This is it, Severus thought as he strode through the empty corridors, I have finally gone insane. I have absolutely lost my mind. It was the only conclusion he could come to, given the circumstances. What other reason would there be for the fact that he was currently striding towards Gryffindor tower?

Yes, he was purposefully going to visit a student, in Gryffindor, on Christmas morning. He mourned his lost mental faculties, but did not slow his pace.

As he reached the portrait guardian to the tower, the Fat Lady woke grumpily, flicking one eye towards the windows where the light of early morning dawn was streaming in.

"Back so soon, professor?" she commented with a false airiness. "I'd be surprised if a full 8 hours have gone between visits. And from the Head of Slytherin house. This must be a
new school record."

"Indeed, twice in 24 hours I have been here. More than enough opportunity to see what conditions you are working under and recommend that you are sent for...cleaning and reframing."

The implied threat took, and the portrait swung open with nary a further word.

Of course, once he stepped through, Snape was at a loss for what to do. His mind had only gotten no farther than this point. Faced with the reality of striding into the Gryffindor common room while the children were opening gifts, he chose instead to remain in the entry way, well hidden in the shadows, where he could watch the proceedings.

It was only Ronald Weasley in the common room, and he briefly wondered where Harry was when his friend began hollering Harry's name. Snape winced at the sound, but made own. After a moment the smaller Gryffindor showed at the bottom of the stairs to the dormitories.

"Come on Harry! You've got to come open presents."

Harry stared wide-eyed at the gifts under the tree from his perch, and moved one hand up to point to his own chest in question. Shockingly the Weasley boy understood his friend and replied,

"Yeah mate, you've got presents. Come on!"

And with that, Potter came bounding down the stairs.

He was surprised at the care with which the boy opened his gifts. Each one was unwrapped slowly, as if he wanted to savour every minute of the experience. Each one was also met with what could only be considered a whoop of joy. He would have strongly admonished Potter about not caring for his voice if he wasn't so invested in keeping his presence unknown.

He silently admired the choice of gifts the child's friends had given him. All seemed well thought out, besides the blasted invisibility cloak. He cursed Dumbledore quite loudly in his head when he had spotted it. What was the man thinking giving such a thing to the boy? It would only prove to make Severus' life more difficult. And that, he realized, was probably exactly why the man had given it up.

Finally Harry came to his last gift, and Snape stiffened in anticipation. He told himself that he was not anxious as to its reception. He was merely cold.

It was wrapped in simple brown packing paper. If he was going to expose himself by giving a gift to this child, he was not going to give in to the traditional trappings of childish, gaudy paper in which to wrap it.

But this plain brown paper was unwrapped with the same reverence as all the rest. His eyes narrowed as Potter picked up the first of his gifts - a knitted winter cap and matching mittens. Plain black wool - none of the foolishness of house colours - lined with fleece. He had not given a scarf, knowing the boy would never give up wearing the Gryffindor one he had been issued by the school.

He allowed himself the indulgence of wondering if the boy was disappointed. Such practical gifts. So practical, that really they ought not to be considered gifts at all, really. Not anymore than 3 meals a day were gifts. But then, Potter's wretched history had probably made even regular meals a gift.

Shaking himself out of such thoughts he turned his focus to Potter, and had to swallow hard at the sight. Potter had tried on both sets of clothing, and was currently rubbing the wool of the mittens against his cheek. Severus found himself flushing at the sight of such appreciation.

Ron Weasley was staring openly at his friend, with an expression that was a mix of amusement, surprise, and - anger.

"They're nice, who're they from?" Harry set the clothes in his lap and fished out the parchment that came with the gift. Leave it to him to open a gift first and *then* look for the card.

He seemed to recognize the handwriting - probably from comments on his dismal potions essays - and was stunned. This was a mistake, he thought, I've overstepped. Had he really expected such an arrogant child as Potter to be grateful for his gift?

He was just about to turn and leave when Harry's expression changed. A smile came over his face, and it was so bright and so - happy - that it caused an ache in Severus' chest. His feet felt nailed to the floor where he stood.

Harry made his sign then, to answer his friend's question. The look on Ron Weasley's face was almost worth the whole abasing exercise.

"Snape gave you a Christmas present? Snape? Well mate, that's, that's impressive!" Indeed. The boy made a move towards the mittens and Severus narrowed his eyes. He didn't want the Gryffindor's grubby paws all over them.

Apparently Harry felt the same, as he dropped the parchment and snatched up the winter gear with a soft growl of warning. The professor leaned forward with concern. What was that?

"Come on Harry. Not this again! It's just like with Hermione and the balm. You don't need to be so protective of what people give you. They're yours, I get it. I'm not going to steal them." His voice softened compassionately in a way that Severus would have never thought him capable of. "No one's really given you things, have they mate? And if they did, that ruddy cousin of yours probably stole it or broke it, right? Well I'm not going to do that. I won't Harry! I just want to see, that's all."

With suspiciously wet eyes, Harry handed them over. He almost stepped in then, as the situation seemed to be getting out of control. But then Potter seemed to steel himself - a change coming over him that was so determined it was visible to the eye. He then turned from his friend and picked up the folded parchment and opened it.

This was the biggest part. Severus shut his eyes. His thoughts turned involuntarily to the evening before when he had drafted the words therein.

Dear Mr Potter,

it had started.

I hope this letter finds you spending a satisfactory Christmas morning. The hat and the mittens are yours, given freely for my own benefit. One can not properly stir potions when one's hands are red and chapped from the cold.

As you have spent some time with me in my quarters I wanted to bestow one last thing - again in the name of practicality. Written below is the password to my quarters. You are free to use it on your visits in place of knocking. I ask only that you do not share it with anyone, and that you give attention to the portrait guarding my door when you arrive. If the doe in the portrait is not there, I am busy or indisposed and you must return to your dormitory. Read the password carefully, as all the ink will disappear in a few minutes.

The password is:

LIVE SANELY

Happy Christmas Harry,

S. Snape

He finally wrenched his eyes open to find Harry moving his lips as he tried to memorize the words. They were nonsense to the boy, but made perfect sense to his teacher, but were not hard to remember once you knew them. Harry finally folded the parchment, and he knew the words must have disappeared.

Weasley handed back the rest of his gift. "Did you know he's put a self-heating charm in there? That's pretty useful. I wonder why my mum and dad never thought to do that? What was on the parchment?"

Harry shook his head, gathering up the hat and mittens again. This time his negative response brooked no argument. He watched the two boys; Ronald thumbing through a book on quidditch, and Harry, Harry appeared to be petting the mittens.

He was glad the gift was appreciated, but this was taking it a bit far, and he found the ache in his chest had returned. Surely the boy ought to be obsessing over the invisibility cloak - an artefact from the father he had never known - not some simple mittens from his grouchy teacher.

Apparently Weasley thought so, too. "Really mate, it was good of him, but they're just mittens."

Harry looked up, affronted. He was about to turn and leave, Severus could see. He did not wish his gift to cause discord between the friends on Christmas.

Snorting at his own sentimentality, he stepped out of the shadows and into the room. He resisted a chuckle at the matching looks of shock his students wore.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley." He greeted.

Recovering himself, Harry jumped up and ran over to him, and before he had time to be shocked at the familiarity, he found himself taken by the hand and dragged over to the tree.

Bouncing on the balls of his (bare - Severus noted) feet Harry gestured at the tree and the gifts excitedly.

"I think he's trying to tell you that he got gifts, Professor." Ron said helpfully.

"So it would appear. I trust you both are having a pleasant Christmas morning?" Both boys nodded eagerly.

"If you don't mind, I will sit. I've been standing for some time." Harry's eyes flashed with understanding, although Weasley only looked confused.

As he approached an armchair (a hideously gold and burgundy one, he noted), he saw Harry make the sign for "thank you" over and over.

"You are quite welcome, Potter. Although on one point I do agree with your friend." Ronald's mouth dropped open in shock. "Yes. Consider that your holiday gift Mr. Weasley." Harry looked lost, and somewhat betrayed. Trying to block out the other boy in the room, he took Harry by the chin and pulled his face up.

"I'm glad you appreciate the gift. However it disheartens me to see you so sure that it is transient."

Ugh, he had done it again. "They are yours, Harry. They were given with good intention. But it is my hope that one day you won't consider such things a treasure, that you will realize you have the right to simple things like warm hands."

Harry's eyes warmed slightly, although shame burned through his face.

"It isn't your fault, however, and I think Mr. Weasley needs to realize that." He pulled out his wand and incanted "Accio Potter's winter gloves!"

They came flying down the stairs to land in his outstretched hand. He examined them dispassionately. Thin wool, too small for the boy's hands (for a change), and completely threadbare, including holes in many of the fingertips. They were positively Dickensian.

"This is what Mr. Potter has been wearing for - well, far too many years, I would imagine."

"Oh. Right. I get it."

"I should hope so."

With another flick of his wand he cast the incantation "Incendio" and watched as the gloves turned to ash. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

He turned back to Harry when there was a tug on his sleeve. The boy gestured with a finger to wait a moment and then ran off to his dorm.

When he was out of earshot Ron spoke up.

"It's a little strange to me, Harry being so - strange about gifts. But thank you for giving him one, Professor."

Severus could not resist rolling his eyes. "Do all Gryffindors have this penchant for thanking people?"

Ron just shrugged. "Dunno. Never noticed."

Harry returned then, with a card clutched in his hand. He paused only slightly before handing it to his teacher. Snape met his eyes, silently asking for the go-ahead to open it, and when he felt he had such permission he did so.

The card had a simple, crudely drawn Christmas Tree on the front, with animated snow falling all around it. He was surprisingly touched that Harry had drawn the card himself. On the inside it said:

Dear Professor Snape:

I think that you don't really go for Christmas, but I wanted to get you something anyway. You've been very kind to me this past month and a half. I really appreciate it. I hope you have a Happy Christmas, sir. Maybe this one will be your best one ever, like I expect it will be for me.

My gift isn't much, but I do mean it.

Sincerely,

Harry Potter

P.S. Hermione did the charm for the snow on the front of the card. I can't take credit for it.

Finishing with the inscription he turned to the two rectangular scraps of parchment that were within. He read them over once to himself, and then aloud, for the benefit of his company.

"Coupon, good for one redemption. I, Harry Potter, do promise to instantly and fully obey Professor Severus Snape with no argument upon presentation of this coupon." There were two enclosed.

He suspected that the wording of the coupon had been helped by Miss Granger as well.

Harry was looking somewhere at his knees, but with an expectant look. He was about to respond when the Weasley child burst out,

"Are you mad, Harry? He's a teacher!" He said that last with the same tone many used to say ‘Death Eater'. "He could make you drink potions as a test, or be nice to Malfoy, or, or, go to bed early!"

He held up a hand, which surprisingly silenced the boy. "While I would hope you would normally obey me without question, I do understand it does go against your Gryffindor tendencies, Potter. So I accept the gift in the spirit in which it was given. As for your concerns, Mr. Weasley, I do believe Harry intended these to be for those special occasions in which he would likely run off of his own accord without regard for the wishes of his elders."

"Thank you, Harry. I do intend to use them, you understand?"

A nod of affirmation and then the boy gathered up his parchment and began to write.

‘Ron and I are going to go build a fort! I can test the hat and gloves! Do you want to come watch?'

"I should think not. I have potions simmering. But I shall wait until you're both ready before taking my leave. Be quick about it!"

Both boys scampered up the stairs. Approximately 15 minutes later they were standing before him in all their winter clothing, ready to battle the snow.

Standing, he attempted to look bored. He turned towards the door, only to turn back and quietly cast impermeable and heating charms on both boys.

Harry made a sign, and Weasley piped up "Thank you Professor."

Mumbling "Gryffindors and their infernal gratitude!" he headed back towards the dungeons.