"Hot water, stick bottle under it, test to make sure it won't burn him." Tonks gave Draco an exhausted look, but there was a mother dragon's protective gaze above the dark circles. "If you can't manage it, come wake me up. Don't worry about Remus; it won't wake him."
He gave a hesitant nod. He knew that look too well. His mother had that same look often when she felt her son was threatened.
"'ll test it before I give it to him. Anything else I need to know?" He didn't have much interaction with Teddy and was only shown how to feed him. He didn't know how to do anything else and really needed to learn how to do so.
"It's only an hour. Just... keep him happy for a little while and handle if he gets hungry or soiled." She stroked Teddy's hair gently before she stood, walking over to hand Draco her son, though there was some worry in her eyes. "You can wake me up for anything."
"Alright," Draco replied and took Teddy into his arms. He gave a small smile to Teddy, happy to have his cousin with him. He did his best to hide his own nervousness so that way Teddy didn't pick up on it. He only hoped nothing majorly went wrong in the hour.
Teddy peered up with those big eyes - currently a very normal color of brown - but as he looked up at Draco, they started to shift to grey. Tonks swallowed, then gave a small nod before she started to leave. In the doorway, she paused again, clearly still nervous about this, but after that hesitation she left Draco alone with her son. A huge sign of trust that Draco would probably only get one chance at.
Which left him alone with an infant who was watching him oh so curiously.
"Looks like, it's just you and me right now," Draco said. "I wonder what kind of trouble we can cause?" He gave a smile and raised an eyebrow. He noted quickly how fast Teddy's eyes were changing to his own.
He decided to walk around the living room and kitchen, holding Teddy. The walking helped ease his own nervousness about taking Teddy for the hour. He honestly hoped it would go smoothly, but he wasn't banking on it either.
Teddy gave a burble of a happy sound, as if agreeing with Draco that they could get into trouble. He was big enough he didn't need to have his head supported any more, and more so to get into trouble, he could crawl. Eyes the same color as Draco's looked up at him from a smiling face. He peered around, then reached with both hands towards his toys he could see in the living room.
"Let's go for the toys." Draco gave a smile when he spotted the toys. He carried Teddy into the living room and carefully placed him on the floor near the toys. He then brought the toys over to him. He never got to see Teddy on his own. He was either being carried or in the crib. He wondered how much of a handful this was going to be. He placed a few of them out to see if Teddy wanted either of them.
They were still simple toys, but things that crinkled and had little floating lights and played sounds. Wizarding toys, the lot of them, which was almost ironic given the state of the Muggle items in the house. Teddy almost immediately put one up to his mouth, chewing on the edge of it like babies do, fixated on the lights that sparkled above his eyes. Really, how bad could this be?
Answer would be about ten minutes later, when suddenly the happy look stopped and he gave a confused sound, then started to squirm a bit, sounding cranky.
Here, Draco thought they were going to be Muggle toys considering how much of the house resembled a Muggle's place. He was secretly relieved to see this.
Just when he thought things were going well, Draco glanced at Teddy trying to decipher what was wrong. Was he hungry or did he need his diaper changed? He decided to reach over and pick up Teddy just to check. If not he was going to go and make a bottle just in case. He was rather nervous about dealing with either issues, but knew he wasn't going to avoid those.
Oh Draco would know pretty much as soon as he picked Teddy up - a diaper change was certainly in order, and soon if Teddy's sniffling was anything to indicate. He grasped onto Draco's clothing and hiccuped, pretty obviously going to start crying.
"It'll be okay," Draco soothed. "We'll get rid of the stinky diaper..." He couldn't help but make a face at the smell.
He gave a wary sigh and found the diapers and wipes...well this was going to be certainly interesting. With some difficulty he took the clothes off of Teddy and studied the diaper briefly to see how it was put on before he began the process of changing the soiled one. He only hoped that Teddy would behave for him and now try to squirm or crawl away on him.
It seemed Teddy was relatively well behaved. He looked around and crooned since it seemed like Draco would make everything better. It was messy and probably took more wipes than necessary to handle but some quick wand work and deduction would make it less messy than Muggles had to deal with. Hopefully Draco would have some indication to use the baby powder though!
Last minute he spied the baby powder and placed some on before putting the diaper on. Of course, some of it still ended up on him as well in a small burst of powder explosion.
He checked a few times before he believed that the diaper was on correctly and secure. He tossed the soiled diaper away before putting the clothes back on. At least this part was a small success. "Did I past the first test, Teddy?" He asked as he let the baby go back to the toys.
Teddy certainly seemed to think so! He burbled in that way babies do and crawled awkwardly to get over to his toys, faceplanting hard but he got up moments later and played happily. When it got closer to the end of the hour though, with Teddy occupied by sounds and lights, eventually he slowly crawled back towards Draco, a chubby hand grasping at his pants leg.
Draco spent most of the hour playing with Teddy and the various toys, getting them to make the various sounds and lights. When Teddy wanted his attention, Draco figured he must be hungry.
"Ready for a bottle?" He asked and picking him up, he went to follow the instructions of how to prepare the bottle and testing it to see if it was warm enough to drink and not to hot. This wasn't so bad...then today he didn't seem as fussy.
Then again Draco had only been watching the baby for an hour which was barely anything. Teddy looked pleased when he was picked up, then tried to get a handle of platinum blond hair. Good luck with that, Draco.
However, when the bottle was presented to him, he greedily latched onto the nipple and started drinking the milk, grasping the bottle himself and peering up at Draco as he drank.
Draco was quite lucky. The real test would be babysitting him for a few hours.
"Hey, easy on the hair there, buddy," Draco commented as Teddy managed to grab some of his hair. He could only imagine what it would have been if he had his father's long hair. At least Teddy was content with the bottle.
Lucius probably could tell stories about Draco grabbing hair when he was a baby; it was just something babies tended to do. Teddy looked oh-so-innocently up at Draco as he drank, sucking hard on the bottle while at least old enough to keep it up himself. One small problem was Tonks had forgotten to tell Draco about burping the baby, which could be a messy issue in oh, ten minutes or so.
Vaguely, Draco remembered Remus telling him about the burping part. He had also been warned that it could be messy too. This was just going to be one of those messy days. He looked for a cloth to put on his shoulder, while Teddy was finishing up the bottle.
"Yes, practice working on that innocent look. It's going to save you from getting into trouble later on," Draco teased. He placed the now empty bottle on the table as he picked up Teddy. Placing him the way Draco remembered Remus holding him, he patted Teddy's back.
Good thing Draco remembered the cloth, because the burp was indeed quite messy. Still, he gave a happy burble when he finished and immediately, since it was in close range, grabbed a handful of hair again and laughed as he held on tight. Clearly going to be quite a handful the more he grew up for Remus and Tonks!
Draco winced at the hair pulling, this was something he was not used to dealing with or expecting. He knew he couldn't be mad at Teddy, this was clearly a baby thing. He wondered how his father put up with all of that when he had been a baby. He struggled to gently rearrange, Teddy so that way his hair was out of reach. He knew that Teddy was having fun...but this was rather painful for him.
Teddy looked quite innocent as if he hadn't just been doing that, blinking up with a wide smile at Draco before shoving a fist into his mouth and sucking on it. There was not a sound from upstairs yet, if Tonks was asleep or perhaps just resting along side of Remus, but Remus would probably still be unmoving for many hours more. Draco had seen just a part of how terrible his curse really was.
Draco debated on waking up Tonks since the hour was clearly up...but he felt that for now things were okay. Let her rest a little longer. It had been a rough morning, and he doubted she got any sleep the night before.
"Let's get you a toy," he suggested. He went back into the living room and grabbing a toy or two sat on the couch with Teddy. At least it wouldn't be his hair.
Given the chance to sleep, and with his biological needs met, Teddy was pretty happy to play for a while beside Draco on the couch before he gave a great wide yawn of his own, then over the next few minutes, just put his head right down on the couch and fell asleep there, splayed out among his toys. He looked utterly content in his sleep, the kind of sleep adults never got but wish they could. The house went quiet with his sleep, leaving Draco the sole waking occupant of it.
It would be another hour or so before Tonks made her way back downstairs, in a bright purple robe and fuzzy slippers, a hand covering her mouth as she yawned. When she spotted Draco and Teddy, her brows went sleepily up. "...Did you let me over sleep?" she accused, but not unkindly.
no subject
"Hot water, stick bottle under it, test to make sure it won't burn him." Tonks gave Draco an exhausted look, but there was a mother dragon's protective gaze above the dark circles. "If you can't manage it, come wake me up. Don't worry about Remus; it won't wake him."
no subject
He gave a hesitant nod. He knew that look too well. His mother had that same look often when she felt her son was threatened.
"'ll test it before I give it to him. Anything else I need to know?" He didn't have much interaction with Teddy and was only shown how to feed him. He didn't know how to do anything else and really needed to learn how to do so.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Which left him alone with an infant who was watching him oh so curiously.
no subject
He decided to walk around the living room and kitchen, holding Teddy. The walking helped ease his own nervousness about taking Teddy for the hour. He honestly hoped it would go smoothly, but he wasn't banking on it either.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Answer would be about ten minutes later, when suddenly the happy look stopped and he gave a confused sound, then started to squirm a bit, sounding cranky.
no subject
Just when he thought things were going well, Draco glanced at Teddy trying to decipher what was wrong. Was he hungry or did he need his diaper changed? He decided to reach over and pick up Teddy just to check. If not he was going to go and make a bottle just in case. He was rather nervous about dealing with either issues, but knew he wasn't going to avoid those.
no subject
no subject
He gave a wary sigh and found the diapers and wipes...well this was going to be certainly interesting. With some difficulty he took the clothes off of Teddy and studied the diaper briefly to see how it was put on before he began the process of changing the soiled one. He only hoped that Teddy would behave for him and now try to squirm or crawl away on him.
no subject
no subject
He checked a few times before he believed that the diaper was on correctly and secure. He tossed the soiled diaper away before putting the clothes back on. At least this part was a small success. "Did I past the first test, Teddy?" He asked as he let the baby go back to the toys.
no subject
no subject
"Ready for a bottle?" He asked and picking him up, he went to follow the instructions of how to prepare the bottle and testing it to see if it was warm enough to drink and not to hot. This wasn't so bad...then today he didn't seem as fussy.
no subject
However, when the bottle was presented to him, he greedily latched onto the nipple and started drinking the milk, grasping the bottle himself and peering up at Draco as he drank.
no subject
"Hey, easy on the hair there, buddy," Draco commented as Teddy managed to grab some of his hair. He could only imagine what it would have been if he had his father's long hair. At least Teddy was content with the bottle.
no subject
no subject
"Yes, practice working on that innocent look. It's going to save you from getting into trouble later on," Draco teased. He placed the now empty bottle on the table as he picked up Teddy. Placing him the way Draco remembered Remus holding him, he patted Teddy's back.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
"Let's get you a toy," he suggested. He went back into the living room and grabbing a toy or two sat on the couch with Teddy. At least it wouldn't be his hair.
no subject
It would be another hour or so before Tonks made her way back downstairs, in a bright purple robe and fuzzy slippers, a hand covering her mouth as she yawned. When she spotted Draco and Teddy, her brows went sleepily up. "...Did you let me over sleep?" she accused, but not unkindly.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...