This story won't be slash, so stop worrying. Enjoy.

Disclaimer- Not mine. All JKR's.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Harry woke to the sound of a series of dull thuds coming from the other side of the door. He moaned and rolled over, pulling the sheets up over his head and yanking them out of the end to expose his feet in the process. He pulled his legs up near his chest, trying to protect his toes from the cold that was in his room.

"Harry? Harry! You have to get up! It's Christmas, and there's snow! There's snow, Harry!" Seamus' voice, slightly muffled by the thick wooden door, reached Harry's ears. Dean's quieter voice followed.

"What if he doesn't want to get up, Seamus? You know he hasn't been sleeping well,"

"But…it's snow! And Christmas! How can he sleep through snow and Christmas?" Seamus protested. Harry groaned, rolled over to bring the pillow over his ears, and fell out of his bed. The cold floor beneath him shocked him into a fully-awake state, and he stumbled to his feet, pulling the blanket off his bed and wrapping it around himself. He staggered over to the door and yanked it open, blinking owlishly at Neville, Dean, Seamus and the group of fascinated first years behind them.

"Whadduyawant?" He mumbled, trying to adjust his eyes to the sudden amount of light.

"We are the three wise men of Christmas fame, and we come bearing gifts," Seamus proclaimed, grinning widely.

"Two wise men, you mean," Dean said, gesturing towards Neville and himself. Seamus mock-pouted.

"I don't know why I hang around you, Dean. You're always making fun of me," He whined.

"Well you shouldn't give me so many opportunities," Dean informed him, before turning to Harry. "Can we come in?"

Harry nodded and moved out of the doorway, closing the door behind the three as soon as they were through it.

"Harry! How can you sleep in here? It's so c-c-cold!" Seamus exclaimed, teeth chattering. Harry grunted and waved his hand at the fireplace. A cheery fire started up immediately, and Harry allowed himself a small amount of pride. Fire was one of the spells he was having the most difficulty with in his training.

"Gonna get dressed," He informed them, grabbing a set of clothes and making his way down to the bathroom. By the time he had returned Dean, Seamus and Neville had all made themselves comfortable on Harry's rather messy bed, and were looking around curiously.

"This is really nice, Harry," Neville commented, smiling.

"Yeah, but it gets cold if you don't have a fire going," Harry said, sitting down on the bed beside them. "I'd like to give you your presents first, if you don't mind." Seamus grinned.

"Are we likely to mind when there are free gifts pending?" he asked.

"I thought all gifts were free," Dean commented lazily, still looking around the room.

"Shut up, Dean," Seamus said, giving him a gentle shove.

"We don't mind, Harry," Neville assured him.

"Good. I didn't think you would," Harry grinned. He stood up and opened his trunk, rummaging through it until he uncovered three wrapped boxes. He handed the first one to Neville, who unwrapped it to find a dark blue piece of crystal, circular in shape with a hole through the middle of it tied onto a leather thong. When he raised the crystal to examine it he saw gold lettering flash across the surface of the stone. It looked like the writing was moving but also like it had been engraved, which was impossible. No matter how hard Neville tried he couldn't read what the words said.

"What does it do?" Seamus asked as Neville slipped the leather band over his head.

"I noticed that Neville always seems to be the unwilling guinea pig for Fred and George's pranks," Harry explained. "When he's wearing that they won't work on him. The writing also glows a silver colour when one of the unforgivable curses is used near you."

"Wow…" Neville murmured. "Where'd you get it?"

"I bought the crystal and the leather in Hogsmeade on the last trip and put the charms on myself," Harry said. "All of them are rather alike, I'm afraid."

"Doesn't bother us," Seamus and Dean said together.

Harry gave Seamus his present next. Instead of being a pendant it was a leather arm band with a green crystal set in the thick hide. It too had the strange golden lettering engraved in it. Seamus looked at Harry uncertainly.

"It's cool, Harry, but how do I get it on?" He asked, trying to fit the band over his rather large hand. He gave a yell of surprise as it suddenly grew to slide over his hand and settle on his wrist, tightening so that it would sit there without shifting, but loose enough to be comfortable.

"Cool!" Seamus said, touching the arm band gently.

"This one has different spells on it than Neville's," Harry told him. "They all do. As long as you're wearing yours Professor Snape and Filch will have a hard time catching you 'making trouble', as they call it. It'll go a purple colour when someone is lying to you, too."

Seamus let out a whoop of delight. "Wow! Thank you! Cool…I'm gonna sneak into Snape's room and dump some shampoo and conditioner on his while he's asleep. Hey! I'll be able to give Mrs. Norris a real good boot!"

Harry laughed. "Don't get too over excited, Seamus. If you're really doing something dangerous they will be able to see you."

"Now…Dean I wasn't exactly sure what to get you, so I hope this is okay," Harry said, handing the last package over to him. Dean opened it carefully and pulled out a crystal clasp for a cloak.

"It turns cloaks into invisibility cloaks when it's being used," Harry explained, "And it also helps enhance the strength of your spells."

Dean grinned and attached it to the front of his robes, broach-style. "I shall carry it with me always," He said gravely.

"Harry's turn," Seamus said, jumping up and pulling a package out of one of the many pockets in his robes.

"We all chipped in to get you this," Dean explained as Harry opened it. Inside was a wooden box, in which was set a gorgeous set of quidditch balls, including a snitch.

"Wow…" Harry breathed. "Thanks, you guys. This is great!"

"Oh, hang on," Neville said, putting a hand into one of his pockets and pulling out another parcel. "Hermione wanted me to give you this."

Harry took the package and opened it carefully. Inside was a framed picture of Ron, Hermione and himself standing in front of the quidditch field and laughing. Tucked into the frame was a small scrap of paper. Harry pulled it out and unfolded it.

Harry –

Merry Christmas. Ron wants to be friends again, you know, he's just too stubborn to admit it. I'll keep trying for you. Thank you for understanding,

Hermione.

Harry smiled and folded the paper back up, tucking it back into the frame. He sighed and stretched.

"You know, breakfast is sounding rather good right now," He said.

"Breakfast has been and gone, Harry. Lunch would be on now," Neville said. Harry shrugged.

"Breakfast, lunch…what's the difference? It's still food. Come on."

He jumped off the bed and led the way out into the corridor, not noticing Draco standing further along. Neither did he notice the look Draco gave him.