The Boy: Brandon Dursely

Chapter 23: Almost Christmas - The 2nd Part

After a hearty lunch, the pair decided to finish their shopping. Bran looked around with Snape and bought another batch of presents for his friends when he finally thought of bookworm Hermione, whom Bran, at the thought of her, blushed as he remembered the kiss she gave him on his cheek. His flush deepened when he turned and saw her on a bookshop, clearly enjoying herself in a book she decided to get her hands on.

"Are you cold, child?" Snape asked, seeing the flush on his charge's face. The young boy shook his head.

"What is it, then?"

He turned to the direction Bran was looking at and he almost smiled. There, at one bookshop, was one of his student's curly hair standing amidst the crowd. It was Granger, with her nose burrowed in a book. Snape then decided to drag Bran into the shop, and the boy followed silently, albeit hesitantly. He kept his eyes on Bran, who looked terrified and anticipating at the thought of the young witch.

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Hermione was more than happy to have seen Diagon Alley at such a season. The whole place became more wondrous as the lights and the people filled the area with happiness and Christmas spirit. How happy Hermione was, after finding out that she might not be a "pure" Muggleborn after all.

Just a few weeks after term, an owl arrived at their residence, from a certain Alpheus Redburrow, whom she learned later on be her great Uncle. Alpheus lived in France and was from her paternal side. He was the only wizard from the family, but when his parents found out, they let go of poor Alpheus and sent him to an orphanage, where the Wizarding Social Services retrieved him and sent him to a wizarding orphanage. Alpheus was then adopted by the Redburrows of Suffolk but found his good fortune as a member of the French equivalent of Unspeakables. Lately, he had been tracing his roots and found her along the Granger line. She was the first witch after at least four generations in the family. She happily responded to him and even asked permission from her parents to spend a few days before Yule with him. Uncle Alphy, as he liked to be called, immediately doted on his niece and proceeded to teach her all that he knew.

Now, it was their last day together. She would be picked up by her parents later but before that, Uncle Alphy gave her money to spend on whatever she liked and brought her to DiagonnAlley via the Floo. So here she was, perusing the whole place for whatever may take her fancy and to get her loved ones presents.

She stopped by a bookstore while her Uncle went on to settle some business transaction. After a few hours of reading, her heart skipped a beat as she saw who entered the bookshop.

"Bran? Is that you?" she stood from where she sat and went towards her friend. She was so glad to see Bran that she almost forgot about the Professor. Before she could even take the young boy in a hug, Severus cleared his throat and quirked an eyebrow.

"Hello, Miss Granger. It is good to see you," he flashed her a smirk she rarely saw on her teacher's face, "Of course, I think you are more than happy to see my ward."

A blush crept on both the young teenagers' faces. Just then, a bearded, curly haired man appeared from the bookshop's entryway and called Hermione's name. The trio turned towards the voice and Hermione quickly excused herself to go towards the man.

Severus' eyes widened in surprise in recognition of the man. Bran stared and watched as Hermione dragged the man towards them.

"Hello, chaps!"

The man had a jovial aura. In closer look, he wore a suit underneath his beige trenchcoat. His ashen gray eyes sparkled beneath his round glasses and his faces was red with the prior exposure to the coldness. The man let his eyes roam on both man and child and stopped on the man.