Disclaimer: I don't own The Worst Witch.

A/N: Hello, and a happy new year to all!

While I do have another fic in the works, I interrupted that progress to write this little piece of light nonsense while it was still fresh in my head. This is the result of a group chat conversation, involving Hecate and toy unicorns. Since the joke began with ariel_manto's wonderful drawing (and I look forward to some more), I dedicate this to her, and also the rest of the gc. I hope you like it, dears. :)

The Unicorn

'Please?'

'No, Pippa.'

Hecate's voice was firm, slipping naturally into Cackle's deputy headmistress mode as she made to cement her authority over this particular topic of conversation.

'Please?' Pippa asked again. This time the blonde witch chose to assert a little authority of her own.

(Which Hecate would later call cheating!)

Her brown eyes glistened with tears as they stared into the beautiful brown irises of her dearest and oldest friend. Every day, she would thank the fates for finally leading her back into the arms of this truly wonderful woman. That same girl she had loved since the tender age of fourteen. The girlfriend she hoped one day very soon to make her wife.

Reaching out, Pippa placed a hand gently on the witch's arm, and with that Hecate's granite-like resolve finally crumbled.

'Please, Hiccup?'

And that was how Hecate Hardbroom found herself at the local village fair.

Bar the slight misunderstanding over Hook-A-Duck, it prove to be the most wonderful of days. They had laughed until they had cried. There had been candy floss and ice cream. Surprisingly, there had even been a trip on The Tunnel Of Love. And, perhaps, even more surprising than that was that it had been at Hecate's insistence.

Everything had been magical. Until Pippa had dragged her back towards the Coconut Shy, determined to win the cuddly she had set her heart on the moment they had arrived at the fair.

As the stall holder handed over the prize, Hecate was aghast.

'Pipsqueak ... what in Merlin's name are you going to do with that thing?'

The blonde witch just beamed. 'I'm not sure yet, but I rather think she deserves to have a good home. Wouldn't you agree?'

Hecate's mouth opened and closed a few times as she realised where this little performance was heading. 'Oh no, Pippa. Absolutely not!'

Pippa pouted in jest. Smiling sneakily, she suddenly made the toy cock its head to the one side; as though that mere action of cuteness would be enough to make the other woman change her mind.

'No.'

'Please, Hiccup?'

And that was how Hecate Hardbroom found herself going back to Cackle's Academy accompanied by a giant, stuffed unicorn.

Despite her initial protests, Hecate had to admit that the creature was not the worst thing in the world. In fact, there was something rather endearing about it.

In many ways, it actually reminded her a lot of Pippa.

Yes, it was girly, and cute and cuddly, but its horn — with the real thing at least — still had the ability to tear someone to pieces if it felt that it was under attack. Or, if it needed to defend itself.

Much like the way the Pentangle had always defended her against the mean girls of their school.

For a few weeks, it simply sat on a chair in the far corner of the room.

One night though, when her emotions and anxiety-ridden state was particularly bad, she picked it up, desperate to release something before she burst. Too drained to mirror Pippa, she instead curled up under the many blankets, letting her tears of sorrow fall onto the soft, cooling fur of her furry companion as she cried herself to sleep.

And that was how Hecate Hardbroom finally began to appreciate the value of owning a cuddly toy.

Ada Cackle gently tiptoed across the flagstone, tea-tray in hand, as she tried not to disturb the sickly potions mistress in deep slumber.

While most of the castle's inhabitants were only mildly suffering from a recent bout of witches' flu, there were two witches in the school who were suffering a great deal more than anybody else.

(Hecate, once conscious, would no doubt be thrilled to learn that she had yet another thing in common with the worst witch of the entire school!)

As Ada made her way across the room, she suddenly got the distinct feeling that she was somehow being watched. Looking over to the far left corner of the room, she realised that she probably was.

'Hello there.'

While finding a giant, fluffy unicorn in the rooms of the strict deputy headmistress may have seemed somewhat of an odd discovery to make, Ada Cackle had always known that her friend and employee was not nearly as cold nor as unfeeling as she often pretended to be

The real Hecate's softness was there in all the little things she did for the school that she thought no one knew about. That no one even noticed.

Ada noticed though.

Just like she noticed the slightly matted fur of the stuffed animal she was now holding. The headmistress bit back a smile. Clearly, the cuddly toy was not solely for decorative purposes. Plopping it back on its perch, she wondered why she had never noticed it before now. It was almost as though someone had cast an invisibility spell to hide it from the naked eye.

With a smile, Ada realised that someone probably had.

Before she could think on it any further, a pained moan filled the room. She immediately turned around, her heart aching at the sound of Hecate's pitiful whimpers as she tossed and turned, firmly locked under the spell of a raging fever.

The headmistress quickly conjured a bowl of water and a damp cloth, and gently began to bathe her deputy's fevered brow, desperately trying to bring down the rising temperature.

'Mmmm .. Pipsqueak?'

'No, but she's on her way, dear.'

At the sound of Ada's voice — or, possibly more at the knowledge of her girlfriend's imminent arrival — Hecate appeared to calm slightly.

That was, until she suddenly remembered she had forgotten to do something very important.

She practically shot up; the action sending fresh pain searing through her already aching head and bones. Luckily, Ada caught her before she could fall backwards and smack her head off the metal frame of the headboard.

'Steady now.'

'I need to ...'

Hecate tried to make her body comply with her wishes but with every movement, she could feel the room spin further away from her. Shapes and colours danced before her tired eyes as she struggled to even remain conscious.

'Sprinkles!'

'I... Pardon, Hecate?'

'Unicorn ... spell.'

Suppressing a smile at the name, Ada helped her to lie back down, carefully adjusting the pillows and blankets to make her more comfortable. 'There's no unicorn here, dear. I think you might be more delirious than we first thought.'

Hecate opened her eyes again, regarding Ada with a quizzical yet glassy look; like she didn't quite believe her superior. Before her brain could form any kind of response though, another wave of exhaustion washed over her and she slumped.

'That's it,' Ada carefully wrung out the cold cloth before sitting it atop the sweat-covered forehead. 'Just you try and get some more rest.' She stayed for a few minutes more, and then only when she was convinced it was safe to do so, quietly made her way towards the door. Before she left though, she stopped, turning back to address the stuffed animal that still sat watching her, hoof raised as though it was permanently waving.

'Now then, you be sure to look after her. Otherwise you'll find you have me and Miss Pentangle to answer to.'

And that was how Ada saved Hecate Hardbroom from the embarrassment of knowing that someone else knew she had a treasured toy unicorn named Sprinkles.