Chapter 6
November came and went, the tension form the late October day fading into the back ground. Severus knew that Russalyn ignored it when she would catch him looking at her, but he couldn't help it. Her strength to move past the pain that had been inflicted on her was amazing.
He had asked her one day when he had been assisting her in the hot house if she thought she would want anyone after what had happened to her. He bit the inside of his cheek in anger at his stupid loose tongue as he waited for her to answer the embarrassingly revealing question.
She smiled at him and said, "I will let you know when I know how he feels," she said and went back to pruning her foxglove. He thought her answer had a hidden meaning in the words then shook his head and chalked it up to wishful thinking. The thought that Russalyn could have another man in her life made him sick to his stomach as he watched her graceful movement and he cursed fate for putting in the path of this beautiful woman.
Russalyn had been moving around the house at a frantic pace. She was trying to be as quiet as possible as she tried to put the finishing touches up around the living room. She had even gone as far as to put a silencing charm on the stairs so Severus wouldn't hear her.
She knew that if she wanted Christmas done this year she was going to have to do it her self, knowing Severus would be no help. That if given a chance he would destroy the holiday from the face of the Earth, but she hoped to she could change his mind this year. His attitude seemed to be changing although he could still be a jerk sometimes. It was Christmas Eve day and she wanted him prepared for the next day. She heard his footsteps on the stairs and spun around to meet him. The scowl she saw wasn't a good sign.
Severus looked around at the holly and garlands that adorned the walls and groaned in his head. He had hoped to avoid Christmas this year, but it didn't seem that Russalyn was going to let that be the case. He caught sight of the tree and sneered at then turned a frown on her.
"Merry Christmas," she said a little smile on her lips as she walked to the foot of the stairs where he stood and he knew he had to escape her beguiling eyes. When he turned to move back up the stairs she caught his arm, "Oh no you don't. Now I know that Christmas isn't your favorite time of year, but humor me. My mother is coming over tomorrow for dinner and I would like you to be there."
He looked down into her eyes that were the undoing of his resolve to stay locked away and he cursed internally as he knew he would be there. "Very well, but I refuse to sing a single carol," he sneered and tried to move away from her before she could get anything else out of him, but she held him in place.
"I was going out today. Do you want to come along," she asked hoping that he didn't see the plea in her eyes. She had been in love with him almost from the first and it killed her that he didn't feel the same, and she kept her self up at night worried about the day that he would leave her once he was fully healed, never knowing that he was up thinking of ways to stay around.
Severus thought he saw something in her eyes, but it was quickly gone. "Into town," he asked and when she nodded he thought about her and how he had nothing to give her for Christmas. This would be the only chance he had to get it. "Very well, are we going to Gungahlin or a muggle shop," he asked in a bored tone.
"I was thinking of Gungahlin," she said as she smiled brightly and he fought back a sigh as she pulled him to the fireplace, "Come on I have to go shopping for dinner. What do you want to eat," she buzzed and he couldn't fight the small smile that crooked the corner of his mouth.
The morning sun shot a shaft of extra bright light on Severus' eyes making it impossible to sleep. It was Christmas morning and he really didn't want to wake up and face another year of disappointment. Then Russalyn's face flashed in his mind and he thought thing could be different.
He sat up and knew immediately that this year it would be, at the end of his bed were several large boxes all lovingly wrapped with green and silver paper. As he opened them he was rewarded with a wardrobe for a warmer climate, but still tailored to his style. Every one of the boxes had been marked with a scrolling R.H.
He almost missed one last package that was wrapped in red and gold that was quite obviously books. A note was tied to the golden bow that said, 'Don'tdwell,butdon'tforget,' and signed with the same scrolling initials
As he opened it he was surprise to see an empty journal and an Advanced Potions book. When he opened it he nearly dropped in on the wrappings. Inside the front cover was scrawled, 'Propertyofthehalf-bloodPrince.' It was his old potions book. She was giving him his past and his future all in one gift and he felt his throat tighten as he blinked and cleared the tightness away.
He felt like smacking him self with the ridiculous gift he had given her. Then he heard the thunder of rushing footsteps before his door was thrown open, "Oh thank you," Russalyn shouted before she launched her self at Severus, her hair trailing behind her.
He wasn't set for the hit and they tumbled back into the pile of wrappings. "It's just what I needed. The Quick Tech Quill 3000, this will make all my notes so much easier," she exclaimed as she jumped up and ran back out of his room.
He stared at the open door and smiled. Maybe his gift wasn't as bad as he had thought. He got up and got dressed quickly in a set of his new robes. Black pants, white dress shirt, silver waist coat and black over robes all produced in light cotton.
As he moved down the stairs he heard Christmas music coming from the kitchen. He walked in and saw Russalyn at the stove a sloppy knot of hair on top of her head. She was still in her PJs, a pant and camisole set that said 'It's nice to be naughty!' and he wondered how naughty she was, then felt the tips of his ears heat as she turned to look at him and smiled in greeting.
She still amazed him with that smile, "I got the sizes right," and placed a plate in front of him with a stack of eggs and toast along with a cup of black coffee as he sat down.
"Sorry I didn't thank you earlier," he said as he took a sip of his coffee, "I was a little thrown off when I was attacked by an over grown child," he said with a smirk and saw her blush.
"Shut up," she said and smacked him playfully on the arm, "I have to go get ready," and went up the stares.
When she came down she was in a sleeveless green dress that belled out at her waist and stopped at her knees. White poinsettias ran along the bottoms and white pumps adorned her feet. Her auburn hair was pulled back with a silver clip and small sliver hoops hung from her ears catching the light.
When Severus saw her his mouth went dry and his heart rate sped up to an almost painful rate, "Well, what do you think? How does it look," she asked as she turned at the base of the stairs.
It took him a moment to answer but he finally managed to say, "You look absolutely lovely," with out choking.
She laughed and said, "Please Audrey Hepburn was absolutely lovely. I will settle for decent," she said as she moved to the kitchen and he wished she could see what he saw. "I have to get started on the meal. We will be eating at noon. So keep an eye on the clock. My mother is very punctual," she said as she moved past the door frame, and he heard muggle Christmas music blare from the kitchen loudly.
Severus tried to read a book, he really did, but was so distracted by Russalyn's sudden burst of song that he closed the volume and went to investigate. A song about rocking around the Christmas tree was on and Russalyn was dancing from stove to icebox and all around the kitchen,
It was so riotous that Severus' actually heard him self chuckle. Unfortunately for him so did Russalyn. "Are you laughing at me Severus," she asked as she spun and caught him trying to hide a smile behind his large hand. "Well that will never do," she said and walked over and began to pull him into the open part of the kitchen.
"If you are going to laugh at me then you owe me a dance," she said and pulled him close. He tried to back away but she kept a hold of him and close to her
"I don't dance," he said a frown on his face. He tried to move away again but she refused to let go.
"Well you do now," she said and the song changed to a slower song with a woman singing all I want for Christmas is you. "Come on take my waist," she said and put his hand on her narrow waist missing how he swallowed stiffly and began to guide him.
After a few quiet moments he got the rhythm and relaxed a little, "Why don't you dance Severus? You're doing fantastic," Russalyn asked as they moved around the kitchen.
"Lack of willing partners," he sneered with a scowl on his face. He knew he was un-liked and since she had been fallowing him for three years she should know that as well. He wished things were different that he had something more to offer her, but all he had was him self and that was so much less than she deserved.
Her next comment shocked him, "Well, it is their loss and they're a bunch of idiots," she said her voice hard. When he raised a brow in question she went on, "No, I mean it. If they couldn't see you then they weren't worth your notice," she said her voice still hard as stone.
"You mean the cruel sarcastic git," he snarled his voice summoning the dark potions master and his brows shot up in shock when she laughed softly with her green eyes sparkling.
"No, that is the person you want people to see. You seem to be forgetting Severus I have watched you for three years. I have seen the real you," she said a soft smile played on her lips and a soft look in her eyes.
Unable to read what he saw in her eyes he asked his defenses still high, "And that is?" His face was impassive trying to hide the hope that she saw something worth while, never knowing that her answer would blow him away.
"I have seen a deep soul full of potential," she said and continued to smile, "I saw you Severus," she sighed as the song came to an end. "Thank you for the dance," she said as they stepped apart and he didn't want to let her out of his grasp. He knew at that moment that he would never dance with any one else except for Russalyn.
They heard the sound of the floo and the voice of an older woman, "Hello, Merry Christmas. Russalyn, I'm here dear where are you?"
Russalyn ran out into the living room, slowly followed be Severus. As he entered the room he saw an older woman that looked like Russalyn hugging her. Grey was at her temples and small lines creased the corners of her eyes as she smiled at her daughter. "It is good to see you Mother," Russalyn said as she pulled back to look at her, "Come on I want you to meet Severus," she said as she tried to guide her towards him.
She stopped when her mother pulled on her hand and said, "In one moment I have a surprise for you." As she said this, the fireplace shot green with flames once more and someone stepped out, and Russalyn felt her world slow down as she saw who stepped from the emerald flames.
A quiver entered her voice and she could feel Severus tense as she said the name, "James?"