Hugs

I do not own Maleficent or the characters!

(Note: Please read Maleficent with all the sass the Angelina Jolie played her with!)

Diaval watched as Maleficent healed the tree that he was perched on. It had been struck with something (probably from an altercation between two animals), and the faery stood healing the wound. It always came as a little surprise to Diaval when Maleficent healed something. She was normally so sarcastic and serious. But when she healed plants and small animals, her face transformed into a tender smile. Of all the rings she had lost over the years, her connection with nature was not one of them.

Behind them, the branches suddenly parted. The king's daughter stood in the brambles, a smile on her face and her eyes on Maleficent. She had grown into a toddler by now, and was curious of everything. The 'beastie', as Maleficent had come to call her, had wandered over to the faery, and smiled at her.

In a way, it was fun to watch. Maleficent was so obviously inexperienced with children that all she could say was "run along. Go on, shoo." Diaval squawked a little at the faery, which earned him a glared.

"Up! Up!" the child demanded of Maleficent. Diaval's eyes widened as the faery actually agreed to the request. She picked up Aurora, and held her in her arms. The girl started to touch Maleficent's horn, and Diaval saw Maleficent stiffen. The girl's hands roamed to her clothing and then back to her horns.

Diaval chuckled at the faery's expense (or at least, chuckled as well as he could as a crow). Once again, Maleficent sent him a glare. She put the child down, and before Diaval knew what was happening, he was being floated over to the child. Diaval flapped his wings and cawed at Maleficent, but she didn't stop her magic. In fact, there was a small smile on her face.

Diaval floated straight into the princess' arms, and she immediately threw them around the bird. He struggled at first, but stopped when Maleficent shot him a look.

"You don't want to hurt her, do you?"

Diaval stopped at her words, and let the child pet him. He hated to admit it, but the strokes felt pleasant. They stayed like that for a while, Diaval in the child's arms and Maleficent watching with a tiny smirk on her face. After what seemed like an eternity for Diaval, Maleficent took him from Aurora's arms and told the child to run along.

As soon as the girl was out of sight, Maleficent turned Diaval back into his human form. Standing up, he turned and glared at Maleficent.

"And what was that for?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean! You made me into… into… a stuffed animal!"

"Oh come now Diaval. You were squawking at me, so I assumed that you wanted to play with the child. It was an honest mistake. And besides, you quieted down once she started petting you." Maleficent grinned at him.

Diaval felt the slightest blush come into his cheeks.

"I didn't like it, if that's what your insinuating."

Maleficent grinned at her crow.

"Oh really." She reached over and started to pet his hair. Mixed in with the black locks were ebony feathers, and both the hair and the feathers were soft as cloud.

Diaval went still.

Maleficent took back her hand, and once again smirked at him.

"See? You do like it."

"I do not!"

Maleficent chuckled, and tuned to walk away. But Diaval couldn't let the subject go.

"Well, you seemed to like it when she was hugging you."

Maleficent's eyes widened, and she stopped and looked Diaval straight in the eye.

"Of course I didn't. I was surprised."

"Oh really." Diaval said to the faery, throwing her words back at her. Without thinking about it (which really could've gotten him into a lot of trouble), he stepped forward and enveloped Maleficent in a hug. She stiffened at the initial contact, but didn't pull away as he had thought she would. Instead, after a moment or two, she relaxed, and, tentatively, placed her hands on Diaval's back. They stayed like that for a time, during which both faery and crow felt safe in the other's embrace.

Maleficent cleared her throat, and Diaval took that to be the signal that the hug was over. The both stepped back, and nether looked each other in the eye. It wasn't exactly awkward, it was just new to them. Diaval was the first to speak.

"Now see, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Diaval asked, afraid that he would get a tongue-lashing.

Maleficent looked at her confidant, and let a small smile rise on her face.

"No, I guess not."

Diaval turned and looked at the faery.

"Then you admit that you like hugs."

"No. Be quiet."

"Oh, come on Maleficent. First Aurora and now me? It's not a coincidence."

"I said be quiet."

"But-"

"Stop arguing with me or I'll turn you into a dog."

That shut Diaval up.

Guys, Im sorry if it's really cheesy, but I need to write it! Because omg, they are just too cute together. And I need to vent all these feeling.

So, I have a lot of thanks to say - To everyone who saved my other story "A Faery and her Wings" under their favourites, or their alerts, or saved me under author alerts or favourites, thank you so much. It literally means the world to me that you enjoy my writing. And to all of you who reviewed - I woke up this morning with all these emails saying that you loved my story and that you wanted me to write more - and I literally jumped for joy.

It means the world to me guys.

THANK YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH!

Animecookie13 3