POV: Severus

Ever since I was a young boy Christmas has always just been another day. While other children were so happy to go home for the break, I dreaded it. Home meant nothing but getting yelled at and hoping Tobias would stay in a drunken stupor. Lily was the only thing that made going home bearable, I was lucky enough to even receive a small homemade card every year, which I still have, that is until Lily and I stopped being friends. That was when I stopped going home all together for Christmas, at least here at Hogwarts I got warm meals and wasn't picked on nearly as much since everyone else was gone basically.

As an adult, the holiday was still another day for me. The small break I got from the idiots I was forced teach was always welcomed. My colleagues and I would exchange gifts but it was because Dumbledore insisted on a ludicrous muggle tradition called 'Secret Santa'. Other than that and the head master personally sending me sweets of some kind, which I told him was not necessary, I never expected anything else. That is until a miss know-it-all stepped into my life.

Sitting alone in my potions classroom grading papers was one of the few ways I spent the night before the students would leave on their Christmas holiday. It was quiet except for my quill scratching markers into the poor piss homework that my pupils thought was adequate but how wrong they were. I was on one of the last papers when I heard a light tap on my door.

"Yes?" I called, not looking up from my work. A few seconds later I heard small footsteps running down the hall. Rolling my eyes, I stood up and walked briskly over to the door and threw it open, ready to give a detention to whomever had the gull to knock on my door and run away. Glancing down the hallway I caught a glimpse of a girl with a head full of brown curls rounding the corner.

Ms. Hermione Jean Granger. A first year Gryffindor, who throughout the whole school year was proving to be a thorn in my side. I was just about to shout for her to stop when something crunched under my shoe. Lifting my foot, I saw a half crushed candy cane with a note tied to it with a green ribbon. Bending over, I picked it up the candy cane and headed back inside the classroom. Putting the sweet treat on my desk I untied the note.

Hope you have a good Christmas Professor. – Hermione

I scoffed at the note, thinking it was just her way of kissing my arse, hoping to get into my good graces. It wasn't going to work, there was no way in hell one of Potter's fan girls was ever going to get on my good side.

Yet that first sweet treat was just the start of something. Every year after that I would always find a gift outside my classroom. After the candy cane, she gave me a candle, then a new quill and ink. And with every present there was always a note attached to it saying the same thing, wishing me a good Christmas.

I wasn't sure what she was aiming at. It's not like I treated her any different in the classroom. And she acted like she didn't expect me to. It was clear that if she was trying to bribe me that it wasn't working but she still kept at it. But the way I looked at her did change over the years.

The little girl she used to be was replaced by a confident young woman with the same mane full of curls, who blindly followed Potter just for her sere loyalty. She was brilliant in her own regard but she also hated to be wrong. Ms. Granger was also the only student, who actually looked me in the eyes without looking away.

I was once again in my classroom the night before the students left for Christmas but instead of grading papers I was patiently waiting for Ms. Granger. Not quite sure what came over me but I just wanted to ask her why she left me a gift every year. Right on time I heard her small footsteps in the hall, getting up from my desk, I quietly made my way over to the door and opened it, the same moment that Ms. Granger was placing her gift down.

Her brown eyes met mine and we just stood there staring at one another for a few seconds. Her wild hair was in a braid but it looked like it was going to come loose at any time. And the red jumper she was wearing was festive but not overly so.

"Good evening Professor." She said with a smile.

"Ms. Granger. What do I owe this visit?" I asked, trying to act like I wasn't expecting her.

"I was just dropping off your present but since you're out here. Merry Christmas Professor." Ms. Granger held out what looked like a green handmade scarf, folded and tied together with a silver ribbon. Gently taking it from her I looked at the note tied to it.

I hope this scarf keeps you warm this winter. Merry Christmas Professor. -Hermione

Untying the ribbon, I unfolded the scarf and was awed by how soft it was.

"I know it's not the prettiest thing in the world but I thought you could use one." Ms. Granger spoke up. She was right the scarf was not a beauty. The sides were uneven and it was obvious it was made by someone who didn't know the first thing about knitting. At the same time though I could just picture her putting everything she had into it.

"Thank you Ms. Granger." I told her, still keeping my indifferent expression. She smiled and nodded, almost like she could see right through me.

"Well I had better be getting back. Have a Merry Christmas Professor."

"You do the same Ms. Granger." I uttered before I could stop myself. Ms. Granger stepped forward and gave me a brief hug and let go before I could properly register what had happened. I stared at her reciting back in shock at what she did. That's when I remembered why I wanted to catch her in the first place.

"Why do you leave me gifts every year?" I called out before she could get to far. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face me. For the first time that night she had a confused look on her face.

"Pardon?"

"It's clear that if you're trying to bribe me that's it not going to work. I don't understand why you insist on giving gifts when you get nothing in return." As I spoke a smile found its way on her face.

"That's where you're wrong Professor. I do get something. You see ever since I little my father has always told me that the people that seem the coldest often need the most love. It was on an impulse that I gave you that candy cane in my first year but I looked back at you looking at my note and I saw just a brief flicker of a smile. That's why I do it. To know that if only once a year that I can get you to smile just for a second, that's enough for me." She smiled.

I was at a loss for words. Never in my life did I ever think someone would care enough to go out of their way to do something kind for me and it was one of Potter's friends no less. None the less, her kind words warmed my heart.

"Goodnight Ms. Granger."

"Goodnight Professor."

After that things between the two of us did change little by little. Feelings that I thought were long dead after Lily was killed, started to appear in my cold heart but I was not going to endanger Hermione's life. So I told her that we could not be together, not until after the war, she agreed but I failed to tell her that there was a slim chance that I was going to live. Still it appeased her for the time being.

The time came for me to die but there she was. Being the heroin I always knew she was. Hermione saved my life and for that I would forever be thankful. She did more than that though.

One Christmas night a year after the war I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. We were wed and that's how I find myself here now. In our house, by the fire place, curled up on the couch enjoying the warmth of one another. Celebrating Christmas in our own quiet way.

"Severus?" Hermione whispers. I look down and see she's looking at me with her big, warm eyes. I reach down, pull a curl out of her face and kiss her forehead.

"Yes? Sweetheart?"

"You seem lost in thought. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about that first gift I ever received from you." I smiled.

"Ah. Yes, that fated candy cane. You know I had every intention of giving you that in person but I just could not get up the courage."

"Ha! Now I find that hard to believe. You were and still are the only person I know who can look me in the eyes."

"It's not that hard to look you in the eyes." She said, catching my eyes with her once again. Leaning down I pressed my lips against hers and held her tightly.

"I love you Hermione Snape."

"And I love you Severus Snape." She smiled. Pulling her into my lap, I basked in the love that share with one another.

I had never thought that Christmas would be an important day for me but that was before a bright young witch left a candy cane at my door. It was when I still thought that I would never love again. Hermione brought my walls down, one by one and through everything she never ran away. She loved and cared for me in a way that I have ever known and that in itself is the greatest present I have ever received. The love of a beautiful witch named Hermione Jean Granger.

Hello everyone! This is the first Harry Potter story I have ever written so I hope I did okay. I absolutely love Snape and Hermione! I always write a Christmas special every year and I thought this pairing deserved a story. And Snape is a hard person to write for I will say that but I enjoyed writing this and I hope you all enjoyed reading it. :) All reviews are welcomed! And thank you for reading!