| UNDER THE MISTLETOE (Luna_Sheilds -aka, In-the-Shadows) |
| Positioning myself to wait in the shadows of the entrance to the Great Hall I try not to giggle. It�s the annual Christmas party for those who fought in the war against Voldermort and the night we�ve chosen to reveal our affections to the world. We�re such an unlikely couple, but when you're forced to work really closely with someone, you often find out just how wrong your opinions about them really are. That�s the biggest thing he ever taught me; to appreciate peoples' layers. He has the most layers of all I think. Once I got past the ice cold crust though, nothing could stop me from getting through the rest of his shields. He�s such an amazing, caring person and so few people ever get to see it. For a year now we�ve been together and we decided months ago there was no better place to reveal ourselves than the very party that brought us together when we were fighting our feelings the hardest. I see him round the corner with his usual flourish and I can�t keep the stupid grin off my face. He smirks and raises a questioning eyebrow at me from the other side of the doorway, but I just stick my tongue out at him for a moment and ignore his feigned look of contempt; I know he loves it and me. With a silent signal, we quickly spring out of the shadows and rush into the Great Hall from opposite sides of the doors as though the entrance had been sheer serendipity. We crash together just inside the doorway as planned and shoot each other scathing looks as though we hated each other as much as we ever did. It�s hard to glare full heartedly when I can see the love dancing deep in his dark eyes, behind his mask, but I manage it anyway. Right on cue, the mocking of Fred and George reach my ears. �Ooooh look at that! You see what happened everyone?� Naturally he pretends to be furiously annoyed and I clueless. �What are you going on about guys?!� I ask, attempting to move around and away from Severus as though I desired nothing more than to be away from him. �Not so fast!� cries Fred, halting my progress. I turn to glare at him only to find him pointing up. Desperately trying not to grin again, I crane my head up to see the string of mistletoe lining the entrance of the Great hall. �Looks like you owe our favorite professor a kiss Harry!� taunted George �Nah, more like a downright snog with all the stuff they�ve been caught under." A wave of laughter breaks out over the Great Hall with a few over excited cries from Sirius and Remus of, �Come on Harry! Kiss the bloody git!� and �Yeah, I bet his hair isn�t that greasy!� Panning my gaze down, I meet Severus�s eye with a small smirk. They�d never in their lives say that if they knew I�d do it in a heartbeat, but I know after the shock has worn off they�ll understand. They do love me after all, they�re the only family I have. I see a playful glint in Severus' dark eyes and the ghost of a genuine smile, the kind only I ever get to see. �Well,� he murmured so low that only I can hear him over the din. �Who are we to go against tradition?� With another silent signal, we stalk towards each other with a tension thick enough to get everyone's attention, a tension that makes it look like we�re about to fight. Much to everyone's shock and perhaps horror, we fall into each other's arms with a passion and kiss with a hunger akin to wolves. I gasp slightly and cling to Severus�s broad shoulders when I feel him dip me, but I don�t let go; not for the world. The deadpan silence that had now enveloped the hall would be funny if I wasn�t melting in my lover's arms. He�s the only one that could ever do that to me. It�s not that I can�t understand it, I mean who would�ve ever guessed that I, Harry Potter, would�ve fallen for the notorious Severus Snape? But it�s true, I love him with every fiber of my being. Some time later I realize that I�m being gently pushed away, but if anyone thinks that wasn�t a prelude to what our chambers will be seeing tonight, they�ve definitely lost it. Tenderly I brush a few errant strands of hair behind his ear before taking his hand and intertwining our fingers. Turning to the utterly gob-smacked crowd, a few of which have fainted, I offer them a guilty smile and say, �I guess we have some explaining to do huh?� I feel Severus�s arm come about my waist and I snuggle into his embrace. �I love you Harry,� he whispers in my ear. Turning my head to face him, our lips brush and before we kiss again I murmur, �I love you too Severus, always.� As his tongue invades my mouth again I know we�ll spend the better part of the evening explaining ourselves, but for now all I can think about is him. Him and the extravagant proposal I�m planning for next year�s party; now that the world knows I want to make him mine and give myself to him, permanently. Hmmm, next year I�m definitely bringing a camera, I mean the looks on their faces are gonna be priceless. And that way we�ll never forget that we met, kissed and pledged our eternal love all underneath the same mistletoe. |