Christmas
Early on Christmas morning Severus was awoken by what, at first glance, appeared to be a small, very localised tornado. Upon opening his eyes fully however, it turned out to be a very overexcited Draco.
"Wake up! Wake up!" he shouted, bouncing on the end of Severus's bed in a very undignified way. "Everyone else is awake and we want presents!"
"Then open them and let me sleep." he groaned pulling the blanket over his head.
"Harriet won't let us until you're there." Draco whined, and with a flick of his wand the blanket vanished.
"You'll pay for that you brat!" Severus yelled at Draco's retreating back, but he got out of bed and donned a dressing gown before following him to the cozy living room behind the dining room.
The room had been decorated with Christmas garlands, paper chains, enchanted snowmen and all manner of Christmassy accessories. It was busy but not tacky. In one corner of the room stood an enormous Christmas tree lit by fairies and decorated with golden and red baubles. He noted with a smile there were also strings of silver and green tinsel arranged to include Draco's house colours. Under the tree nestled a pile of brightly wrapped presents and, sitting or kneeling in a semi-circle around the presents, were Harriet and the others. Severus grinned to see that Draco was sitting behind Ginny giving him a nervous look.
"Merry Christmas Evan!" said Harriet gesturing for him to join them. "The Weasley's will be bringing gifts later, but I thought we should open each others this morning."
"Mostly because Draco is really whiney when he has to wait for presents." Ginny laughed and Draco gave her a pretend scowl.
Severus grabbed a cushion and sat, in space Harriet had indicated next to her, as she began to levitate presents to their recipients. Soon wrapping paper was flying as they tore into their gifts. Severus's first gift was a black, high necked black formal robe, exquisitely tailored, from Draco. He thanked him politely, though Draco was so occupied with his own gifts he wasn't sure he heard, and moved on to his next gift. Hermione has given him a potions journal, charmed to record his comments into a written record leaving his hands free to brew while it took notes for him. Ron had given him a box of Chocolate Frogs and Ginny had given him an assortment of colour coded potion phials. It was with a twinge of disappointment he noticed there was no gift to unwrap from Harriet.
He looked up and noticed that Harriet was holding a bundle of parchment and smirking.
"Hey," said Ron, sounding confused, "Harriet didn't get me anything this year."
"Nor me." said Ginny with a slight pout, "What's the deal?"
"I got something for all of you." Harriet said waving the parchment, "I didn't wrap it because I only finished making it last night." She waved her wand and floated the bundle until a single piece of parchment hovered in front of each of them. For one heart stopping moment Severus feared she might have duplicated the Marauders Map, but she explained, "Each piece of parchment is enchanted so that when one is written on the ink appears on all of them. There is an added enchantment so that if you want to message just one or two of the others you just write their name, or names, at the top. The parchment will vibrate when something new is written, so if you keep it in your pocket you will know when you have a message."
"That's some complex spell work," Draco said, impressed, "where did you learn that?"
"Hermione did something similar in our fifth year," Harriet told him, and his mouth gaped. "but this can convey more information. Oh, and it's only readable to the owner of the parchment."
"This is brilliant Harriet!" said Ginny, "Now I can stay with Draco at full moon and have a way of getting help if it's needed."
"I'm not sure-" Ron started, but Hermione kicked him.
"What do you think Evan?" Harriet asked, with a worried look in her blue-green eyes.
"I'm very impressed Harriet," he said, "a thoughtful and useful gift."
"Thank Merlin for that," she said smiling with relief, "now I can open my gifts." She began to tear into her wrapped packages as Severus watched.
He noticed that she was saving his gift for last and his mouth felt dry. By the time she picked up the small black box with the golden ribbon he felt like his heart might thump its way out of his chest. She gently pulled the ribbon free and opened the box's hinged lid. She seemed frozen for a few moments until she looked up at him with a strange expression on her face.
"Evan!" she whispered in wonder, "You shouldn't have. It's beautiful!"
"You like it?" he said in a worried voice.
"Of course I do," she said, in a breathless voice, "but you really shouldn't have." She lifted a delicate gold chain from the box and held it up.
The light glinted on the lightning bolt pendant and it shimmered with magical energy.
"That must have cost a fortune!" gasped Ron, feeling Hermione's elbow in his ribs again.
"I remembered you saying how pretty you thought it was." Severus said to Harriet, oblivious of the others in the room. "I thought it made an appropriate present."
"Did he just tell Harriet he thinks she's pretty?" Ginny whispered loudly and Harriet blushed.
"You said it was an extremely intricate piece of magic." she said, still stunned.
"I did." he said, "And it is. It's also perfect for removing you from the scene of any danger you may happen to find yourself in. Which is a frequent occurance with you I believe."
"Not through choice." she protested, smiling, "I love it! Thank you Ev! Can you help me put it on?"
She moved to sit in front of him with her back to him and gathered up her shoulder length black hair, moving it to expose her neck. With shaking hands Severus took the chain and, fumbling slightly with the clasp, fastened it. His hands brushed her neck slightly and he felt a fluttering in his stomach as she gave a small sigh.
"The password isn't set yet," he croaked when she turned to face him, her cheeks flushed, "I can show you how to set it. Just tell me what you want it to be."
"Felix Felicis." she grinned at him, "I suppose I'm feeling lucky.
XXXXXX
Kreacher apparated into the lounge around mid morning to inform Harriet that guests were starting to arrive. They all clattered downstairs to greet the incoming Weasley's as they flooed into the kitchen. Arthur and Molly were first, hugging and kissing everyone hello, and they were followed soon after by Charlie, George and Percy. Harriet led them all upstairs to the dining room and lounge, with them all commenting on how much nicer the house now looked. Bill and Fleur were shown up a few minutes later, by a Christmas hat wearing Kreacher. Draco and Severus hung back slightly as the various Weasley's greeted Harriet, Hermione and each other. Feeling a bit out of place until Ginny skipped over and dragged Draco, by the hand, to meet her family. Molly swept him up in a hug and Arthur shook his hand warmly, both thanking him for saving Ginny and welcoming him to the family. Ron sulked a little until George and Charlie transfigured his chair into holly bush and he jumped up squealing and chased them round the room.
In a brief lull after the laughter Molly spotted Severus standing awkwardly by the door. She bustled over beaming.
"This must be the new young man Harriet has told us so much about." she said.
"Evan Asphodel Ma'am," he said, with a formal sweeping bow. "I am delighted to make your acquaintance."
He extended his hand to shake her's and suddenly found himself pulled into a hug.
"Such a charming young man," she beamed, "you hold on to this one Harriet."
Severus's blush at these words was mirrored on Harriet's cheeks.
Dinner was a noisy affair, with wizard crackers and much laughter, and Kreacher kept everyone's drinks topped up. Molly had made everyone a traditional Weasley jumper, Evan's was black with a quaffle on it, and she made sure everyone was wearing one. After the food had been cleared away and gifts had been exchanged Harriet led everyone back into the lounge where they settled down to relax.
Evan sat on a large cushion, reading a potions book Bill and Fleur had given him, and listened to the chatter around him. Nearby he could hear Ron muttering to Hermione. He tried not to listen, but at Harriet's name his ears pricked up.
"She always had a thing about Charlie though." Ron was whispering, "I just kind of assumed she would end up as part of the family."
"She's still family Ron." Hermione said, "Besides, she only fancied Charlie because he was all muscular and brave, working with dragons and stuff." she shrugged, "They don't have a lot in common really."
Severus felt a chill in his chest at the same time as hot anger began to rise in his throat. He casually stood up and headed out of the lounge door towards the potions lab, thankful that nobody called him back. Once in the lab with the door closed he vented his feelings by kicking a table leg, hard. This didn't help and caused him to hop around cursing at the pain in his toe. He sat down heavily on a stool and lay his head on the table, covering it with his arms.
"Fool!" he spat out, "Of course she prefers a brave, muscular man to a scrawny potions geek. What the hell have you got to offer her anyway?" he thumped his head on the table a few times. "She could never want someone like you." he hissed into the wood of the table.
"Evan?" came Harriet's tentative voice as the door swung open.
"I was just checking everything was ready for tomorrow night." he lied smoothly, leaping to his feet before she entered.
"It gets a bit much when you're not used to it," she said, "all the Weasley's, I guessed you might come down here for a break."
"I'm fine." he said shortly, causing her to frown slightly, "come on, let's go back up." he said walking towards the stairs.
He rejoined the gathering upstairs, but noticed Harriet did not re-emerge for a while. When she came back he couldn't help noticing her eyes were red and, judging by the glare that she gave him, Hermione noticed too.
XXXXXX
Harriet and Severus stayed away from each other for most of the evening, politely talking with everyone and pretending nothing had happened. When the party had broken up later that night the other four, none too subtly, disappeared leaving them to talk alone. Severus felt her presence at the side of his chair and slowly closed his book before looking up. She stared at him expectantly and, when he said nothing, she sank into the chair facing him with a sigh.
"I can't work you out Evan." she said regarding him seriously. "One minute you seem like you care, like you want me, and the next you turn cold and distant." she waited in vain for Severus to reply and then narrowed her eyes at him. "I at least deserve an answer."
"How I feel is of no importance," he said, looking away at the fire, "we cannot be together. I'm not right for you, my past...you would not be so keen to be close to me if you knew..."
"Then tell me!" she shouted, jumping to her feet, eyes flashing. "For fuck's sake Evan! Tell me how you feel, show me. It's not right to shut off your emotions this way. Be a man not a coward."
"I am no coward!" he shouted back, "Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, they are weak. I will not be weak!"
He spun on his heel and stalked from the room in a fury, leaving Harriet to watch him leave. A look of shocked realisation slowly washing over her face.