Merry Christmas! I know I should be updating my other stories and all that, but in the spirit of giving, I now present:

Christmas Sweater

Christmas again. Professor Severus Snape was sitting quietly in his chambers, reading a book. It was not quite three in the morning. The only sound in the room was the Professor's low breathing and the occasional turn of a page.

Quite suddenly, there was a rustle, and a house elf appeared in his room, setting gifts at the foot of his bed. It looked around to make sure it had not been seen, and quietly popped away. Severus chuckled to himself. He'd had the misfortune of meeting his first house elf at Christmas, when he'd stayed up all night to see if Santa was real in his second year. It was a misfortune because he had woken his whole house up with his yells and they were all terrible grumps for all of Christmas day.

Contrary to popular student belief, Severus did like Christmas. He simply didn't like spending it with the irritating children that he saw for most of the rest of the year, especially since there were fewer rules around this time of year, because it was a break.

At about four, Severus put down his book down and went into his room. In a moment of childishness, he plopped down on the bed, bouncing a few times before turning to his gifts. Even now, Severus felt the excitement and slight surprise that anyone would give him a gift. He hadn't received many in his childhood that were sincere presents from friends.

The first gift was from Minerva. It was seven differently shaped bottles, ridiculously ornate, and yet, they somehow fit together in their oddness. He smiled at her cheekiness; she would always give him something that he would never use if there were the slightest chance a student might see him.

The next, huge, wrapped package he didn't recognize. He opened the card to read:

Dearest Professor Snape,

In the spirit of Christmas, we sinsirly enclose this gift in the hopes that you will someday use it.

Sinsirly,

Misters Fred and George Weasley

He shook his head, those first years were terrible pranksters, and no doubt they would enclose a humorous gift. He carefully unwrapped it, nimble fingers sliding along, alert for trip wires. The paper fell away to reveal forty-nine bars of Honeyduke's chocolate, each with a label saying, "We hope this will make you a tiny bit sweeter this day."

Filius, Charity, and Poppy had all given their regular gifts of butterbeer, a snow globe, and homemade fudge, repectively. Pomona had given him a jar full of brightly colored buttons. She had done this every year since she had first noticed his habit of picking buttons up off of the ground.

Albus had given him a pair of socks, just as he had given the older man a book. It was a bit of a running joke between them, one that no one else would understand, or even hear about.

Finally there was one gift left. It was a lumpy, but delicately wrapped present. He realized quickly that it was from the person who, quite possibly, hated him more than all the students at Hogwarts combined.

There was a note, as usual. It said,

Hello Freak,

I don't even know why I still do this, but enclosed is your Christmas present. Actually use it for once. I hear that you're a professor at that castle of yours, so you're bound to need it in those drafty dungeons I'm sure you work in. They never did treat you well, did they?

Petunia Dursley

Knowing what to expect, Severus unwrapped the lumpy package. Inside was a hand-knitted neon rainbow sweater. This tradition had begun way back when he was in kindergarten. Yes, he had known Petunia long before he even knew she had a little sister at a different school.

He allowed himself to dwell on the memory. Petunia had originally known much more about him than anyone—how could she not, being the gossip she was? She had often teased him about everything, much like the other bullies he met at Hogwarts. As a joke, she had knitted him a lime green sweater and had a younger minion put it anonymously on his desk at a Christmas party. When he'd opened it, he thought it was the greatest thing in the world, but everyone else had laughed at him and teased him for it. He never wore the sweater again in public. Each year after that, Petunia had made him a sweater, trying to find the most ridiculous colors and use them.

Severus smiled as he looked over the sweater, and out of a sudden thought, he put it on. He put his robes on top of the sweater. He was going to wear it this year, even if no one would ever see.

Short, sweet, and Snape. I hope he wasn't too OOC. Love it? Hate it? Tell me please!