Snape cursed loudly while making his way through the heavy snowfall. It was definitely freezing below zero, the forest path almost invisible beneath his heavy boots, and he felt that his digits were ice cold. The fact that definitely did not lift his spirits. He cursed himself mentally for ever liking the Northern winters before and continued his endless threading, bowing his head against the wind.
Hermione was trotting not far from him, from time to time wiping her running her nose with her bright red sleeve of a barely warm winter coat. Warming Charms did not hold long in such weather. Her boots slipped on the icy path and she was not happy at all. The entire foolishness of their situation made Hermione giggle nervously. Snape stopped and turned his head, looking back at her while casting another Warming Charm on both of them.
"What's so funny?"
Hermione shrugged.
"Everything and nothing in particular. You know, we've been serving in the Aurorary for how many years? And just now we suddenly realized that the Scottish Highlands had natural protection against any kind of magic."
"So what makes you so happy about that particular fact?" Snape retorted, barely withholding his general annoyance.
"We stuck here. We, two best Aurors of the department, the holders of the Order of Merlin, First Class, just stuck in the middle of some forest, right before the Christmas Eve." Hermione answered and sneezed heartily, hugging the nearest tree.
"Well, it was your stubbornness that brought us here in the first place," Snape answered back and fished a clean handkerchief out of his pocket before giving it to Hermione. She blew her nose loudly.
"I beg your pardon, Snape, the Potions Expert, it was your unwillingness to celebrate any holiday that dragged me alongside." Hermione teased him, her hands on her hips. Snape frowned at her.
"Need I remind you that it was your obsession with Kelpie and their wondrous magic that brought us here in the middle of the Winter solstice?"
"Of course, . And you with your endless passion about rare winter plants that bloom right at midnight made you drag after me." Hermione stuck her tongue out at him and renewed her walking.
"I'll have you know, that a fey cherry provides a creature who eats it with the benefits of protection from evil spell for 5 minutes once per day. Eating more than one fey cherry per day grants no additional effect. Once picked, a fey cherry retains its magical property for 1 day; after that time it simply becomes a normal cherry. Gentle repose lengthens the cherry's magical properties for the duration of the spell. Moreover, its petals are an essential part of one of the most powerful healing potions. That plant would come in handy during our Aurory service." Snape explained, slowly switching back to his almost forgotten teaching persona.
"Thank you for the lecture, Sev, but I passed my Dark Potions and Healing Properties of Plans exam on the highest mark," Hermine waved him off and bumped her forehead on some wayward branch. Snape snorted.
"Who tutored you during your studying for that particular exam? And how many times do I need to ask you not to call me "Sev"?"
"Severus, do not be so stubborn, for I always can call you Russ."
"Merlin forbid!"
Hermione giggled looking at his terrified expression, and added after some time:
"Though, the only thing I need now is a warm cabin, mulled wine, and burning fire. I froze my butt to icicles."
"Such language, Miss Granger!"
"I am a badass Auror lass, I do not care about posh English anymore."
"That's true." Snape heartily agreed.
Hermione was right: during seven years that they served in the Auror Department, she became a walking nightmare for every criminal in Britain and beyond. She mastered martial arts, improved her knowledge in Potions, and became a well-known specialist in the field of old artifacts. Somehow unnoticed to Snape, she dragged him along with her. He had seen enough of ungrateful dunderheads and Headmaster's duties, so he gladly agreed to help her with forbidden Potions, and after some time he became a leading Auror himself.
They worked closely, for Potions Department and Old Aftifacts were interlaced in many ways. They became partners, they turned into being friends. Snape never hoped for more.
He liked sharing sarcastic jokes with her. He liked tutoring her about some tricky potion or treacherous dark artifact. She liked sharing cups of coffee with him or working on some challenging report after a particularly disastrous case. What she didn't like, though, was the fact that her butt was freezing to death and there was no visible way out of this damned forest.
"Do you regret that you hadn't agreed to Weasley's offer to join him and Lavender in Egypt?" Snape asked, growing bored in freezing silence. Hermione huffed.
"Egypt would be great for ancient artifacts, but I'm fed up with newlywed Ron and Lavender, their kissing, and her calling him Won-Won!"
"You could always run to Australia and sun yourself on the beach."
"I chose to look for Kelpie instead. I love my job, Severus. And I never cared much about Christmas."
"I beg to disagree. Christmases are important, they give us hope when there's none."
"Oh, Sev, you of all people!"
"Me of all people, Hermione. Winter Solstice is meant to bring light over darkness. In my childhood, I used to climb the roof of my old and rusty house and look at the stars. I was freezing myself to death on that roof, but somehow at midnight I always felt warm and hopeful for the upcoming year, no matter what was going on in my life or at my parent's house."
Hermione grew thoughtful.
"I never thought you so philosophical before. Making wishes... That whim never worked for me before. What I wish for now, though, is some warm place! I'm sick of this forest and this snowstorm!"
"Hush, look!" Snape suddenly froze and stopped her with his arm.
Hermione came closer, peering over his shoulder.
As if the answer to their hopeless wanderings through the forest, a fey cherry appeared right at the shore of the lake. Its branches were reaching for the sky, greyish leaves whispering something in the blazing blizzard, and each branch was covered with gentle silver flowers smelling of honey and something sweet. Hermione gasped, awestruck. Snape stepped closer to the tree and opened his backpack.
"Is this it? The magic tree?" she whispered, almost afraid to ruin the fairytale moment with her comments. Snape nodded and gathered full hands of flowers, offering them to her.
"Here. Make a wish, Hermione."
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
What did she wish for? She wished to spend the Solstice night with Severus, both literally and figuratively. And when Hermione opened her eyes, she grabbed Severus by the arm and pointed somewhere towards the very edge of the lake.
Snape gently hugged her by the shoulders and smiled. A tiny white foal was taking tentative steps on the frozen surface of the lake. His silver mane fluttering in the wind. Kelpies were treacherous creatures, they lured unfortunate travelers to their death, they were the very epitome of independence and incredible beauty. Strong, fierce, and amazing. Snape looked at Hermione as if answering his own thoughts. She was mesmerizing in her sudden happiness.
On their way back, they managed to find some wooden hut, possibly the dwelling of a forester. Hermione was head over hills with happiness. Snape for his part grumbled a little and started gathering the woods for the fire.
The house was...cozy for the lack of a better word. Different herbs, onions, and chilly peppers were hanging from the selling, the bed was covered with warm blankets, tea kettle was put on the hook over the for now extinguished hearth, and the sheepskin in front of it added to the general atmosphere.
Hermione opened both of their backpacks and started preparing a simple meal, radiating her enthusiasm all over the house. Snape made himself useful by lighting the fires.
The magic of the Scottish Highlands banned Apparition and general spells barely held in this type of weather, so Snape decided to do everything manually.
While he lit the fire, Hermione found some herbs in his backpack and was doing magic over the pot of red wine which they carried along in order to celebrate the Solstice.
Forty minutes later, they settled by the burning flames, mugs of steaming mulled wine in their hands. Hermione shivered visibly. Snape tried another ineffective attempt to cast a Warming charm at her.
"Come here, you are freezing to death."
Hermione sniffed.
"I hate cold! Winter makes me miserable. Maybe this is the wine in me speaking, after all, we have almost finished the first bottle, but I'm lonely, Severus. No matter how hard I'm trying to improve my love life."
Snape nodded his understanding, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He knew about every disastrous attempt at dating in Hermione's life. She acquired a habit of confessing her fails to him.
"Men are generally afraid of strong women, Hermione. And you are brave, strong, and way too smart for them."
"But not to you," she blurted drunkenly and snuggled up closer. Severus closed his eyes.
"Hermione, this is not the time for this conversation," he warned half-heartedly. His feelings for her kept confusing him for some time for now.
"On the contrary, Sev. Don't you start your endless preaching about me being your former student, our age difference, and you being an extremely difficult and private man." Hermione retorted and sipped her wine, enjoying the taste.
Severus sighed.
"I actually am a difficult man with far more scars, both physical and mental, than you could ever imagine. Besides, you are young, clever, and beautiful."
"Don't, Severus. Just don't. I have my fair share of scars, you know it perfectly well. As for being young, I'm nearing my thirties, I'm a grown-up witch now. And this witch wants you. You know, I could choose some up-and-coming young Auror, preferably former Ravenclaw, or I could accept Ron's offer and leave for Egypt. I choose to freeze to the bones in this forest just to spend time in your company."
"Why would you do such nonsense?"
"Because I am amazed by you, you grumpy and sarcastic impossible man!" Hermione exclaimed and looked him in the eyes.
He felt his breath hitch as he leaned forward, lifting her chin with his finger. He smelled mulled wine and cherry flowers on her breath. Their first kiss tasted like molten fire, like spices, like a gentle hint of honey as an aftertaste.
Her fingers entwined in his hair, massaging his scalp, and he had to suppress a moan. She smiled to his lips, pressing closer.
The fire burned brightly, fueling passion in Snape's veins. He always imagined their first moment together to be gentle, almost timid. Hermione didn't share his musings, wrapping her arms around his neck and sliding to his lap.
"Hermione.." Snape began, trying the last attempt of stopping her. She shook her head and pressed her finger to his lips.
"I've been dreaming about you I do not know for how long, Severus. I rejected all possible boyfriends and spent endless nights thinking about approaching you."
"We are both drunk, Hermione," Severus muttered, threading his fingers through her tangled mane and massaging her nape nevertheless.
"I do not care about being drunk, Severus, I won't regret this choice in the morning, and neither would you," she replied stubbornly and covered his lips with her own.
She entered his mouth with her tongue never waiting for his permission and he happily joined, forgetting about his hesitation. Their tongues slid together, caressing, tasting, getting to know each other.
His hands traveled beneath her warm jumper, getting the first touch of her skin. He caressed her gently, trying to understand what invoke that little, almost inaudible whimpers from her. Hermione, for her part, didn't hesitate in her passion, unbuttoning Severus' shirt and trying to get it off his shoulders. He stopped her hand with his fingers.
"Hermione, I'm full of scars, like a map of someone's broken destiny. You are not going to like what you will see."
She bit her lip and suddenly took her sweater off. A huge purple scar was marking her left breast and going down, disappearing somewhere beyond the rim of her jeans. Snape touched the scar with his fingertips. She shivered.
"Does this make me repulsive to you?" Hermione whispered, following his lead with her hands.
"No, you are beautiful to me."
"And so are you, Severus. Let's not return to this question anymore."
Hermione moaned when his hands shifted her hips. His need was a burning fire against her aching apex, and she could barely think. She left a trail of wet kisses along his scarred neck and he barely suppressed a groan, pressing his lips to her breasts, his breath hot against her skin.
She threw her head back at the overwhelming sensation of calloused fingers on her silklike smooth skin. Her nipples contracting under his long-desired touch.
He bit her earlobe and whispered to her, his voice dark with barely restrained desire:
"Here. Now. You are mine."
"Yours...I need you."
She quickly abandoned her remaining clothing and stood before him, reaching to him with her arms.
Golden light gilded her pale skin making her glow in the warm orange light of the burning flames. He never thought her so beautiful before.
He took her by the hand and led her to their impromptu bed on the sheepskin before the fire. He raised above her, admiring the golden glow in her hair, and slid his skillful fingers to her most sensitive parts. She arched her back, kissing him, and threaded her fingers through his hair once more.
'Tell me you are mine," Severus moaned somewhere in her neck.
"Make me yours, Severus. It's been too long, way too long."
And they became one, entwined in each others' love and passion.
Closer to the dawn, when they enjoyed being entwined in a warm embrace and finishing the remnants of mulled wine by the window, the pair of Kelpies came closer to the hut, peering inside curiously. Hermione stole a kiss from Severus' lips and pointed with her finger.
"I am grateful for this whiteout and this magical night that brought us together."
"Yes, it did, finally," Snape sighed at the crown of her head. "Happy Solstice, darling."
"Happy Solstice, love."
They were each others' secret love and this magic night in the middle of winter finally made their feelings known.
And Hermione's wish finally came true.
End.