A/N: Hello! I'm not quite sure how I feel about this one; Severus didn't want to cooperate with my original plan, and he was a little bit more awkward about the whole thing than I thought he'd be. Oh, well, better luck next time. Enjoy!
Hermione walked out of the faculty meeting with a sigh. She'd known that they came with the job, but she'd underestimated just how boring they'd be. Part of her had hoped that her thoughts would change after her first year, but that didn't seem to be the case. At least now she had someone to suffer through them with.
In the past twelve months, she and a certain Potions professor had become quite good friends. After last Christmas, Hermione had started going on more late-night trips to the library, and many of those had ended up with her going to his office, where they would work on their marking over cups of tea. This slowly evolved into long talks about anything and everything academic, and every night this occurred Hermione left the small office feeling as if she'd learned something new from him.
They spoke to each other over meals now, and even when they didn't, the silence was comfortable rather than tense or awkward. He didn't glare at her so often now, either, for which Hermione was grateful.
He'd also finally began allowing her to call his Severus, and despite the fact he'd been regarding her by her first name for three months when it happened, Hermione didn't miss the fact that she'd earned his respect and he was subtly telling her that he saw her as an equal rather than being beneath him. When she'd told Harry and Draco, the blond had smiled knowingly, and Harry had been mock-offended because he wasn't even on a first name basis with Severus.
Before they'd become more friendly, Hermione had never paid Severus much attention at the staff meetings, but Merlin, had she been missing out. Throughout the meetings he did these small, almost imperceptible things to throw the meetings off track. For the most part, they were only noticeable if you were looking for them, like when Pomona's stack of papers mysteriously toppled over when she began talking about Neville's work in the greenhouses earlier that afternoon. He only did it when he felt one of the staff members was being "particularly irritating" or he was "immensely bored, in which case anyone I can't stand is in danger." At first, Hermione had a hard time knowing when things were truly accidental or when Severus was behind it, but now she knew to look for the satisfied smirk he hid behind the newspaper he read as he pretended to ignore the meeting altogether.
She didn't miss the way his eyes would flash quickly towards her, like today. She only bit back a smile in return, but she knew he could tell he'd amused her.
Of course any time she brought up his antics, he fervently denied everything, but she knew. In the past year, Hermione had learned that it was such a Severus thing for him to do. He had a habit of finding small ways to amuse himself, especially because he'd always spent much of his time alone. Hermione would swear that he got off on the fact that nobody suspected him of a thing.
"Shall we finish our marking, or have you had enough of your students' drivel for the day?" came a soft voice from behind her.
Hermione smiled up at him. "Oh, let's just get it over with; I'm nearly finished."
He answered with a nod, and the two walked side by side down to the dungeons. This was usual for them, and the students still at the castle didn't even blink when they saw their beloved Professor Granger going to the dungeon bat's lair. She didn't think she'd ever forget their faces in the beginning; she couldn't help but smile every time she thought about it.
Severus just so happened to notice, and his gaze subtly shifted to the witch's face. Hermione pretended she didn't see. If she hadn't turned her head just the right way to move her curs out of her face, she was positive she wouldn't have seen it at all.
As they neared the bottom of the staircase that went down to the dungeon, Hermione tripped on the last step. With embarrassing flashbacks to last year, she felt herself falling, only to be caught by the same set of hands as the time before. Her cheeks flushed, and she was sure that they were darker than he'd ever seen them. Refusing to meet his eyes, Hermione murmured her thanks and kept walking, determined not to make another misstep. She missed the small smile that had come with his third shy glance at her that day.
Their grading went as smoothly as ever, and Hermione stayed to help Severus after she'd finished her own. She left afterwards, though- she had to finish wrapping gifts for tomorrow. Normally, she'd have had it done a week ago, but there had been one that she'd had to get just right. It had taken her a long time to find the perfect gift for her newest friend, but she was proud of herself.
Hermione didn't see Severus watch her go, but she thought she could feel his eyes on her. She smiled to herself and she felt her blood rising in her cheeks again. He really was a sweet man. Maybe, just maybe… but no, they were just friends. She was just looking too much into things.
With another sigh, Hermione let her mind wander and just made her way quickly back to her rooms. She pulled her remaining gifts out from their hiding place and got to work.
Severus had been much harder to shop for than she'd first anticipated. Anything too closely related to potions was obvious and felt impersonal, and she didn't know much about him personally- Hermione didn't know if she ever would, but she hoped so. Something- well, everything about Severus Snape fascinated her. At the same time, though, anything too personal would come across as creepy, and she didn't think that would go over very well.
So, what did one get in such a situation?
The answer had come to her in the middle of class one afternoon, and she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner. Hermione had been so excited that she'd left for Hogsmeade almost immediately after her last class ended.
She bought a nice selection of good-quality cauldrons, knives, and other instruments, shrinking them and tucking them away into her beaded bag. When she returned to the castle, she'd gone straight to work on them. It had taken a long time, but she had finally done it- there were enough charms in everything to keep almost anything made with them from going wrong. She'd done her best to think of each and every thing she could possibly need to protect against, but worried she may have missed something.
In the corner of her mind, she wondered if he'd think she was insulting his skills as the only Potions Master in Great Britain, but she was really going for "I care about your safety and I also know you can only handle so much frustration in one day, so hopefully these are helpful."
Writing out a quick note that said almost exactly that, Hermione checked that everything was ready to be delivered in the morning and, satisfied, went to bed. She'd been with Severus much longer than she thought, and planned to see him again tomorrow.
If Hermione dreamt about Severus for the second Christmas Eve in a row, well, that was okay, wasn't it?
When she woke, Hermione rolled out of bed almost reluctantly. She really wasn't one for mornings. Then, as she stepped into the sitting room, she remembered it was Christmas. How on earth had she possibly forgotten? Sitting down next to the little tree Hagrid had helped her bring up, she opened her gifts. They were very similar to last year's, but Hermione didn't mind. She hadn't changed much in the past year, and she knew from experience that Draco's tea had only improved since last Christmas.
Just when she thought she was finished, something shiny caught her eye. It was hidden in the back, but there was definitely one last gift under her tree. Tentatively pulling it towards her, Hermione inspected it carefully, not seeing any indication of who it was from. Doing her best not to hope that it was from who she really wanted it to be from, she slowly unwrapped it.
Before her was one of the rarest transfiguration tomes she knew of. She'd wanted to read it since she'd learned of it during her second year in Germany. Hermione was hesitant to touch it- she could only stare at it completely awestruck. Finally, she reached out a finger and gently ran it down the spine, and then she opened the front cover. She was surprised to see a note inside.
You may have read your way through Hogwarts' library, but I doubt you've had a chance to get your hands on a copy of this. Now you have one of your very own.
Tell me what you think of it when you're finished; I admit myself to be curious.
Merry Christmas.
Hermione knew she had to be smiling like an idiot, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She would recognize that spidery scrawl anywhere.
Leave it to Severus to be so dramatic in his gift-giving.
Setting everything else she'd received aside for later, Hermione settled in, thrilled to have a new book to read. She was completely lost in the words before her less than halfway through the first page.
Rising for the first time since she'd started the book from Severus, Hermione cast a quick tempus and gasped. It was nearly seven at night- she'd been in the same spot for nine hours! She hadn't eaten a thing all day, and her stomach was quick to remind her. Throwing on some clothes without really paying attention, Hermione walked quickly to the kitchens.
The elves were happy to see her, something Hermione was still getting used to. Ever since she'd returned as a professor and reassured the elves that she'd stopped her S.P.E.W. campaign, they'd acted as if the entire incident had never happened. They made her hot chocolate and pot roast eagerly, preparing entirely too much food. Well, she'd thought it was too much, but with this being her first meal since dinner the night before, she ate all of it. Hermione briefly wondered if she'd regret it, but decided that the elves' cooking was so good that it would probably be worth it.
On her way back to her rooms, Hermione stopped and suddenly changed directions. She found herself stood outside Severus' office, and she knocked softly on the door.
He opened it almost immediately, and stepped aside wordlessly to allow her entrance. Severus turned and faced her, and Hermione noted that his eyes kept darting around, as if trying to take in her appearance.
"Hermione, what brings you here?"
"I just came to wish you a merry Christmas, Severus," she said casually.
Severus rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure that's it exactly."
"Okay, well, it's part of it, at least."
"So what's the rest of it?"
"Well, I actually just wanted to thank you- that book is absolutely amazing, Severus! How on earth did you get a copy?"
"I'm sure I haven't any idea what you're talking about, but you're welcome. As for how I acquired it, that is none of your business, nosy witch."
Hermione laughed. "Fair enough."
Then she noticed he was still observing her curiously. She didn't want to, but she counted his glances until she got to seven before looking down at herself.
"What is it? I wasn't really paying too much attention, but to be fair I was starving and I just really needed to eat."
Continuing to look herself over, Hermione groaned. Not only was her shirt buttoned up all wrong, but it was also inside out. On top of that, she was pretty sure her pants were on backwards. Lovely.
"What? Why on earth did you go all day without eating? You're supposed to be brilliant, and that should include the ability to take care of yourself."
Hermione smiled sheepishly. "Like I said, that book is amazing."
"You mean to tell me you got so lost in a book that you forgot to- well, anything other than read the book?"
"Yes, actually. It's not like it's the first time it's happened; I just haven't had the time for it recently. I forgot how wonderful it was."
Severus merely rolled his eyes again. "If you say so."
"I do," she retorted. "Well, I think I'm going to return to my rooms- not only do I look ridiculous, but I think I'm nearly done with the book! Good night, Severus!"
"Good night, Hermione."
When she got back to her room, Hermione noticed a small piece of paper sitting on her end table. Picking it up and glancing at it, she smiled again.
Thank you.
It was the same scrawl that was in the newest addition to her library, and she kept the note with her until she set it gently under her pillow. This wasn't going anywhere.
