SS/HP, The Gift of Red, PG
Title: The Gift of Red
Author: Alisanne
Rating: PG
Summary: My response to the snape_potter July Challenge, Happy Birthday Harry, AND to my 100quills Severus table, prompt: Red.
Genre: Romance.
Warnings: OOC
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Beta reader, the wonderful and talented Sevfan. Thank you, hon!
~
The Gift of Red
~
Harry was determined that he was not going to say anything about his birthday this year. Twenty-six wasn’t that special of a year, he kept telling himself. Plus, Severus hadn’t celebrated his at all, saying nothing when Harry had made it a point to have his favorite meal ready when he’d returned home from work that night.
Harry had even managed to obtain a rare potions text for him, which Severus had simply glanced at and set aside.
After suppressing his hurt, Harry had decided that he wouldn’t be upset when no fuss was made at his birthday. He knew Severus loved him, even if they ended up not celebrating such things as birthdays.
He’d even warned Hermione and Ron not to send him gifts at midnight on the day, but to discreetly give them to him a few days later, if at all.
Hermione had protested, but had finally agreed, but only after taking him aside and counseling him that he could celebrate his own birthday if he wanted to. They had finally compromised on his coming by for lunch on the day.
The day his birthday dawned, Harry stretched sleepily, expecting to encounter a warm body next to his. When his arm didn’t encounter Severus however, it woke him up abruptly.
As taciturn as his lover generally was, Severus usually didn’t leave in the mornings without at least a kiss and an admonition to ‘not die’ in his Auror job. Admittedly, Severus knew Harry had the day off, but still...
Harry sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and looking about their very green bedroom.
He liked green well enough, but not the way Severus liked it. If it wasn’t green or black, Severus had nothing to do with it. Which was why, when he spotted a red blur on Severus’ pillow, he was intrigued.
After grabbing for his glasses, he snatched up the red vellum card to read it.
Harry,
I had to leave early, but be assured, you did receive your customary morning kiss; you were simply too fatigued to awaken during it.
I shall be home this evening at my standard time.
Severus
Harry smiled, fingering the heavy paper. He’d never seen Severus use this note paper before...
Shrugging, he dismissed it. Since he’d granted himself the indulgence of taking the day off from work, he settled under the green covers for another few moments, allowing himself a bit of a lie in. Turning his head, he inhaled the scent of Severus embedded in his pillow and, with a soft laugh, clutched it to his chest, breathing deeply.
Severus would make such fun of me if he saw me doing this, he thought.
But, Severus was not there, so Harry could do as he wished.
He drifted in between the dream world and the waking one for a while, smiling softly as he recalled the long road he and Severus had taken to get where they were now.
As he lay there, Severus’ familiar scent curled around him, enveloping him in comfort, he considered just staying there all day, but realized he had too much to do. It wasn’t that special of a day only because it was his birthday, after all...
After he showered, allowing himself the indulgence of using Severus’ self-brewed shampoo, he walked into the kitchen, smiling to see that Severus had left him breakfast in a dish, with a Warming Charm on it.
Harry grinned. It was even his favorite, porridge.
An ice cold glass of pumpkin juice that was so deeply colored that it was almost red completed his meal, and as he sipped it, he planned his day.
A quick visit to Neville and Ginny’s small cottage was first on his list. As he’d expected, they had been at The Burrow the night before for a family party. He’d been invited to celebrate his birthday there as well, of course, but he’d declined, having not even broached the topic with Severus, knowing that his lover preferred his privacy.
“Perhaps next year,” he’d said when Ginny had pressed.
Neville simply winked at him, and thanked him for the gift he’d dropped off.
Shrinking their gift to him and putting it in his pocket, Harry stopped by Hermione and Ron’s home where he had lunch with them, before stopping at the pastry shop he and Severus frequented and ordering their favorite pear and raspberry tart to be delivered later.
He eyed the cake display briefly, but decided he wasn’t going to do anything to bring attention to the date, although the red velvet cake did look quite appetizing...
By the time he got home, it appeared that Severus had beaten him there, if the black robes hanging in the hallway were any indication.
“Severus?”
“In here,” his lover’s deep voice replied, and Harry walked into their dining room, his mouth falling open at what was before him.
The table was dressed with a red cloth, candles and clusters of red roses and baby’s breath. A lavish meal including a roast, potatoes and even the red velvet cake that Harry had been eyeing sat there, and two goblets of deep, red wine were waiting.
“Happy Birthday, Harry,” Severus said, walking towards him, resplendent in a deep red shirt and black Muggle-style trousers.
Harry’s confused gaze took in all the details of the room before drifting back to Severus’ face.
“What... why...?”
Severus stopped directly in front of Harry. “It’s your birthday, Harry,” he reminded him. “Did you think I had forgotten?”
Harry nodded, speechless.
“Why would you think that?” Severus asked, a thumb caressing Harry’s cheek, much to his distraction.
“You don’t like to celebrate birthdays,” Harry said.
Severus smiled. “Whatever gave you that idea?” he asked. “I am... understated about celebrating my own day, but I am quite invested in celebrating the anniversary of the day the Fates decided to place you in this world. You are my savior, Harry, not just the wizarding world’s.”
Harry leaned into the caresses, closing his eyes as Severus enfolded him in his arms.
“I want to celebrate with you,” Severus said, his voice rumbling up through his chest. “Can you not tell? I have allowed red in our home.”
Harry laughed at the self-mocking tone in Severus’ voice. “Now I know you love me,” he murmured.
~Fin
Author: Alisanne
Rating: PG
Summary: My response to the snape_potter July Challenge, Happy Birthday Harry, AND to my 100quills Severus table, prompt: Red.
Genre: Romance.
Warnings: OOC
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Beta reader, the wonderful and talented Sevfan. Thank you, hon!
~
The Gift of Red
~
Harry was determined that he was not going to say anything about his birthday this year. Twenty-six wasn’t that special of a year, he kept telling himself. Plus, Severus hadn’t celebrated his at all, saying nothing when Harry had made it a point to have his favorite meal ready when he’d returned home from work that night.
Harry had even managed to obtain a rare potions text for him, which Severus had simply glanced at and set aside.
After suppressing his hurt, Harry had decided that he wouldn’t be upset when no fuss was made at his birthday. He knew Severus loved him, even if they ended up not celebrating such things as birthdays.
He’d even warned Hermione and Ron not to send him gifts at midnight on the day, but to discreetly give them to him a few days later, if at all.
Hermione had protested, but had finally agreed, but only after taking him aside and counseling him that he could celebrate his own birthday if he wanted to. They had finally compromised on his coming by for lunch on the day.
The day his birthday dawned, Harry stretched sleepily, expecting to encounter a warm body next to his. When his arm didn’t encounter Severus however, it woke him up abruptly.
As taciturn as his lover generally was, Severus usually didn’t leave in the mornings without at least a kiss and an admonition to ‘not die’ in his Auror job. Admittedly, Severus knew Harry had the day off, but still...
Harry sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and looking about their very green bedroom.
He liked green well enough, but not the way Severus liked it. If it wasn’t green or black, Severus had nothing to do with it. Which was why, when he spotted a red blur on Severus’ pillow, he was intrigued.
After grabbing for his glasses, he snatched up the red vellum card to read it.
Harry,
I had to leave early, but be assured, you did receive your customary morning kiss; you were simply too fatigued to awaken during it.
I shall be home this evening at my standard time.
Severus
Harry smiled, fingering the heavy paper. He’d never seen Severus use this note paper before...
Shrugging, he dismissed it. Since he’d granted himself the indulgence of taking the day off from work, he settled under the green covers for another few moments, allowing himself a bit of a lie in. Turning his head, he inhaled the scent of Severus embedded in his pillow and, with a soft laugh, clutched it to his chest, breathing deeply.
Severus would make such fun of me if he saw me doing this, he thought.
But, Severus was not there, so Harry could do as he wished.
He drifted in between the dream world and the waking one for a while, smiling softly as he recalled the long road he and Severus had taken to get where they were now.
As he lay there, Severus’ familiar scent curled around him, enveloping him in comfort, he considered just staying there all day, but realized he had too much to do. It wasn’t that special of a day only because it was his birthday, after all...
After he showered, allowing himself the indulgence of using Severus’ self-brewed shampoo, he walked into the kitchen, smiling to see that Severus had left him breakfast in a dish, with a Warming Charm on it.
Harry grinned. It was even his favorite, porridge.
An ice cold glass of pumpkin juice that was so deeply colored that it was almost red completed his meal, and as he sipped it, he planned his day.
A quick visit to Neville and Ginny’s small cottage was first on his list. As he’d expected, they had been at The Burrow the night before for a family party. He’d been invited to celebrate his birthday there as well, of course, but he’d declined, having not even broached the topic with Severus, knowing that his lover preferred his privacy.
“Perhaps next year,” he’d said when Ginny had pressed.
Neville simply winked at him, and thanked him for the gift he’d dropped off.
Shrinking their gift to him and putting it in his pocket, Harry stopped by Hermione and Ron’s home where he had lunch with them, before stopping at the pastry shop he and Severus frequented and ordering their favorite pear and raspberry tart to be delivered later.
He eyed the cake display briefly, but decided he wasn’t going to do anything to bring attention to the date, although the red velvet cake did look quite appetizing...
By the time he got home, it appeared that Severus had beaten him there, if the black robes hanging in the hallway were any indication.
“Severus?”
“In here,” his lover’s deep voice replied, and Harry walked into their dining room, his mouth falling open at what was before him.
The table was dressed with a red cloth, candles and clusters of red roses and baby’s breath. A lavish meal including a roast, potatoes and even the red velvet cake that Harry had been eyeing sat there, and two goblets of deep, red wine were waiting.
“Happy Birthday, Harry,” Severus said, walking towards him, resplendent in a deep red shirt and black Muggle-style trousers.
Harry’s confused gaze took in all the details of the room before drifting back to Severus’ face.
“What... why...?”
Severus stopped directly in front of Harry. “It’s your birthday, Harry,” he reminded him. “Did you think I had forgotten?”
Harry nodded, speechless.
“Why would you think that?” Severus asked, a thumb caressing Harry’s cheek, much to his distraction.
“You don’t like to celebrate birthdays,” Harry said.
Severus smiled. “Whatever gave you that idea?” he asked. “I am... understated about celebrating my own day, but I am quite invested in celebrating the anniversary of the day the Fates decided to place you in this world. You are my savior, Harry, not just the wizarding world’s.”
Harry leaned into the caresses, closing his eyes as Severus enfolded him in his arms.
“I want to celebrate with you,” Severus said, his voice rumbling up through his chest. “Can you not tell? I have allowed red in our home.”
Harry laughed at the self-mocking tone in Severus’ voice. “Now I know you love me,” he murmured.
~Fin