Merry Christmas
The great hall was all but deserted, Albus and Minerva had taken some things by floo to their new cottage early this morning and wouldn't be back until after the new year, Snape sat in the hall, sipping tea and testing the boundaries of his tender knee, it had stiffened that night in bed and he was considering a walk around the grounds to stretch it out when a very tired looking grey barn owl swooped down and deposited an envelope on top of his toast, the owl then proceeded to perch at the edge of the table, tittering on the verge of toppling down.
He slit the W seal with his wand and perused the contents.
Professor Severus Snape,
We would like to cordially invite you to a New Year's Eve party.
Nothing fancy just good food and friends.
Hope your knee is on the mend enough for you to attend.
Sincerely,
Arthur and Molly Weasley
Snape stared at the handwritten note, perhaps Molly was afterall a poor choice for Transfiguration teacher, especially if she did not have the sense to know that people wouldn't want to see him while they were trying to ring in the new year, and for that matter she should have realized he would rather teach Neville Longbottom legilimancy for a year rather than attend a party with her children…all his former students.
He slipped the note in his pocket and made to leave for his constitutional around the grounds, he winced at the poor cooperation his knee was giving him and snatched up his cane to alleviate the pressure.
The air was fresh and cool and the sun was pretending that it was an earlier month. He started off tentatively, down to the lake, to survey the woods and back but the walking was soothing and his knee was responding to the exercise so he decided to attempt a turn around the greenhouses as well, keeping in mind that how ever far he let himself stray it would be the same distance to get back.
The windows of the glass enclosures were covered in a white fog, the cold fresh air outside pressed up against the warm moist air inside with only a window to between them the tension produced a mist that hung between them.
He had passed greenhouse three and was nearly to the door of the fourth when a crashing sound came from behind him, he whirled, pulling his wand, crouching in a defensive posture and advanced with caution.
"Who's there! Show yourself at once!" Snape had advanced to the door turned the handle and let it open the rest of the way on its own, not wanting to get caught off guard by someone laying in wait behind the opening.
He surveyed the room, all was quiet and then a head emerged from under the back work table.
"Miss Granger?" He looked about the room for anyone else or signs of foul play.
"Don't be alarmed professor Snape. I promised Professor Sprout I'd tend to her winter plants while she's visiting her sister…" Snape had walked in further, leaning heavily on his cane, the sudden stance he had taken outside had caused him to twist it and it was smarting… Hermione's eyes had fallen to the cane, distracted by seeing Snape using an aid, she continued, "…when I moved around the table to reach these Amarylis flowers my foot got caught in some heavy planters that were sticking out from under the table."
Snape immediately rounded the corner of the table, standing on the same side as Hermione, looking down to inspect where she had tripped.
"You are uninjured?" His tone was soft and questioning, hopeful in a way that Hermione had not thought him capable.
She looked up at him and felt a wash of emotion come over her, she averted her eyes, knowing rationally that he was not reading her thoughts but not wanting to betray her feelings through looks… " yes, yes, perfectly fine."
While she looked away Snape had unconsciously shrugged his robes forward and pulled his arm that was leaning on the cane, backward, hiding the crutch in the folds of black material.
"Professor Sprout has always been a bit disorganized." He commented. Hermione couldn't help but look up with a smile in her eyes, Professor Snape never spoke of the other teachers, bad or good, well except Trelawny and Dumbledore.
Hermione laughed, "It was my fault, truly, I wasn't looking where I was going and lost my footing." Hermione reached down to pick up the watering can she had dropped and with her wand she pieced back together the pots that had cracked when they toppled over.
"While I have my wand out would you like some tea professor? When you opened the green house door a chill came through."
Snape eyed her, unsure of whether to accept, but he found himself saying yes without realizing it was he who was speaking.
Hermione smiled and drew the tea things around her, to his surprise she let them settle on the table and she began to manually prepare the pot and put the water on to boil, her small hands had memorized the procedure and there was something comforting about watching her while standing in this overly humid room, heavy with the perfume of soil and flowers. He backed up and took a seat on what looked to be an old barstool, shaking his head slightly from the almost intoxicating surroundings.
As he watched her level the tea into a tarnished tea ball he thought of Sprout, they were in her house now, earthy and unkempt, he thought back to when he first met her, hair still dark black, less wiry and something of a definable figure, at first he derided her in his mind, thinking; messy woman, messy teacher, but as the weeks and months passed and he was thrown together with her time and time again at staff meetings, meals and quidditch matches he had decided that although her appearance was frousy he respected her for her realism. One conversation in particular always tugged a smile to his mouth which he thought summed up Sprout to perfection, he thought of it now and couldn't help a laugh escape.
Hermione looked up at him curios and infected by his light mood. "Professor Snape, I know that this must surely be Christmas, and although I have never spent the occasion in your company I'm now convinced that it is a special event, for this is the very first time that I have seen you laugh…uh correction…the first time I've seen you laugh without the least bit of sarcasm, unless of course I've spilled the tea down my front and not realized it." Hermione made to look down the front of her shirt, searching to see if any brown stains had been made.
He smirked at her, "No Miss Granger, you remain unstained. I was thinking of Professor Sprout if you must know."
" And the thought of her makes you laugh?" Hermione raised her brow quizzically.
I do not as a general rule collect or recant stories about people but there was one from my very first Christmas at Hogwarts as a potions professor…" Hermione covered the teapot with a cloth, setting it to steep and turned her attention to Snape, she had pulled up a stool as well and placed her chin in her upturned palms. "…Now you must remember that I was at that time the youngest professor at Hogwarts, coming from dubious circumstances, and looking every inch the brooding intellectual…" Hermione smiled at his self deprecating tone.
"In those days McGonagall still sat to Albus' right but next to her was Poppy, myself and professor Sprout was on my immediate right.
"Surrounded by women?"
"Surrounded indeed, and between Poppy and McGonagall an intense campaign launched to save my soul." His hand flew up to his head while he shook back the thoughts. " It was Poppy first, she started on my health; I evidently would be fine in the hereafter if I could just get more exercise and drink 8 glasses of pumpkin juice per day. Then Minerva began, she devised a plan to have me married off and living in Hogsmead villiage before I turned 30."
Hermione was choking back the laughter, unsure whether he thought this at all amusing or if it was just irritating to him.
"Laugh Miss Granger if you will but think of me the next time someone makes you their personal project. I thought for a while that in accepting Albus' generous offer to stay at Hogwarts I had fallen out of the proverbial frying pan and into the fire."
"But how did you get them to stop and how does professor Sprout have anything to do with it?"
"Well it went on and on from October to December, each one almost trying to outdo the other with 'love and concern', and plans for my future. Sprout never said a word, like myself she didn't have many friends and when she came for meals it was usually only the food that lured her out. It was a particularly cold Christmas that year inside and out and the two women were at a fever pitch of ideas that would leave me tender, loved, warm and I believe in one scenario I was dancing with one of their nieces, who truth be told only used her 2 inch thick spectacles for distances of more than a yard away."
Hermione was dabbing at tears in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard. "…but what did Sprout do?"
"Well by the end of the meal, as you can imagine I wanted nothing more than to melt under my seat and disappear in the floorboards, evidently Sprout had reached her breaking point as well."
She rose from her seat and came round behind them, placing a hand on each shoulder she drew them close; "Ladies, some trees in the forest grow in curled and gnarled patterns, they do everything to avoid other trees and find their own unique way of reaching the sky, this is what makes a deep forest interesting… and I think beautiful. Now let's stop all this nonsense and put our minds on the pudding!"
"I came to think of her differently that day." Snape looked away from Hermione when he noticed that her eyes were shining with a different type of tear.
" I am sure you have many stories about people filed away but I like the one that you decided to share."
With that came a loud rap at the door, "Afternoon to ya Hermione…" Hagrid waved from the door and looked puzzled by the scene, "…Oh and a Happy Christmas, of course to the both of ya."
"Happy Christmas, Hagrid." Hermione jumped off her stool and went round the table to embrace the half giant.
" Oh, you're a good girl there…" Hagrid was the only one who still called Hermione a girl and Snape felt a strange sense of jealousy at the notion that such an allowance was reserved only for him.
"I've made some treacle fudge for all." Hagrid rummaged inside his massive fur vest and produced to semi dirty white boxes, that in his hands appeared to be the size of a small box of candy but when the recipients took possession they appeared to have grown to the size of shirt boxes.
Hermione carefully opened hers to reveal the hard as rock fudge that Hagrid was famous for. "Well Hagrid you've outdid yourself with the batch this year." He looked very proud as he handed one to professor Snape. "Don't know if you care for sweets professor?"
Hermione flashed Snape a pleading look and he sensed what he must do immediately.
"Thank you Hagrid."
Hermione had never seen Hagrid so pleased, it caused her to give professor Snape a beaming look of gratitude.
"I also came to tell you Mione that I'll look in on Pomona's hot house stuff if you want ter go to Ron's for the party."
"Thanks Hagrid, but why aren't you coming?"
"Oh well, Molly understands, I'm not much on a crowd, better one on one, ya know."
"Sure Hagrid, I'll see you when I come back."
Snape chuckled inwardly, Hagrid seemed to be holding the key to getting what he wanted; to not have to attend parties and others would understand, admit to liking solitude and not be thought of as a recluse, calling Hermione various pet names, and lastly, making what could quite possibly be the worst looking Christmas sweet and have everyone think that they are a wonderful tradition. Snape scolded himself and uttered quietly as the giant said his goodbyes, "…and to think I accused him of lacking subtleties."
Once Hagrid was gone Hermione turned to Snape and took his box out of his hand. "You must never eat anything Hagrid gives you, unless you want to lose all your teeth."
Snape laughed at her honesty and willingly gave up the box. While she was obliterating the fudge so as not to leave any traces of it behind that Hagrid could find Snape thought of his Slytherins that would have to leave Hogwarts next term to possibly live in an 'institutional settings', it gave him a chill to think of the bleak surroundings, it was true he never partook in the festivities of the Holiday but on those rare occasions that he had found himself not at Hogwarts it was even more depressing. These dark thoughts forced him to seek advice on what to do.
" I have a serious problem Miss Granger."
She whirled from the last bit of disintegrating fudge to face him.
"Professor?"
"The ministry is punishing the deatheaters that are still alive in Azkaban further by seizing their accounts, they are planning to redistribute all their assets to the families that were hurt severely during the war." He knew she would understand the implication immediately and he was gratified when her mouth formed the small "oh" of understanding.
"What can we do for the students, I know of at least four including Mr. Watts."
" I have been trying to think of a solution since I received the letter but none seem suitable, especially if I am not here to help execute the plan."
A silence fell between them and they both thought on their recent behaviour in respect to the subject of him leaving. Hermione was the first to break the silence and it was clear that she thought she may be on to something.
"Must you live at Hogwarts if you are Headmaster?"
"It is a good idea…problems arise in the evening almost as often as during the day…I'm sure you can vouch for this from your own schooldays." He gave her a knowing glance and she responded with a smirk.
"But with this new time of peace we can have an open floo network with the headmaster?"
"Perhaps but how does this solve the Slytherin problem?"
"I know of a house in the village, it is a bit rundown but it would be nothing for us to clean and repair it, perhaps a day or two of work. We, or should I say you could purchase it, you will need a place to live now that you are leaving Hogwarts, you could have the displaced students come and live with you,…under the name of help with the house and perhaps private research that you are doing into certain potions. If you apply to the ministry they may even partially fund you. It could take several years to resolve this problem with the children of deatheaters so there would always be a place for them."
"And school tuition? How could I manage that as well?"
"Well maybe, as headmaster you could open a few spots to students that would be willing to help the teachers with jobs that the house elves can't do, like in the classroom?"
"I had wanted to divorce myself further than Hogsmeade when I decided that I was leaving?"
"Maybe so sir, but sometimes other things are more important."
"I will think on it, thank you for your suggestion."
Hermione's heart sank, she sensed that he thought it a bad idea and now she would be left to sort out this mess alone.
Snape saw her spirits sink and changed the subject, "What does one do at a Weasley New Years Eve party?"
The question was so formal and stiff Hermione laughed, but she saw that Snape was serious so she told him in earnest.
"Well, we have wonderful food that Molly and Arthur prepare, we reminisce about the events of the past year, we toast our accomplishments, speak fondly of anyone who has passed on and then we say what our resolutions are for the coming year."
"Resolutions?"
"Yes, um… ways we can better ourselves or the way we do things. The resolution itself is more of a token gesture but it signifies that we have been evaluating and critiquing ourselves.
"Sounds suspiciously like work."
"Not really, by that time we've all had a few drinks and its fun to listen to everyone's ideas."
"You truly are a social person."
Hermione ignored the pseudo compliment and continued. " When it gets very close to midnight, ten seconds prior, we count down, and when the New Year comes we make lots of noise and give a kiss to the person we're standing next to." She looked up at him, comprehension dawning.
"Are you asking me this because you are invited?"
"Yes, but I don't think it would be right…no, not the right place…for me."
Hermione didn't know what to say so she went into logical mode; well if you were invited by Arthur and Molly than that is two people that think it would be alright and I will be there, as well as Albus and Minerva if they are up to the evening, so you see quite a few people would think it very suitable and even enjoyable if you were there."
Snape nodded his head in thanks for that but rose from his stool and steadied himself on his cane. " I have much correspondence and papers to sort out. Thank you for the tea and well…Merry Christmas Miss Granger."
Hermione nodded in assent and new the last phrase had cost him.
Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Later that evening Severus went to the edge of the school grounds and disaparated to Dumbledore and Minerva's cottage. It was white stone with a thatched roof, small billows of smoke were rising from the chimney.
He was treated to a festive dinner but halfway through Albus' energy flagged and they retired to the living room in front of the fire, Minerva had gone off to visit a relative while Severus kept Albus company.
"My boy you are looking pensive on Christmas, are there troubles at the school?"
Severus hesitated but decided to tell Albus about the group of Slytherins effected by the new Ministry decree, he also half jokingly explained Hermione's possible solution.
Albus was silent and Severus thought for a moment he had gone to sleep. " Hermione Granger never ceases to amaze me and I am very hard to amaze anymore."
"You think her plan is viable? I don't think the ministry would help with the funds?"
"Perhaps Miss Granger could talk to a very good friend of hers at the ministry that everyone seems delighted in these days, I believe his name is, Harry Potter."
"Hmm…I had not thought of that possibility…but it would have to come from her."
"Who better, she is a wonderful writer…why she'll have them convinced to give you carte blanche before they finish the first paragraph…but…"Dumbledore knitted his brows.
" But what." Severus was curious.
"She lacks a title…yes she is potions professor but that lacks clout with the administrative types."
Severus knew Albus was an expert on these policy matters, he had to learn all the ins and outs when Voldemort's supporters were peppering the ministry.
"Do you think she would accept Deputy Headmistress?" He asked so benignly a normal person would have thought it had just popped into his head but Severus knew better.
"Before I go another step I want to know how long you have been planning this?"
"Planning? This is the first I've heard of your predicament."
Severus tried to read his old professor's eyes but even now he was always unsure.
"I don't want to be controlled by anyone anymore." Snape rose and poured, with his hands, another drink for himself.
Albus shifted in his chair and steepled his hands together, reminiscent of bygone days.
"Severus, we are all to some extent trying to control one another, it is the way of humans and wizards, those of us that believe we are enlightened try to follow laws so that each person is protected from the whims of others. It could be said, by your reasoning that you are trying to control those Slytherin children, by providing a shelter and a place for schooling, filling their head with the notion that they matter, that the path which you are providing is the only conceivable alternative."
Snape nodded his head in agreement with the logic, he could not dispute Albus, he was in his own way controlling situations. He thought of Molly and how her presence at Hogwarts would serve him two purposes, the Slytherins with the bogus scholarships, the ones he was outright paying for their tuition.
"My boy I think you have always cared very deeply for people but are only recently able to express it, don't confuse interest and love with control."
Minerva returned shortly after, they all had one nightcap, commented on Filius' decorations and called it a night.