AN: *hugs Yen* Thank you for making Hagrid talk more like Hagrid! Oh, and for all the other pretty things you did for this.

The Perfect Ornaments

Not long after they left Ron's place, Severus unlocked the door to the Quintessential Potionsmain office. A quick look about showed that everyone had left. Striding into his office, he opened his larder cabinet and restocked it with more fruit, bread, and cheese, in bigger amounts than before, and added a tin of smoked ham. He hoped that everyone came out of this event okay, for they had been trapped in this small office until that morning. That is, unless they decided to brave the snow.

Sitting at his desk, Severus quirked up the side of his mouth at the pile stacked in his in-box.'They weren't idle while they were here.' Picking up the first of the articles, he scanned the contents, checking to make sure that it was a real potion that was being discussed, and if so, whether the edits that the others added made sense. It wasn't the first time that he tried to figure out how come he was the only Potions Master on the staff, and how had they managed before he joined.

Picking up his quill, he started on his work.

About an hour later, Severus heard the outside door open and close followed by a fast tapping of shoes.

Charles stepped into his office and shook his head.

"Snape, we are closed today. Everyone has gone home already."

Severus set the paper he had just finished into his out-box. "I've come to catch up on all the work you've stacked up for me."

Charles crossed the room and leaned against the desk. "Everyone was worried about you when we noticed that you had left. I take it you made it home safe and sound?"

"I don't live that far from here, so it wasn't that much of a hardship to walk home. I made it so that there was one less mouth to feed." He blotted off his quill tip and set it down on its rest.

"Thank you for the food. Amaryllis was amazed when she noticed it. Between your stash and Dorian's, we made it through." Charles stood up while nodding to his second. "I'm heading back out, I just stopped by to pick up a few papers. See you tomorrow, Snape. Don't stay too late."

"Until tomorrow. Oh, just in case." Severus pointed to the cabinet. "That is my larder. I've added a few extras. If I am not in, you may get what you want from it if the need arises."

Charles looked at it before nodding once again, and heading out the door.

Severus finished the stack of papers on his desk and then headed out into the alley. He had told Harry he would find an ornament for their tree. Stepping into a likely store, he looked about trying to see something that would catch his eye.

Walking over the first display, he was surprised by the shiver of almost revulsion that ran through him. Yes, he was normally picky about his ornaments, but he had never felt this level of dislike before. Taking a moment to examine the feelings, he walked through the displays, attempting to find something that these new feelings would like. He settled on a bird made out of cones and thin sticks, and a wooden garland of cranberries.

As he checked out, he realised that the feelings stemmed from the same place where he had felt the different energies from the snow. He was almost out the door with his pitiful offering when he stopped dead in his tracks. There, walking towards him, was the epitome of the Yule spirit. There were evergreens wrapped about his head, his beard was covered in frost, and his clothes were as brown as a tree trunk.

Blinking, Severus cleared the image from his eyes and the Yule spirit faded into the enormous form of Rubeus Hagrid. The evergreens were wreaths that he was balancing on a shoulder, and the ivy vines that were wrapped about him in long ropes. His beard was truly frost covered.

"Rubeus, it is good to see you." Severus stepped out of the doorway to let the larger man in.

"Perfessor! Didn't expect to see yer here!" Rubeus' voice seemed to fill the room.

Severus shook his head as he said, "Not Professor anymore, Rubeus. I've told you to call me Severus."

"I'm sorry, Sev'rus, it is just in a public place I fall into old habits." Rubeus looked at the small bag in Severus' hand. "What yer got there?"

"I was shopping for some tree ornaments. I found a few to my liking, but there just wasn't a lot. I'll look somewhere else. Where do you normally find the ones you add to the tree? The new ones you get each year?" Those were the ornaments that Severus liked. He would spend hours attempting to find the new ones. The discovery was always worth his efforts.

"Right here. I was stopping by to pick up a few for the trees this year. Come back in." Rubeus waited until Severus turned to join him. "So, how many ornaments do you need? You finally decided to decorate a tree this year?"

"Harry and I are doing so and he requested that I find an ornament or two to add to his collection. By the way, we are not going to be at Hogwarts until about lunch time Christmas."

"Harry is coming?" Rubeus beamed at Severus.

"Yes, he is." Severus quirked a half grin at the happiness he could read in the half-giant's face.

Rubeus nodded. "It will be good ter see him. Now abou' those ornaments, I saw the collection that Harry has. You need to add your own to it. Your taste is differen' than his."

A female voice broke into their conversation. "Hagrid! I wasn't expecting you till tomorrow."

Both Severus and Rubeus looked at the shopkeeper. "The weather was clear today, so I felt I should head out while I could." Rubeus shrugged the wreathes and ivy off onto the counter before his hand dropped down on Severus' shoulder. "This is my friend, Sev'rus. He couldn't find enough ornaments for his tree, but I think we can find a few more here for him, can't we?"

The shopkeeper's eyes widened. "I suspected that he might lean that way, considering what he purchased, but he never asked. Of course we can find more." She waved her arm, and the back wall melted away, showing an entire new section to her store. "Hagrid, you will show him about, won't you?"

Rubeus nodded and with a heavy hand still on Severus' shoulder, walked to the back area. He let go as soon as the wall finished reappearing behind them. "Now, this is one that I know you would like. You p'posefully moved it every year so's you could see it from your seat."

He handed Severus a carved wren holding a holly branch in its claws.

Accepting the ornament, Severus smiled at it. "I didn't have to move it after the third year. You always put it in the right spot after that."

Rubeus smiled and walked about the room, picking up other ornaments that he knew that Severus would like.

Severus followed behind him, his hands getting full. "I thought you were hunting for this year's new ones."

Rubeus nodded. "I'll get there."

Severus reached onto one of the display trees and picked out a cat that was playing with a bit of yarn. "How about this one? You haven't done a cat recently."

Rubeus smiled. "That is a good one." He accepted it and then looked around.

"Sev'rus, this one would be perfec' for your tree." Rubeus pointed to a small cauldron sitting on a work table surrounded by a collection of ingredients.

Severus stared at it for a moment before blushing lightly. Did Rubeus know what that potion was? Nodding, he picked it up, it would fit how he felt.

δΊ”

Severus smiled at his additions to the tree and room. The ornaments that Rubeus and he had picked out filled in the holes on the tree nicely. It felt more like his tree now.

He wondered if Harry would figure out what the potion was with the cauldron ornament. He believed that Harry would mix it up with Amortentia as most people would. Not many would notice that the frog was the wrong species. This potion would only work between two people who were in love with each other - not creating a false love, but showing the other just how strong their partner's love was for them.

Heading into the kitchen, he started dinner, knowing that Harry would be home soon. He wasn't positive Molly would feed him or not considering the conversation those two were supposed to be having.