Custody Battle

A/N: Super short chappie, I know, but I had to get it going and if I attached it to the next chapter, it was going to be mega long like the last one, possibly longer. I hope you guys enjoy! Please review! Give me feedback! Thanks to those who have!

With the children all marched upstairs, Blake at their back, Hermione flopped down onto the couch beside Minerva, who chuckled at the girl. “Exhausting, isn’t it?”

The younger witch nodded. “You’ve no idea…though I suppose you do, being married to Santa Claus,” she smirked and the two women burst into a fit of laughter.

Albus had taken station over the tray of cookies, his love for sweets uncontrollable at that point. Severus stood beside him, idly sipping the glass of milk after the other had refused it on a count of Lactose intolerance. “They seem like a cheerful lot,” the older wizard commented, munching happily on a sugar cookie shaped like a golden snitch, decorated with more icing than there was actual cookie.

“Yes, Hermione has her hands full,” he said eyeing the witch, who was busy chattering away with Minerva.

“And how are the two of you doing?”

Severus turned his eyes to Albus. “What?” The twinkling blue reminded him of the Christmas lights that Blake had strung up all around the exterior of the house. It would have been much simpler to use magic, but at Hermione’s request, he’d let the man do it himself. “As fine as two people who share nothing but a child can be, I suppose,” he said, carefully selecting each word so as not to give the other anything to read into.

“Indeed,” he smiled, winked, and then moved slowly over toward the couch, plate of cookies in hand. “Well, my dear Minerva, I believe we must be off. The presents at Hogwarts won’t deliver themselves, you know,” he beamed at her as she rose from the couch.

“Yes, I know.” She rolled her eyes and picked a tiny chocolate chip cookie from the plate. “Come on, you old sugar fiend, let’s get going my back is already sore…” Her bright eyes turned to Hermione. “It was lovely to see you, dear; I suspect we’ll see you tomorrow at The Burrow?”

“Oh, yes,” she smiled and wrapped her arms around the older witch. “Indeed.” “Goodbye, Albus,” she said. Both arms fell around the ancient wizard as Minerva moved into the fireplace.

“I nearly forgot,” he muttered and reached into his pocket, pulling out two very small parcels. “For you,” he said, handing one to Hermione, “And you,” and he gave the other to Severus. “Merry Christmas! And to all a good night!” without another word, he’d backed into the green flames and in an instant had disappeared up the chimney.

Hermione chuckled. “Just what do you suppose…” her eyes fell to Severus who had stuffed the gift box into a pocket. “Aren’t you going to open it?”

He shook his head. “I’m a firm believer of not opening gifts until Christmas morning, and knowing Albus, that’s probably a wise decision.”

Hermione nodded and knelt beneath the Christmas tree, placing her parcel there. “Here, give it to me, you can open it in the morning,” she smiled. “Though…” her voice trailed off and she looked a bit red in the cheeks as she rose to her feet. “Even though you don’t believe in opening presents the night before…” moving around the room, she began to rummage in some bags behind one of the sofas. “Might you, erm, reconsider that rule just this once?” she asked and handed him a shiny wrapped box.

“Hermione you didn’t have to—”

“Yes, yes I did. Especially since I know that you—”

“How did you—”

“Caterina,” they both said together.

“But I had bought this before she said something.” Hermione added and then took a seat on the sofa.

“I see,” he said and took the seat beside her. Fishing in his pocket he pulled out a box that he’d shrunk and then with a few muttered words it grew to the size of a small breadbox, wrapped in shiny red paper with a golden bow. “Figured the paper was suiting.”

She snorted. “I think you’ve got Emma’s paper there,” she pointed to the dancing snowmen. “I think I was out of everything else.” Hermione eyed the package. “This was very thoughtful of you.”

“As it was of you,” he said and carefully tore the snowman paper from the package, much as his daughter had done when she’d opened her potions kit. Lifting the box lid his eyes were met with a deep green jumper and he smiled. “Thank you,” he said, taking the jumper out of the box to examine it more closely.

“It’s a potions jumper,” she said and he quirked a brow at her. A smile grew over her lips, almost the same excited smile that Caterina had shown when explaining her potions kit. “It’s thermo regulated, so that you don’t get too hot or cold when brewing, and its long sleeves and high collar protect against spills, the fabric is designed to repel odors so no more cauldron fumes and its also fairly impenetrable and flame retardant.”

Running a finger over the material he smiled. “And it’s soft. Thank you.”

Hermione smiled and carefully opened her package. “Oh, Severus! They’re beautiful!” she cried, taking the small pink earrings out of the box. “How did you know?” she asked, as she held them up to the light, watching the rainbow rays shoot through the crystals in all directions.

“Caterina told me that they were a gift from—”

“Ginny, back when I’d finished school and about a year ago—”

“—Emma was playing dress-up and accidentally flushed them down the loo.” He finished. Her eyes beamed at him and he smiled. “I’m glad you like them.”

“Severus, they’re perfect, that was too thoughtful of you,” she said, carefully placing them back into their box. She stood from the sofa and placed the box atop the mantle. It was a long moment before he joined her, his chest against her back, placing his hands over hers. Turning slowly, she found herself embraced in his arms and she sighed, just resting her head against his chest for a moment. “Thank you, Severus,” she whispered. “Merry Christmas.”

Stepping slowly back from her, he leaned his lips forward and kissed her cheek chastely before she could turn into his kiss. “And thank you, that jumper is perfect.” He moved over to the couch just as Blake came down the stairs.

“Kids are all settled into bed,” he beamed.

“Good, I thought we’d never get them to go to sleep after the impromptu visit from Santa Claus.”

Severus chuckled as Blake moved past him and took Hermione in his arms. “You look exhausted, love, get on up to bed, Severus and I can finish up down here.” He said and turned his eyes to the wizard.

Hermione stepped back and gazed at the two men, a worried look on her face. “Well…”

“No need to worry, Hermione,” Severus reassured her, though his words did little actual reassuring.

“I suppose…”

“Go on, hon, you’ve had a long day,” Blake pulled her into a warm embrace and hey shared a gentle kiss. “Go, up to bed, or Santa won’t be leaving you anything but lumps of coal.”

She snorted and then nodded. “Alright, alright.” Heading up the stairs she gazed down at the two of them. “Goodnight, and Merry Christmas.”

Severus turned to Blake, who approached him a bit too quickly, but he hesitated, not wanting to draw his wand in case the man didn’t intend to harm him. He was rather surprised when Blake extended his hand. “I think we got off on the wrong foot,” he said and gazed at the wizard, square in the eye.

Taking his hand, he shook it firmly. “Indeed.”

“What you did for the kids tonight, orchestrating Santa Claus, and well…” he released the wizard’s hand, “What you did for me, Caterina explained that potions thing and it does sound really interesting.”

“It was nothing, I assure you,” he said and moved over to retrieve his box, heading for the staircase. He couldn’t very well actually claim that Albus had been his idea, after all, that old wizard had a mind of his own unlike any other. But if Hermione’s husband believed he was responsible, what harm could that really do? “Merry Christmas, Blake,” he said, climbing the stairs.

“Thank you. And Merry Christmas, Severus.”