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Unquestionable Love	By : CRMediaGal Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 3380 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. No money/profit is made from this story.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
A/N: Another flashback that was fun to write...

Many thanks to my wonderful beta reader, Brittny.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me.

Chapter 21: Eye to Eye

Severus paced the confined hospital room floor several times, unable to keep still or calm his nerves, and his unraveling behavior irritated him to the core. Why could he not just relax? Everything would be fine. It had to be fine...

He was supposed to be offering Hermione assurance. He had promised to keep his wife as placid and comfortable as possible. After all, that was his responsibility in all of this, and yet, here he was, striding back and forth like some ridiculous dunderhead. He ran his fingers through his black locks repeatedly, anxiety written all over his pale face.

Even now, in his early forties, he still looked like the former Slytherin Headmaster who had been through quite an ordeal; yet, there was a newfound composure that had not been present since he was a young man. Not since when life was somewhat carefree because he had his best friend at his side; a beautiful redheaded girl who became his first love: Lily Evans.

Only now, events in the wizard's life had changed dramatically. How greatly things had altered in just a few years. Severus tried to focus and laced his hands together, continuing to stalk up and down the small room, his nerves clearly rattled. Then a voice rang out at the other end of the room. It was a young woman, and she sounded as disgruntled as he felt.

"Severus, for Merlin's sake! Stop pacing, you're driving me insane! Come over here!"

Severus abruptly halted and turned to face Hermione, his robes flaring out dramatically, and he took in the sight of her lying in the hospital bed. Her curls were pulled back in a lose ponytail with a few strands trailing down her neck. She was wearing a hospital gown, though it was nothing like the god-awful robes one might find in a Muggle hospital. It was much more attractive and snug, and was very pretty on Hermione in particular; but then she was always beautiful to him.

Hermione was propped up with her arms holding her swollen stomach. Some twinkling crystals lining the ceiling shone light onto her face, presenting an alluring image of the beautiful Gryffindor despite the circumstances.

At the sight of her husband's fretful expression, Hermione held out her hand to him. "Severus," she repeated, much sweeter than before, "please, come sit down."

Severus hesitated before letting out a soft growl of obedience. He stalked over to Hermione and propped himself down on the bed beside her, taking her outstretched hand in his. She smiled affectionately, warm and inviting.

"How do you feel?" Severus muttered unemotionally, though the clever witch sensed the masked undertone of concern.

"I'm fine," she offered quietly, reaching over to trace a few of the buttons on Severus's coat. "Much calmer than you, I'm afraid."

Severus growled again as Hermione stifled a laugh, toying with the fabric on his chest. She stared into his eyes for a long time, soaking in the moment before them. She was excited, to be sure, but a little anxious about the pain, and she dared not say anything to the already apprehensive wizard staring just as anxiously back at her. It would only worry him more, and he was already visibly shaken, much to her personal amusement.

"You ready for this?" she teased, her smile broadening.

Severus tried to give a pleasant smirk, but the weight of the predicament ahead, mixed with the many reservations he had had since the beginning, showed on his grave face, and she frowned at noticing it. His forced enthusiasm was hardly encouraging.

"Severus," she said, forcing her emotions to the back of her mind, "we've been through this. It's going to be fine."

Severus nodded but glanced away, staring for a moment at their interlocked hands. They had only been married a few years and were about to embark on a journey that Severus never believed he would experience. It frightened him, though he would never admit it. Not to Hermione. Not to anyone.

"Severus?" Hermione repeated, her voice rising slightly at his silence.

"I'm sorry," he uttered faintly, blinking a few times. "Of course, you're right. It will be fine."

Hermione stared at him, unconvinced, and scrutinized him thoroughly. She managed to swallow before hushed words poured out of her, shaking Severus from his private doubts.

"I thought by now you would be over this. That you would be happy for us..."

A series of emotions passed Severus's face, and he leaned in to caress Hermione's chin, as she now appeared solemn and disappointed. "I am happy, Hermione. I promise you."

Hermione's face softened a little, but she let out a heavy sigh. "This is what you want, isn't it? I... I have to know for sure. Please, tell me."

Severus stared at her unmoved, though his mouth gave a slight twitch. "Why would you doubt me? And why are you asking me this now?"

"Because you're too difficult to read sometimes!" she exclaimed, unable to keep up the pretense anymore. "It's beyond frustrating, Severus! Please, just spell it out!"

Severus fought what would have been his usual reaction: to fight back, offer some snide remark in return, or say something he would ultimately regret. Instead, he drew in a deep breath before tracing the outline of Hermione's jaw affectionately, focusing on the ravishing woman that belonged to him, though he had no idea how that had come to be, even now.

"I love you, Hermione. I will never reproach you for what you have allowed me to experience with you. I'm just nervous, all right? That is all. I am happy, truly. Now stop with this nonsense."

Severus grunted awkwardly, still not completely at ease with showing his affection. Hermione nodded again, this time much more emphatically, and wrapped her free hand around Severus's, which still stroked her chin. She now held both of his hands in hers and brought each to her lips individually, wanting to savor the taste of his skin on her mouth. Severus watched in awe, exceedingly satisfied to receive her gentle kisses. They never failed to amaze him.

"Can I get you anything, my dear?" he asked with subtle attentiveness, removing one of his hands to brush a few curls away from her face.

Hermione shook her head. "No." She paused before placing their other intertwined hands on top of her chest in a safeguarding manner. "Just don't let go of my hand, please?"

Her simple, understated request warmed the Slytherin man to the core, and he tightened his grip around her fingers. "Never," he whispered, cracking a rare smile.

Severus's assertion seemed to be enough for Hermione, and she leaned back in the bed again, gazing at him with contentment. Then she unexpectedly braced herself forward, looking away from him momentarily as the shooting pains that had started earlier that morning commenced all over again.

Severus reacted immediately and shot out of the bed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders with his face inches from hers. He hunched over her protectively, scanning her grimace with a worried brow.

Severus had no idea why Hermione insisted on doing this 'naturally.' She had insisted upon it since the beginning, most stubbornly, but Severus knew it would only be a matter of time before her labor pains became truly unbearable. Would she scream? Would she cry? Would she beg for relief? Would she break his hand?

Merlin, I hope not, Severus moaned to himself as he watched her struggle.

Hermione let out a gasp and convulsed against the pains, squeezing her eyes shut, and her hand immediately tightened around Severus's as the shooting pangs continued for several more agonizing minutes. They lasted much longer than any of the previous pains, and Severus grew increasingly nervous, unconsciously shifting his weight from side to side. He hated feeling useless and watching her suffer needlessly.

"Easy now, easy," Severus murmured as she gasped again. He rubbed her back, not knowing how else to comfort her.

Suddenly, the door burst open and a healer waltzed in, followed closely by two young nurses. Their lime green attire affirmed their employment at St. Mungo's, and the elderly healer—a mediwitch in her late sixties with long white hair and a patient face—approached the bed.

"Ahhh," she breathed cordially, "I think we are getting close."

Severus wanted to roll his eyes but contained the urge. How obnoxiously considerate of the woman to point out the obvious! He hoped Hermione was too distracted by the pains to care, because she surely would have retorted something back otherwise.

Hermione leaned against Severus's arm as the throbbing subsided, but she hardly looked relieved, much to the dark wizard's dismay. He wanted to offer her something but knew she would just rebuff him like before. There was hardly any time for him to say anything before Hermione jerked forward again, wincing in pain, her cries considerably louder this time.

"Well, now," the aged mediwitch spoke, as the two nurses gathered on either side of her, waiting for instructions. It aggravated the professor to see them not doing anything, not making any attempts to aid Hermione who was hunched over before them, clearly in agony.

A very dark, dangerous glare formed on Severus's harsh exterior and his upper lip curled in a threatening manner. The healer and her apprentices, however, did not seem to notice. The mediwitch casually sat down and examined Hermione for a brief moment before her eyes livened and she shot them both an elated smile.

"Oh, my, my. I think it's time, dear."

"NO KIDDING!" Hermione barked with her eyes closed. It brought Severus secret pleasure to hear his wife's ferocity breaking through her normally sweet demeanor.

The two nurses drew their wands from their pockets and Severus's raven eyes narrowed. "She doesn't want that!" he snarled, holding her tight as she continued to gasp. "She's already told you! No birthing aid spells! Put those damn things away!"

The two young girls startled and turned nervously from the frighteningly angry man to their mentor. The mediwitch looked on calmly from her seated position in front of Hermione, ready to assist with the delivery process. She smiled charitably at Severus, which only riled his nerves further.

"My apprentices are only following protocol, Master Snape. If anything were to go wrong in the process, or if something were to be wrong with the baby, it is essential that they have their wands at the ready. Now just relax. We have done this many, many times. There is nothing to worry about, I assure you."

Insolent woman! Severus reflected with a low growl, barely able to withhold his temper and growing anxieties.

The mediwitch turned her attention to the woman in labor, a smile still etched on her elderly face. "Go ahead and push, dear. You're ready."

Severus waited a moment before deciding he had had enough of sitting by silently as Hermione doubled over in pain, pushing as hard as she could, whimpering and screeching through her clenched teeth the entire time. He allowed her to squeeze his hand. She was unaware of cutting off the circulation in Severus's fingers, however.

"What can I do?" he implored beside her, but Hermione quickly slighted him.

"NOTHING!" she shrieked, extremely annoyed. "Just hold my hand, damn it! HOLD MY HAND!"

The mediwitch chuckled softly, but Severus willed himself to ignore the insufferable healer. The woman was certainly not much help at the moment. Why Hermione put herself through this was beyond his comprehension, but she was obviously in no frame of mind to think or speak on the subject.

Then the fuzzy image of the entire incident lapsed into the black void, replaced suddenly by another scene that took place not much later. In fact, it was the same day, only Hermione's afflictions were gone, as were the mediwitch and the two nurses. The entire setting had changed and yet, remained the same.

Hermione sat on the hospital bed with a small being wrapped up in cloth. She was beaming down at the infant before her, completely enraptured by its every move. Severus was sitting beside her on the bed, his arm spread out over the back of Hermione's pillow as he stared down at the baby with an intensity and keen interest that no one had ever seen before.

"She's perfect," Hermione murmured, laying her head against Severus's chest, wrapped up in the sheer joy of the little life she was holding in her hands.

Severus gradually reached out and wove his index finger into the newborn's palm. The tiny fingers reacted, clutching his finger for a moment. It was a stunning moment of contact, and one which Severus could not quite fathom.

Hermione gazed up at him, her pretty eyes overrun with a love she could not contain. "You want to hold her now?"

Severus reluctantly tore his gaze away from the baby to his wife. She had never seen him so serene before, and it was enticing to witness. His eyebrows unexpectedly narrowed at her question, but they were the only part of him that reacted. Hermione knew what was running through his mind, and she offered him the persuasion she knew he needed.

"It's all right, Severus. You won't hurt her."

Severus bowed his head and kept one arm wrapped around Hermione, holding his opposite arm out in a cradling position. Hermione leaned over and placed the infant into Severus's arm, attentively soaking in the reactions of both.

The little girl's eyes were open as she cooed softly and, for a moment, Severus allowed himself to marvel at her, completely transfixed by the plumpness of her skin, her diminutive size, and the fact that the little being was so weightless in his hold. Even more shocking, she did not withdraw or flinch, or offer any sort of revulsion at the sight of the pale-faced wizard looking down at her, reactions he had, unfortunately, grown quite accustomed to since he was a mere boy. It had taken some time getting use to Hermione's heartwarming affection, and the little baby he held now in his arm seemed to possess nothing but love for him as well. The result was overwhelming.

"Hello, Lily," Severus whispered, his deep voice filled with feeling as he surveyed her in admiration.

Hermione's smile only grew as she observed father and daughter greeting each other properly for the first time. It was hard for Hermione to imagine the very different life she had been living before Severus, and, in that moment, she could not imagine her life playing out any other way.

This, she concluded with a strong sentiment, was meant to be.

"She looks like a Lily, doesn't she?" Hermione muttered close to Severus's ear, watching his unnaturally glowing expression.

"Yes... She does. Very much so. You were right, my dear."

Hermione jabbed him in the chest, her fingers lacing around a few of his black buttons again, tracing them with her finger. Severus continued to stare down at the child, a look of sheer wonder glistening in his eyes.

"I think it's only fitting, don't you?"

Severus rested his head against Hermione's, his visage tranquil as he gazed down at his daughter, a tiny being whom he and Hermione had brought into the wizarding world and created out of their love for one another. He released the emotions that, for so long, had been buried somewhere deep within, thought to be long dead.

"Yes," he replied after a thoughtful pause. "She is, indeed, a Lily...but she's our Lily."

Severus's eyes fluttered opened, taking in the quill, ink, and papers in front of his blurry line of vision. He uttered a deep groan and eased himself up, taking a hand to his forehead as he propped his elbow on the hard surface that his face had just been resting on. He reluctantly scanned his surroundings and, as he took in the familiar sightings of the Potions lab, his dark pupils suddenly expanded.

Had he really just fallen asleep at his desk? That never happened...

"What time is it?" he grumbled into the darkness, not really thinking about how no one was around to hear. He was far too accustomed to being alone at Hogwarts.

Severus glanced at a clock on the mantle near his desk and moaned. Four fifteen in the morning. He had slept four or five hours and had not finished the various tasks he had planned to accomplish. There were still the various correspondences he needed to reply to, the second year exams piled next to his desk that he had not even begun to grade, and still a number of potion orders he and Hailey had not completed that needed to be sent out immediately.

Severus sighed and tried to stand, but his stiff limbs would not allow it. He stumbled and crashed back into his chair, tousled and out of sorts. Severus doubled over in agony, clutching his chest as he suddenly gasped for air. Every ounce of him was fighting the will to operate, causing him to snarl in frustration. He detested being weak and was grateful no one was around to bear witness to his pathetic afflictions.

After managing to catch his breath, Severus willfully closed his eyes, recalling the cherished memory he had just experienced in his dreams. He knew why that recollection had come to him. Ever since Lily's and Surina's accidents, he could not get the startling images of that day out of his head, and his tired mind racked over them obsessively, trying to remember every second, every detail.

Severus, however, only grew infuriated at an unavoidable factor: he had not witnessed anything out of the ordinary. All he knew was that the Bludger seemed to materialize out of nowhere, with none of the Beaters from either team chasing it down or even remotely close by, and Surina's broom gave every indication of moving against her will.

Someone wanted to harm his children, and he had no idea who that might be, what they were after, or why they were threatening his family. He had written back and forth to Hermione several times since the accident, trying to reassure his worried spouse that everything would be fine, but that was hardly the case.

Severus rummaged through the letters on his desk, searching for the one that he needed. When he discovered it, he squinted against the dingy light of the flickering candle on his desk, absorbing its contents again. He needed to write Harry Potter back. After all, he was just as interested in finding out what had happened as Severus.

Severus could certainly use the help, but he was rather hesitant—not to mention slightly suspicious—about bringing his former pupil into the matter at all. And if Hermione found out, Severus concluded with a terrible scowl, she would most likely be furious with both of them for going about their investigation without her. Severus, however, quickly shunted that to the back of his mind and inked his quill before scratching off a furiously fast-written note to his correspondent.

When he was finished, he struggled to get to his feet once more, gripping the desk for balance and fought against his debilitated body that battled him every step of the way. It took the sallow-faced professor a moment to collect himself, but then he progressed forward, ignoring the stifling pains as best he could, and headed for the Owlery.

"How are you feeling, Lily?"

Lily Snape's eyelids fluttered before taking in the sight of James and his dark, tousled hair as he plopped down into a seat beside her in the Great Hall. She was relieved to see his charming, attentive face. Her mind was filled with lingering thoughts from the Quidditch match the other weekend, and they were growing more unsettling by the day.

"Better," the pretty Gryffindor offered her worried friend, who was scrutinizing her with a tense disposition that she found endearing.

"Your head doesn't still bother you, does it?"

Lily shook her fair hair, her large curls waving back and forth. "No, not at all."

"Well, that's good!" said James, relief seeping through his voice. He took a sip of his pumpkin juice before addressing her again. "Mum will be relieved to hear it. She's written me several times already. I have a feeling she's been bugging your mum as well about how you're doing."

Lily rolled her eyes in agreement. "Yeah, my mum has written me almost every day. I'm sure she's been doing the same to Surina. I wish she would just relax already."

"What about your dad?"

"He's still looking into it. Erm, I'm not really sure how, but when my dad puts his mind to something, it's difficult to stop him. I've decided not to question him on it."

"Yeah... I really wonder who caused all of this, Lily. Gregory and Peyton feel really awful for not being there to keep the Bludger away."

"They were on the opposite end of the field. There was no way they could have gotten to me in time, even if they had seen it coming. They shouldn't feel so bad. I've gotten more than enough apologies from those two Beaters."

James grinned at Lily for a long moment before his face turned unexpectedly serious. "You really scared me, Lily. For a minute, I truly thought..."

Lily surveyed James's strong features, taken aback by the words her friend could not bring himself to say, and her pink lips fumbled over how to reassure him. Then Hailey, Albus, and Hugo came barging in—much rowdier than usual—and threw themselves into their usual spots near the two third years. Lily heard her younger sister's voice call to her from a few seats down.

"Have you seen The Daily Prophet today, Lily?"

Both James and Lily hesitated before looking away from one another, their eyes darting to the trio nearby. Hailey was staring at her sister with expanded eyes, a copy of the newspaper spread out before her, its front page images moving underneath her hands.

"What?" Lily asked, confused.

"You haven't heard?" Albus breathed excitedly.

He and Hugo gaped at them as if they were mad. James's face contorted, his brow furrowing in puzzlement.

"We had a full schedule today. What is it, Al?"

Hailey rose out of her seat and rushed over in a matter of seconds, throwing The Daily Prophet down in front of them. Lily and James leaned in to read the big, black title on the front page: Deadly elixirs kill five at St. Mungo's. Thirteen in critical condition from poisons. Ministry of Magic investigating.

"What on earth..." James mumbled, looking over the moving pictures in shock. Five portraits of wizards of various ages and statures stared back at them, their faces animated and alive, only the heading said it all: they were dead.

"Do you think Dad knows about this?" Hailey whispered close to Lily's ear.

Lily did not answer right away. Her head remained hunched over the picture as she briefly scanned the contents of the disturbing article. Finally, she looked up and met Hailey's worried, round eyes.

"I'd be very surprised if he didn't." Hailey's button nose scrunched up, but Lily spoke again before her sister could ask. "He's working with Uncle Harry," she glanced over at James, who was staring at the back of her head, "erm, your dad, on who's behind these poisonous draughts. I saw him writing Uncle Harry a few weeks back, and he told me in so many words that that's what he was doing."

"Yeah, Dad's been on the case since the beginning," Albus replied.

"St. Mungo's is such a safely guarded place though," James piped up, his eyes fixated on the article again. "How did five people manage to get poisoned without anyone knowing or catching on beforehand?"

Albus shrugged and shook his head, his long hair half masking his green eyes. "We were all just talking about that. It doesn't make any sense. But Lily, you have to get Hailey to calm down about all this! I've already told her that she's acting crazy!"

Lily's eyebrows narrowed and she turned from the Potter boy to Hailey, who was still looking quite shook up over the matter. "Hailey, what's wrong?"

Hailey glared at her male friend but then, as she turned to face her elder sister, she bit her lip hard, looking quite nervous. "I - I don't want to be Dad's Potions assistant anymore."

"What? Why? Did Dad do something?"

Hailey shook her bushy, unkempt hair. "No, no! It's not that! It's just those potions... I - I've been helping Dad the past couple weeks with potion orders, and - and we've sent plenty to St. Mungo's... You - You don't think that I...?"

Lily drew back for a moment, not understanding what her fretful sibling was getting at, but then she unexpectedly let out a fit of giggles, causing Hailey to huff and cross her arms. James also chortled softly beside her, his trademark smirk returning.

"Oh, Hailey," Lily chuckled, shooting her a pitying look that made the younger girl cringe, "oh my goodness, don't think like that! You couldn't possibly have done this! Is that what you really think, sis?"

"Awww, poor girl," James sniggered, before taking a sip of his pumpkin juice, struggling to get the drink down amidst all of the laughter.

"It's not funny!" Hailey cried as Albus and Hugo laughed too.

"So you poison wizards now, Hailey?" came a piercing voice from behind that made her shoulders tense.

Albus and Hugo immediately hushed. Hailey reluctantly turned around to face the voice, though she did not care at all for the person she knew was standing directly behind her. Lily and James stopped snickering long enough as well to take in Scorpius Malfoy. His infamously dramatic blonde hair and smug expression spoke volumes to Hailey, and she stared him down with equal dissatisfaction.

"You would poison the wizarding community, wouldn't you?" Scorpius sneered, his angular face contorting wickedly. "Why your father lets you brew potions at all, I'll never know. He must feel terribly bad for you, especially after what happened in class that first day."

"What would you know about it, Scorpius?" she challenged between gritted teeth, causing him to cackle odiously.

"Oh, I know a thing or two about your father, believe me."

Lily wanted to spring out of her chair but James, as if reading her rigid body language, seized her by the arm and held her back. Hailey, however, did not flinch but continued to stare the boy down.

"I don't care what you claim to know, Scorpius, and anyway, my assistantship is none of your business! If you know what's good for you, you'll back off!"

Scorpius casually ran his hands through his spiky hair. The permanent grin etched on his face made Hailey's hands tremble. She wanted nothing more than to rip that irritating smirk right off. Her shaking fingers inched towards her wand in her pocket, but she resisted the urge to grab it.

"If it's any consolation, Hailey, you wouldn't have the skills to pull off poisoning anyone. Your father could surely attest to that if you asked him."

Hailey's cheeks flushed. Although she expected low insults from the arrogant boy before her, as he had been picking on her for years, she never understood why. He seemed to have nothing but respect for Surina and her father. He even left Lily alone for the most part, but not her.

Hugo and Albus had their jaws set at a vexed angle and scoffed at him across the table. "You're one to talk, Malfoy," Hugo retorted, "seeing as you're doing so well in Potions. Daddy must be proud."

Scorpius's haughty smirk disappeared, replaced by some other feeling that Hailey did not recognize. He glared at her two friends with the utmost contempt and did not respond right away.

"Didn't make the teacher's 'pet post' like your father did, Scorpius?" Albus taunted, his dislike of the Slytherin clear as day. "Is that why you feel the need to pick on Hailey? Because he chose her and not you? Because she has the skills that you lack?"

Scorpius guffawed before crossing his arms and shaking his head, the heat visibly rising in his cheeks. "I hardly care about being Professor Snape's little house elf, Potter! I just pity the poor Death Eater, having no one but Hailey to use as his assistant. A Gryffindor. It's pathetic."

"Take that back!" Lily yelled unexpectedly, bolting out of her seat before James could stop her. The eruption garnered attention from a number of students throughout the Great Hall, their eyes peering over with interest. "How dare you call him that!"

To their annoyance, Scorpius barely flinched at her outburst, instead turning towards Lily with a mockingly quizzical expression. "I'm sorry, did I just speak the truth? Do you have a problem with what I've said? You must have hit that goal post harder than I thought."

"Shove off, Malfoy!" James threatened, rounding on him in a manner that surprised Hailey, Hugo, and even Albus.

It was unlike the eldest Potter to act at all abrasive, but he stepped forward and in front of the Snape girls, his figure towering over the boy by several inches, his bigger fists clenched at his side. Scorpius, however, ignored the larger threat in front of him, not fazed by any of them.

"How easily riled up you Gryffindors get. It really is far too easy! My father was right!"

"Yeah, a man who was nothing but a bully!" said Albus heatedly.

"And a coward!" Hailey added, secretly content to see the pale boy's smug smile vanish again, knowing she had touched upon a nerve.

"How dare you say a word against my father!" he hissed, inching closer before James blocked him from taking another step. Hailey ignored his advance.

"How dare you say anything against my father!"

"HA! You don't even like him! You said so yourself. You think I don't know? You're quite the evil child. Hater!"

Hailey's face went white, and Lily and James eyed her questionably. "How...?" Hailey breathed, her voice considerably quieter than before. "How do you know about that?"

Scorpius returned her question with an unusual, altered stare and looked like he was about to say something when, at that moment, Surina emerged at his side, her creamy complexion and black hair shimmering against the glow of the torches scattered throughout the Great Hall. The Slytherin's appearance distracted them from their rift. Her dark eyebrows were constricted as her colorless eyes darted from one person to the next, taking in the unfriendly faces before her.

"What's going on?" she inquired with suspicion.

"Your so-called friend is being an imbecile, that's what!" Hailey asserted, as Lily stalked up from behind to back her sister up.

Surina rolled her eyes and spoke before Scorpius could retort, "Oh, please, shut it, all of you!"

She waved her hair to one side with an air of indifference, evidently uninterested in whatever argument was taking place. She threw her arm around Scorpius's shoulder and placed one hand on her hip. The mere contact with the evil boy made Hailey's blood boil, and she clenched her jaw at such an atrocious sight.

"If you don't mind, I'm rather hungry and your obnoxious bickering is ruining my dinner! Come on, Scorpius, let's go."

Surina grasped the first year, who was only slightly shorter than her, and pulled him away. He did not go willingly. He scowled and glowered at them maliciously, not taking his eyes off of the Gryffindors until he reached the Slytherin table.

"Slimy git!" Hugo muttered as soon as Scorpius sat down.

Hailey turned around and locked eyes with Lily, who instantly reached out and squeezed her arm. "You all right, Hailey?"

"Yeah... You?"

"I'm fine," she replied with her kind smile. "What was Scorpius going on about you hating on Dad for?"

Hailey cast her dark brown eyes to the floor, unable to meet Lily's concerned gaze. In the weeks that past, she had grown increasingly humiliated by her blunder, and there were still amends yet to be made. Her guilt only grew worse the more she worked with her father as his assistant. Things were still strained between them, though not as uncomfortable as before.

"Nothing," she grumbled.

"Hailey?" Lily implored, nudging her arm and pressing her for an answer. "Out with it. Did you tell Dad you hated him?"

Hailey finally met her sister's fairer eyes with a frown. She sighed, knowing there was no way out, short of confessing it all.

"Yes," she replied before adding rather hesitantly, "and I struck him across the face."

Lily reared back in horror. "You what?"

"It all happened so fast! I - I wasn't thinking! I shouldn't have, and I know it was wrong! Don't look at me like that, Lily! I know it was wrong of me, all right?"

"I - I hope you apologized!"

"Not yet," Hailey mumbled, crossing her arms uncomfortably.

"Well, you'd better!"

Hailey nodded, not wanting to touch upon the subject anymore. Lily huffed and crossed her arms as well, staring at her younger sister with fresh uncertainty, but Hailey was preoccupied with the Slytherin table, the anger in her chest mounting on account of seeing Surina and Scorpius chatting rather animatedly, as if nothing had happened. A part of her wanted to lunge at Surina, who was talking to the boy with interest and in good spirits. Had she any idea how many insults he had just thrown her? And how on earth did he know about the heated argument between her and her father? How was that possible?

"How the hell is she friends with that ghastly, awful prat?" Hailey griped, unable to suppress her temper.

Lily did not answer, only sighed in reply. She gripped Hailey's shoulder again to get her attention, her demeanor softer than before.

"Hailey, if you don't want to be the Potions assistant anymore, you have to tell Dad. Immediately."

Hailey exhaled and lowered her gaze. "It's not that I don't want to assist him," she answered in a hushed voice, surprised at her changing feelings regarding the assistantship. This did not go unnoticed by Lily either, who gazed down at her with raised eyebrows. "I just... I'm worried. I don't know why. I mean, the way everyone's been talking about these poisons. It's all very strange, Lily. Dad's been acting funny too, have you noticed? More frazzled than usual. I don't know. I - I'm probably overreacting."

"No, you're not. I'm concerned too. We all are, Hailey, and I'm sure Dad is as well. Why don't you just talk it over with him? Tell him your reservations in light of everything that's happening. I'm sure he'll understand."

Hailey could no longer recall the last time she and her father had had a heart-to-heart conversation, and there was still that other discussion the first year had promised her mother. It had not transpired yet, and now her sister knew about it as well. Hailey took a deep breath before nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, I will."

Lily was about to sit back down at their table when she unexpectedly whipped her head around again. "And you need to apologize, sis. Please? No wonder Dad was asking me..."

Hailey's eyes narrowed as she continued to grip herself protectively. "Asked you what?"

"A few weeks ago, he asked me if you hated him, and if I hated him too, for that matter. Now it all makes sense."

Lily turned away, looking rather glum, and sat down at the table without addressing her sister again. Hailey stared at the back of Lily's head with flushed cheeks, not knowing what to say or do. Then Hugo called out to her across the table, his freckled face cocked to one side.

"Hailey, you all right? Aren't you going to join us?"

Hailey's eyes flitted towards her friends, but she knew there was something else she had to do. Something far more pressing.

"Erm, no, guys. Sorry, I have to go!"

Hailey snatched up her belongings and ran out of the Great Hall as fast as she could, leaving Albus and Hugo to gawk after her, and darted out of the enormous oak doors and disappeared.
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Unquestionable Love