Title: A Special Christmas
Author: Ex libris(from the libray of) Lord D and Lady S

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters belongs to J.K. Rowling, the plot is ours though.

Author Notes: Wonder why Draco did the lady in question a favor and killed the woman in the last chapter…Don't you? And just a note to the readers out there…should you find this chapter not up to standard, well, forgive me for my co-writer/editor is abed sick so there. Criticisms are welcome. Lord D

Chapter IV

It was dark with no trace of the moon when a loud Grandfather's Clock somewhere in Hogsmeade struck exactly 12 times to signal midnight. On the last "ding" sounded, it was followed by a loud "crack" with a "thud" of someone falling onto the snow.

And that someone was Severus Snape.

Gritting his teeth against the spasms shaking through his body, he waited for the spasms to die down before pushing himself up slowly and limped painstakingly back to his dungeons. Now breathing heavily, he reached for a particular potion among the rest, uncaring when few other vials fell and broke. The vial in question was a mixture of healing, dreamless, and pain-be-gone(sorry, but we just love the sound of it! L.D) potion and once he downed the potion, Severus began to feel the effects and before the minute hand on the clock hanging on the wall pointed to the number 10, he fell asleep on the carpeted floor of his study.

The next morning, Albus was seated behind his desk stroking the feathers of yet another 'new' Fawkes after he 'reborn' from the pile of ash when Severus stepped into his office, his robes billowing behind him. Still stroking Fawkes' feathers, he looked up at Severus and asked with concern. " How did the meeting go last night?"

"The usual Albus," Severus replied without any trace of emotion. He had long managed to avoid any sign of concern from Albus with his not-so-satisfactory answers. "With the Dark Lord desperate for more information which would help in the plans of the battle with Potter."

"I was afraid of that," Albus sighed. "Then again, that is expected." He looked searchingly over Severus before asking softly : "I expect he punished you for the lack of punishment and the news you gave him of the security around Harry and his friends being tightened?"

Severus hesitated before nodding.

Albus watched Severus' face tighten into a grim one, and sighed again. "I expect the battle would be starting soon. Even now, as we're speaking Severus, the children are preparing for the battle. I believe our dear Miss Granger is inventing new spells and hexes with Miss Weasley for the others to use during the battle…"

Hearing Hermione being mentioned, Severus' eyes raised to the Headmaster's face before lowering but the Headmaster caught the action. Such action only proved his suspicions right.

"…and I hope you would not be hard on either of them, Severus. They are, after all putting much effort in the battle. Besides, Miss Granger's graduating this year, and Miss Weasley would no doubt be receiving a token of playing a part in the battle, so her future is secured. Please do not make things difficult for them, or hurt their feelings."

Knowing that this was probably a bait to make him look up and reaffirm the Headmaster's suspicions, he dutifully nodded and with the customary words, he took his leave.

As the door shut behind him, Albus looked to Fawkes only to find his friend and pet sleeping and wondered aloud "I wonder, if I'm doing the right thing?"

atanotherplaceanothertime atanotherplaceanothertime

As the Headmaster had said, the students who opted to help the Order in the battle were busy, preparing for the oncoming battle, and with the decorations and preparations for the upcoming Christmas Ball. Knowing that this might be the last major school event for any of the students within the castle to rejoice together with their friends, the Prefect committee decided to make it as lavish as possible, and naturally enjoyable and memorable for everyone.

For Hermione, the work entrusted to her was definitely taking its toll on her. If she were not in the library looking up on hexes with Ginny or on charms and spells herself, she would be applying certain formulas to a new spell she was creating or busy directing the other students on the details and decorations preparations for the Christmas Ball.

But in the night, it's a different matter. While her day is taken over by her physical side, her nights are spent in the directions of her emotional side. Every night before she go to bed, she would take the present meant for the Potion Master and; hugging it to her chest, and walk over to the window and look out at the falling snow. Sometimes when she just cannot refrain from crying, she would run to her Head Girl's Suite just down the corridor due to Harry's insistence of keeping everyone around him safe, she decided to go along with his persuasion of remaining in the Gryffindor Girl's Dormitory even after she was made Head Girl and given a suite of her own. and cry her heart out in the privacy of her own room; without waking anyone or go through the trouble of casting a Silencing spell in her crying state, and fall asleep in her king-sized bed in the suite.

And so the pattern follows: Some nights were spent crying, and some spent fantasizing on what Severus Snape would do to her body when he finds out about her love for him and accept it, together with the rest of the package. Hermione had always wished for the Potion Master to be her first, being her first crush and love, but as a virgin, she did not dare to confess, much less try seducing him. Besides, he might just be repulsed by her attempts, or even highly amused at her attempts and that would only humiliate her more.

Ever since having a crush; gradually developed to love after she thought of the previous things he had done for the Order and the Wizarding World, on Severus Snape, she had been borrowing her mother's romance novels and reading them, immersing herself in romance stories of the nedieval times and of the 19th century. And with the information and scenarios extracted from these books and other texts, she tried fantasizing her first time with Severus Snape…except that it would never happen. And coming to this point, Hermione would break down to tears again.

Determined to stop the water buckets from flowing every conservative nights, she decided to confess it all on the night before Christmas, the very same night when the Christmas Ball is held. Lying on her bed in the dormitory, she planned on how to confess it all and make a good show of it without any flaws that would lead to humiliation, but ended up rejecting all ideas. When the day before the Christmas Ball came, the other Gryffindor girls cajoled Hermione into wearing the evening gown her mother had sent to her with her reply, as mentioned in Chapter I insisting that Hermione wear it. The letter was signed with cheerful words but the tear stains and the crispness of the paper betrayed her mother's true emotions, revealing that her parents knew the risk she was taking and accepting it.

As she stood in her suite modeling for the other girls, she was surprised at how beautiful she looked. The midnight blue satin gown hugged her curves and the V-neck halter emphasizing her bosom to all who see her. While the other girls exclaimed over her gown, she was dragged into the fantasy-world of presenting herself wearing the gown to the Potion Master, and what he would do, when the clock in her suite signaled the dinner time and rouse her out of her dreamland. The other girls made their excuses and scampered to the Great Hall, leaving Hermione deep in her thoughts.

Thinking back on her earlier fantasy, Hermione reflected that she never did plan on what to do should the Potion Master reject her.

And should that happen, I would make my apologies on taking up his time, and politely excuse myself and walk out of the room with my head held high till the school closes…or when the war starts and lose all chances of seeing him again.

Hearing these words in her mind, tears welled up in her eyes, and Hermione frantically tried to wipe her tears away, all the while sniffing. Once regaining back her composure, she took off the dress, and dressed once again in her uniform, she set off to the Great Hall for her dinner.

Later in the night before she went to her bed, Hermione stood again at the window with her hands clasped together in a prayer-like manner, and prayed for the heavens to give her strength…and hope.

To Be Continued…

Lord D: Sorry for the dull chapter, but all the same, please review! Until the next chapter—with my co-writer.