{Banana Smoothie} ✔️

Chapter 64

December 11th

Grayson- 34 weeks

Asher's POV

"Class dismissed" Uncle Draco shouts waving us off. I stand packing my stuff up knowing that Atlas would be late, so I was taking my time. "Asher" my uncle calls for me and I look up timidly hoping I wasn't in trouble.

"Yes?" I answer throwing my bag over my shoulder. He smiles at the baby in his arms before looking back over to me. "I have to be in a meeting during lunch, while your Mimi is talking to you all about... something." He trails off knowing he wasn't supposed to say anything.

"Oh okay," I answer not sure where I was coming into all of this. "Will you watch Gray for me while you're at lunch, I'll come get him as soon as I'm out of the meeting" he pleads the baby gurgling as he reached up for his face.

"Oh! Of course!" I smile pulling the bag onto both my shoulders so I wouldn't need to actually hold it. He lets out a breath of relief walking over to me. "Thank you so much" he thanks me handing the baby over.

Gray sits up against my chest pointing to his Dad. He opens his mouth wanting his Dad to come back.  "I'm so sorry my little prince, Daddy will be right back" he coos kissing his head.

Grayson smiles at this before watching his Dad rush out of the room. I follow behind holding Gray in my arms tightly.  One arm holding his back as he basically sat on my other

I waited outside of Draco's room bouncing the child slightly. "Hello buddy" I whisper and he turns to look at me. His eyes widen once he sees my hair. Reaching up for it he grabs one of my curls pulling it.

The curls straighten out and he lets out a silent laugh when he lets go and it bounces back. "You know, I think you should count as a buddy... I don't need to wait for Atlas" I joke while the baby repeats the gesture with my hair.

"So you don't need me now?" Atlas chuckles behind me. His hands bracing my hips as I jump back into him a bit. "Fiddlesticks, you scared me!" I whisper turning to him the baby 'laughing' in my arms.

"Why do you have Gray?" he asks leaning over to make a silly face at the baby. "Your dad had a meeting" I answer him. I take my hand from Grayson's back to reach up and touch Atlas's cheek a bruise still present.

"You need to sleep," I tell him noticing his very obvious eyebags. He grabs my hand nuzzling into my touch. "The nightmares are just too much" he whispers, letting our hands drop.

"Let's go to lunch, Mimi has an announcement and you need to eat" I smile bouncing the baby in my arms. He nods keeping his hand on my back, and we make our way to the Great Hall.

Before going to our own tables he stops me. "Want me to take Gray?" He asks the unthinkable.  I shake my head bringing the baby closer to me kissing his head.  He 'giggles' laying his head on my chest.

"Okay, okay" he chuckles as I send him an innocent smile before walking to my seat at the end of the Hufflepuff table. "Hi, Thomas!" I cheer sitting down next to him. He turns to look at me with a smile "hello Asher! Hello... little child?" His voice wavers, giving me a confused look.

I move Grayson to my lap making him face Thomas.  "Oh it's Grayson... that's Professor Malfoy's son right?" He asks waving to the little one.  Gray looks back at me before pointing to Thomas his other hand going to his mouth.

"That's Thomas he's really nice," I tell the child taking his hand from his mouth. He gurgles reaching forward for Thomas. "Is it all right if I hold him?" He asks me, and I look down at the baby.

He was reaching for Thomas smiling, as Thomas made silly faces at him.  "I don't see why not" I whisper handing him the child.  Thomas holds the child up over his head before setting him in his lap bouncing his legs up and down to make the child bounce along.

He threw his arms up, silently laughing to himself. "Attention all students!" McGonagall calls for our attention. I turn my attention from Thomas and Gray to focus on her.

"As some of you may know, another tradition that comes with the Triwizard tournament is the Yuleball" she smiles remembering probably the only good thing about this dreaded tournament.  Cheers come from a group of students the loud noise startling me, I turn to make sure Gray was okay as well. 

Now clinging to my friend's chest he attempted to play with his hair.  "Sorry, he loves playing with people's hair" I apologize as he shrugs his shoulders.  "It's adorable" he coos tickling the baby's stomach, giving in and letting him pull at his hair.

"It will be held on December 25th the same as always, formal attire only, competitors must find a partner to dance with!" She instructs us, done waiting for us to quiet down.  The chattering still going on only getting louder as she says her final words.

"Asher" Thomas calls for me and I immediately turn back to him. "Grayson wants you" he whispers calmly. I look to the infant leaning forward in Thomas's lap reaching for me.  "Are you over Thomas already?" I ask taking the child from him.

He gurgles reaching for my face. I lifted him getting a kiss on the lips.  "Awe" I gush over how cute he was being. "What was that for?" I ask kissing his forehead before bringing him back to my lap. He's never given me a kiss before!!

"That was so sweet, you're great with kids" Thomas chuckles.  "Thank you, I've been told a lot" I smile making the baby's arms dance around. "I bet, especially with all the toddlers at your house" he states sounding almost astonished before turning to his food.

I follow suit turning to the table searching for any food for the baby.  I wasn't going to feed him much since I knew Draco had stuff, but I wanted to give him something to chew on.  I'd gotten enough experience with the younger kids to know what he was able to eat.

It was lunch so there wasn't a bunch of like breakfasts meat or anything I could give him.  I grabbed a piece of toast tearing it in half setting one piece on my plate.  "Eh!" Grayson bounces in my lap reaching for it.

"Are you going to take your time to eat it, or am I going to have to break it apart?" I ask him his eyes wide not knowing the answer.  "Eh!" He calls again wanting the toast. With a sigh, I gave in handing him to food.

He smiles before taking a big bite. I think he forgot how to eat because he just leaves the toast in his mouth and sucks on it. "Buddy, now is the time for you to actually bite" I giggle as he looks up to me just letting the toast hang from his mouth.

It was absolutely adorable.  After a minute of convincing he actually decides to eat it and I relax a bit knowing he wasn't going to choke. "I've never been so entertained by someone eating bread" Thomas laughs gaining my attention.  "Exactly" I giggle holding Gray's stomach with one hand.

I go back to looking forward my mind drifting into my own thoughts.  The Yule Ball? Would Atlas want to go with me? If I asked him would he say yes? Would I even be able to ask him? What if he wants to take someone else? He wouldn't! He couldn't! We're dating... but what if he needs someone better, to dance with him... I don't even know how to dance!?!?

I groan to myself I'm already overthinking things we just found out like 10 minutes ago.  "Asher, hey you okay?" Thomas shakes my shoulder gently as I blink rubbing my eyes before turning to him. "Sorry lost in thought" I apologize knowing I always did it.

"Oh it's fine... you weren't thinking anything bad though right?" He questions me further rubbing my shoulder comfortingly. "I don't think so, I'm just thinking about the... future?" I answer wearily.

He takes his hand away with a nod. "Okay, don't worry about it too much, you already stress out enough" he gives me a worried look.  "Thank you" I reply shyly happy that I genuinely felt like I had a friend.

Kiara hadn't talked to me since that one day, she'll wave but quickly ducks away afterward. The child in my lap coughs and I panic looking down at him. "You okay baby!" I ask turning him around in my all so I can see him better.  He smiles handing me the rest of his toast.

"Eh!"