A/N: Short holiday fic. Might be two chapters, might be more depending on the popularity. As usual I do not own Harry Potter nor do I make any money off of my story. I do not own the characters, only my own original plot. Happy Holidays everyone!
Severus Snape hated Christmas. It wasn't the food, or the carolers, Flitwik's ridiculous charmed mistletoe, or even the reminder of Dumbledore who had loved this time of year. It was that bloody Potter.
Ever since his left arm had been blown off by Hornberg the Horrible, Harry bloody Potter had been teaching Muggle studies at Hogwarts. And every year he brought that insufferable know-it-all into the castle to celebrate the holidays with he and his wife. It wasn't enough that he had practically taught the girl all she could possibly ever need in life, every year she insisted on pestering him for the latest and greatest advances in his field. As if an insipid housewife like herself would ever need to know anything remotely new about potions. As long as she knew the brew to cure a colicky baby, that was as far as her knowledge would ever need to extend.
This year was no different. Hand in hand with the newest Mrs. Potter, Hermione Granger strolled into Hogwarts as if she had never left. This time however there was no Mr. Weasley darting in and out of her footsteps like a lost puppy. Severus found it odd, but said nothing. One less simpleton to deal with made a happier Christmas indeed.
"Headmaster, Happy Christmas!" she said, brushing the snow out of her curly mane.
Severus was inclined to ignore her, but there was something different about her this Christmas. The little sprig of a girl, with her bushy hair and pudgy cheeks, had grown into a magnificent young woman. The males of the school stared in obvious admiration of some of her finer assets, whispering amongst themselves, and Severus was inclined to agree with them. Twenty years her senior he might have been, but he was a man nonetheless.
"Happy Christmas Miss Granger," he said softly, "Where is Mr. Weasley? Home with a cold?"
She smiled brightly. Ginny had long since gone to sit with her husband, leaving Hermione alone with Hogwarts' headmaster.
"As a matter of fact I've left him," she said proudly, "I'm going on to apprentice in one of the finest Wizarding institutes in Scotland."
Severus cocked an eyebrow. "I suppose I should offer up my congratulations. It is a Happy Christmas for you indeed." He paused, eyes darting to the table where several staff members had already filed in. "Perhaps I could interest you in a drink before dinner? The feast won't be for another hour or so, and I detest all the matronly gossip."
Hermione eyed his proffered arm cautiously. She had never imagined Professor Snape as anything but an instructor, and a cruel one at that. But there was something different about him this Christmas. Something she had not seen in her younger years at Hogwarts. Maybe it was that she had matured, maybe it was the freedom she earned when she left Ron, but Hermione was very interested in this new Headmaster Snape.