In your skin

Christmas

After that night, James and Lily did several other things together. They went places that seemed way too intimate, and for the first time in his life, James actually felt like he was going a bit too far.

Even so, his acting seemed to be on spot. Lily hadn't once doubted of him and even if he didn't know one thing or another, he was always careful to talk about it in a moment when she wouldn't pay attention. He was actually enjoying himself. Of course, being Snape wasn't good, especially in times like showering or changing. He never wanted to have seen Snape naked, but it could be worst, so he just closed his eyes and pretended it was himself.

Everything was going easy. Then, Christmas arrived and they had already eaten. Lily's tree was so well decorated that it seemed that the tree itself shone. Under it, there were several gifts. He wondered which one of those were Snape's. Then he slapped himself internally. He hadn't bought Lily a present!

"Alright, who wants to open it first?" Mrs. Evans asked, her smile warm and content. Petunia raised her hand as if she was five, biting her lip nervously. Her mum nodded and she jumped over the presents, grabbing the three boxes that were hers. James sometimes wondered if he looked this childish to Lily.

She opened the smallest one first. It was a bottle of perfume that she seemed to love, putting it on right away. It was so sweet that James almost threw up on spot. Then, she opened the next present, smiling widely at the new purse she had on her hands. And then, she opened the last, grinning widely at the pink dress she had gotten. She hugged her parents and also Lily, even if she was still a bit mad about Snape being around.

Then, Lily opened hers, receiving a brand new book, a green dress and a kit of makeup that she loved. She hugged her parents and sister before returning to his side and showing him everything. James was excitedly waiting for Snape's present, but he didn't say anything. After Mr. and Mrs. Evans opened their presents, Lily picked up the last present from under the tree and gave it to him.

"Thank you" he muttered, opening it up with a small smile. Once he did, his eyes widened and he looked up at Lily, making she giggle and shrug lightly.

"Did you like it? I spent the entire year in the making of that masterpiece" she said, clearly proud of herself. James didn't want to screw it up so he nodded and gave her a tight smile.

"I loved it Lil"

It was a sweater with the words 'Severus & Lily' on the front.

He wanted to burn it down.

It was Christmas, and Christmas usually meant family getting reunited to dinner and exchange presents.

Severus never liked Christmas very much. He had a very poor family that couldn't afford almost nothing, let alone toys. So every Christmas, they usually ate together and gave each other presents that were handmade. That, until his father found out about his witch mother and stopped giving presents all together. Sometimes, when he was too drunk, he burned everything they gave or received as presents. That usually ended up with his parents fighting and him running away from home to hide away.

So he didn't have good memories of Christmas until he stopped going home and started to stay in Hogwarts or went to Lily's. But this time around, he wasn't home, he wasn't in Hogwarts and he wasn't at Lily's. No. He was at the Potter's, and dinner was ready.

Severus hadn't received any letters from Potter, so he gave up around the third day. Everything was lost. Potter would find out about his family and so would Lily and she would never look at him again. He could handle that, right?

Probably not, but there was nothing he could do.

Severus walked to the dining room and sat on his usual spot, smiling at the delicious smell that came from the food that the elves put in front of them. Mr. and Mrs. Potter served themselves and then Severus did so, putting his plate in front of him and starting to eat. Soon, the three were done with their food and it was time to open up the presents.

Severus walked to the living room with the two adults and the three of them sat around the fireplace, where the presents were. He didn't know how to begin because he hadn't brought anything for either of them, and it wasn't fair, even if they weren't his actual parents. The two, however, just nodded for Severus to open the presents, and with a long sigh, he picked up the first and opened it up.

He did that was with the first, second, third, fourth, and so on. There were twenty presents for Potter in there. He didn't deserve any of it.

"Thank you. Thank you very much" he said, looking down at all the clothes and new equipment the guy he hated the most in the world had gotten. The Potters looked at him and shook their heads before they smiled and gave him a tight family hug. Severus froze on spot, feeling his body warming up between theirs, and then closed his eyes tightly, nuzzling against Mr. Potter's shoulder. His eyes stared to tear up but he rubbed them and sighed quietly.

That was a type of love he would never receive.