Title: Canaille
Author: Ligeia
Pairing: HP/SS
Rating: PG
Word Count: 318
Summary: Harry really likes his Christmas pudding
A/N: Written for the After_Class dictionary drabble challenge. Word: canaille.

All characters in the Harry Potter universe belong to JK Rowling. I'm just a devoted fan with an overactive imagination.

Canaille

Harry scooped up the last traces of Christmas pudding with a finger.

"You really couldn't wait another few days, could you?" Severus asked, eyeing the boy's digit as it disappeared into that pink mouth of his. He had never been fond of that particular dessert, but watching Harry eat it was, well, an interesting vision.

"Nope," Harry answered when he was done licking his finger clean. "It was just begging to be eaten. Couldn't you hear it? Haaarryyy... Eeeat me, eeeat meee..."

Severus shook his head. Harry's eyes lit up as he spotted a tiny amount of pudding on the rim of the bowl and scooped it up with his finger again. He looked at his fingertip, then up at Severus and, grinning, deposited the pudding on the Potions master's aquiline nose.

"Hey!" Before Severus could form a complete protest, Harry leaned forward and licked it off.

"You know, Lucius Malfoy would have the perfect word for you: canaille."

Harry pulled back an inch or two and gave an exaggerated shudder. "Never mention Malfoy's name in my presence again." He made a disgusted face. "Now my digestion is ruined. And so is my mood."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I can't do much about the former. But I think I can help you with the latter."

"Oh, really?" Harry asked, tilting his head to one side and smiling coyly.

Severus lightly patted his thigh. Harry's smile widened into a grin as he sat down astride the Potions master's legs.

"See, you look happier already."

"Things can always get better," Harry said, putting his arms around Severus's neck and wiggling even closer.

"Interesting theory," Snape commented, placing a firm hand on the back of the boy's head. "Care to test it out?"

Harry immediately, and quite eagerly, got down to work.

After an evening of intense testing, Severus decided that Christmas pudding tasted bloody great in Harry's mouth.


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