Ok...so this was a bloody nightmare to put together...but I finally got it done! As for the main story...working on it but papers for Uni are a bit more important right now so it'll take a little while. That said, it shouldn't take more than another few weeks for it. My other stories...slow going since I need to get my creative juices flowing for them.

Harry hates Christmas. His house isn't like other houses where everyone gets presents. For him, he gets a full meal and that's his Christmas present. "Come on Harry, why so gloomy?" Kelly asked. The two four year olds were sitting in the snow, making small snowmen while poking holes for the buttons and face. Harry wrinkled his nose. "It's Christmas." He said as an explanation. Kelly was confused. Why didn't Harry like Christmas?

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"Mom?" Kelly asked later that day after school.

"Yes dear?" Shannon answered.

"Doesn't everyone like Christmas?" Shannon was slightly puzzled when she got asked that.

"Why are you asking?"

"Harry doesn't like Christmas." Kelly stated with a face that meant that she didn't understand why he doesn't like Christmas. Ah. That explains it. She and Gibbs knew that Harry's home life was not the best environment (actually, that's an understatement), and Shannon could barely restrain Gibbs after having a small talk with Harry when Kelly was having a bath with Shannon playing with her and told her what happened after putting the kids to bed. Gibbs was just about ready to strangle the Dursley's with his bare hands after hearing why Harry had a black eye and a suspicious shape bruise on him that day. Gibbs and Shannon marched over there after leaving Harry and Kelly at a neighbours the next day and pretty much blackmailed the Dursley's into letting Harry stay with them for majority of the time without anything having to go to court. Of course, if they refused them, then they would've taken them to court.

"Well," Shannon said slowly, "maybe some people don't like Christmas."

"But we get presents," Kelly stressed. Shannon smiled and shook her head at this, knowing that Kelly will solely focus on the part of getting presents and nothing else. "-we should invite him over." Shannon blinked.

"What was that sweetie?"

"I said," Kelly started with an over exaggerated sigh, "we should invite Harry over for Christmas." Shannon gave a startled look at that.

"Well," Shannon said slowly, "we'll have to ask his family first." Kelly basically scoffed at that.

"They don't like him. Dudley keeps on saying that he'll tattle on Harry when they get home for something that he did. It's not fair." She said angrily and stomped her foot. Shannon sighed. She knows that Harry's home life isn't ideal, but they have to ask permission before taking Harry, no matter her feelings on the subject. Even though they get him every other day (and today wasn't one of those days), it was hell trying to get him on the days off from school so Shannon suspects that holidays will be no different. "We'll try, but no promises. I don't want to get Harry's hopes up." Kelly's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

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On the 23rd, Shannon went over to the Dursley's to pick up Harry. She politely knocked on the door and waiting. What sounded like a heard of elephants came running down the stairs and the door was yanked open. Dudley had a disappointed look on his face when he saw Shannon. Shannon and Gibbs are some of the few adults that see through the Dursley's transparent lives and won't bend over backwards because Vernon is in an executive position in a big company. Dudley turned his head back and hollered, "Mom! The American is here!" Shannon rolled her eyes at that. This boy won't get too far in life if he keeps up with this behaviour. Petunia came into the hall. When she saw Shannon, her nostrils flared slightly. Shannon always reminded her too much of Lily, not that she'd tell anyone.

"What do you want?" She demanded, already knowing that it has something to do with her freakish nephew.

"I want Harry for Christmas."

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An hour later with some harassing here, blackmail there and Harry was allowed to come over and stay until school started again including for Christmas. Shannon could hear the little brat in the background wailing about who would make his food if the freak is gone. Shannon's hand clenched at that, wanting to punch the Dursley's for such bad parenting.

"Come on Harry," she said with a fake smile to the Dursley's while holding her hand out. Harry gave a small smile and tentatively took her hand and went to her car.

"Where're we going?" The boy asked. Shannon smiled.

"You'll see." Harry tensed slightly, hating surprises. Nothing ever good came from them. Shannon felt a slight amount of tightness in the little hand. "You'll like this. I promise." Harry had a look on his face of I'm not sure about this. Shannon got him in the car and they left for her house with Harry in the back seat, staring out the window.

Harry enjoyed this small measure of peace as he looked out the window, white snow covering the roofs while grey sludge from the roads pile up into snow banks. Children were playing outside having snowball fights or making snowmen. Closing his eyes, Harry dozed off.

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When they came up to the house, Shannon ended up carrying Harry into the house and frowned at the fact that he was still too light. She has been having him eat as much as he can every time he comes over and has a feeling that the Dursley's are undermining her efforts to get the child's weight up. Walking into the house, Shannon put Harry on the couch so he can have a nap. As her vehicle is the only one in the driveway, Shannon guessed that Gibbs and Kelly were still out doing who knows what. Kelly enjoys the time she can get with her father as he's not home as often as she wants him to be and just clings to him on weekends. Looking at the deplorable clothes Harry's wearing, Shannon made a disgusted noise at his relatives for the neglect they're putting the child through. Harry has some clothes here when Shannon took him out one weekend with just the two of them and got him a nice outfit and lots that she won't worry about getting dirty along with a good winter coat, some boots, snow pants and a hat. Shannon enjoys knitting so that'll cover the mittens for the two kids. She set Harry down on the couch and watched him with a smile as he rolled to get comfortable on the couch. Going to the kitchen, Shannon decided on a simple meal of grill cheese and soup, not up for making an elaborate meal right now.

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Harry was in heaven. For the past few days he's been playing with Kelly outside in the snow as Gibbs and Shannon got the tree up. Shannon already broke an ornament with Gibbs teasing her about being a klutz. Shannon gave him a playful glare in return for that. When Christmas day came, Kelly was too excited to stay in bed for long and jumped onto Harry's bed.

"Wake up, wake up!" She nearly screamed in excitement. "It's Christmas!" Harry just groaned and wanted to go back to sleep but Kelly would have none of that. She had a devilish grin on her face before grabbing Harry's foot and yanked him off the bed. Harry shrieked as he hit the floor.

Gibbs and Shannon looked up when they heard Harry shriek and a thump.

"Guess Kelly got Harry up." Gibbs said into his coffee. Shannon merely nodded as she went back to making breakfast.

"Let's go!" Kelly whined and pulled Harry's hand down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Careful!" Shannon called out when she heard the children. Gibbs smiled and shook his head as he drank his coffee.

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"And to Harry from Santa." Harry looked up in shock. Santa gave him a present? Shannon and Gibbs felt their hearts break when they saw Harry's look of confusion and delight while cautiously taking the present. Harry carefully unwrapped the present and saw that there were a pair of skates. His eyes sparkled and couldn't help the small squeal that escaped him.

"Thank you!" He said while looking out the window with a sparkle in his eye.

"We can go skating together!" Kelly said happily after she opened her present that turned out to be skates earlier. Harry nodded quickly.

"To Shannon love Gibbs and Kelly." Shannon smiled at her daughter and husband and set it aside for her to open later. "To Harry from Gibbs and Shannon." Harry gave a look of surprise. "Here." Shannon said while holding out the present.

Harry gave them an apprehensive look before unwrapping the present. He couldn't help the small gasp that escaped him. It was a Bump N' Go action robot that he's seen on the T.V. and listened to Dudley demand that he wanted one. Kelly looked at it before quickly becoming disinterested in it and was tearing open the box that had her Barbie doll in it.

Shannon and Gibbs smiled as they watched the two kids play with their toys. They debated on what to get them for their big present. Kelly was easy as she loved Barbie dolls but Harry was much harder. All the toys they saw were either for toddlers (plushies) or for ten year olds (like the K'Nex building kit). In the end they chose the robot since Harry would sometimes just stare at the commercial for it whenever it came on.

Harry took the robot out of its package in delight and admired it before pressing a button and squealed when he heard the sounds come out of it. 'This is the best Christmas ever,' he thought happily.

So how was that?