Chapter 25: Gifts
"Merry Christmas," Rose said gently. She sat at the edge of Ephraim's bed. He was fast asleep on his stomach. Rose stroked back his hair and he stirred slightly. "Wake up, Ephraim," Rose sang. "It's Christmas." She continued to run her fingers through his sandy locks. With his eyes still closed, Ephraim smiled. Rose did too. Ephraim had become so comfortable with Rose; her touch afforded him comfort rather than anxiety.
It was barely seven in the morning. Severus had told Rose that she could let the boy sleep longer, but Rose was more excited to give Ephraim his gifts than Ephraim would ever be to open them.
"Ephraim," Rose continued, "Do you want to see what you've got for Christmas?"
Ephraim's eyes slid open slowly. He never got excited about Christmas because he never had a reason to do so. "I haven't got anything," Ephraim answered her a matter-of-factly.
Rose smiled at the boy. "Yes, you have," Rose confirmed. "You have gifts from me and Professor Snape."
"Professor Snape?" Ephraim asked with confusion.
"Yes," Rose said, excitement building inside her. "Get out of bed and come into the common room."
There were no other Slytherins staying for Christmas this year. Ephraim both liked and disliked having the dormitory to himself. He liked not having to worry about the other boys teasing and bullying him. Yet there was something really eerie about the ghostly green, quiet atmosphere. The last few nights Rose had been sitting up with him until he fell asleep. The first night Ephraim had asked her to do this, he blushed profusely all the while. Rose immediately agreed without further prompting. She had looked up towards Professor Snape who nodded once and bid Ephraim goodnight.
Ephraim threw on a tattered jumper and made his way into the common room where Rose and Professor Snape were waiting for him.
There was a large stack of brightly wrapped boxes and bags under the Christmas tree.
Ephraim's eyes widened as he looked from the gifts to Rose and then to his professor.
"Yes, the gifts are yours," Professor Snape answered his unspoken question. He was sitting in one of the armchairs near the tree and Rose sat cross-legged on the floor, resting her back against the professor's legs.
"Come sit, Ephraim, and open your gifts," Rose suggested.
Ephraim hesitantly sat on the floor in front of the tree. He picked up a small package and looked cautiously at Professor Snape.
His professor nodded.
Rose looked with confusion from Ephraim to Severus. She had never seen a child hesitate when a large pile of presents sat in front of them. Severus, however, seemed unsurprised by how Ephraim was reacting.
Ephraim slowly unwrapped the package. It was one of the books from Severus. Ephraim smiled slightly and ran his hand over the cover. "Thank you," he muttered, peering down at the book.
Rose traded him the book for a bigger gift she had picked out. "Tear it open," Rose egged Ephraim on excitedly.
Ephraim tore through the wrapping quickly and then threw a glance at Rose as if to check for approval.
"There is no hurry," Severus reminded Rose rather firmly.
Rose's brows knit together.
Severus knew that Rose, who had always been deeply cherished by her family, could never understand how utterly overwhelming it was to suddenly have so much positive attention after receiving hardly any at all. Rose would never comprehend the fear of affection being ripped away.
Severus could see in Ephraim's eyes the anxious anticipation that everything would be taken from him as quickly as it came.
It was a slow process, but eventually Ephraim unwrapped every gift under the tree. He thanked Rose and Professor Snape with a dazed expression.
"There is something else too," Rose said cautiously, looking up at Severus and then to Ephraim who looked like he could not take much more.
Severus stood and walked to one of the empty dormitories. He emerged carrying the squirming black kitten that was meowing excitedly.
Ephraim watched Professor Snape's progress with disbelief as the little creature was placed in his surprised arms.
Ephraim held the cat gingerly and gently stroked its head. "Is it…"
"She's yours," Severus confirmed as he took his seat again.
Ephraim turned towards Rose as if checking that he was hearing this correctly.
Rose grinned and nodded.
"What," Ephraim stammered, "what is her name?" The kitten began to purr beneath his palms.
"That is for you to decide," Rose told him.
"She's mine," Ephraim said his voice growing in volume and a smile spreading across his face. The excitement began to swell inside Ephraim and then in an instance it vanished. Ephraim's face grew pale and he looked suddenly tearful.
"Ephraim," Rose said stunned. She scooted herself across the floor to be closer to him. "What's wrong?"
Ephraim carefully handed Rose the kitten. "I'm sorry," he murmured, "but I don't know if I can keep her, during the summers I mean."
It took Ephraim less than a minute to realize this potential complication, where it took Rose and Severus hours.
The kitten meowed sadly in Rose's arms. Her blue eyes looked up at Rose as if to say, 'how are you going to fix this.'
Ephraim thought about the summer a lot. He worried about where he would be placed. He stressed about who the people would be. Ephraim had had a few nice foster parents over the years but none that he ever got attached to. Some seemed resentful that they did not have a 'better' kid placed in their care and Ephraim knew he was a burden. His nightmares always got bad when he moved to a new place. He was often humiliated by other children in the house, but he felt the most shame by the aggravated look in his caretaker's eyes when they were woken up by screaming yet again or when they had to change the sheets on the bed several nights in a row.
Rose glanced at Severus, a nervous expression on her face. He silently told her that anything that was about to be said would be better coming from her. Rose nodded slightly. She gently placed the kitten down and turned towards Ephraim.
The child's head was bowed; his mind was faraway.
"Ephraim," Rose said, "sweetheart."
Ephraim looked up in shock. He could not remember anyone ever calling him 'sweetheart' in his life.
Rose smiled at him sadly. She touched his cheek gently; his face was hot from a blush. "Professor Snape and I wanted to ask you something." Ephraim stared at her stunned. He could not let himself believe or even hope what Rose was about to say. "Ephraim, tomorrow Professor Snape and I are going to get married." Rose couldn't help but smile at the idea. Ephraim's eyes quickly flicked from Rose's face to his professor's, not realizing what this had to do with him. "We are going to live in Hogsmeade." Ephraim focused his attention back on Rose. "We would like you to come stay with us during all your school holidays." Rose paused. "If you want," she finished somewhat lamely.
Ephraim was stupefied. He replayed Rose's words several times in him mind. "I can live with you?"
"Yes," Rose confirmed. "You can live with us." Making sure she was being completely clear, "We would like you to live with us, Ephraim."
"Do you promise?" he whispered, his face stoic.
"Yes," Rose assured him, her heart breaking. "We promise."
"But what if my nightmares comeback or I accidently break something or if I do something to make you angry with me."
Rose opened her mouth to speak but Severus beat her to it. "Ephraim," Severus said firmly. Severus got from his seat and knelt in front of Ephraim. "Listen to me." Ephraim nodded. "When you have a nightmare, when you break something, and when you make us angry, nothing will change. You will have a safe place to stay where no one will harm you."
Ephraim's face suddenly crumpled, and he let out a loud sob. Without thought or warning, he wrapped his arms around Professor Snape. It took a stunned Severus several moments to realize that he was being embraced by the boy and having him cry into his robes. Severus patted Ephraim's back slightly and looked at Rose with a questioning look in his black eyes.
Rose, who was also tearful, gave Severus a reassuring little nod.
Ephraim pulled back suddenly as if just now realizing that he was hugging Professor Snape. Through his tears, his face turned red. Severus gently passed Ephraim into Rose's waiting arms. He curled into her and continued to sob.
Rose quickly wiped her own eyes and held Ephraim tightly and protectively. She rocked him in her arms slightly and she stroked his hair to sooth him. Slowly Ephraim began to calm.
Severus had known exactly what to say to the boy and Rose was there to comfort him. They made a pretty good team, she thought.
Ephraim gradually emerged. He stayed next to Rose most of the day, resting his head on her shoulder or at the very least making sure their arms brushed up against each other. Ephraim was contently reserved, watching his beautiful Christmas unfold in front of him. He named his kitten Morgana, he drank hot chocolate the house-elves brought him, and he listened to Rose and his Professor speak gently. He did not even touch his gifts again that day. He was just happy to be there with Rose and Professor Snape.
When it was late, Professor Snape told him goodnight until tomorrow when he would be accompanying them to America.
Rose came to rest with Ephraim in his dormitory until he fell asleep.
When Ephraim's breathing became slow and heavy, Rose made her way back to Severus's rooms.
Severus stood from his seat when she opened the door and he took long strides towards her. He wrapped his long arms around her from behind. "I have a Christmas present for you as well," he hissed in her ear.
"You just bought us a house!" Rose replied with mock exasperation.
Severus moved to face her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvety box. Rose smiled sweetly at him as he popped open that box with his thumb and forefinger. A gold ring sat in the box with a central diamond encircled by tiny diamonds.
"It's beautiful," Rose told him.
Severus pressed his lips into a thin line, "It is nothing compared to-" Severus stopped himself at once, seeing the grave look in Rose's eyes. This was not the time to bring up Tiberius or his ring that looked like it had an engorgement charm placed upon it.
Rose gave Severus a sad little smile and pressed her palm against his cheek. "I love it," she assured him, "and I love you."
Severus nodded once. "I love you too," he replied.
"Aren't you going to put it on me?" Rose asked impatiently.
Despite himself, Severus smirked. He removed the ring from the box and slid it onto Rose's finger, where it magically adjusted to be exactly her size.
Rose moved her hand from side to side, watching the rings effect in the candlelight. "Tomorrow," Rose said, still examining her left hand, "I will be Mrs. Snape."
Severus took several moments to process these words. He tried to imagine Rose introducing herself to strangers as such, permanently marking herself as his. "And you have no reservations about becoming Mrs. Snape?" Severus asked.
"None," Rose told him. "And you won't mind sharing your name with me?" Rose grinned at him.
Severus shook his head, feeling slightly dazed. This beautiful, smart, and kind woman was going to be his wife. Like Ephraim, Severus still felt the fear that everything was about to be taken from him. He tried to ignore that feeling.
"I have a ring for you too," Rose told him. "But I am not sure that you are going to like it."
Severus looked at her with his brows knit together.
Rose shrugged and silently led Severus to sit beside her on the sofa.
Rose looked at Severus, a spark of excitement in her eyes. She bit down on her lower lip nervously. Then with a light swish of her wand, a small planter pot and a silver ring floated towards them. Rose plucked the ring out of the air and handed the pot to Severus.
Severus held the planter in both hands. He looked down at it questionably. It was filled with soil. He then looked at Rose with raised brows.
Rose did not give a word of explanation but took the silver ring and pressed it into the earth. Rose gave Severus one last cautious look before taking up her wand again. She pointed her wand at the planter and suddenly a green sprout could be seen peeking out of the soil. The sprout grew into a strong stem and then a beautiful white lily began to blossom.
Severus's eyes widened slightly but he kept his expression blank. Rose took in a sharp breath, questioning her gift to him.
Another sprout followed the other. A thorny stem of a rose grew beside the lily and a red rose budded and bloomed.
Rose made an intricate weaving motion in the air with her wand and the stems of the two flowers began to twist around each other growing into one, it was impossible to identify where the lily ended, and the rose began.
The distinct colors of the flowers began to fade as they were encased in shining silver that would preserve the two flowers for eternity.
Rose gave a final flick of her wand and purple smoke erupted around the lily and rose. When the smoke faded the flowers were gone.
Rose carefully reached into the soil and unburied the silver ring. She took the planter from Severus and placed it off to the side. Rose took up Severus's hand and pressed the ring gently into his palm. Severus carefully brought the ring closer to his eyes, treating it like it was fragile.
The outside of the ring remained plain, sleek silver, but the inside of the ring was engraved with the imprints of a lily and a rose. The two flowers weaved together into one.
"If you hate it…" Rose began.
Severus continued to stare down at the ring, running his fingers along its smooth surface. "That was beautiful magic," he said barely moving his lips.
Rose smiled broadly at his words. She took up the ring and his left hand from him. Rose slid the ring on Severus's finger and pressed her lips into his palm. "With this ring, I thee wed," Rose whispered to Severus.
Tears glistened in Severus's black eyes as he stared with amazement at the woman who by some miraculous feat loved him. He quickly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and caught Rose's face between his palms. He kissed her, desperately trying to tell her the words he was unable to convey. For how could he possible express to her that she had brought him back to life after his heart had been broken to the point of not beating.
Rose ran her hands over his neck, feeling the slight scars from the dark circumstances that had driven them together.
Rose climbed into Severus's lap, methodically rubbing herself against him.
Severus groaned, his mouth still pressed against hers. He stood, lifting her with him and carried her into the bedroom.
A while later, they both laid side by side in bed, panting slightly.
"It seems slightly wrong to have done all that on Christmas," Rose mocked.
Severus smirked slightly, "Are you sorry?"
"Nope," Rose laughed as she sat up and stretched out her arms. Rose reached for her wand.
"What are you doing?" Severus asked, sitting up too.
Rose froze with her wand in the air. "Summoning the potion," she told him.
Severus looked at her for a long moment and then shook his head once.
Rose's eyes widened. "Severus," she said aghast. "Are you saying…"
"I am," Severus answered through a dry throat.
Rose held one hand over her heart and her other hand rested over her belly as if she was already imagining a life growing inside of her.
Severus pulled her closer to steady himself. He hardly could believe what he was saying. He would tell Rose later, how being around Ephraim had slightly eased his mind to the idea of a child. What he would not tell Rose, was that he considered a child a way of further binding him and her together. If Rose bared his child, it would be just another means of marking her as his, a way to keep her closer no matter what happened.
"I love you, Severus," Rose whispered into the dark.
Severus pressed his lips to her forehead. "I love you," he replied somewhat distractedly. He wondered what tomorrow would bring and what Rose's family might think of the man she was about to marry.