It was early the next morning, when Scorpius woke up to see a girl sitting out in the hallway. He turned his head questioningly at her, but then when he discovered she was asleep, shook her with his hand. She jerked awake and looked at him oddly.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"I asked you first." She said mockingly.
"Fine. I'm Scorpius." He said holding out his hand.
"I'm Rose." She said shaking it.
"How old are you?" He asked.
"I'm 5." She said.
"No fair, I'm four." He crossed his arms.
"Okay Scorpius, is there anything to eat around here?" Rose asked, standing up and brushing off her pajama bottoms.
"You just have to ask Jazzy." Scorpius smiled.
"Let me get my brother." Rose said, walking into the bedroom where Hugo was watching cartoons. She turned off the TV, took his hand, and pulled him out towards the stairway.
"Hey!" The three year old shouted.
"Sh." Scorpius put his finger over his lips. They snuck downstairs very quietly, and when they got to the dining room Draco and Hermione were sitting at the table.
Scorpius found it odd that his father was up this early. He was almost never up. Hermione was talking with her hands and Scorpius watched as his father placed his head in his hands and just listened. It was also very odd to see his father not participating in the conversation, but just listening.
Rose found it curious to see her mother's cheeks were bright red. As Draco finally said something, Hermione giggled and that was something Rose had never seen her do before. Her mother would laugh when Hugo did something cute or when Uncle Harry would make a joke but she never giggled.
Both wondered greatly about what they were talking about and Hugo took initiative. "Whatcha talkin bout?"
"Oh you're awake." Draco said, turning his head to see the three little ones in the doorway.
"Yeah." Scorpius said coming in slowly. For a four year old he was pretty smart, and Rose was even smarter or so she thought. They both knew something weird was going on.
"Would you guys like some breakfast?" Draco asked.
"Yes." Both boys answered.
"Can I help?" Rose asked.
"Huh, Rose?" Draco seemed confused.
"Can I help you make breakfast?" Rose asked again, louder thinking maybe he didn't hear her.
"Oh well I was just going to have Jazzy cook us up something." Draco said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Rosie, come sit down." Hermione said, reaching for the girl.
"But I guess you and I could make breakfast, what would everyone like?" Draco asked. He wanted Rose to know she was safe with him, so he took her little hand in his.
Rose looked up at him. She liked the feeling of her small pale hand in his much larger and much tanner one. It made her feel safe, so she squeezed it, and smiled. Draco felt the small squeeze and returned it. He looked down to the girl with a smile.
"How about eggs?" Hermione suggested.
Hugo leaned to whisper something in Scorpius' ear. The blonde nodded and then turned back to his father. "Daddy, Hugo would like sunny side eggs, please."
"We'll be back." Draco said, and Hermione smiled.
In the kitchen, Draco got out the supplies that they needed. He pulled out from underneath the sink a stool for rose to stand on. She stepped up to the counter and Draco came back over to her.
"So, do you cook breakfast with your mommy?" Draco asked.
"Yes." She said.
As they began cooking, Draco found he enjoyed the little girl's company. He dipped his finger in the butter and stuck it on the tip of her nose. She giggled, doing the same to him. After a minute of just staring into her sweet little face, he watched as she wriggled her nose the butter seemed to feel weird.
"I'll get us a cloth." He said, moving out to the other room. As he passed, he peeked into the dining room. He noticed Hermione playing what seemed like a children's game with the boys and Hugo seemed to be dominating. As he reached the bathroom he heard the toaster pop. He was grabbing for the towel when he heard a scream and glass shattering.
He was in the kitchen within 2 seconds. There were pieces of glass everywhere surrounding Rose who was crawled up in a ball. He quickly shut the kitchen door, locking it.
"Draco! Let me in!" He heard Hermione shout.
"Don't there's glass everywhere." Draco warned.
"I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry." Rose was shaking her head back and forth, tears dripping from her eyes.
"Rose, I need you not to touch any of these." Draco said, watching the girl carefully.
He quickly swept the glass pieces away, leaving Rose sitting in a ball with her hands over her face. He disregarded the broom and ran over to her. When he bent down on his knee he watched her flinch.
"Please, it was an accident, I'm sorry." Rose started to move away from him.
"Rose, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." Draco wanted to cry. Here was this sweet little girl backing away from him, what could Weasel have done to make her feel like this every time she made a mistake.
Rose smacked herself on the head. "See you don't have to hit me. I did it myself. I'm sorry."
Draco shook his head, he couldn't watch her anymore. As she went to hit herself again he took her arm. She let out a sob, but all he did was put it up against his chest. He pulled the girl into his lap.
"Sh. Rose. You're okay, Princess. I'm never gonna let him touch you again, okay Princes." Draco whispered into her ear, and he meant what he said.
He didn't care if Hermione and the kids stayed until Weasel was put away, and then he never saw them again. Rose was his princess, and he wouldn't so much as let the Weasel even look at her ever again.
"Alohomora." Hermione said, when there was no more words that she could hear and just Rose's crying. When she opened the door, Draco was holding her daughter close to his chest soothing her while he let a couple of his own tears slip. And the sight broke her heart but made her feel warm inside as well.
After she calmed down, Hermione took Rose upstairs and she laid down. Scorpius took Hugo into his room, and Draco went to see Hermione pulling the covers over a sleep Rose.
"I'm sorry of what happened today. She gets like that sometimes." Hermione said honestly hating that she had to.
"We need to talk." Draco said.
"Okay?" Hermione asked questioningly. Draco led her into his room which was a nice color of silver. He sat her down on the bed and then took a place next to her.
"Hermione, neither of us know how long you're going to stay. But I don't ever want to see Rose like that again. I want to be there for them, and for you. I need to know that they know they have someone." Draco said without taking a single breath.
Hermione stared at him confused and happy, well really confused. Could she trust Draco enough to replace Ron, would the children be able to handle loosing another dad? But what if she didn't let him do this and she would lose their best shot?
"Okay." She nodded, and Draco gave her a large hug. Then he stood up and left the room, she knew where he was going and she went into Hugo's room to see that they stayed there.
Draco slowly closed the door behind him, and that caused little Rose to open her eyes. She sat up and when she saw Draco she leaned her head down.
"Rose, princess, I want you to know just that. You are my Princes, and I'm never leaving you. That goes for Hugo and your mommy too. You're stuck with me." Draco said and she looked up at him and smiled.
He made his way over to the bed, and she crawled towards him. "Scorpius is lucky."
He let her crawl up onto his chest, she shut her eyes again, and when he heard her sigh deeply which meant she was asleep, he kissed her head. "Goodnight Princess."