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Severus knew the second he woke up today wouldn't be a good day. He had been dreading it the whole week. Today was his birthday, he hadn't told Victoria what today was because it seemed too private in some way. His parents have refused to speak to him since he came out as a trans-man and while his birthday's when he was young hadn't been spectaculor he always felt loved. This would be his first birthday since he was disowned.
He went through his morning as he would any Saturday, he showered, put on his casual clothes, brushed his teeth and went to the Great Hall for breakfast with Victoria. When Severus sat down at his place at the Slyherin table, as if on cue Victoria flounced up to where he sat and plopped next to him with a green apple in her hand and still in her yellow cotton pajama shorts and loose crop top. At this point neither the Slytherins or Hufflepuffs were surprised when either Victoria or Severus sat at the other's table, some even left a space for them as well as their housemate.
"Good morning, baby." Victoria says as she pecks him on the cheek, he has a bit of a problem with public displays of affection but he doesn't complain this time.
"Morning." Severus mumbles.
"Something the matter?" She asked curiously.
"It's nothing, Vic."
"You sure? It doesn't seem like nothing."
"Yes, I'm fine." He sighed and hoped she would change the subject. Victoria wasn't very good at letting things go.
Victoria was really concerned about Severus, she knew there was something he wasn't telling her and she was going to find out one way or the other but she decided to let it go for now. Clearly forcing him to talk about it wasn't going to help whatsoever. But she did have an idea.
"Meri Jaan, why don't we go to Hogsmead today? It's actually nice out and I feel like some butterbeer." Victoria said sweetly Meri Jaan was a term of endearment Victoria had begun calling Severus, it meant my life in Hindi. She hoped getting out of the castle might lighten Severus up a bit.
"But it's not a Hogsmead weekend." Severus protested.
"That's never stopped me before." Victoria smirked. Severus rolled his eyes but smiled, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad birthday after all.
A couple hours later, after Victoria dressed and was ready to brave the fridged January air, she met Severus at the One Eyed Witch statue.
"So how do you know about this passage way, Victoria?" Severus questioned warily.
"A couple years ago Sirius Black was trying to impress me so he showed me this map that shows every part of Hogwarts and where all of the people are inside of it." Victoria said casually, making Severus stare at her.
"Firstly, Sirius Black!? And secondly, where did he get that kind of map? There had to have been a lot of complicated spell work involved in that and I doubt a second or third year could do it." Severus said.
"Firstly," Victoria mocked, "yes Sirius Black, he wasn't so bad as a third year and it's not like we actually did anything, I just wanted Lupin's DADA homework. And secondly he said it was passed down in Potter's family." Severus looked at her for a minute and decided he didn't want to know just how much she did to get Lupin's homework.
"Alright, so how do we get in the passage way?"
"You tap the hump with your wand and say Dissendium." Victoria answered as she took out her wand.
"Okay." Severus stepped back.
"Dissendium." Victoria tapped her wand and the hump on the statue opened up, the passage was very small and Severus was a bit worried Victoria at her standing of 5'8 wouldn't be able to fit through the passage. Severus was actually shorter than Victoria at 5'6 and would more than likely fit through the passage easily if with a bit of bending
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Severus asked skeptically.
"Of course, Meri Jaan." Victoria pulled Severus in for a quick kiss. They broke apart reluctantly and went on their way.
It was a long walk and the only light they had after the passage entrance closed was the Lumnos of their wands. There was quite a bit of complaining on this journey, both from Severus and Victoria. Such as ' this was a horrible idea' and 'stop being such a sullen little shit' it's not hard to decipher who said what. But they marched forward, Victoria was absolutely set on cheering up Seveus. Maybe she didn't know what was wrong but she still knew how to make him smile even if it meant picking stupid fights in the dark and just when he seemed too irate she would reach an arm around him and pinch his butt and he would let out an admittedly improper squeal.
Eventually they got to the opening in the back room of Honeyduke's candy shop. They waited while they heard employees shuffling about and when it was empty they creeped out of the entrance and sneaked out into the actual shop.
"Is this still a horrible idea, Meri Jaan?" Victoria asked while tugging Severus around the shop.
"I suppose it could have been worse." He said grudgingly, browsing the chocolate isle.
"What? I didn't hear you, what did you say?" She teased, bumping his shoulder with her own. Severus smiled and rolled his eyes at her antics. Moments like these were when he loved her most, she was a vision of happiness and beauty. He wondered what she saw in him, this brooding, greasy, tra-NO! No, she told him not to say that word. Especially not about himself. Victoria always gets so angry when Severus insulted himself, she immediately ranted to him about why he was important and that he should love himself as much as she loved him.
Severus had gotten so lost in his thoughts that Victoria had to say his name four times before she got his attention. "Severus!"
"Huh? What did you say?" He shook his head to rid himself of any negativity.
"I said do you want to spilt a pack of Every Flavour Beans with me? Misery loves company." She wiggled the box in front of his face for emphasis. Severus made a face but agreed to it.
"Anything for you, my love." Severus gripped her and pulled her into a kiss, it wasn't particularly sexy as Victoria laughed and halfway snorted into the lip-lock but every kiss shared by the couple set off both of their hearts. Severus was much more affectionate when he was around strangers that weren't in on his secret, for he had no fear of mockery.
After Honeydukes they went to Flourish and Blotts, the Quidditch shop (Victoria insisted), and finally The Three Broom Sticks.
They sat in a quiet, darkened corner with only a one group of five or six wizards and witches not far away. As they played to see who got worse flavours of the Every Flavour Beans, washing the particularly bad ones down with sips of butterbeer, a few of the staff brought out a large cake, with pink frosting and about 30 candles and started singing Happy Birthday to young looking witch.
Severus gazed on at the sight with envy that quickly welled up. He muttered a quiet 'excuse me' to Victoria and sprinted out of The Three Broom Sticks. Victoria let out a surprised yelp and quikly went to the bartender to pay before running after Severus. He made it a little out of the village before she caught up with him. Victoria grabbed his arm and spun him around to find his eyes red and tears streaming down his face.
"Oh my gods. Severus, what is it love? What happened back there?" Questions flew out of her mouth and she pulled him into a tight hug. Severus didn't resist and shook with sobs.
"I-I th- birth-" He stuttered out but gave up when not being able to convey what he meant.
"Shhh, it's okay my love, it'll be alright. I've got you, darling.'' Victoria also whispered some Hindi words but Severus couldn't quite make them out, not that he would have understood them.
Victoria continued holding Severus and smoothing out little pieces of his hair until he calmed down enough to speak.
"I'm sorry, Vic. I just-it's my birthday today."
"Why didn't you tell me honey?" Victoria whispered.
"It's the first birthday since my parents, d-disowned me.'' He hiccuped slightly.
"Oh Meri Jaan, I'm so sorry. I guess seeing that back at the pub didn't help this."
"No, no, that made it about ten times worse than it was previously."
"Are you feeling a little better now?"
"Yeah, you definitely helped. I don't know what I would do without you Victoria."
"Probably self-destruct." Victoria murmured and pressed her forehead against his. "You don't have to worry about that though, I'm not going anywhere."
"Good.'' Severus leaned in and they kissed sweetly for a few minutes. Severus broke the kiss and smiled. Still immensely close to each other, Severus whispered, "Best birthday ever.'' to Victoria and she grinned.
"Just you wait, I haven't even given you your present yet."
Severus pulled away. "You didn't even know it was my birthday, what could you possibly give me?"
"Let's put it this way, I have a mini skirt and a bottle of strawberry lube with your name on them."
"What are we waiting for then?" Severus all but tripped over himself to pull Victoria to the path back to Honeydukes. Victoria did not put up a fight and giggled the whole way.