3rd Person's POV

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms.

Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them.

Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that only his Slytherin friends found this funny, because the others were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family.

It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.

Harry looks up from his cauldron when he hears Malfoy say ow. He sees Karina glaring at him.

"Shut up Draco. Some people don't have families to go back to remember."

Harry watches as Draco's eyes go wide. He hears Draco apologize five times before Karina says it's okay. Looking back at his cauldron Harry wonders what the two were just secretly talking about.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoys cold drawl from behind them.

"Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose-- that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dived at Malfoy. The two fall to the ground and Karina tries pulling Ron off Malfoy screaming at him to let go. Just as Ron lifted his hand to punch Malfoy, Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree.

"Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. One point to Slytherin for Miss Grey trying to break it up rather than stand there like a statue. Now move along, all of you."

Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere laughing. Draco smirks at Ron and Harry as he pulls Karina away who looks slightly upset.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him--"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

"I can't believe he just gave them a point for Karina trying to protect her sweet little boyfriend." Hermione spits out angrily.

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the three of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to -the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree -- put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

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Karina's POV

We all sit in Pansy and I's room and open the presents that we got from each other. Blaise got a ton of cool books and candy. Draco got books, sketch books, and of course candy. Pansy got jewelry and a sweater and candy. Vincent and Gregory both got comics, candy, cakes, and their favorite snack (courtesy of me.) So far from Blaise I got a cute best friends necklace and he the match. Pansy got me a cute sweater, Vincent and Gregory got me my favorite candy and Draco still hadn't given me whatever yet.

"I'm going to go try out some of these cool spells in the book Karina got me. You guys want to try?" Blaise asks Pansy, Vincent, and Gregory.

The three nod and walk out the room with their goods. Blaise walks to the door, turns around then winks and says you're welcome.

I laugh at Blaise's antics and fall back on my bed staring at the ceiling. Feeling the bed drop beside me I look over to see Draco staring at me. The emotion in his eyes I can't quite decipher.

"What's wrong Draco?"

He pushes a strand of stray hair behind my ear. "Nothing I'm just really happy to be here with you right now."

I smile at him and kiss his cheek.

"Oh yeah your Christmas gift!" He jumps up off the bed, runs over to the door and pulls a wrapped gift out of the vase on the floor.

"When did that get there?" I ask looking back and forth between him and the vase.

"Uh this morning." he grimaces while I laugh at his embarrassment.

Sitting beside me, he hands me two wrapped gifts. I decide to open the bigger gift first. It feels like a book of some kind. Hurriedly, I rip the wrapping paper and throw it on the floor. Seeing a smooth black marble sketch book I get excited. Opening the book, I see that every single page has a drawing on it. Whether it is me alone, me with Draco, or our friends. On the first page it says, 'Quote me... add a poem or something of any kind to each picture every day.'

Looking up at him tears fill my eyes.

"Aw Draco this is so amazing!! Thank you so much." Moving to give him a hug he moves away.

"There's still one more." He smirks and points to the small rectangular box beside me.

Scoffing, I grab the box and rip off the paper. Opening the jewelry box I see a beautiful silver bracelet. There are three charms already added, a D, a K, and a Slytherin snake.

"Wow this is the best Christmas ever. You are the absolute sweetest."

Pulling him into a hug he squeezes back just as hard.

"You are the best Draco Malfoy."

"Not as amazing as you though Karina Grey."

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3rd Person's POV

"Merry Christmas!"

"Hey, look -- Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"

Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.

"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater.

"She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded.

"Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed.

"I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid -- we know we're called Gred and Forge."

"What's all this noise?" Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving.

He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too,carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry got one."

"I-- don't-- want" said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater. Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce -- and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table.

These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey.

Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Harry watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided. When Harry finally left the table, he was laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and his own new wizard chess set.The white mice had disappeared and Harry had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs. Norris's Christmas dinner.

As Harry is about to leave the Great Hall he looks over at the Slytherin table and sees Karina sitting alone smiling at the Weasley twins who are messing with Percy. He decides to walk over to her and see how she is since all her friends are gone for Christmas break. As soon as he walks over to her table she looks up at him with a slight awkward smile.

"Hey Karina. You mind if I sit here?"

She shrugs and smiles as Harry sits beside her.

"So why aren't you home for Christmas break. I'm sure your family would've loved to see you."

Harry watches as Karina's smile disappears. It looks as if her mind has gone somewhere else and her eyes cloud over.

"Um no... My parents died when I was one. So I live with my Grandmother. She hasn't sent me any mail or anything so I have no idea what she's up to."

Harry stares at Karina with wide eyes. Her parents are both dead, he thought to himself.

"Wow I'm so sorry."

"It's okay."

"How did they-- You know? If you don't mind me asking."

Karina's breath hitches for a second.

"That's a story for another time Potter."

Harry smiles while Karina laughs. He looks back at his table and sees all the Weasley's staring at him with confusion on their faces.

"Hey... Would you want to sit with us? You know the ones you call Gryffindorks?"

Karina laughs and pushes Harry's shoulder.

"Sure Potter." She then follows Harry over to the Gryffindor table.

As she sits down she starts to feel awkward from the stares that she is receiving.

"So Karina what did you get for Christmas?" Fred asks while leaning his chin on his hand.

"Um I got a cute sweater from Pansy, a silver best friends necklace from Blaise, tons of chocolate frogs and licorice wands from Vincent and Gregory, and a sketch book with a charm bracelet from Draco. That's pretty much it."

Katina smiles lightly as everyone looks at her with sad smiles.

"Nothing from your family?" George says. Karina hears an ow as Percy slaps the back of his head.

"Um no. My parents aren't here anymore and my Grandmother is no where to be found so my family is pretty much the Slytherin house."

The boys all look kind of sad as Karina shows a small smile. "It's fine guys. Really, I'm fine."

"You know what we're your family too." Fred pulls Karina into a huge hug making a tear run down her face. She quickly wipes it away before anyone can see.

Karina, Harry, and the Weasley's spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds. Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. He suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much. After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge. It had been Harry and Karina's best Christmas day ever.