The Art of Taking Chances || Severus Snape x Reader ||

Chapter 26: Christmas and Promises

__

A/N: Nothing like Christmas in July, right?

"Can I put it on you?" 

__

The next two weeks to follow were likely the best you had encountered in a long time. Severus had put so much thought into making your shared Christmas break extra special and something to remember. He made breakfast every morning, took you on walks through the park, watched Muggle movies with you, and you even learned that Severus had a knack for playing the piano. Not to mention that every night ended with the two of you snuggled up by the warm fireplace with absolutely no intentions of doing anything productive.

It had been the perfect way to recharge from the first half of the hectic school year, and you could hardly even believe that you only had one more term to go. The big day finally rolled around, the windows frosted with cold and snow falling from the sky and settling onto the ground. You had woken up early that morning, your eyes peeling open to the sight of the snowflakes fluttering from the gray skies. Despite the bitter chill outside, you were as warm as could be from being wrapped in Severus' embrace.

Severus had said that if the impending snowstorm actually turned up, then he'd suggest staying in on Christmas day. You were fine with that, considering that there couldn't possibly be anything else he had planned. Severus' chest was warm pressed against your back, and while you were toasty, you could imagine how he was able to sleep in this cold room every day with nothing but his boxers on.

"Sev." You whispered, wiggling a little in his arms to get him to wake up.

He barely even stirred, only exhaling an involuntary breath through his nose. With a huff, you wiggled some more and spoke a little louder.

"Severus. Wake up." You urged, brushing his long black hair from his face.

He grumbled this time, his eyes just hardly opening to see you smiling blindly at him. While he adored waking up to you every morning, you were just a bit too chipper in the early morning hours for his liking.

"Good morning," He mumbled, his voice thick with sleep, "Must we wake up so early?"

"It's Christmas. If we're going to have a day full of nothing, then we'd better get right on it." You told him, twirling a lock of his hair around your index finger as you rested on his chest.

His groan showed his displeasure, his hand coming to rub his face in an attempt to fight the slumber trying to overcome him again. 

"Oh, is it snowing?" He questioned, his eyes squinting to look out the window to answer his own question, "It seems that it is."

"And you promised a day in." You reminded him, trailing a finger over a scar on his right shoulder.

Severus sighed, looking over at you through his dark irises. 

"I suppose I did," He admitted, "What's on our agenda then, my love?"

"Absolutely nothing at all." You remarked with a grin.

He threw one of his hands up and let out an exasperated scoff.

"Then why the hell did you wake me up?" He snapped, suddenly much more awake.

"Because we have a lot of nothing to do," You giggled, "Five more minutes, then?"

"Deal." He agreed, tightening his grasp around you to snuggle you once more.

His lips kissed your neck, brushing over the tender hickeys that you had accumulated over the last two weeks. He sucked softly on some of the older ones, as well as leaving a few new ones where there was room.