Hallows Game || HP X Squid Game (Draco Malfoy)

38 - A Christmas Gift

A/N: Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas if celebrating it. Anyway, here's your update - delay only due to the fact that I have been busy stuffing myself with cheese and chocolate for the past three days.

Enjoy!

*****

He didn't think he would be able to close his eyes, but to his complete astonishment, it had been the best night's sleep he had had in a long time.

Ever, even.

He was free, free from his father. Free to be with the woman he had waited for for all this time, and free to finally be a father to their daughter.

A child of whom he hadn't even met yet.

But he sensed her presence, even if she wasn't there. It was in the pram in the hallway he'd nearly knocked over the previous night in his haste to get to the bedroom, it was in the little brown toy rabbit laying abandoned on the chest of drawers... in the yellow teething ring on the bedside table.

It was in Alia.

He couldn't describe it, but it just felt right that Alia should be the woman he'd have children with. He had felt it even during the games: their conversations in the bathroom stalls as she talked passionately about her childhood had led him to briefly fantasise of the two of them creating a happy home together, full of love, children and laughter.

He would even go as far to say that what he saw when he looked at her was his soulmate... if he believed in all that shit.

And, waking up in bed with her in his arms on Christmas morning of all days, he had to agree that this was the best gift he could have ever asked for.

As he lay there, lightly drawing patterns across her arm with his fingertips, she stirred, and he immediately felt his heart give a flutter of anticipation at the thought of simply seeing her eyes again.

Plus, he had a raging boner.

"Draco," she whispered groggily, the gravel of her voice causing him to grow harder, "you're still here."

He couldn't help but give a soft, throaty chuckle, holding her that little bit tighter, just so he could believe himself that this was real.

"Of course I'm still here," he murmured, his voice sleepy and hoarse as he reached up to brush aside her hair. "I'll be here for you for as long as you need me. You and our daughter."

A sleepy smile tugged at her lips as her eyes sparkled brightly into his. "You haven't called her by her name yet."

"I haven't met her yet."

Draco could not explain it, but it just didn't feel right until he could see her and hold her.

Alia glanced up at the clock on the wall. Despite their chaotic night, they had woken early. It was only six-fifteen in the morning.

"She'll still be asleep," Alia yawned, nuzzling her head into Draco's chest, the tickle of her hair against his skin arousing him further. "We can lie in a little longer before I go over and fetch her, if you like?"