Outside the Potions Classroom

Outside the Potions Classroom




Chapter Seventeen

When Severus awoke Christmas morning he had the oddest feeling he was being watched. He opened his eyes to find the feeling he was having was more than accurate – Hadrian was standing by the mantle with a dreamy expression on his face.

“Hello,” Severus managed weakly, realizing that he had spent the night cuddled up to the boy’s mother, no wonder the child looked ecstatic. “This is not what you think.”

Hadrian scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. “Then what is it, Dad?”

Severus looked down at Hermione, who was still sleeping soundly against his chest. “I don’t know.”

Apparently the sudden attention roused her from her rest, her eyes flashed open. Hermione said nothing as she stared back at Severus, and then cast her eyes toward Hadrian. She sat up slowly, stretching. “Ahem. Good morning! Happy Christmas!”

Hadrian didn’t budge.

Hermione made a sour face. “Oh, bugger it. Go open your presents, Hadrian.”

Severus laughed in spite of it all, and summoned Hilty. “If you do not mind, could we have service for coffee and a hot chocolate for Hadrian?”

The House-elf had not seen the child awake, and immediately her eyes widened. Hadrian, not used to House-elves, stepped forward. “Hello. My name is Hadrian.”

Hilty nodded and bowed slightly. “Good to meet young Master Snape. Hilty be back.” She quickly Apparated before Hadrian could say anything more.

“Young master? I don’t think I like that,” Hadrian admitted thoughtfully. “Dad, didn’t you say the House-elves couldn’t leave the house?”

“I think we’ll save the Snape Manor history for another day,” Severus actually didn’t want to cover it at all, at least not in front of Hermione. He knew his son needed to know his past, but he wasn’t prepared to have his mother know, not yet. Not until he was sure…

“I think that big one with the white bow is from your father,” Hermione offered, seeming to understand his hesitance.

Hadrian was not usually like other children, and for this reason Severus found it easy to cast aside his annoyance and put his general irritability on hold for him. He was thoughtful and patient, often calculating. When Severus saw the look of joy on his face over the prospect of receiving gifts, he wasn’t as repulsed as he usually was with other little wizards. In fact, he felt a surge of pride, knowing that he could provide for his child and bring him excitement.

He really liked being a father. Who would have thought?

Hadrian ripped through the wrapping with gusto. “Holy shite!”

“Watch your mouth, young man,” Hermione warned, peeking over. “What is it?”

“A Zeus’s Thunder 2000! Wow!” Hadrian held the broom up high over his head victoriously.

Severus just smiled. He had spent a fortune, but it was rumored to be the best racing broom to date. He then used his Transfiguration skills to disguise it in the large box he had charmed to look like a muggle gift. He felt decidedly pleased as he reached for the tray Hilty had left.

Hermione didn’t look as impressed as Hadrian, however, quite the contrary. “That is a rather extravagant present, Severus.” She attempted to sound casual.

“I wanted our son to have the best broom for Quidditch tryouts next fall. These brooms haven’t even been launched to the public yet,” he added. “I had a former student assist me in procuring one for the occasion.”

“Wow, Mum. Thanks for the new robes. Won’t I look smart…riding my brand new broom!” While they spoke, Hadrian had opened Hermione’s gift. Obviously enthralled by the new broom, he cast the box of robes aside and began swishing his new broom around the lounge excitedly.

Hermione did not look pleased. “Perhaps we should have discussed…proper gift giving procedure…for the holidays.”

“And why is that? Look at him,” Severus motioned to Hadrian who was now oiling his broom with the kit he received in his stocking.

“I always made a point to not emphasize the materialistic nature of Christmas with him. I want Hadrian to know it’s value in terms of religion and family, not how it’s about presents. I wish you had told me,” she replied softly, picking up her coffee.

“Must I run everything by you?” His eyes narrowed.

“If we are going to work together, yes. And I, you,” she hissed.

“So would you have me take it back?” he hissed back.

“It’s too late for that. Wouldn’t you rather him appreciate the small gestures than expect the grandest ones?”

“You’re jealous that he likes my grand gesture better than your small one.”

“Obviously!” she cried. “But that’s not the point!”

Knowing she probably had a point, he reached over towards the box she had given him and held up the new robes she had gotten him. In the corner she had monogrammed S in silver. Judging by the quality of the stitching, she had made it herself. While not the most skilled seamstress, it must have taken her hours of sewing…suddenly his gift, despite the cost didn’t seem as grand. “Hadrian, why don’t you come try on these…sharp looking robes your mother made you. They are quite…fetching.”

Hadrian put down his oiled rag and watched Severus eye the garment. “You made them, Mum?”

Hermione lifted her eyes of Severus and smiled at their son. “I did,” she cleared her throat.

“It must have taken you a long time,” Severus mentioned.

“I had the time,” she answered, and he suddenly felt worse as he felt the weight of her words. Whereas he had four months with his son, Hermione had spent the past eleven years with him as the center of her universe. Now that Hadrian was at Hogwarts, she had to be so lonely without him. No wonder she had the time now – before it had been spent with her son.

Hadrian reached over and hugged her. “Thanks, Mum.” He kissed her cheek and took a seat beside her, until his eyes caught something else. He reached over and grabbed two smaller boxes. “Mum, this is for you. Dad, this has your name on it.”

“I want you to open yours last,” Severus insisted. He had gotten Hermione something for Christmas, it didn’t feel right not too. She was apart of his life now, and he knew it would be beyond customary to give her a gift. He was insistent however, and opened his up before she could react. Inside the box was a black leather bound book without a title. Intrigued, he opened it. Inside were moving, swirling pictures, pictures of moments he would never have seen…Hadrian’s baby pictures. He was speechless.

As he watched the story of Hadrian’s birth play out in a series of snapshots, watched his son take his first steps, his first haircut, his first words…the pieces that seemed missing suddenly appeared in the puzzle of his son’s life. He watched the events unfold and was amazed by how something so simple could touch him so much. So she was right about the small gesture thing, he had to give it to her. At least that meant his next gift was more appropriate. Or so he hoped.

“Thank you, Hermione.”

She smiled softly, turning to her own present in her lap. He watched her face as she opened the box, smiled as her face wrinkled in curiosity. Inside was a key.

“What’s the key for, Dad?” Hadrian asked.

“A very good question,” Severus put down his coffee and stood up. He held out a hand for both of them. “Bring it, and come with me.”

Both Hermione and Hadrian took each of his hand; let him lead them both down the hall with fascinated expressions on both their faces. He went through the dining room to the dusty, unused parts of house, like his father’s old and musty study, and stopped before a set of large heavy doors that he already knew had not been opened in years. “There. Try your key.” He insisted.

Hermione took the key from Hadrian and pushed it through the lock. It made a heavy click as the door opened and taking a deep breath, she pushed the doors open and stepped through.

Hermione cried out.

“It’s yours. Do what you will unto it. Granted it is quite old and dusty…”

He had given her the key to the library. Only this wasn’t any ordinary library, it was twice the size of the Hogwart’s version, and had not been touched in twenty years. It was filled with old magic texts and translations, ancient works from Egyptian Pharaohs to Greek wizards. A lot of the books were dark in nature, but most probably should have been in a museum. His great-grandfather and grandfather had spent fortunes building this collection; his father had never paid attention to it and thankfully his mother hadn’t sold it. But as much as it meant to him, he knew that it would mean more to Hermione. And she would restore it, this he knew, and she would make it a place Hadrian could take his son and his son take his son, and so on and so on…

She could make it something that he could never have dreamed. It was really like a present to himself, because now Hermione would be here, in Snape Manor, restoring its library and maybe even…

“Mum, it’s only books, don’t cry!” Hadrian was consoling her.

Severus turned his attention to Hermione, who was already staring at him with wide, wet amber eyes. She took three brisk strides over to him and threw her arms around him, lifting herself on tiptoe to kiss his chin. “Thank you so much, Severus,” she whispered.

“I figured after you met my mother later you would need some incentive to ever return here,” he jested halfheartedly.

She leaned back to meet his eyes. “You didn’t need books to bring me back here,” she whispered, hugging him again.

For a brief moment, Severus closed his eyes and felt years younger than he ever had. He was reminded of the first time he held her, how she smelled just as sweet and feminine as she did now, and how he never would have thought he could find contentment in any woman’s arms, let alone a slip of a girl who spilled lust potion on him. Yet she was so much more than that, that time and this, and he could be happy, if only he let himself.

Hadrian was grinning like a Cheshire cat again.

“Bugger it, will you stop that?” His mother groaned.

Tbc…