Fic : Delighting in Your Company

[mini_fest_mod]

Title:Delighting in Your Company
Author: silenceberry
Rating:PG-13
Characters:Severus/Sirius, Minerva, Lucius, Hermione/Ron.
Prompt(s):Short prompts: 3,7,9,14 and some of the pictures Long Prompt: 130
Warnings:Fluff, slash, kiss
Summary:The most beautiful present is not under the Christmas tree, the most beautiful present is having the love of your life on your arms and knowing that for ever they will be there.
Word Count:1,300
Disclaimer:I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I make money out of this writings.
A/N:I want to say thank you to my wonderful beta cassandra7 for always being there to help me out. *hugs you*. And to the Mods, for trowing such a wonderfully fest and letting me participate.


Sirius opened the front door, and a voice cried "Boots, mutt!"

He backed onto the porch and stamped his feet to knock off the snow. After examining his damp soles, he waved his wand to loosen the laces and left the boots on the porch. He dropped his backpack by the door, took off his coat and hung it on its peg.

He sniffed the air and smiled. He loved Christmas—the smell of baking and of the fir tree, its blinking lights reflecting off its sedate two dozen ornaments. "Don't get carried away," Severus had said. "You're such a child," he'd added when Sirius suggested setting up a toy train and charming it to circle under the tree.

Wouldn't fit now, he thought, not with all those presents. Surely there hadn't been so many when he'd left that morning. He picked up a small, flat box wrapped in silver paper and inhaled. Did Padfoot catch a hint of leather?

"Put that down, infant!" came the silken voice from the kitchen.

He followed his nose to the baking smells and found Severus bending over to look in the oven.

He stepped silently behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist, causing him to whip around, his wand directly in Sirius's face.

With an irritated huff he slid his wand into his sleeve. "Dammit, Sirius, you bloody animal, I might have hit my head on the oven."

Sirius kissed him. "I love you, too. Did you get me a collar?"

"I got you a dish that says 'Fido'."

"Git. I got you a whip."

Severus's mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"For eggs and things."

"A whisk, you idiot."

"I thought they looked at me a bit oddly in the shop." He let go of Severus to see what he was baking. Fairy cakes—his favorite. He reached for one, and his hand was smacked with a mixing spoon.

"Don't even consider it, mutt."

Sirius licked batter off his hand. Lemon—bliss. "Why not?"

"They're for the party tonight," Severus said as he put the finishing touches on the icing. "Go and get ready."

"What kinds did you make?"

"Lemon—wipe your mouth. No, I'll do it." He smoothed his thumb over Sirius's upper lip.

"Chocolate, vanilla, carrot." Severus took the final pan out of the oven and set it to cool.

"Me. Remus, you. Why carrot?"

"So many fools delude themselves it's healthier."

How did he manage scorn and glee at the same time? "Are you wearing your green shirt?"

"Heaven forfend. With your red jumper we'd look like an advertisement for the season. Discounted fruitcake, perhaps."

Sirius went upstairs. Black jeans, scarlet jumper, his better boots. A collar would be perfect. Dark leather, a tag saying "Padfoot," and, on the other side—

When he returned, Severus had removed his enveloping apron, revealing a black silk shirt that made his dark eyes look enormous. The fairy cakes were safely in a box. Sirius moaned inwardly.

They stepped into the fireplace as Severus said, "The headmistress's office, Hogwarts."

"Severus." Minerva turned, and her expression would have frozen butterbeer. "Sirius. Come—everyone has been waiting."

Sirius murmured, "She's got her knickers in a twist."

"You think? You may recall charming the mistletoe to pursue any two people until they kissed."

"But she laughed."

Severus tapped his foot. "Until your mistletoe chased her into a corner with Filius and he kissed her."

"Wasn't my fault."

"Why ever not, pray?"

"She could have counter-charmed any time. I think she likes him."

Severus rolled his eyes.

He went to the long table loaded with food and, with a tap of his wand, Banished the box and left a platter of green and silver, red and gold, glitteringly iced fairy cakes, some with sprinkles.

"Evening, Snape."

"Malfoy. How are you?" Severus turned and looked over the assembled guests.

"Excellent, excellent. How is married life?"

"Love's young dream, of course. Excuse me. I must rescue Black from certain death."

Severus strode up to Sirius who was in an enthusiastic debate with Hermione and Ron. Hermione looked as though an explosion was imminent.

"—so we didn't study at all, never opened a book, and—oh, Severus, I was just telling Hermione that there's actually no need to revise—"

"Come with me."

"But—right."

Severus pulled him over to the area cleared for dancing. He took Sirius in his arms so he could speak into his ear. "Not everyone can sail through their exams on sheer cleverness, Mr. Nine N.E.W.T.s With No Effort."

"You had eleven."

"I was a swot."

"Not so much. You left the library to eat."

"Nonsense and twaddle."

"Once or twice. Anyway, you liked it so it doesn't count." Sirius paused. "This is the dance floor. Aren't we even going to sway in place?"

"I don't like dancing."

"You don't like people watching you dance." Sirius swayed. Severus resisted. "You look fabulous in that shirt. Eyes darker, hands whiter."

"Then why in Merlin's name did you want me to wear the green?"

"I didn't. I knew if I suggested the green you'd wear the black."

Severus turned away. How could someone who charmed mistletoe to chase hapless couples see through him so effortlessly? Though, of course, he'd already put on the black shirt because—because he'd felt like it. Was Sirius really giving him a whisk? Maybe he could hide the small silver package away for next year. Or never.

He listened to "The Holly and the Ivy" as snow fell from the ceiling, clinging to their hair. Sirius delicately removed a snowflake from Severus's eyelashes.

"Come with me, Severus." He pulled him over to the door.

Before they stepped outside, Severus found his eyes covered with a strip of soft cloth. Bloody hell, this was bound to end in tears. Or a shouting match, at least. His hand was taken, and he was guided down the stairs. The creak of a door and a rush of icy air. The snow crunched under their feet. Cold seeped into him—Sirius must have forgotten the warming charm. They stopped.

"Keep your eyes closed," whispered Sirius.

He shivered. "On your head be it."

He heard the swish of a wand and was warm. The cloth was removed. He kept his eyes closed.
Arms encircled him from behind. "Open your eyes."

Severus opened his eyes. He took in the vista before him and was speechless.

Fairy lights were everywhere, magically powered, illuminating the frozen lake with their glow. The evergreens hung with green and silver ornaments, scarlet and gold, icicles, foil chains, ribbons.

Snow fell softly as "Greensleeves" started to play from no apparent source. Severus smiled.

Sirius bowed. "Would you care to dance?"

"I might be persuaded."

Sirius took Severus in his arms and waltzed with him across the lake, gazing into his dark eyes.

Severus gazed back.

He kissed Severus's lips, savoring them. The peppermint of the candy cane Sirius had eaten earlier mixed with his own flavor and then with Severus's.

The music stopped, and they stood in the center of the ice-covered lake. Sirius brought Severus's hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Thank you for honouring me with this dance, love."

"Bloody fool."

He smiled. "Did you like it?"

"It's our song," said Severus. "Kiss me again."

Sirius did. "Are you going to cast me off discourteously?"

"Discourteously, doubtless." Severus leaned forward until they stood cheek to cheek. "Cast you off, no." He licked Sirius's earlobe thoughtfully. "Are you really giving me a wire whisk for Christmas?"

"No," said Sirius. "Padfoot caught the scent of leather from that silver package."

"Yes," said Severus.

"Moon River" began to play from nowhere, and the couple resumed their dance, fairy lights reflecting off the ice and a thousand Christmas ornaments.

~The End~