Disclaimer look to chapter 1

Sorry for the delay but holidays, university and me sleeping my days away kind of delayed me getting my story to my editor. He suffered though so a plus for me

Chapter seven: Christmas is a time for joy

Previously

Seeing their looks of incredulous disbeliefs that somebody could possibly do that in an exam, Harry grinned. "I think Professor Sprout will have a lot to read. He got a bit carried away."

"Well, tell him for us that we wish he has a speedy recovery, so yeah we'll be going to lunch now." Ron said as he recovered, and then walked away shaking his head.

"Well bye Harry, Hermione, wish you luck in your next exam." Richard ran after Ron to get to the food that lined the tables.

~O^O~

The exams had finished, gone and dusted away into a corner. Everybody in the castle was enjoying the break that followed, well everybody that is except for those in Ravenclaw. For that house this time was always a tense one – waiting for their results to return. Hermione of course was far from being just tense about it, most of the teachers had already put in place spells to warn them of her approach (hence giving them time to quietly disappear). It got so bad at some points that they had to force feed her a calming potion just so that others could sleep.

Harry and Neville though didn't have an endless supply of calming potion so late one night it found them in the common room trying to placate her - just trying to get her to sleep.

"Hermione you have been worrying so much this week, the teachers avoid you and you can't even sleep well at night." Harry said rubbing her back, while Neville tactfully tried to drag her textbooks away from her.

"But, but it is eating me up inside. I might not have gotten a good mark, think about it what it would be to the reputation of Ravenclaws." Hermione let out a low moan and buried her face in her hands. Harry and Neville exchange a look, both knew Hermione was far more worried about what it would do to her reputation then the houses, however they stayed silent on the point for the moment, instead trying to calm her down.

"Come on Hermione, cheer up its almost Christmas; you'll get to go home and see your family, have you got your presents for them yet?" Neville was trying a different tactic; get her worried about something else that was less stressful.

The effect of that sentence was electrifying- Harry, still rubbing her back, went flying as she shot upwards "Oh my goodness I totally forgot. Christmas presents, the first year I forget. Oh dear". She ran off just as Harry sat up again, rubbing his head.

"Well Neville, congratulations you got her out of the study worry. But honestly I think you may have just opened up a larger can of worms." Harry sighed.

~O_O~

Hermione was yet to appear by lunch time the next day, and as the two boys made their way down to the hall they were starting to get worried. First though their piroty was food.

"Richard!" Harry shouted as he spotted his brother as they walked into the hall. Richard looked up, face stuffed with food.

"n't alk - augry" Richard muffled out. Harry smiled "I'll talk to you later then", with that he turned back to Neville, who met him looking perplexed.

"I will never understand how you manage to understand that Harry", Harry grinned at this, he couldn't help but find it funny that Neville could not decipher anyone's food talk.

"When you grow up with a brother who does it all the time you learn." Harry poked Neville, "Hey look its Hermione", she looked as though she had fallen asleep at the table, slumped over her plate of food.

"So how did you go?" Harry asked when Hermione looked like she had actually woken up somewhat. "Ok I've got all your presents sorted, as well as my parent's presents." Hermione took in a deep breath. "They should be arrive just before we go off into Christmas holidays, I'll give it to you guys then, but you can't open them until Christmas day ok, cause I'll charm them and if you dare attempt opening them before hand you'll find something nasty growing all over your body." With that she started to pick at her plate.

Meanwhile, up at the teacher's table, quietly observing sat Severus Snape. It warmed him in a peculiar way to witness Harry interact with his peers –chatting and laughing- He knew that Sirius would be happy because of it.

~O_O~

It was getting late, the sun had already set and Richard was getting worried for Harry. He had originally just been wanting to have a chat with Harry, but hadn't been able to find him the worrying kicked in though when he asked Neville where Harry was and Neville looking startled had told him he thought he was with him. That was 3 hours ago now.

By now he was starting to get tired, frustrated to – where the hell was his brother. He paused resting his head against the window of the classroom he had just checked. He could just spot the lake from here, the small waves glinting in the moonlight, his eyes flicked up to glance at the moon, just in time to watch it drift behind a tower – AHA of course the tower, how could he have been so dense Harry always goes there.

Twenty minutes later he arrived panting slightly, outside the door into the tower. He stopped to catch his breath and brace himself for having to deal with a possibly crying Harry. Opening the door cautiously though Richard was quite surprised to find his little brother there, not crying as he thought he might, but sleeping peacefully, Richard was more the slightly surprised though to see he was sleeping in the lap of another. Richard opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it so he closed it again, then quietly retreated from the room closing the door on its two silent occupants. Who was that other person?

This was the question that occupied Richards mind as he trod back down to his houses quarters – the persons form looked familiar, but he hadn't seen the face and couldn't place the person without it. He barely noticed Neville and Hermione when he passed in front of Ravenclaw tower, only responding to them when they noticed him. "He's fine, should be back a bit later." Was all he said to the inquisitive pair, Hermione raised an eyebrow to this but let it pass.

Richard went to sleep that night pondering - well he thought, just as he fell asleep, at least tomorrow I should be able to get some answers. The morning came, and with it Richard cornered Harry, intending to get some answers.

"Hey Harry how are you?"

"I'm fine Richard.. Why are you asking this early in the morning?" Harry raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Well I was just wondering, considering you fell asleep in that little tower of yours." Richard shot him a probing look.

"Yeh I sometimes do that, it is a good place to think, quite and I'm alone so it helps clear the head."

Richard didn't miss it. "Alone you say, no one else is ever with you?"

"No Richard I'm always alone that is the whole point I go there, remember." Harry chuckled. "You can be silly sometimes brother. Did the exams mush your brain a bit." Continuing to chuckle Harry moved around him and into the great hall to get some breakfast.

Richard stood there baffled – didn't Harry know that there was somebody else with him? He was just about to go and chase him further still when Ron appeared poking him in the back.

"Richard mate there you are, you left the tower early this morning. Come on lets go get some food." He said as he dragged him off towards the table.

~O_O~

The last few days of term were spent in a blur of festivities. Hagrid had brought in hundreds of Christmas trees that were then dotted around the castle. Even Snape (although he looked as sour as ever) had put up decorations. For the most part the teachers had given up on trying teach them, instead just letting them mess around in class, chatting and laughing. Only McGonagall and Snape continued their lessons uninterrupted, those two seemed to believe that homework over the holidays were far more important than joy and social lives.

For the most part the Ravenclaw's didn't care about the work, even when they were celebrating they still felt a burning desire for knowledge; Hufflepuff's were far too out of it to care, the Slytherin's complained and tried to bully their way out of having to do it, but it was the Gryffindor's who were the most disruptive. It was almost as though they felt that if they were to complain enough and make enough hassle then nobody would bother trying to make them work (and to an extent it worked to).

Both Harry and Richard had gotten fully caught up in all the excitement. Richard because his parents had told him that everybody – including Sirius's mystery lover (he was dying to find out who it was) – would be attending. Harry for a far more basic reason, for the first time ever he had received his letter BEFORE Richard had gotten his.

Little did Harry know that this had only happened because of Sirius, who had gone to visit James and Lily and forced them to do it that way. Richard of course was aware of this; it had been him who had suggested it in the first place to Sirius. He would never say anything about that though - there was an unsaid rule never to tell Harry these things. It would surely hurt him beyond repair.

Even with all this secrecy it was going to be the best Christmas ever.

~O_O~

"Are you sure this is a good idea, I know many know already but, well what about Harry and Richard. Would it not...I don't know, disgust them or shock them or make them hate me more?" Severus was pacing around his office.

"Sevvy, come here." Severus was still pacing around. "Severus Snape get over here right now and hold on."

Severus looked up and once the sentence processed through his mind his face changed to pale with a light red tinge he was trying to hide with his hair. "Sirius there was no need in that," Severus spoke in barely a whisper, continuing his pacing.

Sirius was slowly getting sick and annoyed of the pacing and, more importantly, that Severus wasn't paying attention to him. Sirius got up and strode over to Severus.

Sirius whispered in Severus's ear "Drop the glamour Severus". Severus did without a glance in Sirius's direction. Sirius then pushed Severus over his desk so that Sirius had a wonderful view of what he was about to savour.

"We've never done something as fun as this but what do you know you're having your fun," Sirius started to stroke Severus through his clothing. His fingers were light, steadily tracing patterns all over his body, Snape felt the warmth start to rise, his heart fastened starting to race. "Don't you find this more exciting? Not knowing when someone may enter you, without your consent and discover you at your most venerable?"

Sirius's strokes had paused just above Snapes crotch, but now they resumed – firmer now then before massaging the shaft before lightly tracing out a ring on the head. Severus couldn't hold himself, he could feel Sirius pressing into him from behind – oh how he wanted him inside right now – he let out a shudder and moaned through his panting breath.

"Sirius please just take me now" begged Severus. Sirius grinned, oh how he was enjoying himself – it was such a pleasure to have his lover beg for him. Ripping Snape's cloths off he tore him around, so that they were now standing face to face, leaning in he whispered. "Well it seems I have you at a disadvantage now, why don't you undress me? Slowly though… seeing as you were the one begging."

Severus grudgingly got down from the desk and started undressing Sirius. All the while letting his fingers linger on his lover, after all if Sirius was going to make him suffer then shouldn't he do the same to him?

Sirius held out as long as he could, he knew that this would be as painful for him as it was for Severus, but he couldn't take anymore once Snape moved down to his pants. Slowly, achingly undoing the zipper with his teeth – all the while his hands playing, lingering here stroking there. He snapped, yanking off what little remained of his clothing Sirius slammed Snape into against the desk, plunging with throbbing cock into him in one swift motion. Oh the feeling, the warm, damp closeness pressing in around him closing his eyes he paused for a moment shuddering in delight.

Severus blushed, but Sirius took no notice he started a slow pace hitting Severus's prostate each time. Reasoned thought quickly left both of them replaced by a cloud of lust and sheer pleasure.

Severus started saying Sirius's name over and over again with the added "Faster Sirius, FASTER" every now and then. Sirius of course did exactly that, driving faster with each thrust, always hitting his mark. Soon Severus could no longer talk, and quickly after that Snape was just a shuddering groaning and moaning mess.

Sirius grinned at Snape's shuddering, he paused for a second before thrusting in deeper and harder then he had ever dared before. Severus arched releasing a small scream of pleasure, freezing as he came – cum shooting out of his dick and all over the table. Sirius thrust in again, forcing Snape back down into the puddle he had just created, he was close now.

He felt Severus trying to tighten himself back up, to give him a better ride, he quickened his pace again until finally – "OH GOD YES" he stopped shuddering as he let his cum fill Snape. Having finished, he collapsed on top of Severus, slowly withdrawing himself as he felt it go limp. Finally he kissed Severus on his neck, whispering in his ear "Severus you'll be fine, if I can love you then so can they." Sirius took Severus's face in his hands and kissed him on the lips. "You will be fine."

They lay like that for some time, until Severus finally motioned that he wanted to get up. Letting out a moan Sirius rolled over letting Snape stand up, a little bit of cum still dribbling out.

"Thank you for coming, I would love to stay with you for now – but I have to go teach, you know these students." He waved vaguely at the door, Sirius felt a stab of annoyance, but agreed and got off the desk looking for his clothing and more importantly his wand. This mess needed to be cleaned up before anybody noticed. Finding it he looked up to see Severus smiling at him, having just finished placing a spell to ensure he didn't conceive. "Listen,, why don't you meet me back at my quarters tonight, I have a little surprise of my own for you." He glanced at the clock on the wall, an eyebrow raised, "Also do you mind cleaning up? I have a 7th year class starting now." With that and a final smile he left the room.

As he watched him leaving, Sirius felt all his annoyance at being abandoned so swiftly melt away. What could Sevvy's little surprise be for him?

~O_O~

It was on one particular Saturday that Professor McGonagall finally figured out a way to avoid Hermione Granger. Hermione had yet again started chasing down teachers to find information about her scores. She had been pursuing poor Professor McGonagall for the better half of the afternoon. McGonagall's' spells that helped her detect when Hermione was sneaking up had been going off so many times that it had caused the other teachers to kick her out of the staffroom. Irritated it took all of Professor McGonagall's self-control not to turn Hermione to stone for a day.

She had been walking back to her office when one of her spells warned her that Hermione was close, quickly diving into an open classroom she animagused into her cat form and, leaping lightly, lay down on the window ledge pretending to be fast asleep.

Hence when Hermione entering the room a short time later, all that she saw was a sleeping cat and a particularly dirty and, most certainly, empty class room. Heaving a sigh of defeat she turned around and started her trudge back to the Ravenclaw common room; no doubt intending to start some of the homework they had been assigned for the holidays.

Once she had made sure Hermione had left for good Professor McGonagall stood up, arching her back as she stretched then transformed back to her usual human self. Leaning against the window sill and looking out she let out a slow sigh, she had gotten away - finally she had found a way to lose Hermione from her tail.

Walking from the room Professor McGonagall bumped into none other than the Headmaster, patiently standing there with a twinkle in his eye and a small smile playing on his lips. Before he could speak however McGonagall cut him off "You would have done the same Albus" and turned with a huff to walk back to her study.

~O_O~

It was the day that everyone who was going home for the Christmas break. The Hogwarts Express was to be departing at 9 in the morning, just enough time for the children to have their breakfast and a quick last minute check to see if they have everything they need.

Since Harry had packed everything two days prior he was one of the very few people down in the hall eating breakfast. Hermione and Neville came down a few minutes behind; Hermione had been showing Neville a spell to help him control Trevor his toad. They had all settled down and were enjoying their breakfast whilst discussing holiday homework. They figured that they had pretty much completed about a third of what they needed to have done. Passing students overhearing their conversation tended to give them odd, slightly fearful, looks and scurried away trying hard to forget what they had been given.

Richard and Ron came trudging into the hall supporting each other around 8. The two of them looked like they had been up all night in a fever of packing and had only just finished.

Spotting them enter the hall Harry leaped out of his chair, "Richard!" he yelled before jumping his brother. The yelling shocked both Richard and Ron and Harry jumping on Richard had to be the worst morning wake up call. In a second Harry knocked Richard over on top of Ron who only just registered in his head that Harry yelled Richard.

Harry who had gotten up and was grinning like the Cheshire Cat started laughing. Richard was muttering to Ron about sorry for landing on top of him while Ron turning red was saying that is was ok no one was hurt and he needed to be awake to have breakfast anyway. Getting up slowly both boys decided to grab Harry and started ruffling his hair and giving him a noogie.

A little while later Hermione came over and started to push the Gryffindor boys off Harry telling them to go have breakfast before it was too late.

They had barely finished eating when it was time for everyone to start moving to the train station over in Hogsmead. At 9 o'clock on the dot the train arrived and as Richard and Ron loading the luggage the others abandoned them to find a compartment.

Eventually they rejoined the rest of the grumbling as they entered the compartment that Harry, Neville and Hermione had found. Richards grumbling noticeably grew when he and Ron tried to sit and found themselves squashed together, but Ron's disappeared when Richard told him to sit on his lap so they weren't so squashed.

Happily perched on Richards lap Ron started a argument with Hermione over his favorite subject; Quidditch teams and how well they would do. Ron dearly loved his Chuddley Cannons and maintained that this time they would make it to the world cup. Hermione on the other hand started talking about strengths and strategies pointing out how they were doomed to failure 99 percent of the time. Richard had to hold Ron back at times because he feared he might hit Hermione. For a time the others watched this with some interest, commenting here and there, before going back to talking about their Hogwarts subjects and how much they were looking forward to their holidays.

Eventually even Ron stopped arguing with Hermione to share his plans. "We're going to Romania to see my brother Charlie, but mum says we can only be there for two days," Ron let out with a huff. "Says we shouldn't bother him too much, but we hardly see him – I mean he probably would like a long family visit."

After Ron fell silent, apparently lost in thought over his brother, Hermione started talking about going to a place called Disney-land. It was evident from the sound of her voice that, while she was still excited to go, she had become quite sick of having to explain to people what in the muggle world this place was. Ron didn't help matters, he wasn't particularly fast to begin with and with his mind elsewhere he needed to have it explained to him a few times before he quite understood.

Three hours into the train ride and several bottles of pumpkin juice later Harry excused himself in need to search for the bathroom. On his way down the corridor he bumped into someone.

"Oh sorr…" Harry looked up and stopped dead still. He had bumped into a Gryffindor third year who despised him. She always death glared at him because he took Richard from the Gryffindor's. Trying to pass without causing anything didn't work, she stopped him.

"So the little spoilt brat come out hey, what you doing finding new ways to make sure Richard is at your becko…" but she never finished when she saw someone behind Harry.

"What do you want Malfoy?" She seethed.

"Well for you to get out of the way. You are not exactly skinny, your taking up the whole hall way, there are many people who would actually like to get to the restrooms on this cart." Malfoy gestured behind him.

The Gryffindor started to reply but Malfoy drew his wand with a flick, pointing it at her chest, looking shocked and somewhat scarred she quickly backed herself into a wall. Harry, seizing his opportunity, shot Draco a grateful smile and slithered past.

~O_O~

It was about four in the afternoon before they arrived at platform 9 ¾. Richard was one of the first to get off the train grabbing his luggage and running off with barely a wave goodbye to his friends. He was looking forward to once again seeing his parents. Harry on the other hand stayed behind with the others, trading goodbyes and well wishes for the holiday. Emerging out of the crowd Richard greeted his parents enthusiastically, only to be put moments later into a deep enchanted sleep.

"Oh he's going to be so happy when we arrive at our holiday destination James," Cooed Lilly as she passed the slumbering Richard over to James.

"Yes, he will be, Christmas in the Scottish country side is going to be an experience, and everyone else will be there too, it will be such a great holiday and its all thanks to Dumbledore, saying how well he is doing this year." James started walking to their car while Lilly pushed the cart.

Moments later Harry emerged from the crowd, having finished saying goodbye to his friends. Only to find his brother and parents nowhere to be seen.

~O_O~

An hour and a half later, when Lilly James and a sleeping Richard arrived at their holiday home were Sirius, Remus and Tonks were already getting settled in. Looking up as they entered, Sirius opened his mouth in shock, he was moments away from starting one of the biggest rows he would ever have with his old friends.

"YOU FORGOT HIM, HOW THE FUCK DID YOU FORGET YOUR OWN BLOODY SON AT THE TRAIN STATION. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE." A vein in his temple stood out and started to throb warningly.

"HE'S SITTING THERE ALL ALONE AT A TRAIN STATION AND YOU ARE NOT EVEN CARING, AAAAAAHHHHH!" Sirius snapped, dissapparting in front of them.

Apparting at Kings Cross Station he ran towards the platform passing the barrier he looked around and sure enough there was Harry shivering and crying in the snow. Sirius was heartbroken, he was truly heartbroken. Walking up to Harry he squatted down to Harry's sitting height and hugged him. He was shocked though when Harry pushed him away and yelling "I HATE YOU ALL,"

Sirius had expected a crying storm, to have to comfort an inconsolable and unloved child. He had never expected this reaction, well to his parents yes, but not to him. Now unsure of himself, he got up, shrunk Harrys luggage and ran after him into the growing snow storm.

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