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Christmas Day, 1996
She made a mistake.
While Athena ate the breakfast Severus had made for her, he sat across the kitchen table and read aloud the last chapter of A Christmas Carol, the part she’d fallen asleep during. The entire time, his lips still felt the blissful touch of her kiss.
It hadn’t seemed necessary to say anything when it happened. Why ruin a wonderful moment with meaningless words? The realization didn’t hit him until she put down her fork and finished her mug of hot chocolate. It was a mistake. That’s why she hasn’t said anything about it.
She’d been recovering from the Wolfsbane Potion’s influence, getting used to her human body again. In his attempt to help her, he had inadvertently put her in an intimate position: sitting in front of the study fireplace, his arm around her, their heads close together. Perhaps it had reminded her of a moment with her mate before he’d died, and not yet in full control of herself, she had acted on instinct or memory and pressed their lips together. It wasn’t meant for me.
That’s all right. Honestly, it was my fault. There’s no need to embarrass her for it. No reason to risk their friendship. Severus would just keep it to himself. A treasured memory, perhaps, but one he would outwardly pretend had never happened.
Athena stumbled as she rose from the table, so he helped her put on her coat and climb down his rain-slickened steps, then walked with her along the cobblestone streets. They wound through the shabby brick houses of Cokeworth, an icy wind at their backs, until they reached the river. “Watch your step,” he said, holding her hand to steady her as they climbed down the overgrown bank to a spot out of sight. “There we are.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“My pleasure. I just want to be sure you get home safely. Are you sure you feel well enough to apparate so soon after your transformation?”
“I’m fine. I do it after every full moon.”
“Yes, but you don’t take Wolfsbane Potion every full moon. Please don’t feel you need to rush off if you’re not ready.”
“I really am all right, but thank you. For everything.”
“Of course. Oh, I almost forgot. Before you go.” Severus reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out a wrapped package. “It isn’t much, but happy Christmas.”
“Oh, thank you! I’ll open it as soon as I get home.” She took the package and hugged it to her chest. After a heartbeat, she bit her lip and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m probably going to crash out pretty badly for the rest of the day, but I wonder, could I come by tomorrow afternoon after my pack has our Christmas dinner? I could help in the lab if you need it, or maybe just, you know, spend time with you.”
“I would like that very much, Athena,” Severus said.
She smiled, and that smile was all the Christmas gift he needed. “Happy Christmas,” she said, then she gave Severus a quick peck on the cheek before apparating away.
Happy Christmas. Severus was halfway home before he realized his hand had floated to his cheek somewhere on the walk back. He quickly dropped it to his side.
Would it be a happy Christmas, now that he was alone? What needed to be done today? He sighed. Christmas dinner at Hogwarts that evening was unavoidable. Thank goodness Potter and the Weasleys were gone this year. He should probably put in an appearance at lunch as well, but he could make that brief. Would it be better to spend the time until then getting a little more sleep, or brewing a restorative draught to hide his tiredness?
He was still debating when he opened his door and saw a gift-wrapped package on the kitchen table, with two candy canes crossed under the ribbon. The tag said only “to Severus”, but he recognized Athena’s handwriting. With a slight smile tickling his lips, Severus sat at the kitchen table and untied the ribbon bow. Setting the candy canes aside, he carefully opened the end of the wrapping, and slipped it off the book inside. As soon as he saw the cover, he burst out laughing. Dawn of Change by Ian Bloodworth, a Banished Night sequel. The exact same, and no doubt horrifically terrible, title he had just given Athena.
He had just gotten his laughter under control when a small spark of light flashed in front of his nose, and a balled slip of parchment fell to the table and opened to show Athena’s curly handwriting. “I am going to subject my entire pack to this book today with a read-aloud spell. Consider yourself warned. Thank you again, and happy Christmas. ~A.S.”
Well, that settled how Severus would spend his Christmas. He would be reading this book, so he and Athena could pick it apart properly tomorrow afternoon.