Fic: Christmas Dinner; no challenge, gift for n_nanini
Title: Christmas Dinner
Summary: At home for the Christmas holidays in her first year, Lily can't stop thinking about her best friend, and the miserable time he's probably having.
Characters/Pairings: Lily Evans, Severus Snape
Genre: Gen
Rating/Warnings: G/no warnings
Word Count: 1,172
Notes: Written for the awesome n_nanini for the holiday exchange. Hope you had a great Christmas and Happy New Year!! Sorry it's so late, but I hope you like it :)
Lily’s heart raced faster and faster as the train whipped through the English countryside, its beat throbbing in her ears, drowning out all other sounds.
She had just finished her first term as a student at Hogwarts, had just had the most amazing few months of her life.
But now it was Christmas, and there was no place she’d rather be than at home in Cokeworth, in the snug little home she grew up in. For two short weeks, she was trading in charms and spells for an older sister who teased her, and the two least magical parents the world has ever known.
And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She stared out the window and watched as the green fields faded away, replaced by buildings. Her grin grew; they were almost to King’s Cross.
The train had barely stopped before she was jumping off to the platform, and running through the crowd, scanning their faces for a familiar pair of green eyes, a long nose, vibrant red hair. She found her parents and Petunia near, looking just as excited as she felt. They pulled her into deep hugs, kisses were pressed into her hair, her forehead. Even Petunia, who had been cross with her ever since Lily received her letter, smiled and hugged her sister.
Her father was getting her trunk and Lily was chattering away with her mother and sister about what they would have for Christmas dinner when a flash of black caught her eye. Curious, she turned to see who it was. Severus Snape had just walked by, pushing his trunk on a cart as he followed a sour-looking man with similar long, black hair, and a depressed woman who stared at the ground.
Lily felt her face fall. She had forgotten about Sev. Forgotten that he was also coming home for Christmas, and that his holiday might not be as pleasant. It had only been that summer, when they lounged under a tree at the park, and he told her all about Hogwarts, and tried to ignore all her questions about his family. But everyone knew that Tobias Snape had a nasty temper. How had she forgotten how he used to spend as much time as possible at that park, just so he wouldn’t have to be home? She frowned after him, wishing she could fix things, give him a nice holiday. But the next moment, her mother was pulling her by the hand towards their car.
~~~
It was easy to forget her friend’s unfortunate circumstances when she was surrounded by such festive decorations and joyous people as crowded the Evans house in the days leading up to Christmas. Lily mentally kicked herself for thinking that Hogwarts food could ever taste as good as her mother’s famous Christmas cookies, or that any of her school friends could make her laugh as hard as her father. From the time she woke until the time she went to bed, she was surrounded by the tastes, aromas, and sounds of the season. It was easy to forget even that she went to Hogwarts, for this was a homecoming like she never imagined. She was reminded of all these things she didn’t even realized she missed, like sharing a room with Petunia and whispering secrets late into the night, watching ridiculous soap operas with her Mum. She felt...at home, like nothing had changed. It was exactly the same as she’d left it back in September.
Except for one nagging thought that would push to the front of her mind every once in a while, quickly replaced by gingerbread houses, Christmas carols, shopping, and wrapping presents.
Severus: lonely. Bored. Unloved.
Whenever these thoughts popped up she felt a bit sick to her stomach with guilt. But there was always someone to bring her back, a relative to enlist her help decorating the tree, or invite her to play a game.
Soon it was Christmas morning, and just like every year since she could remember, Lily and Petunia woke at the crack of dawn and snuck into their parents’ room to wake them up. They stomped their feet impatiently, but allowed themselves to be convinced to slow down for a mug of cocoa before opening presents. Under the tree, in colorfully wrapped packages, topped with shiny bows, the presents would wait a few more minutes.
Her parents sat on the sofa and smiled as she and Petunia tore into their presents, gleeful laughs escaping as they unwrapped much anticipated dolls and books, or a beautiful sweater hand-knit by Grandma Evans. Lily grinned as she handed Petunia her gift: a toy wand. She promised to teach her sister all the spells she knew, and they spent the rest of the morning playing magic.
At noon they sat down to a sumptuous feast of turkey and stuffing, fresh bread, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Lily groaned in happiness with every bite, wondering how it was possible that something as simple as bread could taste so much like home.
After they ate, Petunia and Lily were playing with some of their new gifts, when one of those uncomfortable thoughts returned to her head. She couldn’t keep ignoring them.
“Mum? Dad? Do you think I could go to the park for a bit?”
“Sure dear, just be back before it gets dark,” her mother answered.
Lily nodded and walked through the kitchen to the back door, tossing a few things in a bag as she passed.
~~~
She knew she’d find him there. On such a family day as Christmas, he would want to be as far away from home as possible.
And she wasn’t wrong. He was under their old tree, back in his over large coat and frayed trousers. He was staring at the ground morosely and looked up with a start as he heard her approach.
“Lily!”
“Hi Sev. Mind if I join you?”
He nodded silently, the startled look not fading from his dark eyes.
“I um, brought you something,” she said, suddenly nervous, as she passed him the bag. “I just thought you might not have had any at home.”
He opened up the bag, staring wordlessly at the small containers of turkey and potatoes, the warm bread wrapped in a cloth. There was even a piece of pie on a little dish.
He looked up at her. “What is all this?”
“Christmas dinner of course. I was afraid since you were back home and I know your parents don’t get on very well and well, your father seems quite unfriendly, and you know, I just thought, what if he has no Christmas dinner? Everyone has to have Christmas dinner!” She dropped her gaze, embarrassed for voicing her opinions, especially about his father.
He reached over and wrapped his hand around hers, squeezing in gently.
“This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” he said. She looked up to see a small smile on his face, something she hadn’t seen in a while.
“Happy Christmas, Sev.”
“Happy Christmas, Lily.”
1,172 words/30 = 39 points
Summary: At home for the Christmas holidays in her first year, Lily can't stop thinking about her best friend, and the miserable time he's probably having.
Characters/Pairings: Lily Evans, Severus Snape
Genre: Gen
Rating/Warnings: G/no warnings
Word Count: 1,172
Notes: Written for the awesome n_nanini for the holiday exchange. Hope you had a great Christmas and Happy New Year!! Sorry it's so late, but I hope you like it :)
Lily’s heart raced faster and faster as the train whipped through the English countryside, its beat throbbing in her ears, drowning out all other sounds.
She had just finished her first term as a student at Hogwarts, had just had the most amazing few months of her life.
But now it was Christmas, and there was no place she’d rather be than at home in Cokeworth, in the snug little home she grew up in. For two short weeks, she was trading in charms and spells for an older sister who teased her, and the two least magical parents the world has ever known.
And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She stared out the window and watched as the green fields faded away, replaced by buildings. Her grin grew; they were almost to King’s Cross.
The train had barely stopped before she was jumping off to the platform, and running through the crowd, scanning their faces for a familiar pair of green eyes, a long nose, vibrant red hair. She found her parents and Petunia near, looking just as excited as she felt. They pulled her into deep hugs, kisses were pressed into her hair, her forehead. Even Petunia, who had been cross with her ever since Lily received her letter, smiled and hugged her sister.
Her father was getting her trunk and Lily was chattering away with her mother and sister about what they would have for Christmas dinner when a flash of black caught her eye. Curious, she turned to see who it was. Severus Snape had just walked by, pushing his trunk on a cart as he followed a sour-looking man with similar long, black hair, and a depressed woman who stared at the ground.
Lily felt her face fall. She had forgotten about Sev. Forgotten that he was also coming home for Christmas, and that his holiday might not be as pleasant. It had only been that summer, when they lounged under a tree at the park, and he told her all about Hogwarts, and tried to ignore all her questions about his family. But everyone knew that Tobias Snape had a nasty temper. How had she forgotten how he used to spend as much time as possible at that park, just so he wouldn’t have to be home? She frowned after him, wishing she could fix things, give him a nice holiday. But the next moment, her mother was pulling her by the hand towards their car.
~~~
It was easy to forget her friend’s unfortunate circumstances when she was surrounded by such festive decorations and joyous people as crowded the Evans house in the days leading up to Christmas. Lily mentally kicked herself for thinking that Hogwarts food could ever taste as good as her mother’s famous Christmas cookies, or that any of her school friends could make her laugh as hard as her father. From the time she woke until the time she went to bed, she was surrounded by the tastes, aromas, and sounds of the season. It was easy to forget even that she went to Hogwarts, for this was a homecoming like she never imagined. She was reminded of all these things she didn’t even realized she missed, like sharing a room with Petunia and whispering secrets late into the night, watching ridiculous soap operas with her Mum. She felt...at home, like nothing had changed. It was exactly the same as she’d left it back in September.
Except for one nagging thought that would push to the front of her mind every once in a while, quickly replaced by gingerbread houses, Christmas carols, shopping, and wrapping presents.
Severus: lonely. Bored. Unloved.
Whenever these thoughts popped up she felt a bit sick to her stomach with guilt. But there was always someone to bring her back, a relative to enlist her help decorating the tree, or invite her to play a game.
Soon it was Christmas morning, and just like every year since she could remember, Lily and Petunia woke at the crack of dawn and snuck into their parents’ room to wake them up. They stomped their feet impatiently, but allowed themselves to be convinced to slow down for a mug of cocoa before opening presents. Under the tree, in colorfully wrapped packages, topped with shiny bows, the presents would wait a few more minutes.
Her parents sat on the sofa and smiled as she and Petunia tore into their presents, gleeful laughs escaping as they unwrapped much anticipated dolls and books, or a beautiful sweater hand-knit by Grandma Evans. Lily grinned as she handed Petunia her gift: a toy wand. She promised to teach her sister all the spells she knew, and they spent the rest of the morning playing magic.
At noon they sat down to a sumptuous feast of turkey and stuffing, fresh bread, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Lily groaned in happiness with every bite, wondering how it was possible that something as simple as bread could taste so much like home.
After they ate, Petunia and Lily were playing with some of their new gifts, when one of those uncomfortable thoughts returned to her head. She couldn’t keep ignoring them.
“Mum? Dad? Do you think I could go to the park for a bit?”
“Sure dear, just be back before it gets dark,” her mother answered.
Lily nodded and walked through the kitchen to the back door, tossing a few things in a bag as she passed.
~~~
She knew she’d find him there. On such a family day as Christmas, he would want to be as far away from home as possible.
And she wasn’t wrong. He was under their old tree, back in his over large coat and frayed trousers. He was staring at the ground morosely and looked up with a start as he heard her approach.
“Lily!”
“Hi Sev. Mind if I join you?”
He nodded silently, the startled look not fading from his dark eyes.
“I um, brought you something,” she said, suddenly nervous, as she passed him the bag. “I just thought you might not have had any at home.”
He opened up the bag, staring wordlessly at the small containers of turkey and potatoes, the warm bread wrapped in a cloth. There was even a piece of pie on a little dish.
He looked up at her. “What is all this?”
“Christmas dinner of course. I was afraid since you were back home and I know your parents don’t get on very well and well, your father seems quite unfriendly, and you know, I just thought, what if he has no Christmas dinner? Everyone has to have Christmas dinner!” She dropped her gaze, embarrassed for voicing her opinions, especially about his father.
He reached over and wrapped his hand around hers, squeezing in gently.
“This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” he said. She looked up to see a small smile on his face, something she hadn’t seen in a while.
“Happy Christmas, Sev.”
“Happy Christmas, Lily.”
1,172 words/30 = 39 points