To Be Little

Chapter 14: Mama

Narcissa freezes when she hears what just came out of her baby boy's mouth. It wasn't too much of a shock since he already claimed Severus and Lucius as his daddy and papa respectively but she didn't think he'd be ready to accept a new mother.

Since conception children are able to feel their mother's magic making their bond much stronger than muggles. In the old days, there was a special ceremony that was conducted between the mother/child pair hours after birth. These types of rituals have long since grown out of custom but a fair amount of Pure Blood women still participate. Narcissa herself had done it exactly 27 minutes after Draco's births. She had even heard rumors through the grapevine about Lady Potter doing the same with her firstborn child.

It's this multitude of reasons that has Narcissa frozen for half a second too long.

"M' sorry. D-didn't mean to, " Harrison shakes his head and tries to twist out if Tom's hold, clearly trying to lodge himself out of Little-space once again.

"No, no, no. My baby," Narcissa quickly makes her way to her pseudo father before scooping her child into her arms. "My poor, sweet baby." She starts to sway gently in hopes of settling him before she speaks again. "Mama was just a bit shocked is all. I am so proud of you. Now let's get you away from mean ole grandpa."

"I most certainly am not mean. Just ask my other grandson." Lord Slytherin waves his oldest grandchild Draco "Do you think I am mean, Draco?"

"No. You always give me candy. Nobody that's considered mean would share candy," he answers with a shake of his head and cheeky grin before bounding back over to his friends.

"Wanna go play," Harry peaks out from over his mummy's shoulder to the other children talking and laughing.

"You wanna go see Draco, sweetie?" she carefully places Harrison on his feet not sure if his headspace would allow him to walk. It's only now that the other adults realize how much they've been holding him. "Go walk to Draco. I'm sure he'll love to play with you."

Harrison looks up at Narcissa before glancing at Severus, Lucius, and Tom, who are all on the same couch. He takes a tentative step forward Narcissa having to catch him as he wobbles a bit before he sets off on his mission.

"Dray!" he calls once he's just a few steps away. Draco had been watching his baby brother toddle-- there's no other way to describe it but a toddle-- over to him only to pick up the child with the same amount of enthusiasm.

"Hi, bubby? Are you having fun?"

"Yay wanna play with Dray,"

"We're just talking, but how about we play hide and seek?" Harrison nods his head enthusiastically and rushes off the second Blaise starts counting.

The small group plays a few rounds with the older kids making sure to search for someone else before finding Harrison typically behind the couch or in a corner of the room with his eyes closed. After the third round, Harry knows that the big boys are just humoring him by the way Theo loudly questions various people on his whereabouts while pointedly not looking in his direction. That's something he's seen people do with babies and he's not a baby. He can hide just as well as the big boys.

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"Mama, Papa," Draco comes rushing over. Before his parents could question him he blurts out, "I can't find Harrison anywhere. He was just here. We were playing. I'm so sorry."

"Dragon, calm down. It's not your fault. We don't blame you," Narcissa soothes her oldest. "Now tell us what happened."

"We were all playing hide and seek and I saw Harry go by the curtains before I went to go hide but when we checked he was not there. Nor was he behind the couch or any of his previous hiding places. We looked everywhere downstairs but we can't find him. I sent Pansy and Theo upstairs but nobody saw him go up there while Blaise kept looking down here and I came to get you guys." He's out of breath by the time he's done explaining and tears pricking the side of his eyes. The adults can see how worried he is for his baby brother, especially because of how recently they got him.

"We'll find him Dragon. He couldn't have left the dormitory without any of us noticing so he must be upstairs if you already checked down here."

Before Draco can respond or work himself up anymore Pansy comes running down the stair crying:

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy come quick! It's Harrison."