They hadn't finished the conversation. Mainly because Severus had no idea how to go about it and he didn't want to be interrupted by his parents, who they could hear muttering as they passed the door and stomped down the stairs. Directly after breakfast, Severus's mother had basically told Hermione to leave them alone, causing Severus to scowl as he received the semi-annual lecture about having no future.
"I teach enough children, Mother. If in the future I have any offspring you will of course be notified. If I do not, then you will make due."
"The point that your mother's trying to make is that you aren't pleasant enough to meet any women and you are trapped at that damnable school."
"In case neither of you happened to notice," Severus growled. "I have a beautiful woman currently staying with me. A successful woman."
"If you think she'll stick around, you've got another thing coming. She'll look at you as a dark hero and think you're wonderful until she gets bored of fucking a middle-aged man and realizes that she could have anyone."
"Tobias, really," Eileen said. "I meant nothing of the sort, but she is young, dear. Hardly going to have a future with that one."
"We'll have a future without the two of you bothering us, thank you. You know nothing about Hermione and very little about me."
His mind was made up. While they could attack him all they wanted, as they always had, he wouldn't let them talk down to Hermione. She deserved none of it and she believed in him as a person. She was right, the people who had raised him knew nothing about the man that he had become and he was not going to take their ignorance.
"You are our son," Eileen said softly. "We know everything about you."
"No," he answered. "And you've never tried. I wish you both a Happy Christmas and I am sure I will hear from you soon."
A strange sense of pride coursed through him as he had thrown Hermione's words at them. Of course, it was tainted with a small amount of guilt but he was sure that would go away. They most likely did not care what he said to them, never having taken notice before.
He was more than unusually surprised that Hermione was not standing outside the door waiting for him. For the most part this was because she was incredibly nosy and he could not believe she had passed up the chance to listen in on the conversation. It also meant that he would have to go in search of her.
"Why do you still live here, Severus?" She asked as soon as he walked into the bedroom.
"I suppose because it made the most sense at the time," he answered and sat down next to her. "They gave the house to me fifteen years ago but I stayed at Hogwarts even during the summers."
"Like you do now."
He nodded. While he stayed at Spinner's End a few weeks every year, there really wasn't much motivation to actually leave Hogwarts. "That and then the war was going on and it wasn't logical. By the time the war had ended, I couldn't be bothered trying to get rid of it."
"Do you like the house?"
"No," he answered with no hesitation. "But it reminds me of the past and mistakes that I have made."
"Mistakes that your parents made," she said. "This house is full of awful memories and I think you're just carrying them around."
There was no arguing that. Even after all the years, he could still smell burnt pies cooking in the oven after his mother had left them to take care of his father. He could still feel the chill that settled in the house because at the time they couldn't afford heating. The idea of selling the place had crossed his mind a thousand times, but it was nice to have somewhere to retreat if he needed it.
"It's still a place that I can escape to if I can't be bothered at Hogwarts."
"Of course it is," Hermione said. "But don't you think you would be happier if you sold this house and bought a new one? A little cottage somewhere? Hogsmeade? The middle of nowhere?"
Severus sighed and lay on the bed. "The thought has occurred to me, Hermione, but in the end it never seems worth it for a few weeks."
"If you had a house you actually liked, you might leave Hogwarts for more than a few weeks. Get away and actually spend time with yourself or…friends."
"Would you come visit me?" He asked with a smirk.
"I visit you here," she replied. "I think I've proved my loyalty."
His expression turned serious. "You don't have to prove yourself to me."
Hermione didn't answer and after a few moments of her staring he became uncomfortable. "Where are you parents?"
"Most likely getting ready to storm up the stairs, pack their things, and leave. I had a delightful conversation with them."
Hermione looked at the door and then lay next to him. "I guess I'll wait to go make tea then."
He smirked. "It would most likely be safer. I apologize that this has not turned out well."
"It was hardly your fault, Severus," she said. "They'll be gone soon and then we can decorate the tree and have a wonderful rest of break."
Severus did not tell her that there was a part of him that was grateful his parents had come and forced her into his bed, but since they had not carried on with their conversation he was not about to voice that. She had turned to stare at the door, most likely pondering whether she would be safe to go get tea. Footsteps in the hall stopped that train of thought but no words were spoken. His parents, besides shuffling around, did not speak and it wasn't long before he heard them go back downstairs.
"Are you alright?"
"Why wouldn't I be? They are presumably gone."
Hermione shook her head. "They're still your parents."
Instead of answering, Severus stood and moved to the window. His father was placing their bags in the back of the car while his mother fussed with her seatbelt. He felt remorse only a child could feel at disappointing his parents, but as he turned and saw Hermione looking at him, he realized that there was someone he had for some reason not disappointed.
"Why do you look at me like that?"
"Like what?" She asked, confusion evident.
"Like there's nothing wrong with me."
"Oh, there's tons wrong with you," she said with a smile on her face. "There's things wrong with everyone. That's what makes us interesting. I think we need to finish our talk."
"I'm pretty sure both of us talk too much," he said and in one of the only impulsive moments in his life he decided to take a chance and pulled her against his body. As she didn't protest, he moved in to kiss her for what he was sure would be the most passionate kiss he had experienced.
He wasn't sure how it happened, but instead of actually kissing her, all he managed to accomplish was to bang their chins together. He was certain that he had dislocated his jaw as he pulled away from her.
"Are you alright?" He asked, clutching his own face. To his amazement, she had a huge grin on her face.
"You tried to kiss me," she whispered.
Severus couldn't tell if she was pleased or getting ready to make fun of him, but as she slowly approached him and pressed her lips against his, he realized two things. The first being that he might have suffered longer than he needed to when it came to Hermione. The second was that he had definitely done something to his jaw, although he could not find it in him to pull away in order to save himself the discomfort.
The tree was not getting anywhere near decorated, although they had moved into the sitting room. As he wrapped a hand around a cup of hot chocolate, Severus also realized that he was as close as he had been in many years to being in the Christmas spirit. Although part of that was because his other arm was wrapped around Hermione's shoulders. It was her fault he suddenly had the urge to decorate the bloody tree and sip at the concoction in his coffee mug that was really too sweet for human consumption. He wasn't used to sugar and with his luck he would be bouncing around like an eight-year-old.
Hermione seemed to have no such problems as she had been drifting in and out of sleep, pressing herself into his body. How she could stand to be so close to him, how she had the faith to fall asleep in his arms, he had no idea. Severus was fully aware, however, that he would take none of it for granted. It took only a few minutes before hot liquid spilled across his lap and made him wish he had pulled the mug from her hands as she had begun to drift off.
"Severus!" She exclaimed, jumping as he did.
"Bloody fucking Merlin," he hissed at the same time. At her terrified look, he tried his hardest to wipe the grimace off of his face. "Accident."
"Don't even try, Severus," she said at his attempt. "Do you have any Blistering Balm?"
"I'll do that," he said, going to a fun place mentally. "If you can clear this up."
He motioned to the couch and the now broken cup before limping to the stairs, hissing in pain at every rub of his trousers against his skin. There were just some points where heating charms were not needed.
It really wasn't that bad of an injury, more shock than anything. Besides being slightly red, his skin would not even blister. A quick look into the hall and then he darted into his room to find different clothes. All he had to do was make sure that Hermione was actually alright and not feeling guilty.
She was digging through the box of tree ornaments when he arrived back downstairs. As soon as the bottom step creaked, she spun and looked at him. He was relieved that she didn't look upset, just a little nervous.
"Are you alright?"
"Just shock more than anything," he said, approaching her. "I'm sorry that I yelled."
Hermione shook her head and wrapped her arms around his middle. "I'm sorry that I didn't realize I was falling asleep."
"I did," he said with a small smile. "Now, I suppose I'm going to have to put the star on top of the tree."
"Well, you could always lift me up," she said, kissing him lightly.
Severus was covered in tinsel and had jabbed himself with more ornament hooks than he could count by the time they were through and still the smile on his face remained. Hermione was ridiculously happy and had barely paused for breath as they worked. Stories about Christmas as a child had him wishing that he had had a better one. It was not until they had finished and sat back down that she burst into tears.
"It still feels so strange to just not have them around at the Holidays," she whispered. "And I love being here with you, so I don't want you to think otherwise, but this is also the first time that I've spent it without them or Harry."
Severus still had whiplash from the rapid change between happy and talkative Hermione to depressed and sobbing Hermione. After he had recovered and processed what she had said, he pulled her to him and without even realizing what he had said, had offered to have Potter over for lunch. It was definitely her fault that he was turning into a melted pile of a Slytherin.
It wasn't until they were climbing the stairs after evening drinks, that Severus was suddenly struck with the thought that he had no idea where Hermione would want to sleep. Cursing his parents once again he turned to look at her. Unfortunately, he soon realized that stopping on the staircase was not the best idea as she ran into him and as the stairs dug into his back he came to the conclusion that he had never been injured as much in his life. He was wounded less during the war.
"Severus! Is everything alright?"
"Yes, forgive me. I simply…" he stopped. He had no idea how he was going to continue without sounding like a third year.
"Did you suddenly remember sleeping arrangements?" She asked.
He opened and closed his mouth a few times. "Yes."
"I was thinking that I would sleep in the guest room," she said. "At least for now. I don't want things to be too awkward. You aren't offended, are you?"
"No," he said. "I just really didn't want to have to make that decision."
Hermione smiled and leaned down to kiss him and for the second time that day he found himself in pain as they were, he grimaced, snogging. His only consolation was that his jaw had healed.
Thanks for the reviews and encouragement! They mean a lot! Also, sorry for the shorter chapter, but it was sort of a weird transition. Next one will be longer!