Chapter 9

A Christmas Worth Waiting For

A/N: Alright peoples, that's a wrap! This story is now concluded as a present you with the final chapter, I hope ya'll enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own Aurora and any other OC's.

~ oOo ~

Severus Snape was not one to linger on a particular thought or notion if it was not a direct threat to himself or those at the school, but when it came to an individual named Aurora-Nyx, the wizards mind would not stop wandering as it unceasingly switched from one thought to the next. In the weeks since Cassandra had passed, Severus found that he and Aurora were nigh inseparable; they ate breakfast and dinner together, met after dinner every night, and spent the weekend together when they weren't bombarded with grading papers. With the knowledge she'd obtained in Potions, Severus had asked Aurora to assist him in grading essays at the end of term when the stack was too much to handle alone.

Though they were around each other for a majority of the week, Severus still noticed Aurora was struggling with her mother's death. He observed how she eventually became her normal self around the beginning of December, but still lacked her lively character the wizard loved about the woman. He would occasionally find her staring off into space in her quarters, or the fireplace in his; when questioned upon the matter, Aurora admitted she was feeling stronger with every new day, but still felt off and couldn't explain why. But as the Holiday Break grew closer, Aurora continued to relay the same answer whenever she was asked by her friend, but Severus knew that it was just an excuse.

She was hiding something, he knew, but didn't want to press the issue. She was still in mourning and needed this time for herself.

What Severus wasn't aware of was Aurora had left her personal chambers during the middle of the night the first week she was back at Hogwarts. Using an Illusion Charm, because, sadly, she didn't have an Invisibility Cloak, Aurora walked within the castle for several hours. Aurora wove in and out of corridors, scanned numerous books while in the library – even sneaking into the Restricted Section for "shits and giggles" – before wandering down a familiar corridor and magically unlocking a specific door she had discovered whilst still a student herself. As the old door creaked open, Aurora shut it quietly behind her before her vision stared off into the desolate classroom, a place that had been vacant for some time. And in the far corner, stood the testament to her late-night stroll.

The Mirror of Erised.

With a small smile appearing upon her lips, Aurora guided her hand over the carvings on the side of the mirror, noticing that it had, obviously, collected large volumes of dust since she had last seen the mirror. Sitting on the floor, and pulling her legs against her chest, the witch stared into the clouded reflection of the mirror. She knew what would happen, she anticipated the reaction of the mirror with what she held within her heart.

Sitting their reminded Aurora how she first found the mirror. During her Sixth Year when her step-father passed away, she couldn't sleep after his funeral and wandered around the classroom, wanting to be caught out of bed in hopes to relieve the pain she felt from her loss. Upon her discovery, she found the mirror and quickly discovered its ability. She was never caught, and used the mirror as a way to grieve for she saw her step-father in the glass peering at her every night she was there. Her hopes were to see him alive and healthy.

Now, nearly eleven years later as a professor, Aurora found herself seeking the same mirror to grieve for her mother; she never thought she would need the Mirror of Erised to see her mother once more. As she gripped her knees tighter, the vision before her swirled and greyed in color before the shapes of her step-father and mother appeared. Both were smiling happily, and, Aurora admitted, that she hadn't see her mother that happy since her husband's death. Aurora knew Cassandra loved her daughter deeply, but there was something special about two individuals loving each other romantically that cut deeper if one were to pass on. She knew her mother was in a better place, a happy place, but the witch still hoped her mother was by her side.

She was so scared of being alone and it all began when her real father had finally pushed her mother over the edge. Mark…had been an abusive husband and father; he would beat her mother, but tended to save his fists for Aurora, who was usually attacked after he drank heavily. The night her mother decided to leave her husband was the night Mark slashed his daughter across the leg with a broken bottle, and beat her to the point where her hospital stay last several days. Cassandra had called the cops and forced Mark to leave, stating that if he wanted to see his daughter again then he better change his character, otherwise, he would lose her forever.

The man never came back nor did she ever hear from him again.

Aurora had been lost between the time her father left and when her mother remarried. Though her father had been abusive, there was still a piece of her that mourned for him, simply because he never returned. She felt used and developed a fear of people leaving her forever, but it also forced the female to understand that not everyone will treat someone the way they deserve. But when her step-father entered her life, she realized that there still were good-heartened people in the world. He was a kind and patient man, who understood her situation from the get-go and didn't pressure Aurora as a child. Staring up at his smiling face, Aurora wished she had told him that she looked up to him as her real father.

That is something I will regret for the rest of my life… she told herself.

And so her daily ritual began: breakfast, classes, grading assignments, dinner, after-dinner discussions with Severus, attempt at sleeping, and, finally, her midnight stroll to look upon the wonders of the Mirror of Erised. Aurora was growing fond of seeing her parents in the stained mirror and found herself anticipating for her night's secret events; she hadn't even told Severus what she was doing late at night, and part of her felt guilty for doing so.

Severus…

Just thinking of the man made the witch blush like mad! The morning after her mother's burial, Aurora remembered waking up in her own bed, not surprised that Severus had tucked her in, but felt…strange. Strange as in…she had said something embarrassing the previous night but couldn't, for the life of her, figure out what the bloody-hell she said! When she first saw Severus the next morning, she had prepared herself to speak with him, but the moment she sat down and noticed his face, she got cold-feet. There was a barely-there hint of blush upon the top of the wizard's cheeks, and Aurora knew that she said something. The woman thought all day and night, but couldn't figure it out.

So she let it go.

With her thoughts running rampage of mourning for her mother and yearning for Severus, the poor witch was astounded that she remembered to dress herself each morning. One minute she was grieving and thinking of fond memories about her mother, and the next she was imagining the kiss she almost had with Severus in her room several weeks ago. Aurora was conflicted. It had only been a few weeks and she felt she needed to grieve for her mother more, but the pain within her was gradually subsiding, and it was gone whenever she was around Severus. He always made the gut-wrenching pain and the tears instantly disappear, and in its place? Love; absolutely, unmistakably, pure love for the wizard.

But each night as she stared into the dusty mirror, she had to question if she was over grieving her mother and replaced her with Severus? Aurora knew that no one could ever replace the woman that was Cassandra Helen Warrington. Several days after visiting the mirror, Aurora noticed that as she was preparing to leave, the image of her parents would evaporate, and Severus would appear within the glass. And every night after, Severus would appear within the frame sooner than the previous night, until one night she came in and didn't see her parents at all. Though she panicked because she felt that she was pushing the love for her parents out of her heart, the witch realize that wasn't the case. She had reached a point where, though she was still saddened, she could smile while thinking of her mother and step-father though her heart wouldn't clench.

One night, several days before Christmas, Aurora was sitting on the floor watching the mirror as usual. Severus was present in the image and he was extending his hand out towards Aurora, as if he step out of the glass and grab her. She hadn't been there long, as her visits had grown shorter and more sporadically within the month of December and noticed another presence within the room, but didn't turn to see who it was as she already knew.

"I see you found me. Didn't think it would take you this long to stop by," Aurora said as she stood from the floor.

Albus quietly chuckled as he walked towards the professor. "No, I've known you've been here from the beginning, but I knew you needed your time." Stopping by her side, Albus gazed upon the mirror himself, possibly looking into the glass to see what he desired, but Aurora couldn't tell for sure. "And?" he asked.

Taking a deep breath, Aurora smiled at the Headmaster. "Everything's alright; I'm alright."

"I am glad to hear that, Aurora. But, I see that this has become your grieving technique, has it not?"

Raising an eyebrow, she questioned in a whisper, "You knew I used to come here way back when?" Albus nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Tch, I should've know, you know everything."

"Not everything, my dear."

"Alright, almost everything."

This made the Headmaster chuckle once more. "So, have you figured it out?" Shaking her head, she questioned his meaning. "The Mirror of Erised; what does it do?"

"It…" Moving her gaze from Albus to the mirror, Aurora had to think. Of course she knew its properties, but the entirety of its effects? "Well…every time I've been in front of the mirror I see something I miss, but even when I came here after the death of my step-father, my mother was there too…so it doesn't show people you've lost, not necessarily. The mirror shows us what we want." Eyes widening, the statement made Aurora think of Severus. He was not family, nor was he dead, but she was in love with the wizard and had been for some time. It seemed that he was just out of her reach, something that she couldn't have… Realization hit her. "Albus…" She turned towards him. "Does this mirror show us what we can't have? I mean, show us what we desire?"

Her answer made the elder wizard smile. "You are correct, my dear. Look above the glass, do you see the etched writing? What does it say?"

Fixating her eyes upon the writing, Aurora had seen the words numerous times, both when she first found the mirror and within the last few weeks, but it didn't strike her as anything appealing, just some words that were probably in an ancient language. But heading Albus' words, she carried examined each letter and word, from front to back – and then she saw it. You've got to be kidding me, she thought.

"Wow. It says: 'I show not your face but your heart's desire'. I can't believe I missed that after all this time."

"It's not what people tend to gaze upon when in front of the mirror. People go mad, looking into the glass Aurora. I hope you know that this mirror cannot grant you anything you wish for; it is simply a representation of what you truly seek."

Rubbing her chin, her eyes wandered to the empty glass and watched as her parents and Severus entered the pictured. All three lingered before her parents faded and the man she loved was left behind, arms crossed with a smirk upon his face. "Can…can your heart's desires change, Albus?"

The Headmaster thought for a moment on her question. "It's not surprising. We're changing all the time, I would expect our hearts to desire certain things in different times of our lives. Aurora, has your changed? Is that why you're asking?"

Turning until she was facing the mirror, Aurora soaked in the answer to her question and knew everyone changed. But a desire, is it something that completely changes? Or does an individual's perspective on a desire change to a particular point in time? If I had visited the mirror before my mother passed, would Severus had been the image I'd see? If so, did my parents appear as my desire because I was in mourning?

"Yes…" she answered slowly. "But…I, too, think I just answered my own question."

Nodding, the Headmaster turned to take his leave, but as he grew closer to the door, he turned back towards Aurora and stated, "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, Aurora, remember that."

"Sir…?" Aurora walked in his direction, not knowing what Albus meant by his statement. But she could see the smirk on his face and the way his eyes twinkled, and she knew that it was not a good sign.

"Dreams are just dreams, Aurora. But we can always turn what we wish for into reality. Surely there is something you could do about yours?" Albus cast his eyes again towards the mirror and Aurora followed his gaze, but as she turned back to question further his intent, the witch noticed that the Headmaster was gone, causing the witch to smirk at the Headmaster's astonishing abilities. Taking a deep breath, Aurora closed her eyes and envisioned the mirror within her mind, instead of physically glancing upon it on last time. Grasping the door, Aurora walked out into the cold, stone corridor and smiled as she trekked through the castle as she made her way back towards her quarters. Since returning to the castle after he mother passed, Aurora welcomed her bed and fell into a blissful slumber with a smirk on her face and a certain wizard in her dreams.

~ oOo ~

A majority of the students had gone home for the Holiday Break and Aurora felt guilty to not see some of her students for two weeks. Granted she loved all her students, though some worked harder than others, but it was difficult living within the same castle with the students she taught. But Aurora took each day with a smile on her face as she relaxed within her chambers with a mug of hot cocoa, the comfort of her fireplace, and a copy of Homer's The Iliad; it was a book she read every Christmas. She had asked Hagrid earlier in the month to help her find the perfect tree for her classroom, and they had gone out into the snow, with Sapphire in tow, to find the perfect tree that would compliment her quarters. It would be the first Christmas without her mother, and although she had accepted the fact, she wanted to find the best tree to honor her mother who absolutely loved Christmas. They had found a perfect three-foot tree and Aurora spent the rest of the day placing different colored ribbons on its limbs.

In the time between break started and Christmas Eve, Aurora and Severus were around each other day and night. They worked on grading their students final together, discussed their class and other various topics. Aurora felt as if she was finally the person she was several weeks ago. It had taken some time, and a very patient Severus to deal with her grieving moods, but she was happy and smiling and talkative, if not more so. Both witch and wizard went to bed each night, excited for the next day so they could see each other once more, thought neither knew the other felt the exact same. Occasionally, their stares lingered at each other longer, their hands reached out to touch or simply be near the other, and Severus found himself hugging Aurora from behind more than once, which surprised the wizard to no end.

Knowing that Christmas was in several days, Severus found himself pacing in his bedroom, questioning and thinking of what he should give to Aurora as a present. The wizard had been thinking for nearly an hour, as well as the entire month, but still hadn't thought of the best gift to give the most precious woman in his life. His list of consisted of: enchanted flowers, a blanket, perfume that never emptied, a potions textbook (then he remembered he had given her one over the summer), money, a cloak, a gift from Zonko's in Hogsmeade. Hell, he even considered a simple Christmas Card, but nothing was making the wizard content as he was at his wits end on deciding on something that Aurora probably wouldn't like.

Taking a seat on the edge of his bed, Severus held his head in his hands and groaned. How he had gotten himself in this position baffled the Potions professor, as he never cared about getting a girl, let alone anyone, a Christmas gift; hell, he didn't think he desired to get Lily a present this much, if at all. Think about who Aurora-Nyx Warrington was, Severus thought about her personality, her likes, dislikes, the classes she taught, what she loved, which foods were her favorites – any and everything that could give the clueless wizard some insight into the perfect present.

I know she loves sweets, as she's always eating something chocolate for dessert after dinner… And she's just like me with Potions, but she prefers making concoctions for medicinal uses. She loves black and blue, she has a pet dragon, but what the bloody-hell could I get for Sapphire that's really for Aurora? Groaning, Severus stood to his feet and walked out to the front of his quarters and stood near the fireplace, thinking about the conversation he had with Aurora the first night of term. Gods…the woman is so beautiful, what can I give her…?

Glancing around his room, Severus noticed that his desk was cluttered with spare parchments, broken quills, bottles of ink and other various objects. But that was when he noticed the bookcase in the far-off corner. Smiling, the man walked over to read the titles of his own novel, but all focused on potions, as he had extra copies for each year, though he never used them, and other texts that focused on specific used of potion ingredients and others. Sighing, Severus felt closer to his answer, but still had no idea with what he should do with books.

The woman loves books, absolutely loves to read anything and everything she can. She once told me that she still had books she left at home, but the majority in her room was what she brought over; and her quarters are covered in filled bookcases. But what can I do with books…wait.

Grabbing a random book from a shelf, Severus flipped its pages, uninterested in the books subject, but the book itself. Smirking, Severus shut the novel and placed it back on the shelf, the wizard grabbed his gloves, scarf and heavy cloak and headed outside the castle and into the open grounds, preparing to apparate to Diagon Alley, the appropriate place where he needed to go.

I just hope she likes this, he thought as he was sent away.

~ oOo ~

As Christmas Eve landed on the calendar, Aurora was excited for the evening and what was to happen. She had returned to her quarters early that afternoon to find a letter awaiting on her desk with her name written on it; the writing, of course, belonged to one Severus Snape. The wizard had asked for the witch to join him for a Christmas dinner, just for the two of them, as there would be a feast for the staff and remaining students the following evening. The letter had stated nothing more, but nonetheless caused Aurora to feel giddy on the inside as she immediately grabbed the present from her room that was for Severus. She had spent days upon days thinking of what to get the man, but damn he was just too hard!

But with the box wrapped in navy paper and twine for a big, fabulous bow, Aurora's heart thumped away as her nerves grew. She had no idea how the Potions wizard would react, but she felt that this was something to give him, as it came from the bottom of her heart.

The card asked Aurora to meet Severus in his quarters around six, which gave the witch an hour to prepare. Running into her closet, Aurora sorted through all her clothing, wanting, needing to find the right outfit to wear for that night. Growling, Aurora knew that she had something hiding amongst her clothes, but couldn't find what she was looking for. Nearly ten minutes later, the witch emerged from her closet, the entire floor covered with scarves, hats, shirts, and jeans. Waving her hand, the fallen clothing returned to their original position, leaving behind a clean closet with the specific dress in her hand. Removing her clothing, Aurora lifted the dress over her head and smiled as the gentle fabric shimmied down her waist.

As she was wanting to be bold and daring, Aurora stared at her reflection in the mirror, her mouth open in surprise as she fiddled with the dress' material. The dress was a one-shoulder on the left side, with lace for the sleeve running down towards her wrist, the same lace pattern covered the entirety of the clothing. The lace color was deep red, whereas the lining underneath was pure black; Aurora had never felt sexier, which was the feeling she wanted to achieve for tonight. She knew, obviously, that nothing was going to happen between her and Severus, but she still wanted to show off the curves she owned and flaunt what her mother gave her. Grasping her hair, Aurora pulled the mass in a sloppy bun, allowing several loose strands to frame her face; she was going for simple and graceful, and in studying her reflection, felt she had achieved the look.

Throwing her heavy cloak over her shoulders, Aurora grabbed the fairly large wrapped present and left her quarters. Severus' chambers weren't far from her own, but considering the temperature within the castle was affected by the middle of winter, the depths of the dungeon were freezing. Reaching his portrait, she stated her name and the figure opened the door, allowing her entrance. Stepping inside the front room, Aurora noticed Severus wasn't there, but her vision did notice his small table decorated with a feast for the two of them. Setting her gift down, she called for her friend, questioning where he could be. The man in question opened the door to his bedroom and stepped out; Aurora was taken back.

Severus' hair was still damp, as it he recently had a shower in preparation for the evening. His hair looked fresh and his clothes weren't wrinkled; Aurora knew that he was presenting himself in this manner just for her, and the smile that formed on her face couldn't be concealed, neither the blush filling her cheeks.

"I see you made it then," Severus stated, his eyes not meeting hers. Aurora could tell something was off with his expression, but she brushed the matter aside.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss this, Severus." Pointing at the table, she asked, "Did you have the cooks in the kitchen make this?"

Shaking his head, Severus walked towards her, his eyes glancing at the food on the table. "I made this."

"You did? Oh, everything looks delicious, I'm hungry!" Smiling, Aurora glanced at Severus who held his hand out.

"Here, let me take your cloak." Suddenly feeling nervous, Aurora slowly opened her cloak to slid the thick fabric off her body; cheeks darkening, she avoided the wizards gaze. What she didn't know was Severus glanced up and down at her dress, his eyes widening at what he saw. Bloody hell…this woman is beautiful. Taking the fabric from her hands, Severus placed her cloak with his, then pulled back her chair so she could take a seat.

"Oh, why thank you, Severus." She sat and admired the food before her. Roasted chicken, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables and bread; she glanced up at Severus to find he had been watching her. "I didn't know you could cook, Severus. This looks amazing. Let's dig in!"

And so, their personal Christmas dinner began. They feasted and conversed, drank and spoke of anything that crossed their minds. Severus was talking the way he usually did, but Aurora noticed that he rarely looked at her directly; he had been off since she'd arrived and it made the witch question if she had done something. Did I say something? Does he…not like my dress? Or could it be the Holidays? I know he stayed home during the break as a student each year, so what could it be…? Aurora pondered throughout the dinner, but was still happy regardless that Severus was acting different. The food was delicious and was very impressed that her friend could cook, she would remember this fact for the future if she wanted a wonderful meal made by her best friend.

Before she knew it, Aurora was full of amazing food and her smile wouldn't leave because she was genuinely happy. She was having a great time, despite the gnawing anxiety that developed in her stomach through dinner, she was excited to Severus her gift. The witch knew that it was something he probably wouldn't use, she was simply hoping that the wizard would consider the thought; her fingers had been crossed all evening.

With a wave of his wand, Severus cleared the table of leftovers, though there were barely any, and stood from the table, extending his hand for Aurora to grasp. Placing her tiny hand in his, Aurora was aware of the softness his hands felt, despite the coarseness his skin appeared to have; butterflies shot through her body from head to toe, and she turned her look away as she stood. His hands found her hips and pulled her in close. Aurora could smell the sweetness of the wine they shared on his breath as it tickled her lips. Wanting to lean forward, Aurora desired to kiss Severus, how she longed to feel his lips upon her own, him stroking her cheek while she played with his long hair. Gods, how she loved his long hair!

"Aurora." Though her heels gave her an additional height, she still had to glance upwards to meet Severus' black orbs. With cheeks darkening, Aurora smiled, stating that he had her attention. "I…I have a present for you. I know tomorrow is technically Christmas, but…may I give it to you?"

Slightly jumping in her heels, Aurora giggled. "Yes, yes! Oh my, isn't this exciting!" Moving away from Severus, she grabbed her present from where she placed it and held the perfectly wrapped box in her arms as she walked back towards the wizard. "I have one for you as well… I can only have mine if I can give you yours."

This caused the Potions Master to smirk. "Tch, that's obviously how Christmas works, Aurora."

She smacked his arm. "Oh, you tease! Don't be so mean."

Laying a hand against her neck, Aurora's face dropped and her eyes widened. Severus pulled her close and whispered, "Sit on the couch while I go get your present."

And then he went into his room. Aurora stood stock still, all the man had to do was simply touch her and she was jelly on the floor. This man…if something ever does happen between us, I will literally DIE if he touches me…Oh man… Aurora grew nervous as she claimed the seat on his couch that had become hers over the term. Fiddling with the edge of her dress, she held the box in her lap, watching the flicker of the flames dance around the other, evaporating into the air. Though the heat from the fire was pleasant and warming, the witch knew she shouldn't have worn the dress she picked; the lace was thin and her skin was developing goosebumps. The dungeons were always known for having a cold draft, whether it was in the middle of summer, or the dead of winter – even with a heating charm placed upon the corridors. What she wasn't expecting was for Severus to return and place her thick coat around her shoulders as he noticed her discomfort.

"Here, this may help," he said as he claimed his seat next to hers. But as Aurora pulled the warm coat closer to her body, she knew that it wasn't hers; the wool felt thicker and the smell wasn't the normal perfume she wore. This was…

Severus' coat.

Aurora nearly squealed, and felt as if she was sixteen again, with a major crush on the hottest boy in her grade – which hadn't happened because she was only ever loved Severus, but the feeling was the same. Cuddling into the coat's thickness, Aurora couldn't contain her smile; Severus' scent was comforting and she imagine herself falling asleep in the wool; her nose was filled with the scent of herbs, of sweat and a manly musk. The witch burned on the inside; her heart increased its beating, her breathing was labored, and her lower womanhood was on fire.

"Are you warmer?"

"Ah! Yes, I am Severus, thank you." Her blush deepened, if that was even possible.

Severus, watching her reaction, smirked as she stared down at the wrapped present in her lap. The Potions Master wished he could read her mind. Though he had the master ability to do so, Severus promised himself that Aurora was the one individual who would not use his Legilimency on her, and he would keep that promise; despite the burning desire within to know what her mind was pondering, Severus pulled back from the use of magic. I don't need my magic to see what's written on her face.

"So…who should go first?"

"Hmm…can we do mine?" Aurora swiveled on the couch, tucking one leg under the other as she faced the wizard, handing him her gift, and hoping that he would appreciate the thought. Setting his gift for her on the table, Severus admired the wrapping before carefully unlacing the twine, then broke through the navy paper. Underneath the wrapping lay the box, and once the box was open, several layers of tissue paper. Huffing at all the unnecessary layers, Severus clamped his mouth shut when he was what finally lay underneath the wrapping mess. Pulling out the thick fabric, Severus unraveled what was in his arms to find a black knitted blanket, made from warm, thick wool. The design was simple, at least from what Severus could tell, and noticed that it one of the corners there was a small, red felt heart sewn in with the letters "S&A" inside.

Pulling back, Severus turned towards Aurora who wasn't just blushing; her face was beet red, her eyes filled with several different emotions: anxiety, excitement, but also fear. Removing the box and wrapping to place it onto the floor, Severus pulled Aurora closer, removed his coat from her shoulders, and encased the two of them in the giant width of his present. Aurora watched him closely the entire time, her heart beating at a rapid brace and she had to remember to breath before she passed out.

Placing a hand over her mouth to steady her words, Aurora exclaimed, "Severus, I want to explain my gift…"

"Don't." But he saw the sudden expression change on her face and rapidly used his words to finish his statement. "Not until you open my gift."

Gazing up at him as she scooted even closer until their limbs were touching, Aurora answered. "Alright. My turn!"

Handing Aurora the small box with a simple green bow on top, Severus crossed his arms and hung his head low, but made sure to keep is attention on the female. He needed to know what she was going to say, what her expression would be. But as she pulled off the bow and placed in on top of her head, so the glue would stick to her hair, Severus' smirk grew and he gradually raised his head. Once the box was open, Aurora noticed inside was old copy of her favorite play by Shakespeare, Hamlet. Lifting her eyes to meet Severus' gaze, he simply stared back before tilting his head down, indicating to open the book – in which she did. Opening the hardback cover and glimpsing through the first several pages, Aurora noticed a square had been cut on the first page and extended through the books pages, almost until the end. Inside the cutout square and dangling from a very small hook on the last page was a long, black chain necklace and a pendant hanging from it; gently taking the chain off the hook, Aurora closed the book and examined the necklace in her hand.

The chain was very long; the pendant, too, was black in color with a tiny latch on the cover. Popping the latch and opening the tiny book, the 'pages' were silver; one side had a small, red heart in the middle and the other side had writing. Reading the words, Aurora's eyes widened as she slowly tilted her head upwards and noticed that Severus had leaned forward, their noses almost touching once again.

"What does it say," Severus softly demanded as he emphasized each word, the depth of his voice shook Aurora to the core. She struggled as she remembered to breath, her very being felt as if it was caught on the edge of a knife as the whirlwind of emotions reeled within her body.

Allowing the words from her gift to be read off her lips, she quoted silently, "I love you…?"

Nodding, Severus grabbed the necklace, closed the pendant and placed it over her neck, as it fell just beneath her chest, just like she thought it would. As she looked down at her gift, Severus grasped her chin, lifting it upwards, and whispered, "Now it's time for your second present."

And that's when he leaned forward, placing his lips against hers; one hand held her cheek while the other grasped her hip, wanting, needing to pull her close against his body. Eyes wide, Aurora didn't move for several seconds before everything clicked into place; the moment she had been awaiting was upon her. As a tear of joy slid down her cheek, she grasped the front of his frock, causing Aurora to instantly moan into the kiss, pushing herself even closer to the man she loved. Severus' hands tighten against her body and Aurora could not withhold the whirlwind of love she held for the man currently snogging the life out of her. Aurora knew this moments was what she'd secretly been wishing for Christmas; her heart fluttered, several more tears ran down from her eyes, and in order to breath, she was forced to pull away from the sexiest wizard alive. A small string of saliva connected the two before the witch brushed it aside and covered her mouth in embarrassment. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment and embedding it into her memory, she covered her mouth, unable to speak, unable to say what she wanted to reply.

Severus immediately noticed her hesitancy and grasped her face between his hands, bringing her forehead against his own. The man felt strong, for once in his life. Without asserting a sense of arrogance, the wizard knew he was a powerful wizard with insane magical capabilities; but the woman who sat before him, blushing to the point her skin was burning, allowed Severus to feel a power he had never experienced. It was something he believed to obtain when he thought his love for Lily was true, but now the man knew the truth.

"Aurora…" the man whispered. Her attention looked upwards, her focus only on him as she was captivated by everything Severus owned. "Aurora-Nyx Warrington…I love you…"

Swallowing the lump in her throat, the witch fought against her own tears, desperately wishing for them to not fall. The woman was undeniably happy as she screamed on the inside like a little girl waiting for her presents. Placing her own hands against Severus' slightly stubbly cheeks, she replied in earnest, "I love you too, Severus Snape…" Leaning forward, she captured his lips in a quick, but extremely heated, kiss.

Severus pulled back and stated, "I know."

Eyes widening, Aurora gasped and pulled back, a hand over her heart and one over her eyes, as she attempted to glance at Severus through the tony gaps in-between her fingers. "Y-You know…? H-How do you know?!"

Smirking, Severus pulled the woman back against his chest and gently ran his fingers through her hair, knowing the technique would calm her down. "You told me, the night you buried your mother. I carried you to bed and you called for me and bluntly stated that you loved me. I…I thought you would remember, that's why I never brought it up, I was waiting for you to say something."

"Oh god…I knew I said something that night, I just couldn't remember what!" Softly screaming in her hands, Aurora could hear Severus chuckle above her. "Aggghhh!" She screamed aloud and, as lightly as she could, swatted Severus across the arms while yelling, "Why didn't you say anything?! Why did you let me I didn't say something this serious!"

Grasping her hands in his own, Severus pulled them towards his chest. "Because I was waiting for you to say it with your knowledge, and not me letting you know it happened when you didn't remember. Besides, it worked better, this way…" Letting go of a hand, Severus traveled his fingers towards her cheek, fondling the softness of her unblemished skin; trailing down, Severus glided his fingers down her face, over the length of her neck, all the while Aurora leaned her head back, allowing her senses to run rampage across her body. Her blush turned sensual as small gasps and moans leaked through her lips as the wizard brushed her taut nipples through her dress as his hand grasped the pendant on her necklace.

"You're silence gave me the brazen courage I needed to explain my feelings."

Noticing the mix of emotions across his face, Aurora touched his cheek, gaining his attention and asked, "Severus, you…" Another tear fell. "You really love me…?"

Severus, catching the few tears that fell, nodded, his eyes switching from gazing upon her lips to watching the beautiful color of her eyes. "Yes…Aurora-Nyx, I never stopped loving you. I…was too much of a dunderhead to see how much I fucked up before."

"But…but what does this mean for us? What happens now…?"

Smirking devilishly, Severus grasped her hips and pulled her body on top of his until her legs were straddling his waist. Aurora squealed at the motion and the blush across her skin trekked down towards the skin across her chest. "Aurora…now is the moment where you become mine." And to seal the promise, Aurora beat Severus as she dropped her lips against his, pulling the Potions Master into a passionate kiss. Their lips fought against the other, battling for supremacy that neither would let go of. Their hands mingled, Aurora's in his hair, and Severus' around her waist, holding her firmly against his ever-growing taut frame. Neither stopped; they gasped, she moaned, he grunted. Pulling at each other's hair, they breathed for the other, allowing themselves the right to love the other for the amount they each deserved.

The passion they felt for each other was phenomenal, and nothing could compromise the love both of them held. When both pulled bac gasping for breath, their eyes connected as sparks erupted through every nerve underneath their skin. The lovers were on fire, needing the touch, the kiss of the other, knowing that their hearts were beating together once more. As Severus stared up into the eyes of Aurora, the wizard knew that, this time, he wouldn't lose her. Aurora was the woman who made him complete, without her, he was a black, empty shell living on a lie he had told himself years prior. Here and now, Severus was finally given a chance to reform for his past mistakes in order to do right by the woman who deserved it so.

~ oOo ~

Haha, I was just shittin' ya'll, this story ain't over yet!

And yes, this is how I really talk when I cannot stop laughing.

But seriously, I hope everyone loved this chapter. It was a tad tricky to write, but I am pretty pleased with the outcome, if I do say so myself. Please read/review! I love to hear everyone's comments or thoughts about what they've read. Or PM me if you have any questions. Peace!

See you next time lovelies!

Chocobocolina :3