Author: Caliadragon

Title: The Miracle of Christmas

Date: December 19

Fandom: Harry Potter

Pairing: Snape/Harry

Rating: PG

Summary: Harry thinks and Severus rages.

Disclaimer: Not Mine, Unfortunately

Feedback address: Caliadragon@myself.com

Advertisement: Part of the SAC-2003 at: http://www.kardasi.com/Advent/2003

Note: This is not a fluffy tale, there is a lot of angst.

Beta: Thanks to the lovely and talented Edi.



The Miracle of Christmas
By Caliadragon

Harry looked out at the pristine white that blanketed Hogwarts and felt the loneliness he was fighting threaten to overtake him. He was the only student left at Hogwarts this year. With the war still looming on the horizon and many students losing members of their families, the Headmaster had decided that all of the students, save Harry, should go home for the holidays.

The only people remaining were adults who were all strategizing and planning attacks against Voldemort and his Deatheaters. Harry's mouth twisted up in a parody of a smile. Harry was getting to the point where he hated the Order almost as much as he hated Voldemort. In the two years since Sirius' death he had lost so much and had been cast aside, lied to and disregarded by them so many times he had lost count.

The year before he had lost the only two bright spots in his life to a Deatheater attack on the train to Hogwarts. His best friends were dead. Mione, who had become so beautiful. She'd had a frightening intelligence and a light that seemed to infuse those around her. Ron, the second friend he'd ever made, the boy who gave him his love and innocence. The brilliant strategist and the most gentle person Harry had ever known. They had died together, along with Neville Longbottom and Lee Jordan.

Harry had yet again survived. Due to the interference of the Headmaster, Harry hadn't been given the right to die with his friends. It was then that it had been decided that Harry would stay at Hogwarts. Harry hadn't spoken a word to anyone since that day. No one, no matter how hard they tried, could get Harry to speak and they all feared he would kill himself.

Harry knew of their fears and didn't care. He had no intention of killing himself, at least not yet. The minute that Voldemort was dead he was going to the Ministry to throw himself into the Void. He had no reason to go on and no one to live for, now that Mione and Ron were dead.

"Sulking, Potter?" a smooth, silky voice asked from behind him.

Harry turned slightly and looked at the man leaning against the wall. Harry marveled yet again at the transformation in his professor. Severus Snape had always been a compelling man, but since being revealed as a spy he no longer tried to hide behind glamors. In the process he showed how beautiful he was. Even Harry in his ennui could feel the draw of his professor.

Harry shrugged in reply and turned to look out the window again. Severus sighed in response. He would never admit it, but he missed the rebellious boy who stood up to him and fought at every turn. This mere shell of a boy was something that he feared.

Severus had no doubt that Harry would defeat the Dark Lord. The foolish creature had taken the two people that Harry lived for away from him. The Weasley's had been devastated by the loss of their youngest son, but they had been more devastated by Harry's loss. Remus was terrified by the changes in the young man. They knew that he was going to kill himself, it was only a matter of when. Albus could see no way of stopping him, other than to keep the boy at Hogwarts.

Severus had tried needling the boy, insulting him, even threatening him. Nothing worked. Not even Draco could get a response out of Potter. The boy no longer did anything but study and stare out the window.

"Why are you not bothering the house-elves for sweets? Surely you would see it as your due with being the only boy in the school," Severus asked, trying to goad a reaction from the boy.

Harry just shook his head. Severus snarled low in his throat and suddenly lunged forward, yanking the boy around to face him. "I will not allow this any longer. You are not going to do this to me! Do you really think that Granger or Weasley would want this? Do you really think that fool Black would want to see you just waiting to die? Of course they wouldn't! You will not keep doing this, damn you!" Severus shook the boy once, then crushed their mouths together. The kiss was brutal and consuming. Harry had no choice but to go along with it.

As suddenly as it began the kiss ended. "You will not take away my reason for living," Severus said angrily, before releasing Harry and striding away.

Harry stood, still stunned by the kiss. He reached up and touched his lips reverently, before smiling. Tears began to slowly run down his cheeks and he sank down to the floor. For the first time since losing Ron and Hermione, Harry grieved.

* * *

The gathered group looked up as Harry walked into the hall for dinner. Tonks and Remus both called out a greeting to him. "Merry Christmas, Harry," they said in unison.

"Merry Christmas," he offered in return before going over to sit by Severus. The group froze and Albus beamed at Harry.

Harry looked over at Severus before leaning over and kissing him. The kiss was as fierce as the one shared in the teacher's lounge, but it was much more gentle. When he pulled away Harry looked up at him. "Thank you, I won't take away your reason."

"You had better not," Severus snarled before kissing the boy again. The others in the room could only gape, while Albus smiled brightly. Christmas was truly a time of miracles.



The End