Harry awoke very suddenly on Christmas Day. Wondering what had caused his abrupt return to consciousness, he opened his eyes, and saw something with very large, round, green eyes staring back at him in the darkness, so close they were almost nose to nose.
"Dobby!" Harry yelled, scrambling away from the elf so fast he almost fell out of bed. "Don't do that!"
"Dobby is sorry, sir!" squeaked Dobby anxiously, jumping backward with his long fingers over his mouth. "Dobby is only wanting to wish Harry Potter 'Merry Christmas' and bring him a present, Sir! Harry Potter did say Dobby could come and see him sometimes, sir!"
It's okay," said Harry, still breathing rather faster than usual, while his heart rate returned to normal. "Just - just prod me or something in future, all right, don't bend over me like that...."
Harry pulled back the curtains around his four-poster, took his glasses from his bedside table, and put them on. His yell had awoken Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville. All of them were peering through the gaps in their own hangings, heavy-eyed and tousle-haired.
"Someone attacking you, Harry?" Seamus asked sleepily.
"No, it's just Dobby," Harry muttered. "Go back to sleep."
"Nah...presents!" said Seamus, spotting the large pile at the foot of his bed. Ron, Dean, and Neville decided that now they were awake they might as well get down to some present-opening too. Harry turned back to Dobby, who was now standing nervously next to Harry's bed, still looking worried that he had upset Harry. There was a Christmas bauble tied to the loop on top of his tea cozy.
"Can Dobby give Harry Potter his present?" he squeaked tentatively.
"'Course you can," said Harry. "Er...I've got something for you too."
It was a lie; he hadn't bought anything for Dobby at all, but he quickly opened his trunk and pulled out a particularly knobbly rolled-up pair of socks. They were his oldest and foulest, mustard yellow, and had once belonged to Uncle Vernon. The reason they were extra-knobbly was that Harry had been using them to cushion his Sneakoscope for over a year now. He pulled out the Sneako-scope and handed the socks to Dobby, saying, "Sorry, I forgot to wrap them..."
But Dobby was utterly delighted.
"Socks are Dobby's favorite, favorite clothes, sir!" he said, ripping off his odd ones and pulling on Uncle Vernon's. "I has seven now, sir....But sir..." he said, his eyes widening, having pulled both socks up to their highest extent, so that they reached to the bottom of his shorts, "they has made a mistake in the shop, Harry Potter, they is giving you two the same!"
"Ah, no, Harry, how come you didn't spot that?" said Ron, grinning over from his own bed, which was now strewn with wrapping paper. "Tell you what, Dobby - here you go - take these two, and you can mix them up properly. And here's your sweater."
He threw Dobby a pair of violet socks he had just unwrapped, and the hand-knitted sweater Mrs. Weasley had sent, Dobby looked quite overwhelmed.
"Sir is very kind!" he squeaked, his eyes brimming with tears again, bowing deeply to Ron. "Dobby knew sir must be a great wizard, for he is Harry Potter's greatest friend, but Dobby did not know that he was also as generous of spirit, as noble, as selfless -"
"They're only socks," said Ron, who had gone slightly pink around the ears, though he looked rather pleased all the same. "Wow, Harry -" He had just opened Harry's present, a Chudley Cannon hat. "Cool!" He jammed it onto his head, where it clashed horribly with his hair.
Dobby now handed Harry a small package, which turned out to be - socks.
"Dobby is making them himself, sir!" the elf said happily. "He is buying the wool out of his wages, sir!"
The left sock was bright red and had a pattern of broomsticks upon it; the right sock was green with a pattern of Snitches.
"They're...they're really...well, thanks, Dobby," said Harry, and he pulled them on, causing Dobby's eyes to leak with happiness again.
"Dobby must go now, sir, we is already making Christmas dinner in the kitchens!" said Dobby, and he hurried out of the dormitory, waving good-bye to Ron and the others as he passed.
Harry's other presents were much more satisfactory than Dobby's odd socks - with the obvious exception of the Dursleys', which consisted of a single tissue, an all-time low - Harry supposed they too were remember ing the Ton-Tongue Toffee. Hermione had given Harry a book called Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland; Ron, a bulging bag of Dungbombs; Sirius, a handy penknife with attachments to unlock any lock and undo any knot; and Hagrid, a vast box of sweets including all Harry's favorites: Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, and Fizzing Whizbees. There was also, of course, Mrs. Weasley's usual package, including a new sweater (green, with a picture of a dragon on it - Harry supposed Charlie had told her all about the Horntail), and a large quantity of homemade mince pies.
Walking down the boys dormitories, Harry was greeted by the sight of Cordelia dressed in a nice white coat, black flats which had a decorative front part and her hair a bit wavier when compared to her usually straight hair.
"Oh Harry, here. Happy Yule!" She smiled, handing Harry a red and golden paper bag, filled with presents, neatly wrapped, to the brim.
"Thanks you didn't have to" he stammered, awestruck by the sight of her, as Ron tried to peer inside the bag.
"It's nothing. Happy Yule again!" She called out before walking out of the common room. A few more bags in her hand. Some smaller than the other.
"Oh you're here" he heard Hermione.
Hermione eyed the bag in Harry's hand, a smile forming on her face, "Cordelia gave you that?"
"Yeah" Harry smiled.
He was grateful Hermione understood that it actually meant something to him.
"She got loads of presents to be honest. All neatly wrapped and looked expensive, loads of sweets as well. They were all falling down her bed." Hermione informed the two boys.
"She said Yule" Harry said, with a confused expression.
"That's what Purebloods like the Malfoy's, Zabini and others say when wishing you Christmas" said Ron, regretting not befriending the young Black.
"I didn't know you were friends" he said suddenly.
"Oh jealous of the gifts are you Ronald" Hermione snapped.
"No"
But Harry didn't mind. He kept replaying how beautiful she looked. The one with whom he shared a soulmate mark with.
-
Harry was standing in front of the great hall, dressed in his dress robes. Feeling a bit selfconcious.
Looking around for a certain someone, he saw Hermione standing with Krum. Looking beautiful.
He could not believe it was his friend, who was always drowned in books and bushy hair.
Adding to his amazement was when the door that leads to the dungeons opened and the Slytherins stepped forward.
Draco leading the group with Cordelia's hand in his.
He had a smirk on his face that Harry waned to wipe off, Malfoy knew he had the prettiest girl with him.
Cordelia..... she looked beautiful. Harry couldn't take his eyes away from the grey eyed beauty.
Her pale pink-peach coloured gown and the pendent that he had given to her around her dainty neck.
Perfection....
But unfortunately for Harry, he had a long night to suffer by seeing her dance gracefully with Malfoy.
Harry was not quite enjoying himself, he constantly kept glancing at Draco and Lia who seemed to be enjoying themselves, this put a damper on Harry's mood.
After a quick mandatory dance, Harry made his way out of the crowd. Sitting with Ron.
Hermione and Ron bickering didn't help lift his mood, but something or someone did.
Harry and Ron spent most of their ball discussing giants, after their short walk.
Harry tried no to look towards Malfoy and Cordelia too much, not liking the irritated feeling the sight aroused in him.
He frowned deeply when he saw Cordelia looking at Harry and leaning towards Malfoy to whisper in his ear, making a face at whatever he had to reply before starting to walk towards where Harry and Ron were seated.
"What's she coming here for" Ron made a face, probably not in the mood for an argument.
"Don't know"