This is the last chapter. E mail me if you want the sequel.
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Chapter 16 - It's going to be Ok.
"What are you doing here?" I asked coldly, not being able to let that last image of Snape with his wand pointed at me go.
"Miss. Granger informed us of your foray into advance magic." He told me letting go when I pushed him away.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"If you would have waited 6 more months, the memories would have come back slowly."
"How could you do that to me?" I asked tears filling my eyes.
"Oh, Ladybug…I had to," he said softly, letting his guard drop, and I could see the sadness in his eyes.
"Why?"
"Jake maybe a squib, but his family is well standing, and they have connections to the Malfoy family. Jake was going to have your mother promise you to Lucius for Draco had I not."
I shook my head, "they would not have taken me. I'm not pureblood."
Snape looked startled, "who told you that?"
"My mother is not a pureblood."
"She is. She was also well known for her beauty. Imagine the daughter of Sirius Black and Selene Gibbs. What an asset."
"My mother was well known?"
"Oh yes. It's what caused Black and I to fall in love with her. We both realized too late what kind of woman she was. Well Black knew, but he wanted a child."
"And you?"
He smiled sadly, "I loved your mother, and I thought Black had stolen her love from me, but in fact she had none to give. I realized that too late, and I was in love with you."
"I don't understand."
"I know, Ladybug. That's why I would have preferred for you to learn it all slowly. As it is, for the next couple of days you are going to be struck down with memories, randomly."
"Ladybug?"
"When you were learning to talk, that was one of the first words you learned. You went around for weeks calling everything, including yourself and me, ladybug."
"Oh."
"You'll probably get that memory back soon. Do you need anything?" He asked brushing a hand through my hair.
"Harry."
He nodded, "can I hug you?" he asked softly.
This time I nodded and he swept me into his arms and held me tightly. I hugged him back but it was a tad awkward. As suddenly as hugged me he let go and swept from the room.
"Twink?" Harry called from the door, "are you awake?"
"Yeah," I said softly still trying to hold back my tears.
Harry walked into the room and sat at the edge of the bed, "are you ok?"
"No," I moaned and he crawled onto the bed and pulled me into his arms.
"What's wrong, love?"
"I want Sirius," I got out before sobs racked my body.
"Shh, it ok," Harry murmured rubbing my back soothingly.
"I-I don't know what to think," I said through my sobs.
"I know, honey," he purred still holding me tightly.
"Don't say 'I told you so,' Harry. I couldn't stand it."
"I wouldn't dream of it. I was wrong, anyway. I should have stood by your decision."
"No. You were right. I was just not thinking, and now I- I feel like I am betraying Sirius."
"Why?"
"I called Snape daddy. God, now I think of him as a dad! How can I do that to Sirius?"
"I am sure Sirius would understand."
"Would he?" I asked softly. The we were silent for a moment, then I broke the silence, "you know what?"
"What?"
"When they first moved me from my crib to a normal bed Snape gave me a stuffed cobra. Know what I named it?"
"I don't have a clue," he said still in his calming voice.
I knew he was trying to keep me calm, "Harry."
"What?"
"No, I named it Harry. Snape was not too happy with that name!"
Harry grinned and kissed my nose, "I bet not."
"And get this. He got me a python, and I named it fluffy."
Harry burst out laughing, but somehow in the middle we were kissing. "Sorry," Harry murmured pulling away slightly.
"For what?" I asked pressing my lips to his, "stay with me," I muttered against his lips before kissing him with a renewed passion. Harry rolled over so I was pinned between him and the mattress and slipped his hands under my shirt. I lifted my arms for him to take it off and he broke away to look at me questioningly.
"Are you sure?"
"I know I love you, and right now I need you, so, yeah, I'm sure."
"Completely? I don't want you to regret this."
"I won't ever," I murmured and kissed him again.
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"I love you, Harry," I murmured after he had cast a contraceptive charm.
"Love you, too, Twink," he said kissing the top of my head and settling down to sleep.
I laid there for a while trying to sleep, but I couldn't so I crawled out of Harry's arms and went to take a shower. I thought it might relax me, but to no avail so I put on my stars and moon pj pants and a white tank top. Sighing, I grabbed my keyboard that Sirius had fixed so that it would play without electricity and went down to the common room.
I placed it on a table and began playing:
Mama, please stop crying
I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful
And it's tearing me down
I hear glasses breaking
As I sit up in my bed
I told dad you didn't mean
Those nasty things you said
You fight about money
'Bout me and my brother
And this I come home to
This is my shelter
It ain't easy
Growing up in
World War three
Never knowing what love could be
You'll see
I don't want love to destroy me
Like it has done my family
Can we work it out
Can we be a family
Promise I'll be better
Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out
Can we be a family
Promise I'll be better
Daddy please don't leave
Daddy please stop yelling
I can't stand the sound
Make mama stop crying
'Cause I need you around
My mama she loves you
No matter what she says, its true
I know that she hurt you
But remember I love you too
I ran away today
Ran from the noise
Ran away
Don't want to go back to that place
But don't have no choice
No way
It ain't easy
Growing up in
World War three
Never knowing what love could be
I'll see
I don't want love to destroy me
Like it did my family
Can we work it out
Could we be a family
Promise I'll be better
Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out
Can we be a family
Promise I'll be better
Daddy please don't leave
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
Let's play pretend
Let's act like it comes naturally
I don't wanna have to split the holidays
I don't want two addresses
I don't want a step-brother, anyway
I don't want my mom to have to change her last name
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
We look pretty normal
Let's go back to that
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
Let's play pretend
Let's act like it comes naturally
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
We look pretty normal
Let's go back to that
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
Let's play pretend
Let's act like it comes naturally
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
We look pretty normal
Let's go back to that
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
We look pretty normal
Let's go back to that
Don't leave
Daddy, don't leave
Daddy, don't leave
Daddy, don't leave
Daddy, don't leave
Daddy, don't leave
Turn around please
I know the night you left
You took my shining star
Daddy, don't leave
Daddy, don't leave
Daddy, don't leave
Mom'll be nicer
I'll be so much better
I'll tell my brother
I won't spill the milk at dinner
I'll be so much better
I'll do everything right
I'll be your little girl forever
I'll go to sleep at night
Ohhh ohhhh ohhhh
"Child, I hope you know that it was not his decision," someone said behind me. I turned to see McGonagall.
"I know," I said softly.
"No, I don't think you do. I don't think you know how hard it was for him to walk away. I don't think you know how hard it was for him to walk into Grimmauld place and see you cuddling with Sirius. Or watch as you were taught to hate him."
"Don't do this to me! God, you don't think I know how hard this is? My dad is dead, and now I find out that the guy who has treated me like shit raised me. He didn't even see it fit to tell me."
"He did not have a choice that either. Just, child, you have know idea how much he loved you, still does. You may not have been his daughter by birth, but in every other sense of the way."
"Please, don't do this," I pleaded.
"You need to know."
"Sirius is my dad."
"But Severus was -is- your daddy. You can separate the two."
"I guess. Was I really afraid of bunnies?"
She chuckled, "terribly afraid. One time, Albus tried to get you to confront your fear and you climbed up Severus and were perched on his head. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen. None of us mentioned bunnies again."
"Oh," I murmured looking at my hands.
"Would you like to go talk to Severus?"
"Uhh…yeah," I murmured.
"Come with me." I followed her out of the tower and down to the dungeons where she stopped abruptly in front of a wall. "Severus I know you are in there. Let me in."
Suddenly the wall dissolved and there was a wooden door. She pushed it in and motioned for me to go inside. I walked in and she closed the door behind me, trapping me in the room with Snape, who I had yet to spot.
"What do you need, Minerva?" Snape's weary voice called from a back room.
I cleared my throat wondering if I should call him professor in this situation. "Daddy?" I called and heard Snape take in a sharp breath.
"Miss. Black?"
"I believe we are past formalities," I called out, "if you want to call me ladybug, that's fine."
He walked out of what I assumed was the bedroom in black boxers and a black silk robe. "What are you doing down here?" he asked softly, looking me up and down, as if seeing if I was real.
"I couldn't sleep, and I went down to the common room and McGonagall found me and yelled at me then asked if I wanted to talk to you so I said yes and here I am."
"Reminding me why I can't stand teenaged girls."
"Well if you are just going to insult me…" I turned to go but he stopped me.
"Wait, don't go."
Suddenly, not knowing what came over me, I turned and rushed into his arms. He took a deep breath and held me tightly. He tangled his fingers in my long hair, "oh, Merlin, I'm sorry." he murmured breaking down. I was slightly startled. In all the time I knew him, that he had not erased, he had never shown any emotion besides anger and contempt.
"It's ok," I told him, holding him tightly. And suddenly it was ok. I didn't know how, or what would happen tomorrow, but it was going to be ok.
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The song is family portrait by Pink.