A/N: This is a one-shot that's been in my head for a while and I finally wrote it down. Hope you enjoy it!
When Hermione told Draco that she was pregnant, he literally cried with joy. They had been struggling to conceive for months with no success so to hear that they were finally expecting a baby had meant so much to the both of them. Shortly after the excitement settled, however, came the fear.
Draco immediately became terrified that he wouldn't be a good enough father. That he'd fail, just as his own father did. He lied awake at night for hours with a million scenarios running through his head, all of them telling him that he'd fail as a father. That he wasn't cut out for it.
He only confessed his fears to Hermione when she found him sitting out on the porch in the middle of the night, once. "How am I supposed to be a good father to this baby when I don't have a good example of what a good father does?" he said.
She took his hand in hers and squeezed. "Draco, just because Lucius wasn't a good father, doesn't mean that you won't be."
"How do you know that?" he asked, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Because I know you. And I know that this baby is going to be so lucky to have you for a father. This baby's going to have someone to read to them every night, teach them Quidditch, show them how to play the piano and so much more. This baby is going to have two parents who love him or her to death and will go the ends of the earth for them. You are not your father, Draco Malfoy; you are so much more. You're kind, funny, loving, a wonderful husband, and an amazing friend; and you are going to be ten times the father your father was. I know it."
He gave her a small smile and rested his hand on her slightly bulging stomach. She placed her hand on top of his and rested their foreheads together. "Thank you," he whispered before kissing her softly.
Six months later, Scorpius Alexander Malfoy was born. Currently, Hermione was sleeping in the hospital bed while Draco sat in a nearby chair, rocking a sleeping Scorpius back and forth. Hermione's parents, Narcissa, Harry, and an array of Weasleys had stopped by when Hermione had been in labor to meet the newest addition to the Malfoy family. Harry and Ginny had been named the godparents, much to their surprise and joy, and everyone cooed over the baby for at least an hour before the Healers kicked everyone except Draco out so mother and baby could rest.
Now, as Draco held his newborn son in his arms, all his fears about fatherhood were gone and instead were replaced with excitement for the new journey he and Hermione were about to go on with Scorpius. He smiled a little as the baby wrapped his small hand around Draco's finger and kissed the newborn's forehead. "I love you, Scorpius," he whispered. "I promise, I will do everything I can to be a good father to you. I won't let you down."
Unbeknownst to him, Hermione had been watching him and the baby and smiled as she heard the vow her husband made to their child. Yes, he was going to make an excellent father. She was sure of it.
Scorpius had been such an easy-going baby that Hermione and Draco were convinced they had this parenting thing down… that is until their daughter Cassiopeia Jade (Cassie for short) was born. Scorpius was two years old when Cassie was born and, although he adored his little sister, even he admitted that she could be a handful at times. She was incredibly fussy as a baby and her toddler years were worse. She cried whenever she didn't get what she wanted, never ate her food unless she could throw some of it too, and always got a kick out of bothering her older brother. When she learned to walk, Hermione and Draco had to set wards to specific rooms of the house in order to make sure that she wouldn't end up somewhere she wasn't supposed to be.
Dealing with two kids under the age of five was difficult (especially when one tended to find trouble wherever she went) but somehow, Draco and Hermione managed to keep them relatively under control. That was until Hermione went back to work, leaving Draco at home with the kids. Since Draco had such a healthy inheritance after he took over the Malfoy estate and investments, he didn't find the need to work and decided to be a stay at home parent while Hermione worked in the Research Department of St. Mungo's.
With Scorpius, being Mr. Mom was easy; with Cassie, it was a challenge. With both kids together, all hell broke loose. More than once, Draco would walk away for two minutes and come back to find Cassie wailing about something or other and Scorpius burying his head underneath a pillow, screaming at her to stop. Once, Scorp got angry at his sister and had a burst of accidental magic and Cassie ended up sitting on top of the owl perch. While she had been entertained, Draco was not. He gave his son a stern look and explained to his son the importance of learning to control his magic. Scorpius nodded then went to his room for some peace and quiet while his father entertained his sister.
Despite their constant fighting, Scorpius and Cassie really did love each other. The first sentence Cassie formed when she learned to talk was "I love brother." He tried to hide his smile behind his book but failed as Cassie then crawled over to him and kissed (well, more like slobbered all over) him. Hermione and Draco smiled at their kids and laughed at Scorp's reaction as he tried to wipe the slobber off himself.
More than once, Draco would find the kids in Cassie's room with Scorpius reading to her from one of his books (which were a little advanced for both of their ages but both were far smarter than their ages suggested so advanced books weren't a problem for them). He cherished those moments because he saw just how much the kids really did love each other, despite always arguing. He knew they'd be a force to be reckoned with when they were both at Hogwarts.
One day, after a particularly gruelling day at work, Hermione came home to find the house completely silent. Immediately she was concerned as the house hadn't been this quiet since before Scorpius had been born. She searched the first floor of the house then moved to the second floor when she didn't find anyone.
She checked both of the kid's rooms and found them empty. On a hunch, she decided to check her and Draco's bedroom and smiled to herself when she opened the door. Draco, Scorpius, and Cassie were all passed out on the bed, a book forgotten on the floor. Cassie and Scorpius were cuddled together while Draco had a protective arm wrapped around both of them. Hermione's heart swelled at the sight. She knew Draco struggled taking care of the kids sometimes but it was moments like this that she knew he loved being a dad. And she loved being able to come home to this, no matter what she might be coming home to.
Taking off her shoes, she tiptoed over to the other side of the bed and wiggled her way onto it and wrapped an arm around Draco's waist. She nuzzled her nose into the back of his neck and closed her eyes but opened them half a second later as she felt Draco shift against her. Careful not to wake the kids, Draco flipped sides and pulled Hermione into him.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."
He smiled and kissed her forehead. "It's alright. It was worth it to wake up next to you."
She smiled and gave him a soft kiss. "How was your day?"
"Not bad. Scorp had another burst of accidental magic but fortunately Cassie remained on the ground this time."
She chuckled. "How about you? How are you?"
He smiled. "I've never been better. Being Mr. Mom isn't easy, I'll admit, but I wouldn't trade this job for the world."
She gave him a knowing smirk. "Look at you being a stay-at-home dad. It seems just like yesterday, you were concerned about being a good father."
His smile fell a little bit. "I still worry about that some days. I worry that I'm not doing something right or that I should be more stern with them or-" Hermione cut him off with a kiss.
"You're doing a fantastic job," she reassured him. "I promise you, my love, you have nothing to worry about."
He smirked. "Well, since we're sharing reassurances, you, my darling, are a fantastic mother. And I am honored just to be able to share the title of parent with you."
She grinned and nuzzled her nose against his before kissing him. When they broke for air, Hermione snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes. He kissed her forehead and did the same before falling asleep with his wife in his arms and his two children right next to him. It may not have always been glorious, but being a stay at home parent was a job that Draco wouldn't trade for the world.