The Present of Presence [Harry/Severus - PG - 1000]
Title: The Present of Presence
Author/Artist: goddess47
Pairing(s): Harry/Severus
Prompt: 145 - Harry/Snape -- Snape prefers his holidays alone with a book and an adult beverage - Harry doesn't ;)
Word Count/Art Medium: 1000
Rating: PG
Contains (Highlight to view): Fluff
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Maybe, just maybe, next year Severus might change his mind.
Severus heard the Floo and looked down at the book he had not been reading for the past few hours. He could feel a mild stimulation from the glass of wine he had been drinking, but the wine was long gone and he had not had the ambition to get a refill.
Harry had hung up his cloak and kicked off his trainers before coming to see him.
"Hullo," Harry murmured as he padded across the floor barefoot as he entered what they called their den.
"Welcome back," Severus greeted him. "Did you have a good time?"
"It was a mad house," Harry grinned. "You would have hated it."
"Which is exactly why I stayed here," Severus agreed. Even if I was lonely.
Harry had been cheerfully resigned when Severus had steadfastly refused to attend the annual Weasley Christmas Eve celebration. "I would rather be comfortable with a good book and an adult beverage than participate in the chaos that will be at the Burrow," Severus had protested.
Harry hadn't pressed, and let Severus know he would be back before midnight so they could spend some time together.
"I have presents for you," Harry said as he emptied his pockets and unshrunk multiple packages. He set them on the table near the couch. "Everyone says hello, and asked after you."
Severus was always more than faintly amazed by how Harry's friends and family had embraced him as a part of Harry's life. He knew that some of them would never consider him a friend, but they would tolerate Severus, at least for Harry's sake.
The pile of presents was larger than Severus could have expected. He knew Harry had taken presents for everyone with him, labeled as being from both of them. Harry had consulted with Severus about every gift, making sure Severus was aware of what his name was attached to.
Severus paid careful attention to the gifts Harry bought and attached their name to, primarily because he had learned his lesson when he had been warmly thanked by Molly Weasley for a present he had known nothing about. He thought he had covered his faux pas reasonably well, but had decided that he should not be caught unaware like that in the future.
"I did not expect all of this," Severus protested.
Harry shrugged. "A couple of them are for both of us," he explained. "I brought them back for us to open together."
"You did not have to do that, but thank you," Severus knew when to give in.
"You want a refill?" Harry nodded at his empty wine glass. "Did you eat?"
"If you're hungry, I would eat with you," Severus replied.
Harry grinned. "You'd think I'd be full, but with the chaos I only nibbled."
"Good," Severus got up. "I have something organized." He went into the kitchen and brought out the bottle of wine, another glass, and a tray of appetizers. He set everything next to the pile of presents and deftly slipped a small package near the bottom of the haphazard pile. He poured wine for both of them, handed Harry a glass, and sat on the couch.
"Come, help me with this," Severus patted the seat next to him.
Harry dropped next to Severus with a happy sigh. He leaned close and Severus turned his head for a soft kiss.
"Better," Harry sighed, leaning warmly against Severus. "It was overwhelming."
Severus reached out and plucked a package off the top of the pile. It was addressed to both of them but when Severus tried to hand it to Harry, Harry pushed it back to him.
"I've already opened some presents," Harry demurred. "You need to catch up."
Severus unwrapped what turned out to be a Granger-Weasley family portrait. Little Rose waved at them cheerfully from Hermione's lap.
Harry smiled back at the picture, and took it from Severus. "I'll hang this in my office, with the rest of the pictures we have," he offered. He picked up another package.
"One just for you," Harry said knowingly.
Severus sighed at the squishy package. He found his own Weasley sweater, although Molly had learned long ago that Severus would not tolerate anything gaudy. His sweater was actually a dark gray cashmere vest with a discreet "S" embroidered on the front.
They opened packages as Harry recounted stories of the Weasley party. He brought Severus up to date on the various members of the Weasley family and the growing number of children. It allowed Severus to have reasonably intelligent conversations when he encountered members of the family at the occasional Sunday dinner he would go to, or as they met in other places.
There were two small packages left. One with his name on it -- and the one he had put into the pile, with Harry's name.
Harry looked at Severus.
"You weren't supposed to get me anything," Harry protested.
"It was... an impulse," Severus admitted. He wasn't nervous but he took a sip of wine as Harry gingerly picked up the box.
"There's one last box for you," Harry handed Severus the other box.
"This appears to be from you," Severus observed.
Harry grinned. He looked at the two packages. "Ummm... no, I'm not going there... Just open yours," he said.
Severus carefully took off the wrapping, to find a delicate wooden box. He suddenly understood Harry's amusement.
He opened the box to find a ring nestled in deep purple velvet. It was obviously a man's ring, plain on the outside but with some engraving on the inside. He would have to look closer later.
He waited as Harry opened his own box, to reveal another ring. Severus had runes of protection and endearment custom engraved on the outside, with their initials on the inside.
Eyes bright, Harry looked up at Severus and smiled. "Looks like we're thinking the same thing."
Severus plucked the box from Harry's hand and took the ring out. He reached out to Harry, who met him half way.
"Harry, would you marry me?" Severus asked, slipping the ring onto Harry's finger.
Harry reached for Severus' box and slipped the ring onto Severus' finger.
"Yes!"
Author/Artist: goddess47
Pairing(s): Harry/Severus
Prompt: 145 - Harry/Snape -- Snape prefers his holidays alone with a book and an adult beverage - Harry doesn't ;)
Word Count/Art Medium: 1000
Rating: PG
Contains (Highlight to view): Fluff
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Maybe, just maybe, next year Severus might change his mind.
Severus heard the Floo and looked down at the book he had not been reading for the past few hours. He could feel a mild stimulation from the glass of wine he had been drinking, but the wine was long gone and he had not had the ambition to get a refill.
Harry had hung up his cloak and kicked off his trainers before coming to see him.
"Hullo," Harry murmured as he padded across the floor barefoot as he entered what they called their den.
"Welcome back," Severus greeted him. "Did you have a good time?"
"It was a mad house," Harry grinned. "You would have hated it."
"Which is exactly why I stayed here," Severus agreed. Even if I was lonely.
Harry had been cheerfully resigned when Severus had steadfastly refused to attend the annual Weasley Christmas Eve celebration. "I would rather be comfortable with a good book and an adult beverage than participate in the chaos that will be at the Burrow," Severus had protested.
Harry hadn't pressed, and let Severus know he would be back before midnight so they could spend some time together.
"I have presents for you," Harry said as he emptied his pockets and unshrunk multiple packages. He set them on the table near the couch. "Everyone says hello, and asked after you."
Severus was always more than faintly amazed by how Harry's friends and family had embraced him as a part of Harry's life. He knew that some of them would never consider him a friend, but they would tolerate Severus, at least for Harry's sake.
The pile of presents was larger than Severus could have expected. He knew Harry had taken presents for everyone with him, labeled as being from both of them. Harry had consulted with Severus about every gift, making sure Severus was aware of what his name was attached to.
Severus paid careful attention to the gifts Harry bought and attached their name to, primarily because he had learned his lesson when he had been warmly thanked by Molly Weasley for a present he had known nothing about. He thought he had covered his faux pas reasonably well, but had decided that he should not be caught unaware like that in the future.
"I did not expect all of this," Severus protested.
Harry shrugged. "A couple of them are for both of us," he explained. "I brought them back for us to open together."
"You did not have to do that, but thank you," Severus knew when to give in.
"You want a refill?" Harry nodded at his empty wine glass. "Did you eat?"
"If you're hungry, I would eat with you," Severus replied.
Harry grinned. "You'd think I'd be full, but with the chaos I only nibbled."
"Good," Severus got up. "I have something organized." He went into the kitchen and brought out the bottle of wine, another glass, and a tray of appetizers. He set everything next to the pile of presents and deftly slipped a small package near the bottom of the haphazard pile. He poured wine for both of them, handed Harry a glass, and sat on the couch.
"Come, help me with this," Severus patted the seat next to him.
Harry dropped next to Severus with a happy sigh. He leaned close and Severus turned his head for a soft kiss.
"Better," Harry sighed, leaning warmly against Severus. "It was overwhelming."
Severus reached out and plucked a package off the top of the pile. It was addressed to both of them but when Severus tried to hand it to Harry, Harry pushed it back to him.
"I've already opened some presents," Harry demurred. "You need to catch up."
Severus unwrapped what turned out to be a Granger-Weasley family portrait. Little Rose waved at them cheerfully from Hermione's lap.
Harry smiled back at the picture, and took it from Severus. "I'll hang this in my office, with the rest of the pictures we have," he offered. He picked up another package.
"One just for you," Harry said knowingly.
Severus sighed at the squishy package. He found his own Weasley sweater, although Molly had learned long ago that Severus would not tolerate anything gaudy. His sweater was actually a dark gray cashmere vest with a discreet "S" embroidered on the front.
They opened packages as Harry recounted stories of the Weasley party. He brought Severus up to date on the various members of the Weasley family and the growing number of children. It allowed Severus to have reasonably intelligent conversations when he encountered members of the family at the occasional Sunday dinner he would go to, or as they met in other places.
There were two small packages left. One with his name on it -- and the one he had put into the pile, with Harry's name.
Harry looked at Severus.
"You weren't supposed to get me anything," Harry protested.
"It was... an impulse," Severus admitted. He wasn't nervous but he took a sip of wine as Harry gingerly picked up the box.
"There's one last box for you," Harry handed Severus the other box.
"This appears to be from you," Severus observed.
Harry grinned. He looked at the two packages. "Ummm... no, I'm not going there... Just open yours," he said.
Severus carefully took off the wrapping, to find a delicate wooden box. He suddenly understood Harry's amusement.
He opened the box to find a ring nestled in deep purple velvet. It was obviously a man's ring, plain on the outside but with some engraving on the inside. He would have to look closer later.
He waited as Harry opened his own box, to reveal another ring. Severus had runes of protection and endearment custom engraved on the outside, with their initials on the inside.
Eyes bright, Harry looked up at Severus and smiled. "Looks like we're thinking the same thing."
Severus plucked the box from Harry's hand and took the ring out. He reached out to Harry, who met him half way.
"Harry, would you marry me?" Severus asked, slipping the ring onto Harry's finger.
Harry reached for Severus' box and slipped the ring onto Severus' finger.
"Yes!"