Sparkling Tree (NC-17 version) by Lady Starlight Title: Sparkling Tree Author: Lady Starlight/ladybluestar Rating: NC-17 Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Notes: “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore. Thank you ever so much to anndee123, my dear friend and beta. I also thank bladeandwand for an idea. This fic is the smut-ified version of my PG-13 fic by the same name.
….He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
The sparkling Christmas tree provided the only light in the living room, gradually shifting from red to gold, to green to blue to purple and back again. On one of the walls adjacent to the tree was a large, picture window open to their sizeable backyard. One could almost see moonlight glinting off one of the Quidditch hoops. The room where the Potters sat, while large, was still quite cozy. It contained several oversized chairs and couches around the room, with an open space left in front of the tree. Framed Wizarding and Muggle pictures sat on the mantelpiece and the wall surrounding it, also adjacent to the tree. Five stockings were hanging neatly in a line.
Hermione finished her annual recitation to her family as they all sat curled up on the couch closest to the tree.
“Mummy, was he like a house-elf?” asked little three-year-old David, squirming around in Harry’s lap now that Hermione was finished.
“Of course not, David,” Emilia Potter, David’s five-year-old sister, responded. “Though, honestly, mum, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Why wouldn’t he just Apparate?”
“He’s not a wizard, Em,” Teddy Lupin, the Potters’ adopted son answered in the superior tone of a ten-year-old who obviously knows far more about the world than his younger siblings.
Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance, trying not to laugh at their inquisitive children. Their friends teased them that the young ones were revenge against their parents. For sometimes it seemed that there was never an end to the questions, except when there was mischief to be found.
Hermione wrapped her arms tighter around Emilia and smiled down at her daughter. “Teddy’s right, Em. After all, there are many different kinds of sentient species around.”
“I bet those reindeer are kinda like the Beauxbatons horses that Aunt Fleur talks about though, ‘cause they can fly and all,” Emilia responded knowledgably.
“Probably, dear,” quipped Harry.
“I’d fly a broom, not no reindeer and sleigh. Daddy, do I get a broom for Christmas?” David joined back in the conversation, obviously glad to be able to change the topic to the piles of bright presents under the tree.
“Teddy just got one two years ago, Dave. Your mum and I have said that you can when you’re bigger.” Before the youngest could complain, Harry stood up from the couch with him still in his arms. “But, I can still fly you to bed! Whee!”
Harry took off running around the room, having flipped David in his arms, so that he was “flying” on a pretend broomstick. David’s brown hair was quickly ruffled from the dives that Harry was taking him on. Teddy ran around the two of them, pretending to be a player from the opposing time.
Hermione and Emilia looked at each other, sharing that look known by so many mothers and daughters when they silently comment on the antics of the male members of the family.
“Ok, I think it’s time for future Quidditch players to get up to bed, before Santa comes,” interrupted Hermione, setting Emilia on the floor and standing up.
Switching David to a more standard position, Harry mock sighed, David mimicking his expression. “Ok, little guy, Santa can’t come if you’re awake.”
“Yeah, c’mon, Dave, I betcha Santa’s got something really good for you,” Teddy chimed in.
“Presents! Presents!” Dave was practically bouncing out of his father’s arms.
“I think it’s time for all little munchkins to head to bed,” said Hermione, “Come on, pumpkin, time to brush teeth and head to bed.” Hermione picked Emilia back up and led the group upstairs.
Soon, teeth were brushed and the younger two tucked into bed after several reminders that Santa could not come until they were asleep.
Teddy was in his room reading, when Harry and Hermione stopped in to say goodnight. It was a typical boy’s room, or rather, as typical as one could be when he was a Metamorphmagus and his adopted parents were Harry and Hermione Potter. He had a big bed with a blue bedspread against one wall of the room. Posters of Quidditch teams and popular bands covered most of the wall space. A large bookcase, filled with both Magical and Muggle titles, took up most of another wall. One window was cracked open, an empty owl perch next to it. Clothes were piled on the floor near the hamper and overflowing from the dresser.
“Don’t stay up too late, Teddy,” said Hermione, coming to sit on his bed, “We’ll be going over to the Burrow after brunch.”
“Is Grandma going to be there?” he asked, setting his book aside.
Harry looked to Hermione for an answer, “She said that she would stop by for dinner. I think it tends to get a little—busy around there for her.”
“I think you mean a little crazy, mum,” Teddy muttered under his breath, his hair shifting to an unnatural red.
“I don’t think that’s your color there,” teased Harry, ruffling Teddy’s hair.
Teddy blushed and concentrated to make his hair shift back to its normal dark brown.
“Yes, it is always crazy over at the Weasleys, but they’re family and Molly would never let us hear the end of it if we skipped it. We’ll have Andromeda over here on Boxing Day, would you like that?”
“That’d be great, dad. She’s always got such funny stories about mum.” Teddy’s face brightened with this. He was very close to his maternal grandmother.
“We’ll dig out pictures and everything, Teddy. It’s good for Emilia and David to hear about their grandparents and Sirius as well,” replied Hermione. She gave him a hug, followed by Harry, before they both got up and headed out of the room.
“See you in the morning, son. Let’s hope your siblings don’t get up at four this year,” commented Harry as he stood holding the doorknob.
“Can’t we lock them in their rooms? Please...” Teddy’s expression was pleading. The younger Potters were bound to come and wake him up first, preferably by jumping on him.
“I’ll think about it.” Harry laughed and shut the door.
Harry and Hermione headed down the stairs silently, hoping that there would be no sprogs sneaking out of bed.
“You know,” Harry commented as they reached the main floor, “Teddy’s idea of locking them in their rooms wasn’t a bad one...”
Hermione looked over at him sharply, only to see him smirking at her. They both burst out laughing. “I guess we should teach him how to lock his bedroom door more effectively against them...”
“It is about time to get him a wand. He’ll be eleven soon,” observed Harry
“We’ll just have to make sure that he doesn’t tell the others. The Minister may look the other way when our child uses a wand, but not everyone gets that treatment,” remarked Hermione seriously as they reentered the living room. “Of course, the Ministry couldn’t detect the use anyways with those wards I put up years ago.”
Harry nodded and headed off downstairs to the basement to retrieve the children’s stocking stuffers. It was not as if the Potters had any major gripe against the Ministry, after all, they both worked there. It was a far different place from what it was when they were in Hogwarts, but after everything they had been through, they were careful with whom they trusted.
Hermione was sitting on the floor by the tree, fingering Teddy’s stocking. “It’s odd to think,” she began as Harry walked back in the room, “that he’ll be heading off to Hogwarts this September.”
“I know...” said Harry softly as he set down the box of presents and came to sit down beside her, wrapping one arm around her waist. Hermione leaned into him. “I was just thinking that next Christmas, maybe we could give him the Map and cloak.”
“I’m rather surprised that he hasn’t asked for them already, actually.” Hermione looked up from the stocking and gave a small smile, “Whatever will Hogwarts do, now that the next generation of Marauders will be there?
“Poor Minerva.” Harry shook his hand with exaggerated seriousness.
“Honestly, Harry,” sighed Hermione. She stood up and hung the stocking back up on the mantle, between hers and Emilia’s. Turning back to Harry, she said, “They would have been so proud of him.”
Harry stood up and walked over to Hermione, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. “You’ve been a good mum to him, Hermione, even before you and I were together. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Thanks, Harry. And you’ve been a great father to him, even when you had no clue what you were doing.” She smirked up at him as he leaned down to place a quick kiss on her lips. “I’m teasing, Harry. You taking responsibility for Teddy was just one more thing that made me fall in love with you.”
Hermione pulled her arms from around his waist and snaked them up around his neck. She loved being these quiet moments between them, when they could be completely honest and secure in the other’s understanding.
“It’s what Sirius would have done for me. How could I have done anything else?” Pulling her tighter, her head now resting against his chest, he nuzzled his nose into her hair.
“Such a Gryffindor,” breathed Hermione, her voice having dropped nearly an octave. She started to sway to silent music, enjoying the feeling of her body rubbing against his and the thrills that it was starting to send through her system.
“That is what the Hat said.” Harry had started to sway with her, his hands falling down to her hips, those lovely hips that could drive him absolutely mad. The lights from the Christmas tree were making her hair glow, almost as if it were dancing on its own accord.
“Smart for a hat.” Grinding her hips into him, she was delighted to see his green eyes darkening and a telltale hardness pressing into her abdomen. She waved one of her hands and all of the candles in the room extinguished themselves, causing the whole room to reflect the slowly shifting colors from the tree. Upon returning her hand to his neck, she began to run her fingers up and down it, allowing an occasional fingertip to slip underneath his shirt, before playing with the exposed skin again.
“Mm-hm...” Harry started running his hands up her back, smiling when she arched into him. “But not as smart as you, love.”
“Flattery is good. Smart man.” Hermione raised her head slightly and started laying light kisses on his neck, interspersed with her tongue flicking out to touch him.
The hot sensations from her kisses and the cool from her tongue were only making him more aroused, especially as she kept moving her mouth away from him as he tried to lean down to kiss her. Frustrated, he finally removed one of his hands from where it had been playing under her shirt and grasped the back of her neck, tilting her head up so that he could capture her mouth.
Hermione’s hands tangled themselves in his hair and pulled him closer to her, sliding her tongue into his mouth and moaning as he did the same. She loved teasing him, but she loved it even more when he took control, all of his extraordinary energy focused on her and her alone.
After a few minutes of ever-increasing sensations, she relaxed away from him, breathing deeply. “I think that... is my favorite kind of magic... Mr. Potter.”
Hermione’s cheeks were quite flushed, Harry noticed, and the lights from the tree were now dancing off her face, as they had rotated slightly during their enthusiastic snogging session. “I think that I like another kind of magic even better, Mrs. Potter.”
Looking up to see his wicked grin, Hermione responded with one of her own. “Come find me...” she whispered as she backed away from him and faded out of sight.
“With pleasure,” Harry responded, before fading from view himself.
A few minutes later, there was a giggle and then a soft sigh, though all that appeared to remain in the room was the Potters’ sparkling tree.
“I think this is more amusing than blindfolds, Harry,” whispered Hermione. She could not see his body, nor hers, but as she had been married to him for seven years and they had made love countless times, she knew his body as well as her own.
“I think you’re right, clever wife of mine,” murmured Harry, “However, I think I can still figure out how to get your shirt off.”
A shirt suddenly appeared flying across the room.
“Hey, that’s not fair! You moved again.” Harry reached out and grabbed at the first thing he touched. “Mmm... found you, a very nice part of you...”
“Keep that... up,” moaned Hermione, pushing her breast more into his hand. She shifted up onto her knees, took her right hand, and touched her waist, running it up to her breast and then along his arm. Scooting closer to him, her hand now on his shoulder, she took her left hand, ran it across her breasts, feeling the peaked nipple and then along his arm to meet her other hand. While Harry’s other hand started trying to find the clasp in her bra, she ran her hands along the front of his shirt and started undoing the buttons one at a time. She moved slowly, undoing each button as the room changed color.
Harry deftly undid her bra with one hand, and ran his hand up her spine to her neck, caressing her back along the way. He found it quite strange to be seeing a Christmas tree not too far in front of him, but able to feel his wife’s body against his hands. He could almost see her responses to him, knowing her body so well. In truth, as she moved, he could follow the slight distortion in the air caused from the Disillusionment spell.
Having finished unbuttoning the shirt, Hermione placed her hands flat against his stomach and moved them slowly up his chest and down his arms, pulling his hands off her chest. A shirt appeared on the floor and her bra on top of it. Hermione took a deep breath, reveling in the feeling of being both exposed and hidden.
“We should have thought of this awhile ago, Harry. It’s rather nice that the kids can’t really walk in on us,” mused Hermione as she now focused on finding the button on his trousers.
“It certainly does make undressing you quite interesting,” replied Harry as he grabbed one of her hands which had been playing with his side and brought it to his front. He just wished she would hurry up and get them off, but she had been taking things so very slow. She was killing him, but oh, how he was loving it.
Hermione pushed Harry down onto his back and then went down to the button on his trousers, slowly undoing it. She then dragged the zipper down so slow that Harry swore he could have run upstairs and back down in the time it took her. Her hands slid up onto his belly and she turned them so that the fingers were facing down and slowly began to push his boxers and trousers off. She was having so much fun prolonging the torture, knowing that it was driving him nuts. This was perhaps the best game they had ever played, as it was doubly enticing that she could not even see herself. There was only exhilarating sensation contrasted to their calm living room.
Wiggling out from his trousers, so that Hermione could not prolong things any longer, he crawled over them, now that he could see them, to push her onto her back. He thought her head practically hit the tree, but he was too busy to worry about such things. Plus, she was not complaining. He quickly vanished her jeans and smiled at her gasp of dismay.
“You’re not supposed to do that, Harry,” admonished Hermione, secretly thrilled at his boldness.
“I never was good at following the rules,” Harry growled and stalked up over her body. He lowered his mouth, searching for moment before finding her stomach and kissing his way up, around her breasts, past the hollow of her throat, before finding her lips and pressing himself against them hungrily.
Moaning into his mouth, Hermione bucked up into Harry, feeling how hard he was through her thin knickers. Hermione brought her hands up and started rubbing his back, alternating between feather-light touches and digging her fingertips into him, all while continuing to kiss him, matching her hands and her tongue. Harry soon started to grind against her and she wrapped her legs around his to trap him against her.
“You naughty witch,” whispered Harry after pulling himself away from her lips. He pushed himself up on his hands, and watched, entranced, as he could almost see her form glowing beneath him as the light from the tree reflected off her moist skin.
“Merlin, you’re beautiful,” he breathed and lowered himself back onto her and started laying kisses down her body, around her breasts, over her stomach and down until he felt the edge of her knickers. Before she could remove them herself, he grabbed them with his teeth, accidentally nipping her in the process.
“Ow, Harry! What do you think you’re doing?” Hermione tried to sit up, only to be pushed down again, as Harry started to slowly pull her knickers down, using only his teeth. “Oh... oh! Yes...” Hermione started to moan and she felt his breath moving from her hips down towards her center and almost, but not quite, touching her swollen nubbin.
“Getting frustrated, love,” teased Harry as he slowly moved his mouth over to her other hip and pulled them lower.
Hermione bucked into him, partially due to arousal and partially to help him get the knickers off quicker. Now, she was the one being driven crazy, his hot breath so close to her and then moving ever so slowly down her legs. She was suddenly very glad that she had remembered to shave this morning.
At Hermione’s wanton sigh, Harry smiled and finished dragging her knickers over her heels and finally off her feet. He then started kissing his way back up her leg, with her quivering under him. Looking up, he could almost see a shimmering outline of her.
“Oh Merlin,” gasped Hermione, as Harry started kissing up the inside of her thigh. Hermione always enjoyed making love to her husband, but with children, they did not normally take the time to really indulge in foreplay. She moaned and started kneading her breast with one hand as her other hand reached down to touch herself, wanting some sort of relief from the building tension.
Harry reached her wet heat at the same time that she did and he batted her hand away, before starting to tease her himself. He alternated licking and sucking at her pulsing nubbin, before sliding one and then two fingers inside of her, slowly moving them in and out in tandem with his tongue.
“Oh yes, Harry...” Hermione moaned, reveling in the thrilling sensations shooting through her. Breathing shallower and quicker, Hermione tried to keep herself from going over the edge, allowing the orgasm to build even stronger.
Noticing her holding back, Harry started moving his fingers in and out of her quicker and deeper and slipped his other hand under her bum to get a better angle.
“HAARRYY!” screamed Hermione as she bucked up into him and came completely undone, fire shooting along her nerves.
But Harry was not finished with her yet, only letting her come down partially from her orgasm, before stimulating her again. He loved doing this to her and she got so fantastically wet from it; her juices were already starting to run down his fingers.
This time Hermione could not scream, only let out a gasp, her body arched up off the floor as she shuddered through her second orgasm. She then collapsed against the floor, sucking in deep breaths of air. “Have I... told you lately... how fantastic…you are?”
“I don’t think so, love,” teased Harry as he slowly stalked up her body until he was positioned in front of her entrance, his tip rubbing against her wet folds.
“Well, you’re bloody amazing,” said Hermione, still not recovered from the double orgasm.
“So are you,” whispered Harry as he slid himself in with one thrust. “Oh Merlin, Hermione, you’re so fucking wet.”
“Language, Harry...” Hermione smirked invisibly.
“Oh, you like it,” retorted Harry, “just like you like this.” He thrust into her harder, before easing up again, trying to make himself last, which was difficult as he was so aroused.
“Confident, are we?” mocked Hermione, as she wrapped one of her legs around his and flipped them over, away from the tree. She then settled back on him slowly. “Mmm... feels so damn good.”
“Language, Hermione...” teased Harry back at her, reaching for her hips. As much as he loved being in charge and being the one to drive her out of her mind, he loved when she took charge. There was the added benefit of being able to play with her lovely body when she was on top.
“You’re right, I guess I’ll have to make it up to you,” mused Hermione as she slipped off him. Before Harry could complain about the loss, Hermione had slithered down his body and taken him in her mouth. She took her hand and started rubbing up and down on his shaft, using it to further stimulate him. Swirling her tongue, she continued to slowly bob up and down.
“Oh... Hermione... guh...” Harry gasped out.
“Yes, love?” Hermione sat back on her heels before crawling up his body and settling on top of him again.
Harry lay there, breathing heavily for a moment, trying to collect his concentration. “I want to see you.” Harry tapped himself on the head and shivered as the Disillusionment Charm came off.
“I agree. This has been fun, but...” Hermione tapped herself on the head and reappeared. Her brown hair dark with sweat, her skin glistening from reflected treelight, and her breasts heaving on her chest. “Now... where were we?”
Hermione started to rock back and forth on top of Harry, his hands having found her hips easily now and forcing her movements harder against him. This was how it should be, she thought, just the two of them, their bodies intertwined. Games were fun for awhile, but being with the one she loved meant far more to her. Using one hand to steady herself, Hermione started kneading her breast, another orgasm already building.
Releasing one of her hips, Harry found her clit and started rubbing it gently, only to have Hermione start rocking herself harder against his hand. He started thrusting into her harder, trying to hold off just a little longer.
“Oh, Harry...” Hermione moaned as her whole body shook, and she kept rocking as she rode out her orgasm.
“Hermy..ohnee...” gasped Harry as he finally lost all control with her clenching around him and spilled himself inside of her.
She collapsed on top of him, both of them breathing heavily.
It was a few minutes before he pushed her hair away so that he could see her face. He just watched her for a moment, her eyes closed and a smile on her face. She looked like an angel, glowing with light, his angel.
“I love you, Hermione,” he whispered, wondering if she had already fallen asleep.
Hermione sleepily opened her eyes. Maybe it was Christmastime making her sentimental, but she felt as if this moment were perfect. “I love you too, Harry.”
Harry looked up over her shoulder, noting the still-empty stockings. “I don’t think Santa has come yet.”
“Oh,” said Hermione, rubbing her thighs together, “I think he definitely has.”
They both laughed quietly for a moment, before Harry stood up, pulling Hermione along with them. He waved a hand and the stockings stuffed themselves, as Hermione vanished the box.
“Bedtime, Mrs. Potter?” Harry asked, wrapping his arms around her again.
“Indeed, Mr. Potter,” replied Hermione and they vanished with only a small pop.
The sparkling Christmas tree again stood alone, to wait for morning and joyful children.