"Phantom Red"

Chapter One: Another Holiday

"She was a Phantom of delight

When first she gleamed upon my sight;

A lovely Apparition, sent

To be a moment's ornament;

Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair;

Like Twilight's, too, her dusky hair"

~William Wordsworth

Christmas had come again to Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the great hall saying their goodbyes. The giant tree stood proudly there, glittering… and a great fire burned cheerily in the hearth. Severus was caught in the crush of children speaking in loud, hurried voices as they exchanged presents in the hallway; they had barely a half hour before the Hogwart's Express took them all home… and Snape was anxious for this process to proceed.

His dour figure swept past the entrance to the great hall; he and Harry traded glares as their eyes met; then the professor swept out of sight, and down the hallway much to the pleasure of Harry Potter.

"Another holiday," Snape muttered as he moved, cat-like deeper, down into the dungeons. "No doubt Potter will be here for it." He tried to figure a way to avoid Christmas dinner with Dumbledore, the remaining staff… and Potter. Reaching the portrait to his own humble abode he realized, he couldn't think of any polite way not to have dinner with the headmaster.

"Professor Snape?!"

'Please tell me that is not another student about to bother me on my vacation.'

"Professor?"

Severus turned, looking his most dour. Who, could be pestering him now?

A rather attractive, very well dressed boy with platinum blonde hair met his gaze, along with two rather goony looking fellows.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," he said smoothly.

"Father has decided to let me stay here for the holiday. Crabbe and Goyle are also staying to keep me company. Just thought you'd like to know. My father said to let him know if you need anything since… you always seem to say at Hogwarts for the holiday…. And um, this is for you… from father." He proffered the professor a package wrapped in gold, which bore a striking resemblance to a bottle.

Severus took the gift offered to him, most likely the only one he would be receiving this Christmas, funny it was coming from Lucius, who was supposed to be in Azkaban. The professor's dark eyes rested on Draco's face.

"How did your father?~"

Draco smiled and Severus fell silent.

He hoisted the gift, making for the door, "thank you Draco."

"Oh Professor?"

"Yes?"

"If you have the time… I might like to use the potions lab… for, um… study."

Severus raised an eyebrow really curious as to what Draco could possibly be up to, on the other hand perhaps he and Potter would somehow manage to maim each other running wild at Hogwarts over the holiday. "Of course Mr. Malfoy, now I do need to get to my own work. If you will excuse me?"

"Oh, oh sure."

* * * * *

Snape slid into a chair behind a rather dusty desk exhaustedly, running his long, pale fingers through contrastingly coal black hair. Draco was going to be there over the Christmas break… this meant he would not be getting the peace and quiet he so dearly deserved. He would be pestered by students… students…. He rolled his eyes at the stressful thought of the situation and rested his head in folded arms. Dust plumed into the air. Beneath his head, under a layer of dust was an outline for a potion he'd started working on over the summer break…. Of course as soon as school had started back in earnest he had to waylay that project; he had hoped to get back to work on it during the holiday but that didn't look like it was going to happen now.

His dark eyes fell half-heartedly on the gift nearby, he reached for it and tore away the wrapping. It was a bottle of Spatlese. He eased back in the chair a bit, at least Malfoy had remembered his love of German wines.

* * * * *

An hour later Snape stood in the headmaster's office.

Albus sat beside the rather cheery fire, one eyebrow raised and a slightly amused little smile on his face.

"Hot chocolate Severus?"

This took the Potions Master off guard for a moment, "uhh, no, no thank you."

"So… you are planning a little holiday for yourself this year? Well I, I think that's wonderful news. You certainly could use it I'm certain Severus."

"Erm…" Snape was uncertain just how Albus had meant that last statement, but he assumed it must be innocent coming from the headmaster. "Yes, well I think I deserve it, I've… been under some… stress."

"Eggnog then?"

"What?"

Dumbledore conjured up a mug of the stuff and offered it to Severus.

"Oh, thank you." He really didn't want it but since it was being handed to him he took it anyhow.

"I had thought you were planning on staying on this Christmas though, seems a bit sudden, what prompted your decision? Doesn't really seem like you." He took a swig of the hot chocolate and smiling added in afterthought, "haven't been drinking have you?"

Severus' eyes betrayed him, suddenly startled by the statement, "that's beside the point."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he sipped his coco again.

"I'm not certain where exactly to go in all honesty."

"I understand Florida is rather nice this time of year."

"I am not looking for a tan and a college keg party headmaster," he stated dryly.

"Of course not." Dumbledore's mug vanished and he pinned several stockings over the hearth.

Severus sat down in one of the opposing wing-back chairs, "I simply want a place where I can get some work done in peace and quiet… just some quiet contemplation time."

"Yes, I understand Draco will be spending the holiday with us this year."

"Yes," the word came out through gritted teeth, although that had not been his intention.

Albus turned from decorating, he had a knowing look on his face, "I own a home myself… took it off a Muggle's hands, oh, many years ago now."

Severus perked up at the sound of this.

"It's been abandoned for years now, but I suspect that wouldn't be a problem for you to remedy. If all you're looking for is a bit of serenity, I can promise you it's out of the way."

Snape was on his feet, "Headmaster, you have my gratitude."

Dumbledore smiled at him, looking down his moon-shaped spectacles, "we shall see."

The Potions Master moved fluidly toward the door~

"Oh Severus?"

"Yes, Headmaster?"

"It's, in the U.S., I trust that's not a problem?"

Snape was suddenly realizing Albus was sending him as far away from Hogwarts as possible, and the stress seemed to be already draining from his body. He nearly smiled. "That will be just fine."

Then as if realizing something else, Severus stopped and glanced at Albus with a questioning look on his face.

"No. Not Florida."

He swept down the steps and out of sight.