Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks for all the reviews! I'm glad y'all are happy with the fluff. That was one of the reasons I'm having so much fun writing this story- the fluff. TTSR and PP both had more drama than fluff, so I just wanted to make this all lighthearted, fluffy, and an exercise in working on dialogue. For those who wanted a glimpse into what's happening present-day, you'll get a small taste next chapter. Now onto chapter seven!
Love Means Never Having to Time-Travel
Chapter Seven: Holiday Shopping
"I have spread my dreams under your feet; tread softly because you tread on my dreams." – W.B. Yeats
"Oh I love Christmas!" Hermione sighed happily as she and Fred walked into the great hall. It was December first, and they were joining the staff in decorating the great hall for Christmas.
"Yeah, Christmas is my favourite holiday, right after April Fools," he smirked as she glared at him reproachfully.
"What can we help with Filius?" Hermione asked the small wizard who was currently directing everyone, and was obviously in charge of the whole thing.
"Pick any of the trees that isn't being worked on," he told them, pointing to a few. "There'll be some boxes of ornaments underneath it. Once you have them on, you can add snow, icicles, candles, and so on, till it's decorated how you see fit."
"Gotcha," Fred nodded, and pulled Hermione towards a ten-foot tall evergreen tree.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh as he immediately sat down and pulled the boxes of ornaments to him, eagerly picking through them. He looked up sheepishly after a moment, then reached a hand out and grabbed hers, tugging till she sat down next to him. They made quick work of using their wands to hang the various ornaments. After that was done, Fred insisted on stringing dried fruit, nuts, popcorn, and owl treats to create a large garland so the owls and other delivery birds could have a Christmas treat too.
"Shall we move on to a second tree?" Fred asked, looking over the tree they had just finished.
"Sure, this one looks good to me," Hermione agreed as they picked their next tree to work on.
"This reminds me of back home," Fred commented as they began levitating ornaments onto the branches. "No matter how busy we were, we always got together a few days before Christmas to decorate the tree together, just the nine of us. Well, eight once Percy isolated himself. But like I was saying, no girlfriends or anyone else but family. And Ginny was always the one to put the star on top."
"Hey, we're halfway there," she reminded him softly, rubbing a hand up and down his arm. "It's not all that far until the summer time."
"I know, and it really hasn't been bad here," he gave her a half smile, leaning in to give her a quick kiss. "Thanks largely in part to you."
"And you," she returned before facing the tree again. "Now, I think we should definitely do icicles on the tree, different coloured ones perhaps."
"No way, let's go with snow, it looks awesome," Fred argued, gesturing to some of the other trees covered with snow.
"We'll do the next one with snow, but really, there aren't all that many with icicles, so we should put some on this tree."
"Wrong answer," Fred shouted gleefully, right before conjuring a huge pile of never-melt snow and throwing a snowball at Hermione.
"Greg Wilson!" She yelled at him in indignation. She quickly conjured her own piled of snow and made a snowball, throwing one right back at him.
"Woo hoo! Snowball fight!" He yelled, backing away from Hermione, continuing to conjure up piles of snow so he could throw snowballs back at her.
"Think we should get involved?" Pomona giggled as she watched the young couple throwing snowballs back and forth.
"Of course not-" Minerva received a snowball in the face as Fred missed a dodging Hermione, and was infuriated. "Women rally to Mya!"
The female professors quickly ran, laughing all the while, to join Hermione. The men, seeing what was happening, rushed to support Fred. Both sides were busy conjuring more never-melt snow, and building forts as well as creating sizable piles of snowballs. There was a never-ending stream of snowballs flying back and forth as laughter filled the air. The men were dominating the throwing, thanks in large part to Albus and Filius who were experts with levitation, aiming, and firing charms. Minerva transfigured a few stray ornaments into catapults however, and the women were slinging the snowballs right back, as well as creating snow-dogs that Pomona charmed to go attack the men.
"PROFESSORS!" A loud, sonorus-charmed voice interrupted them. They turned, a bit sheepishly, to see Lily and James standing in the doorway, a few other curious students behind them.
"Yes Miss Evans, Mr. Potter, what do you need?" Minerva answered them in her usual prim and proper voice. The effect was somewhat ruined by the fact her robes were hanging skewed, her hair was coming out of its tight bun, and she was surrounded by snow-covered professors who had previously been acting like teenagers.
"I just thought you might like to know it's almost dinner time," Lily was struggling to keep from giggling at the sight of her professors engaged in a snowball fight.
"Of course Miss Evans," Albus spoke up, eyes twinkling. "If you'll close the doors on your way out, we'll have things back to normal in a jiffy."
"Yes sir," Lily nodded, and as she and James closed the doors, the professors could hear her burst into laughter. The professors all looked at each other, and the snowy mess that was previously the great hall, and also burst out laughing.
"All right, let's get things back in some semblance of order," Minerva took charge. "And you two…no more decorating for you!"
"Sorry Minerva," Fred and Hermione chimed simultaneously, and after brushing the last bits of snow off their clothes and casting drying charms, they went and took their seats at the head table.
"You know, this is all your fault," Hermione scolded him.
"Really? I was just thinking it was your fault," he replied mildly.
"Well you shouldn't have thrown snow at me."
"I wouldn't, except you wouldn't let me dust the tree with it," he pouted. "So you see, if you had just agreed with me to begin with, I wouldn't have had to throw snow at you, thereby causing the snowball fight."
"I don't think anyone really minded anyways," Hermione laughed as she watched the professors finish banishing the snow, throwing the occasional snowball at one another, laughing and talking all the while as they fixed any trees that needed it. "They seemed to have had a good time."
"I'm surprised they all joined in," Fred commented.
"Well I doubt they would have, but once you accidentally hit Minerva, it was all over. She joined me, and the other women followed her. And of course, Albus loves games, so he was quick to join you, and everyone else followed him."
"True. You know, I think that no matter how old people get, they need a few reminders of what their childhood was like," Fred smiled, lacing his fingers through hers and kissing it. "I'm glad we were the ones to remind them. Not to mention I got a few pictures."
"You didn't!" Hermione turned to him with a gasp.
"I did," he grinned, holding up the camera. "I charmed it to fly around and take pictures every five seconds once we started decorating the hall. So I know it got some shots of everyone. It'll add to Harry's scrapbook quite nicely. Not to mention it might be nice if we did one for ourselves."
"Yeah, unless the others find out and kill us for it," Hermione laughed. "Just don't let them find out."
"You know, I think I've corrupted you. You're becoming entirely too mischievous these days."
"Well I did learn from the best," she smiled. "The marauders of course."
"I can't argue with that, as they helped George and me with our plotting when we were innocent students."
"Innocent my arse," Hermione whispered as the doors were opened to the students who entered cautiously, no doubt having already heard about the snowball fight. Their attention soon turned to examining the various trees and decorations around them as they took their seats and began to eat as food promptly appeared.
"And what a lovely arse it is," he sent a wicked mental grin along with that observation, and chuckled as a deep blush spread across her face.
OooOooOooO
"May I speak with you Professor?"
"Of course Severus, please, take a seat," Hermione gestured to one of the seats as she took her customary perch on the edge of her desk. "Now what can I do for you?"
"Silencio," he cast quietly around the room, effectively keeping anyone from overhearing them. He also cast a visual fogging spell so no one could look in on them through the window in the door.
"Anything else?" She eyed him curiously as he stood in front of her, declining a seat.
"I wanted to say thank you," he finally said after several moment's silence. "For what you said at the ball."
"It was nothing but the truth," she stressed, desperately hoping to somehow help him believe that. She had always felt sorry for her professor in the future, but of course wasn't in a position to really say anything to him. "You are your own person. He may have marked you physically as his, but he can never mark your mind or your spirit. And as long as you remember that, he never will."
"You may know that, but everyone else will only see me as a monster," he spat, furious more with himself and the situation than anything else.
"Your friends and family will believe you, and that's all that matters," she said gently. "Especially if they knew your motives for doing so; motives that were pure in heart."
"What friends? And my family's hardly anything to boast about," A sneer appeared on his face, though Hermione could see he was desperately trying to keep from dropping his mask.
"Oh my dear," she stood up, horrified, and immediately went to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his taller frame as her motherly-instincts took over. She didn't care that in the future he was a bitter, angry man who insulted her. Right now, he was only a seventeen year old boy who was scared and lost, with no one to look to for help, guidance, or comfort.
He stiffened in her arms and, almost frantically, tried to push her away, but Hermione was stubborn. She didn't let go, and a few seconds later he crumbled, sinking into her embrace as the quiet sobs came in waves. His whole body trembled with the force of them, though he made no sound, and Hermione fought to keep from wincing at the almost painful grip he had on her shoulders as he cried against one. They stood there like that for quite some time, Hermione occasionally smoothing a hand over his hair as if he were a small child, and not the nearly grown man he was becoming.
"Your family doesn't have to be those who gave life to you or are biologically related to you," Hermione whispered as she felt him begin to regain control of his self. "A true family is those people who love and care about you, and does their best to shield you from unnecessary pain."
"I don't have that," he replied bitterly, pulling back from her, hiding his face behind a curtain of hair as he wiped at it furiously with a handkerchief. No doubt doing his best to hide what other Slytherins would perceive as a sign of weakness.
"You have Professor Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall," Hermione grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. "And you will always have a home with Greg and me."
"You really mean that?" His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, as if he hardly dared to believe she meant it.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't," Hermione nodded. "Besides, I always wanted a little brother."
"I think I'll like having a sister," he said softly after a moment. "Though I'm bigger than you are."
"Well good," she smiled, laughing at his small joke. "Now, will you be okay?"
"I will now," he nodded, smiling slightly for her benefit.
"What are your plans for the Christmas holidays?"
"I'll be staying in the dorm by myself, all the others are going home."
"Well then, you can join Greg and me in the great hall on Christmas morning for breakfast, and then we'll open presents together in our rooms, all right?"
"I'd like that," he gave her another slight smile as he took down the charms he had put up earlier.
"Good," Hermione nodded happily. A part of her wondered if this had any affect on the future, but a much larger part couldn't bring herself to refuse this boy what little joy he seemed to have in his life.
"Thank you," he repeated before rushing from the classroom.
"You can come out now," Hermione called into the seemingly empty classroom.
"How'd you know I was here?" Fred asked as he disabled the invisibility spell he had cast earlier, wanting to play a prank on Mya. That had been interrupted by Severus' visit.
"Our marriage bond," she smiled, pointing to her head. "I can sense when you're in the same room as me, or within a certain distance."
"Oh," he shrugged, sitting down in one of the seats, pulling her onto his lap. "I never thought I'd feel bad for Snape, of all people. This certainly explains why he's so angry in the future."
"I know," Hermione sighed as he tightened his arms around her. "My heart just broke, and I couldn't bear to see him hurting like that. He just reminds me so much of Harry his first Christmas at school, with no family but you all and me."
"You did the right thing Mya," Fred whispered into her ear. "He needs friends and a family, and you know, I daresay we need a few more here too. If you're worried about messing with time, I don't think it'll do anything. I think even with our help, he'll still become angry and jaded from his years of spying. I think the only thing that would be different if you hadn't helped him, is that he wouldn't have been able to handle the spying, and might've done something drastic."
"That's what I was afraid of, and I knew I couldn't let that happen. Even if we're going to be leaving in a few months, I had to give him something to hold onto through the hard times he's going to face."
"And you have."
"Oh, you know what we need to do?" Hermione sat up suddenly and looked at him. "We need to go to Hogsmede or Diagon Alley and pick up a few presents for him. And I need to get you some to open in front of him. The main gift I have for you is private, and meant for Fred, not Greg."
"You know, I was about to say the same thing," Fred chuckled. "I've got a gift for you, but again, just for Hermione. You want to go now?"
"What about dinner?"
"Well we'll eat out," Fred jumped up and began to lead her to the main entrance. "Come on, we've got the money from teaching since we haven't bought hardly anything since that one trip in London. I think we can afford to eat out, as well as pick up some nice presents for the kid."
"That still is weird, even though after several months I should be used to it, huh?" Hermione commented as she allowed herself to be pulled across the ground to the apparition point.
"What?"
"Hearing our old professor referred to as a kid, and our other professors are our peers technically," Hermione laughed. "So where to first?"
"Let's go to Diagon Alley to pick up some money, then we can hit the stores around there, and finish up at Hogsmede, and walk back to school when we're done," Fred suggested.
"Sounds good, I'll meet you there!" Hermione winked before disapparating with a soft pop.
OooOooOooO
"Where to first?" Fred asked as they emerged from Gringotts, money bags full.
"Where do you think?" She quirked an eyebrow.
"The bookstore," he grinned. "I should've guessed."
"Of course," Hermione laced her fingers through his and pulled him to the bookstore. "Besides, you know what a talent he has for potions, even at this age. Otto's commented on his abilities a number of times already, saying he'll easily surpass his abilities with a few years of study."
"Well then books it is."
Hermione took a deep breath as they entered the store, cheerfully responding to the clerk's holiday greetings. She immediately walked to the back and over two aisles to the right to where she knew the potions manuals to be located. Browsing them, she was quick to pick out a few before heading back to the front of the store.
"Got some?"
"Yes," Hermione began laying the books she had collected on the counter. "Moste Potente Potions, of course. A Master's Guide to Potions, and Anti-Venoms to Zeal-Inducers: An Anthology of Potions to round it off."
"Sounds good," Fred shrugged, not really knowing what would make good texts for Snape.
"They should make a nice start to his collection," Hermione looked around the front of the store as the clerk began to tally up the books. It was times like this when Hermione really wished that wizards used electronic cash registers. "Greg, look!"
"What?" He came over to see what she was pointing too. "Whoa, are those…?"
"Yes!" Hermione turned and kissed him soundly in her excitement. "It means we're doing the right thing!"
"Hold up a sec there please," Fred called over to the clerk. "We'll be taking these too."
The items in question were two ebony wood plaques with brassy faces nailed on the front. On one brass face there was engraved a poem entitled "Assurances" by Walt Whitman. On the other was a quote that read, 'It matters not how straight the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.' The reason the plaques were so important were because it was a sign to Hermione and Fred that they were not, in fact, changing time at all by being so kind to Severus and inviting him to spend Christmas with them.
Anyone who had Severus Snape as a potions instructor had taken note of the two plaques that stood on a corner of his desk at some point or another. Anyone who had Severus Snape as a potions instructor also learned to not touch them or bother them. A first year Hufflepuff who hadn't been warned had done so, and ended up in the hospital wing with painful boils; a result of the protective charms he had placed on that corner of his desk.
"We must be the ones who give these to him," Hermione hugged Fred's arm excitedly as the clerk finished tallying up their total.
"I think you're right," he nodded in agreement as he paid for their purchases, taking them and shrinking them before stowing them in Hermione's bag. "So what now?"
"Let's go on to Hogsmede," Hermione suggested after looking around a minute. "I think I can finish my shopping for you there. We can also pick up some sweets for Severus."
"Works for me," he nodded and disapparated out of sight, Hermione right behind him.
OooOooOooO
"All right, so I'll meet you back here in an hour?" Fred suggested.
"Sure," Hermione agreed. "Oh, before you go, put a do-not-notice charm on you keyed to me, and I'll do the same, so we won't know where the other is going."
"Okie dokie," Fred quickly cast the charm, and hurried off to begin his shopping.
His first stop was Gladrags, where he picked up a deep purple chenille scarf, hat, and glove set. Funnily enough, the dark purple and red shades that made up her hair were also her favourite colours. Next, he stopped by the bookstore and picked up 'Hogwarts: A History' for the current times, thinking she might like to know more about it as it stood now. Stopping in a knick-knack store, he picked up a delicated silver picture frame to hold a picture of them from the ball. He also picked up a simple dark wood frame to put another picture of him and Mya in, but this time the intended recipient was Severus. Remembering what Hermione had told him about them acting like family to the boy, he thought Severus might appreciate it. Though he couldn't help but think that it was weird to be thinking of Snape as Severus, and as a friend. Wondering how many gifts would be adequate to give Hermione, he wandered around for a while before finally adding some tooth-flossing string mints to the collection of gifts for her, as well as a box with a mix of sweets for Severus.
Hermione meanwhile had stopped in at the bookstore and picked up 'Clever Charms for the Fun-Loving Prankster' knowing that it would be perfect for him. She also purchased a year's subscription to 'Ars Alchemist' for Severus. Next Hermione went and picked up some milder pranks and jokes from Zonkos for him, intending to add a condition that they not be used on her. Stopping in the quidditch store, she picked up a pair of high-quality leather gloves especially made for quidditch players; guaranteed to keep hands warm, dry, and flexible when flying in cold temperatures. As Fred had been doing a fair amount of flying on the weekends, occasionally joining in the various impromptu games that sprung up, she knew he'd appreciate them. Seeing her hour was almost up, she went to the three broomsticks and picked up a case of butterbeer, knowing it would make a nice treat for when Severus opened presents with them.
"Did you get everything you needed?" Hermione asked as she disabled the charm and walked up to Fred.
"Yup, and I picked up two more things for Snape…uh, Severus, while I was at it."
"Good. I think he should have a few nice things to open then," Hermione smiled her thanks as he took her bag and shifted it to his shoulder to carry it for her on their walk back to the castle. "You know, even though I would've helped him either way, I am relieved that we're not affecting the future."
"Yeah, time-travel can be a difficult thing," he nodded. "But at least I've got you to ease the burdens of it all."
"That's just what I was thinking," she giggled. "It helps to have someone to talk to."
"You know, you've changed since we've come here," Fred informed her after a few minutes contemplative silence.
"How so?"
"Well, you're more girly for one, I guess. I mean, you just giggled, and the old Hermione rarely did that. You're also a lot more relaxed, though I think that has to do with the fact that you're not in classes and worrying about passing NEWTS and all."
"No, I just worry about teaching the material so my students can pass the NEWTS," Hermione laughed. "You've changed too you know."
"Well I guess it's my turn to ask how so?"
"You're more responsible. I mean, you still have that carefree prankster attitude I love, but there's a sense of maturity there now too, and a sense of boundaries. You recognise when a prank is going too far, and you're also thinking more, when before you would just go ahead and do something, not taking time to consider the consequences."
"This has been a learning experience for both of us then," he leaned down and kissed her. "One I'm glad to have. I can only hope that everyone is doing as well as we are."
"Me too Fred," Hermione squeezed his hand. "Me too."
OooOooOooO Back to the future OooOooOooO
"Albus!" Severus called as he knocked on the door, having swiftly climbed up the steps leading to the Headmaster's office. He had just returned from a summons.
"What is it child?" Albus looked up in worry as Severus walked in, appearing very tense.
"He's made his plans," Severus informed him. "It's confirmed. He's hoping Potter will be distracted by all the festivities."
"Oh my, so soon?" Albus suddenly looked much older.
"Well we still have time to prepare Potter."
"Yes, but not much?" Albus sighed. "Now all that remains I suppose is for me to inform Harry that he will be fighting Voldemort come the morning of Christmas Eve."
OooOooOooOooOooOooOooOooOooOooO
A/N: Hee hee, I'm a little bit evil, leaving you with a little of a cliffie. Oh well, you know you won't kill me, cause otherwise you'll never find out what happens, lol. So, let's see…Hermione and Fred are sort of taking Severus in as a friend and little brother. Now I'll admit this would be out of character for grown-up Snape, but for 17 year old Severus, he's still very much a boy who needs love and affection. So I say he's in character. Besides, he's still all snarky with the Gryffindors, he just happens to have let a few walls down around Mya. No matter how much someone tries to push people away, they need someone too, so he's being perfectly reasonable in my opinion. As always, let me know what you think, and next chapter we'll get some idea of what's going on in future again, and what's happened since we last checked in on them. I may also include the "final battle" between Harry and Voldemort, if you all want, and then go to Christmas with Hermione and Fred? Or I'll just kinda skim over the battle, saying it was huge, the Order kicked deatheater arse, Harry won, the end, and flip back to what's going on with Hermione and Fred. Let me know what works for you all, and if you're feeling so inclined, leave a review!