Magic Nesting Doll

Rated K. Kid friendly.

DM/HG

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. I only wrote a few paragraphs. I literally copied the children's book within, word for word. The story contained within is from a children's book called the Magic Nesting Doll, written by Jacqueline K. Ogburn. I don't own Draco or Hermione either.

A/N: This is a Challenge fic. I really hope everyone enjoys this, especially the person I wrote it for. I was actually able to meet all the criteria. Criteria at the bottom.

Summary- Draco reads his daughter her favorite bedtime story.

"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for our kids." Draco Malfoy quipped.

Hermione playfully slapped at her husband as the sound of their daughter screams reached them. They were sitting in front of a toasty fire, enjoying each other's company for a few moments before they would tuck the children in for the night.

The two of them removed themselves from each others arms and stood. Another shriek was heard from above them, and they both glanced at each other.

Hermione rubbed her very pregnant belly, and gave her husband a wonderful version of the Malfoy smirk.

"Remind me again why we're having another one?"

Draco and Hermione reached the second floor, and walked towards their children's bedroom. Bethany and Brighton shared a room, just for the fact that they were twins, and Bethany hated to do anything unless her brother was right there. .

Brighton was sitting on Bethany's bed, waiting patiently for their nightly bedtime story. However Bethany was standing on the top of her dresser, a look of absolute horror mixed with the tears on her face.

Hermione clucked, and went to scoop up her daughter. "Bethany, what in the world were you doing up there?" The young girl sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve.

"Brighton charmed a spider to chase me, and he knows I hate them."

Hermione looked sternly at her son. "Brighton, stop tormenting your sister. You know it's Christmas and Santa won't stop if you're naughty."

Draco confiscated his son's wand and walked over to where Bethany was still in Hermione's arms, and wiped her tears away.

"What shall we read tonight, princess?" Draco asked her.

"Dad, you know she's gonna pick the same old dumb story." Brighton rolled his eyes dramatically. Everyone knew what story she would pick. It was always the same story; it was a game that Bethany and Daddy played.

"Sleeping Beauty?" He asked.

She shook her head.

"Cinderella?"

She shook her head.

"Rapunzel?"

Another shake.

"Hansel and Gretel?"

Another shake.

"Little Mermaid?"

Another shake, and Brighton sighed audibly.

"The Magic Nesting Doll?"

The girl smiled and her face lit up as she nodded furiously. Draco took his daughter from his wife and sat down on the floor, pulling out the book.

*********************

"Once upon a time in a land not too far from here, there lived a girl named Katya. She lived with her grandmother in a small cottage at the edge of a vast forest. They had a simple life, and they were both happy. But then one day, grandmother fell ill. She called her granddaughter to her side.

"Katya, I will not be with you for long. You need to make your own life now, but I have something that will help you."

The woman took a matryoshka, a nesting doll, out of a box. The doll was colorful and beautiful and had a striking resembleance to her Grandmother, even wearing the same apron and kerchief. Katya began to open the doll.

"No! Not yet!" Grandmother told her. "If your need is great, open the doll and help will come. But you can only use it three times. After that, the magic will be gone. Keep the doll and remember me."

Grandmother died shortly after, and when she had been buried, Katya left her home with her grandmother's doll in her pocket.

It was spring when Katya set out, but the next day there was frost and then snow. It snowed for weeks, as if winter had returned. Katya was cold and hungry. Often she would consider asking the doll for help, but then she would find shelter or a bit of food on her own. Finally she came to a great city. An innkeeper took pity on her, and let her stay in the kitchen and fed her bread and soup.

"Thank you for your kindness." Katya said. "Could you please wake me in the morning?"

"If I do, you will sleep forever. There is no morning here now," the innkeeper told her. "Ever since the Tsarevitch fell under a wicked spell that turned him into living ice, it is always winter without thaw, night without moon, and dark without dawn."

"A man of ice? I would like to see him." Katya told him.

"You cannot see him." Said the innkeeper. "He lives asleep in the palace, watched over by his uncle, the Grand Vizier."

"I have no coin to pay you, but perhaps I can break the spell," Katya said, touching the doll in her pocket. The innkeeper laughed, but Katya was determined to see the man of living ice and to break the enchanment.

When Katya awoke, it was still dark outside, but she made her way to the palace. It was a beautiful sight, with red stone and golden domes. The guards at the door refused to let her in, but she saw a huge tree in the courtyard. Katya crept past the guards and climbed up the branches to peer through a window. Upon a velvet bed of scarlet and gold lay the Tsarevitch, still and glittering in the candlelight. Behind him stood a tall old man who glared at Katya as he snapped his fingers for the guards. Katya slid down the tree trunk into a circle of grim faced soliders.

They took her into the chamber of the frozen prince. Katya had never seen a man that was more handsome. His full lips were pale blue and his glassy hands long and fine. His hair glistened like frost. The only sign that he was not a statue carved of ice was the faint cloud of breath, and the slight stirring of his chest. The old man was as red as the prince was blue. His hair and beard glowed like flame and his skin was ruddy.

"Why were you spying on the Tsarevitch?" he demanded.

"Pardon, sir." Said Katya. "I wanted to see a man made of living ice." Now that she had seen him, she pitied him. She longed to see him awake. "I have come to break the spell."

"You!" scoffed the Grand Vizier. "The wizards of nine kingdoms could not break this spell. Great magic is needed to unweave it, more magic than a peasent girl can imagine." The Grand Vizier had reason to know. He was the one who had cast the spell himself, to prevent the Tsarevitch from being crowned and to keep the kingdom for his own. It took all his power to maintain the enchantment.

"But I know I can break the spell, I swear it!" Katya pleaded with him.

"Throw her in the dungeon," ordered the Grand Vizier. The guards took her to a stone prison in a far corner of the palace grounds, and down a dark stairway.

The door slammed shut, and Katya found herself in a tiny cell. She took the nesting dolls out of her pocket. "Oh matryoshka, surely I need help now." Carefully she twisted off the top half of the smiling doll.

Inside, there was another figure. Not that of a woman, but a bear. He yawned and stretched, growing until he nearly filled the cell.

The bear said, "So, little one, tell me your need."

"A magic spell has turned the Tsarevitch into living ice and now the kingdom has winter without thaw, night without moon, and dark without dawn," Katya said. "I swore to break the spell. Also, I am not fond of dungeons and would like to get out."

"Dungeon?" said the bear. "Seems a fine cave to me. Still, if you wish to leave, then so we shall. As for the spell, who better than a bear to bring the spring thaw? Climb on my back." Katya put the doll together, slipped in into her pocket and climbed onto the bear's back. With one huge paw the bear smashed down the door. They rushed up the twisting stair and out behind the palace gardens. The bear gave a great roar and suddenly a warm wind began to blow. The ice covering the trees began to melt and water dripped from the branches.

"Please, take me to the Tsarevitch," said Katya. She wanted to see him awake. As the bear walked, patches of brown earth filled in his footprints.

The palace guards could not stop the bear, and Katya rode straight to the velvet bed. But the spell was not broken. The prince still slept, though now he looked more ivory than icy blue.

"Something more than my roar is needed." Said the bear.

Katya was disappointed, for now she felt more than pity for the enchanted prince, but said, "Thank you , kind bear."

"Keep the doll and remember me," said the bear and vanished.

The Grand Vizier burst into the room with a dozen soliders, pale with fear and rage. The thaw had weakened his

Spell- streaks of gray were in his hair and beard. "Seize her!" he shouted.

This time the soliders took Katya into the forest and tossed her down a deep ravine. Though it was warmer now, the sky was still dark and clotted with clouds. She tried to climb out, but the ravine was too steep and she fell back to the bottom. Katya brushed herself off and took the doll from her pocket.

"Matryoshka, I need your help again," she said, opening the doll. Inside, the bear doll stood still and quiet. She removed it and took off the top half. A wolf twitched and her, and shook his head, and grew until his great gray tail tickled Kayta's knees. He turned in a circle, then sat politely before her.

"Small one, tell me your need," he said. Katya told him of the man of ice and the night without moon and dark without dawn and her vow. "Also, I do not wish to sleep in this ravine."

The wolf grinned, saying, "It seems a fine place to rest to me, but leave we shall. As for the other, who better than a wolf to bring back the moon? Come with me." Katya tucked the doll away and climbed onto the wolf's back. The wolf leapt out of the pit and loped through the forest. At the edge of a field he gave a howl that seemed to come from the throats of a thousand wolves. The clouds overhead began to thin, and the face of the moon peered through.

"Please," said Katya. "Take me to the Tsarevitch." As the wolf ran towards the palace, moonlight flowed behind them like a stream.

The guards offered no resistance and they went straight to the Tsarevitch's chamber. He still slept, but now there was a touch of color to his face and hair.

The wolf said, "He needs more than my song to call him back."

Katya sighed, for now she knew she loved the prince, and longed to see him awake for herself, not just because of her vow. She said, "Thank you, kind wolf."

"Keep the doll and remember me," he replied and vanished.

In a corner of the room stood the Grand Vizier. His hair was like frost, his nose like the drop of an icicle. He seemed weak and withered, but his eyes were still fierce as he called for the soliders to once more take Katya away.

This time the soliders took her to the top of a mountain. They lowered her by rope onto a ledge and left her there. Katya watched the soliders ride to the palace through the moonlight.

"I need your help once more, my matryoshka," she said to the doll. Inside the woman was the bear, inside the bear was the wolf. She wondered for a moment what would be next, then twisted the wolf doll apart. Golden light poured out. In the bottom half there was a tiny bird the color of flame. She lifted her head and streched her wings. In a fiery swirl, she flew up to the top of the mountain and back down to Katya's side.

"Tell me your need, my chick," said the firebird.

"Oh, firebird, the Tsarevitch has been turned into ice by a wicked spell. The bear brought back the thaw, the wolf brought back the moon, but still it is dark without dawn across the kingdom," said Katya. "I swore to break this spell, and I do not wish to live on a ledge."

"It seems a fine perch to me, but as you wish. And for the rest, who better than a firebird to bring back the sun?" said she. Katya put the doll together and climbed onto the firebird's back. Up they flew into the sky, and the firebird burst forth with a great thrill of song. As the last note died away, pink fingers of light stretched over the top of the mountain.

"Please, take me to the Tsarevitch," said Katya. The firebird flew to the palace, sunlight flooding the sky behind them. They flew over the heads of the guards and into the Tsarevitch's room.

The Grand Vizier stood next to the bed, still as stone. The prince was restored- his hair was as brown as the earth, and his skin was warm with life. He stirred as the firebird's light fell across his face, but did not wake.

"Why isn't he awake? Can't you help him?" Katya cried.

"His heart is still frozen. Another kind of magic is needed now," the firebird replied. A strange crackling, snapping sound came from the corner. The Grand Vizier was trying to speak, but his jaw would not move. Now he was made of living ice, but his eyes were open, glaring at Katya.

Turning away from the Grand Vizier, Katya said, "Thank you kind bird. I will find some way to wake the Tsarevitch."

"You have all you need, little pigeon. Keep the doll and remember me," said the firebird, and she vanished.

"I have no more magic to help you," Katya said to the prince. She watched him as she thought. At last she knew what she must do.

"Perhaps the wizards of the nine kingdoms can break the spell now. I will go and find them." She looked down at the prince, more handsome now than ever. Her heart was heavy at the thought of leaving him. Quickly, she bent down and kissed him.

There was a great crash behind her, and she turned around to find that the Grand Vizier had toppled over and smashed into a thousand pieces.

"You're real!" said the prince. "I dreamt that a marvelous girl kept coming to me, riding wonderful beasts. And it was you!"

Katya's heart leapt with gladness, for she had found the last bit of magic. As for the prince, what better bride than a girl who could break magic spells and ride magical beasts? They were married, most happily of course. As for Katya, what better Groom than a man whose heart melts at love's first kiss?

The Tsar banned all hunting of bears, wolves, and firebirds and Katya kept the nesting doll in a place of honor on a cushion from the velvet bed.

***************

Draco looked over the edge of the book to find Hermione smiling softly at him. Brighton was asleep, but Bethany's eyelids were fluttering open and shut, very close to slumber.

She smiled up at her daddy as he bent down to kiss her forehead, and tuck the covers up to her neck.

"Night peanut. Sweet dreams." He told his daughter. She was instantly asleep.

Draco joined his wife a few minutes later in the den. There was a fire roaring on the hearth, giving off a pleasant warmth.

Hermione was standing at the window. The curtains were drawn back, and she was watching the snowflakes fall onto the ground. She was holding a steaming mug of tea in her hands.

He walked behind her, wrapping his arms around her. He smelt the familiar chamomile scent of the tea reaching his nostrils, and he became concerned. His hands moved down to her pregnant belly, and he ran his fingers gently over his child within.

"Is she giving you a hard time tonight?" Draco asked, already familiar with the behavioral quirks of his youngest and unborn child.

"Yes. Are you sure you want to name her Katya? The way she acts right now, I'm leaning more towards Desdemona." Hermione told him, laughing.

"Sweetheart, she's just anxious to make her arrival."

"I know, I'm just getting sick of being pregnant." She took a sip of her tea and closed her eyes. "Next time you can try, alright?"

Draco laughed. "I would if I could, dear." He rubbed her belly again, feeling that familiar thrill when he felt a tiny foot kick him. "I don't think it will be much longer."

Hermione nodded. "She's already dropped, so it shouldn't be long."

"And baby makes five." The couple smiled as they watched the snow falling.

"Merry Christmas, Sweetheart."

~end~

Three things you want your fic to include:
-Snowflakes
-Russian Doll
-Muggle Literature
Three things you do not want your fic to include:
-Angst
-Ginny
-Bookshelves
Anything specific that you do not want to write:
-Slash
-Smut

So what do you think? Did I meet the criteria? Gosh, this story was written soooooo long ago, I just thought it was lonely sitting on the flash drive. :]

Drop me a line and let me know what you thought. After all it did take me hours to copy this book! :] But I do think it's a beautiful story.