𝙹𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝙿𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚜

A Grandmaster of Sorts

Your husband James falls victim to Harry's new obsession around the game rock, paper, scissors — dad!james x mom!reader fluff

Warnings: none

Words: 0.9k

a/n: this is based on something that actually happened at a family reunion last week, I just HAD to write about it because it was maybe the cutest thing ever, so enjoy!!

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Harry strode into the kitchen with a goal. You weren't sure what that goal was, but you were excited to find out. He stopped next to the table where you and James were enjoying some tea and he tugged gently on the knee of your husband's trousers.

"Can we play rock, paper, scissors?" Harry asked his dad.

That was his new obsession. You taught your son how to play the other day when he told you he was bored when there was nothing to do during a heavy thunderstorm. Ever since, he's been asking you to play his new favourite game with him.

James put down his teacup and turned to look at his son.

"Rock, paper, scissors, eh?" James said with cartoonish condescension. "I'm down for a few rounds, but you should be warned, Haz, that I'm the master of that game."

James moved around in his chair to face your son, cracking his knuckles obnoxiously to make Harry laugh.

"You're on, son."

They held out their hands, but paused before actually playing. They put on their best game faces and tried analysing each other to guess what their first move would be.

They both nodded, feeling confident enough to start a game. They lifted their hands and repeated the name of the game, then made their moves.

A draw. Both hands were positioned with open palms facing the ground. Since paper and paper means a tie, they went again.

Another draw. Both hands in rock position this time.

Harry laughed at the situation even though James kept his stoic expression.

"Where'd you learn all this? The skills must be in the genes, I bet."

The little boy shook his head happily and pointed at you. "No, Mummy taught me!"

"Well, she must have taught you all my tricks. That's definitely how you got to my exact skill level." James proclaimed. "Let's keep going, I'm gonna win this time."

Your husband held out his hand, ready to start another match, but your son held out his hands, asking James to pause.

Harry was doing a poor job at hiding a mischievous grin, so you paid attention to what he had to say.

"We should try to tie again." The boy suggested. "We should both do paper."

James obviously knew what his little boy was plotting, but he didn't dare show it. He just nodded along as he pretended to mull over the idea.

"Yeah, we should do that. Then we can match, and you can be just like the great James Potter. I like the sound of that, Haz."

They agreed on that little plan and then started the next round. Big shocker, Harry betrayed James and threw up scissors, defeating your husband's move of paper.

Harry burst out into a fit of adorable giggles as James looked at him with a pretend expression of shock. His jaw practically on the floor and his eyes were full of pain over what just happened.

"I win, Daddy!" Harry exclaimed after his laughter subsided.

"Good job, baby!" You congratulated your boy.

"You tricked me! I demand a rematch."

Harry held out his hand for another game, but he wasn't starting just yet.

"What if we tied again? We could both do paper." He suggested, that grin making a reappearance.

"Are you going to trick me again?" James asked, eyes wide as he looked at Harry.

"I promise I won't. I just want it to be another tie."

James nodded, pretending he trusted his son even after that first double-cross. He agreed to one more round under the pretence that it would be a draw once more.

But lo and behold, Harry put up another pair of scissors, defeating James. Somehow, James looked even more flummoxed this time, but Harry was just as happy.

"It seems like you aren't really the king of this game, my love." You told your husband with a shrug.

James told you that he'd win next time, and the pair resumed their battle.

You sat and watched Harry pull the same tricks on his father for several more rounds, James keeping up the charade of being shocked at his son's plays, and Harry finding it absolutely hilarious every single time.

Eventually, Harry proclaimed that he had simply won too many games to keep going, so he wanted to play by himself in his room. Before he walked off, you kissed him on the forehead and told him you'd bring him a special snack as a prize for winning so much.

"Harry's got winning in his blood." You said to James, standing up from your seat. "Unfortunately, it seems like it comes from my side."

James stood up right after you. He walked over to the counter where you were preparing the ingredients for Harry's snack and wrapped his arm around your waist.

"I know, he's a champion." James sighed. "I don't even think I can break his heart by playing to my full potential."

There was a quiet moment where the only sound in the room was the small knife slicing through the fruit and against the cutting board.

With his free hand, James nicked a piece and tossed it in his mouth before you could say anything. Then your husband spoke again.

"I think I'll have to start teaching him chess and then have Remus avenge me." 

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