Life as it is lived 5
Christmas Day dawned bright but cold, and it was the latter that made Hermione reluctant to get out of her bed for the day of noise, hustle and bustle that was about to start. Hermione knew she was awake because she was aware of the chill in the air that had started to creep into the gaps between her duvet and her mattress. Carefully covering all the gaps, she snuggled further into her pillow, refusing to open her eyes as this would be acknowledgement that the day had started. However, remembering what specific day it was made her think about her presents. She cracked an eye open and noticed the purple stocking hanging on the bottom left post of her bed. Turning on her side she felt around on the bedside table and her hand connected with her mobile phone. Picking it up she pressed the unlock button to wake the screen and looked at the digital clock display.
Hermione decided that 7.45 am was a good and respectable enough time to wake up properly on Christmas Day so opened her eyes properly to try and get some light into them to wake her up a bit more. Looking to her left again at the bedside table she felt for the handle of her wand and picking it up, she waved her wand across the room at her iPod speakers. Immediately one of her favourite songs, Club Can't Handle Me from Flo Rida was on and she couldn't help but start to sing along. Looking at her stocking again, she grabbed her purple sequined duvet around her, despite the pj's she was wearing and crawled her way down the bed to her stocking and dragged it up to her pillows. The music had woke her up a bit so she was now eager to see what small delights were hiding inside.
After she'd tipped it upside down and different things had fallen out she began to sort through the mass of mini presents. The first thing was a DVD of Alice In Wonderland. She smiled and knew that this must be from Harry as he was the only one who would know she'd wanted this particular film. The magic that Tim Burton had created was amazing, and even though his wasn't real and hers was she wished it was a real place sometimes. Smiling she put the DVD back down and rummaged through the mini pile on her bed. The usual historical things with a Christmas stocking were there. There was 2 satsumas, a handful of assorted nuts, a mint flavoured stripy candy cane and some chocolate galleons, replacing the real thing. Deciding that it was much too early in the morning for anything sugary, she pulled the cloves out of the satsumas and ate a few segments before returning to the small pile in front of her.
She picked up a couple of amusing things that were simple stocking fillers. There was a Rubik's cube and a Sudoku cube, both all muddled up ready for her to solve in the following days, or weeks depending on how messed up they were. However, knowing the other occupants of the house, they had probably taken great glee in each having a mess with it in an attempt to prove to her that she wasn't as intelligent as she made herself out to be. Putting them both aside she finished off the rest of her satsumas, checked her phone again and decided that at 8.15, it was likely that most of the other people in the house were stirring from their slumber. "Better get a shower while I can with the hot water that we have. Draco's hair routine usually takes it all in a matter of minutes." Dragging herself out of the warmth and comfort of her bed, she shivered against the cold air that assaulted her skin and caused goose bumps to appear.
After grabbing all her essentials, sliding her slippers and dressing gown on and pulling her towels off of the radiator in her room she began to walk down from her bedroom to the bathroom closest to her. Nearing the door she heard footsteps coming from the other side of the long hallway and so quickened her steps to get their first. The footsteps got closer and louder, and in a few seconds bare feet and legs appeared, swiftly followed by muscled chest and stomach to which a chiselled face and blonde hair was attached. Jumping quickly towards the door she just about saw an angry but amused face with ice blue eyes before the door was shut in said person's face and quickly locked. Feeling childish this morning in light of what day it was she sniggered and shouted, "Ha Ha! Triumph over adversity, looser!" through the wooden door that separated her from Draco. Hermione placed her things on the closed loo seat and turned in time to hear a muffled curse through the door and the footsteps disappear down the corridor.
Smiling, Hermione undressed and made sure everything she'd need was within reaching distance of her in the shower before she jumped under the wonderfully hot, almost scorching water. She'd always preferred her shower and bath water at the extreme end of hot, a comment made by Ron after he'd tried to get into her bath behind her once had only compounded this. Hermione grinned as she thought back to that moment where Ron had tried to jump into her bath water in an attempt to seduce her into having their first time in the bath. His screams were probably heard in Reykjavik, and were definitely heard around the Burrow. Smiling, Hermione got rid of the memory and concentrated on her morning routine. Her shampoo was made by her own fair hand, and was specifically designed to tame her hair. Growing up had gone some way to doing the job, but it still just needed that extra shove into beauty.
...
Hermione was the first downstairs after her shower, dressed simply in a green fitted shirt and black jeans, fluffy white slippers completed the ensemble. Mid way through pulling breakfast items out of the fridge she heard footsteps coming in her direction from the bottom of the staircase, and moments later Severus entered the kitchen and plopped down gracefully on to a chair around the table. Hermione smiled at his obvious sleepiness, clearly he wasn't in the land of the living quite yet. "Good Morning Severus, Happy Christmas!" she said, putting a little more volume into the words than strictly necessary. He glared at her through his curtain of hair and grunted a monosyllabic reply, and then saw the teapot in the centre of the table. "Tea. Good." He said, pulling the pot and his mug in front of him.
Hermione couldn't help but giggle at the caveman way he spoke in a morning before he'd had his caffeine. The other residents of the house had learnt very quickly that Severus was most assuredly not a morning person, and if you wanted an argument with him, the morning would be the best time to start asking questions of any nature. He poured himself a cup and slid the pot back towards the centre of the table and the other mugs sitting there.
Moments later they were joined by Remus, who looked rather spritely and cheerful, "Morning Hermione, Happy Christmas," he said, coming up behind her and kissing her on the cheek. She returned the sentiment and Remus made his way to his seat, "Good morning Sunshine," he said at Severus, who simply glared at Lupin over the rim of his teacup and made a gesture with his middle finger. Remus looked aghast and put a hand to his heart as if wounded, "Such rude gestures so early in the morning, and on such a glorious occasion!"
By now Severus had drunk enough tea so as to be coherent enough to begin forming sentences. "Remus please, tell me now if you are going to be this annoying all day, just so I can take a sedative. Or maybe slip you one." Lupin glared at him. Snape smirked into his teacup and Hermione couldn't stop the snicker escaping. Remus didn't say a word as he got up out of his chair and made his way out of the kitchen. However, just as he got behind Severus he turned round, got down to ear level and shouted, "Bah! Humbug."
Severus hadn't been prepared and jumped slightly in his seat before growling an obscenity at Remus, "Hell is filled with people like you Flea Boy." Shortly after, the chair Remus had been occupying was filled by Harry, and he was followed by the majority of the others that lived in the house. All were in varying stages between awake and excited, Draco was practically bouncing off the walls and his ever growing excitement at a proper Christmas, even at 19 years old was somewhat infectious.
Hermione put the finishing touches to breakfast and filled platters with scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, hash browns, tomatoes and black pudding. A flick and a swish sent the platters to the table along with 4 racks of toast, 2 butter dishes, strawberry jam, marmalade and a full set of condiments, including tomato ketchup and HP sauce. Within minutes almost all the food had migrated from the platters to plates, and many compliments were being thrown towards Hermione for a great Christmas day breakfast. By the time everyone had finished their food, talk had turned to presents and so when the dishes had been placed in the sink and invisible hands began to wash them, the group vacated the kitchen in favour of the den.
...
40 minutes later, wrapping of various colours was strewn across the floor and the piles of newly unwrapped presents were growing. Harry reached into the still prettily wrapped parcels and picked one up at random. Reading the bright Christmas tree shaped tag he said, "Severus, this one is yours from Hermione," and he handed it over to him to open. Severus took it from Harry's hands and proceeded to open it carefully and slowly, trying not to rip the paper too much.
"Oh for god sake Severus, it's Christmas wrapping not plate glass, you can rip it you know!" said Draco, who's charmed hands were stuck to his knees after he attempted to rip open other people's presents. "Patience is a virtue Draco," he said smirking at his discomfort, and continued to carefully and sedately open the gift. He uncovered a long green velvet box, about 12 inches long with looping silver writing on the top reading Strickland's Bespoke. His eyes widened as he read the writing, and he quickly looked at Hermione who gave a small nod in recognition that yes, it was from that particular store. Slowly, Severus opened the box an admired the gift within. A beautifully crafted watch sat on the green velvet cushion inside, held by a small strip of velvet at each end.
"Oh Hermione that's a beautiful gift, and from Strickland's too, I bet it cost you a pretty penny," said Minerva, and a collection of nods from the older people in the group followed her exclamation. Lucius and Draco, both previously used to the particularly finer things in life heartily agreed. "An elegant timepiece indeed, Marella Strickland's work is always first rate", said Lucius, eyeing the watch enviously. Everyone looked to Severus at that point, who was the only one not to have made his opinion of the gift known. The watch had a black internal dial, a black alligator strap, gold hands and a beautiful gold and stainless steel gravity-defying tourbillon on the left hand side of the face.
Severus looked up at Hermione, an unreadable expression on his face. "Hermione, how much did this watch cost you? I'm not worth whatever it was honestly, but thank you very much." Hermione looked to the floor at that point, a blush slowly creeping across her face and neck and a small smile on her face. When she looked up she cleared her throat and said, "You're very welcome Severus. When I saw it in the shop whilst window shopping in Diagon Alley I just thought of you. I dismissed it the first time I saw it, but couldn't get it off my mind." Severus nodded slowly whilst taking the black watch out of its box and fastening it around his wrist. He looked at it for a minute before clearing his throat, making some excuse about needing the loo and leaving the others in the room.
Hermione watched as the door he had beat his hasty retreat through slipped back in to its place. She put her head in her hands and sighed loudly, "Why did he do that? What did I do wrong?" she mumbled in to her hands, confused and upset at the quick and silent exit. Harry and Draco made their way over to her and sat on either side, both placing an arm around her, "Don't worry Mione, I'm sure he likes it," said Draco, patting her arm and prying her hands away from her face. "It's just that, he may have changed a lot since the war and school, but he still can't get his head round people caring enough to spend that much on him, particularly someone as young, intelligent and beautiful as you."
Nodding in understanding Hermione took a deep breath and seemed to clear her head, "Right ok, whose next then? We need to get these presents gone before dinner time. Any unopened ones will be left for next year." She laughed as Draco practically took a running jump into the remaining pile of gifts to ensure none were missed.