A/N: Hey there! First of all I would like to apologize to all of you for this HUGE hiatus but I had mock exams (the real ones are in June and there's a lot of pressure that's being put on the students' shoulders) and also a few arguments with my parents and, above all that, I've been on writer's block! What could be worse than this?!

I would like to thank every single one of you for your reviews and follows, this story is going pretty well. Also, as you will see in the following chapter, I'm trying to focus more on Severus right now because I'm feeling like he doesn't get enough credit for being the main character's father. He's a hard to write character, but hopefully I will do him well in the next chapters :).

Thank you all again and please review :).

The Man Around The Corner

''So you...kissed?! And you managed to tell me just now?!'' Hermione, Ann's best friend, asked her, her chocolate eyes huge with amazement.

''Yes! And it was so perfect! Just..exquisiste!'' she answered, waltzing around the library, holding a book tight to her chest. Hermione grabbed her arm tight and spun her around so that she was facing her.

''Please tell me that you're togheter, or I'll kill that second-hand womanizer straight away.''

Ann smirked to her friend.

''Of course, 'Mione, no need to get mad at him. Speaking of the devil, I gotta meet him in the Transfigurations courtyard. See you around noon.''

She grabbed her backpack and made her way trough the corridors, her cheeks flushed half from the effort, half from the emotions she was feeling. She and Fred kept their relationship a secret for almost a month, when today Ann couldn't help but tell Hermione since she was her best friend. And, after all, George knew too, right? They still hung out togheter as a trio, but whenever Ann was left alone with just George, since Fred had to corrupt first-years to test products for their future joke-shop they were already preparing, he looked a bit sad.

''What's up, Georgie? You look a bit sad today...'' she once asked him. He looked her in the eyes, and smiled.

''Nothing...I was just thinking.''

Since then, she avoided asking George about how he was feeling. As for him, he couldn't be more greatful for her silence since he sometimes just wanted to be with himself, a thing he rarely felt before.

Ann was too happy to notice the man around the corner, as she made her way to the Tranfigurations courtyard. His figure was tall and it seemed like he was following her everywhere, but she didn't notice; all she could think of was Fred and the unforgetable moments they were going to spend togheter. The man's face was covered by a black hood and his steps were quiet on the cold stone. She joined Fred in the courtyard, and they made their way back in the castle and as they were walking, Fred felt watched, and he suddenly spun around on his heels.

But there was no one; not even a shadow, and he turned back to Ann who was watching him with a questioning look in her black eyes. He grabbed her hand and gently kissed her, assuring her that everything was fine.

Severus Snape hated Fred and George Weasley; he hated every single Weasley, but he had a reason to hate the twins. Their mischevious ways reminded him of the Marauders, his childhood enemies, the boys he had always hated.

Behaving like a shadow, hiding around the corners and following students, that's what he's been doing since he was a young boy, eleven years old. But now it was serious. The only person he'd ever had a bond with except his parents was hanging around with a Weasley and it was critical for him. Ann was fragile, she was just a child. A child he never really wanted, but still a child. She had to be protected. She was his only bond with Lily, his only proof that he really had held her in his arms that time in their seventh year. He made his way to his office through the Dungeons and shut the door behind him. He sat in his chair and closed his eyes.

Red hair. Big green eyes. And that smile...the smile that could end any war and cure the people at St. Mungo's in a second. The smile he cherished the most, he could die to see it again. He recalled her scent, her little moans that night and the way she told him she really trully loved him and then ran away to James after she told him she was pregnant.

"Sev...I need to tell you something." she said, her voice nothing but a whisper.

"Yes Lily. Anything." he answered, focusing on her green eyes.

Lily wrapped her hands around her belly and then said :

"Sev, I'm pregnant. It's your child, I know it. I have no idea how I'm going to go home with a child or even tell James about her."

Severus blinked nervously.

"Her?!"

"Yes, Sev, it will be a girl. I am going to name her Ann. You can choose the second name. If you're too afraid to keep her or even to declare that she's yours, I'm going to give her my name and let her live with me and James after we get married. You don't have to take any responsabilty. You're too selfish for this."

"Lily..." Severus said, brushing her arm with his, but she didn't want his affection. She was no longer his belonging.

With a grave look, Lily turned on her heels and left. He shouted after her:

"Wait!" then ran to catch her. "Sylvie," he said panting. "Ann- Sylvie. This will be her name."

Lily smiled. The very last smile Severus saw of her and left. She was one month pregnant but she knew that the life growing inside of her was going to be a very special one.

Since that day, Severus never told anyone about his unborn daughter. He kept that a secret. The only person that knew was Dumbledore. He needed to know in order to protect them; Lily and little Ann who was only two years old. He knew that Lily had now a second child, a baby boy called Harry, but he couldn't care less. He only cared about his girls' safety. He liked to call them ''his girls'' when he was all alone.

But the night Lily died haunted him the most. He remembered the terror and squeezed his eyes shut even more. He rememberd how he held Lily's dead body and the pain and fear he felt. He got out of the house before Hagrid arrived to take the boy and went to Layla's house. He remembered how he slammed the door open to the image of Ann being held by the woman. He shouted "GET OUT AND TAKE HER SOMEWHERE SAFE!" before he could even thing then Apparated away.

The next thing he knew was that Ann was at Hogwarts. He was now her shadow.