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Unlike other countries, for some unknown reason, the Magical Transportation Authority offices in Singapore were located at Changi Airport. Severus had always found this to be a peculiarity that set it apart from the other countries he had journeyed. Since arriving in Singapore, he hadn’t had much reason to use a Portkey, often Apparating short distances if he chose to visit any of the other South-East Asian countries or Floo for slightly longer journeys.
Sadly, travelling back to the UK for Christmas meant that was not an option. Especially not when he had Hermione to consider.
After receiving the correspondence from Minerva demanding he return home for a visit that year, he and Hermione had set plans into motion. She contacted the Potters to inform them she would visit them during the holidays, and Severus sent a letter back to Minerva. He’d immediately been hit with anxiety, nervous over how people would react to finding out that he and Hermione were involved. She had convinced herself that it would be easy; Severus was not so optimistic.
She did her best to reassure him that her friends would be accepting, but he couldn’t seem to shake the sick feeling in his gut that she was making a mistake coming out to them this way. But Hermione had been obstinate about it, refusing to budge an inch on her plan. He didn’t fight her, leaving her to make her own decision, determined to be there to support her if things did not pan out the way she expected.
Throughout December thus far, Singapore had rain every other day, the humidity hanging thick in the air. Severus had been there long enough that he’d grown used to the climate and was no longer surprised by the lack of distinct seasons. The amount it did rain was eerily similar to the UK, perhaps worse, but the result of all the rain were beautiful lush, green places to spend time, better air quality, and more time indoors cuddling with Hermione on his sofa.
‘Ready?’
Hermione’s voice reached his ears, and Severus turned to her just as she tucked her arm into the crook of his, wrapping her sweet-smelling self around him. He smiled down at her and nodded, though it felt like a partial lie. He wasn’t certain he would ever be ready to return, but it was too late to turn back now.
Brow furrowing in concern, Hermione reached up a hand to cup his cheek. ‘You look worried,’ she observed. ‘Are you concerned about Cat?’
Severus snorted in response. ‘No, I am certain Cat will be just fine,’ he replied with a chuckle. ‘I’m more concerned about Julian.’
Their Head of Department at the University had offered to watch over Cat for the duration of their trip, having met her once when Severus had been forced to bring her to his office for the day during a routine building pest treatment; the downside of living in a Muggle area. Julian had been so enthusiastic, and Severus had been desperate not to put her into pet boarding, that he had agreed quite readily. Their boss had no idea what he had signed up for; Cat was alarmingly intelligent and was capable of great mischief. He was certain upon their return the feline would be giving him the cold shoulder for having the audacity to leave her for two weeks.
Hermione’s laugh made him smile wider. ‘They’ll be just fine together,’ she said, before biting her bottom lip to hold in another laugh. ‘Actually, I am a little concerned his two children are going to scare Cat a little.’
Reaching into the pocket of his travel cloak, Severus pulled his pocket watch free to observe the time. ‘We must be getting on or we’ll miss our window,’ he said, tucking the object away.
‘Ready when you are,’ Hermione breathed.
He led the way with her arm still looped with his, her body tucked into his side. She clung to him in a way he had thought he would find suffocating, but he found that it gave him an immense sense of security. They made their way through the security wards, presenting their wands for registration before they followed the signs leading towards the Portkey office. At the reception desk, the Administration witch handed them a Merlion bottle opener.
‘It’s cute!’ Hermione insisted as they walked down the hall to one of the Portkey rooms when she saw the look of distaste etched on his features.
Once they were alone in the room together, Hermione spun around to face him, taking both of his hands into hers and squeezing them.
‘I know you’ve been anxious about going back to see Minerva and me telling my friends that we are together, but they are important to me, as are you,’ she said with a quiet conviction that comforted him. ‘Ginny will accept us right away, and if Harry knows what’s good for him, he will too.’
His heart throbbed hard in his chest, constricting and fluttering madly. If he hadn’t been certain he was falling in love with her before, he certainly was now. Tugging her forward, Severus wrapped his long arms around her, dipping his head down to capture her soft lips with a tender kiss, trying to tell her without words how he felt. When they parted for breath, her eyes sparkled and he fell in love with her over again.
‘It’s almost time,’ he said, lifting the bottle opener from his pocket with one hand while keeping the other arm wrapped firmly around her; he knew how she loathed Portkey travel.
Hermione reached up with her free hand to clasp the brass Merlion, and a few long moments later, the familiar tugging sensation at their navel occurred right before they were yanked through the vortex of time and space to their destination.
Staring over the rim of his teacup, Severus scowled as a stray strand of his long hair drifted in front of his eyes. Impatiently he blew it away before continuing to read the New Year’s Eve edition of the paper in front of him. Upon their arrival in London, Severus had checked to see that Hermione was managing after their lengthy Portkey journey before Apparating them to the address of Minerva’s country home in Scotland where they would be for the holidays.
When the Headmistress had opened her door to greet them, her mouth had fallen slack when she saw Hermione standing on the snowy front doorstep standing very close to him. He had smirked, beyond chuffed that he’d managed to surprise her so thoroughly with the additional guest, and that it was her prized formal pupil was just the cherry on top.
It was snowy outdoors, a thick white blanket that covered the landscape making it near impossible to tell one landmark from the next. He’d taken to clearing a path every morning after it had snowed to the main road so they could access the small town nearby if need be during their stay. It was strange being back in such a cold climate. He’d always hated the cold, exacerbated by how miserable it was in the Dungeons with no windows and no view to speak of to make it more bearable.
Now though, he went to sleep curled around Hermione, grateful for her body warmth. He slept every night they’d been there thus far with his socked feet tucked between her calves, his long, cold nose pressing into her neck. He didn’t mind that her riotous curls would half-suffocate him; he just knew she smelled warm and sweet, and he wasn’t cold whenever he was near to her.
On Christmas day when he’d woken before Hermione and gone down to the kitchen to make tea, Minerva was already awake and had made a pot. While they shared strong hot tea and spiced biscuits, she had remarked on how changed he was. He’d been a little irritated by this at first, but realised it could only be a good thing—Hermione’s presence in his life was a softening one.
‘I didn’t mean it as an insult, my friend,’ Minerva had assured him. ‘I liked you well enough when you were a grumpy old sourpuss, not that you aren’t still sour. But you are calmer now—happier. It looks good on you.’
Severus considered her words and didn’t disagree with her assessment. ‘She is the best thing to have come into my life,’ he admitted.
‘You love her.’ It was not a question.
‘I do.’
The subject had been dropped then as Hermione had stumbled her way down to the kitchen and the three of them had then shared a Christmas breakfast. Minerva didn’t broach the subject, but the way her eyes softened whenever he caught her gazing at them warmed him. He was a fortunate man, indeed, to know two Gryffindor women with a penchant for taking in strays.
Their time in the UK had passed too quickly, and now they were faced with having to attend the Potters New Year’s Eve bash. Severus was grateful Minerva would be attending with them. She would fortify his resolve when it weakened, and support their relationship should things go awry. He readied himself for the party, showering and combing his hair and slipping into comfortable trousers and a cashmere jumper Hermione had knitted for him. It was warm and imbued with her magic, a warming charm knitted into the item of clothing that embraced him almost as if the witch was doing so herself.
When Hermione walked out of the bathroom wearing a dress in a sage green knit that complimented her complexion well, he felt his breath leave him. ‘Beautiful.’ The word slipped from his lips unbidden, and she smiled, sauntering over to smack an eager kiss to his lips.
He pulled back after a few moments of indulging in her sweet mouth, running his thumb over her collar bone and up to her shoulder as he caught his breath. ‘Better not,’ he murmured, his voice a little husky from their shared kiss. ‘You want to attend this party, and I can assure you if we keep this up, we will not make it out of this room.’
‘Tease,’ she said, kissing him briefly on the lips once more before reluctantly parting from him. ‘Oh all right, but only because Harry and Ginny are expecting us.’
‘Expecting you,’ he reminded her. ‘They aren’t going to be pleased to see me at all.’
‘They’ll be happy that I am happy,’ Hermione argued, taking one of his larger hands with her smaller one. ‘Let’s go. Minerva will be waiting.’
With a long-suffering sigh, Severus allowed her to pull him up from the bed and followed her downstairs to where Minerva was waiting for them by the door.
‘You both clean up very nicely,’ the older witch noted, to which Severus responded with a flat stare, and the younger witch at his side grinned.
‘You look lovely too,’ Hermione told Minerva, before looking back up at him. ‘She is right, you know. You look very handsome this evening.’
Severus felt himself flush, and cleared his throat, choosing not to respond. After donning their winter coats, the trio bundled together to leave, Apparating to the park near Twelve Grimmauld place so they could walk the short distance to the Potter’s home. Minerva led the way while he and Hermione followed behind, and the three waited on the front steps after ringing the doorbell.
Moments later, the door swung open to reveal Ginny Potter holding a dark-haired toddler to her hip, a bright smile on her face when she saw the three of them standing there. ‘Welcome, come in, come in,’ she said excitedly, accepting a hug from both Minerva and Hermione before her eyes fell on him and her expression shifted to surprise. ‘Professor, what a lovely surprise.’
Before Severus was aware of what was happening, he found himself in a one-armed embrace from Ginny Potter, the lively infant she was holding pressing against him as she did so.
‘You look well, Mrs Potter,’ he greeted, uncomfortable with such open affections from a young woman he had not seen in many years.
‘I am well, come in,’ Ginny said, moving out of the doorway to lead the way into the house.
Minerva moved ahead of them to the sitting room after wrestling who Severus assumed was one of the Potter’s offspring from the red-haired witch’s arms, leaving him alone with Hermione and her friend.
‘So, is the Professor your surprise, then?’ Ginny asked with a sly smile. ‘I had a feeling you were bringing home a bloke for Christmas.’
Severus resisted the urge to sputter his indignation while Hermione chuckled and put a hand on his arm. ‘Yes, Gin,’ she said, rolling her eyes at her friend. ‘Severus and I are a couple.’
‘Well that’s one hell of a surprise,’ Ginny said, gazing up at him.
‘I did suggest Hermione tell you before we arrived,’ he muttered.
‘I thought it would be more fun this way,’ Hermione argued.
Severus shared a look with Ginny Potter then, and he felt his anxiety ease somewhat. He was relieved that Hermione didn’t seem as though she would abandon him to the sharks, as they moved into the main party area. They were immediately set upon by a sea of Weasley’s and other old Order Members in attendance at the party. Harry, as Potter had insisted Severus call him, was entirely unphased to learn about his and Hermione’s relationship. It made him feel somewhat foolish for being so anxious about it all.
The party was loud, and when it became too overwhelming Severus excused himself and retreated to the library upstairs for some quiet. Just as he settled near one of the windows to gaze out as the snow began to fall, the door opened and Hermione slipped inside.
‘I thought I’d find you here,’ she said, walking over to join him.
‘It was crowded,’ he explained.
Hermione said nothing, only smiled as she wrapped her arms around him, snuggling in close. Stolen moments like these he would file away in his mind to replay to remind himself when he struggled to believe she would ever want to be with a man such as he.
‘It was a little loud,’ she agreed. ‘Harry thinks it’s great we are seeing one another.’
‘Harry said as much to me himself,’ Severus drawled.
She giggled and leaned up to steal a kiss. ‘I love you,’ she confessed to him as she drew back a moment later.
His heart quite literally skipped a beat. ‘I love you too.’
Their lips met in a kiss so tender that for a moment Severus forgot where they were. Afterwards, he allowed her to grasp his hand and draw him back down to rejoin the festivities. He didn’t mind; his heart fluttered back to life as he basked in the warm glow of their confessions.
FIN