She Deserves Better.

Harry watched as Alexis entered the party alone. She was wearing a long sleeved dark green dress, her brown hair piled up, and he could see her pearl earrings, the same pair she wore on her wedding. 

"Hello! Harry! Hello Luna! You look pretty today!" Alexis said as she approached the two.

"Hello Professor! Thank you. Where's Professor Snape?" Luna asked, she was rather fond of Alexis. 

"Oh, he has something to settle to. He'll be here soon enough." Alexis said, smiling. 

Harry saw movements behind a curtain and excused himself leaving the two ladies to chat. 

After a while, Alexis saw Severus head to the same curtains where Harry had gone and excused herself.

"You've just bought yourself a month detention, McLaggen." Alexis could hear Severus's displeased voice.

Pushing the curtains away, she froze. "Oh dear." Alexis said as she stared at the puddle of vomit, some on Severus's shoes. Taking out her wand, she muttered a spell, clearing the vomit by magic. "Follow me, I'll get you something to soothe your stomach."

"Not so fast Potter." Severus said, as Harry tried to escape. 
********************************
"Professor?" Cormac said as Alexis started brewing something in the potions room. 

"Yes?" Alexis asked as she stirred the concotion, in the small black pot, not looking up at him. 

"Do you think you can ask Professor Snape to take back the detention? Or maybe lesson it?" he asked hopefully, biting his lips.

Alexis raised an eyebrow, taking a glance at him as she poured a brown liquid into a goblet. 

"Well, I'm not sure if I can change Professor Snape's mind," she said as Cormac gulped the potion down. "But I can try." she said with a small smile.

Cormac's face lit up. "Thanks Professor!" he placed the goblet down and ran out. Alexis shook her head and sighed, as she cleaned the mess up. 
*********************************
"Want some?" Alexis offered Severus a bite of her tart. She was so hungry she had almost finished off the whole plate of tarts she had took from a waiter. 

Severus shook his head. "You've been eating a lot lately." he said, giving her a look, as he brushed off some crumbs off her dress. 

Alexis finished the last bite of the tart. "What? I'm hungry ok?" she said, chewing. "But now that you mentioned it-"

Before she could finish her sentence, they were interrupted by loud noises. Everyone stopped and turned, curious.

Harey emerged from his goblet, grinning. Draco Malfoy was being pulled by Argus Flich.

"Professor Slughorn," said Flich, "I caught this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party."

"Alright! Alright! I was gate crashing!" Draco said angrily. "Happy?" he snarled at Flich.

Slughorn allowed Draco to stay, since he was in a good mood. Harry's eyes glanced at Severus. Severus looked angry and even a little afraid. Draco still looked unhappy and Alexis was frowning. He saw Severus whispered something to Alexis, who nodded grimly. 

"I'll escort him out." Severus said suddenly. 

"Certainly, professor." Draco said, staring at Severus. Harry watched as Alexis biting her lips as Severus dragged Draco out. 

Excusing himself from Luna, saying he needed the bathroom, he crept out of the party, trailing quietly behind Severus and Draco. He managed to find a wall to hide.

"What is it to you?" he heard Draco say. 

"Professor Reyson and I have made an unbreakble vow, Draco." Severus said. 

"I don't need protection. Maybe you and that damn Reyson should mind your own business!" 

Harry frowned. He had never heard Draco speak in such a manner to Severus before. Or talk about Alexis that way. He saw Severus slam Darco against the wall, hard. 

"Watch your mouth Malfoy. Show some respect to Professor Reyson. If you have forgotten, she happens to be my wife." Severus hissed angrily. "My wife and I had made a promise to your mother, to protect you."

"Like I said," Draco sounded annoyed. "I don't need protection. I was chosen for this!" 

"You're afraid, Draco. You'd hate to consider it, but it's obvious!" 

"I have a plan!" 

"What plan?"

"It's none of your business!" 

"I can assist you!" 

"No!" 

Before Harry could hear the rest of the conversation, he felt some grab his collar and pull him hard and quick, he hardly had time to react. He turned his head slightly and saw Alexis, looking angry.

Harry kept quiet, he knew he was in big trouble. 

"Just like James and Sirius, always eavesdropping everytime I try and have a private conversation with Lily." Alexis muttered as they went to an empty classroom. 

Harry turned to her again, hearing his parents and godfather's name, but the expression on her face did not change. 

"What do you think you were doing?" Alexis asked as she faced Harry, crossing her arm. 

"I heard your name." Harry said quickly. "Snape mentioned your name. Something about an unbreakable vow."

Alexis froze for a second when she heard the question. 

"Protect Draco from what?" Harry asked again, pushing his luck. 

Alexis looked at him. "Now Harry, you don't need to know everything."  Alexis said, her body stiffened a little.

"Obviously, your husband is much more important than your godson." Harry muttered. 

"What Harry? What did you say?" Alexis asked, staring at Harry. 

"Obviously, your husband is much more important than your godson." Harry repeated, his voice was harsh.

"What?" Alexis said. She looked like she had been slapped on the face. "You don't think I care about you? And Severus is my husband, Harry. I care for both of you!" 

"It doesn't seem that way!" Harry glared at her.

"What do you mean by that?" Alexis asked, raising her voice.

"Ever since you got married to Snape, all you care is about him! There's something not right with him!" Harry snapped.

"Stop it Harry!" Alexis said, her voice became low and started shaking.

"You don't seem to care about Sirius when he died!" 

"What?" Alexis lost her patience and started shouting. "I cared about Sirius much more than you ever knew Harry!" 

"Then why did you marry Snape?" Harry was shouting back as well. "You bloody well knew he caused the death of Sirius! And Sirius loved you for goodness sake! And you married Snape! You know how much that man hates me and Sirius!"

"Harry James Potter!" Alexis shouted and Harry kept quiet. Her hand was raised like she was going to slap Harry. Tears were streaming down her face. 

"Get out." she pointed her hand to the door, refusing to look at Harry. 

Harry stared at her and left, hearing a loud sob from the room as he ran out. 
*********************************
Alexis stayed at the party but excused herself after a while, saying she was not well. She clearly looked upset, Harry knew why of course. 

Alexis was strangely quiet as she and Severus walked back. She was instead, gripping her arms around his tightly, like she was afraid of something. 

"What did Draco say?" Alexis said as after changing into her nightdress and started combing her hair. 

"He refuses to tell me! That boy is so stubborn." 

"Did you ask him about Katie?" Alexis asked, as she carefully removed her pearl earrings and placed it in her jewlery box. 

"I did. He said he had nothing to do with it. He says he had a plan but he refuses to tell me!" Severus said, sounding annoyed as he unbuttoned his shirt.

He waited for a reply but none came from Alexis. He turned and saw her gazing into her jewlery box, a frown on her face. 

Alexis stared at a picture hidden in the box. A red haired girl, who looked like she was 12 years old, with sparkling green eyes was grinning back at her. A brown hair girl with brown eyes was in the picture too, also grinning. In the middle of them, a pale boy with lanky black hair, framing his face, and a large hooked nose was smiling shyly.  The picture moved and oblivious to him, the brown haired girl was taking secret glances.
At him.

"Lily." Alexis whispered to herself. 

"Alexis?" Severus said as he approached her. He saw a worried look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Alexis quickly closed the box and gave him a wide smile. "I'm fine." she said, trying to sound as cheerful as she could, pouring two goblets of wine for her and Severus. "Just not feeling myself today." 

Severus sat next to Alexis at the sofa, taking a sip from the goblet after lighting up a fire at the fireplace. "Severus?" Alexis said as she rested her head on his chest.

"Yes?" Severus asked, placing his arm around her waist. 

"Please don't leave me." her voice was low, and sounded almost like a plea.

Severus looked at her strangely. "I won't. I promise." he whispered back as Alexis closed her eyes, trying to push her worries away.