Disclaimer: I do not own, or ever will, the Harry Potter Universe so wonderfully created by J K Rowling. Please do not sue; I highly doubt I could afford it. Thanks for reading!
Part 2
"Give me your hand, Mum and I'll help you up the steps." Henry extended his own fine, strong hand and grabbed his Mum's as they climbed the steps to Snape Manor. Hermione could hardly believe the bone-chilling cold or the snow that seemed to swallow each small step she took.
"We should have worn our thicker boots, Henry, my feet are frozen." Hermione held her cloak closer to her body and clenched the presents she'd brought for the family. She had debated for several days on what to buy Atticus and Harrison, whom she'd planned on buying gifts for even if they hadn't been invited to a Christmas Eve dinner. Atticus was easy to please with his trains and Quidditch, but Harrison proved to be a more complicated adventure. She had no idea what to buy a three year old who was going to turn four soon enough. She had asked Sallie and Sallie explained that Harrison was quite fascinated with Dragons.
"Be care full, Mum, this top step is quite slippery." Hermione walked as gracefully as she could to the top step and knocked on Severus Snape's door.
"Did you remember Michael's gift? I don't have it with the others."
"Yes, I have it right here. And I wish you had let me carry the other gifts. They are too heavy, even if you did shrink them."
"I am not an invalid, sweetheart, I knew I could carry the presents without any help." Hermione sighed and blew the two strand of hair from her face. They had been annoying her the entire journey over.
"I am only trying to help, Mum." At this Hermione turned to meet her young sons face and saw something like hurt in his eyes. She hadn't meant to hurt him, only to assure him that she was capable of everyday tasks still.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be cross. I love you and thank you for trying to be courteous." Hermione smiled sweetly towards him and felt at once that he was only offended briefly.
"Come in from the cold, Hermione and Henry, we've a great fire in the hall." Sallie said as she opened the door to the great home. Hermione remembered momentarily the last time she'd been through the doors and the wonderful paintings she'd seen. Somehow, that time seemed significantly long ago and she wondered if she was entirely the same person walking through the large doors.
"Let me take your cloak, Hermione, it looks quite heavy." Michael said, trying his best to make sure he did not offend his friend's mother.
"Thank you, Michael." Hermione's red robes seemed to flow much easier without the weight of her over-cloak and she was quite thankful to have it off. Before following Sallie and Michael into the hall, Hermione untied her hair from the loose braid she'd prepared for the walk over. Within weeks it would much shorter, as she planned not to have it long with an infant in tow, so she swore to wear it down as much as possible.
"You've brought far too many gifts, Hermione. There will hardly be enough room under the tree." Sallie laughed and took the arm of her friend, hoping they could enjoy a nice dinner and pleasant conversation. Hermione's cheek felt a slight blush, but she laughed just as well hoping the family would like their gifts.
"Let me enlarge them and then we can sit by the fire, I am afraid the walk was colder than I thought it would be." Hermione replied, waving her wand and positioning the presents among the others. She tried to hide the one she was giving Severus, for it's size and appearance seemed to give it away immediately.
"How did the visit go yesterday?" Sallie asked, handing Hermione some warm cocoa.
"Well, she told me everything looked fine. I have to start taking more of the potion, though. I doubt I can stomach anymore than I already do." Hermione answered, her hands resting delicately on the roundness of her abdomen, grateful that she was growing warmer.
"Where is Harrison?"
"Uncle wanted the boys to wrap their presents this year, they should be down soon."
"I wish I could see that scene. Severus explaining to the boys about the delicate art of wrapping presents." Hermione mumbled humorously, sipping her cocoa slowly, watching it refill each time she sipped.
"Actually, he really enjoys Christmas. I remember when I was younger, we all used to come here and spend an entire week having grand snowball fights and roasting marshmallows. Every Christmas morning, he would wear this gaudy red hat and tell us stories about my Dad and his Christmas's." Sallie's face fell slightly, but turned around almost as quickly and looked to the stairs where Harrison and Atticus were rapidly running.
"Slow down boys, you'll hurt yourselves." Sallie barked, sounding more like Severus than Hermione had ever thought possible.
"Where is Uncle Severus?" Sallie asked the two boys who appeared to be absolutely ready to tear open the presents under the tree.
"He's talking with someone in his study." Atticus replied, waving to Hermione from across the room.
"Well, lets go see if Michael and Henry have found the biscuits." Hermione placed her cup on the square table and followed Sallie further into the house. She admired the rustic walls as they walked. She noticed there were several fine paintings of the Renaissance and Reformation. She also noticed his apparent love for books as there were shelves of book placed rather haphazardly around the home.
"Uncle reads more than anyone I know." Sallie said, noticing Hermione's interest in the bookshelves. Sallie patted the sleeve of Hermione's dress robe and then lead her into the large kitchen.
" I see where the biscuits are, then." Sallie said watching Michael and Henry eat the last of the raspberry and orange biscuits.
"You'll ruin your dinner." Sallie added, smiling pleasantly towards her brother.
"Has Uncle Severus come down yet?" Michael asked to women before him who looked rather hungry and put off by their pilfering of biscuits.
"No, he's still upstairs." Henry swallowed the last of his milk and followed the group from the kitchen back to the hall where sounds of laughter could be heard. He wanted to be near his mother when she discovered the secret of this year Christmas. He wanted to see her face when she understood everything that he had helped plan.
"What is your tradition for Christmas Eve, Michael?" Hermione asked as they walked the dark passage to the hall.
"Normally, we have a light dinner and then everyone gets to open presents. Sometimes Uncle tells is a story about Father Christmas and I always look forward to that because he really makes it wonderful, even if I have heard it five or six times before. He hasn't told it in four years, though, so I wouldn't count on him to this year." Hermione noticed the puckered brow on Michael's face and wondered what had caused Severus to stop telling the story. She thought of Severus from school, his readings on potions had always been easy to listen to. His voice was full and deep and she knew he had all the intelligence to truly understand the text.
"Happy Christmas." Hermione heard as she entered the hall. Severus was standing beside the tree placing his presents out for the people around him. He smiled, well it looked as close to a smile as Hermione thought she'd even seen from him.
"You as well." Hermione replied, taking her seat once more by the warm fire. Her feet were beginning to ache with cold, but she would not let this ruin her evening. Everyone seemed so joyous. It had really been too long since she'd enjoyed a nice Christmas. Unfortunately, each year at Christmas time, Wallace, Hermione and Henry would go to Caithness and visit the Stuarts who, by all accounts were good people, made Hermione feel as though she wasn't good enough for their son. They'd never said crosswords to her or outwardly showed any threatening signs of their dislike, but she felt it all the same. Each year she dreaded the trip and each year she returned home wondering why she let Wallace talk her into the trip.
"Dinner is served in the dining hall." Severus said as a small house elf disappeared. Hermione thought she looked quite a bit like the one from her first time in the house.
"Walk with me, Mum." Henry said, taking his mother's arm.
"Are you having a good time?"
"Of course." Henry leaned his head on his mother's shoulder and thought pleasantly of their evening. So far, he'd felt more at home then he had in years. He'd hated Christmas's on Caithness as well.
"I hope everyone has had a safe journey here. Please enjoy your dinner and remember those who cannot be with us tonight." Severus said. Hermione locked eyes with him and wondered why he had said those words. He didn't really strike her as the type to be remorseful of those dead or rather the type to be so openly well, open.
"Yes." Hermione acknowledged, sipping her warm apple cider. She stared down at her plate and thought cheerily of her first Christmas at Hogwarts. The boys, Harry and Ron, had made her feel so comfortable and relaxed when she was so far from her parents. She thought of her father and how he used to come to her bedroom on Christmas morning and give her one special present, just from him. As the grasped her knife to cut the delicate ham, she noticed the sapphire ring on her thumb. The last present her father had ever given her.
"Aren't you hungry, Mum." Henry asked from across the table.
"Of course, dear, I was just thinking about last Christmas." Hermione lied, hoping her son would forget her fleeting melancholy and return to the gaiety of the dinner. For the remainder of the dinner, Hermione noticed that the Snape family was quite comfortable with each other. They carried on funny and brilliant conversations. They were closer then she ever imagined they could be with an Uncle like Severus Snape. She finished her ham and potatoes and swallowed the last of her cider before she noticed that she desperately needed to use the loo.
"Where are the bathrooms?" Hermione asked Sallie as they started to stand to retire to the hall.
"Up the stairs, first on the right." Sallie replied, watching Hermione walk away.
"Is Mum alright?" Henry asked Sallie.
"She's fine." With that, they all went to the hall and waited on Hermione to return before passing out gifts.
Up the stairs, Hermione walked into the bathroom and thought instantly that she had never felt more regal. The sink and bathtub was Venetian tile and the curtains were the finest silk she'd ever seen. There was no possible way this was the children's bathroom. As she headed back down the stairs, she got a bit confused on which way to turn, but started down a path she thought was right. While she walked, she realized she was going the wrong way. There was a light ahead, so Hermione decided to follow it and hope she would end up right. When she came upon the light, she noticed there were more paintings along the wall and looked over them as she walked. Eventually, she came upon one of a man and woman that seemed rather recent. The man was obviously Severus, but the woman she did not recognize.
"Master Severus and Madame Eleanor." Hermione said out loud reading the caption below the painting. The more she looked at the painting, the more she realized it was in fact quite old and that Severus looked no more than twenty. She also noticed it was a muggle painting as the people weren't moving. Before turning to leave, she glanced one more time at the painting and resigned to ask Sallie about it before leaving that night.
"We thought you were going to be late." Hermione heard someone say as she neared the hall.
"It's hard to apparate in this weather, I swear." Ron...It was Ron's voice she heard.
"Welcome back, Hermione." Sallie said.
"Sorry, I got turned around." Hermione met Ron's eyes and asked questions without opening her mouth.
"We saved you the best seat, Hermione." Atticus said, taking her hand and leading her to the chair closet to the fire. Hermione's eyes never left Ron's.
"Young men, you may pass out the gifts now." Severus said, waving his hand towards them and then folding them squarely across his chest. He looked over to his niece and hoped she was having a lovely evening.
"How are Molly and Arthur, Ron." Hermione asked, smoothing the front of her robes.
"They are great, send their love to you and Henry. George and Fred were passing the gifts out to the kids when I left." Ron moved his arms slowly from their resting place and moved over to Hermione.
"Why are you here, Ron?" Hermione asked, feeling a little awkward, out of place.
"I have a surprise for you. But I don't want you to be angry." Ron paused and swallowed roughly. "I was here earlier talking to Snape."
"Why would that make me angry?"
"I have been lying to you for a while now. I am, that is to say, I feel certain that, I well..."
"What is it Ron?"
"I can't live with you for much longer." Hermione's eyes opened wide and looked up slowly around the room to the boys and then Severus who seemed so blissful watching his nephews.
"Why, what has happened. Have I offended you?" Hermione asked, wondering why her friend seemed so happy to be leaving her and why he had talked with Severus.
"I am...that is I have asked...well I have asked Sallie to marry me." Hermione shoved him quickly away from her in a brief lapse of judgement as she thought he was going to say something else.
"What?" Hermione asked, not completely understanding what he was saying.
"I have been dating Sallie since the beginning of summer. I mean it was casual at first. I was visiting Fred and George one day and I saw her walking up the road. I thought she was beautiful. When she came to apply to work, I was a little shaken because I thought you would see my obvious affection, and I didn't mean to keep it from you. She wasn't sure what she wanted and I didn't want to make her feel guilty or feel sorry for me. I asked Snape for hand today, this very evening." Ron smiled, feeling for the first time that he had finally expressed his real feelings and emotions.
"You've been dating this whole time?"
"Yes. Please don't be angry, Hermione." Hermione thought back to all the times she'd been late to work and found them chatting at the desk. The sweet looks they'd shared while shelving books. Ron had finally found real love.
"Why would I be upset, this is glorious? Magnificent. Why would you think I would be upset?"
"I don't know, because I haven't been truthful for over six months." Hermione hugged Ron snugly to her body.
"I am happy for you." She whispered in his ear. When they'd parted, Sallie smiled towards her and winked at Ron. It seemed so obvious now.
"When is the wedding, then?" Hermione asked the two now side by side.
"February some time." Sallie replied. Hermione nodded in acknowledgement and looked to the pile of presents at her side.
"Seems I wasn't the only one who brought too many presents." Hermione exclaimed, meeting Severus's eye once more. He looked towards her from beside the tree, the lights illuminating his eyes. His face softened before her as his eyes turned to Sallie and Ron as they held hands and talked mischievously to one another. Harrison brought the last gift to his Uncle and returned to his mother's side.
"As tradition, the youngest may open a present first." Henry took a present from his pile and began to open it slowly. Hermione was glad to see a book, something he could always use.
"Did you sneak this in, Mum?" Henry asked, showing her Quidditch Through the Ages.
"Yes, I did." Hermione smiled, pink coming to her cheeks again. Henry stood and walked to his Mum and hugged her as if he hadn't seen her in days.
"Only a child of Hermione's could enjoy a book so much." Ron said.
"Now your turn Hermione." Hermione lifted a soft package and tore it open leisurely.
"That's from Mum." Ron said as Hermione pulled out the pint sized Weasley sweater.
"She swears you're having a girl, so it's maroon. But, if you have a boy, you can change it." Hermione turned the sweater around so that the letter E faced her.
"And what does she suppose I will be calling my daughter?"
"I think she bewitched it to change when you name the baby. She told me when I was grabbing it that she remembered you used to love the name Eleanor." Hermione folded the sweater up but noticed that everyone began picking presents except Severus, who looked rather forlorn. She wondered if the Eleanor in the portrait had been his wife and if so, what had happened to her.
"Thank you, Hermione." Harrison said from across the room. The robes she'd bought him with Welsh Green dragons on it were over his head before she could reply.
"I thought green would be appropriate seeing as he is quite likely to be in Slytherin." Hermione said, faking disgust while saying Slytherin. Ron and Sallie watched Harrison run swiftly around the room and then stop suddenly beside Hermione to wrap her in a large hug.
"I made you something." He said, handing her a gift-wrapped in orange paper.
"It's lovely, Harrison." Hermione replied, placing the yarn and wool necklace around her neck.
"Open another gift, Uncle, you have plenty more to go." Hermione held onto Harrison as he opened several gifts from Ron, Sallie, and his nephews. He had a couple more to open when he came to hermione's present. She'd went into Hogsmeade to find something unique for him, but couldn't find anything that seemed appropriate. Defeated and dejected, she had returned home to lie down when she thought of something perfect o give him.
"Uncle Severus is too slow." Atticus said, as he opened the last of his gifts, a muggle electric train from Hermione and Henry.
"The Art of Painting. Vermeer." Severus said, his voice low and almost unrecognisable. Hermione only knew what he was saying because she had given him the painting.
"How did you come by this painting?" He asked sternly, almost frightening Hermione as he had in her school days.
"It was my Mother's. She's quite ill and since I don't have room for the painting or time to care for it in my home, I thought you would enjoy it." Hermione answered, a little offended by his question. Hermione looked to the woman in the painting, remembering tracing her fingers across the crown of leaves on her head and the trombone in her right arm. Wondering what the man, his face towards her and out of view, was saying to the beautiful lady.
"Thank you, Hermione." Severus said, bringing Hermione out of her daydream. She met his charcoal eyes and smiled. He maintained a grin in her direction for longer then he had liked, then returned to his nephews. Hermione began opening the rest of her presents, every now and then looking to Severus who was studying the painting as if he had never seen it before.
"Thank you all for so many lovely gifts." Hermione said, her arms full of presents. She shrank the sweater, the volume of books from Ron, the box of chocolates from Michael, the stuffed lion from Atticus, and the perfume from Sallie.
"Open this one, Mum." Henry said, pointing to a small, rectangular package. She tore the paper open and slowly lifted the lid of a velvet box.
"Henry, how did you find this?" Hermione asked, taking the silver locket out of the jewellery case and opening the hearts.
"I couldn't find one exactly like the one Grandpa Granger gave you, but I thought this one was pretty." Henry beamed in the direction of his Mum.
"Thank you, sweetheart." Hermione smiled seeing a picture of Henry at seven in one side.
"I thought you would like to put a picture of my brother or sister in the other side." Hermione hugged her son again and opened her last present from Severus. She was almost afraid of what he might give her. She pulled the paper a part slowly and saw before her a red velvet book of some type. As she opened the page, she noticed all the pages were blank. He'd given her a journal.
"It never empties. The pages appear as you need them. I thought you might like something to write in." Hermione's eyes glistened at his thoughtfulness as she ran her fingers over her name. It was etched in gold across the top of the cover.
"Thank you, Severus." Hermione said walking over to him and squeezing his hand. It was the most affection she thought he could handle, though she could've hugged him tightly as she'd hugged everyone else.
"And thank you for inviting us as well. Henry and I have enjoyed ourselves." Hermione let go of his hand and went back to her chair where Harrison was slowly falling asleep. She cuddled with him on the chair and hoped Severus was going to tell his story about Christmas.
"I realize I haven't told the Christmas story in four years, but I believe tonight I should. We are quite lucky to be together for Christmas as some families are utterly torn." Severus sighed and sat abruptly on the large couch in between Atticus and Michael.
"Once, before any of us were born, there lived a very old man in the Highlands of Scotland. He was very kind and good and loved children. He and his wife were unable to have children of their own, so he would always bring little presents to his nieces and nephews who loved him very much. He continued the tradition for many years, but soon found that there were many children in the world that didn't have presents like his nieces and nephews. He vowed to help bring all of the children presents, even if it took him all night. Because he was a wizard, he could deliver presents in one night..." Severus continued his story, Atticus and Harrison (now awake) waiting for every word. He told the story so eloquently and with so much feeling that Hermione could hardly believe he was the same person from her childhood. As he moved further in the story, Hermione wondered who had told him the story.
"When the wizard was quite older, his wife passed away and he was left all alone. There are people who believe that he stopped caring about the children when his wife died, but every year, there is a special present under all the trees in the world from him. Some say he still lives in the highlands, making presents and spending his days awaiting the next Christmas." Severus folded his hands over his lap and sighed, Hermione thought he seemed more relaxed.
"The boys must have found that boring." He said, seeing Atticus and Harrison asleep on the sofa.
"They were tired, Uncle, don't be offended."
"I was merely teasing, Sarah." Sallie stood and pulled Harrison from the floor where he had slowly fallen.
"Goodnight and Happy Christmas, Hermione." Sallie said, giving her a light hug. Hermione tapped Henry, who stood and grabbed the gifts.
"Happy Christmas, Ron, Severus." Hermione smiled softly towards the two men and wrapped her cloak around her still chilled body.
"Let me accompany you home, Madame Stuart, it has continued to snow while we've been in doors." Hermione nodded and allowed Severus to walk with she and Henry back to their home. The snow came up to her shins as she walked, taking large steps through the pure white snow.
"We will resume practice on Saturday, Henry. Do plan on being on time, I do not suffer those who cannot follow a schedule." Severus said, the cold in his voice returning.
"Yes, sir." Henry replied, the large bag of gifts weighing him down.
"Do you know where Ron and Sallie are planning on having their ceremony?" Hermione asked, braving the worst depth of snow, her feet numb.
"I believe they would like to get married here, in Hogsmeade. I honestly hoped they would marry at Hogwarts where my brother was married, but I assume they have their reasons." Severus retorted, his pace quickening en route for Hermione's door. She could hardly keep up with him, her legs were a great deal shorter than his.
"Hogwarts is lovely in February. I was married in September." Hermione said, thinking of Wallace again, sad to be without him but happy all the same.
"At Hogwarts?" He asked, slowing down a bit.
"Yes, after I graduated. I was married on the grounds by the pond. There's this great photo of Wallace and me and the giant squid's tentacles in the back." Henry thanked Severus and headed inside the home, leaving Hermione drudging down the hill to the door. She began to slip a little, but Severus offered his hand and she steadied herself.
"I'm a bit front heavy, sorry."
"Do not apologise for your condition." He replied, a tone of something she could not place. She wondered how Severus felt about children, but then thought about his wonderful face at his young nephews.
"Happy Christmas, Severus, and thank you for including Henry and me in your dinner, we..." He put his hand up to her and she stopped.
"Please stop thanking me, Hermione, I do not respond well to kindness." Severus bowed to her and began to walk back to his own home.
"We needed it greatly." She finished, as he stalked away.
"You really don't know when to cease talking, do you?" He asked, stopping and turning to her. He sneered at her, but not in a menacing way, a sort of smile for him.
"I have to have the last word, sorry, it's a habit." Hermione replied.
"Yes, well, Happy Christmas. Do get inside and warm up, you look positively frozen."
"Yes, sir." She said, noticing how young he looked when he was snarky. She turned the knob of her door and began to enter,
"Please be careful, I don't want to wake tomorrow and find that you've frozen to death!" She called out.
"Vampires don't freeze." He called back, recalling the creature many of his students believed he was. He continued to walk through the snow and turned only once to find that Hermione had went inside.
"Sleep well, Henry." Hermione said, kissing her son's cheek. She went to her bed, folded back her covers and settled in for a long nights sleep. Only when she'd looked out the window to see Severus turn up his driveway did she remember that she wanted to ask Sallie about Eleanor Snape. With a heavy sigh and a light heart, she covered her head with the blankets and hoped Henry had enjoyed his Christmas Eve. She whispered 'nox' and as the lights went out, her baby decided to kick her square in the ribs. It was going to be a long night, again.
Author's Note:
Moldanubikum: it's so odd that you wanted me to give Ron a girlfriend when I had planned Sallie and his relationship from the beginning. I agree, he needs something less complicated. I will expand on their relationship more soon.
Makalani Astral: Sorry it doesn't seem right...I think I will have to explain some of it with harry involved. Thanks for the review!
