AN: I was working and listening to Christmas music when this came to me. I figured we could all use a little Christmas in late November, so I hope you enjoy!

Thank you for the support! It is very deeply appreciated!

If there was one thing Severus appreciated about his in-laws, it was their willingness to watch his children at a moment's notice. All he needed to do was make the excuse that the Ministry was having a holiday party for former Order members, tell them how eager their daughter was to spend the evening waltzing with her husband, give them a wink, and the children were under the care of their doting grandparents, who were no doubt spoiling them rotten.

Part of Severus felt guilty about leaving his children. Being a father was one of the two great joys of his life, and he already missed them. Still, his other great joy in life was being Hermione's husband. Sometimes it was nice to be a husband away from the prying eyes of his children and the rest of the world, even if his beloved wife was spraying so many hair products it was a wonder she could still breathe.

He sat on the bed, enjoying the warmth of the crackling fireplace. Outside, the first snowfall of the season was whitening the ground, the flakes growing larger as the wind grew more intense. The forecasting spell had predicted eight centimeters, but it was sticking to the ground faster than Severus had expected. It would also be a chilly night, one perfect for staying home and cuddling with his wife, forgetting the world existed.

"Okay, I'm about ready," Hermione rushed out of their bathroom. Her dark green velvet dress showed off her figure well while leaving something to Severus' imagination. And what a vivid imagination he had! Already he was envisioning what it would look like for that dress to be on the ground while his wife was in his arms.

"Is that what you're wearing to the ball?" She asked, putting a lose tendril of her hair behind her ear.

"You actually intend to go to that ball tonight?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," she made her way to the closet. "It's important for all the former Order members to be seen at the Ministry Holiday party. It will be a time when we show solidarity with each other, spread glad tidings to all wizards, and demonstrate that amidst all life's problems there is hope."

"How is taking a few pictures for The Daily Prophet going to accomplish any of those things?"

"It's the symbol of hope the Wizarding World needs."

"I'd rather create the symbol of a healthy marriage by staying inside and relaxing with my beloved wife."

"Most nights I would agree, but the Order needs to be seen together," she lowered her voice, "especially since we haven't all been seen together in years."

"There's a good reason for that," he noted.

"There is," she gave him a pointed look. "You keep finding excuses not to go."

"All of them were excellent excuses."

"They were excuses nonetheless."

"Perhaps, but there was wisdom behind them."

"Oh?"

"Indeed, most of the Order consists of the Weasleys," Severus began. "Hardly the kind of people who want to make peace with us and demonstrate a show of solidarity with all members of the Order."

"Don't remind me of their presence," Hermione grumbled as she made her way to the closet. "The last thing I want is to listen to Molly prattle on about how I'm the tramp who destroyed her son's life."

"I know a way to guarantee we will not need to listen to a word Molly says."

"Oh?" Her eyes flashed in interest.

"We stay home."

"No," she grabbed her black flats. "We're going to the ball regardless of what anyone thinks about us. If anyone is too negative towards us, we can ignore them."

"You want to spend all night being glared at and listening to people whisper behind our back? It will become difficult to ignore them after a certain point."

"Of course I don't want to spend time with so many negative people," she put on the shoes. "Still, they aren't the only ones who will be there."

"Who else of any importance will be there?"

"Well, Lucius may be there for a photo opportunity. He may not be a member of the Order, but he always seems to find enough money to buy him into these events."

"Yes, it is rather unfortunate that we will see him a week from now for our own Christmas party. Given the long interlude between now, the fact that he is in good health, and the fact he doesn't tend to be accident prone, we risk never seeing him again if we miss this Ministry function."

Her frown deepened. "Draco may be there too."

"That is rather unfortunate given that I'm sure he'd rather be building snowmen with Scorpius and the twins. Then there's Ginevra's health to take into consideration. For all we know, she is developing hypothermia from being left alone too long and needs her husband to attend to her. No doubt Draco will refuse to abandon his wife in her time of need, meaning he will not attend."

"I couldn't blame him." Hermione looked out the window. "It's cold outside."

"Yes, the perfect night to stay in and sit beside the fireplace reading a book," he answered.

"Since it's so cold outside you'll just have to wear the coat I gave you for your birthday last year when we go to the ball."

"Or I can stay inside next to a roaring fireplace with you in my arms. We don't need coats if we're inside together."

"No," Hermione argued. "My parents are watching the children so we can attend this Ministry ball, not so we can lounge around and read, appealing as that is."

"What is wrong with reading without fear of being interrupted by one's offspring?"

"Nothing, but it wasn't in my plans for the evening," she said the next words softer, "as unfortunate as that is."

"My plans for the evening involve enjoying a book with a nice cup of cocoa beside the fireplace," he purred. "You're more than welcome to join me."

"Those are not my plans."

"That is unfortunate. I had been hoping we'd spend the evening together."

"We will spend the evening together if you put on your good robes and go to the ball with me."

"And if I refuse?"

She groaned and shook her head.

His lip twitched upwards. By now, Hermione should know this was his version of foreplay. His attitude was frustrating her on levels she didn't dare admit aloud. All Severus needed to do was remain in touch with his inner Slytherin and he would have the evening they both desired.

"Neville will be there," she rushed over to his closet. "He's going to start to worry if we don't show up."

"Trust me, if we don't show up, he'll know why."

She tapped her foot. "You're fine with him pacing the floor, waiting for us?"

"Believe me, Neville will be so busy speaking with Kingsley he won't notice that we're gone though," he stood. "If you would like to floo him sometime between now and our own party, which he said he will attend, I would be amenable to that."

"Ooh Kingsley," Hermione swallowed. "His will become suspicious, and will be there at the door."

"Then we'll send a patrons explaining that one of us is ill."

"Yes, but we can only do that for so many years. Eventually people will notice we aren't in the picture, people like Rita."

"Just remind her about her animagus form and she will think twice about any story she publishes."

"Yes, but Rita's mind is vicious."

"I can only imagine the stories she has concocted involving the scandalous behavior of two married individuals enjoying the night with their partner." Severus strolled out of the room.

"Where are you going?" She snapped.

"I'm going to get some cocoa. As stated earlier, you are welcome to join me."

"We need to go to the ball though."

He kept strolling to the dining room, knowing she would follow him soon enough.

"Severus?"

He hummed before turning the corner.

"If you don't come back. I'm leaving without you."

He entered the kitchen

"I mean it Severus! If you don't come back here you're spending the evening alone."

With the flick of his wand, the ingredients for a mint chocolate cocoa with chocolate chips and marshmallows appeared.

"Severus Tobias Snape I am not playing this game with you," she ran to him, his good robes in hand. "You need to get dressed now or we'll be late."

After pouring the milk into a pot, he began boiling it, adding the other ingredients as necessary.

"What are you doing?" Hermione stormed towards him.

"Making cocoa," Severus watched as the milk began to boil. "Would you like some?"

She inhaled the aroma of the drink. "Maybe just a half drink."

"Very well then," he pointed to the shelf. "Please get us some cups."

"Fine, but after this, you are putting on your fine robes and we are leaving."

He hummed as he turned off the stove. Once she got the cups, he poured them, one for himself, and one for her. Once he did so, he put several marshmallows on top of hers, and a couple into his cup.

She took a sip, her eyes glistening as she took a sip. "Hey, what's in this drink?"

"It's one of my famous mint, chocolate chip cocoas."

"I love it when you make those. This one in particular is delicious," she took another sip before she furrowed her eyebrows. "But it won't get you out of the ball."

"Perhaps not, but it will help me enjoy the evening."

"We'll enjoy the evening dancing the night away."

"We can do that here."

"Severus," she groaned.

"Yes?" His voice was even.

"What am I going to do with you?" Her lips curled upwards.

"I haven't the foggiest clue."

"I swear you are the most difficult man I've ever met."

"That we can agree on."

"Yet somehow you are the one man in my life I find irreplaceable."

"I feel the same way about you," His voice was softer. "You're irreplaceable. No woman will ever compare to you, a fact I know all too well."

"Romantic words won't get you out of the ball."

"I'm not saying romantic words to you, just being honest," he answered before before taking another sip. "I love you, Hermione Snape."

"I love you too, Severus Snape, even when you're being difficult," she answered as her muscles relaxed.

Together, they glanced out the window and drank their cocoa.

"Look out the window at that storm," Severus began. "It's up to your knees out there."

"Perhaps it's up to Violet's knees, but not mine," Hermione took another sip. "This tastes wonderful."

"Indeed, which is why I'm enjoying this instead of getting dressed."

"Love," she groaned. "Can you not just enjoy an evening with me?"

"I am enjoying an evening with you," he took another sip. "We're alone without the children, we're drinking cocoa, and we're having a lovely conversation. I'm quite enjoying myself."

"There's going to be talk tomorrow, or at least plenty implied."

"Yes, there would be if we stepped outside, caught pneumonia, and died."

"We'd only be outside for a couple of minutes, assuming we don't sit on the balcony half the night."

"Isn't that always where we end up due to not wanting to engage in the drunken shenanigans of our not so esteemed colleagues?"

She gave him a sideways glance.

"Aren't you happy?" He purred.

She twisted her lips.

"Aren't you content in this moment?" He sipped his drink.

She glanced at her cup.

"Look out the window at that storm," Severus pointed to the window.

"Yes, I doubt it's only going to be eight centimeters."

"More like eighteen centimeters."

"It is warm in here."

"Indeed."

She sighed. "I ought to say 'no.'"

"Yes, but what's the sense in hurting my pride?" He asked.

"Your pride is about as wounded as your sense of propriety."

Severus smirked.

"If we don't show up, there's bound to be talk tomorrow," Hermione mused.

"Yes, the horror of a husband and wife deciding they want to stay inside rather than be glared out all night. One may develop the misconception that we like each other. If the rumors are too horrid, people may believe we love each other."

"What a horrible rumor to circulate," she gave him a small grin. "I hope nobody would be foolish enough to think either of us is capable of a healthy, loving relationship."

"Indeed," he brushed his lips against hers, knowing this was the moment her resistance would crumble.

"I wish I knew how to break the spell you put on me every year," she dropped his robes.

"What spell am I putting on you?" He smirked.

"I don't know, but every year it's the same song and dance," she exhaled. "Somehow you talk me out of going to the Ministry Holiday Party."

"Love, I did not convince you to contract the flu last year."

"No, but you had a suspiciously short cold the year before."

"I told you it was either a cold or the Nu vreau să plec virus."

"I'm guessing the latter," she drank more of her cocoa.

"Oh it may have been a cold, but somehow, being with you cures me of many of my woes," his voice was tender. "With you in my arms I recovered from that particular illness in less than twenty-four hours."

"You're the antidote for my woes as well," She put her head on his shoulder.

"I love you," he kissed the top of his head. "If it means that much to you, I will go to the ball. I will do my best to enjoy myself while you socialize with your friends."

"I am torn. I could spend my evening with people who will glare at me and spread rumors behind my back, having a camera flash in my face, and being asked intrusive questions, or," She moved closer to him, "I can curl up with a book and a cup of cocoa with my brilliant husband."

"Obviously the first is the most prudent course of action, and by far the most pleasurable."

"Obviously, but," she finished her cup. "My husband has a way of making every evening alone with him enjoyable. I'd much rather discuss Charles Dickens with him than go to any ball."

"I couldn't agree more." He captured her lips.

She moaned as the kiss deepened. Before they could get too caught up in the moment, she backed away. "I do feel bad about asking my parents to watch the children though. They must wonder why we never go to the balls when we say we will."

"When we dropped off the children, Wilford said something to the extent of, 'I know that regardless of what you do, you will have a wonderful time with my daughter.' Then he reminded me to put the marshmallows in your cocoa since that was always your favorite part of drinking them."

"So even they have no faith in my ability to talk you into going to a ball."

"I fear not."

She sighed.

"But they do know we are happy together," he continued.

"I am very happy with you." She grinned. "Which is why the second Kingsley sent me the invitation, I told him we had other plans and would be unable to attend."

"You already told him no?" Severus' eyes widened.

"Of course I did," she smirked. "I didn't want to subject either of us to scrutiny or spend an evening with people who despised us."

He blinked.

"Still, if I didn't make any effort to cajole you into coming, you would think I was ill. Besides, I wanted the children to think we were doing something important so they wouldn't feel as if we abandoned them. I had to keep the game going as long as I could."

"So this was all a game?"

"Yes, and one I feel happy losing, though," she chuckled. "Spending an evening with you is never a loss."

"While being with you is never a loss, what did you plan to do if I'd given into your whims and put on my robes?"

She shrugged. "I would have asked if you wanted to go to the ball or if you were humoring me. If you said you were fine going out, I would've apparated us to a nice restaurant, admitted the whole ruse, and we would've spent a lovely evening out together."

"Despite the fact that it's cold outside."

"Well I did plan to return home with you and stay warm in your embrace."

"Do you still want to go to a restaurant?"

"No, I'd much rather stay inside with you. I'm comfortable, and I'm in no mood to run around town."

"In that spirit, why don't we put my good robes away so you can get out of that dress and we can read together?"

"Only if you take me out of this dress yourself."

His lips curled up.

"To be honest, I'm not in the mood for reading anymore," there was a mischievous gleam in her eyes as she set her cup on the counter. "Though, I am tired of being in this dress."

"I don't think I'm in the mood to read either," he grinned as he set his cup beside her. "I'd much rather help that dress find its way to the floor."

Together they rushed to the bedroom, ignoring the snow falling on the ground, apathetic to the fact it's cold outside.