Chapter 5: On The 3rd Day of Christmas...

December 16th started out as any normal day for Draco. His internal alarm woke him at exactly 6 am and he climbed his way out from under his pillow. He took stock of himself; eyes - rubbed sleepily; hair - sticking up all over the place, quickly mashed back down; arms - stretched above his head with cat-like grace; toes - curled into the mattress with a satisfying pop. He groaned in pleasure and opened his eyes fully. And squeaked with fright as he came face to face with a house-elf.

"What the bloody hell?" he gaped. The elf scrambled backwards in a hurry, large blue eyes staring at Draco in fear.

"I'm so sorry, sir. Bebe didn't mean to be scaring young master."

"What do you want?"

"I was asked to be bringing you breakfast in bed, sir."

"By who?" Draco frowned.

"I do not know sir. Bebe simply follows commands. Would young master be liking breakfast now?" Draco calmed his racing heart and nodded. Bebe snapped her fingers and a breakfast tray with all of Draco's favorites was placed carefully in his lap. The little elf also presented Draco with an envelope before disappearing with a pop. Draco opened the envelope and read the short note.

Good morning, Blonde God of My Dreams,

I present to you, your 3rd gift of Christmas - breakfast in bed. Enjoy, and think of me.

Draco set the note down and smiled. He actually was happy. It felt strange to be this happy. His friends were going to think he was insane and probably have him admitted to St Mungo's on general principles but he didn't care. For once he was going to do what he wanted and to hell with the rest of them. He picked up his fork and eagerly tucked into his breakfast.

Harry was also slowly coming awake. The morning sun slapped him right between the eyes and he groaned.

"Harry, mate?" Ron stammered. Why was Ron stammering? Harry wondered. He only stammered when he was scared.

"What?"

"There's a snake on your bed!" Harry's eyes snapped open and he looked down at his feet. Sure enough, there was a small black snake sitting there, staring at him. There was something around its neck. Dean, Neville and Seamus heard this and bolted to their feet, shrieking like girls.

"Oh do shut it already!" Harry groaned, dropping his head.

"But Harry! What if it's poisonous or something?" Ron gaped.

"Ron. If this snake wanted at you, it could climb into your bed with no problem whatsoever. And quite honestly, snakes don't bother me. Spiders on the other hand-" He let that sentence hang between them and saw Ron pale. Ignoring his arachnaphobic friend, Harry slowly sat up and looked at the little snake. Hello. Harry began in Parseltongue.

Hello, young masssster. the snake nodded.

What'ssss your name? Harry wondered.

I have no name, ssssir.

Who ssssent you?

I do not know. Perhapssss this note around my neck will provide the ansssswers you sssseek. Harry reached over and gently untied the parchment from around the small neck and opened it.

On the 3rd day of Christmas

My true love got from me

A little black snake

In a room full of Gryffindor geeks!

Happy Christmas, Harry!

Harry's face split wide with a huge grin and he started to laugh.

"What's so bloody funny?" Ron demanded.

"This is my 3rd Day present."

"A bloody snake? Are you mad?" The snake in question stared at Ron, Dean, Neville and Seamus with its little black eyes. Then the snake looked back at Harry.

These are your friendssss?

Yessss.

I can ssssmell you on them.

You won't bite them, will you?

Only if you asssk.

I'll have to give you a name, then. Any preferencessss?

As long as it issss not a female name. the snake laughed in amusement. That settled Harry's unasked question about the sex of the snake. To Ron it sounded like a bunch of spitting.

"What is all that?" Neville wondered, quite fascinated.

"He asked me not to give him a female name."

"You're going to name it?" Ron asked, incredulous that this was happening at all.

"I'm going to name him, Ron. He knows you guys are my friends and has promised not to bite you unless I ask."

"Oh that's reassuring." Ron rolled his eyes. Harry looked back at the snake, thinking.

Do you like the name Ophion?

What doessss that mean?

It's a mythological Greek name for ssssnake. Not too original, I guessss.

I like it.

You do?

Yessss. I should like to be called as ssssuch.

Pleasure to meet you, Ophion. I am Harry Potter.

The pleasure issss all mine, Harry Potter.

Would you like to be with me today? Or you can resssst here? The snake looked thoughtful for a moment.

If I am to be your familiar, I should be with you at all timessss, Harry Potter.

All right. And pleasssse, call me Harry.

Agreed. And, the conversation apparently over, the snake slithered it's way up to Harry, who gently picked him up and wrapped him around his neck.

"Who would be demented enough to send you a gift like that?" Seamus wondered. Harry didn't answer but he was beginning to get an idea. But he kept it to himself. He didn't want to ruin his own Christmas.

Potions class started off interestingly enough. Harry caused quite a stir when he came to class with Ophion around his neck. Even Snape stared at him.

"I see you've made a new friend, Potter." Snape drawled.

"Yes, sir."

"And what species of snake do you have?"

"Far as I can tell, an adder, sir."

"Fascinating. May I?" Snape was in genuine awe, much to the Slytherin students disgust, save 3. Harry looked at Ophion and spoke something rapidly in Parseltongue. The snake nodded. Harry gently removed him and passed him to Snape. Snape looked like a kid in a candy store. He actually smiled.

In the back of the room, Draco was trying his hardest not to come in his pants. Who knew Parseltongue, especially Parsletongue spoken by Harry Potter, would be such a turn on? Draco watched on, pleased, as his head of house literally drooled over the gift he'd given Harry. He knew then, he'd made the right choice. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when Harry looked back at him and winked.

"Did Potter just wink at me?" he asked.

"Yes he did, toots." Pansy giggled next to him. Blaise turned in his seat to look at Draco.

"Seems like your secret is out, Drake."

"Shut it, Zabini." Draco scowled. But secretly he wondered if Harry did know it was Draco sending the gifts.