Author: QuillofRavenclaw
Story: Prince of the Night
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or make any money off of this fanfiction.
The Burrow sprang to life for Christmas Eve. Hermione was helping Lily make Christmas cookies at the table while Ginny and Molly were fighting for counter space in the crowded kitchen. The men had all left before Hermione had arrived for a game of Quidditch to keep away from the wrath of Molly Weasley.
"zere is someone at zee door," Fleur called from the living room, "He looks familiar, no? Black robes, long hair, should I leet him in?"
"Oh Goodness, I'll get it!" Molly cried as she rushed to open the door. Hermione knew who the description matched. He came striding through the door looking mean and superior as always.
"Professor Snape has taken us up on our offer to celebrate the holidays with us! Severus I'm sorry, but the guys have been out on the Quidditch field for a while now, so it's just us girls here. They should be in any minute," Molly explained.
"Fine," was all he said as he slunk into a corner, catching Hermione's glare from across the table.
"How is Hogwarts Severus?" Molly asked after the Turkey was in the oven.
"As unbearable as it ever was. The students are dunderheads, the staff is fussy, and Peeves is still around. If you want to hear about the good side of Hogwarts than I suggest you ask Miss. Granger," he said.
"Yes well, Hermione how is Hogwarts?" Molly asked.
"It's very different from when I was a student. We have a lot of different extra curricular activities. I'm teaching two classes, so that's difficult. Of course the students are thrilled to have a live teacher for their history of magic classes," responded Hermione.
"Did Minerva ever say what happened to Professor Binns?" Ginny asked.
"Well apparently Peeves found out that Binns didn't know he was dead. He went up to his office with a mirror he ripped off the wall in Myrtle's bathroom and showed Professor Binns his reflection. Naturally Professor Binns didn't react very well to his death. He resigned to Minerva and is now traveling as a make up for his missed retirement," explained Hermione.
"Imagine not knowing you're dead for that long!" Ginny said.
"Mom have you seen my… Hello professor Snape," Rose said as she came to a halt on the stairs, her face turning a dark shade of Weasley red.
"Miss Weasley," Snape acknowledged her with a nod.
"What was it you were looking for?" Hermione asked.
"Mypotionsbook," Rose said.
"Your what?" Hermione asked.
"Potions book, I brought it with me for a bit of light reading and Aunt Angelina wanted to look something up," Rose said shyly.
"Why, what are you girls up to?" Molly asked, knowing that Aunt Angelina had married George for a reason.
"Well, she was going to tell me how to make a potion for my hair, because it's so frizzy," Rose explained. Hermione smiled, knowing how the poor girl felt. Severus on the other hand huffed and mumbled something about a "waste of ingredients."
"I haven't seen it, but I can summon it if you'd like," Hermione pulled out her wand and brought it zipping into the living room.
"Thanks Mom," she said as she hurried back up the stairs. The burrow had expanded after the war. Each family had their own room to stay in while at the burrow, and the kids had their own rooms. Hermione was the only person with out a room because of her spilt with Ron. She had conjured a bed in Rose and Hugo's room and would be staying there tonight. The Burrow now looked rather like an assortment of tree houses from the outside with the addition of the extra rooms.
"It's awful nice of Angelina to show her. I've heard that her business is booming with the beauty products she's selling," Mrs. Weasley said. George had expanded the joke shop in Hogsmeade to also include Angelina's store. Hermione had shopped there once in a while to pick up some of Angelina's "Hippogriff Nest Tamer – for unruly, stubborn hair".
The door burst open as the Weasley's personal Quidditch teams burst through the door. "Take off your boots! You'll get mud all over the floors that Fleur just cleaned! Now go upstairs and cast some cleaning charms." Molly screamed as she shot jets of green light out of her wand towards the mud.
When the Quidditch players had cleaned themselves and everyone was done with their projects they stood around the unlit Christmas tree. "Okay everyone, on the count of three," Arthur said, "One… Two… Three" he said as everyone raised their wands. All at once there was a united cry of "Lumos" and a flash of blinding white light," It dimmed away and left the tree dazzling in different sets of blinking lights.
"Who was the one who added the purple?"
"I'm not even going to ask who conjured up these light up snakes."
"Ooh what about that flashing red and gold one!"
"Let me guess, Hermione was the one who put on the plain white lights,"
"The star looks nice,"
"One last touch I think," Hermione said as she raised her wand. She conjured a sleigh with nine tiny reindeer and enchanted it to fly around the Christmas tree.
"Ooh Pretty!" said Lily.
"Yes, Hermione is a great conjurer," Ginny said to her daughter.
"Okay time to eat, to the kitchen everybody!" Molly said as she marched into the kitchen
The families all sat together in little clusters, leaving Hermione sitting next to Severus, much to his dismay. Rose and Hugo sat at her side with Ron sitting at the opposite side. He kept shooting daggers towards Snape with glance. Severus however stared at his plate. Although he wore his hair back these days he still managed to shrink away from people without the black curtain of hair present.
Hermione snapped back to the dinner conversation when she realized that Ron was talking to her.
"I'm going to take the kids for the rest of break, Hermione," Ron repeated.
"What makes you think you can do that? I don't get to see Rose all school year either." She said.
"Because I'm her father!" He said.
"You are an unfit father Mr. Weasley, now sit down, those children wont be spending any time with you alone," Snape snapped suddenly.
"Bloody Hell, Who do you think you are Mr. High-and-Mighty Death Eater? Stay out of this I don't even know why Mum invited you. You've never had a family and you don't know a bloody thing about mine. First you took my job, and now you're trying to take my children. What are you going to take next, my wife?" Ron said, fuming.
"I'm not your wife anymore Ronald!" Hermione proclaimed.
Severus stood up and met Ron nose to nose. In a silent and deadly voice he said, "I know what you did Weasley. Just because the ministry is covering it up to make themselves look better. You are a danger to this family and to society. I would go back to Hogwarts, but it is against the small conscience I have to let her," he gestured towards Hermione, "stay here with her children in the presence of you. Molly If you would be so kind I would request a place on the couch tonight to watch over my fellow staff member."
"Certainly Severus, she said looking confused and nervous in the presence of the enraged auror and ex-death-eater in her kitchen. "How about some pumpkin pie? Anybody?" She asked steering the subject away from her son's failings. The worst part of the evening had transpired. They had stayed up late in the night singing to Molly's radio. At around midnight they all retired to their separate rooms while Severus slept on the couch. A restless, but peaceful silence filled the Burrow that Christmas morning.