The next morning dawned faster than Harry had thought possible and before he could blink twice he had finished breakfast and stood before a crooked tree and an aged box of decorations.

Snape observed from the background, waving his wand to turn the faded, stringless ornaments into sparkling, freshly-painted festive decorations that were everything a Christmas ornament should be. Although they were much more magical styled with the angel's wings flapping occasionally and the reindeers did loops around the tree.

Harry enjoyed himself while being able to decorate a Christmas tree for the first time in his life (not that he told Snape that) without having to just watch Dudley attempt it and than break all of the pretty ornaments. The closest he'd ever come to this experience was when Harry had attached torn tinsle to a large pinecone at the age of four.

Snape on the other hand, could not understand what could possibly be so enjoyable about attaching silly objects to an indoor tree each year. He watched as Harry hummed to himself when he stepped back to admire his work and felt that at least the boy was enjoying himself. Which he was relieved for because it had taken him hours the previous night to find that box of decorations and the tree, since they had been stashed away from sight and touch before Snape had even reached the age of ten.

"Do you like it?" Harry asked, turning to look at Snape who had to cover his expression of annoyance to appear only relatively uninterested.

"I do believe that this particular tree has yet to be so decorated" Snape nodded and Harry took this as a huge compliment.

"Harry..." Snape reached out to the boy and pulled a piece of tinsle from the boy's untamed hair.

"I was under the impression that the tree was to be decorated instead of yourself" He smirked slightly and Harry blushed as the man ran a hand through his hair to remove further glittering pieces from the decorations.

"Yeah, sorry" Harry concealed a smile while ignoring the nagging part of his brain that told him how shocked he should be to discover that Snape actually had a sense of humour. Most of the Gryffindors had thought that it had only been a myth.

The rest of the day passed by rather peacefully with Snape keeping to himself and Harry lazing on an armchair to watch television as though it was the most amazing thing in the world; even though he knew that he would get bored of it soon enough.

Nothing really eventful happened until later that night around 11:30pm when Snape was pulled from his slumber by an unfamilar sound.

Reaching for his wand, Snape got out of bed and quickly transfigured his pyjamas into robes as he left his bedroom and kept his ears alert for the location of the odd sound. It seemed to be coming from Harry's room so he walked down the hall and used his hand to carefully push open the door in order to check on the boy who should be asleep by now.

And he was, but Harry's forehead was sweaty and his hands clawed at his sheets while he whimpered and frowned; it didn't take a genius to understand that the boy was having a terrible nightmare.

Snape stared at Harry as he slowly approached the bed and was unsure of what he should do. Surely it was to be one of those nightmares that bothered the boy for days afterwards and he appeared to be very desturbed by it, even now.

Deciding to not let the boy suffer, Snape placed his wand on the bedside table and crouched over the boy until he could see his face clearer. Even with him asleep, it made Snape quite sad himself to see the tears that the boy was subconciously shedding and the look of distant fear on his face. He was twelve years old and yet in such a state of fear and misery...the boy looked much younger.

"Harry?" Snape tried to wake him by shaking his shoulder lightly but he didn't respond until Snape had seated himself on the bed and brushed some hair from Harry's face before trying again.

"Please don't sent me away!" Harry sobbed, jerking upright even though it didn't seem as though he had completely woken from his nightmare and his eyes were still squeezed tightly shut.

"What reason would I have for sending you away?" Snape asked, not sure how to handle the situation, if Harry was even aware of what he was saying or if it had just been a nightmare.

"Uncle Vernon wanted to send me away" Harry sniffed, his face bowed as another tear slid down his cheek.

"Said I was a stupid freak that no one wants" The boy mumbled again and Snape wasn't sure what it was exactly but something inside himself crumbled and a wave of sadness as well as protectiveness washed over him.

"Would you ever send me away?" Harry glanced at Snape, his eyes opening for the first time but in the darkness Snape was unable to make out the likliness that they had to Lily's and all he saw were two orbs of uncertaincy as Harry stared at him...wondering if he too did not want him.

"Hush child; it was merely a nightmare" Snape said, placing a hand on the boy's head as he sniffled again but it didn't seem to help him at all and he just couldn't bear to see Harry so sad and broken.

Where was the brave Gryffindor who had stood up to Voldemort alone last year? The same boy that was constantly laughing amongst his friends and who played Quidditch with such determination? It surprised Snape how easily the boy's misery pained him as well and he wanted nothing more than to take it away.

"Harry...I would never send you away" Snape said, allowing Harry to move closer and bury his face on his chest while he kept a soothing hand behind the boy's head.

He sniffled a little more and then it became a sob. Snape feared that he had done something wrong but after a moment it decreased and Harry went rather quiet. It occured to Snape that the boy must have fallen back to sleep but he did not move for it was comfortable and...warm. He could not remember ever feeling the warmth that seemed to swell inside of him as the boy rested his head against his chest and Snape still had his hand on the back of the boy's head.

After another moment, he lay the child carefully onto the pillow again and lit his wand in attempt to catch a glimpse of the boy without those dreaded glasses and found that Harry did look quite a bit more alike his mother. But it pleased Snape to see that he was neither his father nor his mother without the glasses and he was simply...Harry.

Snape stood and left the room seconds later. He returned to his bedroom and transfigured his robes back into pyjamas before laying down to rest in his own bed, pondering what he had felt when he'd seen the boy cry and how strange it was to comfort someone.

He doubted that Harry would remember this the following morning and part of Snape hoped that would be the case, but at least now he understood what the boy needed and had an idea on how to give it to him, sort of. Severus Snape was no expert on coddling children, but he now knew what actions mattered and what were just simply pointless and embarrasing. Actually he felt as though it was all embarrassing, but for once in a very long time; he didn't care about his pride.

All because a young boy needed a real father...Harry needed him, and now that was more important than anything else.

Harry's mind was a bit foggy as he awoke the following morning because he had a vauge memory of having a nightmare and feeling warm all over when he'd been pulled out of it...almost as if he'd been wrapped in a blanket of comfort. But how? Surely Snape hadn't been woken by his nightmare and come to comfort him? But there was no one else in the house besides them...

Harry climbed out of bed and dressed in a pair of faded pants and a loose t-shirt before making his way downstairs where Snape was already awake and had just placed their breakfast on the table.

"Morning" He yawned as he slumped into the nearest chair and ran a hand through his hair.

"Good Morning, Harry" Snape replied, frowning at how odd those words sounded coming from his mouth but brushed it off as he joined the obviously tired boy at the table.

Harry picked at his eggs for a moment and then cast an uncertain glance at Snape, who was pouring himself some tea and pretended not to notice the look that he was recieving.

"Did I have a nightmare last night?" Harry decided to ask.

"I believe you did" Snape nodded before sipping his drink but his eyes remained fixated on Harry.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I woke you" Harry said, looking quite embarrassed. "I don't usually wake people."

"You speak as though these nightmares occur often" Snape said, his eyebrows narrowing tightly together as he forced himself to express his concern rather than hiding it away.

"Not really, but sometimes..." Harry shrugged, having missed the look when he glanced away. "I have them more often lately though."

Snape said nothing and just glanced down at the Daily Prophet that was sitting atop the table in front of him and castually read over a report on a desturbance in a muggle neighbourhood, but it was nowhere nearby so he wasn't too interested; plus it did not appear to be the work of Death Eaters. The papers will publish anything these days.

Harry finished his breakfast without another word and took his plate to the sink before settling himself in front of the television again. But the fact that it was Christmas Eve seemed to have slipped from his mind as he thought back to the previous night.

He was so sure that Snape had come into his room when he'd had that horrible nightmare and comforted him, but surely that could not be the case? He had been warm, soft and had made Harry feel safe...everything that he'd wanted from a parent but figured to be less important. It was like a drug and now that he'd experienced it he wanted more. But last night was a once-occuring thing, right? If Harry approached Snape and even had to nerve to ask for any physical comfort than the man was more likely to scowl at him, wasn't he? Harry was confused now as he stared at the television screen but he wasn't really absorbing the images or sounds that came from it.

Snape had remained at the table and watched the boy curiously. He wanted to question him about the nightmare but decided that now wasn't the right time; but then when was?

The television was going but it showed an old-fashioned movie that Snape wasn't so sure that Harry actually noticed, for he would have changed it to the cartoons he sought out during the times that the television had been on since his arrival. He could tell that Harry had other things on his mind but was unsure if he should say anything or just let the boy be.

Snape knew that walking away and giving Harry space would be the easier thing to do and perhaps he needed it but the topic had to be discussed, so perhaps it was best to do that whilst it was still fresh?

"Harry?" Snape got up from the table and noticed how his tone seemed to have startled the boy.

"Yes, sir?" Harry turned around to look at him in surprise while switching the television off.

"I believe that we still have certain matters that require discussing" Snape said.

"After awaking from your nightmare you appeared to be under the impression that you would be sent away?"

So Snape had been in the room last night? Harry frowned but sighed, lowering his gaze and blushed a little as he nodded.

"I only remember that my uncle had threatened to send me away a few years ago. I guess my nightmare fed on that" He shrugged and looked up again. "I am really sorry for waking you."

"I did not request an apology; instead I would prefer an explanation" Snape said, crossing his arms as he looked down at the over-apologising child.

"What obnoxious form of logic caused your uncle to issue such a threat towards his nephew? Exactly how old were you at the time?" He asked as he fought to keep his tone calm for it was unsettling to hear that it wasn't a dream, but an actual memory.

"Erm...I was five" Harry mumbled. "And I...I don't remember" He lied lamely and looked away again.

"It may have escaped your notice, Mr Potter, but I am well aware of when one is being less than truthful when answering my questions" Snape scowled.

"Sorry, I just...it's stupid and embarrassing, alright?" Harry frowned and refused to look at the man that was towering over him.

"Than it should also be insignificant" Snape replied, testing his patience as he tried to get the boy to talk to him, which was something he'd elected to do but yet Harry still did not want to.

"What could even you have done at the mere age of five that would warrant threatening to send you away?"

"No" Harry said and got up from the armchair, strolling past Snape and into the kitchen. "I just don't want to talk about it!"

"Potter!" Snape snarled and turned to glare at him but Harry just looked up and then ran out of the room and up the stairs. The sound of a slamming bedroom door soon followed.

Snape paced the room and pocketed his wand to prevent himself from hexing a wall or preferably a breakable piece of furniture. He couldn't understand what he'd done wrong and why the boy had such a nerve to storm out on him like a fifteen-year-old being denied their broomstick.

Still angry, Snape made his way up the stairs as he was certainly not going to spent Christmas Eve with Potter upstairs avoiding him over a memory that had taken place over six years ago. Nor was he going to tolerate such rude behaviour!

But as he reached for the doorhandle, Snape heard the muffled sounds of crying and felt guilty although he knew that he had no real reason to feel it. He had tried talking to the boy and yet Harry had over-reacted...then why did Snape feel ashamed?

"Harry?" Snape opened the door and took a glance at the boy to saw him sitting on the edge of his bed with his head bowed. He was brushing tears away now but had stopped crying when Snape entered the room.

"It was not my intention to upset you" He added, his tone losing its anger and frustration that he'd felt just moments earlier.

"I know" Harry mumbled, sniffling slightly as the man approached. "But that was one of the worst moments of my life" He admitted with a heavy sigh.

"It was then that I realised...that the only people to ever care about me were dead" Harry said in a defeated tone, one that sounded too mature or anguished for a child of his young age.

Snape flinched slightly at those words but remained as calm as he could; if not for his sake than for Harry's.

"You are yet to inform me of the reasoning behind such a threat from your uncle" Snape pressed.

"I believe that you wished to confine in me as your...father, and yet you once again decline the oppurtunity to do so?"

"I..." Harry rolled his eyes before continuing. "I asked him if they loved me, okay?" He growled in admittance and went to expand on his words while Snape tried to understand how that could possibly be a reason to send a child of five-years-old away.

"They got really mad, especially my uncle. Saying how I was ungreatful and a freak...how no one could love me and if I suggest such a thing again than they should send me away" Harry shrugged, still staring at the floor as though he was talking to it and not to the man standing before him.

"Your muggle uncle is an idiot" Snape said and his unintentionally spoken aloud words caused Harry to glance at him in surprise and amusement.

"No wonder you are so poorly raised if you have been placed into the care of such an incompetent guardian" He added in a much calmer tone.

"But it's true" Harry sighed. "I mean, that my parents are the only ones to really care about me and they're dead" He said and was confused as for a fraction of a second...Snape looked as though he'd offended him or even upset him.

Snape glanced away and bit back a frown at the boy's words for surely he could see that he cared for his wellbeing as well? Even though Snape had barely admitted to himself how deeply he was starting to care for the child, surely Harry had noticed it being the reason for various of his actions recently? Perhaps not.

"I request that you speak with me when you awake from a nightmare, Potter" Snape said, his tone lacking its usual bite. "Regardless" He added and frowned deeply as though he was about to punish a rule-breaker and thief. "And if you ever imply that I do not care for you, Potter...then I will have you scrubbing cauldrons for a month" He scowled.

"I would take no pleasure in being awoken in the middle of the night, nor spending hours in your miserable company if it were simply to fulfill this position that you have bestowed upon me" Snape finished.

"You...do care about me?" Harry almost gasped.

"I assumed that I had already made that fact clear" Snape did roll his eyes this time.

"I am certain that others care for you as well, such as your friends and other members of the staff that you have wrapped around your finger" He added. "Do not question that again, understood?"

"You care about me" Harry whispered as though that was the only part he'd heard.

"But...why?" He glanced up and Snape wanted to bang his head against a brick wall for the boy was being so dense.

"I am yet to find a cause for such an enigma" Snape replied instead and turned to leave the room to finally give him some space. It would also provide him with a moment to preserve his sanity before Potter took any more of it away.

"Um...sir?" Harry sounded nervous so Snape paused and turned to look at him but his gaze was met with a mop of hair as Harry stared at the floor again. "Last night...you, well you, erm...comforted me, didn't you?"

"I am forced to comfirm that I did indeed offer you comfort after you had awoken from your unsettling nightmare" Snape said, his tone quieter than usual as he wondered where this was going.

"Thanks" Harry mumbled.

"It was...nice. I mean, it helped a lot and I...I don't think I remember an adult ever hugging me before. Hermione hugged me once, but I...." He trailed off and seemed incapable of saying much more than: "It really made me feel better."

Snape stared at Harry for a moment with a mixture of his own feelings and decided to admit something that he hadn't been fully aware of until he'd said it.

"Had I previously been aware of the possitive effect of enacting such a physical form of comfort towards you...perhaps the previous night would not have been the first time" Snape said and Harry glanced up, shocked once again but this time speechless.

"Do not assume incorrectly, Harry. I am above such form of contact...however since you seemed to be profoundly lacking it than I do believe I could tolerate it further...in aid to your wellbeing."

"You...would?" Harry asked and bit his lip while looking away nervously again.

"So if I...felt bad or something, you'd...well you'd, you know?" He winced at his hopeful tone.

"Within circumstance, yes" Snape nodded and approached the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder tenderly. "I do not wish for you to suffer, Harry."

Harry couldn't take the emotions running through his mind and body anymore as no one had ever said such kind or caring words towards him before and the fact that they'd just come from his proud, stubborn but still new father...it overwhelmed him.

Snape was taken aback as Harry started crying again although he quickly realised that it wasn't because he was pained but instead it was quite the opposite.

He had intended to comfort the boy again but Harry beat him to it as he wrapped his arms around Snape the clung to him; sobbing against him as he had the previous night. Snape felt awkward but patted Harry's back with one hand whilst placing his other hand against the back of the boy's head as he cried against him.

After their soulful moment, they had talked a little more and then parted, not seeing the other until lunch. That was when Snape decided to keep the boy busy and suggested that he assist him with some potions he "had" to have done before dinner. Admittingly the boy's skills in the area were not desirable so Snape merely had him passing ingredients that he requested or allowed the boy to stir the cauldron at certain moments or to check that the temperature was right.

By dinner, all of the potions had been brewed and stored so the pair headed back upstairs and each changed to prepare a feast for dinner, in which Harry had requested to help with. Snape was actually rather surprised how well the boy could cook and yet he wasn't brilliant at potions? How did that one work out?

They ate their dinner whilst engaging in casual talk about things that they probably wouldn't even remember by morning.

Afterwards Harry insisted on switching on the lights that were wrapped around the Christmas tree and after arguing that they were pointless if they didn't, Snape agreed and flicked his wand to make the lights glow. That led to the pair sitting on opposite armchairs with a magically conjured fireplace nearby, enchanted with non-burning flames. Snape had summoned some hot chocolate and by that point it was starting to get late although Harry seemed to be really enjoying himself.

"I think I'll..." Harry started to say as it neared 10pm but his words were cut off by a yawn escaping his mouth.

"I am forced to agree" Snape nodded with barely an ounce of disapointment but it was still there.

"Goodnight da--erm, sir" Harry mumbled sleepily and made his way upstairs.

"If I get up early, could I wake you...I mean, since it'll Christmas and all?" He then turned to ask, having heard about kids waking their parents up too early on such a day and longed to experience it for himself.

Snape eyed him with a distasteful frown but sighed and nodded. "If you wish" He replied, finding it unlikely that the boy would awake before him anyway.

"Sleep well, Harry" He added as the boy continued on his way to his bedroom.

Snape turned back to glance at his colourful sitting room and rolled his eyes. He swished his wand and the flames vanished alongside the fancy fireplace and the Christmas tree lights faded. He was tempted to be rid of the entire tree for it felt as though he was being mocked by it, but left it for Harry wouldn't be happy to find it gone on Christmas morning.

With another sigh, Snape tucked his wand away and headed upstairs for he longed to just sleep and hoped that he would awake before Harry. He was displeased to realise how easily the boy got what he wanted from him and whilst it made him feel warm at times...Snape knew that he had to instill some boundaries before he lost all authority he had over the boy.

Either way, Snape was actually glad that Harry was here with him this Christmas and began to wonder how dark and lonely the previous ones had really been.

Now it was almost like...well, it was almost like he had a family.