Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series is the property of Joanne Rowling and the Warner Brother's Studios. The characters and scenarios you recognize here are property of said individual and company.
Trigger Warnings: references to violence, drugs(medication), alcohol, character death, and child abuse
Author's Note: This is an AU one shot with a war more brutal than the one in canon, and it's a conversation between Harry and Hermione on why Harry won't read Teddy fairytales. This is not a Harry/Hermione romance fic, as I personally dislike that ship, and it elaborates on their sibling relationship. There are mentions to past Harry/Ginny and past Ron/Hermione as well. It's overall a major angst fest, because I wrote this in the throes of a depressive episode. This is my first posted fanfic, and while I appreciate constructive criticism, rude and unhelpful reviewers will be blocked. This is unbetaed, but I have spell and grammar checked it, so it should be readable. Thank you for reading.
Why won't you just tell him a fairytale?
I never liked telling Teddy fairytales. The only ones I ever related to were the Grimm Brothers tales, and I didn't want to give the poor child nightmares.
You always suggested different ones. I don't think I ever explained my thoughts to you.
What's wrong with Cinderella?
Well, sometimes the evil guardians really are related to you and your parents die before you know they did everything in their last two years of life out of love for you and each other. Sometimes, the fairy godmother can't come to save you because she's catatonic in St. Mungo's and the fairy godfather can't fill in because he's imprisoned. Sometimes, the ball is really a school, but there is no prince or princess to sweep you away, and you have to learn to save yourself.
What's wrong with Sleeping Beauty?
Well, if you fall unconscious when times are tough, things aren't going to be peachy when you wake up. Comas that can only be broken by kisses of true love sound like something Tom would use for poetic purposes.
What's wrong with Beauty and the Beast?
Love will make the beast happier, but it won't cure anyone in real life. Sometimes, the beauty and the beast come together just in time to get killed by the angry villagers.
What's wrong with Snow White?
Sometimes, the poison apple is really poison slipped into someone's dinner. Sometimes, there is no cure to wake them up, because love might be powerful, but it's not medicine.
What's wrong with Rapunzel?
Sometimes, the tower is a cupboard and there is no way for anyone else to get inside. Sometimes, the evil guardian makes you believe you're the evil one. Sometimes, the guardian cuts your hair off, even if you never let anyone inside the tower.
What's wrong with the classic Dragon Slaying Knight?
Sometimes, the dragon is a basilisk and the knight is scared to death. Sometimes the dragon is controlled by the evil wizard that killed the knight's parents and the villain is trying to kill the princess. Sometimes the princess is an impoverished maiden who would never settle for being a damsel in distress if she hadn't poured her heart out to the charming villain.
What's wrong with your own story?
Nobody wants to hear of the brave hero who lost everyone except his surrogate sister and his godson and his niece and cries in the middle of the night because he has so many issues that it's not even funny.
Sometimes, the baby hero defeats the villain, but is sent to spend ten years in a cupboard, believing his name is Freak until he attends primary school, and collecting so many scars that he doesn't understand why everyone has such smooth skin. Sometimes, the hero defeats the villain again, but kills a man with his bare hands. Sometimes, the hero defeats a basilisk, but almost loses a friend and almost dies. Sometimes, the hero drives off one hundred dementors only after having fainted from thir effects earlier in the evening. Sometimes, the hero fights the villain at full power to a draw, but sees his schoolmates murdered. Sometimes, the hero fights his first full-on battle victoriously, only to lose his godfather. Sometimes, the hero comes close to weakening the villain, only to lose his mentor and half of his surrogate family. Sometimes, the hero defeats the villain once and for all, only to lose all of his friends and family, except his sister and godson, and is forced to watch the villain murder he princess.
Sometimes, everything is too much and the hero thinks that he should have stayed dead and his sister rushes him to the hospital and forces pills down his throat that don't work. Sometimes, the press throws lights in the hero's face and he starts firing spells before he knows what he's doing. Sometimes, the hero breaks down and the only thing that holds him together is the brown hand of his sister on his shoulder or cornflower blue eyes of his best friend staring up from his niece's face or the turquoise hair of his godson. Sometimes, the hero drinks to forget the pain, but the bar reminds him of the princess, with gin and juice, and whiskey the color of her eyes, and fire on the special drinks that looks just like her hair in the summer.
I don't like fairytales because they give false hope. Everyone gets a happy ending in fairytales, but we've never gotten ours, Hermione. You can tell him fairytales, but I'll stick to fables. They rarely have happy endings.
I'm sorry Harry. I didn't realize how much this upset you.