Chapter 13 – Christmas Morning

Todd and Giliana went to sleep that night in the Room of Requirement. They didn't talk much before they layed down and went to sleep. They had both been in different places, but didn't want to talk about it. It was warm and toasty in the room, and they fell asleep almost instantly. Todd slept next to the tree.
Morning came. Three gifts layed under the tree. The house elves must have known where they were. Todd was half asleep.

"All gemnis... to the raspberry hats.." she mumbled, turning over and bumping into the wall. "Ow.." she woke up, rubbing her head.

Giliana had already been awake when she noticed Todd waking up.
"Had a dream?" She asked her, with her normal, blank expression on her face.

"I don't remember..." Todd yawned, and looked at the tree.

Todd stood up and stretched her arms out. "Wow. Looks like someone got you something, Giliana." She winked, kneeling at the tree, seeing her two presents. One from Lupin, one from Giliana. She was excited.

Giliana's present was in a huge box with holes, and it moved every once and awhile, it had a huge shimmering teal bow on top, with black wrapping paper.

Giliana was sitting on a couch, staring into the fireplace, expressing no interest in presents.
"Aw...come on." She teased. "It's from me." Todd reached for her present from Lupin, playing with the bow on top of it. "Don't insult me." Todd grinned at her.
"Hmm?" Giliana looked over at Todd. "Oh. Sorry, I'm just not used to getting presents on Christmas anymore..." She quietly walked over to the tree. "Which one?"
Todd pointed to the black one, which moved again. She smiled mischievously. Turning to her own present, she slowly began to unwrap it, still watching Giliana.
Giliana picked up the box, and set it down beside her. She untied the bow, and tore off the wrapping paper. She lifted the top of the box. Out popped the little head of a black kitten, its yellow eyes beeming out in curiosity at Giliana. "Meow," it squeaked.
Todd grinned, not saying anything. She watched the kitten with a smile. She had ordered her last night, using every last coin she had. She didn't regret it one bit.
Giliana smiled. "Oh Todd, it's adorable." She picked it up, and hugged it, as the cat purred away.
"It's a she." Todd watched her. She felt great about giving it to her. She then opened Lupin's gift. It was a bronze colored box, decorative flowers engraved into it. Todd opened it, it was a music box. "Iris" played, she smiled. But the greatest shock came next. Inside was a picture of the Young and extremely handsome Sirius, holding a baby, who had a small Mohawk. Todd gasped. Sirius was waving, and making the baby wave too. It was her. Her and her father. Picking the picture up, Todd stared at it, in awe.
"I think I'll name her Persephone," Giliana said happily, snuggling the cat. She looked over at Todd, noticing her fixation with a photo. "Picture of someone special?" She asked.
Todd nodded a little, not taking her eyes from it. Her look of shock slowly turned into a warm smile, her eyes were sort of teary.
Giliana walked over and looked at the picture. "Oh." She smiled slightly, realizing how important it was. "That was very thoughtful of Lupin, wasn't it?"
"Yeah." She smirked a little. She then realized that Giliana might recognize him...maybe. How he looked in the wanted posters was completely different to how he looked now and then. She casually put it down and into the box. "Well, time for your present."

Giliana smiled slightly. "Well, it's not a photo, or a music box..." She grabbed it and handed it to Todd.
Persephone walked over and sniffed the present that Todd was about to open. Todd opened the decent sized box after tearing off the paper. There was a huge box of chocolates. Todd laughed out loud at that, before picking up a life-sized stuffed fox. Todd gasped, seeing what it was. She read the tag:

"Just say the word 'Vulpinus' and this animal will come to life!"

Todd looked at the fox, speechless. "Oh my god...thank you Giliana." She looked at Giliana, her grey eyes sparkling. "Now your kitty will have someone to play with." She grinned. "Vulpinus," She spoke after laying the toy fox on the ground. It took a moment, but started moving slowly, before jumping up, and glancing around at everyone, it's stuffed tail swaying.

Persephone walked over to the fox. She poked at it with her paws. When it moved, she jumped, and ran and hid behind Giliana.
"I thought you would like it." Giliana smiled. She turned and looked back at the fire, suddenly losing interest again. Her smile turned into a slight frown, as Persephone rubbed against her, trying to get her attention.
The fox followed the kitty, pawing it on it's head. Todd laughed a little. Then she noticed Giliana, looking at the fireplace with a rather, depressed look on her face. "Hey, something up?"
Giliana's face suddenly broke back to her blank expression. She turned and looked at Todd.

"N-nothing...it's just...Professor Snape."
Giliana looked worried.
"Ah.." Todd frowned a little bit. "Did he lash out or something?"
"I don't know..." Giliana buried her head in her hands. "I saw him last night...things didn't go so well."
Todd put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"Hey, if he does care about you.. it'll all work out." She paused, the fox and Persephone were running around the room. "Why don't you go give him your present today? I'm sure he would appreciate some company on Christmas...whether he admits it or not."

Giliana sighed and turned to look at Todd, making perfect eye contact. "I'm scared." Her eyes began to water. "Last night...I finally realized how much I really care for him...That I love him...and it scared me. The last time I felt this way about someone didn't---" she stopped, as if she shouldn't have said something. "Was a long time ago." She sniffed. "I tried to tell him how I felt last night...without even realizing it. And when I did, I pulled away from him...I think he got the wrong idea." She stopped, keeping herself from becoming more emotional.
Todd paused, frowning in sympathy, thinking for a moment. She never was too good at cheering people up. So she decided to tell the truth, how she saw it.

"I...I don't think he's mad at you. I think he's just disagreeable by nature...he obviously enjoys your company...you should..." She sighed. "Go see him. Give him the present... he'll come around." She half smiled for a moment, looking into her eyes. "Trust me."
Giliana smiled slightly, her eyes still filled with sadness.

"Yes. I'll go give him the present." She was still afraid. She knew from the moment she had first kissed him, what a mess she was getting herself into...
She walked over and grabbed the huge box wrapped in black and green metallic paper, and tapped it with her wand to shrink it so that she could easily carry it around. She put on her robes, and held it with her arm. "I guess I'll see you in a bit." She smiled slightly, still looking worried, and headed out the door.
"Good luck." Todd waved a little, worried about her.

Snape was sitting at his desk, staring out a fake window. His eyes were glazed over and tired, and his hair messy. He wore his normal cloak. He looked miserable.

Giliana walked down the dungeons, all the way to the potion's classroom. The door was still open, it had been untouched since the night before. Giliana walked in slowly, making sure no one was there. She walked over to a corner of the room, noticing there was no tree of course, and set down the little box on the floor. With a tap of her wand, it grew back to its original size. She left a note, saying that it was from her. She sighed, and sat down. She wanted to leave, but needed to be there.

Giliana walked down the dungeons, all the way to the potion's classroom. The door was still open, it had been untouched since the night before. Giliana walked in slowly, making sure no one was there. She froze when she noticed Snape was at his desk.

Snape looked up calmly after hearing a noise.

"Miss Lenore..." He spoke softly, recognizing who it was. "Do you need something?" He sneered.
"A few days ago you told me you were going to need my assistance today. Here I am." She said. He didn't say anything. There was an awkward silence.
Giliana pulled the small box out of her robes, and walked over to his desk, her heart racing, and nervous as ever. "I got you a present..." she held it up.
Snape had forgotten. He took a moment to look her over, his upper lip raised in a sort of disgust. But, it lowered, and he just looked at her in a sort of shock. A present, for him? He blinked, not knowing what to say. He tried to say something, but nothing came out.
"It's small, but only because I shrunk it so I could carry it." Giliana walked to the side of his desk, and set it down on the floor. With a tap of her wand, she brought it back to its original size. She turned and looked away, nervously.
He just looked at her, not bothering to glance for more than a moment to the box. He then looked down at his desk, at nothing.
Giliana looked around the room. "I guess you don't need me Professor." She tried to sound casual. She slowly began to walk towards the door.
"Thank you." He said simply, completely sincere. He couldn't believe himself for saying it. He never showed signs of gratitude.
Giliana stopped walking and turned around to face him. She smiled at him slightly, her eyes slightly worried. She wanted him to know how she felt. She really did.

"You can stay, if you want." He mumbled, standing. "Nothing better to do..." He still seemed severely troubled about yesterday. He turned to a table next to his desk, fooling with some bottles.

Giliana thought for a moment. She knew how things would end up if she told him, and if he felt the same way. But something inside her drove her towards him, despite all of her objections. She quietly walked over to him, and tapped him on the shoulder.
Snape turned to her, raising an eyebrow.

"What?"
She kissed him softly. She was hoping her actions could speak for her unspoken words.
He was surprised. He pulled back and looked at her, almost feeling like doing the same thing she did to him last night, but he just moved a piece of hair out of her face and started the kiss again.