Mistletoe Magic
Miriam gathered her belongings as she prepared to leave the staff room. It was the last meeting before the Christmas hols, and the witch was beyond grateful to have it over with. She found it impossible to concentrate on Albus' agenda with all the foolery going on around her; the room was crowded and hot, Biggins kept staring at her, and with Severus seated beside her, Miriam felt his agitation towards the Dark Arts Professor coming off him in waves.
Now that most of the staff had left, the air felt less stuffy, Miriam mused. Miriam took a deep breath and placed her notebook inside her black leather bag. As she fastened the clasp, Severus came to stand beside her. Suddenly, Miriam felt a tug of magic centered around her navel. It compelled her to turn and face Severus.
For a moment, the pair stared at one another, confused. It was obvious by the look on Severus' face he too felt the pull of magic. Severus glanced up, and Miriam's eyes followed. A sprig of mistletoe hovered above them, suspended in the air by one of Hogwarts many magical enchantments. Miriam's eyes widened in surprise; she'd seen this holiday magic play out before when she was a student, but the witch never thought it could happen to her. A ball of nervous energy began to form in Miriam's belly when she remembered the enchantment wouldn't release them until she and Severus shared a kiss.
The voices of Albus, Minerva, and Pomona petered out as they noticed a shift in the room's energy. All eyes were drawn to her and Severus. Miriam looked at Severus, and his expression caught her by surprise. Severus appeared angry; he stood straight and stiff as he looked down his hooked nose at her. With a growl of irritation, Severus leaned in and placed a tight-lipped peck on Miriam's lips. The kiss was so quick, Miriam's eyes didn't even have time to close. Hasty as it was, the kiss was apparently satisfactory. The pull of magic was gone. Severus abruptly turned on his heel and strode out of the staff room.
Miriam was left standing alone as the other three professors watched her. She stole a glance upwards; the sprig of mistletoe was still hanging there, wilted as though trying to hang on to life, but failing miserably. Bereft, Miriam felt the tears well up behind her eyes. Severus' anger unnerved her, and this kiss was nothing like the ones they shared privately. There was no tenderness or depth of feeling—Severus didn't even touch her, for Merlin's sake.
"Excuse me," Miriam said tightly, not bothering to look at the other professors. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder as she fled through the door. Miriam kept up her quick pace once she entered the corridor, her only focus was reaching the privacy of her rooms. She could feel her cheeks burning from the embarrassment she just endured, and she blinked her eyes rapidly to keep the tears at bay.
Suddenly, a large firm hand wrapped around her elbow, and Miriam gasped. Severus appeared out of nowhere; he matched pace with the witch and steered her down an ancillary corridor.
"Se-,"
"Not here."
Miriam closed her mouth into a tight line at Severus' clipped words. Severus' grip was tight, but he did not hurt her as he guided her to his rooms. He no longer looked angry, but his mask was firmly in place, and his face was unreadable.
When they reached Severus' rooms, Miriam left him by the door. She needed space for her emotions, so Mia crossed his sitting room to stand beside the fire. Miriam placed her bag on the couch, and her hands nervously twisted around one another in front of her as she studied Severus. Severus stood with his back to Miriam as he faced the door, his large hand splayed across the worn wood.
After a prolonged silence, Severus spoke. "I am sorry." He turned to look at Miriam, and slowly Severus began to walk towards her.
When Severus finally stood before her, Miriam replied. "Sorry for what?"
"I'm sorry you had to kiss me in front of the other professors."
Miriam frowned. Severus' voice was tight, and she could see he was still upset. Miriam protectively wrapped her arms around her body and absently rubbed them for comfort. "I didn't mind kissing you. You were just so angry with me—you're still angry with me," Miriam said. Her voice was so small it was barely a whisper.
She felt Severus lift her chin, and her head tilted back slightly. Severus studied her face. "I'm not angry with you, whatever made you think that?" Miriam's eyes widened with disbelief, and Severus caught himself when he realized his earlier actions were in stark contrast to his present words. "Well, I was angry, yes, but not at you."
"Why?"
"Really, Miriam? I'm surprised you even asked, considering how private we both are. No one is to know about our little arrangement, remember?" Severus hesitated as he studied the witch in front of him. The hurt he saw in Miriam's eyes compelled him to be more forthcoming. "I felt embarrassed and put on the spot—everyone was staring at us. Then, I felt angry. That little bit of magic is rare, and it definitely doesn't favor the likes of me." Severus sighed heavily. "I've been wondering what it'd be like to kiss you under the enchanted mistletoe for weeks. Then, when the opportunity presented itself, I panicked."
A flicker of hope flitted through Miriam. "You wanted to kiss me under the mistletoe?"
Severus' eyes softened as he looked at Miriam. "Very much," Severus admitted. "You're the only woman who has ever stirred those thoughts inside me, and I'm sorry the moment was lost to my inexperience."
"Oh, Severus, you have nothing to be sorry for," Miriam said gently.
The energy shifted around them, and Severus once again felt the pull of magic. Though the pair was already close, Severus was further drawn to Miriam as though she was magnetic. Severus glanced up and studied the bunch of mistletoe above them. It was much larger than the last one, full and laden with little waxy, white berries.
Severus lowered his eyes and met Miriam's; in those grey depths, Severus saw a glimmer of excitement. The tiniest of smiles tugged at his lips. "It appears I have been given a chance to redeem myself." Severus grasped Miriam by the arms and gently untangled her hands. He brought her arms down to her sides and caressed them with his large hands. After he made several passes, he held her hands and twined his fingers through hers. "Miriam Magowan, may I kiss you?"
"Yes," Miriam breathed. She leaned in and felt Severus cover her lips with his.
Severus released Miriam. He reverently cradled her head in his hands as his lips returned to hers over and over. Miriam's small hands slipped beneath his robes, and her soft curves pressed against him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. The heat of her body made Severus ache with longing; he slid a hand down Miriam's spine to the small of her back. He pulled Mia tightly against him and slipped his tongue into her mouth.
Miriam moaned softly as Severus tasted her, and her body molded to his. One foot left the floor as Severus clutched her, his lean body bending her backwards slightly as he ravished her lips. Miriam forgot about everything else as her world drew inward. All she knew was Severus' fire as he kissed her hungrily, his tongue hot and supple as it explored her mouth.
As they kissed, their desirous ache for one another began to diminish, but never fully disappeared. Severus heard a faint fizzle above them, like the sound of a flame being extinguished, but Severus ignored it. He felt elated with his second chance, and Severus planned to use every second of it to kiss Miriam until she told him to stop.
Severus paused briefly to take a breath, and he smirked as he looked down at Miriam. Her face was tilted towards him, eyes closed, and her lips pursed slightly; a few crystalline snowflakes clung to her dark lashes.
"What the hell?" Severus said softly.
At Severus' confused voice, Miriam opened her eyes. She looked up at what Severus was staring at. The mistletoe had begun to slowly break down; it showered them with large, intricate snowflakes as it did so.
"I had no idea enchanted mistletoe could do such a thing," Miriam said, her words laced with wonder.
"Neither did I."
"It's magical," Miriam breathed. Severus and Miriam looked at one another for a long, searching moment. Miriam brushed a few snowflakes off of Severus' robes, and she blushed slightly as a thought came to mind. "I wonder—if we keep kissing—does it keep snowing?"
Miriam's arms wrapped around Severus' neck. She leaned closer and stared deep into his black eyes. Severus smiled and tightened his arms around Mia. "Let's find out," Severus whispered before he kissed Miriam again.
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A/N: Hi all, Happy Holidays! I absolutely love writing Severus and Miriam during this time of year. I woke up with this short snippet in my brain, and wanted it on paper asap. The timeframe of this story is December 1982. It's an excerpt of Things That Come to Pass, which is my largest story to date.