Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don’t own J.K.R.’s characters. Please don’t sue me; I’m not worth it anyway. Once I’m done, I’ll buy them dinner, several good bottles of wine and put them back where I found them.

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AN: Warning: the following story contains traces of fluff and nonsense. If allergic, you are advised to hit the back button now. Virtual EpiPens are available from www.monsterpinkfluffbunnynonsense.co.
May whatever your celebration at this time of year be wonderful.

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Nadolig Llawen

‘I can’t thank you enough, Minerva,’ Hermione said, as they walked towards Hermione’s and Severus’s rooms. ‘Ginny was going to watch Izzy for us. But, she Flooed earlier to tell us that Harry and the boys have that awful vomiting bug. So ...’

‘I’m sure I’ll find someway to extract a suitable payment from yourself and Severus. It will, after all, be sheer unmitigated hell, babysitting Isabel. Merlin knows, I do so hate having anything to do with the child. True, it will be a trial comparable to the labours of Hercules, but I feel sure that with fortitude I will prevail.’

‘Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, Minerva,’ Hermione observed dryly.

‘Really? I rather thought you had developed something of an appreciation for it,’ Minerva replied.

‘Only from certain people.’

‘Or a certain someone?’

‘Quite.’

‘Tell me, Hermione, why are you taking Severus Christmas shopping with you? I can hardly imagine he is a willing companion.’

Hermione smiled. ‘Well, he does tend to glower quite a lot, but that’s an advantage as it helps keep the crowds at bay,’ Hermione said conspiratorially.

She didn’t mention the lunch that they had booked at the restaurant, where they had gone for their first date. A tradition that her well-suppressed, closet-romantic husband insisted upon, and the only reason he tolerated the shopping. It wouldn’t do to give Minerva too much ammunition to use against Severus.

‘Aye, I can see how that would be useful,’ Minerva said.

They had reached their destination. Hermione pushed the door open, and they both stepped through. They were just in time to hear Severus say, ‘Oh, brave, Princess Isabel, thank you for rescuing me from the evil Dragon King. You really are the best friend I have in the world.’

Minerva and Hermione stopped dead in their tracks, and Minerva wondered for a moment if she was hallucinating. In front of her Severus Snape knelt before his daughter. Whilst there was nothing in particular that was remarkable about that, Minerva thought the fairy wings attached to his back were certainly very remarkable and very pink. She was also fairly sure that the glittering stars and runes, that decorated his severe frock-coat, were not a part of his usual attire. And she was bloody certain that she had never seen him wearing a tiara before. She closed her eyes and opened them again, but the image remained unchanged.

‘Auntie Minerva,’ Isabel shouted happily, running up to the witch. ‘We were playing the Princess and the Fairy. Daddy was the fairy and the evil Dragon King captured his wand.’ Isabel gestured towards the cat, who, unaware of his role as the evil nemesis of Isabel’s imagination, lay fast asleep, on the chair by the fire. ‘So he couldn’t escape, and I had to rescue him.’ She brandished a toy sword and wand in emphasis.

‘So I see,’ Minerva managed to say with a straight face, as she watched, the now standing, Severus. Even bedecked as a somewhat unorthodox fairy, he still radiated intimidation.

‘Mummy plays normally, but she wears pink. I wanted Daddy to wear pink, but he said he was the type of fairy that wears black. I said he couldn’t be a fairy without wings and stuff and then I fought the trolls.’ She pointed to some soft toys that lay scattered about the floor. ‘And the Dragon King, then I got his wand and saved him. Oh, I forgot ...’ She ran back to her, by now, de-winged and undecorated father. ‘Here’s your wand, Daddy.’ Isabel handed him a pink stick with a fluffy star attached to the top of it.

Minerva almost broke at the sight of Severus Snape, feared denizen of the dungeons, clutching a pink and somewhat fluffy toy wand.

‘Thank you, Isabel,’ Snape said in a rather strained voice, stuffing the wand into his pocket.

His eyes were locked onto Minerva’s, daring her to say something, anything. Minerva, however, had not reached the age she had by being suicidally stupid. Wisely, she said nothing except, ‘Well, Isabel, perhaps you and I can play, while your parents go out. Shall we see what’s in your bedroom?’ Her eyes, however, spoke volumes, as she shepherded the girl towards her room.

Hermione watched, as Severus brushed an imaginary bit of dust off his sleeve before turning to her. ‘Shall we, Hermione,’ he said simply.

‘Of course, Severus,’ she replied, and then added sweetly, ‘Shall we travel by fairy dust?’

‘I rather think not,’ he replied a little stiffly.

Hermione thought it was better not to mention the wand that still poked out from his pocket. She silently fished it out and dropped it onto a chair, as they left the room.

They walked in silence for a little while, then Hermione said, ‘It was very sweet of you, Severus.’ She thought she saw a faint shudder of revulsion, at being considered sweet, run through him. ‘If it’s any consolation, Severus, I have no doubt that, by now, Minerva is a pink-tartan-clad fairy in mortal peril, who needs the assistance of the brave and clever Princess Isabel.’

‘I can only fervently hope so,’ Severus drawled.

‘I’ve been thinking, love.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, given your newly discovered joy of playing dress-up, I rather thought that we could play later.’

Severus’s enthusiasm for the past-time escalated dramatically.

‘So, what do you think?’ she asked.

‘I will give the matter serious and considerable contemplation. I find that I have a sudden enthusiasm to thoroughly explore the phenomena.’

‘Thoroughly explore?’

‘Yes, I believe it would behove me to be very thorough, and I should warn you, Hermione, the process might prove utterly exhausting.’

‘Oh, good,’ she commented happily, linking her arm through his.

Fin.