She Deserves Better.

Alexis sat on a tree trunk, trying to clear her mind. She heard movements and smiled. Picking up a fallen branch with some strange looking berries, she waved it slowly in front of the fox. The fox took a cautious step, it's nose twitching and trotted in and took a bite of the branch. As she gently stroked it, the fox did not mind at all, for it had saw her many times and Alexis smiled. 

The war was over, Voldemort was finally defeated. Yet Alexis felt something was missing. 

Severus. 

She tried putting Voldemort's word out of her mind, but like a kept playing like a broken recorder.

She closed her eyes and she felt a cold sensation around her. She opened her eyes and saw Dumbledore, neither flesh nor human next to her.

"Well done." he said, smiling. 

Alexis forced a smile but said nothing. He seemed to raise his hand and she felt something cold slither around her neck up to her head and there was a sudden peacefulness in her. 

"Go back to him." she heard Dumbledore say and she turned but he was gone. Instead, Lily was next to her.

"Lily!" she managed to whisper.

"Alexis, go back to Severus. He's worried about you." 

"But Lily-"

"Do you love him?"

Alexis frowned but nodded. "But does he?" she asked.

At that moment, she heard quick footsteps hurrying her way. And she heard her name. "Alex! Alexis!" Severus sounded like he was in a state of panic. 

Severus's face washed with relief when he saw her. "Alexis! I was worried-"
He stopped when he saw Lily. "Lily." he managed to croak out. Alexis stood to leave but she felt Lily pulling her down. 

"Lily! I'm sorry." Severus whispered as he sank on his knees in front of them. "I never meant to-"

"I've forgiven you, Sev." Lily smiled. "Thank you for saving Harry." 

Alexis felt Lily's cold hands on her wrist as Lily placed Severus's on her hand. "Sev, do you promise to take care of Alexis for me?" 

Severus nodded. "Of course, I love her so much."

Lily seemed to stand and gave their foreheads a cold brush of her lips and Alexis managed a smile for Lily before she vanished. 

"Severus," Alexis said as she pulled Severus next to her. "Would it make any difference if I told you Lily would have loved you as I did if you weren't drawn into the dark arts?" 

Alexis knew she was being unfair to Severus but she just had to ask that. 

Severus looked deep into her eyes. She thought she saw a flicker of hestitant but then he said a simple no and Alexis felt a weight lifted off her heart and all her insecurties were gone. 

She felt Severus slither his hand around her waist and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Shall we go?" he asked amd she nodded, holding his hand. At that moment, she realised what Severus felt was not love like she had for him towards Lily like but mostly guilt. 

As they stepped out of the forest and into the great hall, she saw a little girl running towards them.

"Mummy! Daddy!" Serene ran into her parent's arms. 

Alexis laughed as Severus carried their daughter and kissed both Serene's and Alexis's cheeks. 
*********************************
(6 years later)

"Come on!" Alexis grabbed her younger brother's hand as they left their suite, their mother trailing behind.

"Hello, Serene, Alexander. Professor McGonagall greeted them as she passed by them. "Where are you going?"

Alexis said hello and 5 year old Alexander waved shyly. "To see Daddy." the brown haired boy replied. They waited as their mother talked to the professor.

They ran, pulling their mother along and shouted the password before they slowed down and entered the headmaster's office. 

"Serene! Alexender!" Severus said in his fiercest voice as his children entered, giggling. He walked towards them and broke into a smile as he kissed his children.

"Have you been naughty?" Severus asked.

"No silly." Serene giggled. "We want to see our father." 

"Hmmmm." Severus raised an eyebrow as he turned to Alexis who was smiling. "Have they been good?"

"Uh, huh. Good indeed." Alexis said as she wrapped her arms around Severus's  neck and brushed her lips across his before he pressed it harder. 

"Eeeew!" the two little Snapes giggled as they covered their eyes as their parents kissed. Alexis and Severus laughed as they squeezed on the sofa with their children. 

"Daddy, do we have to go to Aunt Luna's wedding?" Alexander asked and made a face. "Weddings are for boring."

" I suppose." Severus said as he carried his son and placed him on his lap. "Weddings are boring indeed." 

Alexis and Serene exchanged faces. "You're lying Daddy! You had a wedding! With Mummy!" 

Severus laughed. "Oh, well. You're right I suppose. Come on now, let's go for dinner." 

Alexis and Severus smiled as they held hands and watched their children run towards the great hall. 

THE END.