Something had changed.

That was the first thing Harry thought of when he awoke the following day. He wasn't sure what exactly, but last night some sort of ground had been broken between himself and Snape, although he didn't know what to think of it.

The man had once fired insults at him and took points off Gryffindor for doing anything short of breathing...and yet he had taken his Quidditch into consideration along with his schoolwork, he had forced him to the hospital wing when he was unwell and he had listened to Harry as he'd described a nightmare that bothered him.

Harry thought that perhaps Snape had changed, but somehow he knew that it wasn't what was going on at all.

No, he was perhaps always like this but had never shown it before; that he could care and that he was more than just a sour dungeon bat without feelings. He was a person just like anyone else.

Although Harry felt a wash of sadness at that thought. Snape didn't really have a family did he? There had never been mail delivered to Snape that Harry had seen, apart from an odd parcel or letter occasionally. No presents at Christmas, no birthday gifts (although he had no idea when his brithday actually was and it could be during the summer) and no...nothing. Was he without anyone just as Harry was?

But instead of making his mood worst, that thought actually cheered him up because it meant that perhaps he could help Snape...give him something in return.

He had felt rather selfish asking Snape to be his father with all the tasks and concerns that the man would have to consider, but now if he was lonely as well than perhaps Harry could do something for him as a son should. But what? He didn't know when his birthday was and...wait a minute.

"Christmas" Harry realised as he checked his calender and saw that there was barely a few days until Christmas and that students would be leaving tomorrow to go home to their familes, decorated trees, gifts and warmth.

Ron had invited Harry over but their plans changed and the family were travelling for Christmas while Hermione was going to see her cousins.

Last Christmas had been his best ever for it had been just him and Ron, but this year...he would be alone.

Harry shook those thoughts away and tried to recall what Hermione had said the other day about owl-ordering things from Diagon Alley, but what could he get or Snape? He barely knew anything about the man other than the fact that he was brilliant at potions. Perhaps he could get him a nice book about something involving potion-making or rare ingredients? He would have to ask Hermione later.

But there was still a strong sense of something being different and Harry only hoped that it was something good for he was already becoming too hopeful and attached to his new fatherly relationship with Snape.

Despite the fact that they still had a long way to go...if it was taken from Harry even now, he felt that it would leave him feeling torn and desvestated. He would do anything to preserve it for he had a new father and he wasn't about to let him go.

--

After talking to Hermione, Harry made his way to the Great Hall with his two best friends and they seated themselves for breakfast.

His gaze moved from his plate and over towards the staff table where he spotted Snape -his father- talking about something with McGonagall who looked as though she was preparing to leave the table.

And soon enough she made her way along the Gryffindor table to speak with various students and he first thought that she was confirming who was staying over the holidays, but was worried as some students groaned and others looked confused.

"Mr Potter" She reached him. "You also elected to remain over the Christmas holidays?"

"Yes, professor" Harry nodded, dreading something that would prevent that wish.

"I am afraid that it will not be possible for Hogwarts will be closed over this Christmas break" She said, looking sympathetic.

"What?" Harry couldn't help but wince. If he was to return to the Dursleys for Christmas...his life would be nothing short of a living hell.

"But...can't I stay? I won't get in the way and I'll stay in my dormitory!"

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr Potter, but there will be no staff here during the holidays so that is not an option. If you have made plans already it would be advisable if you inform your family that you are coming home for the holidays or else find another place to stay" She said and walked away to inform the others.

"That sucks, mate" Ron said as Harry slumped in pure disapointment and misery...until a thought occured to him in his most desperate moment to avoid the Dursleys: she had said "Or else gind another place to stay", hadn't she?

"Harry?" Hermione called out as he got to his feet suddenly and strolled out of the Great Hall like a knight preparing to slay a dragon.

--

He made his way back to the common room and than proceeded to his dormitory which he knew would be empty and paced back and forth until he could force himself to come to a decision.

Should he just endure the horrible Dursleys and live with it for it would only be about a week or two or should he take the biggest risk he could ever consider and ask Snape if he could stay with him?

 He felt that it would be pushing the boundaries quite far and could also ruin everything that they were slowly building, but the idea of going back to the Dursleys...Harry would rather rot chained to a dungeon wall than that.

But what if he did ask? What if Snape turned him down? Would he be angry, would he insult the boy for such a question and would he even want Harry anywhere near him especially during the holidays.

And surprisingly, the one thing that Harry felt most nervous about was: what if he accepted?

Snape left the Great Hall not long after and made his way down to the dungeons as he usually did.

He was rather looking forward to spending almost two weeks away from the castle and to indulge in his peace and quiet. There would be no students to supervise, no work to mark and no lessons to endure. Although he had been rather surprised when Albus had told the staff the night before that Hogwarts would be closing for the holidays for he could not recall that ever happening whilst he was a teacher or student within the castle. What was the old man up to now?

But Snape had no chance to ponder that as he rounded a corner near his office and came a to startled halt for Harry was standing outside the door to his office, staring at his feet with a very anxious expression.

"Mr Potter?" He barked, making the boy jump and stare at him.

"Exactly what are you doing down here stalking about my office?" Snape asked while raising an eyebrow that clearly indicated his level of suspicion.

"I..." Harry didn't seem to remember how to speak for a moment but quickly gathered himself. "Could I have a word with you, sir? It's rather important."

"Very well" Snape replied and entered his office, allowing Harry a moment to follow behind him and shut the door before they both took a seat on opposite sides of the desk.

"Professor McGonagall said that Hogwarts would close for the Christmas holidays" Harry said, avoiding Snape's gaze as though he was in trouble.

"And um, my friends are all going someplace else for the time and I...I don't want to go back to the Dursleys, sir" He glanced up but looked away again before Snape could catch the expression in his eyes.

Snape felt as though a ghost had flown through him for he seemed to fear where this conversation was going but the strongest possibility was rather difficult to ignore. Surely the boy wasn't going to ask...not this soon and why would he?

"I know it's unfair to ask you and I could be ruining everything...but..." Harry struggled for words and Snape remained quiet, hurridly trying to think of a way around such a situation.

"Would it be okay if I stay with you?" Harry braved glancing up and stared right into Snape's eyes with Lily's green ones, making the man curse profoundly in his mind.

"You are requesting to intrude on my holiday simply because you do not wish to return to your family?" Snape asked, not being able to say anything else but was rather surprised to see a look of hurt on the boy's face.

Harry bit his lip but refused to give in just yet, he had to try everything...he just had to.

"They are not my family, sir. They hate me. I know you probabably don't believe me, no one does...but it's true" Harry frowned slightly although Snape could see his bravery slipping.

"If I go back they'll think I'm trying to ruin their Christmas and...I don't know how they would react."

"So instead you wish to ruin my Christmas?" Snape hissed but caught himself from saying more for now there was a teary look in the boy's eyes...and he really hadn't meant to be so harsh but he was unsure of what to say.

"You're right, I'm sorry..." Harry bowed his head but made no move to leave. "I just thought that..."

"Go on" Snape encouraged, trying to soften in tone but it was rather difficult.

"That you're my father now and...I don't know, I just hoped...after last night and all..." Harry stumbled over his words and Snape felt a pang of strong guilt for it had been his old habits that bit at the boy.

He never did anything during the holidays really and certainly didn't like celebrating Christmas...so what was holding him back? Was it the fact that inviting the boy to stay with him during a family time of year scared him? It basically sealed their new relationship and as much as he wanted that, it as still new to him.

But as he stared down at the sniffling boy he came to see that Harry was exactly that: a boy. He wasn't a teenaged Potter that wanted to torment him to insanity, he wasn't a grown man in need of nothing from a parental figure and he certainly wasn't an over-spoiled brat that had enough already. What did the boy have?

"I cannot possibly imagine why you wish to spent nearly two weeks in my home during the Christmas holidays, Harry" Snape said and the boy glanced up to show sad but otherwise dry eyes filled with hope and confusion brought on by the useage of his first name.

"However..." Snape sighed. "As I would consider it an interesting test to our new...arangement, than I do believe that I could tolerate your presence during the holidays."

"Really?" Harry could't help but grin. "I can come and stay with you? I won't have to go back to the Dursleys yet?"

"Have I not already made myself clear?" Snape asked. "Yes, Mr Potter. You are to pack your things and be ready for departure outside my office at 10:30am sharp tomorrow morning. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir!" Harry jumped up. "Thanks!"

"I also expect you to be on your best behaviour during your stay" Snape narrowed his eyes and the boy nodded eagerly. He was rather surprised that Harry seemed so thrilled with the idea of staying with him and a part of Snape lached on to that.

"I must warn you that I do not indulge in silly Christmas activities" He added. "If you wish to decorate a tree I could perhaps allow it, but that will be all."

"That's okay" Harry said as he was used to less anyway. "Thanks, sir...thank-you!" He grinned again and felt rather stupid but he couldn't help it. His father was letting him stay for Christmas!

"You are dismissed" Snape said while pinching the bridge of his nose.

Harry nodded and left the office, only catching Snape's "10:30am sharp" reminder before he walked around the corner and rushed up the stairs, taking two at a time for he could not recall feeling this happy about something.

It wasn't like the excitement of attending Hogwarts for the first time or feeling the thrill of riding a broom...it was a special feeling that he suspected was related to family for he had never felt it before, not that he could remember anyway.

--

"There you are!" Ron said as he spotted his friend entering the common room some several minutes later.

"Where did you go?" Hermione approached as well, looking worried but spotted his grin. "What happened?"

"I don't have to go back to the Dursleys yet" Harry grinned.

"But...Hogwarts will be closed" Hermione frowned. "Where will you go?"

Harry glanced around the common room where various other Gryffindors were seated or standing in groups. He gestured for his friends to follow him up to the dormitory and after checking that it was empty apart from them, he proceeded to tell them the news, unable to keep the joy out of his expression and tone.

Had he known last year that he would be excited about spending two weeks with Snape, he'd have had himself commited.

And so 10:30am sharp the following morning, Harry was right on time...much to Snape's annoyance. The boy was often late for classes but when the holidays came around he was typically on time and prepared. His grin had faded slightly and the boy now looked rather nervous, which calmed Snape down for he too was rather anxious and wondered when he began to bend to Harry's requests so quickly or easily. It was those eyes; he told himself...if Harry hadn't of inherited Lily's eyes than Snape's life would be much simpler.

"I presume you have packed everything that you require?" He questioned as he opened the door to his private study and allowed the boy entrance.

"Yes sir" Harry nodded as he pulled his trunk into the room and looked around, seeing the mixture of browns, silvers and blacks. There was also a fireplace, large sofa and a long wall of bookcases.

"We will be travelling by floo" Snape informed him and waved his wand to shrink Harry's trunk so that it could be fit in his pocket for better travel and comfort.

He didn't bother to ask if Harry had traveled that way before or not and just simply held out a jar of powder to the boy, relieved when he seemed to know what to do.

"Spinner's End" Snape informed him of the location when the boy looked at him questionably.

"This fireplace connects directly to my home" He added and watched Harry stepped into the fireplace and soon vanished. Snape rolled his eyes skyward, muttered a few things and then followed after the boy.

Harry was staring around at the many piles of books in the sitting room when Snape came through and placed a hand on his shoulder to direct him upstairs for he felt rather uncomfortable to have the boy in his home. The previous night he had returned home to fix the place up a bit (remove dust and restock the supplies etc) and prepare a room for Harry, which he was now thankful that he had done so.

"You will be staying in this room" Snape said as he released Harry's shoulder and watched as the boy stepped into the relatively small but still spacious room that had a single bed with skarlet sheets, a bedside table with a small cupboard, an oak wardrobe, a set of drawers, a desk and chair as well as a window although the light blue drapes were drawn closed to conceal it.

"It's nice" Harry smiled. "Thanks."

Snape arched an eyebrow, wondering what was to be so greatful about...surely the boy hadn't thought that he was going to have him sleep on the sitting room floor or something else just as ridiculous? But instead of speaking, Snape pulled out Harry's trunk and re-sized it so that the boy could unpack.

"Lunch will be in an hour" Snape said and with a swish of his cloaks, he left the room and Harry behind as he went downstairs to gather his thoughts.

Harry stared at the now-empty doorway for a moment before he proceeded to unpack his things like he presumed Snape wanted him to do.

After placing his clothes in either the wardrobe or the drawers, he sat on his new but temporary bed and just stared at the floor. It certainly had an air of awkwardness from the moment he had stepped through the floo up until now, but Harry was determined to break that for this could end up being a realyl great holiday. But then again, it could still end up being a complete disaster.

He had no clock in his room, but decided to make his way downstairs anyway and as he reached the bottom step he noticed the television sitting in the corner and a electric lamp was switched on. It seemed that Snape lived in a muggle lifestyle at home. But he was in Slytherin, didn't that mean that he was a pureblood?

"Sir?" Harry questioned as he sat down at a small, round table across from Snape once two plates of sandwiches had been placed in front of them.

"Are you a muggle-born?" He asked a little shyly.

Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy's question but followed the boy's gaze towards the television and understood his confusion.

"My father was a muggle" He answered. "My mother was a witch. Therefore, naturally I am a half-blood."

"Oh" Harry nodded, biting into his sandwhich but couldn't think of anything else to say so they just sat there in silence until the plates were bare.

Snape returned the plates to the kitchen as well as their juice glasses with a swish of his wand and set a stern stare on Harry.

"You may be staying here for the holidays, Mr Potter" Snape said. "But my house is not a playground, therefore there will be rules that I expect you to follow. I understand that you have had previous difficulty with that concept, but please reframe from showing your Gryffindor arrogance in my presence for the duration of your stay" He said.

"Proper manners and conduct need apply. This shall include no running indoors, no childish back-chat and do not show up for meals in your sleeping attire" He said, unsure of how the boy was at home but he knew what he did not want to put up with.

Ignoring Harry's eyerolling, he continued. "Breakfast begins at 7:00am sharp, lunch proceeds at a varied time, usually just before midday. Dinner will be at 7:15pm sharp and I expect you to be in bed by 10:00pm" Snape told him with a firm nod.

"Yes sir" Harry said, a bit surprised that he was actually being given a bedtime of some sort along with the rules.

"During the day you may entertain yourself as you please under the conditions that you do not desturb me and do not leave this house, understood?" Snape asked and Harry nodded. "Do you have any questions?"

"Um, where is the Christmas tree and the decorations?" Harry wondered curiously and Snape had to prevent himself from rolling his eyes.

"I shall have them brought up tomorrow" Snape replied and Harry nodded, slumping back in his seat as though he was confused as to what he was supposed to do now.

"Um, sir? Does the...well does your television work?" Harry asked.

Snape decided that he had to learn to anticipate more for the boy kept surprising him on numerous occasions and it was starting to bother him profoundly.

"I belive so" He nodded.

"May I watch it?" Harry asked, looking a bit unsure.

"I mean, I wasn't allowed to watch it at the Dursleys so if you don't mind..." He trailed off.

Snape nodded and watched the boy search for the remote before settling himself into an armchair. It felt strange for that television was something he had been meaning to get rid of and he also didn't know that it would still work since it hadn't been turned on in over ten years.

But as he watched Harry sitting there and staring at the muggle box in amusement, he decided it was probably a good thing that he still had it and made his way down to his private potions lab to leave the boy in peace.

--

Dinner passed by without much discussion but neither seemed to mind and just settled to eat in silence.

Afterwards Harry showered and climbed into his surprisingly comfortable bed to complete his owl-orders for the gifts he had picked out from the catalogue that Hermione had given him.

He lay back on his pillow and stared up at the darkened ceiling in wonder for what the next few days would bring but so far he was enjoying himself. It wasn't as grand as Hogwarts would have been but as long as it was nothing like the Dursley's household, than he was happy.

Tomorrow was the day before Christmas Eve and surely things would liven up a little more, but Harry really didn't mind for he felt content with things so far and enjoyed staying at Snape's house. And who knows, he may even get to know the man a bit better.

Either way, it was sure to be an interesting Christmas for Harry and Snape this year...