Yep a short little seasonal something for Snape and Harry it snuck in, I totally blame watching Labyrinth again for this story it wouldn't go away so I decided to write it down. I don't own these characters I am just borrowing them for a short while. Written for fun so please just treat it as such, a fluff and slash warning as always please go easy on my spelling and grammar I do my best despite my dyslexia.

Yule Ball.

Part one:

From the darkest corner of the room he could find Severus Snape scowled at the overly seasonally decorated great hall, the scowl became more pronounced as he watched the happy couples circling the dance floor, quickly the dark eyes scanned the room, so far tonight there was no sign of the Gryffindor golden boy and the potions master wondered for a moment what was keeping the boy from being here with his friends having what they classed as a good time.

With a shrug to himself, Severus decided now was a good time to depart from the party, quietly the head of Slytherin left the great hall by one of the side doors, as the dark man walked towards his dungeon rooms he heard music coming from nearby, intrigued by this the potions master turned in the direction of the lovely classical music and began to follow it.

Severus came to a halt right before the door to his potions class room, with a growing feeling of dread the dark haired man opened the door and froze his dark eyes widening with surprise.

The scene before him was like something out of some ones dreams, people filled the now fancifully decorated class room, they looked as if they had stepped out of a fantasy ball room beautiful dresses flowed and cloaks swirled as the people moved to the music of a beautiful waltz. The potions master shook his head in disbelief it was one heck of an illusion, a spell like this was hard to make let alone maintain for any great period of time and he felt a grudging respect for the artist of this beautiful and complex illusion spread out before him.

As Snape watched a nearby pair of dancers moved past him to revile Harry Potter standing alone watching the dancers, the dark eyes widened even further than before, the younger man was dressed in a gothic style coat, with a ruffled shirt the black trousers all the cloths were for once nicely fitted to the green eyed man making the most of the figure he had. The potions master had to admit it the other wizard looked fit for the ball and after noticing this fact, Severus found himself wondering why on earth was he down here in the dungeons making an illusion like this rather than being up stairs dancing the night away in the arms of some beautiful woman.

The head of Slytherin was about to say something acidic to Harry when the younger man moved away from the wall he had been standing against and stood up strait, following the green eyed man's intense gaze, Severus saw a figure was coming through the dancers towards the Gryffindor, the dancers were quickly making way for this other man, the darkly dressed man held out a hand to Harry in a commanding gesture, the younger wizard flush slightly before he accepted the offered hand.

Quickly the taller man pulled the green eyed wizard close to him, with wide eyes Harry looked up at him, then the ebony haired man swirled them out into the dancers, as the Gryffindor and this mysterious man danced closer to the potions master Severus's surprise increased to a whole new level as the man who was holding Harry so close in this intricate dance was none other than himself.

The dark haired man watched with his heart thundering in his ears as Harry sighed happily and laid his head on the illusions chest and allowed the older man to guide him in the dance. "This is perfect." The younger man murmured happily.

Snape's dark eyes flew wide once more, why was Harry doing this and why did it seeing the younger man like this make him feel so warm inside? How the potions master wanted to go out into that dance right now, he wanted to claim Harry from the arms of that illusion of himself and actually dance with him. Severus blinked rapidly at his train of thought wondering when had his heart become so engaged with Harry Potter, when had he fallen in love with the younger man?

The dark haired man shook himself slightly, him in love with Harry Potter, that just wasn't possible was it? Then why was he standing here watching the younger wizard dancing with an illusion of himself, why wasn't he telling Potter off and why did watching him dance with someone else even if it were a double of himself make the potions master itch to take action? They were all questions which lead the potions master to an uneasy conclusion because somehow at some point he had actually started to care for Harry Potter.

As the music died away Harry and his partner slowly came to a halt the Gryffindor let out a deep sigh before he slowly pulled back and looked up at the illusion. "Well I think I let myself indulge in this fantasy far too long, I might get caught and I could only imagine what people would say if this got out."

Snape watched as the younger man dismissed all of the beautiful illusion and turned towards the door, black eyes met green, the Gryffindor went pale, his eyes went wide, and the potions master stepped into his class room quickly pulling the door to the class room closed behind him.

Hastily the bat of the dungeons swept towards the other man his robes billowing out round him as he went, Harry quickly backed away from the teacher who was looking at him strangely, the green eyed man gulped hurriedly the younger man went to dodge round the potions master who swiftly blocked the way. The Gryffindor let out a surprised gasp, then gulped again as the older man backed him up into the teachers desk the green eyed man placed both hands on the desk behind him to keep his balance and leant back away from the potions master.

Something about the way Harry was before him right now made something inside the other man stir, he hadn't felt like this for years, Snape hadn't found someone who could give him such thrills before, Harry made him feel so alive and it felt good to have his pray cornered like this. "What did you think you were doing?" Snape asked him in dangerous tones a slight growl to his voice.

"Umm I was trying to enjoy myself sir..."

"And hanging around in my class room creating illusions is how you chose to amuse yourself?"

"I don't see why how I amuse myself should be of any concern to you!" Harry yelled at the older man pushing away from the dark slightly.

Snape raised both inky brows at the younger man leaning in slightly closer to him, trying not to show his satisfaction as the handsome Gryffindor leant back onto the desk again. "Really now, I think it is very much my concern especially when you are including me in those illusions." The younger man took a deep breath his vivid green eyes widening, the potions master smirked down at him. "Yes that's right Mr Potter I saw it all."

The younger man went pale, his eyes grew wider, the dark wizard lent closer to the other man, slowly Severus placed a hand to the young man's chest, the green eyes darted down to the hand then back to the man leaning over him. "Professor what are you going to do?"

"Ask you why you chose to dance with me."

The Gryffindor flushed. "Because I've always wanted to."

"Really now, so why didn't you ask me?"

"No offence sir, but considering how blatantly you hate me, you are not exactly the kind of person I'd want to try asking, the other reason I didn't ask you to dance with me was because, I have a funny feeling that if I did try asking you I would be risking more detentions then I could probably serve for the rest of my life time."

The older man smirked down at the now trapped man. "Ahh well Mr Potter you never know unless you ask."

"Well I can hardly ask you to dance bent back almost double over your desk now can I?"

The black brows rose again. "No I suppose not." The older man agreed, reluctantly Severus drew back realising the Gryffindor, the younger man quickly stood striating his clothing, Harry opened his mouth to speak to the head of Slytherin, when suddenly the door to the class room swung open with a squeak, both men turned to glare at whoever hand intruded on there privacy.

They found that the intruder was none other than Headmistress McGonagal she looking round the door at them, the older woman smiled at the two men. "Ahh here you both are! The last dance of the ball is about to start and I think it would be best if you were both there for it."

Harry sighed he looked at the potions master, who looked back at him with an equally annoyed expression on his face, however both men knew far better than to argue with the Scottish witch, reluctantly they followed her from the class room and back up into the castle.

As Harry and the dark man entered the ball room an awed silence fell over the room, Snape instantly noticed both the silence as well as the fact that he and his Gryffindor companion were getting strange looks from the rest of the school, but it was not till the onyx eyed man look down at his companion that the potions master realised why they were being given these peculiar looks by everyone.

Harry had at some point brought his right hand under the potion masters left, the young man's hand was fisted firmly under his and Severus's dark clad arm lay along the Gryffindors, his long fingers were loosely closed around the fist of Harry's hand and too all who observed them, it clearly looked as if the green eyed man were escorting Snape to the ball as his date for the evening.

The potions master also noticed that the younger man was standing straighter then he normally did, Harry was also radiating a kind of calmness and strength that he normally never possessed. The older man did not dare move his hand from where it was, to do so would be humiliating not only for himself, but also for Harry and the headmistress who was smiling at the pair of them as if all her Yule's had come at once.

The first person to move towards the two men was unsurprisingly Ginny Weasely, there was a look of thunder on her face, Severus watched amazed as his companion turned his green eyed gaze onto the young woman, who halted midstride and then backed away from whatever look Harry was giving her. After this interaction with her the potions master could feel the magical power that was radiating off of the younger man next to him, the way which Harry was being openly protective of the non other than himself was quiet shocking for the dark haired man.

At that moment Severus's thoughts vanished, as the music of the last song of the Yule ball began to play, with a grace that Snape hadn't even known Harry possessed the green eyed wizard escorted him out onto the floor, the younger man turned to face the dark bat of the dungeons he bowed formally, quickly but gracefully Severus's returned the bow, then Harry stepped forward, one hand found the potion masters slender waist the other found his left hand and the younger man began to quietly circle the floor with his unconventional partner.

The dark haired man was surprised to find that Harry was actually a very good dancer, smooth and precise in his movements, the older wizard had never felt so relaxed dancing with someone as he did with this younger man, however the green eyes of his partner were fixed on his shoulder not daring to look at him and Snape found he really did want those wonderful green eyes to be looking up at him as they danced.

Slowly other couples began to join them on the floor, many others though were standing at the edges of the floor watching Harry and Severus dancing, some were saying how they went well together and others were of cause disagreeing with this, the two men who were the object of these heated conversations didn't seem to notice at all. Now that they had been joined by other couples on the dance floor Harry slowly looked up into his partner's eyes and found that for once in his life Severus was actually smiling at him.

Encouraged by this the younger wizard smiled softly up at the other man, subtly the green eyed man drew Severus closer to his body, the older man's smile widened and he carefully tightened his hold on Harry.

Far too soon for both men's liking the music came to its end, Harry placed his arm out as it had been before, the potions master placed his into its former position and gracefully the two men glided soundlessly off of the floor together.

Harry quietly to the side of the hall, gently the Gryffindor moved his hand so that he was holding the other man's hand, Harry bowed politely over it, kissed the back of the pail hand and then the palm. Swiftly the older man realised that the dance was over Harry was intending to let him go for the night, much to his astonishment the head of Slytherin found that he really did not wish for Harry to let him go any time soon, so subtly the dark haired man held onto the tips of the Gryffindors fingers, the green eyed man seemed to sense that something was wrong with his companion and once more moved closer to the other man.

Immediately the older wizard laid his hand over Harry's right one, the other wizard reacted to this gesture by instantly fisting the hand under his, with a smirk of satisfaction to himself Severus possessively laid his arm along that of his partner before clasping his long fingers softly round the edges of the fist. "Will you escort me back to my rooms Mr Potter?" The potions master asked him softly, knowing that this would merely add to the speculation that they had come to the ball as a couple.

With a polite bow of the head Harry answered his question. "Of cause I will sir."

Together they quietly left the ball room, completely ignoring the heated whispers and obvious stairs that followed them from the room. Harry escorted Severus down into the dungeons, they came to the potion masters door and the Gryffindor turned to the older man who still kept his hand and arm on that of the other wizard. "I should go sir."

"No Harry, come in and have a drink with me."

Surprised by this request and the use of his first name, both brows of the younger man flew up but he bowed his head in response to the other man's request. Severus leant in to his door, quietly the head of Slytherin whispered the password, the door swung in, and finally releasing Harry's arm the older man stepped inside closely followed by his younger companion.

Severus gestured to a chair. "Please sit."

The green eyed man sat in one of the large leather chairs that were before the fire place, the potions master brought them a glass each of fire whisky, he settled in the chair next to him companion and handed the glass over. "You dance very well Harry."

The Gryffindor shrugged slightly. "I have been practising sir."

"Harry if I am using you first name, then you are more than welcome to use mine."

Again the head bow in confirmation of this. "Very well Severus."

"I have to admit I enjoyed dancing with you and the way you behaved round me, why do you not act like that around me more often?"

The younger man raised both brows at his companion as if the answer to this question should be obvious. "I was not sure how you would receive it Severus."

"How long have you been gay Harry?"

"I realised in about my third year, I kept up appearances for my own reasons and before you ask it, I fell in love with you in my fourth year, I'm not really sure how or when but that's the way of these things some times."

"Harry are you sure that you love me?"

Slowly the young man turned, his green eyes met the onyx ones of the potions master. "Yes, very sure Severus. I don't expect you to return what I feel that wouldn't be fair on you, but I am grateful you let me do all the things which I did to you tonight."

After a long but companionable silence Harry quietly rose from his chair, he placed the empty glass on the table nearby and smiled at his host. "Thank you for the drink and everything else Severus. Good night."

Stunned into silence by the confessions of the younger wizard the potions master didn't answer, an hour later the dark haired man went to bed confused as to what he should do with his new found knowledge. Then a plan formed in his ever so cunning Slytherin mind, slowly Severus smiled to himself, it would be good to surprise Harry in return, after all he knew exactly what the other man dreamt of thanks to his illusion from earlier, now all he had to do was make sure that the other wizard did something worthy of detention...