Author's Notes: Written for the sq_drabblers community on Livejournal. A part of the More Than Our Abilities universe but can stand alone.

And as I explain in my profile, JKR spelled it Asteria on the Weasley Family Tree so that's how I spell it.

"No, absolutely not."

"But, Dad, you said I could have any pet I wanted and I want her," Scorpius said, holding up a gray ferret. Draco recoiled in response. Looking around with a feeling of mounting panic, his eyes finally landed on a group of fenced-off puppies in the middle of the store.

"What about a puppy? Or a Cruppy? They're very loyal and lots of fun."

"I thought you said they were too much work?" Scorpius said dubiously though Draco was pleased to note his son was looking at the animals with interest.

"I may have overstated things a bit."

"You said they were 'smelly, flea-infested nuisances' that would destroy everything in sight."

Draco idly wondered how his son could remember something he said over a month ago but couldn't remember not to leave his toys on the stairs. "Only if not properly trained."

"Could I have a puppy and a ferret?"

"No."

Scorpius looked dejected and for a minute Draco was going to say he could have two puppies if he wanted. Before he could make that mistake though, Scorpius' eyes took on a dangerous gleam. "What about a Kneazle?"

"Would you rather a Kneazle instead?" Could it be that simple?

"They make good friends for ferrets so I was thinking--"

"No." Scorpius huffed at this, stomping his foot as he glared up at his dad. Draco quirked an eyebrow at this, warning him, "Start and you'll get nothing and we'll go home right now."

"I want Scout."

"Scout? You named it already?"

Scorpius nodded. "It's from a character in a book I read. It was a Muggle book so you probably don't--"

"Stop. Please just stop." Draco scrubbed a hand over his face, wondering if this could be a very vivid nightmare. Just when he was ready to give up, an idea came to him. Checking to make certain Asteria was out of earshot, he leaned in and said softly, "If you give up the ferret and you give me a month, I could get my hands on a dragon egg."

This was a lie, of course, but Draco hoped a month would be long enough to distract his son till they could find a more suitable pet.

"A dragon?" his son exclaimed. Draco shushed him, glancing around quickly. Relief flooded over him when he noted that Asteria wasn't even in sight.

"Yes, a dragon. If you just leave the ferret here and give me some time--"

"Are you mad?"

Sometimes Draco wondered if his wife used Disillusionment Charms so she could skulk around, just waiting for him to step in it.

"A dragon? You're promising our nine-year-old son a dragon?" From the phrasing, Draco assumed she had already discerned he wasn't serious so he didn't see what the problem was. Other than the small detail of the lie itself...

"He wants a ferret." Draco wouldn't say more than that in public but he trusted Asteria to understand what the problem was. The details of his unfortunate run-in with 'Professor Moody' had spread like wildfire through Hogwarts. He had spent the following weeks hexing people he barely knew for making jokes about it.

Sighing, Asteria turned towards Scorpius. "What made you decide on a ferret? You seemed more keen on a dog just the other day."

"That was before I talked to Uncle Ernie. I told him I was getting a pet for Christmas and he told me I should get a ferret. They're not messy like cats but they're always playful. They're like perpetual kittens."

"Your Uncle Ernie said this?" Asteria repeated, a wan smile on her face.

Scorpius nodded. "At the party."

"It's revenge," Draco hissed. "Macmillan was always jealous I bought his children better gifts than he ever did."

"You always bought them things that exploded or made a mess."

"Like I said." Every child knew the best toys were the ones your parents hated. "I always got the girls the best gifts and they loved me for it. Who wouldn't rather a toy wand that shoots fireworks rather than a working model of the universe or whatever that rubbish was that Macmillan bought this year."

"I would have enjoyed a working model of the universe!" Asteria said defensively. Draco had forgotten she shared her brother-in-law's love of intolerably dull 'toys'. "Believe it or not, many educational toys--"

"Educational toys is an oxymoron."

Asteria scowled at the interruption and Draco realized he was dangerously close to having an entire busyness of ferrets in his home.

"Fine. I understand. I can't have Scout," Scorpius announced, careful to take on a tone of long-suffering patience rather than outright petulance. Draco admired the discipline. "Even though I was told I could have any pet I wanted."

Though clearly he couldn't resist getting a dig in.

Scorpius continued, still holding onto the ferret - or trying to – as it was currently attempting to climb onto his shoulder. "It'll take me a while to think of a something else I'd want instead so I suppose we should head home and I just won't get any big gifts this year."

Judging from how she was trying to hide her grin, Draco had a feeling his wife wasn't going to be any help here. Knowing when he was out-matched, he surrendered."Fine. You can have the ferret."