Chapter 32

In the days that followed, Lexie appreciated her own room more than she ever would've before. Not only did it seclude Lexie from Natasha's glaring eyes prevent her from having her throat slit while she slept, but it also gave her an escape from her teacher as well. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him, because she found herself longing for the hours spent in his office reading, brewing Potions or deciphering his notes more and more these days. It was more due to the fact that she couldn't shake the shame of basically propositioning him to sleep with her. Now that was rather embarrassing.

Also helpful was the fact that Christmas break had arrived. Most of the students had gone home for the holidays. More than usual actually; probably due to the fact that Hogwarts had been invaded twice now by the fugitive murderer, Sirius Black. Parents wanted their children to be at home, where they could keep their eyes on them… since apparently, security at Hogwarts, was not what it used to be. The corridors were all but empty. Even Natasha and her other bookend, Dru had gone home.

Snape had sent Lexie a note, postponing the rest of her "detentions" until after Christmas. It seemed that he felt she deserved a break after the tidal wave of her "other" life crashed over her.

Lexie spent her time catching up on homework and stealing herself away from the few students who, like her, had remained at school for break. She made short work of it, half wondering all the time why she bothered with homework at all. She knew she had to get through it though, because she had another agenda for her time away from classes.

She got permission from McGonagall to go to Hogsmead for a day to do some "Christmas shopping". She didn't really want Snape to know what she was up to until she managed to master her embarrassment around him.

She returned, half frozen and red-red faced, but satisfied with her purchases. She sat down on her bed and began the task of wrapping.

It was Christmas Eve. Dinner in the Great Hall was a festive occasion, the students and teachers all sat together at one big table, as there were so few of them. Lexie chose a seat across from Snape, rather than near him. Consequently, she was next to the Potter kid's red-headed friend; one of the Weasleys. She knew his older twin brothers, Fred and George rather well, but she wasn't familiar with this particular Weasley… there were just too damn many of them to keep track of.

Snape caught Lexie looking at him twice. She instantly looked away, blushing, to stare at the floor. He wondered what she was thinking about when she looked at him. The second time he caught her was the last time. Perhaps she'd looked his way again, but if she had, he hadn't seen it.

After dinner was over, Snape retreated gratefully to his office. He tried to grade a few essays, but found that his heart wasn't in it. Usually he quite enjoyed making failing marks on Gryffindor essays and exams, but tonight, his mind was somewhere else.

Holidays always made him feel rather down. Instead of feeling elated and full of holiday spirit, he instead felt reflective and more cynical than usual. He knew the significance of the season. His father had been a Muggle and had brought his only son up as a Catholic. While his father was more or less a waste of good air, Catholicism was one of the few traditions that had rather stuck with him… for the most part. However, he didn't make a habit of leaving the school to attend weekly mass, in fact, not even for holidays. But privately he remembered that this probably wasn't the time to feel particularly sorry for himself.

Still, there was a part of him that would have enjoyed someone inviting him to some fancy holiday soiree, solely for his company. Anyone but the Malfoys, that is. He had no living relatives, so there were no get-togethers, or exchanging of gifts. He didn't miss it. He didn't need it. But he was aware of their absence.

Just as he was throwing around the idea of a little holiday night cap, a soft tap came to the door. He fleetingly thought it could be Alexandra, dropping in to give him a bit of company. She had remained at the school for the holidays, although, he'd never figured out exactly why. He knew her mother had wished for her to come home to the States for Christmas. She also had a friend in London, who wished Lexie to spend Christmas with her as well. She had declined both offers with no explanations.

He got up and went to the door. He waved his hand and the wards clicked open. He turned the knob, hesitantly, and pulled the heavy door inward. It was as though someone had let all of the wind out of his sails as he saw who had been the knocker. It was McGonagall.

"Good evening Severus." She said curtly. "I just wanted to inform you that bed checks have been done and everyone is where they're supposed to be… for the time being. Even Potter, Weasley and Granger." she said with pursed lips.

"Very good. Thank you Minerva." he replied irritably.

"Goodnight then. And Happy Christmas." She said, though her voice, like Snape's never held very much warmth or sincerity behind it.

"To you as well." he said, more out of habit than courtesy.

He gave the door a push and walked back to his desk. After flopping down in the chair he noticed that his door was slightly ajar. He was about to wave it closed when he saw it swing inwards, slowly, quietly.

His eyebrows snapped together. "Now what?" he wondered.

"Hi." Lexie said as she peeked her head around and saw him frowning at her.

"What are you doing here? Professor McGonagall just told me everyone was in bed." He snapped.

Lexie blinked in surprise. Definitely not the reception she'd been hoping for. "I waited til she'd gone by… then slipped out." She said still in the doorway. "Can I come in?" she asked, annoyed.

"Certainly." He said rather coldly.

She shut the door behind her and made her way over to him.

"You never answered my question." He said as she sat down on the corner of his desk, her hands resting in the pocket of her hooded sweatshirt.

"Which question?" Lexie asked.

"What are you doing here?" he reiterated.

"Oh!" Lexie said, enlightened. "I brought you something…" she trailed off. She pulled out a small box from insider her sweatshirt.

"I do not make a habit of exchanging gifts with my students." He said looking between the modest box and the hopeful eyes of his student.

She shook the box gently and extended it further. "Well, you're not exchanging… you're… receiving!" she said, rather proud of herself for sidestepping the issue.

He frowned, but took the box out of her hand.

"Actually, the whole thing isn't even actually a gift… really, it's already yours. Don't be angry." She said sheepishly.

He raised an eyebrow and pulled the top off of the pre-wrapped box. Inside was an antique, gold pocket watch with a long gold chain and clasp laying on white crushed velvet. His pupils dilated. It was beautiful. It was expensive. It was…

"My missing pocket watch." He said nodding slowly as he picked it up out of the box. He barely recognized it. Time had tarnished the gold and robbed it of its glistening finish. And long ago he had lost the chain during a Death Eater scuffle.

"And… how it is that you came by my watch?" he asked, still admiring its new found glow.

"It was in the inside pocket of your cloak… the night of the dance." She felt herself blushing a little and looked down at their feet.

"Ah…"

"Anyway… I, uh… took it to Hogsmead and had it cleaned. While I was there I found this chain. It was just so handsome… I couldn't pass it up." She told him.

"You shouldn't have done this." He said, sounding almost as though he was scolding her.

"Well… I didn't buy Christmas presents for very many people. But like I said… I saw it and thought of you. If it helps… my intention was just to get it cleaned and return it…" she trailed off.

"I can't accept this…" he said solemnly. She found it odd that he was still staring at the watch and not looking at her.

"Well… if you can't accept it as a Christmas present… then just think of it as a thank you gift for all you've done for me over the last few months. I owe you that much at least."

They were quiet for a minute. She tilted her head to try to get him to look at her. "I'm not taking it back… what would I do with a pocket watch chain? So… why don't you make this easier on both of us and just say thank you." she smiled softly.

He sighed and paused a moment before speaking. "Thank you, Miss Bane."

It was off-putting to see him this way. Lexie remembered thinking how reflective he seemed. Reflective and sad.

"You're very welcome." She said, satisfied. "Can you tell me about it?" she gestured to the watch.

"It belonged to my grandfather. My mother's father."

"Was he a wizard?" Lexie asked, imagining that he probably was.

"Yes. And my mother was a witch. Very good bloodline…"

"What about your father?"

"He… is not worth your breath to discuss." He spat.

"Why? He wasn't from as prestigious a family as your mother? Was he -

"A Mudblood." He sneered and turned his head. "He was a Mudblood."

"Really?" Lexie blurted out before she could stop herself.

He looked sharply at her. This was obviously a hot button issue with him. That didn't come as a shock.

"Sorry… I just assumed you were a full-blood. I never thought…"

"No. You didn't think." he said curtly.

"So… you're a half-blood… like me…" she said hesitantly.

"Yes, Miss Bane. I'm just like you."

Lexie tried to hide her smirk. It was comical to think of her and Snape having anything in common.

After another terribly awkward silence, Lexie finally spoke. "Well… I should go. The bed-check Nazi is prowling around out there. I watched her finish checks and start roaming around again. If I didn't know better… I'd say she was trying to catch me out of bed." Lexie said, meaning McGonagall.

She stood up and side stepped around Snape's long legs. She put a hand on his shoulder and bent down to him. She brushed her lips across his cheek. "Merry Christmas Professor." She whispered in his ear.

She was just about to leave when he caught her wrist. "Stay." He said simply.

"Sorry?" she asked, wondering exactly what he meant by that.

"Stay… and have a night cap."

Snape felt an uneasy feeling crawling around in the pit of stomach. Why did this feel so awkward?

Lexie nodded. "OK." She agreed.

Snape finally moved the box with his watch in it off of his lap and deposited it on his desk.

Snape went to a cupboard behind his desk and opened the doors. He poured dark red liquid into two deep wine goblets and returned to hand one to Lexie. The other he kept for himself.

Lexie sniffed it first and frowned. Something was funny about this 'wine'. She looked up at him. "What the hell is this?" she said, confused.

"Non-alcoholic wine." Snape informed her, smirking as he sat back down in his chair. "You have a good nose."

"Non-alcoholic?" Lexie repeated.

"Yes. As you are not yet of age… I feel its inappropriate for you to consume alcoholic beverages. Though, apparently, you disagree." He took a sip of his and watched her intently over the rim.

Lexie was chewing her tongue… trying to remember that she was a teenager… right. A teenager. She couldn't come up with an appropriate response to that statement, so she settled for just sitting down in the chair across the desk from him.

He raised his glass slightly and stared pensively at the ceiling. "To… your future… whatever it may bring."

Lexie raised hers likewise and said, "And to yours as well."

It was interesting that he hadn't toasted to her career as a Death Eater. 'Your future… whatever it may bring.' Well what did he expect it to bring?

One drink turned into two. And two into three. Three turned into migrating to the couch and armchair in front of the fireplace. They mostly sat in silence, Lexie leafing through one of Snape's favorite Potions books. Snape watched her intensely, noting her every move, every gesture. Memorizing the curvature of her face, each eyelash, every gesture and savoring the sweet serenity and comfort in, for the first time in years, not having to spend Christmas night alone.


A/N: i know i know! before you can even say anything, you should know that my lovely cousin, writer-in-disguise has been HOUNDING me about posting another chapter. the fact of the matter is that i'm now working THREE jobs and going to school part time (and teaching sunday school as well). things have just been ABSOLUTLEY crazy! my brother came home from the marine corps & i'm thinking about buying a new car before our beach trip which is in just about a month! i've been having a lot of guy-drama as well. this new one's making our professor snape seem like freaking prince charming! HAH! soooo... anyway, i know it was like i dropped off of the face of the earth - and admittedly, at a TERRIBLE cliffhanger... well, sorta - thanks to everyone who's checked in on me! its always great to hear from my faithful readers! let me know what ya think of the chapter! it always helps me get motivated to write more if i'm getting lots of good reviews! so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review! ... its good to be back!