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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 e 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 Harrys 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 e 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 Harrys 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。
Harry and Ron met up with Hermione in the mon room； and they went down to breakfast together。 They spent most of the morning in Gryffindor Tower； where everyone was enjoying their presents； then returned to the Great Hall for a magnificent lunch； which included at least a hundred turkeys and Christmas puddings； and large piles of Cribbage's Wizarding Crackers。
They went out onto the grounds in the afternoon； the snow was untouched except for the deep channels made by the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students on their way up to the castle。 Hermione chose to watch Harry and the Weasleys' snowball fight rather than join in； and at five o'clock said she was going back upstairs to get ready for the ball。
〃What； you need three hours？〃 said Ron； looking at her incredulously and paying for his lapse in concentration when a large snowball； thrown by George； hit him hard on the side of the head。 〃Who're you going with？〃 he yelled after Hermione； but she just waved and disappeared up the stone steps into the castle。
There was no Christmas tea today； as the ball included a feast； so at seven o'clock； when it had bee hard to aim properly； the others abandoned their snowball fight and trooped back to the mon room。 The Fat Lady was sitting in her frame with her friend Violet from downstairs； both of them extremely tipsy； empty boxes of chocolate liqueurs littering the bottom other picture。
〃Lairy fights； that's the one！〃 she giggled when they gave the password； and she swung forward to let them inside。
Harry； Ron； Seamus； Dean； and Neville changed into their dress robes up in their dormitory； all of them looking very self…conscious； but none as much as Ron； who surveyed himself in the long mirror in the corner with an appalled look on his face。 There was just no getting around the fact that his robes looked more like a dress than anything else。 In a desperate attempt to make them look more manly； he used a Severing Charm on the ruff and cuffs。 It worked fairly well； at least he was now lace…free； although he hadn't done a very neat job； and the edges still looked depressingly frayed as the boys set off downstairs。
〃I still can't work out how you two got the best…looking girls in the y