I am back! Sorry, I had two busy weeks!

Anyway. This Chapter is kind of inspired by "The joker and the Queen by Ed Sheeran" but especially the version with Taylor Swift!

Lily and Snape were the first ones that came to my mind when I heard this song! Really recommend to listen to it!

xxx

"Mister Potter", Snape lifted his voice just a bit, so he was noticeable, to step in front of him,

"Where is your homework?", his eyebrows moved up, and he gave him a strict look.

"I don't have them. I am sorry, Professor", Harry answered. They all sat in potions-class. Ron, next to him, with a worried look. He forgot his homework as well. Well, actually he didn't forget them. He simply couldn't do them. All his free time went directly into Hermione. The dreadful night was now one week old. Hermione and Neville still laid in hospital-beds by Madam Pomfrey.

This poison hit them even harder than expected at first.

"I suppose you're no longer interested in succeeding your grades, aren't you?", he hissed and looked over at Ron.

"And you, Mister Weasley?"

Ron swallowed while silently shaking his head.

"I see. So the both of you decided to No longer set your priorities into schoolwork.", he nodded conscious, slowly and switched between eyeing Ron and Harry,

"I suggest you get your emotions under control. Dating seems to distract you from the important things"

"10 points from Gryffindor for each of you.", Snape announced.

The two boys just nodded, anxious.

"Now…", Snape rashly turned around, as his robe wafted a bit, "who wants to read out their homework?", he spoke into the class.

No one showed a sign of movement. Normally Hermione would be the first one to reach up her arm, but she wasn't there.

"No one?", he turned around twice to catch everyone's look, before walking back up to his desk, "pity..."

"Everyone files in their works by tomorrow afternoon. No excuses", he continued, and started noting down the loss of points of the Gryffindor house.

"Now… turn to page 394" (legendary, sorry guys haha)

The rest of the lesson seemed like a never ending monologue from Snape himself. Harry wondered why he must be that harsh in class, but when he's with him privately, he was a whole different person.

"I am sorry, Harry", he stopped him right when Harry wanted to step out of the classroom.

"I just have to be like that."

"Yea? You have to, Severus?", Harry hissed. He got angry. Snape always bullied all of his students, but Harry knew that he was different. He was going to be the father of his little sibling, so he had to change. In class and in privacy.

"I am sorry, Harry, I know. I just have to be like this old version of myself", he explained.

"Alright then", Harry twitched to get his hand off his shoulder, stepped forward and disappeared into the crowded corridor.

Severus had no other lessons that day, so he spent the lunch break with Lily.

"What's up, love?", she asked gently while cutting her vegetables. Severus acted strangely quiet. Lily knew that he was a bit special sometimes and never really spoke that much, but this seemed odd to her.

"Nothing.", he nodded friendly and put on a smile for a second.

"Don't lie to me", she whispered softly and took his hand after she put her fork down.

"Do you think I am mean?", he asked and looked at her.

Lily smiled a bit.

"Really?"

"What?", the Slytherin asked back.

"Yes, of course you are mean, but that's you. That doesn't mean that you're a bad person. What happened? You never questioned your behavior before."

"I think I was a bit too harsh on Weasley and Harry today. I don't know, really. He seemed so upset after class.", Severus admitted, and for the first time in years he actually felt miserable for what he said.

"Honey, what did you do?", now Lily's tone got stricter. Harry was her son, so of course she protected him with everything she had. Even if it was her man.

"They forgot their homework and I told him that dating is just distracting them from school and that they should control their emotions.", he explained and shook his head a bit before digging it into his hands, muttering "I am a horrible teacher"

"No you're not. I know that, but mostly you're just not that friendly. See…", she gabbed his hand again to look into his eyes. "… you're the kindest and nicest person I know. You're loving, caring and by far the best Dad that could have happened to Harry. He really likes you. He even brought his girlfriend to get to know you. We know that you are different there than in class. Now you just need to work on your teacher-self."

Severus just nodded and tried to not get lost in her eyes.

"But, if you ever bully my son again, you'll get in trouble, okay?", her eyebrows moved up.

"I am sorry. We're family. I know that.", he answered, "I think I owe him an apology."

"Dinner. He's bringing Ginny.", she nodded and finally continued eating. She got very hungry lately. She loved being pregnant, but this was hard some days.

"Your daughter is owning every food I am eating. There's nothing left for me anymore", she smiled softly.

Severus looked up from his cup of tea, that stood in front of him.

"What?", he gasped a little, "my… daughter?"

"Oh. Oh, crap. Sorry, love. I wanted to keep it a secret", she blushed a bit and couldn't help her wide smile.

"My daughter?", he asked again and seemed to realize.

"Little Ladybug"

"I love you, Lily", he whispered and grabbed her hand to kiss it softly.

"I love you.", Lily nodded and enjoyed his calm touches.

At dinner, Severus explained himself to Harry and apologized. Harry forgave him.

It was exactly that surrounding that made Severus feel comfortable. He finally felt settled. He felt safe and understood, even though he had to protect his little family, it was them who protected him.

Every stroke of dark magic in his bones seemed to fade with every kiss from Lily; every laughter from Harry; every inch his little girl grew inside her.

"I really don't deserve all of this.", he thought before snugging onto his woman. It was like he was the monster, and she was the beauty. Just like the joker and the Queen.