Third Week of December, First Year

The biting British cold nipped at your nose. You pull your Hogwartian striped scarf over your cheeks (which ones?!) and begin your journey to the Gryffindor common room. For a magic school, you would think they would have heating and AC, but they don't. They are so so so stuck in the past. Poor little Hufflepuffs were probably shooting fireballs at each other! The fireplace was the only place you knew to heat up your fingies and toesies.

Earlier this week, you saw off to all the friends you made this semester. Holiday break, gah. Everybody had the embrace of an affectionate family and home, which you were happy for–but alas, you were not so fortunate. Aunt Tunila made clear that she wanted the house all to herself since you started higher secondary education at Hogwarts. Lord only knows what that wicked woman was getting up to all by her lonesome. Good thing you don't have to accept this alone. Harry Potter didn't have a family to go home with either. You smiled at the thought of another poor orphan whose parents died in unknown circumstances and was the same age as you and was in the same classes as you and had all these fun adventures as you and oh! You reminisced on your first day. You met Harry while escaping your fatal frog fate and punishment. Goodness gracious, he was such a darling boy then. But now he has been distant and cold. Literally. He claims to be cold under those turbans! But you had seen the truth, the teeth, in that bathtub of his.

Spiraling up the staircases, you finally made it to the lionhearted fireplace of the Gryffindors. You sat down on the scratchy burgundy rug in front of the flames. It's so empty without all the other students with jealous stares toward you and Hermione. Not everybody could be like you HAhahahaha! G*d, she's so perfect.

If only there was a spell for marshmallows and a stick cuz boy you were hungry, sad, cold, and lonely. You felt a warm hand clasp onto your slender shoulder. "Hey Y/N," Harry mumbled, sitting down next to you.

"What do you want?" You asked.

You found it disturbing how he floods your thoughts and suddenly appear in front of you like,,,, like magic. He smiled with his eyes and nose wrinkling together. "I know it's a little late, but I got you this." He handed you a glittery lavender box with a velvet ribbon tied into a bow on top. You stared at it. It's the only holiday gift you have gotten thus far. Though Hermione's Jesus-cross-diamond-embellished cross necklace did hang between your chest. Aunt Tunila stopped giving you presents last year since you were now a legal adult. So sad, so sad! You never felt like a child in the first place. You hesitantly reached out for the box, before he swiftly pulled it away from your face. "Ahahaha! Got you good, didn't I?" Harry snickered. You couldn't tell if this was him or some sick joke he was pulling.

"Potter! YOu Bitch. Are you truly this evil!?"

He seemed to be taken aback. "What are you talking about Y/N? Aren't we pals? This isn't how you talk to your buddy. Accept my gift–you'll love it. Knowing you."

You looked him up and down. By doing this, you felt dizzy and suddenly everything blurred until you could only make out pieces of the ceiling. Oh dear, you had no idea how long you were left like this. Poke. Huh? What was that? Poke. It seemed like somebody was prodding at you! But hwere? you couldn't see them. "Ahhhh! WhAT's happening to me?!" You screamed. Then a head popped out above you. Harry's… floating head…. You felt faint again. "Hey, hey now, come back to me." Harry held your head up and lifted a flask of water for you. At least you hope it's water.

"Isn't this neat? Somebody left this box for me on Christmas morning! An invisibility cloak," he said with boyish wonder. "I also got a funky sweater from the Weasleys! LOL it is so ugly. Which reminds me, you should open your gift!"

Weakly, you reach for the box nestled next to you. Taking of te ribbon and the lid, you found an emerald green ball of yarn.

"Wow! Thanks Harry! How did you know I liked to play with yarn?"

"I'd do anything for my kitty cat meow meow." he giggled.

Wow... Maybe Harry-kuns wasn't evil anymore? Though his turban did have an aura of dark magic. Weird! Whatever... HE was just SO kind and generous and beautiful.

It was one of the first meaningful gifts you had ever gotten in your short, manufactured life. Manufactured? Where'd that thought come from? Hm. Whatever. Yarn….. :)

You took out the yarn and began playing with it in your lap. Hehe. It was so green!

Harry smiled. You noticed there were tiny tears running down his cheeks. "What's wrong?" You asked.

"I've never given anyone a gift before." He replied. " I've never had friends... or family, I guess. It was only me. So yeah... this is really special to me."

You gave him a small hug, which quickly returned, finding yourself wrapped around his body.

"I love you, Y/N. No matter how cold and mean I act. Please believe that." He mumbled into your neck.

"Oh, Harry..."

Harry pulled away to wipe the tears off of his face. His eyes sparkled, as they did back in those old days, like the days when you first met. He pulled you back against him, and you laid your head on his shoulder.

You felt safe, secure, happy, and loved for the first time. The fire crackled behind you, and you could almost imagine you were home at last.

"Merry Christmas, Y/N."