Pit of Snakes (Lucius, Draco, Snape x Reader)

37 • Knock Knock

«Dumbledore knows», you told him.

«And Dumbledore», he repeated, «oh, and yeh of course, Professor», he smiled nervously. Hagrid looked down at the girl who was tugging on his beard, making him giggle. She did too. The professor didn't seem very pleased. Then Hagrid glanced at your tray. «Oh, blimey, I should bring yeh some more food. That's not enough», he said as he put the little girl down to grab the tray once more.

«I won't be eating», Professor Snape's deep voice spoke, making Hagrid all the more uncomfortable.

«Sure thing, Professor», he said and gave it back to you. You smiled.

«Thank you, Hagrid, I'll see you tomorrow», you said and he nodded. Waving goodbye to Scarlet she huffed at him leaving. Closing the door you sighed and went to put the tray on the table.

«Is he here everyday?», he asked, his voice monotone.

«Yes, he brings us food and gives me a hand every now and then», you explained as you tried to get Scarlet into her seat for dinner. She squirmed in your arms and had no intention to do as you wanted.

«Why don't you eat with the others?», he asked, feeling confused.

«They don't know about her, only Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore», you said as you struggled with the child, but finally she was in her seat. You wiped your forehead as you gave him a smile, «and Hagrid I suppose».

«Why?», he asked.

«Because I wanted you to know her first», you said as you put a plate in front of the hungry girl.

«Right», he said as he simply just stood there.

«Do you want to sit?», you asked him, he hesitated for a moment but decided to sit on a chair next to you. He watched the toddler play with her food. «You know», you looked at him as you paused for a second, «I named her after you».

Professor Snape looked at you, «my name isn't Scarlet», he said slowly.

Your eyes widened, «no, no, it's the-»

«It was a joke», he said, as the side of his lips curved upwards.

«Oh», you laughed, «sorry, it was just unexpected».

«Fair», he mumbled. Then he looked at you and grabbed your hand. The touch of his skin on yours surprised you. «Thank you, it's a beautiful name», he said slowly as he kept looking at the girl, who now had food all over her face and hair.

«Thank you», you murmured and stared at his hand on yours. He saw this and cleared his throat as he withdrew. His demeanor immediately changing.

«I should get going», he said.

«I'm about to give her a bath, are you sure you don't want to stick around?», you asked, your eyes glistening with hope. It couldn't hurt to just ask.

«Sounds messy», he said.

«Children are messy, Professor», you sighed. Maybe this just wasn't for him. Maybe it had already been too much for him to take in. But you wanted to give it time. «You don't have to», you said as you helped her get the food on her spoon, «I'm doing fine on my own».

«If you say so», he said as he stood up and walked to the door, turning to look at you he just glanced at the girl before he left and closed the door behind him. Him leaving like that you wondered where you'd misstepped. It was as if you were walking on egg shells trying not to trigger him. And you were not sure what did.

«He just needs some time», you whispered to Scarlet as she licked her spoon clean, hoping to convince yourself as well. Grabbing the second plate of food you ate too. Your appetite had restored shortly after the news of your pregnancy, not because you'd wanted to, but because you had to. If taking care of yourself meant that the baby would be okay, then that was all that mattered. After all, loving her was way easier than yourself.