Title: (Not Such) A Dreadful Holiday
Author: sdk
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Severus/Harry
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fluff/Humour
Length/Word Count: Ficlet, 937 words
Warnings: implied crossdressing
Summary: To say Severus hated Christmas would be exaggerating for he would not wish to expend any energy on emotion toward a useless holiday, but Severus would rather the day pass as others before and after it: with no special consideration at all. Unfortunately for him, Harry had other ideas.
Notes: Written for mini_fest 2010 on LJ and dedicated to my beloved torino10154 who always cheers me up with her snark and her hugs and her incredibly hot smut. Sorry this is so tame, bb! Thanks to aldiara for the last-minute beta and for being generally awesome. <333
Disclaimer: The following is based on fictional characters that I don't own doing fictional things in a fictional world that I didn't create. No copyright infringement intended, no money's being made.

Originally Posted Here.


(Not Such) A Dreadful Holiday

Severus Snape did not like Christmas. To say he hated Christmas would perhaps be exaggerating for he would not wish to expend any energy on emotion toward a useless holiday, but he would rather the day pass as others before and after it: with no special consideration at all.

He foolishly thought that once he was free from the halls of Hogwarts with their charmed caroling suits of armor and pine trees dotting every available surface, he could have some peace. But then he hadn't counted on Harry bloody Potter.

December first arrived and Severus found his banister wrapped in green garland and tied with red velvet bows that tittered with fairy-like giggles whenever one passed. His modest sitting room was now dominated by a tree that reached the ceiling and looked as if several children had vomited all over it with the amount of garish colored ornaments, tinsel, and strings of rainbow lights that hung off its branches. And perhaps worst of all was Potter himself, who spent every night from that evening onward humming carols under his breath and baking sweet confections in the shapes of snowflakes and snowmen and stars and other Christmassy things.

"It's Christmas, Severus! Cheer up!" Potter would exclaim before pecking him on the cheek and attempting to shove one of his baked goods into Severus' mouth.

Severus did his best to dampen Potter's Christmas spirit. He spent more and more time in his private Potions lab in the cellar, partially to escape Potter's holiday cheer but mostly because he knew it annoyed Potter if he spent evenings--what Potter considered their "couple time"-- in his lab.

But Potter didn't complain once.

Severus took to the occasional Silencio when Potter's singing became too loud or too bothersome, but Potter simply smiled, brandished his own wand, and with a wordless Finite Incantatum continued his caroling as if uninterrupted.

Finally, Severus decided to withhold sexual intimacy of any kind until Potter relented and set his flat back to rights. After all, Severus was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, as he had done for several years without the benefit of a partner. He doubted that Potter had near enough willpower to outlast Severus and would be begging to be touched within a day; two on the outside.

But a week went by, and Potter only offered to sleep on the sofa if his presence in the bed made Severus so uncomfortable at night.

Severus was not pleased at this turn of events.

But he was a stubborn man and would not give in to Potter and his plot to draw him into the foolishness of the holiday season. No matter what.

--

Finally the eve of the infernal holiday arrived. Severus was counting down the hours until he could reasonably expect the decorations to disappear so his flat--and his life--could get back to some semblance of normalcy, when Potter pointed out a present under the tree.

"It's for you," he said with an impish grin. Severus glanced at the present with a frown. It was a long square box wrapped in plain green paper with a small black bow on top.

"Come on," Potter said, dragging him over to the tree, then placed the box into Severus' hands. "Indulge me. Just this once. I’m not making you come to the Burrow with me tomorrow, am I?"

Severus snorted. As if Potter could in any manner of speaking make Severus set foot in the Weasley household if he did not wish to be there.

"Please?" Potter asked when Severus didn't respond, and Severus sighed.

"I did not buy you anything."

"I know," Harry said cheerfully. "This is a gift for me, too. Sort of. You'll see. If you ever open it."

"Fine," Severus grunted. He withdrew his wand and banished the paper and bow with a flick; a frown darkened Potter's face, but he hid it a moment later. Well, Potter should have known better than to expect Severus to tear open a present like an overexcited child.

Severus slid the top off of the box, and amid carefully folded tissue, he found a black stocking…then another, then below that a green corset with matching green knickers, both made of a soft satin.

Severus arched an eyebrow. "What is this?"

"Don't you like it?" Potter's grin was in full bloom once more and Severus had never found his cheerfulness so irritating.

"If you expect me to wear these…garments-"

"Oh no. They're for me," Potter said, his voice just on the edge of shy, and Severus' irritation melted into intrigue in the space of a breath. Potter had never been shy, especially when it came to their sex life; it was refreshing that Severus still had some power to make him nervous.

"If you want, I thought I could wear it--them. For you."

"So if I'm correct, my present is actually you dressed in this outfit, yes?" Severus was careful to control his expression, though watching a light blush spread over Potter's nose and cheeks and down his neck was quite titillating.

Potter nodded.

"Very well, then." Severus wrapped the garments back in their tissue and thrust the open box into Potter's hands. "Put them on. I'd like to play with my present."

He allowed the corners of his lips to turn up ever so slightly, and was satisfied when Potter's confusion was replaced with a wide smile. Potter nodded again, then scampered off up to the stairs to their bedroom.

Severus settled down in his favorite stiff-backed arm chair to wait.

Perhaps the holiday wasn't so dreadful after all.



-Fin-







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