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“Because it’s Christmas. And no one should be alone at Christmas.”
His first Christmas since waking from Nagini’s bite was starting off swimmingly.
He’d been awoken very early in the day to the sound of a Weasley Wizard Wheezes Christmas cracker exploding just outside the door of the room he was being forced to occupy at Grimmauld Place. The offending twins apologized profusely when he opened the door to glare at them, swearing up and down that the explosion had been premature, but he slammed the door in their faces before they could finish explaining.
Sleep wouldn’t return to him, however, and after tossing and turning for another half hour or so, he climbed back out of bed and showered, wishing desperately for a cigarette as he slowly got dressed after.
The cup of tea he made when he got to the kitchen would have to suffice, and he shot another dark glare at Molly when she offered to fetch him the cream and sugar.
She had the audacity to giggle at him before turning away to continue working on whatever concoction was bubbling away on the fire - some sort of stew by the smell of it - and Severus wondered just how many people would be inundating the halls of Grimmauld Place if that much stew was necessary.
While he did manage to eat breakfast, Severus made it very clear with yet another glare that he was going to be taking his second cup of tea elsewhere, clearly wanting to be alone before he was forced to socialize with the masses later.
He let out a sigh of relief as he crossed the threshold of the library, closing the door behind him with a soft click before heading straight towards his favorite chair by the fire-
-which was already occupied.
“Granger.”
He smirked as she jumped, having been so engrossed in her book that she hadn’t heard him enter.
“Professor Snape! Sorry, sir, I-I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Clearly.”
Severus glared a hint harder when she made no attempt to move out of her chair, and it took him a moment to realize that he hadn’t verbalized his needs yet.
“You’re in my chair, Granger.”
“...”
“Usually this is the part where you would get out of it.”
“...there is another chair right across from me, Professor.”
“The one you’re in is easier on my back.”
Hermione looked skeptical about his answer but got up out of the chair all the same, though it was only to move to the seat that she had previously mentioned to him.
To be fair, he hadn’t told her to get out, and at this point it would seem somewhat rude to do so.
Especially since the chair was already warm from her body heat and he wouldn’t have to charm it himself.
Pulling a book out from a pocket of his robes, he settled into his seat, thankful that Granger seemed content to be quiet as well, and it would be a while before he looked up again.
Only to realize that quite some time had passed, and there was a knock on the door.
“Dinner will be ready soon, you two,” Molly cheerfully exclaimed from the other side of the door, and Severus sighed as he noted the page he was on before pushing himself to his feet.
Hermione did the same a moment later, and as tempted as Severus was to hold himself back so that she wouldn’t be seen walking with him, he didn’t, instead choosing to walk along just behind her, though he was still courteous enough to open doors when they reached them.
“Thank you, Professor,” she murmured as they entered the kitchen, looking over her shoulder at him to give him a soft smile.
He didn’t return the smile, but he didn’t scowl at her either.
While the day hadn’t started off as quietly as he would’ve liked, at least it seemed to be ending on a good note.
*
The second Christmas after Severus awakened from Nagini’s attack started off much more quietly than the first had.
He was in his own home, for starters, and therefore had allowed himself the luxury of a proper lie in, one that wouldn’t be interrupted by Fizzing Whizbees or Exploding Christmas Crackers or anything of the like.
His cup of tea and morning cigarette were interrupted by an owl pecking at his kitchen window at about half past nine, however.
He didn’t recognize the bird, but it held its leg out towards him when he opened the window, and he made quick work of untying the small scroll there before it took back off into the cold, clear morning.
Severus heaved a sigh as he started to unroll the parchment and caught his first sight of the handwriting, knowing immediately who had sent it.
He’d spent enough time grading her papers, after all. He should recognize her writing.
Dear Professor Snape,
Happy Christmas! I hope this finds you well.
I was sorry to see that you weren’t on the guest list for dinner this year at Grimmauld Place, but Harry assures me you merely declined his invitation.
I wanted to extend the offer one more time, just in case you perhaps thought you weren’t truly wanted. I would very much like to see you, sir, just to make sure you’re doing alright.
Molly says that dinner will be at one, and you know that she’ll have more than enough food to go around if you do decide to join us, though I’ll understand if you still wish to decline.
Happy Christmas, again.
-Hermione Granger
Severus stared at the letter for a few long minutes, trying his best to wrap his head around the idea that Hermione Granger wanted him to come to Christmas Dinner.
He then spent a few additional minutes going back and forth on whether or not he should just set the letter on fire and pretend he never received it, but decided that that wouldn’t work either because of course Granger would see through the lie given that the owl would return without the letter she’d strapped to its leg, and of course Granger would pick a bird that was smart enough to actually know where it was going, and-
His head hurt.
He’d have to go. That was all there was to it, wasn’t there? Granger had known exactly what she was doing by inviting him, the chit.
Fine. He’d go. But he was going to complain about it the whole time, he already knew.
Naturally, Granger was the one who opened the door to him when he arrived at Grimmauld Place a little after noon, looking a little flushed in the cheeks, though Severus wasn’t entirely sure if it was from the surprise of seeing him there or if she’d already gotten into the elf wine.
“Professor! You made it!”
“Obviously.”
The slight deepening of the flush to her cheeks paired with the grin that spread across her face led Severus to think that she genuinely was happy to see him.
That was odd. Wasn’t it? Why was she happy to see him?
“I’m glad you did,” she murmured as she stepped aside to let him in, and once again Severus was struck with how genuine she sounded.
The rest of the evening passed pleasantly enough, with dinner lasting well into the later hours and there were even a couple of drinks shared around the fire in the library.
Granger, as it turned out, had gotten into the elf wine earlier but it seemed to only make her relaxed. Gone was the uptight girl he’d watched grow up at Hogwarts, replaced by a confident young woman who wasn’t afraid to look him in the eye and ask him how he’d been.
And then listen to him as he told her.
When he went to take his leave, she followed him to the door, and he stopped to stare at her for a moment as she said goodbye to him.
“...why did you invite me tonight, Granger?”
“Because it’s Christmas, sir. And no one should be alone on Christmas.”
He didn’t respond to that, not verbally at least, but instead stared at her for another moment before lowering his head in a nod of agreement and then turning out into the night to return home where he would sit in front of the fire with a glass of Ogden’s Finest and contemplate the meaning of Gryffindors.
*
His third year since waking up from Nagini’s attack was quite a bit different from any other Christmas Severus Snape had experienced in his life.
For starters, Hermione Granger had taken his acceptance of her invitation the previous year to mean that she could start writing him letters whenever she felt like it.
It started with New Year’s Eve, when he’d gotten an owl around six that evening wishing him a prosperous and healthy New Year. The bird had even stuck around until he’d written a quick reply to her.
This, he later realized, was where he’d gone wrong.
Because now… Now? Now he was friendly with Granger.
After nearly a year of writing back and forth to one another (and going out to lunch and tea and to gather potion’s ingredients on full moon nights, an-) Severus could say with some level of confidence that Hermione Granger was his friend.
Which, by default, meant he was on better terms with Potter and wasn’t that just the strangest bloody thing?
She’d even talked him into going out Christmas shopping with her. In Diagon Alley. During broad daylight hours. Where other people could see them.
And she didn’t mind in the slightest. She continued to engage him in conversation, and ask him his opinion on things, acting as if their friendship was the most natural thing in the world.
She even trusted his opinion on Quidditch supplies for the boys when she asked him, because Merlin knew that she was still a bit baffled by the sport even after so many years being surrounded by it.
When she wasn’t looking, he even purchased her a little something. The first person outside of Minerva that he’d bought a present for in nearly fifteen years.
Christmas Dinner was being held at the Burrow that year instead of Grimmauld Place - Potter had said something about it being in the middle of remodels and he didn’t want anyone to see it until it was finished - and Severus had shown up early, surprised to find that he was the first of the guests to arrive.
Granger - who had apparently stayed the night so she could help Molly and Ginny get started early with the cooking - beamed when she saw him, taking the break that Molly insisted upon so she could share a cup of coffee with her former professor.
“Happy Christmas, Severus!” Hermione murmured once they’d taken a seat outside in the garden, a warming spell cast on the bench they’d chosen to help combat the light dusting of snow that surrounded them.
“Happy Christmas, Granger,” Severus replied, giving her a small smile before he took a sip of his coffee.
“I’m surprised you arrived so early,” Hermione commented, settling a bit deeper into her seat and her tone turning more teasing as she continued. “Merlin knows you’re not usually one to socialize for long periods of time.”
“I enjoy being a contrarian. Being the person that people least expect.”
“...are you calling yourself the Spanish Inquisition, Severus?”
Severus couldn’t stop the low bark of laughter that erupted from his chest at that, having not expected a Monty Python reference from his little bookworm.
Wait. His little bookworm?
Oh. Oh.
Oh no.
He was quick to school his features, hoping that nothing would show on his face that might alert Hermione to his revelation, and considering she continued speaking without pause, Severus guessed his effort was successful.
They chatted for a while longer before Molly called them both in, asking for them to help her with a few things in the kitchen.
Molly, it would soon become apparent, had some assumptions about Severus and his skills with a kitchen knife.
She wasn’t incorrect in her assumptions, and Severus realized he’d probably just screwed himself over further. He’d made himself handy. During a holiday.
Granted, he’d always thought Molly diced her herbs just a hint too crudely, but he wasn’t Gryffindor enough to ever admit it aloud. This way he could get a more precise chop and it would look like he was just doing his part in helping.
There was also the additional joy of getting to be closer to Hermione. She’d been put on the peeling vegetables detail - a task she seemed keen on doing the Muggle way for whatever reason - though whether it was because Molly didn’t think Hermione could handle a task more wieldy or Hermione actually couldn’t was still to be determined.
Severus enjoyed sneaking glances at her occasionally, watching the ease with which she went about her task, the methodical motions done in such a precise way that Severus knew this was a task to which Hermione was often delegated.
But, he also knew from watching the way she brewed potions over the years that she was just naturally a methodical person.
It was one of the reasons the two of them had gotten along so well together since their friendship had started, wasn’t it? They were quite a bit alike in many ways: both often considered outsiders by those around them, a keen intellect and eye for details that others often overlooked.
Is this what it means to fall? Severus asked himself as he realized he was staring at Hermione again. Have I fallen for Hermione Granger?
Hermione glanced up from her work right at that moment, catching him staring, and she gave him a bashful smile as she blushed before returning to her work.
Severus let his own eyes drop back down to the chopping knife in his hand, cursing himself for getting caught.
As if she’d ever want you, old man.
He didn’t let that sour his mood, though. He couldn’t. It was Christmas, and if there was one thing above all others that Severus Snape had learned about Hermione Granger it was that Christmas was her favorite time of year, and he would rather face Nagini again that hurt Hermione on her favorite day.
The rest of the day and evening slipped by rather quietly, all things considered, with dinner and drinks aplenty consumed and topped off and then the bottle of Ogden’s started to circulate before it was announced that it was time for the gift exchange.
Severus had ended up purchasing a gift for Molly and Arthur as a sort of thank you for putting up with him for another year - a new set of cookware for the family that Molly was sure to be able to pass down to her children and even their children when the time came - though he was hesitant when it came time to give out the only other gift he’d brought with him.
The gift for Hermione.
She’d gifted him a very nice set of sustainably-sourced dragon hide gloves that would come in handy with his new potions business he’d told her he was starting. They were heat-resistant for basically any level of flame he would be working with, plus they were equally durable for collecting potions ingredients.
It didn’t hurt that they’d been colored a rich and dark emerald green, a green so dark it looked almost black.
He had an image to uphold, after all.
An image that might be changed forever, however, depending on how she liked the gift he’d gotten her.
She was careful as she tugged off the bow, as she slid her finger under the edge of the paper to tug the tape loose, ignoring Ron’s call for her to hurry up as she carefully pulled the paper back to reveal the box underneath.
Severus sat in his chair with his hands carefully folded in his lap, though he desperately wished he could clench them into fists.
She’s going to hate it. This was an idiodic move, Severus. You should’ve gifted her something el-
“Severus…” Hermione breathed, her eyes wide as she carefully pulled out the slim book that had been nestled in the box, her fingers whisper-soft as they trailed over the title boldly imprinted on the book’s cover.
“You mentioned that it had been your favorite as a child.”
“...I can’t believe you remembered…”
“It’s a first edition as well. I’ve… had it appraised.”
“What is it, Hermione?” Ginny asked from her seat next to Harry on the couch, and Severus was quick to note that everyone was looking at the brunette in question, trying to ascertain for themselves what the gift was.
She held it up, keeping a gentle grip on it as she turned the book around to show them the cover of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.
But she was looking directly at Severus, something soft in her eyes as she mouthed a thank you to him before people started asking her questions and the evening's festivities drew to a close by her reading the story aloud to all those assembled.
To seemingly no one but Severus’ surprise, Hermione walked him out to the Apparition point when he made to take his leave, her body close to his as they walked, and he could feel the warmth of her body even through the blanket she had wrapped around her shoulders.
“I’m glad you came today, Severus,” Hermione murmured once they got to the spot, giving him a warm smile as she peered up at him, the tip of her nose a hint red already from the cold and there were snowflakes catching in her wild curls.
“As am I. Happy Christmas, Hermione.”
“Happy Christmas, Severus.”
He thought she would take a step back away from him then, give him room to Apparate without risking getting caught up in it herself, but instead she stepped closer.
Close enough for him to smell the hints of orange and clove from her perfume that still lingered in her hair, close enough to feel her breath on his cheek…
…close enough to hear the soft sigh that spilled from her lips just before she pressed them to his cheek, the kiss lingering long enough for Severus to question if it was meant to be a platonic gesture or…
…or something more?
But she stepped back, giving him another smile. “See you next week, yeah? At the New Year’s party?”
He gave a singular nod, and spun away without another word.
*
His fourth year since awakening from Nagini’s bite was turning out to be the best one yet.
Severus had actually been unable to make Potter’s New Year’s party after coming down with a rather nasty round of the flu that left him miserable and in bed well into the first week of the new year.
Hermione, thankfully, had not taken it personally when he’d refused her offer to come take care of him - he hadn’t wanted her to catch ill as well, after all - but she’d insisted on Flooing him over some hot soup on a regular basis so he could keep up his strength.
She also hadn’t mentioned the kiss at Christmas, and Severus had begun to think that perhaps it was simply a ‘thank you’ kiss and had been meant as something strictly platonic.
But once his health had returned, their outings continued. Grew more frequent, even, and soon they turned from day trips to Diagon Alley for potion supplies to nights out for dinner and conversation.
This continued for months, and Severus knew he was a fool for pining away over Hermione and not telling her how he felt.
But still, there was that lingering thought… Why would she want him?
They’d passed from one season to another and then another still without any sort of mention of the kiss, and they were weeks past Halloween, even, before Hermione finally broke her silence.
“You’re an insufferable man, Severus Snape.”
“I beg your pardon?!”
She threw her hands up in the air before slamming them down on the table they were sitting at, pushing herself to her feet before she came around to stand at his side of the table.
And, given that they were having dinner in his house, he didn’t have a whole lot of escape options.
“You’re insufferable!” She repeated, her hands now firmly planted on her hips.
“You’re repeating a well-known fact, Hermione. I fail to see what’s gotten you so ben-”
“I kissed you bloody months ago, and you acted as if nothing had happened.”
And with that sentence, not only was Severus one hundred percent certain that his brain had broken, but his life was also completely changed.
“That wasn’t a kiss, witch.”
“It absolutely was! I-”
But whatever else she’d been about to say was stopped by Severus doing something that proved his brain was broken.
He got to his own feet, wrapped his arms around Hermione’s body and showed her what a kiss was.
Properly.
For several minutes.
And now, Christmas had arrived, and they were officially going to Potter’s newly-renovated home together. As a couple.
Hermione had promised him that she’d already broken the news to the boys so it wouldn’t come as a shock - and oh, how Severus had wished he’d been there to see the look on their faces - and they had both promised her that they would play nice and not make threats to him about protecting her should he hurt her, etcetera, etcetera.
He’d had the thought that they likely would lose in a fight with him regardless, but he kept that particular thought to himself.
They’d Apparated together, walking up to Grimmauld Place with their arms linked, and while Severus felt rather nervous about what was potentially waiting for them on the other side of the door, Hermione looked her usual calm and collected self.
Potter opened the door when they knocked, giving Hermione a hug and Severus a surprisingly firm handshake before he waved them in, offering to take their coats even as he told them there were drinks and snacks spread out in the kitchen should they want to partake.
They weren’t the last of the last of the guests to arrive, thankfully, so it gave them a chance to mingle and not be overwhelmed with questions, though it was clear from the way Hermione and Ginny kept stealing glances at him as he chatted with Arthur that the girls were discussing him.
But Hermione was smiling, which he took to be a good sign.
“I’m happy for you, Severus,” Arthur murmured, pulling Severus back to the conversation they were having. “Hermione is a smart woman, and probably stubborn enough to put up with you.”
“I can only hope,” Severus agreed with a chuckle, giving Arthur a faint smirk before taking a sip of his punch. “Though, I’m learning I have to be just as stubborn to put up with her.”
“You’re a good match.” Arthur clapped him gently on the back to emphasize the point. “Just be true to yourself and to her, and you’ll do swimmingly.”
Severus murmured his thanks for the advice before moving off to go talk to Lupin who had just arrived with his heavily-pregnant wife and their son who, rather amusingly, made his hair turn the same dark shade as Severus’ by way of greeting.
The rest of the day was warm and enjoyable with good food and drink and even better company.
But the best part of all came towards the end of the night, when Severus found himself in his favorite chair in the library, taking a quiet moment to reminisce on how things in his life had changed.
“There you are,” Hermione said from the doorway, giving him an affectionate smile as he peered up at her. “I was starting to worry about you.”
“My apologies,” he replied, reaching out to her to pull her closer. “I was just looking for a moment to myself to reflect on some things.”
“Do you want me to leave you be?”
“Absolutely not.” He tightened his hold on her just a fraction for emphasis. “You’re part of what I was reflecting on, after all.”
Despite the dim light from the fire, Severus was still able to see Hermione’s cheeks darken with her pleased blush, and he couldn’t entirely stop the pleased smirk that spread across his lips with the sight.
“You know… being back here-” Hermione mused, pulling him back from his thoughts. “-it made me remember something.”
“What was that?”
“That first Christmas you and I shared in this room.”
“What of it?”
“When Molly came to fetch us for dinner, you hesitated that day. Why?”
Severus fell quiet at the question, having not realized that Hermione had noticed that day, but - then again - he was learning that his witch was oddly perceptive about a great many things, wasn’t he?
“...I’d had a thought. A thought that, perhaps… You would not wish to be seen with me.”
Hermione was obviously taken aback by the response, but before Severus was given the chance to explain, Hermione moved closer and then rather casually sat herself down in his lap.
Her penchant for physical closeness was something he was still getting used to, but one he was finding he rather enjoyed.
“Do you still think that now?”
“...occasionally, if we are being honest.”
“I think we’ve established that honesty is always the best policy with us, Severus.” She leaned closer to press a gentle kiss to his cheek, letting it linger for a long moment before pulling back to continue.
“I chose you for who you are, Severus. All of you. The good and the bad and anything in between and everything I don’t know yet. I hope that you chose me for the same reasons.”
He nodded. “I did. I do.”
Her grin could’ve powered the lights in Covent Garden, but - more than anything - it warmed him up heart, mind and soul.
“Merlin help me…” He muttered suddenly as he lifted a hand to cup her cheek.
“With what?” She giggled, leaning forward to brush the tip of her nose against his.
“The Grinch is falling for a Who.”
“A Gryffindor Who at that.”
“I suppose green and red do go well together.”
She hummed at that before pressing a small kiss to his lips. “Did your heart grow three sizes today, Severus?”
He chuckled, giving her another squeeze as he murmured his reply.“Not sure, but if you’d like, we can make sure something does before the night is over.”
“That sounds like the ending to a different sort of story, Severus.”
But she didn’t disagree, which was perhaps why everyone gave Severus a very strange set of looks when he and Hermione went to leave and he told them, just before he and Hermione Apparated away with equally large grins:
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”