AN: This was inspired by one of the chapters I wrote for Warmth of the Sun. And from a parent telling us about his son.
Title: Patronus Dreams
Words: 616
Summary: "Daddy, I can't sleep." A vgnette.
Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm not JKR.
"Daddy, I can't sleep."
Harry opened a bleary eye to see his son standing over the little boy was clutching a plush dragon to his chest, his freckled face was flushed pink from sleep. "Go ask your mum, James."
Ginny nudged Harry's leg. She rolled over, her arm floppily striking his back. "Ask your dad," she retorted. "Mummy still sleepy from feeding Albie."
James made a face at the mention of the baby's name.
Harry lifted his head from the pillow to look at his son. "Don't you have to go to sleep, kiddo?"
"But I'm scared."
Harry stifled a groan and sat up. Swinging his legs over the bed. He groped for his glasses on the dresser and put them on. Ginny made a noise as he yanked the cover away from him. It all fell over her, muffling whatever insult that she aimed at him. He knelt down to pick up his robe that was on the floor and yanked it on. Harry stood up and stretched his arms out, wincing as he heard pops. James stood by the door waiting and watching.
Harry held out his hand, but James held his arms up. The toy dragon's tail almost went flying into Harry's face. "Up, Daddy!"
Harry collected the boy in his arms and carried him to the other bedroom. James squirmed, his toy blocking some of Harry's vision. Even half-blind, he knew that he could make it into James' room without any problems. It was a speciality of his ever since Teddy started sleeping over during the weekends.
James' bedroom was painted a Gryffindor shade of red. Silhouettes of roaring lions prowled over the walls, sniffing and sulking off into the shadows as they entered. Harry settled him back into bed and pulled the red-yellow checkered blanket up to James's chin. He ruffled the boy's hair. "Better?"
James held his dragon up in the air. "Are there any monsters?"
Harry looked around and did a good show as he checked under the bed and in the closet. He pulled his wand from his robe, brandishing it so that red-gold sparks would fly. "James, all the monsters are gone."
"They could come back!"
Harry shook his head and twirled his wand between his fingers. "Is that so..." He traced imaginary symbols in the air, leaving streaks of shimmering gold behind. "Watch, this will keep any monster away, and one you day you will learn this, too." James sat up, attentively staring at his dad.
Harry pointed his wand at a dark corner, and happy memories were flickering in the back of his mind. He willed that emotion the build up and to go through his arm and to his wand. "Expecto Patronum!" His father's stag erupted forth and came into the room with a furry of silver-white light and sparks. The stag looked around the room, curious, and walked over to James' bed. The boy's eyes widened in awe and he raised a hand to touch the stag.
The second that his hand made contact with the dreamy silver, it vanished away into wisps of happy memories.
James stared at he empty spot of air. "Do it again, Daddy! I want a dragon!"
Harry laughed and kissed James's forehead. "Maybe another time," he said, and then slowly walked out of the room. "Sweet dreams."