A Very Snarry Christmas

Disclaimer:The characters in this story are all JK Rowling's. I don't own a single one. I'm borrowing them for a little debauchery, then, I'll give them back. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: I know this is after Christmas, and it was originally written at the first of December. I just decided it would be fun to post it right now...both chapters...

It was the twentieth day of December and Harry watched as the last of the students were making their way to Hogsmeade to the train. Harry sighed. He sat on the steps to the school and bade farewell to the stragglers. “Another Christmas, another year alone,” he muttered glumly.

Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall watched the young man as he played with the snow that was gathering around him. “Albus, he’s lost. Do you think we should bring him in?”

Dumbledore stood there watching the young man who’d become like a grandson to him. “No Minerva, I think we should just let him be, for now.” His azure eyes began to twinkle as he flicked his wand toward the door. A single sprig of mistletoe appeared at the top of the doorway and the old man chuckled.

The witch next to him raised an eyebrow as he ushered her to his office to tea. “He’s young, Minerva. I think this year we can make his Christmas a good one. Let’s talk about it over tea.”

Harry did not see the exchange between his colleagues. He was too wrapped up in his own thoughts. His mind strayed to Ron and Hermione, who were spending their first Christmas together as a family. He snorted as he thought about the Dursley’s. What a life he’s lived! He sat there watching the full moon light up the snow covered grounds and he was reminded of a carol. It spoke of the people bustling around buying last minute gifts for Christmas. It talked of children playing in the snow. He loved that song, as much as it reminded him of everything he didn’t have.

It started as a mere whisper. Soon, his voice carried over the grounds and was the only sound around Hogwarts. A certain potions professor was making his rounds, making sure that the dozen students that were staying weren’t out past curfew when he heard the angelic voice. He froze. He’d never heard Silver Bells sung with such longing and loneliness in his life. He followed the voice to the entrance hall were he stopped.

Snape watched the raven-haired young man scoop up the few snow flakes that had fallen around him and throw them to a lower step. Harry ended the song with a sigh and “I guess I’ll go get everyone’s gift tomorrow at Hogsmeade.”

“Not if you’ve frozen to death, Potter,” was the answer from behind him.

Harry jumped up and grabbed his wand as he turned toward the voice. “Oh,” he said defeated, “It’s only you.”

Harry was standing face to face with Severus Snape, who wore his usual sneer. “Yes, Potter, it’s me, and you’ll catch your death sitting outside in the snow.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “And that would be your Christmas wish, wouldn’t it?”

Snape’s sneer turned to a smirk. “No, Potter, my Christmas wish is not brewing potions for Poppy because you didn’t have enough sense to get in out of the cold.”

Harry observed the sour man and looked above his head. It was his turn to smirk. “Well, aren’t you just being Father Christmas, spreading cheer and presents everywhere?”

Harry then pointed above Snape’s head. When the older wizard looked up, his usually pale face flushed red. “Don’t even think about it.”

Harry stepped toward the dark man in front of him and flashed a brilliant smile. “Normally, I wouldn’t, but it’s mistletoe, and it’s tradition.”

In one quick, fluid motion, Harry swept past Snape and brushed a kiss across his cheek. Snape’s normally unexpressive face turned to an expression of sheer surprise as the newest Charms teacher walked past. His fingers touched the place that Harry kissed and he turned toward the retreating man. “You kissed me!”

Harry stopped and pivoted around. “Don’t come to expect it,” he said with a wink. As an after thought he added, “’Night Sev.” And he made his way to his rooms.

Harry’s mood change surprised him. He couldn’t believe that ribbing Snape would do that to him… anymore. He hummed a few Christmas tunes as he shrugged off his teaching robes and settled into a pair of baggy jeans and a sweat shirt. He made his way to the rug in front of his hearth and settled in the floor to read. He spent most nights reading muggle novels and grading papers. It was easier for him to keep his mind busy and not think about anything than it was to sit idle and have thoughts like he did earlier.

Reading was not doing him much good, so he decided to find his notebook and write. Not a single person at the school knew that he was a writer. He enjoyed his poetry, but his love was writing short stories. He sat contentedly for a few moments and chewed on the end of his quill. Then he dipped it in his bottle of blue ink and began to write.

Swirling down delicate, soft
Her light shines down from on high
Diamond sparkles on the earth
She’s never been more beautiful

Delicate kisses from the clouds
Whispers from her rays
A blanket to hold the seedling
She sees right through me

Gracing the trees with elegance
She lights up every shadow
They seem less dead this time of year
She knows my heart and soul

Harry sat musing over the poem he’d just written. It never took long for him to come up with something after he sat under the full moon, especially with the snow on the ground. He was glad that the moon couldn’t reveal his secrets. Harry decided to turn in early because the holidays always depressed him. He slept restlessly most of the night and rose at dawn.

He stood in the door way of the school as the sun broke the horizon. The millions of sparkles that were individual flakes upon the ground eased his heart some, but still, there was no one for Harry. There was no one to call his on this familial holiday. He decided to take to the halls of the school and wander. Before long, he’d made his way back up to the Great Hall for breakfast. Dumbledore was sitting at the lone table, which was customary over the holidays. To his left was Minerva, and his right was Snape.

Harry sat beside Minerva with a sigh and waited for breakfast to appear. His eyes were cast downward and he averted everyone’s eyes. “Harry, my boy, what have you got planned for this first day of the holidays?”

“I’m planning going to Hogsmeade today, but other than that, probably just catching up on my reading,” he monotoned.

Dumbledore and McGonagall shared a worried look as the plates appeared with breakfast. Harry ate quickly without much conversation and made his way back to his quarters. He talked to himself as he looked through his chest of drawers. “Maybe dressing up a little before going into town will improve my mood.”

He finally settled on a pair of black cotton trousers and a pale blue dress shirt, topped off with his prescription sunglasses and his favorite pair of dragon skin boots. He rummaged through his closet and plucked his thick winter cloak from a hanger. As he walked through the halls, his mood had not changed much. He hoped that he would feel better once he made it to town.

Once in town, he brought out his list of people to buy for. There were the other professors, and Poppy, but he also wanted to get each of the students something. There were three first years, one each in Gryffindor and Slytherin and Ravenclaw. There were also three third years, all in Gryffindor. All of the fifth years were in Hufflepuff, and the seventh years that were staying were in Slytherin.

He made his way into Honeydukes. Harry bought Albus an assortment of hard candies, including his beloved Lemon Drops and some Bertie Bott’s. He bought six bags of chocolate frogs, gummy wands, and acid pops for the younger children. He went to the counter and spoke to a young wizard he’d never seen. “I’m Harry Potter. I came in a week ago and placed an order for some chocolate that could only be found at Diagon Alley. I also need three boxes of your wonderful fudge.”

“Yes, Mr. Potter! It arrived yesterday! Here’s your chocolate and of course, your fudge.”

The man retrieved the chocolate from the shelf behind him and Harry paid for his bounty. He chuckled to himself as he looked at the beautiful package of dark chocolate. This will definitely be an unexpected gift.

He made his way to Gladrag’s Wizard Ware, looking for something special for the older students. What he found made him giggle with glee. For Minerva, he found a perfect scarf. He had the young witch assisting him add a Gryffindor lion to each end. For the seventh year Slytherin girls, he found a silver necklace and bracelet set with a serpent charm. For the young man, he bought a pewter serpent robe pin with small emerald scales down the center of its back. He found an interesting quill set and decided that he should grab that for an addition to a gift. He found the Hufflepuff students a silver badger pendant each.

“How long do you think it would take to engrave a name on these quills?”

The young witch smiled at him. “Not long at all, Mr. Potter. What would you like engraved on them and which script would you like?”

She pulled out a large notebook with several pages of script. Harry looked through them until he found a very elegant looking script with rather sharp edges. “I do believe that I’ll have this script here, and I only want a name put on them. Severus D. Snape.”

Harry paid the woman for the gifts he’d purchased and told her he’d be back after lunch. He made his way to the Three Broomsticks and shrunk his purchases as he sat at the bar. Madame Rosemerta saw the young man and didn’t even have to ask what he wanted. She brought him a butterbeer and a roast beef sandwich. “How are things, Harry?” She asked as she brought his food.

“Same as every year, I suppose, Rosemerta. Just getting a few last minute gifts for Christmas.”

Harry ate in silence as Rosemerta tended to her other patrons. He remembered one last gift he had to get before he made his way back to his suite, but he’d have to stop by the greenhouses to get it. He paid for his lunch and made his way back to Galdrag’s to retrieve the quill set. Then, he made his way back to Hogwarts.

Harry deposited everything in his rooms and changed clothes. Then, he donned his winter cloak again and made his way outside to ‘his’ tree beside the lake. He watched the children who stayed having a snowball fight and smiled. He could not remember a time when he’d been so care free. I should have brought my quill and notebook, he thought to himself. This would make a great poem.

He sighed and decided that he should go back to his rooms to warm up before supper. Trudging back, his thoughts were lost again in the fact that he’d not have anyone to call his again this Christmas.

*SPLAT!* Harry was assaulted with a snowball. The young Ravenclaw girl who threw the misguided snowball ran up to him, “Oh, Professor! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to hit you!”

Harry brushed the snow out of his hair and smiled at the little girl. It was a mischievous grin. Her eyes grew large and she started backing up from him. “Don’t worry Miss Beck, I won’t mean to hit you either,” he growled playfully.

The little girl ran from him with a squeal as he balled up some snow and threw it at her. The other students involved in the snowball war watched the scene in disbelief. Not in any recent time had a professor played in the snow with them. Harry chased the kids and threw snowballs at them all and they laughed, thinking it was funny that a teacher was playing with them. All thoughts of not having anyone left him as he was assaulted by borage of snowballs from the group of kids. “Ok, ok, ok…I give up,” he laughed putting his hands up in front of him. “It’s time for your Charms professor to go in and warm up. Who’d like some hot cocoa in the Great Hall?”

All of the students cheered at the prospect of cocoa. Harry told them all to make their way to their dorms to change from their wet clothes and to meet him in fifteen minutes. They eagerly complied. Harry lingered a little longer just watching the grounds and drinking in the silence and then he made his way to the oak doors to the school. One was open and he looked up to find none other than Severus watching him with an amused look in his eyes, even though his face held its usual scowl. “You’ll never grow up will you, Potter?” He asked noting the flush on Harry’s cheeks and his wind burned nose.

Snape’s scowl deepened as the younger man approached. He knew that he should not be noticing things like that on the ‘Golden Boy’. “No, Sev, I’ll probably never grow up. Besides, the kids found it amusing that their professor would play with them.”

Harry stopped in front of the taller man. “You’re really asking for it, aren’t you?”

He pointed up and as Snape looked at the mistletoe, Harry caught his cheek again with a gentle kiss. Snape stepped back and Harry slipped in past him and made his way to his rooms. Before he got out of ear shot, Harry called back, “If you want cocoa, be in the great hall in about ten minutes.”

Severus growled and stalked back to the dungeons grumbling things that sounded suspiciously like ‘infernal brat’ and ‘always gets his way’. Harry just chuckled as he made his way to his rooms to peel of his wet cloak. He summoned Dobby and let him know that there were going to be anywhere between six and a dozen students in the Great Hall wanting hot cocoa in the next few minutes, and that he was also going to be there. Dobby was most gracious for Harry telling him, and left with a small pop to begin preparations.
When Harry got there, most of the students were already changed and waiting for him. He moved one of the tables to the center of the room and transfigured it to a small round table with ten chairs. He figured that eight students and himself, and one extra chair would be plenty.

The cocoa arrived with any topping imaginable from whipped cream to marshmallows. The students tried many different combinations, some of them even drinking after each other. Harry preferred his with a little whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg and cinnamon. He listened to the chatter of the kids with a satisfied smile on his face. He also got many thanks from them for making their day a little brighter. Harry waved it off and told them he’d do it any time. He watched a first year Gryffindor, who was sitting by a first year Slytherin; try to strike up a conversation. The young Slytherin was less than forthcoming and tried very hard to ignore the young man with whom he’d just been throwing snowballs at. Harry left it alone.

He stayed until the last student left the hall and he chuckled as he sipped his last drop of cocoa. Harry knew he’d not be hungry come supper, but he also knew that he’d have to eat something because the kids would be watching him.

Harry made his way through the castle to his chambers. He grabbed his notebook, and decided he needed a little peace. He wound his way up the familiar steps to the astronomy tower. He pulled his now dry cloak tighter around himself and just observed. The lone figure walking across the grounds caught his attention.

Black cloak. Billowing robes. Long hair…wait a minute…It’s tied back! Harry watched Snape as he made his way across the grounds to Hogsmeade. He sighed with contentment as he thought about the man. Harry wrote a few lines to a short story before he decided he should go back to his rooms and change for supper.

The meal was uneventful and Harry excused himself to his rooms. He had a whole load of Christmas presents to wrap. He charmed his walls to play a little music when he moved in, and with a wave of his wand, a Willie Nelson tune started.You are always on my mind… “It’s my own stupid fault for charming the music to play with my mood,” Harry grumbled as he listened to the old tune. All he wanted to do was grab a Heineken and cry in it.

The next two days were spent in much the same way as the first day of winter break. He milled around and chatted with the students and watched their snowball wars. Harry took his favorite novel with him everywhere those days. He was sitting on the steps of the school reading Interview With a Vampire (1) when he was interrupted. “Muggle books, what a glorious waste of time.”

Harry sighed and looked up to find Snape standing yet again in the door under the mistletoe. Harry began to wonder what was up but refrained from smiling at the older man. “Seems that all I have is time right now, Severus. It is the holidays, after all. Besides, this is a really good book.”

Snape crossed his arms across his chest and snorted. “Only you would revel in a fictional muggle book, Potter.”

“Well, considering I know a bit about vampires…” Harry trailed off as he marked his place and got up.

He hung his head and stood chest to chest with the man. “I just need a bit of quiet.”

As he passed the older man, he pointed up and brushed a third kiss across his cheek. Harry didn’t look back as he walked to his rooms. He really wasn’t in the mood to listen to Snape’s scathing comments.

Harry walked into his sitting room and sat on his couch. He stared into his fire and pouted. I hate christmas! I hate holidays!

He walked over to his cabinets and pulled out a bottle of Ogden’s. Harry didn’t even bother getting a glass. He decided that straight from the bottle would be best for him in his mood. He waved his wand and immediately more country music started. This time, it was Hank Williams. Well, Harry thought, At least I’m getting pissed to the right kind of music.

Christmas Eve Harry woke late in the morning. His head was pounding from his hangover and he wasn’t going to go anywhere. He summoned Dobby to get him a hangover potion and something to eat. Harry wandered around aimlessly in nothing but his fuzzy slippers and his velvet robe. He didn’t want to leave his chambers. It was stupid Christmas Eve and he didn’t have anyone.

When Harry didn’t show up for supper, Dumbledore got worried. No one had seen him all day and that was highly unusual. “Severus, my boy, I’ve got to run into Hogsmeade this evening. Can you please check in on Harry? It seems that he’s not been around today and I’m rather worried about him.”

Snape sighed knowing that Dumbledore always got his way. “Yes, Albus, I’ll go check on him.”

Severus made his way to Harry’s rooms and could faintly hear music on the other side of the oak door. He knocked. It wasn’t too long until Harry opened the door with a far away expression on his face. “Hey it’s Sev! Come in Sev!”

Harry stepped back and practically pulled Severus into his rooms. Harry was wearing nothing but his bath robe and some fuzzy slippers. Snape immediately noticed Harry’s expression and that his pupil’s were dilated. “Potter are you okay?”

Harry waved him over to his sitting room and plopped down on the couch. “I’m fine, Sev. What brings you down here?”

Snape was not convinced. He seated himself in the leather chair next to the couch. “Dumbledore sent me down here to make sure you are ok. Obviously you aren’t.”

Harry laughed. “I’m fine, swear,” he said as he held his right hand up. Then he giggled.

“Potter are you pissed?”

Harry looked at the surprised look on Snape’s face and started giggling more. “No, Sev, I’m not pissed. That was last night. I’ve had a bit of a smoke this evening and I feel better than I have in many, many Christmases.”

“Smoke, Potter?”

Harry lifted a wooden pipe and smiled. “Salvia Divinorum.”(2)

“Salvia? Sage? You’re smoking sage?”

“No, Sev, Salvia Divinorum is a kind of sage that the Aztec’s smoked to go into trances and stuff. Sometimes when I need a little clarity I have a smoke.”

“Jesus Howard Christ, boy. Where on earth would you get sage from Mexico?”

Harry giggled again. “I ordered it from Diagon Alley months ago. The little plant they sent me is perfect.”

“Ok, so what happens when you smoke it?”

“I get visions. Most often times they center around what’s on my mind. And, it lifts my mood when I’m down.”

“Ok, so that would explain the stuff coming from your walls that supposed to be music. What’s been on your mind?”

Harry’s expression darkened. His answer was, “Christmas.”

“Christmas? What’s that got to do with anything?”

Harry lay down on the couch and a sparkle came to his eyes. “Ok, so are you going to be my psycho-ologist tonight? I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. “I suppose, Potter. Someone needs to be here so you don’t hurt yourself. So, what have you been thinking about Christmas?”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about how much I hate Christmas. Growing up, I never got anything from the Dursley’s. They suck, you know. While I was here, I always got something from Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley. Now, though, I’m grown and I have no one. You know, I don’t have a boyfriend. I don’t have a family. I have no one. I hate Christmas. I’m lonely and I’m bored. I’ve read three books and drank a bottle of Ogden’s, and I just hate Christmas.”

Even though Harry was high, Snape could hear the bitterness and loneliness in the young man’s voice. He knew what Harry was feeling all to well. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

Harry looked into the dark eyes across from him. “I’m going to give out the gifts for everyone here, and then, I’m going to London to get laid. That’s all I got. There’s not a soul in this castle who’d have me…Speaking of gifts, I want to give you yours right now.”


(1): Interview With a Vampire is written by Anne Rice.

(2): Salvia Divinorum is an extraordinary herb used in shamanism, divination, healing, meditation, and the exploration of consciousness.

A/N: Yay!! A Christmas story! I generally don't write these, but this one was just begging to be written.

A/N2: The poem is mine, even though I'd call it an attempt at poetry.