Setting: Ron Weasley's house, Christmas Morning. Picks up after Christmas eve celebrations were had.

The story is not cannon, it takes place during Order of the Phoenix story takes place as if Mr. Weasley was never attacked at the ministry by Nagini. It is just a normal Christmas break at Ron's rather than at Grimmauld Place.

Ch.1

Harry woke with a start the next morning, and sat up in his bed bleary eyed and confused. He had just been awoken by a loud crack that sounded very much like a house-elf apparating into the room. Rubbing his eyes with the sides of his fists, he kicked his legs to free himself from the covers which had tangled themselves around his ankles while he fidgeted in the night.

"Dobby?" he asked, looking around Fred and George's bedroom, unable to imagine any other house elf who would want to visit him.

There, in the corner of the room, wearing a red knitted jumper with a green Christmas tree sewn into it, a blue scarf patterned with silver sequined snowflakes, three pairs of woolen socks of various colors, and a knitted woolen hat, was Dobby the house elf. He looked absolutely ridiculous, but he was staring at Harry with wide round eyes, and smiling from ear to ear. "Good Morning Harry Potter sir! Happy Christmas!"

Harry had almost forgotten that today was Christmas day. Cheered by the thought of almost all of his favorite people joining him later to enjoy Mrs. Weasley's fantastic cooking, he smiled broadly back at Dobby. "Merry Christmas Dobby! But...what are you doing here? What time is it?"

He glanced out of the window beside his bed. The sky was only just beginning to lighten, it was still a deep blue, and birds outside were just beginning to sing. " Five in the morning!" Dobby reported cheerfully. "Dobby woke up early to bring Harry Potter his Christmas present!"

Harry wished he had woken later. Five in the morning...I've got no chance of falling back to sleep now, he thought, groaning as he remembered how restless his sleep had been. He was having nightmares again...nightmares about a graveyard...a huge cauldron...cloaked figures and a brightly glowing crystal cup.

Dobby's voice tore Harry from his thoughts. "Here Sir! For you!" he said, walking across the room towards the bed, holding out a perfectly wrapped red package tied neatly with a golden bow.

Harry took the package warily, remembering his gift from Dobby last year. It had been a pair of poorly knitted socks which Dobby had apparently made himself. Harry had of course faked enthusiasm and thanked the house elf for his thoughtful gift, but he wasn't looking forward to having to wear even more dreadful items of clothing so as not to offend Dobby.

He unwrapped the present carefully, sensing Dobby's eyes on him, eagerly awaiting his reaction.

"Wow Dobby! This is great! You shouldn't have...I mean...It's too much really…" he rambled on, thoroughly surprised to discover that his words were genuine. Dobby had brought him brand new top-of-the-line seekers gloves.

He looked at the label, and remembered having seen the same brand in the Quidditch shop in Diagon Alley. He was suddenly overcome by a guilty feeling as he recalled how expensive the gloves had been...it must have taken Dobby weeks of work in the Hogwarts kitchens to save up enough to be able to afford them.

"Dobby you really shouldn't have...I know these gloves didn't come cheap…" Harry protested, but Dobby would not hear of it. "It was my pleasure Harry Potter! Dobby already has everything he needs for himself!" said Dobby, gesturing towards his many woolen socks. He looked simply overjoyed that his present was so well received.

"Dobby must be going now Sir, he has presents for Mister Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger to deliver as well!"

"Wait!" said Harry quickly, grateful that he had remembered to pack a gift for Dobby into his trunk. "I have a present for you too!"

It was clear that Dobby had not expected to be receiving a gift in return.

"Really? for me Sir?" he asked, looking up at Harry with wide, hopeful eyes, both shocked and touched to have even been considered.

"Yeah, hold on, it's in my trunk..." Harry mumbled as he jumped off the bed to look for his gift. "I haven't wrapped it...sorry". He pulled his trunk out from under the bed and opened it.

Broken quills, spell books, and unwashed robes flew out of the trunk as he rummaged through it, thinking about how a summoning spell would have been so much faster. If only he were old enough to use magic outside of school...

Wait a minute, thought Harry, I'm at Ron's house! Not Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's...the ministry'll have no way of knowing i've done underaged magic whilst i'm here!

Harry grabbed his wand, pointed it at his trunk and whispered "Accio present!" as quietly as possible, aware that he'd still be in trouble with Ron's mum if she heard him performing magic. The present zoomed into his open hand at once, and he handed it to Dobby. "Hope you like them."

"Harry Potter Sir…I love them...so generous…" he began tearing up and was lost for words as he gazed at his new shoes. Harry hadn't been able to find any in Diagon Alley that would fit Dobby's tiny feet, and ended up having some made at Madam Malkin's. They were a pair of polished black leather shoes.

"They're to go with your socks"

Dobby looked up at Harry with watery eyes and smiled, remembering the time that Harry had freed him from his cruel master with one dirty old sock.