March 1995
Lily watched as Severus read the Daily Prophet at lunch time. They had taken to eating lunch in their chambers recently to avoid the rampant tongues and grazing eyes of the students.
"What does it say?" she found herself asking. Knowing that she didn't really need to ask from the grim expression on his face.
"The usual. Everything is fine, go about your business, Albus Dumbledore is a nut job, Sirius Black is a layabout and a poor role model, James Potter couldn't play goalie for Chudley Cannons, the usual."
"Anything about the werewolf legislation?" she asked, twisting a lock of her hair around her finger absently.
"Whatever it says, it won't affect Lupin. " Snape responded, turning a page of the paper and blowing on his tea. "He's as safe as us, plus, with an Auror for a girlfriend..."
"it's the others I worry for. That Umbridge-hag already made life difficult for werewolves as it is…"
"I think the majority of werewolves can look after themselves Lily-darling."
Lily put down her sandwich and sat back, rubbing her chest.
"Heartburn?" he asked, flicking down a corner of the paper.
"Yes."
"Remedy?" he offered.
"Sure."
Snape got up, putting his paper on the table beside his tea and sandwich before looking in his cupboards.
Lily stole a glance at the front page. It boasted of 'Brave New World' and how the ministry was making the wizarding world a better place for all of its magical inhabitants. Lily doubted this very much. Pius Thicknesse had gone awfully quiet and had pretty much ignored Hogwarts since the night Dumbledore banished him and his ministry from the running of Hogwarts, something unheard of in the history of Hogwarts.
But Lily knew that it was just beginning.
Snape came back with a small phial and handed it to her.
Lily smiled and sipped it back in one before handing the phial back.
"Now…How are your legs? Crampy?"
"Sev, please…Not the book again." Lily sighed, folding her arms.
Severus had recently got a book from Flourish and Blotts called 'Enchanted Pregnancy for the supportive sorcerer.' A book by a witch called Fecunda Patience. He was now using it as if it were his core text for an exam that would be due in September.
"Now, it says that in the Fourteenth week you should be experiencing leg cramps. Are you getting any leg cramps?"
"Sev…Honestly, I'm not."
Snape examined the book, his finger tracing down.
"Mood swings?"
"Not really."
"Tenderness in the br-"
"Sev…I'm fine!" she burst out.
Severus looked slightly hurt as he closed the book with a creak.
Lily stood up and stroked his cheek.
"Please…I know you're trying to help, but I don't want to cause you any worry. I love you and I will tell you if I start hiccupping fire or grow a tail. But for now, I'm good."
Severus gave her a slight smile.
"Now, eat your sandwich." she winked.
Snape sat down with the weighty tome on his lap and started to eat rapidly.
"Today someone asked me if I got sick in the mornings." Lily replied, eating some of her sandwich, peeling apart the bread to pick at the turkey inside.
Snape looked at her rapidly, and swallowed quickly, coughing slightly as the dry bread went down.
"And?"
"I told them only after I'd been drinking." Lily responded with a small smile.
Snape's face broke into a mischievous grin.
"Good girl…" he growled.
Lily felt herself blush slightly and then started laughing.
