Raindrops and Teardrops
Harry/Draco, Teddy [G, 947 words]
Disclaimer: JK Rowling and co own everything. I'm writing for fun and not for profit.
A/N: unbeta'd and written for hp_may_madness using the prompt: rain showers/thunderstorms
Summary: Cousin Draco was a stranger and what Teddy wanted was the comfort of his godfather Harry, whom he was sure wouldn't tease him for being afraid of something as silly as the weather.

Raindrops and Teardrops

Teddy sat huddled in his bed underneath his blankets, trying to convince himself that he was a big boy. He needn't be afraid of the thunderstorm because he was safe inside where nothing could harm him. Besides, his godfather Harry had told him that he would always protect him from anything, and Harry would never lie to him.

Except that Harry was gone and his cousin Draco had been left to take care of him. An hour ago, right after dinner, he had tucked Teddy into bed without reading him a bedtime story. His only words were to not disturb him unless Teddy really needed something since he would be brewing some potions. And Teddy had desperately wanted to call him several times since the storm started, but had always changed his mind at the last second.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Draco, but he didn't really know him. Draco was just another person that Harry had brought home for Sunday brunch and introduced him as Teddy's cousin. To Teddy, however, he was a stranger. Draco was so serious, with his books and black robes, plus he rarely smiled, and while not quite mean, he looked like he didn't like kids. Teddy wanted the comfort of his godfather, whom he was sure wouldn't tease him for being afraid of something as silly as the weather.

Another strike of lightning flashed across the sky, followed quickly by the thunder that seemed to shake the entire house. Teddy curled himself into a small ball and called out, "Harry!" He pressed his fingers against his mouth to prevent any more words from escaping and tried not to cry. A few minutes of whooshing wind and harsh rain pounding on the windows passed by, before at last a sharp knock sounded at the door.

"Theodore," the voice said before the door creaked open and footsteps came to the bed. Teddy didn't move as the mattress sunk a few inches and a hand was placed on his back in an attempt to soothe him. "What's wrong?"

"N-n-nothing." Teddy closed his mouth to stop his teeth from chattering. He wished he had asked Harry if he could have stayed at the Burrow, where his grandmum would have offered warm milk and biscuits to help him go back to sleep. Being a Potions Master, Draco would probably give him a mild dose of a sleeping potion.

"That's not true." Draco's voice became clearer as he moved the blankets down to see Teddy's face. "Are you hurt? Did you have a nightmare?" His forehead creased in frustration when he didn't receive an answer to any of the questions.

Another lightning flash and this time the thunder sounded as if a whip had been cracked just outside his window where it rattled with the wind. Teddy hugged his knees to his chest and asked in a quiet voice, "Is Harry home?"

"Not yet, and I really don't know what time he's returning." Teddy's shoulders slumped a little and Draco cleared his throat before saying, "You do know that you can tell me what's bothering you and I'll see what I can do."

Teddy looked up to see that Draco was not just asking to be polite, because Draco had his wand already raised like he could use magic to solve any and all problems.

Well, Teddy thought, here goes nothing and he took a deep breath, saying, "I don't like the thunder or the lightning. It's too loud, which scares me." There, he had said it and he turned around so he wouldn't have to see Draco laugh at him.

"That's nothing a good Silencing charm can't fix." Teddy turned his head around to see Draco wave his wand and immediately the noise outside the room stopped. Teddy saw the flash of lightning, but without the sound, he could imagine it being a single firework that had been lit by his uncle George.

"Better?" Draco was looking at Teddy with caution and was surprised when Teddy reached out and hugged him, burying his head against Draco's chest. He smelled like lemongrass oil, completely different from Harry's mint scent, but it was comforting.

Teddy pulled away after one last hug and said, "Thank you. Did Harry tell you to do that?"

"No, but my mother always used a Silencing charm when I was younger, even when I was too proud to ask." Draco looked sad, but he still reached out hesitantly to pat Teddy's head. Teddy didn't want Draco to be sad, not when he had made Teddy feel safe, so he changed his hair the same shade of blond as his cousin's. He looked up to see the older man surprised and with a hint of a smile on his face.

"I'd forgotten you were a Metamorphmagus," Draco said as he stood up to leave, but Teddy pulled his hand back and asked, "Stay, please?"

"You won't mind?" Draco asked, and when Teddy shook his head, Draco nodded and used his wand to enlarge the bed to settle down for the night.

And that is how Harry found them when he came home. Draco lay draped across the bed, one arm wrapped protectively around Teddy, who had kept the white blond hair and was snoring softly. Harry shook off his auror robes, kissed Teddy on the forehead, before laying down beside them and watching the rain fall outside the window with the occasional lighting strike. He had let Draco babysit tonight, hoping that Teddy would get to know his cousin better and that someday in the future, they could become a proper family. It was too early to tell, but Harry hoped he was right.