The Potions Master and the Ravenclaw

"Happy Christmas, Little One"

Severus Snape opened his eyes.

It was Christmas morning and the Yule Ball was to be held that night. Madeline was still sleeping in his arms, her chest rising and falling softly against his. He tightened his hold on her. He would never tire of waking with her in his bed. He tried to lay as still as possible so as not to disturb her, but she woke and kissed his chest.

Gods, he loved that. Such a sweet, intimate, loving gesture.

"Happy Christmas, little one," he said.

"Happy Christmas," she replied, snuggling into his body. He kissed the top of her head.

"Shall we get up and see what Father Christmas has brought?" he asked, smiling.

She giggled. "Oh, yes. Let's. I've been a very good girl this year."

"Yes," he growled and rolled on top of her. "Yes, you have. A very, very good girl." He kissed her neck and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, pulling him to her tightly, laughing.

After cuddling a bit longer in bed, they got up, put on their dressing gowns, and went in the living room to exchange gifts by the fireplace.

Snape had given Madeline a beautiful new traveling cloak (black, hooded, ornate, and lined with Ravenclaw blue silk), a book he knew she'd been wanting, a gorgeous watch, a pair of earrings, and a jewelry box that he had enchanted so that it would only open at her touch. Madeline had given Snape some new shirts (some black, some white), an assortment of his favorite candies, some extremely rare unicorn hair for potions, a nearly impossible to find edition of a book that he had been coveting for months, and a new scale for measuring potion ingredients.

After all the gifts had been opened, Snape pulled Madeline onto his lap and kissed her soundly.

"Thank you my, love. This is the happiest Christmas I can remember."

"For me, too. I love you."

"And I love you."

...

After they ate the huge Christmas breakfast Madeline prepared, they lay in a pile of blankets on the rug in front of the fire, kissing and holding each other, utterly and absolutely happy. Merlin the cat purred and napped at their feet.

Madeline was playing with a lock of Snape's long, black hair and his hand was inside her dressing gown, touching her warm, soft skin.

"You have the most beautiful eyes. I love to look at you, Severus," Madeline said softly.

"You have beautiful everything, my love," he replied, kissing her neck.

She laughed. "You have to say that. You're my husband."

"You know I don't say anything I don't mean, little girl," he said, rolling on top of her and playfully brushing her nose with his.

She wrapped her legs around him and tangled her fingers in his hair.

"I love you," she whispered.

"And I love you."

Snape nibbled at her lips, teasing her, then slid his tongue into her mouth. She opened to him immediately, moving her hips against him as they kissed.

"I love the way you taste," he whispered. "I can't get enough. I'll never get enough."

Madeline sucked his bottom lip, then bit it lightly and he growled, eyes flashing.

"Careful, my girl," he said, a warning in his voice.

She giggled and pulled him down for another kiss, sucking his tongue. She nipped his lip again, knowing she was playing with fire.