Fic: Christmas Truce
Dec. 7th, 2011 07:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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mini_festTitle: Christmas Truce
Author: ???
Rating: PG
Characters: Minerva, Severus
Prompt: 81: Minerva/Severus; Christmas during the DH year.
Warnings: None.
Summary: Severus intends to spend Christmas alone. Minerva has other plans.
Word Count: ~1100
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. Shame.
A/N: Thank you to G and J.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kellychambliss, I picked this prompt specifically so I could write something for you. Happy Christmas!
Severus sat behind his desk, quill scratching over parchment. Many children had gone home for the holidays, and Severus really didn't know if it was better for them. At least if they were at Hogwarts, Severus could protect them.
He wanted to hex the Carrows himself—if anyone deserved a nice round of the Cruciatus curse it was Amycus—but instead stood by and watched, making sure they didn't go too far.
The looks he received from the rest of the staff made the situation even more difficult to endure. He didn't expect the children to respect him, but seeing Poppy shy away from him, the disappointment in Filius's face, the revulsion in Minerva's was difficult to bear day in and day out.
Severus set the quill aside and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. It had taken years for Severus and Minerva to develop their relationship from former student and professor to colleagues with a healthy amount of camaraderie, as well as competition.
What he wouldn't give to have things be so simple again. He missed their friendly wagers over who would win the next Quidditch match or the House Cup. After sixteen years as colleagues, the situation he found himself in had obliterated her good opinion of him.
He was very good at hiding his feelings, but that was a bit harder to hide. It hurt, a lot.
The wards alerted him to the fact that someone was trying to see him. Casting a Tempus charm, Severus noticed it was already nearly midnight, Christmas Eve. It was either the Carrows—though he reminded himself that he'd given them each a bottle of cheap Firewhisky and they were most likely passed out by now—or Minerva.
Flicking his wand to open the door to his office, he could hear her voice—loudly—chiding the gargoyle to step aside. Sighing deeply, he smoothed his expression and allowed the staircase to bring her up.
Standing in front of his desk as he waited, he wasn't prepared to see the tea tray floating in ahead of Minerva.
"An unusual hour for tea, isn't it, Minerva?" Severus said softly as the door shut behind her.
"Christmas truce." She took one of the chairs in front of the fire and poured herself a cup. "You still have that bottle of Glenmorangie I gave you last year?"
Severus moved behind the desk—his desk, though he rarely considered it such—and reached into the bottom drawer. He usually drank Firewhisky so there was more than half the bottle remaining.
Carrying it over, he opened it and poured a splash into her tea.
"A bit more, I should think, Severus," she scolded, and he dutifully added another measure. He stood next to her for a moment and then she waved her arm at him. "Do sit down." Severus smiled to himself at her confident air, thinking nothing of coming into his office and taking over.
As he moved to sit in the other chair, he noticed the biscuits, scones, as well as a small plum pudding with hard sauce on the tea tray. With a slight wave of her wand, the kettle poured a cup for Severus, which he added a healthy shot of the Glenmorangie to before lifting it in a toast.
After he took a single sip, he set the cup aside. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Minerva took a shortbread biscuit from the tray and broke off a corner. "We've spent Christmas together for many a year."
Severus pursed his lips. "Things are different this year."
"It's Christmas, for God's sake!" Minerva fixed him with a penetrating look. "Day after tomorrow you can go back to playing happy Death Eater—"
"Minerva—" Severus tried to interrupt, but she spoke over him.
"—and I will continue fighting you tooth and nail. However, until the clock strikes twelve tomorrow, I shall hear none of it." She popped the piece of shortbread into her mouth and chewed slowly. Severus took another sip of his tea, the warmth of the tea and Minerva's company warmed a part of him he hadn't realised was so very cold.
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled wryly. "Have a biscuit, Severus. I know they're your favourites."
The corner of his mouth turned up slightly as he reached for the tea tray. The buttery flavour burst on his tongue, reminding him of many a Christmas. A heavy gong sounded as the clock chimed the hour.
"Happy Christmas, Severus," Minerva said, raising her teacup.
Severus lifted his in silence, too choked up to speak. After taking a sip, he leaned back in his chair basking in the warmth of the fire, the drink, and Minerva's company.
When the clock struck one, Minerva set her thrice filled teacup down and stood.
"I'd best get back to my chambers. I expect the children that have stayed at Hogwarts for the holiday will need a fair bit of minding tomorrow." That her students—all the students really—needed protecting went without saying. That he'd hoped she'd stay a bit longer was a disappointment he'd bear alone.
"That's certainly been true every other year," Severus replied as he walked her to the door. "Give even the eldest some sweets and a new cauldron—"
"Or broom," she added, a twinkle in her eye.
"—and they can't refrain from running about the castle like first years." Severus put his hand on the knob to open the door, but Minerva's hand over his stopped him.
"Severus, please," she said softly, her hand warm on his. "Don't do this."
He swallowed convulsively, her face normally so firm, so assured. Now she allowed him to see her pain and worry. He wanted so much to tell her something, anything that would keep her from thinking the very worst of him. Her presence here tonight told him that she kept some small hope that he wasn't completely lost. However, he still had much work to do and he couldn't fail. Not now.
Steeling his resolve, he looked up, face a perfect mask. "Thank you for your company this evening, Professor." He clenched his jaw as he saw the change in her expression.
"Good night then, Headmaster," she said coldly. He opened the office door and watched the staircase carry her down.
After he shut the door, Severus walked slowly to the chairs where they had been sitting, his fingers running along the leather back. Finishing his tepid tea in one swallow, he grabbed the bottle of whisky—no glass—and headed to his chambers.
Author: ???
Rating: PG
Characters: Minerva, Severus
Prompt: 81: Minerva/Severus; Christmas during the DH year.
Warnings: None.
Summary: Severus intends to spend Christmas alone. Minerva has other plans.
Word Count: ~1100
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. Shame.
A/N: Thank you to G and J.
kellychambliss, I picked this prompt specifically so I could write something for you. Happy Christmas!Severus sat behind his desk, quill scratching over parchment. Many children had gone home for the holidays, and Severus really didn't know if it was better for them. At least if they were at Hogwarts, Severus could protect them.
He wanted to hex the Carrows himself—if anyone deserved a nice round of the Cruciatus curse it was Amycus—but instead stood by and watched, making sure they didn't go too far.
The looks he received from the rest of the staff made the situation even more difficult to endure. He didn't expect the children to respect him, but seeing Poppy shy away from him, the disappointment in Filius's face, the revulsion in Minerva's was difficult to bear day in and day out.
Severus set the quill aside and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. It had taken years for Severus and Minerva to develop their relationship from former student and professor to colleagues with a healthy amount of camaraderie, as well as competition.
What he wouldn't give to have things be so simple again. He missed their friendly wagers over who would win the next Quidditch match or the House Cup. After sixteen years as colleagues, the situation he found himself in had obliterated her good opinion of him.
He was very good at hiding his feelings, but that was a bit harder to hide. It hurt, a lot.
The wards alerted him to the fact that someone was trying to see him. Casting a Tempus charm, Severus noticed it was already nearly midnight, Christmas Eve. It was either the Carrows—though he reminded himself that he'd given them each a bottle of cheap Firewhisky and they were most likely passed out by now—or Minerva.
Flicking his wand to open the door to his office, he could hear her voice—loudly—chiding the gargoyle to step aside. Sighing deeply, he smoothed his expression and allowed the staircase to bring her up.
Standing in front of his desk as he waited, he wasn't prepared to see the tea tray floating in ahead of Minerva.
"An unusual hour for tea, isn't it, Minerva?" Severus said softly as the door shut behind her.
"Christmas truce." She took one of the chairs in front of the fire and poured herself a cup. "You still have that bottle of Glenmorangie I gave you last year?"
Severus moved behind the desk—his desk, though he rarely considered it such—and reached into the bottom drawer. He usually drank Firewhisky so there was more than half the bottle remaining.
Carrying it over, he opened it and poured a splash into her tea.
"A bit more, I should think, Severus," she scolded, and he dutifully added another measure. He stood next to her for a moment and then she waved her arm at him. "Do sit down." Severus smiled to himself at her confident air, thinking nothing of coming into his office and taking over.
As he moved to sit in the other chair, he noticed the biscuits, scones, as well as a small plum pudding with hard sauce on the tea tray. With a slight wave of her wand, the kettle poured a cup for Severus, which he added a healthy shot of the Glenmorangie to before lifting it in a toast.
After he took a single sip, he set the cup aside. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Minerva took a shortbread biscuit from the tray and broke off a corner. "We've spent Christmas together for many a year."
Severus pursed his lips. "Things are different this year."
"It's Christmas, for God's sake!" Minerva fixed him with a penetrating look. "Day after tomorrow you can go back to playing happy Death Eater—"
"Minerva—" Severus tried to interrupt, but she spoke over him.
"—and I will continue fighting you tooth and nail. However, until the clock strikes twelve tomorrow, I shall hear none of it." She popped the piece of shortbread into her mouth and chewed slowly. Severus took another sip of his tea, the warmth of the tea and Minerva's company warmed a part of him he hadn't realised was so very cold.
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled wryly. "Have a biscuit, Severus. I know they're your favourites."
The corner of his mouth turned up slightly as he reached for the tea tray. The buttery flavour burst on his tongue, reminding him of many a Christmas. A heavy gong sounded as the clock chimed the hour.
"Happy Christmas, Severus," Minerva said, raising her teacup.
Severus lifted his in silence, too choked up to speak. After taking a sip, he leaned back in his chair basking in the warmth of the fire, the drink, and Minerva's company.
When the clock struck one, Minerva set her thrice filled teacup down and stood.
"I'd best get back to my chambers. I expect the children that have stayed at Hogwarts for the holiday will need a fair bit of minding tomorrow." That her students—all the students really—needed protecting went without saying. That he'd hoped she'd stay a bit longer was a disappointment he'd bear alone.
"That's certainly been true every other year," Severus replied as he walked her to the door. "Give even the eldest some sweets and a new cauldron—"
"Or broom," she added, a twinkle in her eye.
"—and they can't refrain from running about the castle like first years." Severus put his hand on the knob to open the door, but Minerva's hand over his stopped him.
"Severus, please," she said softly, her hand warm on his. "Don't do this."
He swallowed convulsively, her face normally so firm, so assured. Now she allowed him to see her pain and worry. He wanted so much to tell her something, anything that would keep her from thinking the very worst of him. Her presence here tonight told him that she kept some small hope that he wasn't completely lost. However, he still had much work to do and he couldn't fail. Not now.
Steeling his resolve, he looked up, face a perfect mask. "Thank you for your company this evening, Professor." He clenched his jaw as he saw the change in her expression.
"Good night then, Headmaster," she said coldly. He opened the office door and watched the staircase carry her down.
After he shut the door, Severus walked slowly to the chairs where they had been sitting, his fingers running along the leather back. Finishing his tepid tea in one swallow, he grabbed the bottle of whisky—no glass—and headed to his chambers.
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no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 02:40 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 03:03 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 04:15 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 04:19 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 05:55 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 05:59 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 06:18 pm (UTC)Oh, Severus.
I can see how dangerous it would have been for him to allow MInerva to know anything, but my heart just breaks for him here, for both of them, really. I want to hug them both.
Beautifully handled, though. Very deft writing. :)
Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-08 02:11 am (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-08 02:20 am (UTC)What an unexpected and wonderful surprise, Mystery Author! Ever since I saw this fic posted, I've felt as if Christmas has come early. Thank you so much -- not only for thinking of me, but for doing it with such a fine story. You've captured exactly how I see this friendship: strong, yet based on any number of things they can't say or don't need to say. The friendship scene is so vivid here, so believable, which makes the inevitable (and also believable) ending that much more painful. I can see just why and how both of them would act this way. Of course she would take the risk of trying to reach him (she's a Gryffindor), and of course he could not let her past her defenses, both for her own safety and for the good of the cause. The strength with which he bears his pain is very affecting; I feel terrible for both of them (but in a good way! The way that comes from reading a powerful piece of fiction that is very believable in the pain it presents...and in the moments of camaraderie it shows, too).
"A bit more, I should think, Severus," she scolded
Ha! Yes, I definitely see this.
He stood next to her for a moment and then she waved her arm at him. "Do sit down." Severus smiled to himself at her confident air, thinking nothing of coming into his office and taking over.
Oh, yes! This is so true to both of them.
the warmth of the tea and Minerva's company warmed a part of him he hadn't realised was so very cold.
*sniff*
That he'd hoped she'd stay a bit longer was a disappointment he'd bear alone.
*double sniff*
I love the truce; it's like the German and British soldiers in World War I, calling their Christmas Eve truce to sit in their foxholes and and sing carols across No-Man's-Land. So bittersweet, these touches of humanity in the midst of madness.
Thank you, thank you, Mystery Santa.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-05 10:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-08 03:22 am (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-08 07:14 am (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 10:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-08 01:27 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 11:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-11 02:43 am (UTC)the warmth of the tea and Minerva's company warmed a part of him he hadn't realised was so very cold.
That is such a beautiful line. It is so hard to picture him that final year, so alone, so desolate. You just wondered how much he slept that year. He is the most tragic of characters, and you have given him such brittle, bleak beauty here. Inspirational.
Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 11:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-11 04:18 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 11:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-11 04:30 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 11:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-11 09:25 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-13 01:02 pm (UTC)Re: Christmas Truce
Date: 2012-01-05 11:12 pm (UTC)