Day 5:

Snape woke up in a decently good mood. The night before with Harry had been more than he'd ever hoped for. Harry was quite easy to hang around with, especially when they had a plan to set in motion. Once he got into the book, he easily took on the tasks that some in his year had yet to successfully master. And it was a surprise to Snape, considering Harry's usual lack of interest. Somehow he'd seemed to enjoy it. If anything, the time he had with Harry was worth it. Hopefully Harry believed so too. As he was walking to the Great Hall he walked through a group of students.

"Professor Snape, I'm sorry." Snape found himself stopped dead by the apology of a student on his way to breakfast. What in the world made someone come to him to apologize? "I sent you one of the offending gifts. I am sorry. I didn't know how much I hurt you."

"Who said you hurt me?" Snape asked, rolling his eyes. "Forget it. I don't care. You just showed me why I shouldn't do gifting events like this."

"No, please Snape. You need to punish me. Your gifter said that if I didn't that my punishment from them would be worse. And she's one scary witch." The student shivered. "She said your gift today was punishing us."

She? Snape frowned. "Well, I suppose punishing you would make me feel better." He said and tilted his head. "Meet me in my office tonight at 7. I will teach you why you shouldn't mess with me."

"Professor." Snape turned and saw a young Slytherin boy looking at him. "I apologize. I sent you a gift that I knew you wouldn't like. I wanted you to think it was a Gryffindor who sent it."

Snape raised an eye. "You want me to punish you as well?"

"Want?" The Slytherin boy frowned. "Not really, but I need you to."

Snape laughed. "Anyone else going to apologize? I have a great punishment in mind."

Some kids made their way quickly past him. Another student raised her hand. "I sent an offending gift as well." She said with a frown. "I need punishment as well."

Snape found himself shaking his head. "How did she get you guys to do this?"

"We're not allowed to say." The Slytherin boy said, giving off an annoyed look. "She just wants you to make an announcement that it's ok to send you gifts again. We're each to tell our respective houses that if anyone sends you another gift that you dislike that she will personally dismember them."

"A woman for my own heart." Snape said rolling his eyes. "Fine, I'll make an announcement at breakfast."

"Thank you professor. We'll be there tonight." One of the students said. The girl walked away. She actually looked scared! This was amazing. Despite that he still didn't like it. Some girl had him for a giftee. Obviously someone from Gryffindor because the other 3 were all from other houses. Snape shook his head. There was only one Gryffindor he could stand and apparently he was not his gifter. He should have known that. Nothing ever went his way.

Snape made his way into the great Hall. People ignored him as he walked up to the teacher's table. He stood at the front and motioned that he needed to speak. Some looked up. Others looked worried. Snape could never have good news, right? "I have decided to lift my ban on gifting me. If that will make my gifter happy, then I am not the one to ruin their Christmas."

Dumbledore clapped, causing others to clap as well. He stood up and walked over to Snape. "It's great to see you in a great mood Severus. Perhaps you can still have your own Christmas made."

"I don't know Dumbledore, but I guess accepting it is a start. Apparently she's as badass as I am."

Dumbledore grinned. "Well, good for you then Severus."

Harry looked at Hermione. "Well, that's sure a change of heart."

Ron shook his head. "Whatever you guys did worked apparently. He actually smiled."

"You saw that, did you?" Hermione asked him. "I didn't know you could see happiness Ron." She looked at Harry. "There, are you happy?"

Harry smiled slightly. "Actually... I am. Now I can be sure to make my giftee happy."

"Well, that's good for you." Ron said.

Harry sighed. "I need to go get my things for class. Meet you in a bit?"

Hermione nodded. "See you soon Harry." She then turned to Ron and Harry felt like he was outside the circle he once knew. As supportive as Hermione was, she would never understand how Harry could fall for Snape, but she would support him. At least he had that. Still, he worried for the day Ron would find out.

Harry made his way to his room and sat down by his bed. A note was on his bedside table. "Inside your drawer is a book you might find useful. Use it to feel at ease. A cauldron is in your trunk. It's for your most private of thoughts."

Harry raised an eye and looked in the drawer. "Transferring memories: A beginner's Guide." Harry felt a smile on his lips. He opened the cover. "The cauldron will hold 5 memories, so use it for your worse. I believe it will help lessen your demons and perhaps the nightmares that accompany them."

Harry felt a tear in his eye. His gifter knew him too well. He would definitely use the cauldron. He needed some of the memories of his past out of his head so he can live without fear and regret. He just wished he could thank his gifter. Day 12 couldn't come soon enough. Of course, one thing was starting to become a startlingly clear to him though. Whoever was gifting him knew the inner workings of the Gryffindor towers. Nothing screamed out that this was Harry's bed except maybe his books on his bedside table, but every Gryffindor had them. So it was probably someone within the Gryffindor's who had him. He thought through people within his house and frowned. Only two came to mind who knew him even partially. Hermione knew a great deal, but she had all but confirmed she wasn't and Ginny, who, while they had talked about dating at one point, didn't seem to show as strong of an interest in him anymore. She'd even started dating others. Harry frowned, not sure. He hadn't thought about how he'd be able to turn someone down yet, but in the end, whoever his gifter was, was likely to get hurt. They'd already put so much heart into this.

Harry found himself feeling drained. Of all the things he did, he didn't want to hurt another person. One of the Snakes looked at him from behind the glass of their new enclosure. 'Don't look sssso ssssad.' The Snake said.

Harry frowned and lay back on his bed. "Ssssorry." Harry said, responding to the snake. "I am jussst a little ssstressed. It will go away sssoon enough."

"Thingsss will get better." The snake replied, curled around it's sibling.

Harry nodded and felt himself dozing. He frowned and sat up. He had to grab his books and move forward with his day. Perhaps things would be good soon enough. His gift for today was done though and the smile that Snape had was burned as an image in Harry's mind that when he thought on it made his heart flutter. What would Snape say if he knew his giftee was Harry Potter?

Harry decided he needed to get his mind off of what could be or not and do something he was desperate to try. He opened the book about transferring his memories and set to read to find out what he'd need to do. He would need to figure out how to do so and then figure out which memories were his worst.