Prompt: ATHENA || WAR. WISDOM.

Like a shooting star Athena flashed across the earth,

plunging down in the midst of both camped forces.

– Homer

Title: Zeus
Rating: T
Word Count: 500
Warnings: References to infant death, mild body horror

Draco lit the lone candle and stared into Hermione's eyes, eerily reflecting the light.

"Happy birthday, Athena."

He swallowed his tears and reached across the table to clasp her hand. Three years had passed. One never recovered from the death of a child, but this year would be different. After failing to conceive, they were finally expecting. Hermione was due next month. A second child would help fill the hollow ache of Athena's loss.

Perhaps intuiting the direction of his thoughts, Hermione smiled weakly and placed a vial with yellow fluid on the table.

He raised his eyebrows. "What's that?"

"A cure."

Confused, he rubbed his forehead. She'd continued researching the treatment? "For Athena's–"

"Yes, I finished eight months ago."

Warily, Draco eyed her swollen stomach. "Eight months?"

Hermione searched his face for a moment and then spoke. "It's time. Jupiter is rising."

He furrowed his brows in concern. She'd been so exhausted lately. "What do planet patterns have to do with anything? And why–"

"Draco." Hermione's gaze was slightly unhinged, reminding him of her breakdown when she failed to save their daughter. "Do you love her?"

Remembering Athena's laughing eyes and chubby legs, Draco's throat constricted. He would've done anything for his baby girl, eager to be the father his was not.

"Yes."

"Will you always?"

Something was off, but he nodded cautiously, accustomed to supporting Hermione.

After a few seconds passed, she twisted and pulled off her wedding ring. "Hold this carefully."

Draco placed the warm metal in his palm, curling his fingers around the symbol of their marriage.

It pulsed.

Startled, he glanced at the ring as goosebumps spread down the back of his neck.

Hermione stood up and waved her wand over her stomach. To his horror, her distended belly shrank, flattening before his eyes.

Alarmed, he launched up, knocking back his chair. "What have you done?"

"It's alright, Draco," she replied calmly.

"But our baby–"

"I couldn't get pregnant. We needed a cover."

"What?" His heart stopped. They weren't having another child? "I don't–"

Hermione flicked her wrist, and Draco gasped as her unruly curls detached and fell to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Desperation cracked his voice.

"It's alright, Draco. She's coming back to you."

"Who is?"

Slowly, she turned around. Draco froze, eyes wide in terror.

"Athena is with me wherever I go."

Fast asleep, was the sweet, sweet face of his baby girl, embedded in the bald head of his wife.

Lying in bed, Draco cradled Hermione to his chest. Once again a young mother exhausted from birth. Athena's tiny warm body lay between them, cured of her disease. Keeping her alive was likely why they couldn't conceive.

He wondered who Hermione murdered for the soul-splitting Horcrux. It should bother him more.

Pure. Innocent. Content.

He stroked Athena's soft cheek and she opened her eyes, scrutinizing him with wisdom far beyond her age.

Draco peered into the grey.

Just like his.

But with the barest hint of a red gleam.

Lessons learned:

I had some extra commas since we're not supposed to use betas in the competition. So I ran it through Grammarly - which is a very cool tool to use! - and removed them before posting here.

Other than that? Nothing. I love this drabble so much. I knew well in advance that if Athena was called as a prompt I'd be using this idea. I didn't get an award but I'm extremely proud of it.