Halloween Prompt - Cloak

Sims Logic Skill Level 2 - Intelligent.

Hogwarts Writing Club, Round 5 - Bright.

Wordcount Without AN - 498

The First Snow

Pushing another essay to the side, Harry picked up the last one he had to mark and started reading, even as he rubbed his tired eyes. He'd been surprised that he found teaching so enjoyable to begin with, unsure if he had the intelligence to even impart his knowledge on the students of Hogwarts, but it hadn't taken long for him to settle in. Now he knew he was intelligent, he had more confidence with his lessons and it was the best job he'd ever had.

Surprisingly, Headmaster Snape had been his biggest advocate, and that had been the beginning of their relationship. Nobody had been more surprised than the two of them found they had a lot in common, and shortly into Harry's second year teaching, they'd announced their engagement.

Speaking of Severus, Harry heard his partner calling for him through the floo.

"What's up?" Harry asked, leaning around his desk to look into the bright green flames.

"Other than the sky you mean?"

"Oh, ha bloody ha. I swear, the student's are a bad influence on you," Harry muttered, rolling his eyes. "I thought you were doing your best impression of a bat and patrolling the corridors?"

"Meet me in the entrance hall. Wear something warm."

"Where are we going?"

"Will you, for once, just do as I ask without plying me with twenty questions?"

"Fine, fine," Harry grumbled, pushing his chair back from the desk. With one last look at the remaining essay, he sighed. And he'd been so close to finishing them.

Standing up, Harry pulled on his cloak and left the room, sweeping his way to the Entrance Hall. If he happened to give two Ravenclaws and a Gryffindor detention for being out after curfew, well, it was Severus' fault for interrupting his marking.

Severus was waiting for him with a soft smile on his face, and Harry felt his bad mood melt away at the sight. Even now, years after the war and the horrors it entailed, Severus rarely smiled.

"What's so important?" he asked, though his tone now held no irritation.

"Look."

Harry looked to where Severus was pointing through the large glass window, and his breath caught in his chest. Tiny snowflakes fell from the sky, swirling prettily around each other.

"The first snow," Harry whispered, already pulling his cloak tighter around himself as Severus took his hand to lead him outside.

Standing just outside the main doors to the castle, Harry watched the snow fall with a childlike smile on his face. It was his absolute favourite thing about winter. Severus wrapped his arm around Harry and Harry leant into him, his head resting against Severus' shoulder.

"Thank you," Harry murmured. "It's beautiful."

"It is," Severus agreed quietly, though when Harry glanced up to look at his face, Severus' eyes were on Harry.

"I love you."

Pressing his lips to Harry's head, Severus replied, "As I love you."