Christmas Goose

Christmas Goose

Hermione put the last of the rinsed dishes into the drainer over the sink. She found washing dishes by hand a soothing occupation. And, as pathetically domestic as it was, she wanted the flat to look nice for when Severus arrived.

He was late, damn him. Hermione took a few minutes to charm the grime off the windows. In the last six months they’d seen each other as frequently as their busy schedules could accommodate, but they rarely spent longer than two nights together. But it was Christmas Eve, and Severus had promised Hermione she’d get him all to herself until New Year’s.

No more grime, grit or grease to be cleaned, Hermione sat on the edge of the bed, frowning. Unoccupied by cleaning chores now, her imagination ran wild. Maybe he’d splinched, apparating from Hogwarts. Maybe he’d been waylaid by rogue Deatheaters. Or maybe, at this Hermione shuddered, Albus Dumbledore had kept him late working on one of his crackpot post-war recovery projects.

When the doorbell chimed, Hermione leapt to greet her lover. Torn between anger and fear, Hermione wasn’t sure whether she wanted to kiss him or slap him.

“What took you so long?” She challenged him, arms akimbo, blocking the doorway.

“So nice to know you care,” Severus said, kissing her forehead. “Let me in, Hermione.”

Sighing, she stepped back to let him enter her tiny domain.

He closed the door, looking tired. “Happy Christmas, Hermione.” He took his coat off and draped it over the hook she’d hung for him.

“Happy Christmas, you great black bat.” Hermione threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. “I thought you’d never get here. I was worried you might have splinched.”

Severus Snape extricated himself from her embrace and sat at the foot of the bed, Hermione having no room in her apartment for luxuries like chairs or sofas. “I’ll have you know, I haven’t been splinched since before you were born.”

“You can put my Christmas present under the little tree.” Hermione sat next to him on the bed and pointed out the pathetic little potted evergreen propped in the corner. A small squashy package wrapped in blue and silver foil lurked under the canopy of yellowing needles.

Severus laughed. “That is the most ridiculous tree I’ve ever seen!” He put his arms around her. His chuckles shook the whole bed.

Hermione sniffed. “Well, I didn’t want to use magic on it. Neville says it might be root-bound, but he couldn’t diagnose it over the phone, and I don’t have a floo connection.”

“And how is Cauldron Killer Longbottom these days?”

“Don’t change the subject. You did get me a present, right?” Hermione asked pointedly.

Severus sighed. “No, Hermione, I didn’t get you a present. Things have been just too hectic around Hogwarts and I haven’t had time.“

“You haven’t had time?” Hermione’s voice rose in a glass-shattering screech. “We’ve been sharing the most intimate acts two human beings can share and you couldn’t even get me a lousy pair of socks? That’s what bleeding time turners are for! This is important!” Yelling relieved some of the tension Hermione had been feeling.

“I can see that you feel this is important.” His voice was dispassionate and rational, with only a hint of snide.

For some reason, this only infuriated Hermione further. “Oh, no. You’re not going to get out of it this easily.” She went to the sink and began examining clean utensils. Wooden spoon was too old-fashioned, metal ladle was too cruel, plastic spatula… now that had some promise. Hermione snatched the beige plastic spatula from the dish drainer and turned to face her somewhat bewildered lover. “I want those pants down around your ankles, and I want them down now!”

Smirking, Severus slowly began to unbutton his trousers, but Hermione wasn’t watching his elegant striptease. With the spatula in one hand and her wand in the other, she tapped the two items together and spoke. Holstering her wand, she hefted the large paddle in her right hand. Covered in red leather, bright gold ornaments fastened the flat padded surface onto the smooth, well-polished wood handle. She smacked it into her hand experimentally. It made a satisfyingly loud cracking noise. Hermione smiled. Transfiguration had always been one of her best subjects.

“Did I say to take your trousers off?” Hermione asked authoritatively. “I did not. I said around your ankles and I meant around your ankles.” She smacked the paddle against her hand again. “Turn around and bend over.”

“So, this is to be my punishment? A plebian paddling?” Severus asked as he turned around and placed his hands on the bed.

“Oh, not just any paddling, Severus, dear.” Hermione leaned across him to whisper in his ear, one hand gently caressing the pale skin of his legs. “This is a paddling with a Gryffindor paddle.”

Turning his head, Hermione saw the confusion in his eyes. Good. He’d never seen one of these before. She’d made the prototype for Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes and they were only now coming into production.

“Five of the finest, I think?” Hermione mused, purring like a cat. “Or shall we make it ten?”

Severus kept his mouth closed, even when the slightly nubby surface of the paddle came in gentle contact with his arse and caressed down the back of his legs. It was not an unpleasant sensation, but getting spanked was not how he imagined he would be spending his Christmas Eve.

“Five, I think, and if I don’t like the fervor of your results, five more.” Hermione made sure his shirttails were well out of the way and the first blow landed square between his cheeks.

“I love Gryffindor,” Severus blurted, startling himself. The paddle hadn’t hurt very much at all. It felt more like getting thwacked with a broomstick cushioning charm. Hermione chuckled and the second blow landed on his right cheek. “Red and gold forever!” He yelled. “What the hell is this?”

She didn’t answer in words. The third blow landed on his left cheek. “Lions rule!” he heard himself cry. The fourth blow started to sting a little. “One hundred points to Gryffindor!” escaped his lips, followed quickly by, “I hope not, you don’t deserve it!”

Hermione made the last blow count. Smack!

Severus screamed. “I want to fellate Godric Gryffindor!”

Laughing, Hermione tossed the paddle away and began soothing his pinking bottom with hands and lips. “Well, unfortunately, darling, Godric has been dead for quite some time now. I doubt he would appreciate that generous offer. However, though I may not be the Gryffindor, I was a Gryffindor…”

Growling happily, Severus turned and swept Hermione onto the bed in front of him. “Would you like me to eat you, is that what you want?” He quickly stripped her clothing and positioned himself between her legs. “You had only to ask.” He bent his head to taste the dripping center of her. He never got tired of this.

“I wanted to humiliate you first,” Hermione admitted. “I never thought it would turn me on so much to make you…” she groaned, “…make you…” she cried out, “…make…” Tossing her head restlessly as her lover tended her with lips and tongue, she forgot what she was going to say, hooking her legs around him and riding the wave of pleasure.

Panting gentlyrmiormione looked down at the man resting on her thighs.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’ve been under a lot of stress lately, and I worked myself into quite a state.”

“All this over a Christmas present?” Severus chided. He clucked his tongue and crawled up, placing kisses on her belly, her ribs, between her breasts, her collarbone. “So, what did you get me?”

Hermione reached for her wand and called, “Accio silver wrapped present!” The squashy little package under the yellowing tree sailed across the intervening space. Hermione caught the package neatly.

“Can I unwrap it now?” Severus asked.

“Only if I can unwrap you, too.”

Hermione finished undressing her lover as he unwrapped the little present she’d given him.

“Socks?” Severus asked. “What am I, a house elf?” He turned glittering eyes to the woman beneath him. “Albus Dumbledore gives me socks. But you…?”

“Things have been just a little bit hectic and I haven’t had time to…” Hermione stuttered, trying to explain.

He threw his words back at her with glee. “We’ve been sharing the most intimate acts two human beings can share and all you could think to get me was a lousy pair of socks?”

“I’m sorry,” she said, more in anger than in apology.

“Oh, you’ll be sorry, all right.” Severus promised, feeling around the bed and finding his wand and the discarded Gryffindor paddle. A tap and a brief incantation and the paddle he held was covered in deep green snakeskin with bright silver fittings. “On your knees, Miss. Arse in the air,” he commanded. “Five of the finest, I think?”

The blows came swiftly. “Slytherin rules!” she screamed. “Silver and Green forever!” “Snakes are sexy!” “Salazar knows best!” “I want to suck your Slytherin love snake!”

This last made even Hermione laugh as Severus followed the stroke of the paddle with the soothing stroke of his han “We “We can arrange that,” he promised.

“Don’t make me wait for it.” Hermione turned and shoved him over on his back. “I don’t think I can wait.”

“You don’t have to wait,” Severus told her, holding his arms out to her. “I’m all yours.”

She crawled over him, flesh against naked flesh, and took him into her mouth. They’d done this so many times before, but the warmed skin of her bottom made her feel naughty, dangerous, and very, very sexy. As she pleasured him, his hands roamed to explore her body tenderly. Hermione could feel that he was close, his muscles tensed urgently and his hands found her shoulders to pull her up, away.

“I want to come in you.” His voice was husky and urgent. His eyes glittered darkly. “How do you want me?”

Hermione turned away from him, kneeling with her legs wide apart, her hands braced on the headboard. She turned to look over her shoulder at him. “I want you like this. Take me hard and make me beg for it.”

He knelt behind her, the wiry hair on his body tickling her skin as he spooned up behind her. He reached down, teasing the flesh of her entrance. He chuckled. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you so wet.”

“Stop being so gentle, dammit!” Hermione reached between her legs, finding him hard and ready. She tried to position him, but the angle was too awkward. “Now, please,” she begged.

“As you wish,” he acceded, and took her in one, smooth stroke.

She pushed back against Severus firmly, but it wasn’t enough. Shoving pillows aside, Hermione practically stood on her head to get him to hit the right angle. Suddenly, like a switch being pressed, Hermione found herself begging, demanding, cursing, threatening, “harder, damn you! Fuck me harder! Come on, damn you! I’m not going to break! Harder! Oh, gods yes harderyeslikethatdamnyouharderyes!”

Hermione was grateful for the numerous silencing charms she’d placed on her flat. She almost didn’t recognize her own voice, the hoarse litany of profanity springing from some unconscious realm of her brain.

Long, elegant fingers gripped her hips as Severus did his best to please her with deep, firm strokes, but her writhing need and urgent demands wore away his resolve. Undone, he began pounding into her with only one thought left in his brain. Must make it good.

At last, the frenzied pace shoved Hermione over the edge. She came explosively, clenching and gripping spastically. This pulled Severus over the edge with her. He came, grunting softly. Bent together, they panted loudly, dripping sweat and trembling until one of them moved. They collapsed onto the bed without speaking for a long while.

Hermione broke the silence. “Wow.”

“Mmm,” Severus answered, brushing her hair out of his face. “Actually, I have a confession to make.”

“What?” Hermione asked suspiciously.

“I lied to you.”

Hermione turned her head to meet his eyes. “About what?”

“Where’s my wand?” He leaned over her trying to find it.

“Here it is.” She produced his wand and handed it to him.

“Accio Hermione’s present,” he said. A small blue-wrapped box flew out of his coat. He caught it.

Hermione looked confused. “You lied about getting me a present? How very Slytherin of you! But why?”

“I wasn’t sure,” he cleared his throat and continued, “I wasn’t sure you’d accept it. But if you don’t like it, I can return it.” He gave her the small box and kissed her on the nose. “Happy Christmas, Hermione.”

Reverently, Hermione peeled the spell-o-tape off the end of the package and slid the box out of the paper wrapping. Glancing at Severus, she lifted the lid.

“Oh!” Hermione grinned. “It’s even in Gryffindor colors!” She lifted the gold chain from the box and let the gold and ruby charm dangle. “Oh, how cute! It’s a little snake.”

“You like it?” Severus asked nervously.

“Very much.” She kissed him before putting the necklace back in its box. Hermione turned away to put the box on the nightstand. “I have a confession of my own.” Leaning over the bed she brought a small box wrapped in snowflake-patterned paper. “I didn’t lie to you. I did get you socks, just in case I chickened out, but I got you this, too.” She gave him the box with a kiss. “Happy Christmas, Severus.”

“What did you get me?” Severus asked, shaking the box gently.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Open it and find out!” Severus tore the paper quickly and opened the small box. Hermione couldn’t stop smiling. “So? What do you think?”

He peered at the silver and green cufflinks. “Lions?”

Nodding, Hermione continued to grin. “Great minds think alike, huh?”

“Fools seldom differ,” Severus replied. “But I already know I’m a fool for you, so this is not a surprise.” He captured her lips in a bruising kiss. “You know I love you, right?”

“I had my suspicions.” She took the box from his hand and set it next to the necklace before snuggling back under his arm.

Severus loved to hold Hermione like this, but he couldn’t settle down. He twitched a couple of times, trying to get comfortable. She was just trying to get a rise out of him, and it was working. “What about you?” he finally asked.

“What about me, what?” she asked sleepily.

She was going to make him ask. “Do you love me?”

Hermione smiled. “Of course I do. You know what they say, don’t you?”

“What do they say?” Severus asked, afraid of what he was about to hear.

“You only hurt the ones you love.”

Severus couldn’t stifle the snort. “It didn’t hurt that much.”

“Oh.” Hermione wilted, disappointed. She perked up a moment later. “I guess I’ll just have to try it again sometime.”