Secret Snarry Swap: Making Christmas Memorable Title: Making Christmas Memorable Author:roozetter Gift Recipient:emynn Other pairings/threesome: Hermione/Ron, Angelina/George Rating: R Word count: +/- 4,000 Content/Warning(s): None Prompt: Written for the prompt: “Cozy scarves, warm gloves, and fuzzy hats. One of our boys hates the cold, but the other loves it. Severus doesn't do Christmas, but for Harry, he'll try. I especially like: snark, protectiveness, flangst. Summary: He knows it’s ridiculous, but it’s Teddy’s last year at home for Christmas and Harry wants the holiday to be especially memorable. He asks Severus to pitch in, and Severus does the best he can to make Harry happy. A/N: Merry Christmas, giftee! Thank you to my betas and proof checkers.
Making Christmas Memorable
“This’ll be Teddy’s last year at home for Christmas,” Harry said quietly as he buttoned up his thick winter robe.
Severus glanced out the back door at the snow and summoned a warm scarf and gloves. “No,” he corrected, pretending to ignore Harry’s smile as he wrapped the scarf snugly around Harry’s neck and tucked the ends under his jacket. “It will be Teddy’s last Christmas home as a student. With the cost of living and university, however, I feel certain we will have Teddy living under our roof for many more years to come.” His tone was harsh, but the hand that briefly cupped Harry’s cheek before pressing the gloves into his hand was gentle.
“Yeah, but it won’t be the same,” Harry muttered, shivering at the first blast of cold as they opened the back door. “He won’t be ...” Trailing off with a frown, Harry yanked his gloves on and jammed his hat on top of his head.
“He will still be our son,” Severus said briskly, shutting the door behind him and reaching for Harry’s hand. Gloved fingers intertwined, they started down the garden path, the gently falling snow making the air seem thicker and quieter. “He just will not be a child any longer. Thus, some of the more unpalatable aspects of the Yule holidays will cease to be an issue.”
Laughing, Harry squeezed Severus’ hand as they followed the path away from the house and through the forest. “So we’ll still take our walk during the first snowfall of the season but won’t, say, animate the miniature reindeer and sleigh to fly around the sitting room?”
“Precisely.” Severus drew Harry closer to his side as they reached the bench overlooking the river. A discreet cleaning and warming charm, and they were sitting on the dry, warm wooden bench watching the snow fall under the bright winter moon.
“You’re a good sport, you know.” Harry rested his head against Severus’ shoulder, feeling the soft fuzz of his scarf against his forehead. “I’m glad you’ve been here to help me give Teddy the Christmases I always wanted.” He shivered though he wasn’t necessarily cold, the wind and the snow reminding him of that awful year in the tent even after all this time. Severus tightened his arm reflexively, holding Harry tighter against his side so he could feel the warmth of Severus’ body through the gloves and the layers.
And it was such a good feeling, that such a simple gesture still filled him with contentment and love after fifteen years together, that Harry stretched up and pressed a kiss on Severus’ jaw.
“It will not be the last Christmas we spend with children,” Severus reprimanded, his voice oddly gruff. “I daresay we can kidnap a Weasley offspring or two without notice, should you feel particularly strongly about the matter.” Harry snorted and slid his hand along Severus’ thigh, enjoying their solitude as the snow fell softly around them. When Severus sighed and shifted, resting his cheek atop Harry’s head, Harry merely made a quiet noise of contentment.
“Then again, with Teddy’s infatuation with the lovely Victoire,” he said in a long-suffering tone, “we will undoubtedly be surrounded by grandchildren sooner rather than later, and the vicious cycle of holiday cheer will continue unabated.”
“Do you think you could participate in Christmas just a bit more than usual this year?” He rested his head on Severus’ shoulder and looked up at him with wide, bright, pleading eyes. “You’re always great about the decorations and establishing our own traditions and all,” he continued quickly, “but with this being Teddy’s last Christmas before he’s an adult I just really want it to be --” he floundered, opening and closing his mouth as he searched for an appropriate word.
“Extra special?” Severus sighed as he felt the tension in Harry’s shoulders and cast another warming charm.
“Please?” Harry asked.
They sat quietly, watching the snow blanket the grounds, and then at last Severus hugged Harry even closer to his side. “I promise to do everything in my power to make this Christmas memorable,” he said dryly.
Harry’s laugh echoed across the grounds.
~*~*~
“Hugo, NOOO!”
Freezing in place, one foot on the second step leading up to the porch, the other balanced in mid-air behind him, Hugo Weasley stared wide-eyed at the two remaining porch steps in front of him. Across the porch two ten-foot-tall Nutcrackers flanked the doorway, with a large, cheerful wreath adorned with festively bright red berries placed precisely in the middle of the door. Hugo had planned to be the one to knock on the door, and he would have done it nicely since Mr. Severus abhorred obscenely loud noises.
Only now he was frozen in place, his hat beginning to slide off his head and his nose starting to itch.
“That irresponsible, arrogant, unbelievable, son of a --” Hermione took a deep breath and glanced at her children “-- nutcracker.” Clearing her throat, she marched up the walkway, tapping Hugo on the head with her wand and grasping his hand tightly to keep him from falling over.
“I wasn’t going to bang on the door,” Hugo protested, rubbing his knuckles under his nose.
“Magic is a privilege,” Rose informed her mother loftily, tossing her wild mass of reddish-brown curls and sniffing as she burrowed her hands deeper in the pockets of her robe and carefully climbed up the icy steps. “Mr. Severus says that I must never give my loyalty to weak-willed witches and wizards that rely on keeping others in line through magical means.”
“How lovely for Mr. Severus,” Hermione ground out through clenched teeth, reaching out and straightening Hugo’s Santa hat with a bit more force than necessary. She flicked her wand at the door and the wreath burst into flames.
“My, my, Mrs. Weasley,” Severus said in a mild tone of voice as he opened his smoking door. “Destruction of private property is the example you wish to set for your children?”
“My, my, Mr. Snape,” Hermione replied in a sugary sweet tone. “Devil’s Snare decorated with Abrus precatorius as a wreath?”
“Mmm.” Severus glanced at his door and snapped his fingers. Immediately the nutcracker on the left of the door saluted, turned on its heel, and marched off the side of the porch. “Harry is ever so fond of the notion of decorating.”
He eyed them, taking in Hugo’s red hat that clashed with his ginger hair and cheerful Christmas jumper, Hermione’s bright red dress trimmed in puffy white cotton, and Rose, looking as annoyed as Severus with her plain black robe buttoned up to her neck. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”
“I get to stay with you until Daddy comes to collect me,” Rose announced, ignoring the nutcracker as it reappeared clutching an identical wreath to the one that Hermione had just destroyed. “Uncle Harry said so. And Hugo is going to give you the invitation he made with Grams, inviting you to Christmas dinner at the Burrow.”
Severus silently stepped out of the doorway. “Don’t touch anything!” Hermione called out in alarm as Rose ducked under the nutcracker hanging the new wreath and disappeared inside the house.
“Happy Christmas, Mr. Severus,” Hugo said brightly, holding up a slightly crumpled envelope covered with garish silver glitter and a crayon drawing of a disproportionate snowman. “I made your envelope green since you said red ones remind you of Grams’ shrieking,” he explained.
“Clever,” Severus said, ignoring Hermione’s choked-off laugh as he gingerly accepted the envelope and patted Hugo on the head. “Your penmanship bears a marked improvement over last year. Well done.” Hugo beamed.
“We’re off to finish our task,” Hermione said briskly, seizing Hugo by the scruff of his neck as he stepped a bit too close for comfort to the shining silver sword strapped to one of the nutcracker’s belt. “Do remember how displeased Harry will be if you poison my daughter.”
“Bye, Mr. Severus!” Hugo waved happily as Hermione pulled him off the porch, his Santa hat falling to the ground as they Apparated away.
Pulling his wand, Severus tapped the envelope in his hand and muttered a spell. The envelope began glowing, writhing and floating in the air, until with a muffled pop a glittering green snowman stood sentry at the end of the walkway. It looked out at the world with large black eyes and a crazed, lopsided grin showcasing its jagged teeth. Across it’s misshapen stomach were the words, “dinner will be served,” in a bright red childish scrawl.
Satisfied with his newest decoration, Severus levitated the Santa hat to perch crookedly atop the snowman’s head, before turning to go back inside and quietly shutting the door behind him.
~*~*~
Harry was laughing as he banged the back door open hours later and entered backwards, dragging a large Christmas tree behind him. A bit of careful maneuvering, and Teddy crawled into the kitchen with the middle of the tree braced on his back. Ron brought up the rear, swearing and sweating as he pushed, until the tree slid through the doorway, Teddy stood up, and the three of them were able to stagger down the hallway and into the sitting room.
“Why didn’t we just shrink this fucker?” Ron asked breathlessly, grunting as the three of them worked to get the tree positioned in the stand.
“Dad says it takes away from the magic of Christmas,” Teddy explained, stepping back to admire their work. “And after all the years of us bringing in the tree this way, it’s practically tradition.”
“That’s such bullsh-- hi, baby.” Ron cut himself off and smiled as he noticed Rose sitting on the couch with an open book and a steaming mug in front of her.
“Are you going to help us decorate the tree, Rosie?” Teddy grinned and sat on the arm of the couch, snagging her hot chocolate and turning his hair in alternating patterns of red and green to make her laugh.
“No, Mum sent a message through the Floo that we’re late for dinner with her parents and need to come home as soon as possible.” Rose carefully closed her book and walked it over to the bookshelf, putting it away with a sad little sigh before turning to retrieve her robe.
“Oh, look! Severus decorated while we were gone.” Harry smiled out the window, pointing to where the lopsided green snowman was throwing snowballs and growling at the neighbor’s dog. “Make sure you take Rose out the back if you’re Apparating home today.”
“Nice.” Ron stared at the snowman and then turned to give Rose a cautious look. “You didn’t touch anything while you were here, did you, baby?” Rose simply sighed, and Ron scratched the back of his neck as he watched his daughter button herself up. “Isn’t Snape supposed to be helping with the tree?”
Teddy and Harry exchanged grins. “Nah,” Teddy said cheerfully, “Father always hides on tree trimming day. He’ll sneak down after dinner to clean up our mess and readjust the decorations to make the tree look proportionate and balanced, but it’s too stressful for him to watch us decorate.”
~*~*~
Hours later the tree was decorated, the house silent, and Severus was reading in bed as Harry stepped out of the bathroom scrubbing at his hair with a towel. “Finally,” Harry said with relief as he let his towel fall to the floor and climbed onto the bed. “I love everything about winter except trudging through the cold.”
“Come here,” Severus ordered, closing his book with a snap and placing it on the end table. He reached for Harry’s hand, eyeing it critically before summoning lotion and carefully massaging the cracked, dry skin. “Thirty-five years old and still forgetting your gloves as you trample through the forest with no more finesse than a first year.”
Harry’s smile was warm and sappy as Severus finished with his left hand and reached for his right. “Good thing I have you to take care of me then, isn’t it?”
“I have been taking care of you so long, it is doubtful you would know what to do without me.” Severus frowned awfully as he said the words, but his hands were thorough as they rubbed the lotion into Harry’s skin.
“Don’t even joke.” Harry reached up and ran his free hand through Severus’ hair. “I can’t imagine what I would do without you. Even during those first awful months after the war, when we were hiding out and healing in Grimmauld Place, and then Andromeda passing away and Teddy moving in...” Harry trailed off and flopped back against the pillows. “There were times I flat out despised you, but I never once imagined getting through it if you left.”
“Despised me, hmm?” Dropping Harry’s hand, Severus leaned over and slid on top of him, narrowing his eyes as Harry grinned and looped his arms around Severus’ neck. “Imagine how I felt, healing from a nearly fatal snake bite while forced into hiding with my least favorite student, only to have a toddler dropped into my lap.”
“You loved it,” Harry said confidently, pulling Severus down for a kiss. “Many a night you went to bed thanking God that I was there for you to fight with and presenting you with a ready-made family.” A single eyebrow lifted in response and Harry burst out laughing. “Well, ok, maybe that didn’t happen until a couple years after I talked my way into your bed, but you have to admit that once Teddy was potty-trained and talking properly he was a lot of fun.”
“There you were,” Severus said dryly, shifting his hips until he laid atop Harry fully, “hopelessly inept yet charging into a new relationship as a partner and father with no prior experience or fully formed idea of what you were doing.”
“And it turned out beautifully, didn’t it?” Harry smiled at Severus as he cupped his cheek and kissed him again, a light pressing of lips that was surprisingly gentle.
“I would grade the last decade at Exceeds Expectations,” Severus agreed seriously, eyes warm as he nudged Harry’s jaw with his nose until Harry obligingly tilted his head further up. “The first few years were definitely Poor, however.”
Harry sighed and relaxed into the mattress as Severus sucked biting kisses into his neck. “Least we never quite rated as a Troll.” He closed his eyes as Severus moved lower and closed his mouth over his nipple. “But we should probably wait before things proceed any further, as Teddy is still awake.”
“Doubtful.” Severus smirked as he dipped his fingers in the lotion, rubbing his fingers together before sliding his hand along Harry’s cock. “Between the silencing spells on the room and the mild sleeping draught I added to his hot chocolate, Teddy will not be disturbing us this evening.”
Harry’s eyes popped open. “You drugged our son?”
“Only mildly.” Severus trailed his hand lower, cupping Harry’s ball sac and pressing gently on the underside of his cock with his thumb. He knew he had won the moment Harry’s eyes fluttered and that broken moan he loved so much made Harry’s entire chest vibrate. “You did say you wanted this Christmas to be memorable, did you not?”
Giving up, Harry spread his legs wider and pulled Severus’ head up for a hard kiss.
~*~*~
For the last several years, Christmas Eve was just for Harry and Severus as Teddy had developed the habit of spending the afternoon shopping and hanging out with his friends.
“Remember how we used to spend Christmas Eve?” Harry’s tone was wistful as he sat at the kitchen table, watching the rain and snow mix wetly against the window. “Baking cookies and telling stories all afternoon.”
“Convincing the manipulative little cretin that the presents were best left untouched until Christmas morning.” Severus sipped his tea and ignored Harry’s glare with the ease of long practice. “Dealing with the resultant sugar rush from consuming too many cookies.” He paused thoughtfully. “Though the inevitable comatose crash by the end of the day was rather welcome.”
“Whatever.” Lips twitching, Harry rose from the table and reached for his coat. “I’m going to bring in more wood for the fire and spend the afternoon baking gingerbread cookies. If you’re nice to me later, I’ll even pretend not to notice you sneaking them.”
“Do not be absurd,” Severus said crossly, twitching his wand without looking up from the paper. “Sneaking cookies lost its appeal once Teddy became too old for us to shag in the kitchen as you made them.”
Harry couldn’t help but smile as he reached out and caught the bundle of fluffy cloth that Severus had summoned from the front door. “Good point,” he said cheerfully as he separated the bundle and crammed the hat on his head, wrapped the scarf around his neck, and pulled his gloves on. “But Teddy won’t be home until dinner time, remember?” He winked as he slammed the door on the muffled sound of Severus’ laughter.
Later there was laughter and noise and mess and smiles and love. Teddy’s face was flushed and his smile bright as he told them all about his afternoon with his friends. Severus set his wine glass on the table and reached out, covering Harry’s hand with his own.
And then it was Christmas, and they spent the morning sleeping in, lingering over breakfast, and exchanging gifts. Cleaning the house and listening to the wireless before heading to dinner with the Weasley’s.
“Severus, dear,” Molly said absently, thrusting a copy of The Adventures of the Blue Carbuncle into his hands. “Dinner is running just a tad late. Do keep the children occupied for a few minutes, won’t you?”
“Perhaps I should read to the kids,” George’s wife Angelina said anxiously. “The last time Severus read The Night Before Christmas Freddie had nightmares about being cursed until he craved nothing but sugar plums for the rest of his life.”
“No, I need you to start the potatoes, dear.” Molly made a shooing gesture, driving Angelina down the hall to the kitchen. “Severus will be fine; there’s no food in this story.”
Twenty minutes later Percy entered the sitting room to call everyone to dinner, and smiled at the rapt expressions on the children’s faces as they sprawled on the floor at Severus’ feet.
“... and then Sherlock realized that the woman who had found the carbuncle in the goose’s throat, Mrs. Peterson, had been the one who stole the jewel in the first place.” Severus licked his finger and turned the page.
“But why would she do that, Mr. Severus? It’s so mean!” Dominique twisted her blonde hair around her finger anxiously.
“Stealing is wrong,” Severus agreed, nodding gravely. “But you see, when Peterson’s wife was eight she was so naughty and disrespectful to her parents that Santa Claus refused to deliver any presents to her.” All of the children gaped at this, George’s twins, Freddie and Roxanne, exchanging particularly guilty looks. “Poor Mrs. Peterson was so ashamed of her deplorable behaviour that she ran away from home rather than deal with her parents disappointment.”
“Um, Severus?” Percy warily stepped further into the room, glaring as his mouth suddenly glued itself shut.
“An alcoholic by the age of nine, Mrs. Peterson was pregnant by fifteen and indulging in illicit criminal activity shortly thereafter.” Severus closed the book with a snap, giving the children a stern look. “Now, why was Mrs. Peterson caught and eventually sent to prison?”
Percy glared as his wand slipped from his suddenly nerveless fingers, and left the room to find reinforcements.
“Because she was sloppy,” Rose said promptly. “If she had taken the time to plan her heist better, her partner in crime would never have gotten into the tussle with her husband and the jewel would have been successfully embezzled.”
“Very good.” Severus gave Rose a small, pleased smile. “Remember, children: Always treat people with respect, mind your manners, and pay attention to the details.” Everyone nodded obediently and Severus clapped his hands. “Now I do believe it is time to wash up for dinner.”
They passed Molly and Percy in the hallway, Molly smiling brightly as the kids hugged her and thanked her for making dinner before proceeding to the washroom. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Percy,” she said crossly, pushing him back down the hall. “Severus was just telling them to wash up, not tormenting them with tales of living rough on the streets.”
“Happy Christmas, Molly,” Severus said blandly, sweeping into the kitchen to take his place next to Harry at the table.
~*~*~
Dinner was loud, with people talking over each other, children racing out of the room to play with toys, and far too many glasses of wine being consumed all around.
Later, when Ron was drunk enough to despair that Severus had ruined his daughter, George had coaxed the family ghoul to follow Percy around the house, and Molly and Arthur were swaying in the kitchen to the wireless, Harry and Severus left Teddy to spend the night and escaped.
The garden was glowing with lights, fairies flitting from one bush to another. “How is this possible?” Harry laughed and spun in a circle, not even paying attention as Severus followed him and tugged his hat down firmly over his ears.
Severus gave the lights a dismissive look. “A few cheering potions mixed with honey and mulled wine is enough to lure the fairies in by droves.”
“You did this?” Harry turned and gave Severus a wide, ridiculous grin that made him look young and carefree. “But why? You barely tolerate the Christmas holidays.”
“Did you not ask me to ensure this Christmas was especially merry?” Severus sounded stiff and annoyed, an embarrassed flush blotting his cheeks. “This Christmas, in an effort to please you, I decorated, assisted in the baking of cookies, and read to children.” He looked away as though affronted. “Surely you are not doubting my ability to concoct such a simple potion to keep the flying menaces happy.”
Harry flung his arms around Severus, kissing him hard. “I still love you so much it surprises me on a daily basis,” he said breathlessly as he pulled back. His eyes were bright and shining, and Severus cleared his throat and checked to make sure Harry’s scarf was still wrapped securely about his neck before blowing out a deep sigh.
“I abhor excessive displays of sentimentality,” Severus said gruffly, “so listen well as I shall not repeat this for another seventeen years.” He wrapped his arms tightly around Harry’s waist and pressed their foreheads together. The dancing fairy lights of the garden and the snow falling gently around them made the scene seem even more surreal, and Severus had to shake his head at the way his life had turned out.
“Even without Teddy in the house I would have assisted you with holiday preparation, as it was such a simple request to make and it makes you so happy.” Harry’s eyes widened at the serious tone, his smile fading as he stared at Severus intently.
“I feel so unbelievably blessed to have you in my life,” Severus continued quietly. “You make life worth living and holidays worth celebrating.” He tensed as Harry’s eyes shimmered with tears and his smile faded.
He hated outbursts of this nature specifically because of the inevitable emotional discussions to follow.
But instead Harry reached up and trailed his gloved fingers across Severus’ cheek. “I think,” he whispered, “that now I really, really need to touch you without gloves on. So we should get out of the cold and go to bed.”
“Merry Christmas,” Severus said, smirking as he followed Harry to the door.