A/N: This was a Christmas Exchange 2017 challenge, where I was provided with a pairing and idea "What happens when the man braves the shops in order to find the perfect gift for a woman? (Extra points for humour!) " A quinary fandom suggestion was Jane Austen, any. I was gifted with Coromandel as my 'target'.

The chapter headings are lines from a Christmas Carol that I sang every year in college. It is somewhat obscure, but the title is taken from the last line of the first verse and translates roughly to, "Draw me, I will run after you." It is meant to be religious but it struck me as romantic, a sort of challenge and promise wrapped in one.

An extra element added into this story is an original character who has been introduced in my main work, Time Immemorial, one Conrad (Connie when feeling feminine) Rolle, and an oblique reference to Whittington Nott later on, another original character. Coromandel happens to be my beta reader and Connie was written for her. I consider this story to be an AU to my AU. As usual Harry Potter and his world belong to JK Rowling and no money will be accepted for my work.

Thanks to PandoraRose78 for organising the challenge, and to Braixenboy17, miridelaney AO3, and FrancineHibiscus AO3 for being test readers and patient sounding boards.

Chapter One. In Dulci Jublio!

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall surveyed the staffroom, its atmosphere warmed by a fire that staved off the cold of November. She could just feel the holiday spirit lacing the amiable chatter of the teachers at the school sharing a cuppa, helped along by the lovely rum cake provided by Ancient Runes Professor, Hermione Granger. "Next time we'll be discussing the plans for the holidays. Please collect the names of students who will be staying over and hand them in to me by the first week of December. I'll be wanting volunteers to help organise the Yule Ball. Thank you all for your enthusiasm in advance."

McGonagall's eyes met with the clear blues of Connie Rolle, Professor of Arithmancy, who was decked out to the nines in a garish jumper depicting Reindeer involved in very adult games. Those eyes were bright with laughter, and Minerva was hard pressed to maintain her composure. They were plotting again, and their targets had no idea. Minerva inclined her head a fraction and Connie straightened, quivering with anticipation.

The heat of the Cognac in her belly coupled with the prospect of seeing two more of her favorite people happy had her practically purring, and she settled back watching the people around her with half-lowered eyes. Last year's holiday season had been blessed by the wedding celebration of two of her oldest friends and colleagues, Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick. The couple had been an item back before the first Wizarding War, but private grief had turned their love sour. It took years of delicate questioning and ultimately the application of brandy to ascertain that Pomona was barren, and could never give Professor Flitwick a child. She had returned his ring, saying only that she was no longer inclined to marry.

Minerva was one of the few people who was deep enough in Filius' confidence to know the extent of his devotion to Pomona. The faithful wizard had tried his damnedest over the years to divine what he had done wrong. He never moved on in spite of attempts of others on staff to introduce him to other witches, his heart was firmly dedicated to Pomona.

Then, the solution finally presented itself to McGonagall. Many children were left orphaned as a result of the war, so Minerva carefully prompted Professor Flitwick into taking a personal interest in these displaced children, openly suggesting that he could, in his bachelorhood, adopt although he did have some trepidation about becoming a father alone. Professor Sprout's strong emotional response to her former love's plans almost scuttled the whole operation, but at last she admitted the real reason behind her former rejection. The renewal between them was lovely to watch, and as they say, the rest was history.

Now Minerva had turned her sights on Severus Snape, War Hero and Potions Master, who first joined their staff 25 years ago as the youngest faculty ever. Technically he should be Headmaster, but he refused the position when he returned to his post, following extensive medical leave and legal trouble connected to his role in the war.

The man that emerged after the years of trials and testing, having seen death and survived was a different person. He still possessed a biting wit and a sharp mind, and would not bear fools easily, but he was much more human. He smiled, and on rare occasion would laugh. He no longer wore uninterrupted black. He wore his hair held back in a thong, rather than allowing it to hang lank about his face.

Indeed, Minerva held high hopes when she had seen him walking about Hogsmeade over weekends in the company of various witches, but none of them ever seemed to work out. Sure, he holidayed in France three years ago with a lovely witch named Laverne, but they never formed a more lasting attachment. She had married an American this past summer, and Severus consulted with her on what to send as a wedding present.

Her other project was their newest faculty member, Hermione Granger. Miss Granger, one of the so-called Golden Trio, had returned to help rebuild and graduated, as expected, at the top of her class in 1999, a year later than she would have because of the war. She went on to study Ancient Runes at Durmstrang, and finished a six year course of work in three, presenting her thesis and receiving recognition before returning to England. Her relationship with Ronald Weasley hadn't survived the aftermath of the war. Privately, Minerva felt that this might have been what prompted the witch to turn down a seat at Oxford, where she had originally been accepted to study Law.

Either way, Miss Granger returned confident and determinedly single. Rumor was that she sought out her old boyfriend Viktor Krum, however over the past two years the papers joyfully reported Krum's banns of marriage and subsequent additions to the family. Miss Granger confided to Minerva last year, after Sprout and Flitwick's wedding that she fully expected that she would remain a spinster and was determined to make the best of it. Her old cat, Crookshanks, had died while she was doing her Post-Graduate work, and she had yet to replace her familiar, failing to find another creature, "As misunderstood and maligned" as she had been. When she uttered those words over tea in the faculty lounge one day, McGonagall's eye happened to fall on Severus Snape and the idea grew from there.

Presently, Hermione Granger was passing around slices of Buttered Rum cake, a recipe that she had been learning from Molly Weasley. It was time to introduce the subject. As Hermione approached the proper side of the room, McGonagall smiled at her little coven and asked, "So, how are you all getting on with your holiday shopping?"

Granger, always quick with an answer, chirped helpfully, "I finished in July." She made a face, "Might need a minor revision, but I think I am done, really." She looked around as though hoping for house points before recalling her task. She handed a slice of cake to the platinum blonde, impeccably coiffed Professor of Arithmancy. Conrad Rolle, or Connie, as she insisted everyone call her, was one of the worst gossips at the school. She was also possessed of a fluid gender, and she was rather good about dressing the part. If he was identifying as male, a pencil-thin mustache would appear and his robes would be more reserved. If female, she would be dressed to the nines. In addition to his iron-clad nerves, Connie had a real passion for gossip and meddling.

As Hermione made her way back to the sidetable to get a few more slices, Connie made eye-contact with Minerva and after Flitwick elaborated on his festive plans to make matching amplifying pillows for his Toad chorus, Connie chimed in. "Oh, I've a few things yet to find here and there. But my troubles are NOTHING compared to Severus over there."

Severus Snape was hiding behind his copy of The Flame, a Potions journal published in the Americas. He allowed the top of the paper to sag enough to look over at Rolle with an expression of mixed alarm and irritation.

Always helpful and true, Hermione Granger took the bait immediately. Minerva was smug, as Rolle and Snape were the last to be served, choreographed down to the breath, Hermione was already walking back over to Snape, handing him a plate. After his desultory, "Thank you," he was saved from having to elaborate further by Rolle.

"Oh, Severus wasn't going to bother anyone with this, but he has been pining after a lady, and doesn't know what to get her as a gift." Connie flashed a row of even, white teeth, and fluttered criminally long mascara-laden lashes as she went on to explain in a theatrical hush, "Sev's shy."

Professor Granger retrieved her own piece of cake and sat down to eat it too, picking the empty right across from Professor Snape. The glare that Snape was sending at Connie promised that Rolle was about to have to start checking his shampoo for unflattering dyes. Unphased, Connie tittered, "Oh, don't be like that, Severus. I'm just trying to help."

Every eye in the room was fixed on Snape, who narrowed his eyes at Connie before turning back to the confection in front of him. Well, and the cake. Clearing his throat after taking a bite of the very strong rum, he commented, "Excellent cake. Molly's recipe?"

Hermione Granger answered after a delay, "What? Oh...yes, quite so. This cake helped me get through years of festivities at the Weasleys so I finally persuaded her to give me her recipe."

Laughlines crinkled about Severus' eyes and he commented, "I wondered how you endured the chaos."

This prompted a blush and a chuckle in response, "Can't hide behind a book all of the time." The remark had a bitter edge to it, and Minerva was quite sure that Molly Weasley had uttered this often enough. She was deeply disappointed that Miss Granger had not been successful with her Ronald, so she had taken to making comments regularly that were meant to hint to Hermione what went wrong. Ronald Weasley had long since moved on, and had married Moira Fortescue four years ago. He had expanded his family and waistline, and was working with his brother George at the joke shop in Diagon Alley.

"I know. Dreadful." Severus and Hermione shared a smile, two beleaguered introverts who understood one another.

A gasp from Connie shattered the moment. "Oh, it is too good. I know just the thing, Severus!"

The harassed Wizard closed his eyes and sighed. "What now?"

Connie had only taken a few bites, trying to preserve her boyish figure. She was leaning forwards, her perfectly manicured fingernails shining as she mooned at Hermione as though she had promised a million galleons and her very own harem. "But don't you see?"

Severus' face was clouding over with the gathering storm of choice words that no one wanted to hear, but Hermione flushed prettily and helpfully translated, "I think that since I'm good at shopping, Professor Rolle believes I could help you."

Ever helpful, Connie clapped her hands and bounced a bit in his chair. "Oh yes! Now that you mention it, that's a brilliant notion. Sev, you simply must let Professor Granger teach you the ropes."

Cornered! Severus Snape was pole-axed. It looked as though someone had knocked him over the head with a clue brick and he was about to keel over. McGonagall could barely contain her mirth. Where was a camera when you needed it. She said helpfully, "Well, that doesn't sound like a bad idea, now that you mention it."

Hermione's blush deepened and she hastened to add, "I meant to say, I'm organized and I have a system. For shopping, that is." She glanced at the man and seemed to wilt under his scowl, "Of course, I don't know anything about who this witch is or what she might want. I... I mean, for the Hols, obviously."

Connie let out a tinkling laugh. "Oh, you know more about it than you think you do, sweetheart." She turned her attention to Severus. "Don't you dare glower at me like I'm a misbehaving third year. Professor Granger has just volunteered to help you shop. I think that is very generous of her."

Hermione hadn't said any such thing, but before Snape could put his foot into his mouth, McGonagall said, "You can switch patrols with Fitch-Fletchly and make it up to him on Sunday, Severus."

Severus remained speechless too long, so Hermione's instincts kicked in. "I can meet you after breakfast, around Nine when the shops are opening. If we get it over in the morning there won't be so many shoppers, see?" The embarrassment was fading and in its place appeared the avid sparkle that shone whenever Professor Granger was faced with a problem that she knew she could solve.

Trapped, Severus was left with few alternatives. "That would be … acceptable." Behind Hermione, Minerva mouthed something and automatically he amended his response with, "Thank you."

Professor Granger sprung up, "More cake, anyone?" One would have thought that she was five again and Christmas had come early for the waves of excitement that radiated off of her.

Minerva demurred, but Connie said, "Oh, I'll have another, and don't forget Severus over there. He cleaned his plate! I've never seen a piece of cake go so quickly."

After watching the amusing proceedings a little longer, Minerva turned her attention back to the rest of the staff. They had disappeared, sensibly scurrying off to anywhere but here, responding to the storm clouds brewing in Snape's corner of the staffroom. McGonagall dragged Professor Rolle in all of her interfering glory away from the scene before Severus could hex her properly on the pretense of discussing her lewd jumper. Looks might kill considering the personal power of the wizard in question, and Minerva had no doubt whatsoever that Severus was exhibiting extraordinary degrees of self control, it was best to remove the source of his ire post haste.

Severus Snape was left to extricate himself from the verbal barrage of an enthusiastic Hermione Granger in full swing of delivering a well-organised dissertation on holiday shopping tactics and preparedness