A/N: All the characters related to Harry Potter Universe belong to JKR.

Okay, you're not Santa

Harry Potter grabbed a fresh towel from the shelf and stepped out of the shower slowly, drying his body. He pulled on his pajama bottoms and headed to the living area grabbing some leftovers from the fridge. He warmed the food up with a heating charm and settled on the sofa. As he dug into the warm soup his eyes darted around the house catching the glimpses of the paltry Christmas décor they both have managed. The soup suddenly tasted bland and Harry put it down with distaste.

Although it was one of his favorite go-to foods, he wasn't in a mood to stomach it. This was their first Christmas as a couple and they both had to work until the last moment. Hermione and he both had a very good work ethic but this was getting just out of hand. They even denied Weasleys' invitation just to keep their celebrations intimate. He sighed slumping down further into the sofa wondering if celebrating Christmas Eve alone is considered as such.

Ignoring the chill that started to spread through his body at his half-dressed state, Harry leaned his head back letting the exhaustion of the day take him over. But before his head hit the back of his sofa there was an unmistakable shuffling sound that fell on his ears.

Harry snapped his eyes open and reached for the wand that lay on the coffee table. The constant vigilance Moody had imposed on them had never left any of their consciences, which urged him into action. Sure, there was no threat of a dark wizard lurking in a dark corner, he made sure that every day, but could he risk the peace they've finally brought into their lives?. Not a chance.

His nimble feet didn't make a peep as he approached the fireplace, from where the unsettling sound had emanated. The burning embers told him no one tried to enter their home using Floo network as it remained undisturbed. He bit the inside of his cheek and turned towards the chimney wondering who would be foolish enough to try and enter their home through the narrow space. As soon as his eyes fell on a dark shape struggling, he sighed apparently having found such an idiot.

"Expelliarmus!" He yelled pointing his wand at the shuffling form. He heard a shriek in a familiar voice followed by an unmistakable grunt and then a wand zoomed toward him. He broke into a chuckle as the tension immediately lifted off his shoulders as he clutched the easily recognizable wand that flew into his outstretched hand.

"You'd your laugh, now get me out of this."

Wandlessly lighting up the dark chimney with his wand and adjusting the glasses with his hand, Harry quirked an eyebrow. "You're not Santa Claus?." There she was, the love of his life, stuck at a very odd angle, her bony shoulders stuck into the creases of the brick wall, hands stuck behind her back and dangling there with the help of only one foot.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER! If you don't pull that wand out and get me out of this, I swear I'll…"

"Hermione, you're ruining the moment," Harry asked with a smile still in its place. "Let me take a minute to enjoy this lovely view. Isn't this supposed to be a present for me?" Harry asked looking at her red lace knickers with a cute green bow just below the dimples of Venus. He also got a good glimpse of its lovely accompaniment that complimented her lovely curves. "You're redefining the name Santa Claus, 'Mione. They're not supposed to be sexy."

"Aah!" Hermione dropped further into the chimney and he suddenly realized that he was gawking at her while she was in pain. The rational part of his brain kicked in and he reached for his wand, waving it out around frantically casting various non-verbal spells. "Harry…" Her voice trailed off as the space inside the chimney widened at his spell, letting Hermione drop into Harry's waiting arms.

Helping her to her feet, Harry raked his eyes over her looking for any scratches. "Are you okay? I'm sorry I didn't realize soon. I got caught up," he looked into her eyes gently brushing his fingers over the slight gashes and scrapes, sealing them wandlessly. Listening to the hiss that escaped her lips, he pulled her into a hug. "In the beautiful view."

"I didn't know where my calculations went wrong," Hermione huffed biting her lip as he drew back from Harry. "I should've been a perfect fit through that damn thing." She turned around and pinned him with her stare, "Unless you did something new to the wards."

"Darling, even if I did something, I'm sure you could've easily figured it out."

Harry chuckled at her frustration as she started pacing in front of the fireplace reevaluating her logic. Christmas Eve had suddenly got more interesting for them and he, for one, wasn't going to waste another moment of it. He walked back to the sofa and resumed his soup as Hermione continued with her calculations. As she walked back and forth the light reflected from the sequins that adorned her outfit making her a beautiful Christmas vision. He didn't get a good look at the tiny piece that encased her breasts where another innocent bow rested in the valley, leaving everything else bare to the light, much to his delight. Placing the now empty bowl on the table, Harry leaned back on his sofa stretching his upper body. "By the way, you didn't clarify my question."

Hermione stopped in her pacing at his question and bunched her eyebrows. "What?"

"You're not Santa Claus," he smirked as she narrowed her eyes at him with a hand on her hip. "So what're you doing in the chimney?"

At his question, her expression cleared instantly taking the form of an alluring angel. Harry knew from the expression on her face that she'd not entirely forgotten the miscalculations about her plan, but she's merely compartmentalizing, giving leverage to the situation at hand. She proceeded towards him adding a sway to her gait, as Harry looked on with a hitch in his breath. No one understood him better than Hermione and Harry was well aware she used that knowledge creatively to add that little edge to their relationship. Only a fool would question her creative but logical choices and he sure wasn't one. Before he realized she was in his arms and he was being assaulted with the scent that was uniquely hers. Pressing a kiss to his neck, she breathed. "I'm in your arms and you're thinking about questions? Wake up, Mr. Potter. It's time for this Santa Claus to check if you've been nice or naughty this year."

"Do I get to sit on Santa's lap prior to that action?" Harry asked palming her glorious backside that fit aptly into the palm of his hand. "Or given you're an unconventional Santa Claus, I can make do with you in my lap."

"I'm already in your lap," Hermione purred teasing his lips with her own. "Seems like your getting your present before we check that list."

"You don't need to check the list," Harry's hands started to gently roam over the curves that were beautifully presented to him. "I'm definitely on your naughty list."

"This is just another time I proudly say that you're wrong and I'm right," she met his eyes and smirked. "You're always on my nice list, Mr. Potter."

"Since I'm nice, shall I directly dig into my present." Harry reached around to unhook her brassiere, as he peppered her neck with kisses.

"Be my guest," Hermione breathed as he began the same assault on her curves. After proper paying attention to the peaks of her breasts, he slid his fingers down her body toying with the bow that decorated her delightful derriere. "Pull the ends of that bow and you might be surprised." He didn't realize she'd already started pushing down his Pajama bottoms relieving him of the stiffness.

"Gladly," he complied her sweet request and indeed to his surprise the whole thing came apart, as the meager piece of garment slid down her satiny skin.

Trailing his fingers across the crease at her hip, he began exploring the familiar indents of her body. A little brush here, a little tease there, within moments she was a writhing mess under his clever ministrations.

"Harry, please." He didn't waste a moment as he plunged into action, extracting some of the most sensuous sounds ever known to wizardkind. Pulling her on top him, he let Hermione take charge relishing the enticing view she presented at this new angle. In no time they both were tumbling towards the pinnacles of their passion, looking into each other's eyes and whispering each other's names.

Raising her glass towards him, she said with a beatific smile, "I love you, Harry Potter," she bent forward and pecked him on the lips.

She leaned on his chest with her back to his front as he draped his hand over her pulling her closer to him. They didn't bother to redress; instead pulled over a large blanket to cover themselves on the sofa itself. As both of them sipped their wines relishing in their after bliss, Harry looked at her. For a minute he wondered how it would've been if they hadn't gone to save her from the Troll during their first year. He shuddered to realize how painful the thought itself was. His eyes darted to his other free hand where he held the pieces of his mother's memories.

With a nonverbal spell, the disillusioned ring came back into the light. He was sure Hermione knew about the presence of the ring or his intentions with it, after all, she was the one who taught him those charms, but she never asked anything about it. He slowly pulled it out and held the weight of it in his palm nuzzling the softness of her hair. Harry was sure this was inevitably going to happen at some point in the future, but he knew this was the right moment.

"Hermione."

"Mm."

"How about another surprise to start our Christmas celebrations?" His voice slightly quivered when the words slipped out of his mouth.

"I don't think you can beat my surprise." Hermione tilted her head to look him in the eyes as Harry tightly clutched the ring in his palm.

"I should be a fool to question the brightest witch of our age, but I'm the chosen one, so I get to win." The confidence was coming to his words as he saw her shaking her head slightly with a light chuckle.

"Okay, I'll humor you this time." She settled beside him on the sofa, pulling the blanket over to her shoulders. "Surprise me."

He chuckled at their undressed states and wondered what story he would be telling his kids when they ask him how exactly did he propose to their mother. He moved closer and whispered, "Close your eyes." Brushing his lips on her closed eyelids, he drew back.

Getting down on one knee in front of her, he looked at her as the words came effortlessly. "Hermione Granger, I'm ready for you." Her sharp gasp reverberated in the house as she opened her eyes to the scene in front of her. Her vision turned blurry seeing him on one knee with his mother's ring in his hand. "We've had many adventures in our life and there wasn't a moment of boredom when we were together. Of course, I'm talking about the times when we didn't have a blaring red sign stamped to our foreheads." Hermione brought her hands to her lips, covering the emotions that tried to spill out. Seeing the moisture that's gathering in his eyes, she quickly moved forward to wipe them off.

"Oh, Harry." Harry caught her fingers and instead wiped the tears that were leaking from the corner of her eyes.

"You've always been my best friend and it was definitely the best moment when we became more than that." She could only nod as for the first time she didn't trust herself to say anything. "I'm not going to say I'll try to make every moment of your life filled with happiness and joy, because I know there's more to life than that. So today I say this to my sexy little Santa that I'll always be there with you, to hold you, hug you, and honor you and do everything I can to always keep that smile on your face."

Hermione's tears knew no bound as they poured down freely drenching her with happiness. She reached to pull Harry back to the sofa.

"Hermione Granger, will you be my wife? Will you grow old with me? Will you spend the best of your life with me?" Hermione threw herself at him burrowing her face into his neck. Harry looked at her with the ring still in his hand and pressed a kiss to her temples. "Is that a yes?" When he felt her nod against his skin he teased, "Honestly, I was expecting an elaborate and verbose form of acceptance from you."

"Of course, you prat. It's always been yes. As if there would be any other option," she chuckled drawing herself back. "I know you 'secretly' kept your mother's ring, but I never thought you would propose today."

"Why wouldn't I? I wouldn't have let my girlfriend miss the opportunity of marrying the most eligible bachelor of Wizarding Britain," he waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Not just Wizarding Britain, my love, the whole Wizarding world."

As they paid special homages to each other during their post-engagement intimacy, Harry declared this was by far his best Christmas Eve.

A/N: This little one-shot was not beta'ed and each and every mistake is my own.

"Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart…filled it, too, with melody that would last forever." — Bess Streeter Aldrich