For the Ultimate Battle Competition- Black Market prompt: Andromeda fluff

Maybe it's a trick of the light. Of course it is. What else could it be?

Andromeda closes her eyes, and then wills herself to open them again instead of falling asleep right there on her feet as she leans over the side of the crib near her bed.

She's hardly slept and the light of early morning hasn't fully illuminated the room. The midwife went home an hour or so ago, and Andromeda shouldn't even be up and about yet, but then again, she's never been one to follow the rules.

So here she stands, wondering if perhaps the stress of childbirth has addled her brain. Maybe she should go back to bed and sleep while she can. They say that mothers should sleep while the baby sleeps. They say a lot of things but no one ever mentioned anything about this.

She cocks her head to the side to get a better look and there's no other explanation.

Pink. It's unmistakable now. What began as small patches of discoloration has now spread over the entirety of her newborn baby's scalp and Andromeda can only drop her jaw in astonishment as she realizes that little Nymphadora's soft hair is bright pink.

Andromeda shuffles back to bed and grips at her sleeping husband's shoulder, gently shaking him awake.

"Ted. Psst! Ted."

"Hmm?"

"Come look at this."

Ted sits up in confusion rubbing the sleep from his eye with the back of his hand. "What's the matter?"

"I…" Andromeda struggles for words. What can she say that won't sound absurd? My baby's hair is pink? She can picture Ted rolling his eyes. "I'm not sure exactly."

Her husband gets up, his movements becoming quicker at the thought of something wrong. He peers over the railing of the crib and furrows his brow in confusion.

"Purple?"

"No. Pink!"

Ted shakes his head and holds out his hand to support his wife as she comes to stand by his side. Sure enough, Andromeda can clearly see that what was pink fluff is now a vibrant purple.

"Well, it was pink," Andromeda says.

"Do you…do you think she's all right?"

"She seems all right. What do you think?"

Ted shrugs. "She's not crying," he offers. "If she wasn't okay she'd cry right? That's what babies do."

"Yes, but babies don't change their hair," Andromeda says firmly and then a reality dawns on her. "She's doing magic already? Oh, Merlin!"

Ted tightens his grip around her waist and helps her back into bed. "I'll take her to St. Mungo's," he says.

"Not without me."

"I'll send an owl to the midwife then."

"Our baby's hair is purple, Ted. Purple."

Ted holds out his hands palms up in an expression of defeat. This is new territory for him. He's a Muggleborn, and while Andromeda has always been impressed by his ability to adapt to the wizarding world, she is glad that he is just as mystified as she is. A moment of frustration passes between them only for Ted to hang is head, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

"It's not funny," Andromeda says through gritted teeth.

"Oh, but it kind of is," Ted responds. "I can't believe this is our first disagreement as parents."

Andromeda shakes her head and tries not to smile. She doesn't want to give him the satisfaction. It doesn't work however. Especially when he looks into the crib once more and says, "It's pink again. Amazing!"

Finally, he straightens up and seems to come to a decision. He gently coaxes his wife back into bed, pressing his lips firmly to hers before going to leave the room. "You get some rest, love," he says. "I'll write to the midwife."

And so Andromeda settles back into the pillows, grateful that her husband is so quick on his feet as well as stunned by this new development. As sleep overcomes the rest of her senses, she reassures herself with the thought that surely, pink hair isn't a cause for alarm. A little color never hurt anyone.