mummy is kid?" The girl with candy hair asked him. Draco thought hard about her question. He didn't know where his mummy was. All he knew was that he and grandmother were supposed to meet mummy and daddy later when they went to tea. He hiccupped and shook his head.
"Well, where did you last see her?"
Draco still felt too embarrassed at being caught, but decided that if he answered her questions she might be less mad that he had tried to eat some of her candy.
"At gwandmother's house."
The girl's eyebrows rose and then Draco saw the taller lady rise from her seat and walk around the table. He looked up at her tall form and saw her gasp as her eyes locked on him.
"Dora, where did you find him?"
"I don't know! He just grabbed my hair and then fell down when I turned around. He says he doesn't know where his mother is. Do you know who he could be?"
The lady didn't say anything. Draco suddenly saw her kneel down next to the girl and stare at him with identical eyes. She looked a lot like Auntie Bella in mummy's picture frames, except that Draco had been told Auntie Bella lived very far away.
"What is your name darling?"
The girl stopped dabbing at his face and pulled the napkin away. Draco felt himself go red again but tried to find his voice.
"Dwaco," he said quietly before looking at the floor. He heard her breathe in sharply again. He looked up and saw the girl looking at the lady confused.
"Do you know who he is mother? Was thinking about asking Tom the bartender to put a notice out or something…"
"No." The lady said suddenly. "See that emblem on his robes Dora? It's the Malfoy family crest, and I'd recognise that white-blonde hair anywhere."
Draco was confused. What was an embem? He was relieved to see the girl looking confused as well.
"What do you mean? Do you know who his parents are?"
The lady didn't answer however, and moved her face closer to Draco's.
"Who did you come here with Draco?"
Draco hiccupped. He looked at the candy-haired girl and she smiled at him encouragingly.
"I came with her," he said as he pointed a tiny finger at the girl. The lady looked between them with raised eyebrows.
"You mean you followed me here? Why?" The girl asked him, kneeling closer. Draco felt himself redden and looked at his shoes again.
"I wanted some… candy," he said with a small voice.
"Candy?" She asked confused. "What candy?"
Draco looked up and pointed a small finger at her hair. "Your candy hair, I thought I could have some."
The girl started laughing loudly, and then the older lady began to chuckle. Draco stared at them feeling very confused. When they stopped, the bigger lady spoke to him.
"Dearest, my daughter's hair isn't made of candy."
Draco's mouth dropped open in shock. He looked at her hair again, taking in its perfect shine that resembled vampire sugar strings. He took a step closer and after a reassuring look from the girl, he leant out his hand and touched it gently. As though he'd touched fire, he suddenly drew it back and gasped. It didn't feel like candy at all. It felt like hair.
The woman suddenly stood up to full height and grabbed the bag that Draco had used as a stool. The girl with hair that wasn't candy got up as well.
"Where were you when you first saw my daughter's hair Draco? Describe it to me."
.o.
Draco shivered in the cold as he trudged through the snow, attempting to keep up with Dora who was dragging him by the hand. The older lady was in front of them and guiding them through the snow, but Draco couldn't see where they were going. It had gotten really dark and if it weren't for the girl's hold on him, he probably wouldn't know if he was going the right way.
"Are we going to the bookshop?" He asked his companion with wide eyes. She looked down at him and smiled.
"Course we are. Not too cold there are you?"
Draco tried to shake his head but grimaced as he felt another cold gust of wind, making his teeth clatter loudly.
"Mum, I think he might turn into an icicle by the time we get there. Can you cast a charm to warm him up?"
The taller woman stopped walking and turned around. She raised her wand and a second later Draco felt his legs and hands grow warmer as something hot spread through him. He looked up at the old lady to say thank you but she stretched her hand out as the younger girl let go of his.
"Take my hand darling, it's probably best to carry you the rest of the way."
Draco eagerly obliged before the lady lifted him up and rested his head against her shoulder. She started to walk and Draco poked his head over to stare at the pink-haired girl below. She stuck her tongue out and he grinned. Her mummy turned around and saw her making funny faces but didn't tell her off. Draco was surprised; mummy never liked it when he made funny faces.
"Enjoying yourself there little Malfoy?" Dora asked cheekily as she kicked snow aside.
Draco stared at her. No one had ever called him that. "Evwyone calls me Dwaco…" he trailed off.
"Oh do they now? "Dwaco" it is then," she said brightly with a wink. Draco continued to stare at her. She didn't speak to him like grown ups normally did, instead always laughing and winking at him. Draco didn't mind it to say the least.
They came to a sudden halt. Draco craned his head around the lady's shoulder to see where they had stopped.
They were right outside the bookshop! He moved his head closer to one of the windows to look through it and was surprised to see mummy, daddy and grandmother talking to lots of red-robed people.
When he glimpsed their faces however he felt dread building up in his chest. Mummy and daddy looked really mad. If he went in there, they would probably get very angry at him for not listening to grandmother and daddy would then start shouting. Draco gulped nervously.
"Dora, I think you should take him inside."
Dora walked over to stand beside her mother and glanced through window Draco was staring at.
"Aren't you coming mother? It's not like we took him or anything… do you reckon those are his parents?" She asked as she stepped forward to peer closer.
"Yes they are, and unfortunately I'm not on the best of terms with them." Both Draco and Dora turned to look at her with surprise.
"I'll stand out here," she repeated. "You take Draco inside, then explain to his parents what happened and I'm sure everything will be alright. It would be wise if I watched you from here," she finished mysteriously.
Draco suddenly felt himself being lowered to the ground, struggling slightly to steady himself when his boots went through the snow. Dora's hand reached out automatically and he took it. He and Dora looked up at the woman.
"Are you sure mother? I don't think they'd get mad, considering we've brought them their lost son."
The woman turned to look into the window. "That's alright darling. Suffice to say, it would be better for everyone if they didn't know that I was involved in this. Only tell them your surname if they insist. Otherwise, just say that you found him in the Leaky Cauldron."
She then looked down at Draco and smiled. "Goodbye Draco."
Draco felt himself being pulled slowly through the snow, before he heard the bell chime as the door was pulled open. "Goodbye…" he said into the wind before the heat from within the bookshop took over his senses.
The door closed behind them but everyone else was still far away by the desk. Daddy was shouting at a man in red robes, and mummy was pacing up and down furiously. Draco unconsciously gripped Dora's hand tighter.
"It'll be alright Draco." She squeezed his hand.
They walked through a lot of book stands before they finally got close to his parents. There were red-robed men everywhere, shouting at each other and taking notes with quills. Draco allowed himself be guided by Dora, before they came to stand behind daddy's back. Dora cleared her throat, but daddy didn't turn around.
"Excuse me… Mr Malfoy?"
Daddy straightened up and turned around slowly before looking down at both of them. He suddenly gasped. In a flash he had knelt down and pulled Draco away from Dora, before lifting him in his arms and hugging him tightly.
"Cissy! Druella! He's here," daddy said loudly, before everyone turned to stare at them and begin shouting at each other. Draco was really confused, and starting to hurt a little from daddy's tight hug.
"Draco!" He heard mummy's voice before he was pulled out of daddy's arms and cradled against his mother's chest. Grandmother then leant in and hugged them both, whispering frantically "I knew we'd find you, I knew it."
Draco was surprised that no one was mad about him wandering away, but didn't mind being hugged like this instead.
"Where was he Lucius?" Mummy suddenly asked daddy as she turned Draco around in her arms.
Daddy looked taken aback for a second before turning around and looking down at Dora. A man in red robes walked over and lent over her with a nasty look on his face.
"And what were you doing with young Mr Malfoy, Miss…"
"Dora," she answered quickly. "It's Dora. I found him in the Leaky Cauldron, and he told me that he'd last been here so I brought him back."
Daddy suddenly reached for his cane and took his wand out. Mummy stepped closer as well, but it was grandmother who spoke next.
"The Leaky Cauldron? He's never been to that filth-laden pub, so why would he suddenly wander over there today," she asked imploringly. Draco saw her look at Dora's hair with distaste.
"He erm, followed me there. I was in here you see with my friend, and I reckon he followed me out when I went to the Leaky…"
"A likely story! I told him not to wander away so I see no reason why Draco would have-,"
"Mother, if you think children always listen to what adults say then you should think again," Mummy interrupted suddenly. "The reason I left him with you was so that you could watch over him, because children are prone to giving into their curiosity!"
Grandmother turned to mummy and suddenly they started arguing loudly with each other. Draco wriggled in his mummy's grip but she didn't lower him to the floor. It was daddy who spoke next, making them go quiet.
"How did you know what his surname was? You called me "Mr Malfoy." Draco can barely pronounce his first name. How do I know this wasn't a failed attempt at holding my son ransom?" Daddy was towering over Dora angrily and Draco suddenly felt bad that everyone was blaming her for everything.
"His cloak," Dora said suddenly. "The emblem on his cloak bears the Malfoy family crest. That's how I guessed."
Daddy turned to look at Draco's cloak, but still didn't look convinced. Grandmother suddenly walked forward and moved past daddy to bend over Dora with her wand outstretched.
"And how is it that you know which pureblood house his crest belongs to? What is your full name young lady?"
Dora gulped but held her ground. "It's uhm, Nymphadora… Tonks."
Draco felt mummy's hands suddenly digging into his sides. He looked up at her. Mummy's eyes looked sharp and her mouth had dropped open slightly. Draco wriggled and she eventually loosened her hands.
" 'Tonks'… what a perfectly muggle name for someone who is able to recognise the crests of ancient pureblood families."
The man with red robes suddenly moved away from daddy and said he would come back with another 'auror.' Draco wondered what grandmother and the man meant.
Dora suddenly moved forward, looking completely unafraid of grandmother's wand.
"I'm a half blood actually, and my pureblood mother taught me a great deal about pureblood family crests."
Grandmother turned to mummy with a nasty smile. "This filth dares speak when she has been caught out!" She turned back around to Dora and raised her wand, smiling nastily. Draco gasped and was about to shout that it was his fault when the bell at the door chimed loudly .
"Take your wand off her!"
Everyone froze as the lady who had brought Draco back to the bookshop glided over in her low hat and pushed grandmother's wand away. When she raised her head they all suddenly gasped, loudest of all grandmother.
Dora looked around at everyone with a confused look that Draco shared.
"You… what… are you doing here," grandmother said in a shaky voice. She stilled herself by grabbing onto daddy's arm before turning to look at Dora's mother with shock.
The lady rose to her full height and looked grandmother in the eye.
"It was I who spotted his emblem in the Leaky Cauldron. I questioned him and realised he must have followed Dora from here. Now that we have cleared that up, and you have him safely returned, we will be taking our leave."
She placed a hand on Dora's left shoulder and pulled her away from grandmother. Dora started walking and the lady turned to follow her.
"Wait," mummy suddenly shouted. Everyone turned to stare at her.
"Why would he just follow your daughter away from this bookshop?" She asked slowly, looking at the lady intensely. To everyone's surprise grandmother started to laugh loudly as she turned away from mummy to look back at the other lady.
"Daughter? Don't be ridiculous Narcissa, as if a Black would give birth to a pink-haired…"
When the lady said nothing, grandmother's voice faltered before her eyes began to search for Dora, who was currently hidden behind her mother's robes. Dora's mummy turned away from grandmother to look at mummy.
"I believe he thought her hair was made of… candy was it Draco? I can see why a child so young would be attracted to it."
Draco felt all eyes in the room turn on him suddenly, making his cheeks grow warm. He looked at the floor and knew he was in for it.
"Draco, is this true," daddy asked him with a steely voice. Draco looked up at him and bit his lip, before nodding.
He heard someone chuckle beside him and turned around to see it was the man in red robes again.
"Well if that is all, I believe that we owe Mrs…"
"Tonks," the lady said as she raised her chin. Daddy and grandmother winced.
"Pardon me, Mrs Tonks and her pink-haired daughter a thank you for delivering young Mr Malfoy back to us safely."
Draco saw the auror look at everyone expectantly, but no one said anything. The man stepped forward and shook Mrs Tonks' hand, before reaching behind her and pulling Dora forward so that he could shake hers as well. But he didn't let her hand go.
"That's an interesting charm you've used on your hair young lady. Surely the strongest of hair transfiguration charms wear off after an hour," he wasn't smiling anymore. "I'm curious as to how it could have remained pink since young Mr Malfoy followed you out, unless with underage magic?" The man still did not let Dora's hand go, and leaned down slightly to look at her menacingly. Draco felt mummy grip him tighter.
Dora opened her mouth and closed it a few times, but it was her mother who reached for the man's hand and pried it off her daughter's with strong fingers.
"My daughter possesses a rare magical talent, Mr Dawlish," she spoke harshly as she looked at the man's badge. Draco heard daddy snort, which made Mrs Tonks turn her narrowed eyes on him.
"As a matter of fact, it is a form of magic that has lain dormant in my pureblood heritage for many years. My daughter was born and still remains a metamorphamagus."
Grandmother and daddy gasped loudly, whereas the man in red robes choked out a loud "Merlin!" This confused Draco even more. What was a metamorfagus?
Mrs Tonks' mouth broke out into a wide smirk. "Come now Dora, we have been detained here long enough." With that she turned around in a swirl of blue robes and glided towards the door, her hand resting on Dora's shoulder. The bell chimed and they stepped outside. Draco watched them turn right and start walking. Before they were completely gone, Dora turned to him and winked through the window with a little wave. Draco smiled and raised his little hand up in a similar motion.
When he looked back at grandmother and daddy he was surprised to find them staring at him with their mouths open. He heard mummy sigh.
"Come now Draco, we had better head home. Your father will have a word with you about giving us all a fright when we get back." Draco's shoulders slumped as a frown worked its way onto his angelic face.
Daddy turned to speak to the red-robed man as grandmother drifted over and placed her wand back into her robes. He hoped grandmother wouldn't get angry at him for not listening to her. As his mother carried him towards the fireplace, daddy reached his hand out and ruffled Draco's hair.
"Don't you ever do that to us again Draco. On Christmas of all days."
Draco felt mummy hug him tighter before she pulled him up to place a kiss on his forehead. She then turned to grandmother.
"I hope that you're quite recovered from your earlier panic mother; and just so you know, I will not be leaving Draco alone with you again. Unless it is at your manor, under the supervision of father and the elves of course." Daddy snorted before beginning to mutter things under his breath, sounding vaguely like "old women" and "incompetent." Draco wondered what he meant.
Just as daddy placed his hand into the floo pot to grab the powder, grandmother found her voice.
"A metamorphamagus after nine generations? It must be a lie; that form of magic could never be born to a half-blood." She raised her chin and with a sure nod to herself, moved passed daddy and reached into the floo pot before throwing it into the fireplace.
Draco looked up and saw his mummy and daddy share an amused glance. He sighed. Sometimes, no matter how hard he tried, he still would never understand grownups.
.o.
Thank you for reading. Would love to know what you all think, even if it's a cheeky acknowledgement that you've read it :)
I started writing this on Christmas day but the editing took me forever. I've never read any stories about the interaction between Tonks and her pureblood family, so thought I would throw it all into this little one-shot. Draco is two here so according to J.K. Tonks would be in her first year at Hogwarts. Nathaniel is my own creation, but other than that I've tried to stick by J.K.'s world.
I also couldn't imagine Andromeda forcing Tonks to call her anything but 'Mother,' having been raised in an elite pureblood family. Surely there is nowhere else Tonks could have inherited her special magical ability but from the noble and most ancient house of Black.
Happy holidays y'all!