The moment it hits Narcissa that she's a grandmother is when Draco calls upon her for free babysitting. He doesn't say it exactly, but she can tell by the nervous look on his face that he's going on a date. It's the same look he had when he was dating Scorpius' mother, and it's been over a year since she's died. She would press him for details, but this is the first person he's dating since her, so instead Narcissa gladly takes her grandson and shoos her son out, tuning out his reminders about his son. Draco deserves to have fun without worrying about Scorpius.
Besides, Narcissa raised Draco — she knows how to take care of a baby.
…
It's been a couple of hours of Narcissa watching Scorpius, and she's starting to regret ignoring Draco's instructions.
Scorpius has been crying. For twenty minutes. Non-stop.
"Why are you upset?" she asks, almost desperate. She knows that she's talking to a baby, but Scorpius is already 15 months old. She knows that he hasn't started talking, but a part of her (the part that wants the crying to stop) is hoping that he'll start talking now, and tell her exactly what he needs.
She's changed his diaper (twice) and given him a bottle. He's woken up only an hour ago, so she doubts he needs to sleep more.
He's a baby. There can't be that much he needs.
Still, Scorpius continues to cry, with no difference if she's holding him or putting him down.
"Just ask and you shall receive, my dear," Narcissa says, cradling Scorpius carefully to her chest. She doesn't care that there's a wet spot forming on her shirt from his tears. She won't care about anything if he just stops crying. "Are you hungry?" she asks, gently rocking him up and down. "Thirsty? Tired?"
Instead of telling her, Scorpius keeps on crying.
Narcissa starts walking around with him, taking him through different rooms in the manor. Maybe he just really wanted to be in the sun room instead of the nursery. Or maybe he just wanted to see their refrigerator.
"Come on, babes," she says, trying to keep her voice low, and calm, not wanting to make him more upset. "Please," she says, probably sounding like she's begging. She probably is. "I'll do whatever it takes."
She walks through their entry hall, and once she gets close to the door, Scorpius stops crying.
"Yes!" she says, trying to keep her voice quiet to not trigger his crying again.
She starts slowly backing away, hoping to put him down and maybe get started on cooking dinner for herself. However, he starts crying again a moment later.
Narcissa suppresses a groan.
Where did he stop crying? She takes a few steps forward and he stops again. A few steps back, and his crying starts. A few steps forward — the sweet spot apparently.
Turning, Narcissa sees the mirror behind her — and she sees Scorpius turn his head to stare at himself through the glass.
The mirror.
"Oh, it's never a dull moment with you, is it?" she says, kissing Scorpius on the nose and letting out a laugh.
Scorpius watches her do it in the mirror, and he lets out a laugh, too.
543 words by gdocs
for various challenges:
wicked webs - scorpius and narcissa, with dew drop glue #5, (dialogue) "It's never a dull moment with you."
scamnder's case - male grindylow, (character) narcissa
gather your party - barbarian #2, "why are you upset?"
trick or treat - trick #16, slytherin, "I'll do whatever it takes."
writing club: we're bringing sexy back - #5, Let me know what you want from me; founder says - helga says #4, "Ask and you shall receive, my dear."; hogwarts library - #15 (emotion) desperate