Severus entered the store when he heard the bell ring indicating someone had come inside. It would alert him if he was in his lab or their private quarters, too. He'd been in the office working on invoices, but realized about the time a customer showed up that he'd have to wait for Hermione. He just wasn't computer savvy.

Prior to Hermione, he'd done them by hand. The wizarding world wasn't unaccustomed to handwritten invoices. However, the computer generated ones were superior in that they were always legible, no one could say they misread what he'd written, and they were faster. He just wasn't proficient enough to feel comfortable doing them without her around in case he ran into some issue.

His luck, he would erase everything and then she'd be more than just a little upset with him. He had no desire to ever have Hermione Granger more than just a little upset with him.

He frowned when he spotted the younger wizard perusing the shelf of newly released books that was on display. He'd like to say he was surprised by this turn of events, but if he'd been in Harry Potter's shoes he'd be doing the exact same thing. Regardless of what Hermione had said the evening after seeing him, he knew it was Harry's mention of his mother that led to the questions she'd asked that evening.

He wasn't upset, it was bound to come up. He'd been truthfully shocked she hadn't asked them before that night. He was also glad it came up before they'd consummated their marriage rather than after. The foreplay they engaged in was … exceptionally pleasing. Probably more than actual sex had ever been to him truthfully. However, if she'd decided after they'd had sex that she couldn't deal with the shadow of Lily that would always surround him. Well, he could admit that would have been pretty devastating.

So, if his best friend was now married to the man who'd been in love with his mum he'd likely come talk to the husband, too.

"Mr. Potter," he said, trying to refrain from his tone appearing rude or snide. He thought he accomplished it, but it was hard to tell. Years of saying the wizard's name with disdain were hard to brush off.

"Hey, Mr. Snape," he said, smiling at him.

"Hermione is not here."

"Oh, I know. Well, I guess I didn't know that for sure, but took the chance since she's in school and it's a school day that she'd be on campus."

"Okay." The word came out clipped, sounding more cautious than he'd intended it to.

"I wanted to see you, Sir."

"I'm no longer your professor, Potter."

"Yes, well, I took my cue from you addressing me as Mr. Potter."

"You are my wife's best friend, I think Severus will do."

"Thanks, and Harry, please," he said, smile widening.

"All right then, Harry. What brings you to my doorstep today?"

"Well, I wanted to extend an invitation for the both of you to attend Christmas Day at my home personally. Just so you, and Hermione, know I really do want you there. I'm sure she thinks I offered just to be nice or something."

He'd invited them to Christmas? She hadn't told him that. Why? Did she not want to go? Did she not want him to go? Was she going to go without him? And more, why did Potter want them there?

"Why?"

"Because she's my best friend and you're her husband. Aside from being her husband you are a hero and were friends with my mum. You are always welcome in my home. I realize Christmas Day may not be your ideal time to announce you're married, but you'd see everyone that matters to Hermione at one time."

"That's a selling point?" Severus knew what the younger wizard was getting at, but he wasn't sure he liked the idea of getting it all done at one time.

He shrugged. "I thought it might be, kind of like a plaster, you know, just rip it off to get the exposure. I also had another idea."

"Go on, enlighten me further."

"Well, what if I brought Luna with me the next time I visit Hermione. She mentioned giving me a tour of campus after the holidays. Well, if Luna came along, the two of you could do an interview with her for the Quibbler."

"Why would we ever care to do that?"

"To get the upper hand on Rita Skeeter and the Daily Prophet, knowing your story would get out on your terms. You know once it's discovered that you won't be able to tell it. I think we can handle those in attendance on Christmas to not say anything. I mean they're all Hermione's friends so they're not going to sell you two out to Skeeter. They wouldn't do that to Luna if nothing else."

He bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement. Harry was right.

"I'll think about it. Neither of us is in any hurry to return."

"You don't have to return, but neither of you should feel as though you have to hide either, Severus. You're heroes, both of you. You deserve to be left alone, to heal, and to figure things out now that you don't have to be a spy anymore. Believe me I get that. You deserve to have your happiness known, too."

"This wouldn't be so the Prophet has something else to report on but your comings and goings?"

"No! Ron does just fine in that department."

Severus scowled at the mention of the youngest Weasley boy. He hated to admit it and he'd never say it but he was somewhat jealous of Ronald Weasley. That he'd had a friend such as Hermione. That he'd gained her affections even if for only a short while. Severus hadn't gained them. He'd made her an offer. She'd accepted. Now they were married.

"I just want my friend, you know? I get not wanting to live there, but you both deserve more than Christmas by yourselves."

"Mayhaps we like Christmas to ourselves, Harry."

The look on Harry's face made Severus believe he'd struck a chord with that statement. Some people preferred their solitude. Neither he nor Hermione enjoyed crowds of people. It was one of the reasons he had put forward his offer toward her, he knew their personalities suited one another to some degree in areas he felt it was important.

Not that he claimed to know one whit as to what was truly important to make a marriage work.

"That may be, but you deserve the choice."

"Your concerns and invitation have been heard," he said simply.

"And what of my mother?"

"What of Lily?"

"You don't find it a bit odd you love her for almost twenty years and then marry my best friend instead?"

"My feelings for your mother were quite complex. The memories you received were … inadvertently shared."

"What do you mean?"

He frowned. Had he really just asked that?

"How much more direct can I be? I didn't intend to share them with you. Those were my memories!"

"I didn't even know you knew my mother until then. Not like that."

"Yes, well, now you know. And, no, I don't find it odd. Hermione is a smart and beautiful witch who is loyal and kind almost to her detriment."

Harry tilted his head as if thinking on that statement, nodding after a moment's thought.

"You're right. From that standpoint, it doesn't seem odd. It's just, she was my Mum, you know? Supposedly everything you did was for her. I just don't want to see Hermione get hurt. She's wicked smart, you know that as well as I do even if you did everything you could to make her think that she wasn't while we were students. There are some things books just can't teach. Guarding your heart is probably the biggest one and I'm afraid she feels so completely that she's going to end up hurt when she finds out that she can't compete with a ghost."

"She was my friend, Harry. A person I knew before Hogwarts. Think about your time before Hogwarts, your living conditions. Tell me that a person who'd befriended you wouldn't be significant."

Harry nodded simply at the statement so Severus knew he'd struck home with that comment. Hermione had told him how Harry had grown up, and while he had no love for James Potter the fact that Albus left the child under the care of Petunia Dursley nee Evans knowing how the woman felt about magic and the magical world. Well, his respect for the wizard decreased immensely with that information. It was a wonder Harry survived to make it to Hogwarts if only just some of the things Hermione had told him about happened.

"I wanted the parties responsible for her murder, and the murder of countless others, dealt with. I owed it to her, to her memory, to finish what I'd embarked on when I came to Albus to ask for his assistance. Now, that's enough on that subject, Harry."

"Yes, Sir," he said. "I'm sorry. I just want Hermione to be happy."

"As do I, so our goals are not just very similar but eerily the same in this. If you're implying that I cannot make her happy, well that would be an argument I would recommend keeping to yourself."

"Who's going to take care of a child if one happens while she's in to school?"

"The wonders of owning my own business, I don't have to clear such things with a boss. I would."

Harry eyed him suspiciously, and Severus could practically feel the doubt and disbelief rolling off of the younger wizard.

"You are going to take care of a baby?"

"We're not trying for one, Harry, I assure you that is not even on our minds at this point. As a potions master I think you can assume an accidental pregnancy will not occur. My wife has plans for her future and I have no interest in thwarting them by having her with child at every turn."

"Okay," Harry said.

He didn't look doubtful exactly but clearly surprised. He supposed it wasn't the usual attitude wizards had. Lucius Malfoy had never said it outright, but Severus assumed there had been issues even before Draco's conception that prevented more Malfoys. Only having one was not the norm for purebloods.

"And really, Harry, if that were to be an issue do you think your friend would leave a baby with someone she didn't feel was capable of caring for him?"

"No, of course not. Hermione would never do that."

"Then have faith in her even if you do not in me."

"If I were to get you both tickets to a Harpies game, just the three of us, would you go?"

"Possibly," he said.

"Ginny misses her, too, you know."

"You act as if I'm keeping her here against her will. I assure you I am not as evidenced by the fact she met with you and told you where we live."

"You live here?"

"Yes, our rooms are upstairs," he said, gesturing to the floor above them. "My lab is downstairs."

"I should have known it was you."

"What?"

"That she was with you when a raven delivered her letters."

Severus chuckled at that. He'd gone with a raven thinking it would look less strange in this area than an owl being seen frequently coming and going.

"Yes, well, Huginn is rather fond of the treks Hermione sends her on to deliver your letters." He glanced at the clock on the wall when the mail carrier entered to deliver his postal service-related mail for the day. "Did you need anything else then? Are you confident that I'm not keeping your friend against her will? That she actually has a roof over her head and she hasn't shackled herself to me and a life of poverty?"

"Well, yes," he said simply. "I mean, no I don't need anything else. Just please don't hurt her."

"I have no intentions of doing so," he said, resisting the urge to sneer at the younger wizard. "As to your question about the tickets. You'd have to ask Hermione. If she's agreeable I would be, too."

"Okay, I will. And don't forget, Christmas Day."

"Why are you hosting and not the Weasleys?"

"They're doing Christmas Eve," he shrugged.

"I see. I will talk it over with her."

"Thank you. I know she'll listen to you if you're in favor of it."

Severus snorted at that. "You do realize it's not the way I wish to spend my Christmas?"

"Of course," he said, smiling widely at that. "Are you going to tell her that I came here today?"

"Well, I'll have to if I'm going to discuss attending a Harpies game and Christmas Day with her, won't I?"

"I guess so. Good."

"You want her to know?"

"I want her to know we can get along without her acting as some sort of buffer."

Is that what they'd done? Severus scoffed, realizing they had in fact done precisely that. Would wonders never cease. "Very well. I trust you can see yourself out."

"I can," he said. "It's nice to see you alive and well."

"Thank you, you as well, Potter."

He left then, leaving Severus to thumb through the day's offerings of mail. One item caught his attention as it was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Severus Snape. Mail was addressed to them individually as a rule. In fact, he couldn't recall a single item until now being addressed to the both of them. He pulled it out from the rest, rolling his eyes at the return address indicating it was from Justin Finch-Fletchley. It was too early to be a wedding invitation, Severus believed anyhow. As if he had any true knowledge of such things. He knew at those he'd been a guest at, invitations came weeks, maybe a couple of months prior to the date not six months.

He opened it and saw it was an invitation to Christmas dinner.

"Aren't we just the popular couple this Christmas," he murmured, setting the invitation aside to show to Hermione when she returned later.

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com