Steve and Natasha's POV

"I feel like a monster already. Don't make me feel worse by giving me that look," Natasha said to Steve as they sipped coffee at the breakfast nook. It had been a while since Hailey had gone back to sleep, she knew Hailey was fast asleep.

 "I'm not trying to but don't you think the whole summer is a bit much with all that happened," Steve said shrugging his shoulders.

"It is. It isn't fair, I know that already. I'm not doing it to keep her miserable. It's not a punishment, it's a precaution. If she's in our sight at all times, she will be safe," Natasha said.

"Steve, I just need her to understand. After the Red Room and the stuff that goes on at her school. She's the last part of my family that I have left and her safety-"

"I get it, I'm here too you know. You don't have to do everything alone. Hailey feels really bad already. Maybe we can ease the restrictions after a bit,"

"Yea, thanks," Natasha said truly grateful for Steve's support.

"I love you," Steve replied.

"I love you too," Natasha said back.

~-~-~

It took Hailey no time to determine that this summer was going to be a major decline from the previous summer. Of course, she had no one to blame but herself. It turns out that Natasha was not all bark no bite. 

All she did the entire day was sit at the dining table and do homework under Steve or Natasha's watchful gaze. She was almost done with all her homework and it was only the fourth day of summer. They'd call her out if they noticed her slacking off at all and Steve also looked over all her essays for grammar leaving her paper dripping in red ink after he was done. There was literally no way for her to respite, she had to produce work in an adequate amount of time that wasn't the bare minimum. She was just glad that they were muggles and didn't understand magic because if they did, it would be over for her.

Hailey was shocked to find herself almost counting down to the gym sessions with Natasha. Thank Merlin, they hadn't stopped this summer because they were the only exciting thing happening in her life right now.

She had tried jogging with Steve every morning but it was just impossible. Steve liked running around 40 times and in those 40 times, Hailey barely got in four and she was completely and utterly exhausted. She was ready to be carried home after the one time.

She had not even caught a glimpse of her phone in the last three days. The last time she'd been allowed to use it was just to text Kate that she couldn't reply to any texts but she was fine. She knew it was in the first drawer under the TV, Natasha had put it there in front of her but she was not allowed to use it.

And she did not dare sneak around anymore. Those days were loooooong gone. She was a changed person now.

Hailey put her quill down and stretched her hands. Her fingers were cramping from writing so much. She glanced at the window that looked out into the backyard. Oh, the weather was so nice today, even doing yardwork would be so much more pleasurable than this.

Last summer, Natasha and her had almost never let a good day go to waste.

She sighed in frustration and leaned back in her chair.

Natasha glanced up from her laptop when she heard Hailey sigh. Her heart constricted, poor child. If she was in Hailey's place, she certainly would have hated this. She would've fought tooth and nail to be able to do as she pleased and Hailey hadn't even put up a fight. She'd barely complained and had worked diligently for the past four days. Natasha supposed the teen deserved a break.

"Are you done with the essay?" Natasha asked.

"Halfway. This is the last one and then I am done with all my summer work," Hailey said.

"I think we can both use a little break," Natasha said. She called out to Steve who had decided that power washing the roof was just what he needed to do this summer to pass his time.

"Yes, sweetheart," Steve called back from the top of the roof.

"Wanna play baseball?" Natasha yelled. Steve landed on the ground effortlessly without the help of a ladder and smiled from outside the window.

"Of course," he said.

Hailey grinned and closed her bottle of ink before sprinting off to put on some shoes and grab a cap because it was sunny out.

"Actually, can you get me one too," Steve called out. Hailey pulled out a second cap and within seconds, she was out of the back door and into the yard. She dramatically inhaled the fresh air as if she hadn't seen sunlight in years.

"Oh, the dramatics," Natasha rolled her eyes.

Hailey giggled and handed Steve his cap.

"These make a great disguise," Steve informed her as he slid on his cap and gathered equipment from the shed.

"Irrelevant information she will never need," Natasha called out.

"Right, right, you listen to Nat," he instructed. Hailey nodded extra-obediently as they sat up the bases in their small yard. It was totally not the correct type of ground or even big enough for baseball but who cared?

"You guys can team up, I'll play against both of you," Steve said cockily.

She had hoped that it was another one of those things that Steve thought he was good at but sucked horribly (like skating) and baseball was another one of her natural hidden talents.

Steve was a natural at the sport but neither Hailey nor Natasha were particularly good. Hailey hated seeing Steve's smug smile but her not-very-great skills weren't helping her. The only thing Hailey managed fairly well was catching the ball as soon as the bat hit it.

They played nearly until dinner, having so much fun that they lost track of time until the sun began setting low into the sky. Steve won by an embarrassingly large margin that caused his already smug expression to intensify.

"What can I say, I am a natural," he shrugged and gave them a look of pity before they headed inside.

Hailey vowed to get her revenge.

~-~-~

Turns out, the baseball game was pretty much a one-time thing.

But at least, since her homework was now done and she had yet to order school books for next year, there was little else Natasha could make her do to cause misery. So she spent some of her time doing chores and the rest watching TV and happily running errands with Steve and Natasha.

"That's a first," Natasha said opening the window to let in a colorful tropical bird with a letter tied around its leg.

"I thought only owls were used to deliver letters," Natasha said untying the letter from the bird's leg. 

"It is usually owls, who is the letter from?!" Hailey replied.

"Padfoot," Natasha replied.

Natasha had not even gotten the word out by the time Hailey had jumped out of her seat to snatch the letter out of her hands.

"You're not supposed to be talking to any friends, missy," Natasha reminded her.

"It's Sirius! Please, please! Can I open it!?" Hailey asked.

"You can," Natasha replied. Hailey quickly hugged Natasha and thanked her before sitting down to open the letter from Sirius. She hadn't received a word from Sirius since their brief meeting.

Dear Hailey,

Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where in case this bird falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubts about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job.

I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts so that the security on the will be lifted.

There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt. Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from vault number seven hundred and eleven - my own. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather.

I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you.

If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me.

I'll write again soon. Padfoot.

Hailey reread the letter and imagined Sirius chilling in the tropical forests sipping a pina colada but immediately, the thought disappeared, like a bubble popping. She had seen firsthand how Sirius had been living in Hogsmeade. He couldn't live a peaceful life as a fugitive.

She wished she could do something to help her Godfather become a free man once more but with Pettigrew escaping, she didn't know how. It was all her fault, she had stopped Sirius from killing Wormtail, and now look at where it got them.

Sirius was in hiding and she could not meet him even if she wanted to.

"Can I write back to Sirius?" Hailey called out to Natasha who had already moved to the kitchen.

"I'm not Mother Gothel you know, I only said friends. You can write back to your godfather," Natasha replied.

"Mother Gothel is a villian-" Natasha began explaining to Steve.

"I know who Mother Gothel is, I've watched Tangled," Steve replied. "I understood that reference, Natasha. You guys underestimate me so much,"

Hailey giggled at their playful banter and went upstairs to write back to Sirius.

~-~-~

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Hailey yelled standing up on the sofa on which she was reading just a few minutes ago.

Before their fireplace roared-turns out you don't need to have the fireplace on for the Floo Network to work- and a tall figure dressed in all black stepped out of it.

It was none other than Professor Severus Snape, the greasy bat of the dungeons, right here in her living room. There was simply no other reason that could cross her mind when Snape appeared through the fireplace. He could not want any good for her or her family-ever.

She hopped from sofa to sofa until she reached the last one. She jumped off and reached the dining table on which she had left her wand. It was high time, she began making use of the wrist holster Professor Lupin had gifted her the previous Christmas.

She fired an expelliarmus! at Snape as soon as she was able to get her hands on her wand which he deflected with a bored face.

"It's not going to work again, Potter," he sneered referring to the time when she had literally knocked him unconscious at the Shrieking Shack.

"I knew it all along! You're after me!" Hailey exclaimed as she fired another hex which was once again easily blocked.

"Typical Potter behavior. You really do think that the entire world revolves around you. Just like your father you are," he snarled.

"What is going on?!" Natasha and Steve came downstairs completely confused at what had gone down in the past few seconds.

"He broke into the house through the Floo Network! That's supposed to be totally private and protected with a password!" Hailey exclaimed.

"He did not break in, Hailey. Professor Dumbledore already wrote to me to inform me that Professor Snape was coming over to strengthen wards on the house," Natasha informed her. Hailey's ears burned in embarrassment as she mouthed 'oh'.

Snape smirked and walked away from the fireplace, his robes billowing after him.

"Pleased to meet you Ms. Eva- Ms. Romanoff," he said shaking Natasha's hands. He had completely ignored Hailey, which was simply too good to be true. He had yet to get his revenge on her for today and for the Shrieking Shack.

"Pleasure is mine," Natasha replied with a smile. Hailey rolled her eyes. Natasha was naive to think that meeting Snape could ever be pleasurable.

"And you must be..."

"Steve Rogers," Steve said shaking his hand with Snape.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Rogers," Snape said. "I will get started on the work outside. It would not take more than thirty minutes,"

"Please let us know if you need anything," Steve said and walked outside with Snape.

"Where are your manners, Hailey!? He's your teacher." Natasha scolded as soon as the men were out of earshot.

"He's usually up to no good," Hailey murmured.

"You better apologize to him and respectfully at that," Natasha ordered.

"Hey! I am not going to apologize to that greasy git!" Hailey exclaimed.

"Enough. I am not going to raise an insolent child. You will apologize," Natasha said.

"You don't even know all the mean things he says to me, Nat! That's no fair!" Hailey exclaimed.

"From now on, he will not say anything mean to you. If he does, I will see to it but for now, you need to apologize little one. It's rude to treat a guest in that manner," Natasha said.

Hailey's lower lip stuck out but she begrudgingly nodded. Natasha nodded in approval and patted her head lovingly. Hailey returned the smile and flipped on a TV channel while Natasha joined Steve and Snape. Hailey would never willingly choose Snape's company. Besides, he was casting wards, there was only so much small talk he could make.

All too early, he finished and walked back into the house with Steve and Natasha. Nat gave her 'the look' and Hailey grudgingly apologized to Snape. Snape waved it away, barely acknowledging it.

"Here are the books you required for Potter to continue her academics," Snape said and waved his wand causing a large stack of books to float onto the dining table followed by materials. Hailey's heart stopped as she saw the number of books and supplies stocked on the desk. These were not for the school year.

"I have comprised a list of Potter's obvious shortcomings and ways to improve upon that along with standardized assignments for her to get a headstart on the year- or perhaps even catch up," he said and handed a long scroll to Natasha.

Of course, Snape would just love to be the one to write down every little flaw in her and pile it into an essay.

"Thank you so much, Professor," Natasha said to Snape.

"That is no problem, Ms. Romanoff. I will check all the assignments are completed to adequate standards and skillsets mentioned have been acquired when the term begins this fall," Snape said.

Hailey wanted to smash something. Just when she thought that her misery was over, Snape had become her saving grace coming home with enough homework to last her a lifetime. AND of course, he was going to check everything HIMSELF! She groaned internally as the adults completed the formalities and Snape was back at Fireplace.

Their eyes locked and he smirked one last time at her before disappearing within the flames.

"This is so unfair! You asked the greasy git to give me more homework!? He probably came up with the most miserable, long, and tedious assignments! Natashaaaaaaaaaaaa," Hailey whined.

"I didn't know we had a toddler in the house," Steve commented looking around, pretending to look for the toddler. Natasha chuckled softly at Steve's unfunny joke.

Hailey huffed and glared at them.

"My, my if looks could kill," Natasha said. "This was already decided, Hailey. You got plenty of rst after finishing your summer homework. It doesn't mean you're off restriction just yet, little one, we're going back to the same schedule,"

"No, no, no. Please! I promis-"

"No Hailey. Not again, let's go. You can finish the episode you were watching and then back on with it. I'll leave the list here for you," Natasha said.

Hailey dropped onto the couch and fought the urge to pull her hair out. Of course, Snape could never come up with any good news but why did he always have to bring bad news?! How would she ever spend three months just studying? She didn't even study this much during the school year!

A/N: We all know, she isn't going to study all summer. Any guesses on what could possibly occur this summer...?

Also, In this, Snape is not madly in love with Lily for 17 years. He does 'love' her but only as a friend and feels responsible for their death. That is the only reason why he chose to protect Hailey.