Yuletide Potions
Title: Yuletide Potions XIV
Team: Order of the Phoenix
Word Count: 10 x 100
Rating: PG
Challenges: Santa Severus, Comfort and Joy
Characters: Severus, Hermione, Monica, Wendell
Start at the beginning
Part XIII
*****
Despite her father’s words, doubts screamed through his mind:
She’s just grateful for what you’re doing for her parents.
She doesn’t care for you like this.
She’s your employee. You’re about to cock up the best partnership you’ve ever had in your miserable life!
Severus hesitated. His breath stuttered backward, but then Hermione’s fingers touched his jaw, guiding him forward. Her eyes slowly closed as she tilted her face up to his.
Surrendering, he closed the distance between them.
Seconds after their lips met, her mouth opened under his. Scarcely able to believe what was happening, he deepened the kiss.
*
“Friends, eh?”
Hermione gasped at the sound of her father’s voice, backing out of Severus’ arms, but still holding his hand. Severus tightened his grip, unsure if he was giving or seeking reassurance. Rumbled.
“I said that we are friends, and we are, but this,” he said, using his free hand to indicate himself and Hermione, “has been changing. Last week. Now.”
Wendell nodded, walking from his bedroom to the lavatory. “You’re both adults. Do what you will. Just don’t be stupid.” He shut the door behind him.
Severus looked down at Hermione, who was beaming at the lavatory door.
*
Puzzled, Severus asked, “Stupid?” He couldn’t think of any word less applicable to either of them. How could she be smiling?
“It’s just something he says. They’ve always encouraged me to be prudent and to never stop learning, but when I came of age, he said that I was old enough to make my own decisions, so long as I’d thought out what the consequences could be.” Sighing, she added, “I still have room for improvement, however.”
Severus reached up to smooth the frown from her face. “Who doesn’t?” He pressed his lips to hers again as the toilet flushed.
*
Wendell emerged, waving at them over his shoulder. The bedroom door closed.
Hermione smiled fondly after her father. “It’s reassuring to see that he’s still him, in spite of what I’ve done.”
Severus examined her face. “You’re sure you’ll be okay out there?”
Nodding, she stated, “I can stretch out on that sofa. You’re taller than I am; you’d be uncomfortable all night. You should have the spare room.”
He scowled, uncomfortable, but he said nothing. With a final squeeze to her hand, Severus said, “Good night, then.”
Hermione looked at him oddly. “What was it that happened last week?”
*
“What?”
“You told Dad things were changing last week. I didn’t tell you about Ron. Did you figure it out, or did you just like all the Christmas decorations I put up around the workroom?” Her big, brown eyes were deceptively soft as they searched his face.
Severus blinked, remembering how it had felt when she sat on his lap and told him she didn’t want to be alone on Christmas. “The engagement ring was gone,” he murmured, looking into her eyes.
He wasn’t sure if she believed him, but she nodded and said, “Kiss me again.”
Relieved, Severus complied.
***
Hermione woke the next morning with the same thought that accompanied her into sleep: Severus was Santa. She wondered how Minerva had managed to coerce him into sitting still for almost two hours, listening to those children pour out their hearts to him.
It was obvious he’d been miserable the whole time. His scowl had seemed familiar that evening, but it was only last night that Hermione finally recognized it again.
And now, she recognized what Minerva was trying to do. Hermione resented matchmakers. How could affection that resulted from coercion or pressure be genuine?
She sniffled, furious at herself.
*
“Good morning.”
Hermione turned her head, blinking into the sunlight that peeked through the blinds. “Morning.” Sitting up, she sighed, stretching the kinks out of her back. The sofa wasn’t comfortable; she hadn’t slept well.
Severus frowned at her. “You shall take the spare room tonight,” he said.
Hermione looked at her hands. “You need to get back to the apothecary. Minerva can find someone to work in the front until I return … if you’ll show me your research, I’ll do what I can here.”
He leaned forward, incredulity etched into his features. “I’m not going to leave you alone.”
*
“You’ve done so much already. Their situation is my problem.”
“What do you think I’m doing here? Do you think I’m on holiday?!”
“I think you’re here because I was silly enough to play along with Minerva last Sunday.”
An exasperated expression settled over his face even as his ears and cheeks grew pink. She could tell he was furious about being outed as Santa, but he just said, “You have exhausted the extent of your knowledge, Hermione. If you send me home, you might as well come with me.”
She knew it. This was a row she couldn’t win.
*
She’d think about Severus’ motives later. What mattered was that he was here now. “Forgive me,” she murmured miserably.
He held out his hand. She stumbled to him, curling up on his lap. “I read for a few hours last night. You wouldn’t have performed the initial charm on them without studying it. There’s no reason you shouldn’t have been able to break it.”
“What do you suspect?”
Hermione and Severus stood up quickly as her parents entered the room. Severus summoned another chair and motioned for Mum to sit in it, sitting again. “Please relax, Monica,” he said soothingly.
*
Hermione was fascinated.
Wand in hand, Severus gently touched her mother’s face, looking into her eyes. “Legilimens.”
Their eyelids fluttered.
Severus raised his eyebrow, and Mum’s followed suit.
Hermione blinked. It was bizarre, seeing a very Snape-ish expression on Mum’s face … and a slightly Mum-ish expression on Severus’ face.
Both drew breath, and after Severus whispered, “Monica,” Mum murmured, “Granger.”
Their faces went slack, and Hermione stole a glance at Dad. He looked distressed and confused, and a fresh wave of tears stung her tired eyes.
Minutes passed. A tense silence filled the room. “Who?” Mum whispered.
“Dolores,” Severus hissed.
*****
Part XV
Team: Order of the Phoenix
Word Count: 10 x 100
Rating: PG
Challenges: Santa Severus, Comfort and Joy
Characters: Severus, Hermione, Monica, Wendell
Start at the beginning
Part XIII
*****
Despite her father’s words, doubts screamed through his mind:
She’s just grateful for what you’re doing for her parents.
She doesn’t care for you like this.
She’s your employee. You’re about to cock up the best partnership you’ve ever had in your miserable life!
Severus hesitated. His breath stuttered backward, but then Hermione’s fingers touched his jaw, guiding him forward. Her eyes slowly closed as she tilted her face up to his.
Surrendering, he closed the distance between them.
Seconds after their lips met, her mouth opened under his. Scarcely able to believe what was happening, he deepened the kiss.
*
“Friends, eh?”
Hermione gasped at the sound of her father’s voice, backing out of Severus’ arms, but still holding his hand. Severus tightened his grip, unsure if he was giving or seeking reassurance. Rumbled.
“I said that we are friends, and we are, but this,” he said, using his free hand to indicate himself and Hermione, “has been changing. Last week. Now.”
Wendell nodded, walking from his bedroom to the lavatory. “You’re both adults. Do what you will. Just don’t be stupid.” He shut the door behind him.
Severus looked down at Hermione, who was beaming at the lavatory door.
*
Puzzled, Severus asked, “Stupid?” He couldn’t think of any word less applicable to either of them. How could she be smiling?
“It’s just something he says. They’ve always encouraged me to be prudent and to never stop learning, but when I came of age, he said that I was old enough to make my own decisions, so long as I’d thought out what the consequences could be.” Sighing, she added, “I still have room for improvement, however.”
Severus reached up to smooth the frown from her face. “Who doesn’t?” He pressed his lips to hers again as the toilet flushed.
*
Wendell emerged, waving at them over his shoulder. The bedroom door closed.
Hermione smiled fondly after her father. “It’s reassuring to see that he’s still him, in spite of what I’ve done.”
Severus examined her face. “You’re sure you’ll be okay out there?”
Nodding, she stated, “I can stretch out on that sofa. You’re taller than I am; you’d be uncomfortable all night. You should have the spare room.”
He scowled, uncomfortable, but he said nothing. With a final squeeze to her hand, Severus said, “Good night, then.”
Hermione looked at him oddly. “What was it that happened last week?”
*
“What?”
“You told Dad things were changing last week. I didn’t tell you about Ron. Did you figure it out, or did you just like all the Christmas decorations I put up around the workroom?” Her big, brown eyes were deceptively soft as they searched his face.
Severus blinked, remembering how it had felt when she sat on his lap and told him she didn’t want to be alone on Christmas. “The engagement ring was gone,” he murmured, looking into her eyes.
He wasn’t sure if she believed him, but she nodded and said, “Kiss me again.”
Relieved, Severus complied.
***
Hermione woke the next morning with the same thought that accompanied her into sleep: Severus was Santa. She wondered how Minerva had managed to coerce him into sitting still for almost two hours, listening to those children pour out their hearts to him.
It was obvious he’d been miserable the whole time. His scowl had seemed familiar that evening, but it was only last night that Hermione finally recognized it again.
And now, she recognized what Minerva was trying to do. Hermione resented matchmakers. How could affection that resulted from coercion or pressure be genuine?
She sniffled, furious at herself.
*
“Good morning.”
Hermione turned her head, blinking into the sunlight that peeked through the blinds. “Morning.” Sitting up, she sighed, stretching the kinks out of her back. The sofa wasn’t comfortable; she hadn’t slept well.
Severus frowned at her. “You shall take the spare room tonight,” he said.
Hermione looked at her hands. “You need to get back to the apothecary. Minerva can find someone to work in the front until I return … if you’ll show me your research, I’ll do what I can here.”
He leaned forward, incredulity etched into his features. “I’m not going to leave you alone.”
*
“You’ve done so much already. Their situation is my problem.”
“What do you think I’m doing here? Do you think I’m on holiday?!”
“I think you’re here because I was silly enough to play along with Minerva last Sunday.”
An exasperated expression settled over his face even as his ears and cheeks grew pink. She could tell he was furious about being outed as Santa, but he just said, “You have exhausted the extent of your knowledge, Hermione. If you send me home, you might as well come with me.”
She knew it. This was a row she couldn’t win.
*
She’d think about Severus’ motives later. What mattered was that he was here now. “Forgive me,” she murmured miserably.
He held out his hand. She stumbled to him, curling up on his lap. “I read for a few hours last night. You wouldn’t have performed the initial charm on them without studying it. There’s no reason you shouldn’t have been able to break it.”
“What do you suspect?”
Hermione and Severus stood up quickly as her parents entered the room. Severus summoned another chair and motioned for Mum to sit in it, sitting again. “Please relax, Monica,” he said soothingly.
*
Hermione was fascinated.
Wand in hand, Severus gently touched her mother’s face, looking into her eyes. “Legilimens.”
Their eyelids fluttered.
Severus raised his eyebrow, and Mum’s followed suit.
Hermione blinked. It was bizarre, seeing a very Snape-ish expression on Mum’s face … and a slightly Mum-ish expression on Severus’ face.
Both drew breath, and after Severus whispered, “Monica,” Mum murmured, “Granger.”
Their faces went slack, and Hermione stole a glance at Dad. He looked distressed and confused, and a fresh wave of tears stung her tired eyes.
Minutes passed. A tense silence filled the room. “Who?” Mum whispered.
“Dolores,” Severus hissed.
*****
Part XV