Christmas News

This was written in reponse to the Christmas Challenge on Elysium.

I hope you like it, please let me know. W^^


Christmas News


Harry sat in front of the fireplace, the roaring fire doing nothing to take the chill from his bones. He had just returned from Poppy’s. He had had to traipse through the snow, so that his visit would be kept a secret. Harry hated bothering her on Christmas, but he just couldn’t wait until after. It was as he expected, and he wasn’t sure how Sev was going to react. Sure, right after they bonded they had wanted a baby and had tried and tried, without any luck. The medi-witches said it probably had something to do with all Severus had to endure as a spy against the Dark Lord. Sev thought it was more likely the antivenin he took before that damn snake of Voldemort’s bit him and the venom once she did bite. Of course, Severus had to be right as everyone else was completely incompetent.

Harry smiled at the thought of how brilliant his husband was. Who else would have prepared for the unforeseen as well? Harry counted that blessing every day, as well as the one that brought them together about a year and a half after the war ended.

Harry had been living in Muggle London, trying to escape the whole savior thing and had decided he would go to a club. Again he smiled at the memory. He had been to this club a few times before, and he enjoyed the company, mostly. Harry had been dancing and drinking a little, just having a good time, when he all of a sudden felt the hair on the back of his neck raise. Sure someone was watching him he scanned the crowd; he didn’t see anyone, so he shrugged it off. Later that evening he was leaving to go back to his flat, alone, and couldn’t find his keys. Although he really didn’t need them to get in his flat he didn’t want anyone else getting in with them, so he turned to go back into the club and ran into the last person he thought he would ever see.

“I believe you forgot these, Mr. Potter.” Severus Snape informed him, holding the ring with the keys out to him.

“Um, yeah, I just realized that, thanks. How did you get them, anyway?” Harry asked his former professor.

“I wanted to talk to you so I accioed them.” Severus mumbled, was that a blush or was he just flushed from the cold?

“You what? If you wanted to talk to me all you had to do was let me know. If not for you and your sacrifices none of us would still be alive, I owe you so much.”

“No, Mr. Potter you owe me nothing. The things I did I did for your mother, nothing noble at all. I do need to talk to you.”

Harry felt embarrassed at the reminder of how his former professor felt about Harry’s mother. If only he had known beforehand maybe things would have been different. He had used every bit of his influence to get Severus name cleared. Harry felt he owed him that much at least, after he saw Severus’ memories and finally knew the truth. “Well, let’s not stand out here in the cold. There’s a café down the street let’s go there and I will buy you a coffee.”

Severus nodded and motioned for Harry to lead the way. They walked to the cozy café; they sat in a booth in the back to have some privacy. Once their coffees arrived and were prepared to the taste of each man Harry asked Severus “So what was it you needed to talk to me about?” Harry’s Gryffindor bravery causing him to jump right in.

“Well a few things actually. First, and this is very difficult for me, I have to apologize for the way I treated you when you were my student. As you know I was in love with your mother and I could not bear the thought of seeing the child she had with my schoolyard tormenter. I took that out on you and it was not fair to you. Albus told me I should get to know you and not project your father onto you. He was right of course, he was always right. For my behavior I am very sorry, you have proven yourself time and again.” Severus paused, to glance at Harry, who quite frankly was dumfounded. “Mr. Potter flies will invade your mouth if you sit like that much longer.” Severus chuckled, most unlike himself.

“Oh, sorry.” Harry said as he closed his mouth and shook his head a little to clear it. ‘Did the Severus Snape just apologize to him and chuckle? What was the world coming to?’

“As I was saying there are a couple more things. I wanted to thank you for the way you came forward on my behalf. If not for you I would be in Azkaban or kissed by a dementor, not finally the true headmaster of Hogwarts. Thank you. Which brings me to the other thing I needed to address with you; I have an opening for the Defense Against Dark Arts position and I wanted to offer it to you. You already have experience teaching the subject and who better to teach it than the savior of the wizarding world”

“Are you serious? You really want me to come back to Hogwarts to teach? I didn’t even finish my seventh year.”

“Yes, Yes. All of that doesn’t matter. To teach you do not have to have completed all the courses. Your knowledge in this area seems to be unsurpassed. I need you to start as soon as the Christmas Holidays are over. Perhaps you would like to come to the castle a day or two early to settle yourself.”

“Um, okay. I guess that means I’ll take the position?” Harry wasn’t sure what had just happened.


Harry did indeed return to the one place he felt was really his home a few days early. He actually left the day after Severus offered him the position, which gave him a full week to acclimate himself. The professor who filled the position before him had a complete curriculum planned so he just followed it until he was more comfortable with himself and the position. (The former professor had disappeared while visiting Greece; it is thought the sirens got him. Silly man, he should have known better.)

Harry and Severus began, that first night in the café, a friendship neither of them would ever have thought was possible. It took a full year for them to realize that the friendship had turn into something much more. Another year passed before they bonded and married. There was something extra special about Christmas for them.

Harry felt warmth spread throughout his body as he thought about how much things had changed since that night twelve years ago when Severus had approached him. They went from barely able to be around each other to the love of the others life. Harry sighed; it had not been an easy road. Although Severus was not evil he was still a snarky git sometimes, Harry reckoned that would probably never change. Severus also could be the most giving, unselfish, loving, thoughtful man; and Harry thought the trade off was well worth it.

“And now this, how am I going to tell him? We had decided it wasn’t meant to be and now I pop up knocked up. I hope he really does still want a baby.” Harry thought aloud, he got up from the overstuffed chair and started to prepare for Severus to return. Harry wanted everything to be perfect when he told him. Harry set the table intimately for two, including the scrumptious food, spelled to stay hot and cold as needed. The smell of the roast beef and all the trimmings made Harry’s stomach turn, he groaned, knowing he had more of that to look forward to over the next few months at least. The only light in their chambers was from the fireplace and the fairy lights on their small Christmas tree. Harry stood in the middle of the suite of rooms wondering what he was forgetting; he knew there was one more thing he needed to do to make things perfect. He sat back in the chair he had vacated earlier, leaned his head against the back of the chair, closed his eyes and sighed. He was so happy they were going to have a baby, who knew you could be so elated and frightened at the same time, the thought of becoming a father was scary enough without wondering if your spouse was going to be upset. Harry dozed a bit as he wait for his husband to return from magical creature problems, Hagrid had gone for the holidays and some of the “creatures” liked to cause trouble.

Harry woke with a start, not really sure what woke him. He looked around the room and listened for a sound that may have woken him. After a few moments he started to relax again, must have been a dream or something. The silence was deafening, however. Then it hit him, what was missing, no music. He muttered the charm to start the carols playing. He immediately felt more at ease, the music made things so much better.

A bit later he was reading and singing along with “Winter Wonderland”, one of the few things he thought of fondly from his childhood.

“Later on we’ll conspire, as we dream by the fire, to face unafraid the plans that we made, walking in a winter wonderland. Huh, maybe that’s a sign things will go well.” Harry never had found so much meaning in that little verse before.

“Sev, what is taking so long? It’s getting late.” Harry asked the air.

No sooner than the question left his lips the door opened and Severus walked through, looking bedraggled.

“Merlin, Sev what happened? You look horrible.”

“Thank you, my love. I feel horrible.”

“Sorry, I just meant you look tired.”

“I know what you meant, love, I am tired. Sorry to be Snapeish.” He smirked at his little joke. “Hagrid had better enjoy his vacation, because he is never leaving again. I have spent the last several hours chasing first one magical creature and then another, in the bloody snow. I swear they were laughing at me. Is that roast beef I smell?”

“Yes, I know you love it for Christmas Eve dinner, which it won’t be for much longer, it’s nearly midnight.” Harry walked over to his husband, pecked his cheek, took his hand and led him to the table.

“You should have gone to bed and not waited for me, I know you have not been feeling well these last few days.”

“I dozed some by the fireplace. You know I can’t sleep without you, even after all these years, especially Christmas Eve.”

“I’m glad you stayed up, just looking at you makes me feel better. This roast beef is not hurting either.” He smiled as he took another bite.

They ate in silence for a few minutes and Harry decided there was no time like the present. “Sev?”

“Hum?”

“If you could have one wish come true for Christmas what would it be?” Harry asked, hoping Severus would say something about children.

Severus studied his husbands face curious as to why he would ask him that. “Harry, after all this time you know you are my Christmas wish, always.” He stood and walked to Harry, kneeling before the love of his life. “Harry, nothing else matters as long as I have you. You have made me everything I am or can hope to ever be. You are my Christmas wish. I am always in awe when you continue to stay with me; old, ugly greasy git that I am.”

“I’ve told you; don’t talk about my husband that way. I love you so much, Sev, please don’t do that.” Harry cupped his lover’s cheek, and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

They sat that way a few minutes, Severus kneeling on the floor in front of Harry, his arms surrounding Harry’s waist, resting his head against Harry’s chest. Harry had his arms around Severus, resting his chin on the top of Severus’ head.

“Sev” Harry mumbled against Severus’ ebony hair, which was very soft and not greasy at all. “Do you think you could live with more than just us?”

“You want a pet, Harry?”

Harry barked a short laugh “No, not a pet.”

Severus rose up so he could look into the beautiful emerald eyes. “Harry, love, are you thinking about a baby again? I am so sorry I have let you down. We can adopt you know. It would have to be a muggle baby as wizards don’t do adoptions. We are both part muggle, so it would be okay. Love if that’s what you want we will do it as soon as the Holidays are over. I have been thinking about it a lot lately, myself. We deserve a family as much as anyone else, more than some. I love you and I want you to be happy.”

Harry laughed, his heart lightened, he should have known. “Sev, slow down. I don’t want to adopt a baby.” Disappointment flashed across Severus’ face briefly before he concealed it.

Harry smiled “I think we will be much too busy with our own child, it wouldn’t be fair to adopt.” He watched his spouse’s face and saw the realization dawn on Severus’ face.

“You mean…? Is that why you’ve been sick? How do you know? Are you sure? Merlin, Harry.” Severus jumped up and pulled Harry into a strong embrace, when Harry nodded in answer to the questions pouring from his husband. Severus realized how hard he was holding Harry and loosened his grip. “Are you alright, I didn’t squeeze to hard did I? Here sit back down.”

“I’m fine; I would rather stand here in your arms. I’m not going to break, you know. I was so worried you would be upset. I went to see Poppy today, she confirmed it, and we are going to have a baby. Our own baby, Sev, can you believe it. I asked her how I could be pregnant reminding her that we had been told we couldn’t have our own. She told me that once we gave up it took stress off of both of us and with the strength of our magic we were able to get pregnant. She says everything looks good. She…” Harry was stopped mid sentence by Severus claiming his mouth.

“That’s all I need to know now, Love. You have made me the happiest man alive.” Severus informed Harry.

Harry reached behind his taller husband’s neck and pulled his husband to him. He brushed his lips with his own. Severus moaned as Harry ran the tip of his tongue across his bottom lip. Harry deepened the kiss, his body melting into his husband’s.

Severus responded by pulling Harry closer to him and exploring the mouth, again, he knew nearly as well as his own. He picked Harry up in one smooth motion, while continuing to kiss the father of his child, he walked toward the bedroom.

“I love you, Sev.”

“And I love you, Harry.”