ALWAYS (Harry Potter fanfiction) (Snape fanfiction)

PROLOGUE

Severus Snape entered the large manor in a hurry, a child in his arms and another one running around him as a kid in Christmas morning. The girl in her arms was sound asleep, drooling in his shoulder. Severus rolled his eyes but smiled at the sleeping girl.

"Bella, could you calm down?"
Severus asked the girl.

"'Ut I 'gant to see Auntie Cissy!" The year and a half girl exclaimed just before she tripped with her own chubby feet.

"You'll see her in a couple minutes, kid" the nineteen year old Severus said.

"Lena sleep?" The little girl asked.

"Yes, Arabella, your sister's asleep" Severus said.

There was a loud 'POP' and a funny little creature with eyes the size of tennis balls appeared.

"'Obby!" Arabella said so loudly that her voice woke her sister, who started crying.

"Arabella! Look at what you've done!" Severus yelled at the child, causing the other kid to cry louder, "hush, Elena, hush. It's okay now, I'm here" Severus muttered to the youngest of the two children.

"Sorry, didn' mean to make Lena cry" Arabella said, "You angry, Daddy?" Arabella had now tears in her eyes.

Severus looked at the little tears in his daughter's eyes and sighted.

"No, I'm not angry, darling. C'mon, let's go to the main room, maybe we can get your sister to stop crying" Severus said offering his hand to his oldest daughter.

They went to the main room where the Malfoys were waiting, along with the Lestrange. Bellatrix Lestrange was standing next to her sister, trying to ignore her husband.

"Aunties!" Arabella exclaimed, running to Narcissa and Bellatrix.

"How's my favourite half-blood doing?" Bellatrix cooed.

"I'm fine, Bellatrix, thank you" Severus said.

"I was talking to your daughter, dimwit" Bellatrix said.

Bellatrix took Arabella in her arms and started messing with her dark, wavy hair. Bellatrix sat in the couch with the child in her lap and started entertaining her with her wand.

"Severus, there's something that Lucius and I want to tell you" Narcissa began, "I'm pregnant" she said.

"Wow, that's great, Lucius, Narcissa, congratulations" Severus said in a monotone voice.

"Do you know the baby's sex?" Rodolphus asked

"It's gonna be a boy" Lucius said proudly.

"What's gonna be 'is name?" Arabella asked.

"Well, if the baby was a girl, we were thinking about Gemini Selene, but we haven't thought of a boy's name" Narcissa said. 

"Draco" Arabella said abruptly.

"Draco?" Lucius asked. 

"Means dragon" Arabella said, "Daddy told me"

"I like it, Cissy" Bellatrix told her sister.

"Me too" Lucius said.

"Draco it is!" Narcissa exclaimed.
A loud 'POP' was heard and a house elf appeared. 

"The dinner is ready" the elf said.
"Dobby, bring two high chairs for the kids" Lucius said.

"Yes master" Dobby said.

They went to the dinning hall which was occupied by members of the Black family, and friends of the Malfoys, including the Crabbes and Mr. Goyle and his girlfriend.

"Severus! I see you have brought your two bastards with you!" Antonin Dolohov said. Severus clenched his jaw and gave Elena to Narcissa before going to Antonin and gripping the collar of his robes.

"Say one more thing about my daughters, Dolohov, please, I beg you" Severus threatened.

"Gentlemen, please. It's a civil reunion" a hissing voice said from a corner in the dinning hall.

"My lord" Severus and Antonin said at the same time.

"I suppose it is a Christmas dinner, let's eat!" The voice said, walking towards the head if the table.

"Why doesn't he has a nose, Daddy?" Arabella asked.

"Hush, child" Severus said.

"Don't worry, Severus, children are... curious. Lord Voldemort is patient with children" Voldemort said, approaching to little Arabella Snape. He took her in his arms, "I have a Christmas present to you" he took his wand and started muttering things, a rather little boa constrictor appeared in the kid's hand, "she's yours. Take care of her" Voldemort told the child before giving her back to her father and disapparate.

The dinner went by quickly and so did Christmas day. Soon, the three Snapes disapparated to the youngest Snape's house. A tall woman with brown hair and cinnamon eyes was waiting in the door.

"How did it go, Severus?" Asked the woman.

"Pretty good, they both got a lot of presents, I'll owl Elena's to you, Cara" Severus said.

"What have you heard about Lily? Will she stay with Arabella?" Cara asked.

"No, she won't. She's afraid of what her husband will say, they're expecting a child" Severus said and glanced at her sleeping daughter.

"Poor thing, growing without a mother" Cara said.

"Cara, about what you said... of me not being able to see Elena..." Severus began.

"No, Severus. My decision's final. I think it will be best for our daughter not to know about your- about our world. I want her to have a normal life. A muggle life" Cara said.

"I understand, Cara. Just, keep your eyes open for any signs of magic"

"I will, Severus" Cara said.

Severus Snape apparated to his house with his daughter in arms. Spinners End was a gloomy place but Severus have learned to call it home from a few months now. Severus took the toddler to her room, which was in the attic, it was a big room with a lot of light entrances, it was probably the brighter place in the house.

"Goodnight, sweetheart" Severus Snape said.

It was hard to imagine Snape to act out of love for someone, except his daughter, she was the only one who could light up his days. And after Lily's death, Arabella was the only reason he was able to go on.