Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

AN - This is clearly AU, as many people who died are magically alive and partying the night away. So yeah, fair warning.

Sweet Dreams

Severus hated Christmas. No, Severus hated all holidays. Excuses for idiots to be more idiotic than they usually were, that's all holidays were.

Scowling to himself in the corner of the Great Hall, he wandlessly cast a time spell, wondering briefly how long he'd have to stay before he could take himself back to his refuge in the dungeons.

"If you want to leave, I'll cover for you," a voice offered quietly, as a drink was passed to him.

Severus took the drink, almost inhaling the whisky in his enthusiasm to dull the pain of the dance. He looked up to meet amused green eyes watching him.

"How will you escape if you're making my excuses?" Severus asked, his lips tilting up slightly.

Harry Potter, new (ish) Defence Professor grinned. "I'm currently debating between a doppelganger, and Puking Pastilles."

Severus choked out a surprised laugh, tilting his drink towards Harry in salute.

Harry glanced around the hall, an expression of fond exasperation on his face as he took in the Headmaster. With his yellow and pink robes, and the green hat, he certainly looked like he was in the party spirit.

"You know, when I think I'm getting too old for partying, he puts me to shame," Harry commented, nodding his head towards Albus.

Severus rolled his eyes. "You're thirty two, Potter. Hardly ancient."

Harry shrugged. "Last time I went out with the lads, I wanted to leave at ten o'clock and curl up in my chair with a hot chocolate." He laughed at himself. "So, I may not be old in years, but I'm already an OAP in my head."

Severus shook his head. "The clubs are for the children these days. All that thumping noise that pretends to be music."

Harry glanced again at the crowd of students bopping in the middle of the hall, before he nodded in agreement.

"I suppose I should go and make myself look like I'm watching," he said after a moment. "Have a good night, Severus."

Harry walked away, leaving Severus to wonder why a five minute conversation had suddenly made him reluctant to leave at the first possible opportunity.

An hour and a half later, and Severus was cursing his reluctance. He'd been caught by one of the magical floating mistletoes, and no amount of blasting spells were getting rid of it. He stalked down the hallway, muttering about meddling old farts, paying so little attention that he only noticed Potter when he'd walked directly into him, knocking him to the ground.

Cursing again, before offering an apology, Severus leant down to help Harry back to his feet. He watched Harry take in the mistletoe above his head.

"Magical?" Harry asked, nodding up at it.

Severus snorted. "Obviously. Albus must have charmed them, I've tried blasting and banishing, nothing is getting rid of it."

With a calculated look on his face, Harry looked once more at the mistletoe before his dropped his gaze to Severus' lips. Moving slowly, so as not to spook the older man, and also to give him chance to tell Harry no, he pressed their lips together gently.

He held it for a few moments, before pulling away slowly. Looking up, he caught the mistletoe fading away.

"Problem solved," he whispered.

Severus rubbed a hand over his lips, staring at Harry. The younger man smiled, patting Severus' arm as he moved passed him.

"Sweet dreams, Severus."

As Severus spurred himself into movement, making his way down to the dungeons, he smiled slightly. The thought occurred that Potter might be right. He would have sweet dreams.

Written for;

Conversation starter -4. What made you smile today? Write a fluffy fic.

100 Ways to Say - 81. "Sweet dreams."

Yule Ball - 11. Kissing Your Date - Write about getting caught under mistletoe.