22

Chapter 22

A Father's Love

Draco's POV

I was pacing outside the hospital. I heard footsteps and looked up. I ran to Lily when I saw her. She hugged me tightly and I closed my eyes.

"You alright?" I asked.

"I will be. Is my brother awake?"

"I'm not sure. Weasley was getting on my nerves so I left."

She stepped back and looked into my eyes.

"Pettigrew escaped."

"What?"

We sat down and she told me everything that happened.

"The poor bloke was sent to Azkaban for twelve years. All for a crime he didn't commit." I said.

"And now he's going to be subjected to the Dementor's Kiss. It's just not fair. It's not right."

"I know. But I don't think there's anything we can do." I said sadly.

Her eyes suddenly went wide.

"No, but I think know someone who can. Draco, if I'm not out here when my dad comes, I need you to stall him."

"Do you have any idea how hard that's gonna be? He'll know exactly what I'm up to."

"Please. Do it for me."

He sighed but nodded.

"Alright, but be quick."

I kissed his cheek and went into the hospital.

"Hermione!"

She looked at me and I ran to her.

"You can save Sirius."

"What do you mean?"

"I know how you've been getting to your classes. At least I think I do. Please! Harry deserves a proper home." I said.

She smiled a bit, but sadly.

"Lily I can't. I don't have permission to do that. You know as well as I do, awful things happen to wizards who meddle with time."

I opened my mouth to say something but I stopped when I heard an angry voice in the hall.

"Right. I'm going to go save my boyfriend before my father kills him. But you know what you need to do Hermione. Please."

I turned and hurried outside.

"Lily."

"Daddy?"

"You are grounded for the summer."

I sighed.

"I know." I said sadly.

He hugged me.

"One day you'll understand why I do what I do."

I smirked and hugged him. He left again and I looked at Draco.

"You came after me. Even when there was a werewolf running around."

He smiled at me.

"Course I did. You're my girlfriend and my best friend. What did you expect me to do?"

I smiled and hugged him.

"You're the best."

"I know."

I laughed and playfully smacked him. He chuckled.

"I need to get back to my brother. I'll see you later."

He kissed my cheek and I went back inside. I looked at Ron.

"How's your leg?"

"It hurts."

I smirked.

"I'm sorry Lily, I'm sorry about what Scabbers… I mean Pettigrew did to your parents."

I smiled sadly.

"It's not your fault Ron, but thanks. But I still have my dad. That's good enough for me."

"He protected us. Lupin almost killed him but he still protected us." Ron said.

I smiled and nodded.

"My father is a great man. He would never let any of my friends get hurt."

Ron smiled a bit.

"How did you do it? You're a weasel."

I smiled and held my finger to my lips. I winked and he just shook his head.

"Lily."

I looked at Hermione and saw Harry waking up. I ran over.

"I saw my dad. Lily it was dad who sent the dementors away."

I shook my head.

"Harry that was me. The dragon was me."

"I meant the stag."

"I don't know who that was, but it couldn't have been James."

"Listen Harry, they've captured Sirius. Any minute now the Dementors are going to perform the kiss." Hermione said.

Harry's eyes widened and he put on his glasses.

"You mean they're going to kill him?!"

I shook my head.

"No… it much worse."

"They're going to suck out his soul." Hermione said.

At that moment the doors opened. Dumbledore walked in and we ran to him.

"Headmaster you've got to stop them!" Hermione said.

"It's true sir, Sirius is innocent." Harry added.

"It was Scabbers who did it." Ron said.

We all looked at him.

"Scabbers?"

"He's my rat sir. Well he's not really a rat, I mean he was a rat. He was my brother Percy's rat. But then they gave him an owl-"

"He's an Animagus. He's Peter Pettigrew. You must believe us." I said.

"I do, Miss Snape. But I'm sorry to say that the word of four thirteen year-old wizards will convince few others." He walked over to Ron. "A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who have forgotten how to listen." He said.

"Then ask my father. He knows the truth."

Dumbledore shook his head. He turned to Hermione.

"Mysterious thing, time. Powerful, and yet when meddled with dangerous. You know the laws Miss Granger, you must not be seen! But if you succeed tonight, more than one innocent life can be spared. Three turns should do it."

I smiled and put my hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Oh, and when in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be quite useful. Good luck."

Dumbledore was funny that way. Sometimes he said things that didn't seem to make sense.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?"

Hermione pulled Harry and I towards her.

"Sorry Ron, but seeing as you can't walk."

"I knew it!" I said.

Harry tried to touch the time turner but she smacked his hand. She turned it three times and then we waited. When it stopped she tucked it back into her jacket.

"Where were we at seven thirty?" she asked.

"Hagrid." I said

"Come on, and we can't be seen!" she said.

"Way ahead of you."

I turned into a weasel and climbed into Harry's pocket.

"That's useful." Harry said.

It wasn't a very comfortable ride for me though. They were running the whole time.

Draco's POV

Snape was a pretty tough parent. But it was clear that he loved her more than anything. I wished my father loved me. Snape acted like he was cold and uncaring, but with Lily he was the complete opposite. He actually smiled and on rare occasions he laughed! The only time my father laughed was when he got his own, cruel way. I counted myself lucky that I had my mother. My mother was going to love Lily.

Lily didn't have a mother. She'd been robbed of that luxury when she was a baby. But Snape was able to tell her about her mother. In the end, it all came down to the fact that I wanted a father like Snape. I didn't want Snape himself, that would just be weird.

I met up with Lily a few days in the Astronomy tower. Or should I say, I met with the weasel version of my girlfriend. So much had happened and she'd been so busy. She jumped down onto my shoulder and I smiled. I took her off and put her down so she could turn back into herself.

"Buckbeak is alright. We set him free."

I smirked.

"Father won't be happy about that. But I'm happy to hear it."

She smiled and we walked to the railing. We'd be leaving Hogwarts soon, and it was going to be a long summer.

"I'll write to you. I'm pretty sure your dad won't let you out to see me."

She laughed a bit.

"No he will not. But it still could've been worse. That's not a joke."

"I don't even want to know what he's capable of. Just thinking about it scares me. But he loves you dearly. Anyone can see that."

She smiled and laid her head against my shoulder.

"I know he does. I don't know what I'd do without him. I don't where I'd be."

"Well it doesn't matter. You're here now. You have me, your dad and brother, and your friends. That's because he raised you, not someone else. You're a Snape, and never in a million years would I change a single thing about you."

"Thanks Draco."

Snape's POV (Probably only one time)

My little girl truly had grown so much. I'd meant to speak with her, but then I heard everything she and Draco said about me. I smiled to myself. She was the only thing that mattered to me. I would do anything and everything to ensure her safety and happiness. But I was scared. I knew that things were changing and fast. I was terrified that I would lose her in some way. My daughter was the only thing in my life worth living for.

"So what about that dragon patronus?"

She laughed.

"I was just as surprised."

"What was the memory?"

"This past Christmas. With my dad."

"Firebolt."

"Not just that, the smile on his face. Dad doesn't smile as often as most people. That's just the way her is. But you can always tell by looking in his eyes. That's where you see the smile."

I smiled a little more.

"I've him smile. Well when it wasn't a smile because of you. That time he wiped the floor with Lockhart and then when Lockhart was fired."

That would always be a very fond memory.

"Never mess with a Snape. We don't screw around."

Well, it seems you do listen to what I say. At least some of the time.

Then again, most teenagers didn't listen to their parents. She wasn't most teenagers. She had more respect and common sense. For which I was very thankful. All in all, I was proud of her. She would never know how proud.

Lily's POV

I said good bye to Draco, my friends and Harry.

"If they give you problems, send a letter. I can persuade dad to go over there."

"In that case, I promise you I will. I might not like Snape, but he really is scary sometimes."

I laughed and then hugged him.

"I love you Harry. You need to know that."

"I love you too Lily. My sister."

I smiled brightly and then we said goodbye.