A/N:

Hey guys! Sorry for such a delayed update again! I have been super busy and this chapter was especially hard to write. Also I have been trying to finish this story in the outline. It has proven to be quite hard, but I am almost done with it.

Thanks to everyone who voted on the poll (which I have now taken down)

Also a big thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, or any chapter for that matter! They all mean so much to me and I look forward to every one!

Also I wanted to say a big thanks to my Beta for helping me out with this chapter!

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Chapter 19

Christmas at Hogwarts

"Sev-er-us." Hermione said in a singsong voice as she walked into his living room. "Are you in- oh! I didn't see you there!" Hermione said surprised. Severus was sitting in his usual chair by the fire reading what looked to be the most recent issue of potions monthly. She looked over at him hesitantly as she sat down in her chair.

"So, Severus." She started. But before she could go any further she was interrupted by an aggravated Snape saying, "Oh god."

"What!"

"You have that look about you."

"And what look would that be?" Hermione said in an indignant tone.

"The look that says I'm going to ask you for a favor and it's going to be something that you might not want to do but I want you to do it anyway look." He said knowingly.

"Honestly Severus, it frightens me how well you know my expressions! Besides it's not that bad and if you don't want to do it you are allowed to refuse."

"Yes that's what you say but you don't actually mean it." He said grumpily.

"Well I promise that this time I mean it."

"Okay, okay what is it?" Severus said warily.

"Christmas is three days away and I was wondering…. Since we will be down here in your quarters for Christmas and all, would it be alright if we had a Christmas tree?" She looked at him hopefully.

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "You are slowly taking over my quarters woman!" He said in a dramatic tone. At seeing the disappointed look in her eyes his features softened slightly, and he sighed. "But I suppose as long as the tree is very small I wouldn't mind."

"Why would you even want to celebrate Christmas with me if you thought that I would be against having a tree?"

"That's a good point. Maybe I need to rethink our friendship." She said jokingly.

"If you recall I said that you could have a Christmas tree, as long as it's very, very small." He said giving her a warning look.

"Yes I remember. Don't worry it will be very tasteful."

"Yes but tasteful for a Slytherin and tasteful for a Gryffindor are two very different things."

"You forget, I have been around you for the last seven months I may have learned a thing or two." She said mysteriously.

"We'll see." He said disbelievingly.

….

It was now Christmas Eve. The day before, Hogwarts had had their first blizzard of the season, leaving the castle quite cold indeed. Today however Severus' lab was the opposite, he and Hermione were adding wormwood to their newest version of the antidote. This of course meant that they had to have the lab at a boiling 38 degrees again. Hermione wasn't about to complain, she hadn't been warm since the first snowfall and was glad to be too hot for once. They were now getting quite close to finishing the antidote Hermione could feel it. For the first time since they had started this project she actually believed that they could finish by Severus' crazy deadline.

"Are you almost done? We have to end early tonight on account of the Christmas Eve dinner in the Great Hall." Severus said interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes I'm almost done. What time do we have to be there?"

"In about two hours."

"If we have two hours why do we need to finish so soon?" Hermione said confusedly.

"I felt like reading for awhile and I don't want to leave you alone in here with all of these volatile potions for you to accidentally spill." He said defensively.

"Oh yes because I am always spilling things." She said sarcastically.

"You are always spilling things!"

Putting her hands on her hips she said, "Like when Severus? When was the last time I spilled a volatile potion." She said mockingly.

"Where do I begin, there was the wormwood, the rats spleen, the dittany, the polyjuice potion-"

"That was only because you made me so bloody nervous! All of those examples happened in the first week of us working with each other! Besides the first week, my record is spotless!" She said crossing her arms across her chest and looking up at him defiantly.

"I made you nervous did I?" he said smirking at her admittance.

She seemed to notice her mistake and blushed a bit, but didn't hesitate for long. Jutting out her chin determinedly she said, "Of course I was! Every student who has ever had you is afraid of you! I may have been afraid of you then but I'm not anymore. You can give me your withering stare all you want but it won't do a thing!"

After a few moments of them just staring at each other, Severus broke the silence, "Miss Granger would you care to join me by the fire for an evening chat?"

Hermione who was totally thrown off, took a moment to answer. "Oh umm yes that would be lovely I just have to clean up my station. I'll meet you in there in a few minutes." He nodded his head and left.

That was strange. Hermione thought to herself as she started to clean up her workstation. Had she just won the argument? Feeling quite stupid she realized that she had done the opposite. She had done exactly what he had wanted her to do, and she hadn't even noticed. He had gotten her to stop working without admitting that she wasn't clumsy. While she on the other hand had openly admitted that he made her nervous, and had agreed to stop working. She had to admire his tact. Besides it's not as if she minded loosing this particular argument. She smiled to herself as she finished cleaning up.

"All done!" Hermione said cheerily as she made her way over to her chair. "So Severus I was thinking about tomorrow and then I realized that we hadn't really made any sort of plan. What did you have in mind?"

"I don't normally celebrate Christmas. I don't think you would much like my usual routine." He said bitterly. "Any ideas?" He asked in a lighter tone realizing he was dampening the mood.

"Well I was thinking that –if you like of course, that I could meet you down here in the morning around eight or nine? Oh wait do you like to sleep in on Christmas? I hadn't really thought about-"

"Stop rambling woman! You may come anytime after eight, I never sleep past seven."

"Oh alright so I thought I could come down here when I wake up and then we could have a leisurely morning opening presents and reading by the fire. Then I thought we could have the house elves make us a lovely fry up to have around 11 or something. And after that I thought perhaps I would make Christmas cookies and you could do whatever you wanted, and around five go up to the Great Hall for the Christmas Feast! What do you think?" She said finally taking a breath. She didn't know why she was so nervous. It was probably because the last time she had tried to make plans for Christmas with him he had tried to end their friendship.

"Yes, that would be nice. Unfortunately I'm obligated to go to Christmas brunch, Dumbledore's orders."

"Oh I hadn't realized. There isn't any way of getting out of it?"

"Hermione, don't you think that I've tried? You know how I hate all of those insipid feasts! Trust me I have tried every angle and only once did I ever not have to attend."

"When was that?" She asked curiously.

"I was unconscious in the hospital wing."

"Oh, right, well you being unconscious would kind of put a cramp in the days plans I don't suggest using that method." She said in mock seriousness.

"Indeed." He said smirking slightly.

"Well I will come here in the morning. How does that sound?"

"That will be fine."

"Okay well I must be off!"

"Where are you going? I thought we were going to stay here until the feast?" He said in confused and an almost disappointed manner.

"I know but I forgot there is a matter that I need to attend to. Sorry but there won't be time to do it tomorrow." She said getting up. "I'll see you at dinner?"

"You know I have no choice." He said crossing his arms over his chest, and sulking like a three year-old boy that had just had their lolly taken away.

"Come on Severus, it'll be fun! You'll see."

"You know I don't like celebrating."

"Yes I believe you have informed me of that particular fact about a hundred times!" She said dramatically. Sighing she said, "I'll see you at dinner Severus."

….

Hermione looked at her watch, she had an hour before she needed to be in the Great Hall. That gave her just enough time to sort out one of Severus' Christmas presents before dinner. She'd have done it sooner accept she had only just thought of it.

"Mistletoe-tenticule!" She said as the gargoyle leading to the Headmaster's office moved aside. She knocked softly on the door in case he was in the middle of an important meeting.

"Enter." She heard the familiar voice call. "Ahh Miss Granger how lovely it is to see you. Please sit down." He said indicating the chair across from him. "What may I do for you?" He said kindly as she sat down.

"Well I wanted to ask you for help actually." She said matter-of-factly.

"Oh? With what? Is Severus giving you trouble? I assure you it is nothing personal."

"No, no nothing like that well, it is about Professor Snape but he's not giving me any trouble. No more than usual anyways. I was just wondering if you could help me with his Christmas gift."

At his questioning look she continued. "Well you see I have been trying to think of what to get him and only today did it come to me. We were talking about what our plans were for tomorrow, I suggested that we stay in his quarters because I know how much he hates going to the Great Hall. Anyways when I suggested this he told me that he is obligated to go and that you won't allow him to miss it. I was wondering if you would be willing to let him miss just the Christmas Brunch we would come to the Christmas Feast at the end of the day."

"Miss Granger, every year Severus begs me to give him permission to skip these meals and I have, as you said, never agreed. Why should I do it for you?"

"Because this time he won't be brooding alone in the dungeons we will be celebrating the holiday together. I assume you refuse because you don't want him to be alone?" She paused for a moment and saw Dumbledore nod his head ever so slightly. "I know that this would genuinely make him happy, well as happy as he ever gets. I promise that we will come for Christmas dinner. If you are afraid of people getting suspicious as to why we both didn't attend brunch I don't mind coming to both meals."

"I can see that you have thought this through. But honestly I don't think anyone would be suspicious about you two, lets be honest Severus has been openly antagonistic towards you and every other Gryffindor. I'm quite confident that nobody will suspect the two of you to be having your own brunch together in the dungeons." He chuckled softly.

"So does that mean that you will agree?"

"I believe I do. As long as you both come to dinner I don't see the harm in it."

"Oh thank you Professor! Thank you!" She said as she got up to go.

"Before you go I would just like to say that I am very happy that you were able to befriend Severus. Surprised no doubt, but happy. I have been quite worried about him these past few months, well years actually. But since you two have become friends I see a difference in him. Promise me that you won't give up on him; you know how difficult he can be. Just promise that you won't give up on him as others have in the past."

Hermione looked at the Headmaster meaningfully and said, "I promise."

…

That night Hermione went to bed early, not wanting to sleep in too late tomorrow. Her stomach did a flip at the thought of spending all of Christmas day with Severus. It was very odd she never would have guessed that this would be her life a year ago let alone that she would be happy about it!

…..

"Happy Christmas, Severus!" Hermione said skipping into his quarters around quarter to nine.

"Finally you're here. This owl has been waiting for you for over half an hour now. And he keeps pecking me in hopes that I would go get you!" He said glaring daggers at the dark brown owl.

"I suppose he knew that I would be here soon. It really is quite amazing how they do that." She said admiringly, stroking the feathers of what she knew to be her parents' owl. She had given them an owl in October after receiving a letter from them over three weeks late. "Where is the letter?"

"It was attached to a package; I just put it under the tree with the rest of them."

She looked over to where he was pointing and smiled. Last night after supper, she had brought a small tree that Hagrid had found for her in the woods near his home down to Severus' quarters. She had happily decorated it as Severus watched, after he insisted that trimming a tree was not something that he would ever do. She had to admit now looking at the small tree, that she had done a pretty good job.

"I was wondering where all my gifts had gotten to." She said smiling at him. "Come on Severus you have to admit the tree does look nice."

"It does not repulse me as much as the hideously gaudy ones in the Great Hall do." He said in his usual tone.

…..

SPOV

Severus woke up abruptly on Christmas morning. He checked the time to see that it was just after seven. He then remembered that today was Christmas. Usually it was a day that he did not look forward to, this year however he was going to be spending it with his assistant, his friend, his student. He mentally cringed at the last part of that thought. If someone had told him a year ago that he would be spending Christmas with Hermione Granger, Gryffindor and best friend to Harry bloody Potter he would have thought them mad. But here he was actually looking forward to her arrival. Honestly what had the little chit done to him? He shook his head in attempt to rid himself of these thoughts. He slowly made his way over to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Around nine he made his way into the library and stopped. There nestled in the corner by the couch was a pile of Christmas presents. Surely those couldn't all be for him? He thought to himself. He made his way over to the tiny tree that Hermione had decorated the evening before. Picking up a rather large and lumpy gift wrapped in red paper he read the label.

To Hermione

Happy Christmas!

We're sorry that you couldn't celebrate with us.

Lots of Love,

Molly and Arthur

That explained it. He was surprised to see that the house elves knew to bring her gifts down here. Perhaps she had told Dobby or one of the other house elves that she was going to be down here. He thought briefly of putting the gifts he had gotten for Hermione under the tree as well but decided against it, just in case she hadn't gotten him anything he didn't want to look like a sentimental fool. Instead he resized the two gifts and put them in his pocket.

Deciding to read until Hermione arrived, he sat down on the couch and opened a book titled New Uses for Common Water Plants in Potions Today. He had received it as an early Christmas present from Lucius and had been anxious to start it. About ten minutes later he was rudely interrupted by a jabbing sensation on his shoulder. "What the-! Bloody hell!" he said as he practically jumped off the couch. There perched on the back of the sofa was an owl. "Stupid owl!" He said rubbing the place where it had pecked at him. How on earth had he not heard the owl fly in?

He reached out to the owl that he now realized was carrying a package wrapped in gold paper. Taped on top of the package was a letter with Hermione written across it in feminine loopy handwriting. She was obviously spending way too much time down here if owls were recognizing his quarters as the best place to send her mail. Instead of being angry about this realization however, he caught himself smiling about it. Merlin this really wasn't healthy.

For the next half hour he tried to read, unfortunately the owl wouldn't leave him alone. "What the bloody hell do you want? She's not here alright!" The owl looked up at him as if to say, well go get her. We both know you want to. Finally he heard the door opening announcing her arrival.

"Happy Christmas Severus!" She chimed.

He almost returned the sentiment but at the last moment caught himself. "Finally you're here. This owl has been waiting for you for over half an hour now. And he keeps pecking me in hopes that I would go get you!" He said glaring daggers at the dark brown owl.

"I suppose he knew that I would be here soon. It really is quite amazing how they do that." He watched her as she stroked the owl's plumage soothingly, lovingly almost.

"Where is the letter?" She said looking at him with a content look on her face.

"It was attached to a package; I just put it under the tree with the rest of them."

"I was wondering where all my gifts had gotten to." She said smiling at him. "Come on Severus you have to admit the tree does look nice."

"It does not repulse me as much as the hideously gaudy ones in the Great Hall do." He cringed inwardly as soon as the words left his mouth. He hadn't meant it to sound that rude. Luckily she seemed to take it as a compliment.

…..

Half an hour later saw them sitting on the floor leaning against the couch surrounded in Christmas wrapping. Somehow Severus had actually enjoyed the traditional gift opening part of Christmas morning. Mostly because he loved watching the emotions run across Hermione's face as she opened every new gift. She even gave enthusiastic reactions to the gifts that Severus had received.

"Would you like your gift now?" She said looking up at him slightly. Even though they were both sitting on the ground due to their considerable difference in height she still had to look up to make eye contact.

"You didn't have to get me anything." he said stiffly.

"I know but I wanted to." she said smiling as she reached for a package wrapped in brown paper with Slytherin green ribbon.

"Open it." she said encouragingly.

This was the first real gift that he had received in years. Yes he got gifts from the other teachers but they weren't anything personal. Always something that could have been given to anyone. And he knew that whatever Hermione got him would be something specifically for him. Socks, brandy, potions equipment. This thought filled him with... something, he wasn't sure what but he knew it was something good. Not wanting to rush the experience he opened the package slowly. When he opened the box it revealed a beautifully hand carved box. As he inspected the detailed carvings Hermione began to speak.

"The box is only part of the gift the rest is inside the box."

There was more to the gift?

Severus opened the box but when he opened it all he saw were tea bags. He looked at her with a questioning look asking her to explain.

"I made them myself it's the same brew that I have made for you in the past." He was speechless. How on earth did she know exactly what to get him? Dumbledore had known him for almost his entire life and got him socks and fire whiskey every year. "I know that you don't like to ask me to make it or it might be late at night and you can't ask me. Now you can have some whenever you want. I have also enchanted it to alert me when you're getting low so I can refill it for you." she was babbling, it was something that she did when she was nervous, it was one of the things about her that used to annoy him but was now something that always made him smile (inwardly of course).

He finally interrupted her rant and said, "It's perfect."

"Really you like it?" she said with glee.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it." he said honestly.

"Really! Oh I'm so glad I wasn't sure if-"

"Would you like your gifts now?" he said interrupting her. Though he wouldn't even admit it to himself he was excited to give her, her gifts.

"You got me something?"

"Oh course I did! I wasn't raised in a barn you know."

"I wasn't suggesting anything of the sort. Wait did you say gifts? You mean more than one?"

"I may have."

"You shouldn't have that is way too generous."

"I only spent money on one of the gifts therefore it is not too generous." he said resizing her first gift. Hermione's eyes widened as he handed her the large gift.

She looked completely confused as she looked down at the large tomb with no description as to what it was about.

"I wasn't sure what to get you but then I thought that you might like these." she began to leaf through and her eyes started to widen. "Severus, no!"

"Yes these are ALL of my notes that I used to study for the NEWT's"

"Severus I can't accept this! It's much too generous!" She said as she contradictorily held the book tight to her chest looking as if she never wanted to let it go.

"You are being ridiculous! Of course you can accept it! I want you to have them." he said seriously making eye contact with her. They were both silent for a moment as they enjoyed each other's company.

"Would you like your other gift now?"

"Maybe after we have some food I'm starving!"

"You're going to have to wait a little longer the Christmas brunch isn't until eleven." he said now unhappy with the prospect of having to go.

"No, Christmas brunch is whenever we want it to be. And I would like to eat now." she said getting to her feet. "Come on." she said offering her hand to help him off the ground. Confused he followed her as she led them into his kitchen. When he entered he nearly gasped. "Where did all of this come from?" The entire kitchen table was filled with food. Every breakfast food he could possibly think of was there.

"'I asked some of the house elves to set this up for us."

"I don't understand."

"This is your the other gift I got you." When Severus still looked confused she continued. "You see after we talked yesterday I went to the Headmaster and asked him if he would allow you to skip Christmas brunch this year. He ended up agreeing and said that as long as we attend Christmas dinner that it would be fine!"

"You mean to tell me that you got me out of having to go to Christmas brunch?"

"If you want to go I understand."

"Want to go? Hermione that is absolutely the last thing I want to do."

"So you like it then?"

"Like it? Hermione, this is potentially the best gift I have ever received. Its perfect."

Hermione smiled brilliantly at the admission. Never had she seen him so light, the only time he had ever seemed this content were the few times she had seen him sleeping. They both sat down and started to eat. Severus hadn't eaten that morning and was ravenous. While eating breakfast they discussed plans for what they were going to do in the lab tomorrow. Hermione had been in favor of treating Boxing Day as Christmas part two but in the end they decided it was best to get back to work.

"So would you like your other gift now?" Severus said temptingly.

"Yes, please!" Hermione said holding out her hands.

He handed her, her second gift. "Hopefully you will never have to use it." he said as she looked at the large vile of liquid.

"What is it?" She said in fascination.

"It's my own personal brew of dittany." He looked down at his hands that were fiddling with the napkin in his lap. He wasn't sure if he could look at her while he said what he had planned to say. "Hermione, there will come a time when I won't only be a few floors away. I want to know that you are safe. This dittany is stronger than the normal brew and is able to heal a vast amount of injuries. I would rather that this particular gift go to waste but just in case someth-"

He had to stop then because at that moment a teary eyed Hermione rushed over to him and hugged him so tightly he thought he would loose the ability to breath.

"Get off me woman! Your hair is suffocating me!"

Letting go, Hermione took a step back, he could see tears running down her face as she tried in vain to wipe them away. He always hated it when she cried. He always felt so helpless.

"Its so unfair!" Hermione cried helplessly

"Many things are unfair what exactly are you referring to?"

"I'm talking about your life! How are you not angry all the time!"

"I am angry all the time."

She started to laugh at that. "You are, aren't you." Calming down a bit she sat down and put her head in her hands. Severus stayed silent to let her get through whatever it was that she was thinking about. She looked up at him suddenly and said, "It still isn't fair that you have to do these things. That the whole world is going to end up hating you for them."

"The world already hates me, and honestly I don't really care about what others think of me. Their opinions are insignificant."

"I want you to know that I will always think of you as my best friend."

"Don't let Potter and Weasley hear you say that."

"Let them hear! It is after all the truth! You and I are able to have conversations that I could never have with them and I am only truly myself with you! You don't give yourself enough credit."

"Or perhaps you give me too much." Severus said under his breath.

"We will never agree on this will we?" She said with a sigh.

"Not unless you plan on changing your opinion."

"No, I don't." She smiled sadly at him. "What are you thinking about?" she said in a curious tone.

He could either tell her the truth, that she was actually starting to change his mind or he could lie. He went with the latter. "I was just thinking about how I'm going to tell Weasley and Potter that you admitted I was your best friend." He said with a smirk.

"I hope you're joking! You know they wouldn't be pleased if you said that. Besides they wouldn't believe you. You are an untrustworthy Slytherin." She said with an evil grin on her face.

"Yet you say you trust me. Oh well I guess we will just have to wait and see." He said teasingly. She rolled her eyes dramatically in response. "Honestly Severus sometimes you're down right evil!"

"I'm glad that you're finally starting to see things my way." He said with a smirk.

The rest of the day went by peacefully. Hermione decided that she wanted to bake Christmas cookies. It was something that she had always done with her mother, and wanted to carry on the tradition even if it was only her baking this time. Severus decided that he liked this tradition very much. He wasn't usually a cookie kind of person but there was something about Hermione's Christmas cookies that were irresistible. After only an hour Severus had managed to eat more than half of the batch. Hermione in the end had to start swatting his hand away.

"Severus! You'll get a stomach ache if you go on like that!"

Instead of responding he just went back to the couch and read. She was probably right. He thought to himself.

Around quarter to five they made their way up to the Great Hall, Hermione going through the secret passage, while Severus took his usual route up to the Great Hall. They would have walked together but there were a few Slytherins staying at Hogwarts over break and they didn't want to take any chances being seen together. When Severus entered the Great Hall he was immediately bombarded with seasons greetings and Christmas baubles. He took his seat next to Dumbledore.

"Happy Christmas Severus! I trust you've had a pleasant Christmas so far. Hmmmm?" Dumbledore said suggestively.

"What are you on about old man?" He said defensively. He knew that Dumbledore wouldn't mention any specifics not with all the people in hearing range.

"I didn't mean anything by it Severus. I was merely asking how your day has been. You weren't at brunch and I was merely being conversational."

"Conversational my ass." He muttered under his breath.

"Ahhh Miss Granger Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas Professor! Have you had a nice day so far?" She said cheerily.

"Its been lovely my dear! Thank you for asking!"

Hermione sat down next to Minerva and quickly started talking to her about the gifts that she had received. The dinner went by surprisingly uneventful. Severus of course was forced to join in on the festivities and by the end of the night was wear a purple paper crown from a Christmas Cracker. He was in the middle of talking to Dumbledore about some new Ministry law that was trying to get passed when he heard Hermione say "Happy Christmas everybody!" Everyone turned to wave goodbye to the sole Gryffindor as she made her way out of the Great Hall. Severus realized felt a pang of disappointment that the holiday had now ended. After about twenty minutes or so he said his goodbyes too. He had after all stayed for three hours which was well past his usual limit for these types of functions.

When he stepped into his private quarters he was surprised to see Hermione sitting in her chair reading by the fire. She looked up at hearing his entrance.

"Finally! I've been waiting for ages! I thought you'd never come back, what took you so long? I have been waiting at least an hour." While he had only left twenty minutes after her he had taken the long way back on account of not wanting to return to his empty rooms right away.

"Did we have plans?" He said confused.

"Well I thought it was obvious."

"Obviously not."

"Sorry I guess we should have discussed it before going up to the Great Hall. Im actually quite tired I only wanted to say a proper goodnight before I went to bed."

"It's only quarter to nine."

"What can I say Christmas takes it out of me. Plus I have to get up early tomorrow. My boss is making me work on Boxing Day." She said with false disgust.

"You must work for a tyrant." He said aghast.

"I do." She said smiling. "Happy Christmas Severus." And then out of nowhere she hugged him, instead of pushing her away he wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Happy Christmas Hermione." He could give himself this one little moment right?