The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 63

"You get it, oh yes, you're a little tiger arent you? Yes, a mighty little thing."

Severus looked up from his book on his new green houses at the ridiculous tone that came from his lover's lips as she laid on her stomach teasing her new best friend with a bit of left over ribbon from one of their many other gifts.

Hermione had received nearly three times as many as he had, though it was a great surprise to him to have received one from the Potter family. He had been reluctant to open it and had actually let Hermione do the honors.

It had been an updated encyclopedia of all magical herbs and ingredients. He was actually rather pleased to have a newer version than the one that had been rescued from Spinners End that was at least 3 decades old.

Draco had given him a bottle of Phoenix tears, always a rather difficult and extremely rare ingredient to come by and Minerva had given him a new set of stirring rods akin to the ones he had used at the farm house. All the lengths, metals and designs he would need to make anything his heart desired.

Hermione had made out like a right bandit. Minerva's box alone had contained well more than it had led on to have. Over ten new books had been charmed into place inside, from Hogwarts, A History to Arithmancy in the New Age. Severus had all but had to tie her down to keep her from trying to read through each one right then. Thankfully, some well-placed kisses had distracted her long enough for him to slip the lot secretly under the couch.

Neville and Luna had given her a rather nice supply of body lotion and hair conditioners, all made by hand by them. Severus hadn't been able to hide the reaction to the alluring smell the body lotion had on his person when she'd opened the jar to have a look. It was like the imperious curse combined love potion in a jar, just the small whiff he'd taken when she'd wafted it under his nose had him ready to take her right there under the tree.

Hermione had chosen to weld her new power with caution and had quickly put the lid back on, though she did spare a small laugh at his expense.

Harry had gotten her a wizarding camera and a blank photo album. Neither one of them had been entirely sure how the camera had worked and had actually managed to take a picture of their feet while they were fiddling around with it. The picture came out from the bottom of the camera and they had both laughed over the image.

Hermione spared it from the fire at the last minute making it the first of the two they had taken. The second being a proper picture of them looking into the lens before she stole a kiss at the last second of exposure. It was added to the book as well and the camera was carefully placed upon the mantle for later use.

Ginny's gift had turned her so red that her skin perfectly matched the red on her dress. Severus hadn't been able to actually see what she had gotten but the mess of images that had followed had tinted even his sallow cheeks. Hermione had hastily hidden it away into the far corner and had expressly forbidden him from looking into both her mind and the box. An agreement he only made after she promised to show him later that evening. His own curiosity almost doing in his promise when she sputtered her own agreement.

The last present had been from George and Ron, though Hermione greatly suspected that the latter's name was added as an afterthought as it didn't quite fit properly on the tag. She opened the gift with great caution knowing what tricks the twin was known for and found herself somewhat taken aback by what was inside.