Title: Wassail!
Author: Constant Vigilance
Status: FIN
Email: tirel@pcnuthut.com
Website: https://www.angelfire.com/tv2/firebird_ascending/
Rating: PG
Pairing: H/D
Spoilers: None. AU 7th
year.
Warnings: Slash, drunkenness,
smiling Snape
Disclaimer: I own nothing. JKR is
God.
Summary: Harry and Draco get an
inside scoop on just how the professors spend time without students.
Notes: Written for The
Hexfiles December Challenge. 500 words using ‘wassail’, ‘charm’, and
‘solstice.’
“Wassail!” Dumbledore
shouted, raising his goblet for the 10th time that night.
Draco rolled his eyes and
returned to tracing the table’s grain patterns. He could almost see the
constellation Leo, just another whorl right…
“Here.”
Draco jumped at the voice and
at the goblet of pumpkin juice placed directly on Leo’s head. He looked up as
the only other student staying over holidays took a seat.
“Potter,” Draco tried for
indifference. Harry just smirked.
“Thought you’d want something
less…festive to drink,” Harry nodded at the head table’s punch bowl
centerpiece. “Considering that’s the 4th bottle of homemade that
Hagrid’s poured in.”
Draco watched the tipsy half
giant trying to dump another flask of 200 proof into the punch. He returned
Harry’s smirk. “Don’t mind the booze, just the bloody toasting accompanying
it.”
On cue, Dumbledore raised his
goblet again, this time towards Flitwick, “Wassail! To your good health,
Filius!”
The boys snickered as the small
Charms professor bowed, pausing from charming ornaments to dance The
Nutcracker.
“I didn’t realize students were
so stressful,” Harry chuckled. “They’ve gotten pissed every night since the
beginning of break.”
“They started even earlier
today,” Draco groused.
“Well, it is Solstice,” Harry
grinned. “Longest night of the year. Course I bet by midnight they’ll all be
passed out.”
“Thank Merlin,” Draco agreed.
“Snape looks like someone overdosing on a cheering charm.” He shuddered. “It’s
disturbing.”
Harry snorted. “I think it’s
nice that he’s happy. He can finally let go now that Voldemort’s gone.” Draco
just eyed him sideways. Harry grinned sheepishly. “Okay, so it’s bloody
disturbing.”
Draco hmphed, vindicated. They
sat sipping juice and watching the adults’ antics. “Oh, Merlin, what are they
doing now?” Draco sounded horrified.
“It looks like Sinestra has
convinced them to play Strip Exploding Snap,” Harry sounded ill.
Draco gaped as the
participating teachers smiled lasciviously and sat around the end of the
Gryffindor table. “But Trelawney is playing! And Hooch!”
“And McGonagall…and Snape,”
Harry squeaked.
Draco choked. “We have to get
out of here!” Harry nodded frantically. Together, they headed for the door.
“Hey, Draco,” Harry whispered
as they drew nearer their salvation. “You wanna go flying tomorrow?”
Draco noted a faint blush
having nothing to do with the debauchery behind them. “Yeah, sure,” he smiled
shyly.
They awkwardly halted in the
doorway. Harry glanced up; green eyes skittering away from silver.
He flushed again and Draco
followed his gaze upwards…to a sprig of mistletoe hanging above their heads.
Draco shot a quick look back at their teachers, and stepped forward. Harry
sucked in a tiny breath but didn’t move. Instead, his eyes fell shut and he
felt a soft brush against his lips.
When his eyes opened, Draco was
gone.
Smiling giddily, Harry headed
upstairs.
He didn’t notice silver eyes
watching from behind a suit of armor, nor the matching smile. He didn’t see the
small impromptu skip that preceded Draco's own journey back to his dorm.
Yes, indeed. Tomorrow was
certainly something to look forward to.
