Welcome back. This is now my second piece and I thought I'd get into the festive spirit and write a bit of Christmas fluff between Snape and Lily. I really hope you enjoy it, and look froward to hearing from you. I'd like to thank the people who favourited my last piece and hope you find this one just as enjoyable. Seasons Greetings!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters or the Barbra Streisand song used in the title. :(

It Must Have Been The Mistletoe

The sound of laughter and the smell of cake and wine filled 13 Grimwald Place late one Christmas Eve, while the quiet street of the Muggle world slept on completely unaware outside. You see, Grimwald Place was no ordinary house. It was a magical house, which could only be found by those who knew it was there. On that particular night, the house was full. The Order was having their annual Christmas party and this year had decided on a masque. This was totally pointless as everyone knew everyone, but they were having a ball nonetheless. Everyone that is, except Severus.

He had never much liked the festive season; he had never really had anyone to share it with, but he still went along to Christmas parties anyway, they gave him an opportunity to see Lily. This year was even better for this than most, as James had drunk even more wine than usual and had disappeared with the other Marauders, presumably to taunt the poor house elf, Kreature. Severus had little tolerance for such creatures and didn't much like them, but even he would never wish a fate like the Marauders upon anything or anyone. He had been on the receiving end far too many times.

Wandering through the house, trying to avoid the drunk and rowdy people who cluttered the corridors and stairs, Severus searched desperately for somewhere quiet to sit. A wall of masks and laughing mouths greeted him at every turn. Despite the fact that he too was wearing a mask, he felt completely isolated and alone. He knew each of the people very well and spent a considerable amount of time with them when he wasn't teaching at Hogwarts, but they seemed almost alien to him that night, in their wild, drunken state.

Eventually, he managed to battle his way into the lounge, which was empty. Idiots, he thought. Why stumble about and clutter the corridors when there are perfectly good sofas in here? He wasn't really complaining though. At last he had finally escaped. All was quiet and peaceful.

He reclined back on one of the battered sofas and pushed his mask back off his face. It was beginning to irritate his nose. He was just about to close his eyes for a minute, when the door suddenly swung open and a burst of music and laughter could be heard, accompanied by a bright light. Over the general commotion was one clear distinct voice calling out, "James! James! Where are you?"

It was Lily. Severus would recognise that voice in a heartbeat. He sat in silence for a moment, thinking she would just walk back out. She didn't though. Instead she explored the entire room, as though playing a game of hide and seek. She didn't turn the light on and so was fumbling around in the dark. Severus knew where she was though. The scent of her hair was strong. Even after all these years that smell had never changed. She continued to call out to James, drawing ever closer to where he sat. She thrust her hands out and found Severus' arm. He tensed slightly under her gentle grip.

"James? Is that you dear?" She whispered out of the darkness.

"No," grumbled Severus, "it's me."

He waited in silence for her to sigh with disappointment or just simply walk off, but she didn't. Instead she sat down on the sofa beside him, her hand still resting on his arm. Her hair brushed close to Severus' face as she sat down and he was able to take a deep breath of her hair. Oh how he longed to reach out and touch it, to run his fingers through it. His thoughts were interrupted though by a sudden bright light. He clenched his eyes tight shut for a second, till the brightness began to subside and when he opened his eyes, Lily was stowing her wand and the lights were on. Severus disapproved of such small, unnecessary magic, but instantly forgave her because, for the first time all evening, he could see her properly. She was wearing a short, white dress with big, loose sleeves. She had a length of silver tinsel wrapped round her otherwise loose hair. Her shoes were a delicate white satin court shoe, just the right height for...

Severus shook these thoughts off and as he was doing so, he made the mistake of catching her eye. Her emerald eyes locked onto his, partially blocked by her mask. Seeing that Severus was not wearing his mask, she took off her own and delicately twitched her nose. They sat in silence for a few moments, unsure what to do. Then Lily became aware of her hand, which was still resting on Severus' arm and quickly withdrew it. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"You don't have to apologise Lily. We're both friends, right?"

Lily nodded and moved her hand to take one of Severus'. She gave it a gentle squeeze and smiled up at Severus, who slowly reciprocated. Severus seldom smiled, and when he did it was wonky but somehow charming. Very few people had ever seen it, and even fewer had seen it more than once. Lily had been there to witness nearly every smile that had spread over Severus' mouth. They caused a funny stirring inside her that she could not place. She didn't think it was love. She loved James, she was married to James! So why did Severus' smile affect her so? She got up to leave the room and search for James again, but she could not bear to let go of Severus' hand and neither could he bear to drop hers so he followed her to the door. They stood holding hands in the doorway for a few seconds, not seeing the mistletoe above their heads.

They were about to part when Snape saw that the lights were still on and so leant close into Lily and reached over her shoulder to flick the switch. "See?" he said. "I can work a light switch without having to use my wand. That Potter has allowed you to get lazy."

"Now Sev, don't be like that." As she said that, Lily rolled her eyes and spotted the mistletoe, making her look down very suddenly and blush slightly.

"What's wrong now? You crazy Mud- Witch..." He trailed off into silence, realising with horror what she had spotted, his mouth slowly opening and closing. His face flushed red.

Lily took a step closer. "Come on Sev, it's Christmas. It's tradition. Surely you're not embarrassed to share a quick peck with an old friend?"

"Of course not...but what if people see? What if they get the wrong idea?"

"Let them," she whispered, taking a step closer and beginning to pucker her full red lips.

Severus had been waiting for this moment all his life, but at that moment he wasn't entirely sure whether or not it was right. He wanted so desperately to feel her lips against his so he decided to let his usual rules slide and leant in to kiss her. He closed his eyes and gently put his hands on her waist, lifting her slightly. He could just about feel her breath against his lips when a familiar voice shouted out from the stairs, "What do think you're doing there Snivelly? That scene looks rather cosy there...you...with my wife." He bounded down the last few steps and threw himself against the doorframe so he could look at Severus. "If you're so desperate for a Christmas kiss...why don't you kiss me instead Snivelly?" James leered, gently prizing his wife away from Severus and slipping into her place. Severus stared at James incredulously. James had taken hold of Severus' wrists and pinned him to the doorframe so that he couldn't move. He thought James was joking, but as he leant in, it became increasingly obvious that he wasn't and that he really would have to share a Christmas kiss with James Potter, not only was he a man he hated, but he was the man who was married to the one he loved the most. Severus could feel James' breath upon his lips now, except instead of being greeted by Lily's sweet breath of mince pies, he was greeted with the stench of alcohol and vomit. Severus held his breath and clamped his lips tight shut. He waited for the kiss to come, so it would be over with, but it never did. Instead he felt the grip on his wrists loosen and the stench of James' breath to fade away from his nostrils. He opened his eyes to find James had already walked to the bottom of the stairs, his arm firmly around Lily's waist. "Ha! You actually thought I'd do it, didn't you Snapey? Even if it is tradition, I wouldn't risk kissing you ever! I might get rabies! Smell you later greaseball!" And with that he worked his way back upstairs, presumably to where the rest of the Marauders were. Lily lingered back for a second though, and shot Severus a mournful, almost apologetic look before following her husband and disappearing from sight.

Little did Severus know, that that was the last time he would ever have an opportunity like that. The following Christmas, Lily and James would be having their first family Christmas together, away from the Order and by the Christmas after that, she would be dead. At that moment in time, Severus could only mourn that momentary loss and it wouldn't until many years after her death that he would ever admit to himself or to others just how much he loved her.