Christmas in the Dungeon
It was Christmas Eve and the Great Hall looked very festive, in fact festive probably wasn't the right word. Dumbledore and Flitwick seemed to outdo themselves every year, and not in a good way.
This didn't cheer Severus Snape up one bit, he hated Christmas, he had hated Christmas since he was a kid and he was sure he would hate this Christmas too. When he was a kid the Christmases had been spent listening to and later avoiding his parents fights. And for the last 20 years the Christmases had been spent alone in the Hogwarts dungeon.
He loved his dungeons, as much as you could love a cold, draughty dungeon. But there was something about Christmas, knowing that everyone was together having a good time that made him feel lonely.
Of course, every year he had lunch with the rest of the teachers and the students staying, but that was mostly because Albus made him promise to turn up. He knew no one else cared about his presence, and that made him leave as soon as he could. And this year wouldn't be any different.
He knew that people had expected him to change after Voldemorts downfall, to become some sort of peaceful and content version of himself, but why would he? Certainly, his life was easier now, no more double-life, no more dark revels and cruciatus-punishments but that did not make him peaceful, he still felt guilt about his youth spent as a death-eater and he was still a sort of outcast who didn't really fit in anywhere. That was why he had stayed at Hogwarts after the end of the war. Where else would he go? No matter that he now had an Order of Merlin First Class in a box in his sock-drawer, he was still an ex-death-eater, and that was not a plus when applying for a new job.
So he was still teaching the dunderheads and things were more or less the same.
Of course there had been a few changes in staff since the war. Albus was still the headmaster and Minerva McGonagall the deputy. But Pomona Sprout had retired and been replaced by Neville Longbottom and as if that wasn't enough Hermione Granger had become the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher.
It wasn't as bad as he'd though it would be actually, although Snape would never admit that to anyone. Mr. Longbottom had become less frightened of him now that he wasn't his teacher anymore and although Severus still didn't like him he could tolerate him. And Miss Granger had lost the need to prove herself at every opportunity which was a big improvement the way he saw it, and anyway he didn't see too much of either of them outside staff-meetings and dinner since he mostly kept to the dungeons.
Speaking of dinner, perhaps he should pay his food some attention instead of dwelling on gloomy thoughts.
Seeing Snape come out of his reverie Albus turned to him.
"I trust you will join us for Christmas lunch tomorrow, Severus?"
"Would you accept 'no' for as answer Headmaster?"
"Of course not!"
"Well, what choice do I have then?"
"Splendid, then I'll see you tomorrow!" Albus then turned to Minerva to ask her if she though the great hall needed anymore decorations, perhaps a few more icicles?
*
Severus slept late the next day, the one thing that really had changed in his life was his sleeping habits, he had no more nightmares and somehow it was as if his body was trying to make up for years of sleepless nights now. This, along with the more regular habits that came with being master of his own life again, had the slight downside of making him look at tad less intimidating, since his face wasn't as gaunt and pale anymore. Otherwise he looked very much the same, his hair was still greasy, or rather it was in the evenings after a day spent bent over potions.
He put on a dressing gown and went into his study to have a cup of coffee. The house elves had placed a tray with a lavish breakfast on the small table next to his favourite chair by the fire. Snape only ate breakfast on the weekend or when he had time off, he found school-day-mornings too stressful to eat. Picking up a cup of coffee and a scone he spotted three Christmas-presents lying next to his chair.
He picked up one with scarlet paper and a gold ribbon first, it was obviously from the Headmaster. Opening it he found a hideous pair of socks, light blue with golden snitches zooming all over. Typical Albus! Every year he gave Snape socks, and every year they became uglier and uglier. Still, although Snape would never admit this either, it was nice that someone remembered him. The other two presents intrigued him, one would be from Minerva, he always got one gift from Dumbledore and one from Minerva but normally that was it.
He looked at the tag on the one lying next to him, it was indeed from Minerva. Opening it he found the new book by Alan Greenleaf; New and Experimental Potions and their uses.
He smiled one of his rare smiles, he would have got this book on his next Hogsmeade trip, Alan Greenleaf was one of the few other potion-masters in Great Britain and one of the even fewer people Snape actually admired.
Another person that Snape admired or at least respected was Minerva herself. It would have come as a surprise to most people who had seen they way the two of them acted towards each other but Minerva was the closest Snape had to a friend. Not that they could really be called friends in common sense of the word, but they respected each other, had the odd chat over tea or a glass of firewhiskey, and sometimes they played an occasional game of wizards chess. Minerva loved to play chess, and Albus and Snape where the only two who could really challenge her. Minerva's no nonsense attitude has always been a great comfort to Snape, especially in the early days when he had turned spy and most people were like walking on glass around him.
Snape put the book down and look at the last gift. It was wrapped in a dark green paper with a gold bow. He picked it up and turned it over, there was no tag on it. He took a sip of his coffee and started to unwrap the paper. As he did a card fell out:
Severus,
I saw this in a shop, and I thought it would be perfect for you so I just had to get it!
I hope you like it.
Merry Christmas
Hermione Granger
It was a blown glass phial, dark green and with a silver snake-ornated stopper, certainly fitting for the head of Slytherin.
Snape put it on the table next to his chair and rose. With the cup of coffee still in his hand he made his way back to his bedroom and started dressing.
He didn't know how to feel about the fact that Professor Granger, Hermione, had given him a Christmas present. And a rather nice one as well. Why would she do such a thing? Did she need a favour from him? But he doubted it, Granger was direct enough to just ask him if that was the thing. He sighed. Well there was no point in dwelling on it, if there was some mysterious reason behind this he would surely find out sooner or later.
Looking at the clock he saw that there were almost two hours left until lunch in the Great Hall, plenty of time to get started on his new book.
*
Snape made his way to the Great Hall at quarter to one. Lunch was served at One O'clock on Christmas. Snape preferred to be early rather then late, that way you attracted the least attention. The only one who was there was a rather tipsy-looking Trelawny.
"Ssseverus, I'm sso glad to see you! I was ssstharting to wonder where everyone had ghotten to, you know I sssaw the most horrid sssight in my tealeavesss this morning. It whas the grim! The grim!"
Snape had to fight the impulse to actually roll his eyes.
He took a seat as far away from Trelawny as he could get, unfortunately it couldn't be far enough, since the table was round.
"You know, Ssseverus, I had a vision about you a fhew daysss ago. Nexsht year will be the yhear when you finally leave the dharknesss behind you." She beamed at him.
He was saved from answering by the entrance of Dumbledore and Minerva.
"Ah Sybil! I see you have already opened the bottle of Sherry I gave you!"
"Albush! Merry Christhmas! And to you thoo Minerva!"
Albus just smiled while Minerva pursed her mouth and went to sit down next to Snape. Her dislike for the Divination teacher was well known and surpassed only by Snape himself and possibly Hermione.
Who chose that exact moment to enter the Great Hall herself.
"Hermione! Merry Christmas!" Albus smiled at her.
"Merry Christmas, Hermione!" Minerva had shaken off the temporary irritation brought on by Trelawny.
Snape nodded at her while Trelawny just took a sip of her drink.
"Merry Christmas everyone!" Hermione looked hesitant for a moment before she seated herself next to Snape.
'Probably to be as far away from Trelawny as possible' Snape thought to himself. Unfortunately this seating arrangement meant he would have to thank her for her gift now. He wasn't very good at those sort of things, and would rather have left it to later when he wouldn't be overheard. To make things a little easier he turned to Minerva first.
"Thank you for the book Minerva. It seems very interesting." It sounded stilted but then Minerva knew he was not good at small talk, so she just smiled.
"I'm glad you like it, Severus. I knew you'd be wanting that book as soon as it came out. And thank you for the chess pieces, they were beautiful, and I could really use some new ones, the old ones where getting a bit battered." It was a difficult thing for a chess-player to change his or her pieces since wizardchess-pieces became rather a bit like their owner, but sometimes it had to be done. They could only rebuild themselves so many times.
Snape nodded, and turned to Hermione.
"And thank you too, Hermione" He had hesitated a little before saying her name, he was unused to call her by her first name, but she didn't seemed to notice.
"You're welcome Severus, I hope you liked it?"
"Yes, I did." He took a sip of his drink to cover the fact that he didn't really know what to say in situations as these, and didn't see the meaningful look that Minerva sent Hermione behind his back.
He looked back up at Hermione but she had turned around to welcome some kids that had just turned up so she probably didn't expect him to say anything more.
*
After finishing his Christmas pudding and listening to the students, and most of the teachers inane chatter for a few minutes, he rose from his chair.
"Leaving so soon, Severus?"
"Yes, Headmaster, I have a potion that I need to check on." I was a lie and he was sure Albus knew it but he was also sure that he wouldn't question him in front of the students.
"Well have a nice rest of the day, Severus, and Merry Christmas!" he smiled while most of the others echoed Merry Christmas.
"The same to you." That was the closest anyone had ever get to a Merry Christmas from him.
*
He walked slowly back to his dungeons silently berating himself for leaving so early but at the same time a little relieved to get away and half of the day over with. Only the worst part left.
He would sit down with his new book and try and forget that it was Christmas. Normally when he felt angry or annoyed he would stalk the halls hoping to find errant students to take points off of.
But not so today, there weren't that many students still here during Christmas and he didn't really want them to know he didn't have anything better to do. He didn't mind them fearing him, in fact he preferred it, that way they were less likely to make any mistakes during his lessons. He didn't really mind them hating him either, but one thing he knew he wouldn't be able to stand was if they were to start pitying him. So he would stay in his dungeons.
He unwarded his door and walked into his rooms, hanging his teachers-robes over a chair.
Going over to a table by one of his bookcases he poured himself a glass of Brandy and settled down with his Greenleaf book by the fire.
He had gotten about halfway through the book when there was a knock on his door.
Frowning he put his book down. It couldn't be Albus, he would have left to see his brother by now. He rose and went to open the door. It was Hermione, but before he could ask her what she wanted she had started talking.
"Hello, Severus. I hope I'm not bothering you, but I, well, I just wanted to ask if you would like to have a glass of wine with me?" She held up a bottle she was carrying. When he didn't answer she continued
"That is, I just thought that perhaps you would like some company…" She didn't get any further.
"Miss Granger, I assure you, I don't need your pity, or your company" He said with quiet fury.
"No, Severus, you misunderstand me! I'm sorry, I'm not very good at this." She looked down at her feet. "I would like some company, I would like your company."
Snape sneered at her.
She didn't say anything. She just stood there, looking at her shoes.
"Miss Granger, I don't believe for a second that you would want to spend Christmas with me. Here, in the dungeons? Go do your childish pranks somewhere else." He dragged a hand through his hair and added tiredly "Just go away."
He made to shut the door when she looked up, he could see her eyes shining with tears. It confused him. Perhaps she was ill, perhaps she was delirious and that was what had made her come down here.
"Miss Granger?"
She still didn't say anything.
"Hermione?"
She took a deep breath.
"Severus, I am sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, could you please let me come in and explain? Please?"
He felt that he couldn't turn her away, what if she had a fever? Or maybe one of the students staying had slipped her some potion of some kind? There obviously was something wrong.
He stood away from the doorway with a nod to let her enter.
"Thank you."
He walked before her into the study, sat down and indicated for her to sit on the sofa. This time he didn't wait for her to speak.
"Hermione, are you sure you are well? Could you have been given a potion by someone at lunch today?"
She looked at him and started to laugh, he could feel his upper lip curling. But at least this made him even more sure something was wrong.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. And no, I'm not ill and I am sure I haven't drunk any potions today. Is it so strange that I want to get to know you better, Severus?"
"Yes, if that was the case then that would be strange indeed."
She sighed.
"This is going to be even harder than I though. Severus, look, I am perfectly healthy, I haven't been given any potions and I have no ulterior motive. I just would like to have a glass of wine with you and maybe talk a little."
Severus was stunned, he couldn't think of anything, but he felt himself nodding dumbly.
"Great!" She said with relief and waved her wand at the bottle to make the cork disappear. She looked at him
"Have got any glasses? I can get them, just tell me where they are?"
He shook himself slightly.
"No, I'll get them." He rose and went in to the next room.
Returning he put the two wineglasses on the table and sat down in the armchair opposite the sofa.
Hermione seemed to have collected herself, she poured the wine and handed him a glass.
"So, I read this theory about a new way to incorporate magic into potions…"
*
A few hours later they were both pleasantly drunk and Severus found Hermione remarkably easy to talk to. He had always known she was intelligent but that she could turn that intelligence into theories and practise he hadn't known.
When she rose to leave he almost felt disappointed that she had to leave this early. But looking at the clock he saw that it was almost midnight.
He walked her to the door and couldn't hide his shock when she stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Severus" She said and then was gone before he could answer.
He touched his hand to his cheek.
Perhaps Christmas wasn't so bad after all.