Three days before Christmas, students and staff alike, awoke to find that snow had settled over the Hogwarts grounds.

A flurry of excitement filled the air that morning as the children packed up ready to head home on the Hogwarts Express, throwing snowballs each one another and hugging out their goodbyes as they headed towards the train station.

As always, very few staff and students remained at Hogwarts over the holidays, but one person who knew she had very little choice but to stay, was Madam Blake, who sat this morning, at her window up in the Hospital Wing, staring out at the children, as they made their way around the lake heading towards the castle gates.

She smiled sadly, letting out a sigh, her hands clasped in her lap.

Blake was muggleborn and her mother had died when she was very young. Her father on the other hand was indeed alive and well, but had practically disowned her after finding out, at eleven years old, that she was a witch.

School had been bittersweet for her for that reason, having to stay at Hogwarts each and every Christmas, and having to stay with an Aunt over the summer, who seemed to detest her equally as much as her father did, and who had made Blake earn her keep by working as a waitress and pot-washer at a muggle pub down the road.

But with no significant family to spend Christmas anymore. meant that this would be yet another year where Blake would spend the day alone. Of course she would be able to enjoy a nice Christmas dinner downstairs with the few staff and students who had chosen to stay behind at Hogwarts for the holidays, but the blonde nurse had always dreamed of a Christmas she could spend with the ones she loved, sitting around a fire, exchanging gifts, just like the festive Muggle movies of her childhood.

She gave a soft sigh now, shifting slightly against the sill she was sitting on, just as behind her there came a gentle rat-a-tat-tat on the open cherry doors of the expansive room.

The blonde woman glanced, at once, over her shoulder, her face brightening into a smile as she saw Professor Negan cautiously enter the room offering her a wide grin in return.

"Hey, wasn' sure if you'd left already…" he said strolling into the empty room on long legs and glancing around, seeing all the beds empty.

Negan wore set of long black robes that billowed behind him as he walked, his long mahogany wand was in one hand, and the other he had tucked behind his back.

Blake got to her feet quickly, giving a shake of her blonde head.

"No...I'm uh…"

But blushing, she let her eyes drift away from his, not wanting him to know the truth about how she would be spending the holidays here, alone. And so she offered him a slightly fixed smile now.

"I've just got a bit of, um...a bit of admin to do before I get going…" she lied.

Negan gave a nod, walking the last couple of steps towards her and stopping less than a foot away, gazing down momentarily, before he lifted his chin once more, his hazel eyes meeting with hers.

"Well that's lucky, 'cause I was jus' swingin' by to drop off your Christmas gift," Negan said with a blink, suddenly producing a small present wrapped in red gift wrap from behind his back. "But you gotta promise not to open it until Christmas day."

Blake took the present from his grasp tentatively, a little blown away by this gesture.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Negan…" she said gently, with a small shake of her head, her cheeks flushing slightly.

But Negan cut cross her.

"'S'not much," he said smiling, showing off his line of straight white teeth to her.

Blake felt her mouth go dry, holding the gift close to her chest, searching for something to say as silence fell between the pair, each of them looking like they were waiting on the other to speak.

But after a long moment, Negan shoved his free hand into the front pocket of his jeans, rocking back on his heels a little awkwardly.

"Well I….err….I guess I'd best be off…gonna be apparating down to Edinburgh an' then I've got a Portkey set up an' ready to take me over to NYC to meet my brother an' stay with him an' his family over the holidays…." the dark-haired wizard said easily.

Blake gave a nod, smiling brightly.

"That sounds amazing…" she said in an earnest and kindly voice. "Well I hope you have a really lovely time. Bring me back a hot dog from the Big Apple!"

Blake genuinely was pleased that Negan would be spending the holiday season with family and people he cared about, just how it should be.

"Will do, Darlin'," he chuckled.

And with that he hovered, looking like he wanted to do something, but the moment passed as quickly as it had come.

And lifting his hand and running it down his beard, Negan gave a gulp, looking up at her once more.

"Merry Christmas, Peaches…"

And Blake couldn't help but smile back, her heart fluttering slightly inside her chest as she spoke.

"Merry Christmas, Negan…" she replied sweetly, wishing she had had the courage to kiss him on the cheek, but instead she just stood there as Negan did the same.

And it was only a moment later than the tall man had turned on his heel, leaving the room once more, but not before turning and pointing back to her when he reached the door.

"Don't open until the 25th, got it?" he said in playful, warning voce.

And Blake gave a laughing nod back.

"Got it…" she murmured as Negan offered her one last grin before disappearing out of sight, leaving Blake alone once more.


It was late on Christmas Eve, almost midnight, when Blake left her cosy office, unable to sleep.

She had on just a pretty pale blue dressing gown wrapped around her slender form, caramel hair up and slightly messy from the hour or so she had spent tossing and turning in bed, and a pewter goblet of hot cocoa clutched between her hands.

Blake padded on over through the large, empty, and unlit Hospital Wing on bare feet, making her way over to the window and resuming her spot there once again. Perching on the sill and staring out into the dark and snowy Hogwarts grounds beyond.

The snow was deep now and when Blake had ventured out earlier on this morning to drop off a batch of Pepperup Potion for Hagrid who had been suffering from a bad cold, the soft white power had almost reached her knees. And she had been glad to reach the castle once again, pulling off her mittens and feeling her hands still icy cold beneath.

Blake blew on the steaming cocoa she grasped between her hands, before plucking her wand from her pocket and lighting the nearest lamp, filling this far corner of the room with a soft and warm light.

There was a Christmas tree just in front of her that Blake had set up, decorated with colourful baubles and tinsel. And nestled snugly beneath it, in its red wrapping paper, was the only gift Blake had been given this year. One that she would cherish deeply no matter what it was.

She sighed a little as the clock near to her chimed, telling her of course that it was midnight…...Christmas Day.

She knew she should be happy, but it was hard to be when she was yet again lonely on what should have been one of the most magical and wonderful times of year. And she hoped with all her heart that someday it would happen for her. That she would be sat around the fireplace, drinking cocoa with the ones she loved, instead of being in this drafty room alone with nobody to share her love with.

Blake closed her eyes sadly, leaning the side of her temples against the glass and allowing a single tear to drift silently down her cheek, as she listened to the twelves chimes of the clock.

And it was only when the last one rang out, did a voice across the room suddenly speak.

"Merry Christmas, Peaches…"

Blake snapped her eyes suddenly open, staring dead ahead.

Had she fallen asleep? Been dreaming? Because surely that voice couldn't have been here…

But the blonde woman turned her head slowly, staring in the direction of the door, only to see Professor Negan stood there, as real as anything.

He took a step forward, dressed in black robes and a long, green, ancient-looking Slytherin scarf thrown around his neck, which he slowly unwound as he walked further into the room, a smile lingering on his bearded lips.

"Negan?" asked Blake, her face softening as she remained on the sill, staring over at him in disbelief. "What are you doing here? I-I thought you were in New York visiting your brother?"

But Negan just gave a sigh, pulling a face as he walked towards her.

"Ahh, well I was…." he commented in a low voice, his eyes fixed on hers. "But, y'see I had this funny sorta feelin'...like I should be spendin' Christmas here instead..."

Butterflies swarmed inside Blake's stomach as he came to stop in front of her now, lifting a hand out towards her to take.

And take it Blake did, getting to her bare feet, her goblet still clutched in her other hand as she stared up into his eyes.

"Why didn' you tell me you weren't goin' home for the holidays Peaches?" he said in a whisper, his hazel eyes searching her face

And at his words Blake gave a gulp, shaking her head and allowing her eyes to fall to the space between them.

"Because it wasn't important-" she began.

But suddenly, she felt Negan's calloused fingers on her chin, drawing her gaze up to his once more.

"Not important? Darlin', you're more important to me than anyone else in this goddamn place," he said in an imploring voice. "An' there is no way in hell I am lettin' you spend Christmas on your own, stuck up here in this damn tower."

Blake felt her bottom lip quiver, and before she could stop it another tear slid its way down her cheek, splashing onto the stone floor at her feet.

No one since her Mum, had ever cared about her whereabouts at Christmas like this. And Negan's words alone meant more to her than anything.

And Blake felt him lift his hand from her chin and swipe away the tear track from her face.

"Will you stop cryin' if I let you open your gift?" he tried gently, nodding over to the tree just over his shoulder. "I told you you could open it on Christmas day, an' well technically it's been the 25th for..oh...I dunno...a whole five minutes at least."

Blake gave a warm smile, biting down on her bottom lip and giving a small shrug.

Negan lowered his hand from her cheek, running it gently over her shoulder and down her arm affectionately, before he turned around and moved over to the tree scooping up the package and bringing it back over to her.

Blake took it gently from him, placing her goblet down onto the windowsill behind her, as Negan perched himself onto an empty bed just opposite from her, leaning forwards and cupping the green scarf in his hands between his knees.

Blake smiled as her eyes flickered up meeting his for a brief moment, before she slowly tore off the wrapping paper, only to reveal a small dark blue suede box beneath.

Blake couldn't help but look up at Negan, once more, before he offered her a nod, encouraging her to continue.

And the blonde woman's heart fluttered slightly, as she opened the box to reveal a beautiful golden nurse's fob watch inside.

It was decorated with the most gorgeously delicate gold filigree, and on the watch face itself, was a moving map of the indigo night's sky, complete with shooting stars which streaked across tiny picture.

Blake had never seen anything so beautiful, and ran a gentle finger over the watch before turning it over in her hand…

...only to see a small inscription written on the back…

"Madam Blake…

...For mending more than just the broken bones of this old Beater…

...Negan"

And Blake with glassy eyes filled with tears, stared up at the dark-haired man, noticing that he was on his feet now, standing before her once again, wand in hand now, pointing it above their heads...where the smallest amount of snow was now falling around them..

And not only that, but above their heads, Negan had charmed a large, curling sprig of mistletoe that sparkled gold in the warm lamplight, causing Blake's breath to catch in her throat as she took in the sight.

Her eyes drifted slowly back down to Negan's, who was staring back at Blake now, looking far less arrogant and cocky than he usually did. Instead, his eyes were filled with an honesty and a burning that Blake had never seen before...not from anyone.

And, now…

...here…

...it was like only the two of them existed in the world...everything else disappearing around them in the midst of this perfect moment.

But both Madam Blake and Professor Negan should have known that perfect moments don't often last at Hogwarts.

And as Blake took a step towards him, her fingers drifting up and over the robes at his chest, her lips moving gently up towards his, there came a loud cry from the hallway outside….

"Madam Blake!"

...suddenly behind them, the door to the Hospital Wing burst open, and in fled two fourth year students, both looking sweaty and very much out of breath, carrying a third student on a invisible stretcher between them.

"Madam Blake, its Daniel!"

The two adults broke apart quickly, Blake's cheeks flushing a deep scarlet, as the charm Negan had been using to conjure up the mistletoe and the snow disappeared at once.

Blake placed down the fob watch onto the bed beside them before hurrying over to the three boys.

"What happened?" said the blonde woman rushing over, as Professor Negan stood there lifting a hand and scratching the back of his neck a little sheepishly, looking forlornly after her.

Blake stared down at the young boy with scruffy blonde hair as he writhed around, before her, fitting and foaming at the mouth.

"I dunno," said one of the other boys worriedly, helping Blake guide the sick boy over to one of the beds nearest to the door. "...we were all just staying up late to see in Christmas, me Daniel and Henry were playing Gobstones, and I offered him one of my peanut puffs and-"

"Shhh, it's ok," soothed Blake gently, moving the two boys aside and waving her wand.

In an instant Daniel had calmed, settling back against the bed behind him, looking now like he was asleep.

"He's just had an allergic reaction by the looks of it," said Blake calmly. "Let me go fix him up a potion and he'll be as right as rain by morning."

She glanced up at Daniel's two friends.

"You two should get going back to your common room. But you did the right thing bringing him up to me," she said patting the nearest boy on the shoulder, just as her eyes drifted up behind them, to see Negan standing there, looking a little glum.

Blake reddened and looked away.

Perhaps that was their moment gone for good...but Blake knew there was no point in dwelling on things out of her control.

She had patients that needed her care. This was her job and she had to remember that.

She heard Negan give a loud sigh, making the two boys beside Blake jump, neither obviously having noticed Negan's presence in the room until now.

"C'mon, boys," he said in a slightly grouchy, yet sympathetic tone. "Let's' get you both back to the Gryffindor Common room. Then it's lights out. You hear me?"

"Y-Yes, sir…" stuttered the two boys almost in unison as Negan, with his hand on both their shoulders, steered them from the room, Blake's eyes following him as he went.

Leaving Blake alone with her patient.

And a little while later, when Daniel had taken his potion and was sleeping peacefully, Blake moved back over to the far side of the room, picking up her now-cold goblet of cocoa, ready to pour it away, but she stopped, noticing the the golden fob watch Negan had given to her sparking in the lamplight.

She picked it up tracing over the inscription with her finger and smiling, before extinguishing the lamps and heading for bed...

….more than ready for her first Christmas in a long, long time, that she wouldn't spend alone.