Law Student's DDLG Conundrum

I’m a first-year law student and a Daddy in my dynamic with my submissive. We’ve been together for about six months now, but the relationship is starting to feel like more than just casual play or fun. I'm trying to figure out if this is a phase that will pass once we finish our degrees and go our separate ways, or if it’s something deeper that I need to consider seriously. My submissive is also in her twenties, and she loves being taken care of by me, dinner cooked for her, laundry done, bedtime stories (yes, actual books at times), and the occasional discipline when things get out of hand. We're both consenting adults, but it feels like a step beyond roleplay to me. She’s been incredibly supportive through my coursework, helping with research and sometimes just being there for moral support. In turn, I find myself feeling more protective and fatherly towards her than romantic. It's not that she isn't attractive or intelligent, I adore both those things about her, it's just the way our dynamic plays out feels like something from a different era where roles were very defined. The other day, after she had a bad week at work and was extra needy, I found myself thinking back to my childhood when my own father would be there for me through hard times. Is it normal to feel this protective and nurturing in what is essentially just play? Should we talk about transitioning into something more serious or should we keep it as-is until things settle down after graduation? I’m looking for some advice, am I the asshole here for questioning our dynamic, or is there room to explore this further with her?