LIAB Future Cookies

Sweet Dreams

October 2022

Hermione pulled two coffee mugs out of the cupboard above her head as she waited for Harry to come back downstairs. He'd spent the better part of the last hour trying to coax a very energetic Jessica into bed, without success. Hermione often left this task to him; his patience with their daughter was infinite.

"Finally!" Harry stepped into the kitchen and sighed. Hermione smiled as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'd love to know where she gets her energy from."

"I think she does it simply because she knows she's got Daddy wrapped around her little finger," Hermione replied with a grin, turning to kiss Harry's head. She smoothed his hair down; the familiarity of the gesture made Harry smile. As much as he loved his children, he cherished these moments alone with his wife. Lately, they were few and far between, and Harry wasn't one to waste an opportunity.

He turned Hermione around so she was facing him and pulled her close, keeping his arms tightly around her waist. She stood up on tiptoe to place her hands on his face and pulled him towards her, their lips meeting firmly. They kissed deeply for a few moments; then Hermione sighed happily and slid her arms around his neck. She felt Harry move a hand from her waist and slip it underneath her blouse, which had come out of the waistband of her pants when she'd stretched up to kiss him.

She loved the feel of Harry's skin against hers; even after twelve years of marriage, she never tired of kissing Harry, of his touch. Their lust for each other was as strong as it ever was.

Hermione tilted her head back as Harry's lips drifted down to her neck; his hand was moving higher underneath her shirt. As Harry settled his lips against the sensitive part of her neck, Hermione moaned quietly, wishing that he would...

"Daddy?" The soft voice in the doorway startled them both and they immediately pulled away from each other, turning to see their five year old gazing at them with her wide, green eyes.

Hermione bit her lip to stop herself from smiling at the sight of Jessica; dressed in her favourite pink flannelette nightie, her pink bunny slippers adorning her feet, she was a cute as a button.

Tucked under her right arm was her favourite soft toy; a gift from Draco when she was born, it wasn't the usual teddy bear - it was a plush pastel multi-coloured fish. Hermione was yet to figure out what possessed him to get a fish, but it was very Draco. As soon as Jessica was old enough to talk, she'd discussed names with her Uncle Draco and they'd agreed upon Trout. Trout went wherever Jessica went, and whenever she was cross with someone, she would hit them with Trout.

"Jessica," Harry said sternly, interrupting Hermione's reverie. "You're supposed to be asleep."

"I know, Daddy," Jessica's voice became wobbly and her eyes filled with tears. "But there are Erklings under my bed!" Her voice had gotten down to a whisper with the last sentence and she hugged Trout close, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Harry leaned over towards Hermione and whispered in her ear. "Remind me to kill Hamish in the morning, will you?"

Ten year old Hamish had discovered Hermione's old copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them a few weeks back; Harry and Hermione only discovered he was reading the descriptions out to his siblings when they'd heard Jessica crying in her sleep one night about being attacked by Grindylows. Knowing that there was no way a five year old would know of a Grindylow's existence, they'd questioned the boys until Daniel told them about Hamish's nocturnal activities. Since then, Harry had had to check under Jessica's bed with her every night until she was satisfied there were no beasts under there.

"Erklings, huh?" Harry repeated, walking over to where his daughter stood. He held his arms out and she came into them easily. He bent over to pick her up, holding her firmly under the legs, so that she was at eye-level with him. "Well, I guess we should go get rid of them so you can get some sleep." Jessica nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Trout and I were scared," she replied, her eyes still teary. "But I told Trout that my Daddy would be able to get rid of them." Her face turned into a grin and she wrapped her small arms around Harry's neck, clinging to him for dear life. Harry moved one arm up around her waist and hugged her to him tightly.

"I love you, Daddy," Jessica said, her small voice echoing through the kitchen.

"I love you too, Jessie," Harry replied, kissing the side of his daughter's head. Hermione's heart swelled with happiness as she watched them; Jessica was the mirror image of Harry, right down to their raven hair and green eyes. Hermione thought she detected a slight hoarseness in Harry's voice; she knew he felt the same way she did about their children.

They hugged for a few moments, then Jessica pulled back, one arm still firmly wrapped around Trout, the other around Harry's neck.

"Let's go find Daddy's wand, then we'll get rid of the Erklings and tuck you into bed."

Jessica nodded again and looked at her father seriously. "Can you read me one more story, Daddy? Because I'm not very sleepy, and a story might make me sleepy."

Hermione covered her smile with her hand and waited for her husband to give in.

Harry sighed. "Okay. We'll find Daddy's wand, get rid of the Erklings, read you one more story, and then you are going to sleep, young lady. Got it?"

"Got it," Jessica giggled, and all tears instantly vanished.

Harry turned around with Jessica still in his arms and wandered over to Hermione. "Give Mummy a kiss goodnight." Jessica leaned over without letting go of Harry and kissed Hermione.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Hermione said. "Sweet dreams."

Harry shifted Jessica around and gave Hermione a brief kiss. "Be back soon," he murmured. "I love you."

"I love you too." Hermione grinned as she watched Harry and Jessica disappear through the archway towards the lounge room, then turned back to finish what she'd started.