πŸŽ„ πŸŽ„ πŸŽ„ Presents πŸŽ„ πŸŽ„ πŸŽ„

o.O.o

Severus hated giving presents.

It wasn't the idea of presents he hated but the pressure on giving the right gift, the perfect one the receiver would actually like and use. It was hard to pick the right present for people you knew best, imagine picking something for a person you barely knew.

Had he pulled McGonagall or Hagrid or Flitwick or, god forbid, even Potter for that stupid Secret Santa, he would have an easy job. Minerva loved blankets, the chequered the better, Hagrid loved anything related to beasts, Flitwick collected miniature muggle car models he had to put together himself, and Potter would be actually happy with anything Quidditch related – Severus even knew his favourite team as the man would not shut up about their latest victory.

But just what the hell was he supposed to get for Professor Sinistra?

He did not remember socializing with the woman in the last twenty years, he doubted he ever said a word to her outside of school matters. Did she like scarfs? Did she wear earrings? Did she read?

The mystery lingered as Severus watched her during breakfasts, lunches and dinners, day after day getting closer to Christmas but he saw no clue as to what the woman might enjoy. She wore no earrings, or any other jewellery, Severus never heard her speak with passion about her subject like Sprout or Hagrid did, even more, he rarely heard her speak at all.

Unless, of course, Potter was present. During those times, the two professors wouldn't shut up. They would gossip about the students, about their mischiefs during classes even about their dating preferences, though why Potter would care about the older Mallory brother's dating habits with Miss Caraway, was beyond Severus.

The solution lingered at the front of his mind for days, but he did not want to reach out to grab it. It was simple: he could just ask Potter. Sinistra and him seemed social, the man could be helpful. But, like to Sinistra, Severus hardly spoke to Potter more than he had to. He was one of his professors, sure, and they did discuss the Defence Against the Dark Arts lectures more than was necessary perhaps, but only because Potter was still a reasonably fresh Professor and Severus was unwilling to allow mediocre lectures at Hogwarts.

Then one day, he found Potter reading alone in the teacher's room and, given Christmas was just around the corner, he gave up and spoke.

"So, Potter, you seem friendly with Professor Sinistra."

"You cannot ask for help with the gifts, Snape."

Busted, Severus thought. "And I am not," he denied. "I was just attempting a conversation."

Potter slowly lowered the magazine in his hand and looked up at Snape. There was a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "Convers ahead. I'm listening."

His dislike for the man at that moment was borderline hatred, but Severus did not allow such strong emotions to come forth when thinking about Harry Potter. He took a deep breath and sat down on the other armchair, closest to Potter.

"Where are you spending the holiday?" He asked lightly, feigning interest as if it would not be perfectly clear what he was after. "Will you visit…?" Severus' voice faltered as he wasn't sure who would Potter actually visit. The Weasleys? Surely they were still the closest thing the young man had to a family. Was Potter and Ginevra Weasley still an item? What was going on with Granger and Weasley? "… your family?" He finished.

Potter's mouth twitched, and Severus just glared daggers at him. "Yes, we'll have a Christmas dinner on the twenty-fifth.

"Who's we?" The question slipped out, unwanted.

Finally, Potter cracked and laughed out loud. "Come on, Snape," he said, giving a small slap to Severus' leg that sent a sudden and unexpected heat to Severus' tummy. "You know perfectly well with whom I spend Christmas! I'm always at the Burrow. Out with it, what's this about? You did pick Aurora, didn't you?"

"Perhaps," Severus answered, sitting straighter in his chair.

"Alright," Potter started nodding. "I am not unwilling to help."

"Oh, of course," Severus sneered. "What do you want in return for the information."

Potter's eyes glinted dangerously. "Teddies."

Severus stared for a moment, then, "Excuse me?"

"I want to get some toys or something for the children in the Infirmary. I don't like that they have to spend Christmas here."

"Well, maybe if they had some brain and not spread the pox…" Severus noted under his breath.

"They are kids who wanted to see their sick friend." Potter said with a shrug. "Don't be heartless."

Severus couldn't care less about the idiots who condemned themselves to a sickbed, but he did care about a hint for Sinistra's Christmas present, so he acquiesced. "Go, buy whatever you want."

"Come with me," said Potter suddenly.

Severus bristled. "Why on Merlin's beard would I do that?"

"Snape, there's about fifty kids in the Infirmary. That's a lot of teddy bears."

"And you think I care, because…?"

"Maybe we can find something for Aurora, too…" Potter suggested, feigning nonchalance.

"Oh," Severus thought about it for half a second then said. "Alright."


πŸŽ„ πŸŽ„ πŸŽ„ To Be Continued πŸŽ„ πŸŽ„ πŸŽ„