One Day

ItsLily2U

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance
Relationships: Lily & James
Book: Lily & James, Books 1 - 5
Published: 16/02/2005
Last Updated: 16/02/2005
Status: completed

Lily Evans loves many things about Christmastime at Hogwarts… Snow, friends, love, family. But, as it is with all people, there are things she doesn’t like so much, as well… Namely, James Potter. Or does she really despise him as much as she likes to think? MWPP; One Shot

Chapters

1. It isn't as Bad as You Think...

1. It isn't as Bad as You Think...

One Day

By: ItsLily2u

Rating: PG13

Genre: Romance/None

Summary: Lily Evans loves many things about Christmastime at Hogwarts… Snow, friends, love, family. But, as is with all people, there are things she doesn’t like so much, as well… Namely, James Potter. Or does she really despise him as much as she likes to think? MWPP, set in 7th year- One Shot

**

{A/N: Just a few random little fluffy moments that presented themselves by way of the sappy little plot bunnies. Yes, for those of you who notice, it is my second Christmasy-fluff fic, but it’s only cause I can’t get enough! Any/All comments would be nice. Enjoy!}

**

Lily:

I woke up to find that fresh snow was falling. I love snow. I watched it falling gently outside the window and felt truly peaceful, for once. My best friend Kina had finally come back up to the Tower, and every time I saw her she kind of gave me this sad look. I hate sad looks.

But then, she’s just mad at me. I don’t even think I did anything- she’s the one who was out of bounds, after curfew snogging a Slytherin! We both knew she liked Remus, for Merlin’s sake! So I docked a load of points off both houses and sent them to their common rooms… I knew that if I didn’t get to doing the punishing first, James just might have cursed that Slytherin git into next month… The iciness in his glare and the tightness of his mouth told me that. I wasn’t sure why exactly he was so angry, but I told myself it was because he’d found the girl one of his best mates fancies out snogging someone other than his best mate…

I think I was actually pretty close to the truth when I thought that.

Finally, I decided that it was time for breakfast- why even wake up if your not going to get breakfast? So I jumped up and pulled on a pair of jeans, a navy blue sweatshirt, and my cloak.

Remus Lupin, my other best friend, was sitting at Gryffindor Table with Peter Pettigrew, both with a full plate of pancakes, drizzled in warm, sticky syrup... Yum... Both boys were cheerful- they could both be categorized in the ‘morning person group.’ I only like mornings when it snows… Or there is a particularly large breakfast waiting. I took a seat between them and grabbed a plate of pancakes; piling strawberries on top. Double yum...

But I could only eat a few bites... Strange.

So instead, I pulled Remus and Peter to their feet, with an impatient cry of, "Let's go!" I hate waiting… And mornings… And sad looks.

Oh… I’m not much for finding my best mate snogging a Slytherin, either.

"Can't we even- okay. Have it your way, Lily-Flower." Remus said. I beamed and pushed the boys into the Entrance Hall, over to the large oak doors.

Once I got one open, I pushed them outside, which was no small task... There was two of them and well, me. The ‘five foot tall spitfire’ Head Girl from Gryffindor.

When I peeked over Remus's shoulder my breath caught in my throat. I don't think I've ever seen snow that looked so beautiful. It was gorgeous- all glittery and up past my knee- about to the middle of my thigh. "Oh, come on! Look at all that snow- it's simply begging to be run through! It's so fresh! Get down here, or I might get a head start- wouldn't it be simply horrid for two such manly creatures to lose to a girl?!" I teased.

Remus ducked as I aimed for him, so that the snowball hit Peter squarely on the cheek, instead. "Hey!" They both yelled.

I picked up more snow but Remus had already hit me with a rather large snowball. "There- you shouldn't have aimed for me!"

I laughed and tried to blink snow out of my eyes.

"Oh- sorry, Lily- here, let me-" Remus began, but I stuffed a handful of snow in his open mouth, giggling like mad. Revenge… I’ve never believed there to be a sweeter word.

The fight continued all through the morning, until I finally collapsed into a pile of fresh snow. Remus and Peter threw themselves down next to me.

"We win, you gave up!"

"Did not, Peter Pettigrew!" I cried, then paused. "I'm starving! Let's go eat- all I have is a bunch of snow in my belly! Come on… Lunch!"

I ran through the snow ahead of them, as they dragged behind. Boys...

They ate two bowls of stew each. I started bouncing impatiently in my seat, after a few spoonfuls. They just took too long.

The snow still hadn't melting out of our hair, when I got back up again and made them go outside with me. "I'm not done with either of you just yet! I have a snowball fight to win! Come on! I wasn't even trying this morning- that was a mere warm-up! Now you can see what 'you little Lily-flower'-as you are so fond of calling me- can do!"

The second we had the doors open, all three of us ran to make the first snowball. I- of course, being the smallest and fastest- was first.

**

James:

Sirius and I were still in bed (sleeping, in Sirius' case; being bored and waiting for him to get up, in mine) when we heard the bell signaling lunch.

"Finally- maybe those thickheads out there will gave us some peace..." Sirius muttered from his four-poster. We’d heard the people playing outside in the snow all morning and Sirius was ready to murder them. He's not much of a morning person. But I guess that's partly my fault, because ever since our first year, I've made him wander the school with me, in my invisibility cloak almost every night. The night before we had gone to Honeydukes and the kitchens. We could eat them both out, if we wanted to.

I liked listening to the laughs and shouts of the people below. I sat up and fumbled for my glasses. I hate wearing glasses. They drive me crazy! You have to clean them, and keep up with them, and fix them if they break... And they fall off... But Mum and Dad won't let me fix my eyes with magic... They say I could make myself go blind. But if I was blind, then I wouldn't have to wear glasses, now, would I? But they don't like any of my arguments, so for now I'm stuck with them.

When I finally found my glasses, I threw off the covers and jumped over to the window.

I froze as I recognized one of the petite forms jumping through the snow. It was Lily Evans. I knew it was by her hair- she had a black hat on but I could clearly see it tumbling in red waves over her shoulders. I could hear her clear, silver laugh as she made her way up to the castle, dancing and spinning through the snow. Two figures were following her, cutting their way slowly through the snow.

I couldn't help but sigh as Lily went out of sight. By the looks of it, Lily and the other two had been having a snow-ball fight.

"Sirius- get up!" I yelled happily, bouncing around to find my jeans and cloak.

**

"Oh, lemmie go against both of ya! It'll be fun!" I heard Lily cry. She, Remus, and Peter were obviously trying to decide who would be against who. They were halfway between the forest, and the castle, where Sirius and I were standing. I was close enough to see that Lily's cheeks were tinged pink with cold, and I could only imagine her eyes were sparkling- they always do when she's excited. I figured she'd had fun acting like a kid all day. "Please?" she pouted, and stuck out her bottom lip. So cute when she wants her way...

Remus and Peter looked at each other, then grinned mischievously. All three were completely oblivious to the fact that Sirius and I were watching them. Sirius started to walk towards them, but I grabbed his cloak.

"And you can't take it easy on... Oh. I know what you’re thinking. Show me no mercy, right? Well, it's you that I'm going to feel sorry for... So..." she ran behind a large pile of snow, where I couldn't see her.

Sirius and I could hear her laughing as I finally let him pull me down to the place where they were having their snowball fight.

Lily threw the first snowball and hit Peter on top of the head. Then snowballs flew in every direction, above them, behind them, and on their sides.

"Now, now- that isn't exactly fair, is it?" Sirius said loudly.

The snowballs stopped and two snow-covered figures fought their way from under the foot or so of snow that was over them.

Lily glanced up at Sirius then glared at me. The whole time, I was thinking, ‘What did I do this time? Nothing. I'm innocent- as always…’ She got to her feet, still staring at me.

"I think it is, actually- quite fair. One, there is two of them. Two, I'm a girl, and three, they didn't think of it, did they?" Lily said coldly to Sirius, but with her eyes still on me. Geez.

"Yeah... S'pose so... Ya up for a real fight?" Sirius said slowly.

Lily snorted. "You aren't challenging me?"

Sirius grinned. "I wouldn't risk your anger, Lily-flower. Now, how about your with them-" he nodded towards Remus and Peter. "And us on a team?"

“Since when do you get to decide? That’s hardly fair.”

“Why? Don’t wanna be on my team, do ya? I can arrange that. Me and you-” he put an arm around her.

Lily laughed. “Please don’t kid yourself.”

“Okay, then. What would you prefer to do, Lils?” I saw Lily cringe. We all knew how she felt about being called that- she always said it was the worst possible thing anyone could call her… Which, of course, was the exact reason Sirius called her that.

“We decide the muggle way- with sticks. You can go get them, Siri.”

**

Lily:

After I watched Sirius walk off, I turned my attention back to James. He didn’t look too bad, I’ll admit… His brown eyes were sparkling, and he was grinning. Merlin, I love that grin. And I’d noticed some sort of change in him. He was more… mature. I’d seen him holding doors open for people who had their arms full, I’d found him tutoring a second year for an exam, and I’d noticed he hadn’t missed a single class since the beginning of the year. He’d even been doing all of his Head duties without complaint, which was the opposite of what I’d expected. Of course, there were things about him that hadn’t changed… Like how handsome he was… And right then, when he had flecks of snow in his messy black hair, and he-

‘I can’t think like this!’ I said to myself.

“Here.” Sirius said. I hadn’t even noticed him walk up, until he held out four sticks- one short one, three long; all the same color. “This is really stupid, Lily, however- since it was indeed your idea, you can hold them out to us, and whoever gets the short one is on your side.”

I rolled my eyes, and snatched the sticks from him. He could be so annoying. He smirked in that irritating way that only Sirius could, as I mixed up the sticks and fanned them out.

Peter took the first stick-and it was a long one. Remus also got a long stick… as Sirius reached out to take one, I couldn’t help but hope that he got the short one… I couldn’t possibly be on James Potter’s side…

As fate would have it, Sirius drew a long stick. Damn… He must have charmed the bloody sticks so that James and I would be on a team. James slowly reached out and took the last one. Obviously, it was the short one, but he took it anyway- as if to be sure.

In a way, I guess I was happy- I sort of liked him…but I’d refused him for almost six years… It’s not like I could just start screaming and throw my arms around his neck… Well, I could have, but if he didn’t like me, then what would be the point? If only he still did…

So we just looked at each other. I’m not exactly sure what he was thinking as we both looked back down at the short stick in his hand. Then he sighed and put on his old saucy grin- which I hadn’t seen in quite some time. Usually he flashed me that grin every time he saw me… Right then, I was thinking how little I saw him smile. “Geez, Red! Don’t look so thrilled!” he said. I rolled my eyes in response. He was so cute when he did that, though…

I sighed, and watched as Sirius tried to charm a pile of snow to roll itself into balls. He should have to spend a day in the muggle world, without his wand… It might teach him a thing or two.

“Hey- you said no magic!” I accused. He smiled innocently up at me, as I turned to walk over to where James was on his knees, rolling snowballs. “You should keep your own word sometimes, Sirius- seriously!” I called over my shoulder.

James sniggered.

“Okay- you guys ready?” he called some time later, when we had made a large pile of snowballs.

Sirius nodded. “Yeah-” but James and I had already thrown handfuls of snow at him.

I laughed more in that afternoon that I had in a long time. It was a lot of fun- even though a few times, I had to hold myself back from snogging James… he looked so cute, running about, with snow in his hair, acting like a five year old… Just like me.

Around three, all five of us were getting tired, and our aims kept getting worse.

James threw a particularly large, hard snowball at Sirius, who jumped aside, and it hit me in the cheek, instead. Oh… I was ready to kill… in a nice way, of course. I thought he did it on purpose, so I mentally added him to the top of my death list. My eyes flashed, and I grabbed a handful of snow, then ran after him. He saw me pick up the snow, and his eyes grew wide. Good… fear. Or at least that’s what I think it was…who knows.

When I caught up with him, I stuffed it down the back of his cloak. He yelped, and started jumping around. He fell on the ground and just laid there, squirming and laughing. I turned to throw a snowball, just as Sirius, Remus, and Peter hit me with snow. Great. Just what I need. I fell over backwards… right top of James, who laughed harder than ever. I couldn’t help but laugh, too… But I couldn’t get up- more snowballs hit me every time I tried to.

**

James:

Why did Sirius have to move when I threw that snowball? And then, why did Lily have to be on his other side-just when he moved… It hit her- and I can tell you now, I never want to be against her in a snow-fight again. I’m glad she was on my side- most of the afternoon, as she can throw pretty hard, little as she is. Sirius even admitted she was ‘okay for a girl.’ She glowed when she heard this.

She put that fistful of snow down my cloak and I think she must have done some kind of charm on it, because it was not normal snow-temperature. It was colder than cold. Actually, I hardly noticed the snow, because shortly after she stuffed it my cloak, I fell… Then she fell on top of me- not intentional, I’m sure… But, really, it wasn’t too bad…

So there I was, stuck on my stomach, with her on me, and we were both laughing so hard we couldn’t move- and Sirius, Remus, and Peter just kept throwing snow- I think they planned it to turn out that way. They must have. It was torture- I wanted so bad to just snog the girl, really. We were both shaking with laughter and squirming- trying to get up, when the other three ran and threw themselves on top of Lily. “Dog pile!” they yelled. And I had to be on the very bottom… But Lily was on top of me, so I wasn’t exactly complaining.

“Not…fair!” she cried. We were both out of breath, but she was still laughing the hardest of us all.

When the three heavy bodies landed on her, she only squirmed more than ever and giggled. I gave up trying to move, but I’m sure they could all still hear my muffled laughter. The next thing Lily knew, she was being tickled by four pairs of hands. Her cheeks were soaked with tears now, she had her legs curled up, and she was trying to swat away the boys above her.

“Oh… come on…I- can’t breathe!” she yelled. “Fine-I’ll…curse you!” she pulled out her wand, only to have it taken away. But we stopped tickling her.

She continued laughing, as Sirius held out his hand to help her up. She took it, and used part of his cloak to wipe the tears and snow off her face. “You guys ch-cheat!” she panted. She smiled and watched me get to my feet-I grinned at her, too. Her cheeks went kind of pink, how cute.

“Did not! It’s fair… sort of! It wasn’t magic, and you didn’t say no tickling! So there!” Sirius said. He held out her wand. She took it from him and did a drying spell on her cloak and jeans.

“You g-ganged up- on m-me! If you’d…k-kept on, I’m sure…m-my sides w-would’ve s-split!”

“Cold? You can have my cloak.” Sirius smirked. He didn’t give her time to say anything, he just whisked the cloak off his shoulders, and around hers. “I don’t need it, I haven’t been rolling around in th-”

At the same time, Lily and I reached out and pushed him into a deep mound of snow.

“Wha-why’d you do that?!” he yelped, and scrambled to his feet.

Because I was just about to offer Lily my cloak, of course.

Lily smiled and took off the cloak. “Looks like you need this more than I do, now, dear.”

Everyone laughed as she dropped it onto his shoulders. He glanced briefly at me before rolling his eyes and turning towards the castle.

Peter followed him immediately; Remus after that, then Lily. I watched her for a moment, loving the way her she shook her hair away from her eyes. Then I ran to catch up with her as she smiled up into the sky, letting a few flakes land on her adorably freckled nose.

“You know, every year, around Christmas, my sister and I always used to go to the park, to play in the snow. Then, we’d go home and drink hot cocoa and eat the cookies our mum would make- then, as soon as it started snowing again, we were out, in the back yard. We loved to catch the flakes on our tongues. Mum and dad went out with us a few times, too. It was fun.” Lily giggled and tilted back her head, tongue out, in hopes of catching a few flakes.

I laughed at her and shook my head. “My parents always told me to stay inside, that they didn’t want me out in the snow.” I looked up as she started spinning around, her arms held out. “But I always snuck out, anyway, at night. Have you ever gone out to play in the dark when there is snow?”

Lily paused for a moment, thinking. “Don’t guess I have.” she chuckled.

“You should. It’s more fun that normal snow.” I fought back a smile… and the chance to ask her to go out in the snow with me that night.

“If the opportunity ever comes up, I might sometime, Potter, I might.”

I sighed as she called me by my surname. It had always been that way, though… Ever since first year, when she learned my name after Sirius pushed us both in the lake together, just as I was introducing myself. Ever since then, she thought we’d planned to do it on purpose, like a trick. I hadn’t.

I had hoped, however, that things might change when we came back for our seventh year. We were the years Heads, and I’d changed much over the summer. I wanted Lily to see that, but I wasn’t sure about how to do so. So, I called her Lily, instead of “Red” or “Lils.” Like I said, everyone knew she hated to be called that. I didn’t even call her “Evans” like I used to. I even stopped cursing random Slytherins in the corridors when I felt like it, even though I wanted to so badly every time one came in sight. Instead, I gritted my teeth and kept walking. Of course, it took many patient reminders from Remus and Sirius, my best mates, but I pulled through. In fact, it had been since the end of sixth year since I’d cursed anyone, and it was already four days to Christmas of my seventh year. I was quite proud of myself.

Merlin, I’d even gone an entire… five months without asking her to go out with me. It was the record of all records… Something even I didn’t expect.

**

Lily:

Oh, how badly I wanted to ask him to go out that night with me to play in the snow. I was beginning to think I really did like him a lot- and I loved snow, so I thought it could be a lot of fun, having two things I liked at once. But I didn’t ask him… I knew he wouldn’t ask me, since it had been so long since he had asked me to go anywhere.

I considered it a mark of maturity and change… But did I like that change?

I looked up at him, just as he stuck out his tongue to catch a snowflake, like I’d done moments before. I smiled… It was cute.

“You… don’t think it’ll melt anytime soon, do you?” I asked suddenly, looking back out over the grounds. I loved snow- and it was always such a disappointment when it melted. I wished it would stay for weeks.

“Well… it might. You never know, do you?” he answered. His eyes followed mine, to the forest.

“Oh..” I said disappointedly.

**

James:

I watched her out of the corner of my eye as she stared wistfully at the melting snow. She looked like she’d never be happy again, unless the snow stayed there, a look that reminded me of my ten year old cousin, Sarah. She could stay out all day in the snow, until her mother, Eve, made her come back inside. I’d spent the night once, at Christmas- unluckily for me, it snowed. I had to stay out with Sarah for four days to play… It was torture.

And somehow, I knew that if Lily wanted to stay outside in thick snow for four days, I wouldn’t even bat an eye before joining her. Anything to see her smile.

So I did the most daring thing I’ve ever done. I took Lily’s hand in mine and pulled her over to a thick pile of snow.

“James?”

“Lily?”

“Erm… What are you doing?” she asked. I could see by the twitching corners of her mouth that she was trying her hardest not to laugh as I threw myself backwards into the snow.

“What, haven’t you ever made a snow angel?” I asked in mock surprise.

Lily watched me squirm around for a moment, then grinned. “I’d have never thought of the James Potter, marauder of all marauders, making a snow angel!” she snickered.

I rolled my eyes and tried to look abashed… And failed.

“See?” I said, as snobbily as I could. “It ‘tis a be-yew-ti-ful angel, if I may say so myself.”

Lily snorted and kneeled down next to my angel and flattened the snow all around the head, making it even larger.

“Why’d you do that?” I whined.

“It fits better, if I may say so myself.” She mocked my snobby voice with a mischievous grin.

“Let’s see you make a prettier angel, then.” I challenged.

She smirked up at me before falling back, next to the potato-head (Well, he looked like a potato head!) angel.

When she got up, she smirked at me. We looked down at the two angels in the snow, each with a smile on our faces. Mine, because the angel looked just as beautiful and petite as she did. I almost thought it would stand up and tell me off for staring, like Lily had done a fair few times in the past. Lily was smiling because her angel was indeed much better looking than mine.

“Told you.” she giggled.

“Guess you did.” I chanced a look at her. Her eyes were already on mine, but she looked away quickly. I smiled and fought the temptation to take her hand again.

“It’s um… well, I think we’d better…”

“Yeah.”

We glanced at each other again before starting toward the castle in silence.

Once inside the entrance hall, we followed the crowd into the Great Hall, and walked over to the Marauders, like it was the most normal thing in the world. I took the seat next to Sirius; Lily took the one across from Remus… and next to me.

It was only then that we both realized where we had sat, exactly. Lily looked quite flustered for a moment, then quite pleased as she stole a quick glance at me.

**

Lily:

It was only once I had sat down next to him that I realized where I was sitting, exactly… I had eaten with the Marauders before- but when I did, it was always next to Remus and Peter… Never by James or Sirius… And I was.

Maybe that’s why I kept getting funny, disbelieving looks from people. Who knows.

I enjoyed the meal, despite the unusual seating arrangement, as it was filled with funny stories and jokes. I joined in on some of the joking, but was content with listening quietly most of the time. My only regret was that I hadn’t eaten with them more often.

I was laughing over something James had just said, and finishing off the last of my pie, when I glanced up at the top of the hall, where the professors were sitting in their usual places. My eyes were drawn to Headmaster Dumbledore… He was smiling in a thoughtful way at a point just a little to my left… at James. His eyes were twinkling, too, as they often did- but there was something in the way his grin widened and his eyes flicked onto me that made me feel like jello. He knew something that we didn’t… And I had a burning itch to know what it was.

“Lily? Aren’t you coming?” Remus asked suddenly.

I started and looked up. He and James were looking at me carefully. Sirius and Peter were already to the doors of the Great Hall, talking and laughing over something. “Oh… sorry.” I muttered, stuffing my napkin under my plate and getting to my feet.

As we left the room, I glanced over my shoulder at the high table again. Professor Dumbledore was talking with Professor McGonagall, who was shaking her head, but as I looked at him, he sensed my gaze and looked up. His eyes were still laughing to a joke no one else could hear.

Needless to say, it was irritating me to no end.

I sighed. I could go to his office, request a meeting, and ask what it was all about, but somehow I knew I wasn’t all that sure I wanted to know…

I ran into something very solid and nearly tumbled over, but a warm arm was flung out to keep me from hitting the ground. I made a quiet sound of irritation at hitting whatever it was, but quickly recovered as I realized just whose arms I was in…

“Erm… Thanks, James.” I said quietly, not bothering to move.

“You do realize that a there was a wall in your way, right?” He looked halfway between amusement and concern. “Only ghosts can go through those.” I looked up quickly… Sure enough, there was a very solid concrete wall directly in front of me.

“I’ll try to remember that next time?” I tried to laugh it off, but my forehead was smarting, where I’d smacked it into the wall.

I looked back at James, only to find his eyes still on mine. I smiled weakly and stared steadily back.

To our left, Remus coughed quietly. My smile faltered as I looked over James’s shoulder at him. A blush crept up my already warm cheeks and I tried to stand up properly. James helped me up, eyes boring into mine.

I’m still not sure what I was more surprised that I’d actually run into a concrete wall that I’d walked past everyday for seven years, in front of everyone, of if it was because when I got the chance, I looked up and Professor Dumbledore was smiling at me… Like a person would when they were watching the end of a rather sappy movie. But he only glanced at me for a moment before once again engaging himself in what was obviously an argument with Professor McGonagall, if the way they flapped their arms about was any indication.

I shook my head and grinned at James and Remus, ignoring the strange looks they were giving me. “Guess I forgot to dodge it, eh?”

**

James:

I knew, after the day I spent with her, that I wanted to get Lily a Christmas present… Something she couldn’t forget.

I wanted it to be something she could think of and smile.

Something that made her laugh, maybe.

Something that made her think of me…

Most of all, I wanted her to love my gift.

Only… I had no idea what to get her.

I thought of gifts I’d seen people give and receive before, but nothing stood out in my mind. I thought of everything I’d ever gotten… Still, nothing. I even went to Remus, to see if he had any ideas… And came up with… Nothing. Big surprise.

So by the time Christmas Eve rolled around, I was still clueless as to what to get my darling Lily.

Sirius, Remus, and I were all sitting at a table in the common room, adding a new room to our Marauders Map that we’d found the night before… Well, I say we, when really, I mean Sirius and Remus were adding the new room. I was staring out the window, still trying to think of something I could give her. I still couldn’t come up with a single thing.

I was about to give up, and just not give her anything, no matter how badly I wanted to, when she came in through the portrait hole and fell into her favourite armchair. It made my heart ache as I searched her face with my eyes, seeing the sad look she had. I knew I couldn’t just not get her anything… And whatever it was would have to be perfect, like my Lily.

She sighed and flipped through an old book in her lap, a piece of her coppery hair falling slowly across her forehead. I smiled, watching her.

After a few moments of silence, I turned to stare out the window again. A snowflake drifted slowly by the frosted glass. I grinned, my mind suddenly made up.

**

Lily:

With a sigh, I fell back into an armchair near the fire. All of my friends had decided to go home for the holiday… Kina was there, of course, but we still weren’t exactly on what you might call ‘speaking terms.’ I’d spent part of the day with a few friends from Hufflepuff, but they had actually decided to do the work that was assigned to us the last few days of school. When they asked me to join then in the library, I nearly ran away in surprise. Why do something that can be put off until later? That’s what I asked them, at least, but they all raised their eyebrows at me in a disapproving way, like Christmas Eve was the only day they could do their work. So, with a disappointed glance at them, I left.

There were a few people left, other than myself, and we were all in the common room. Kina was writing a letter, the Marauders- minus Peter- were grouped around a table, leaning over it and prodding a piece of parchment, a couple third and fourth years were all sitting together near the middle of the room, on another one of the couches, and I was curled up in an armchair near the fire, with a book.

I’d wanted to go home and see my family for the holidays, but I’d decided against it when I heard we would be spending it in Vernon Dursley’s company… Not something I looked forward to. So, instead, I wrote mum an apologetic letter, asking if she would mind terribly if I stayed at school, so I could go to a fancy ball that I’d had to plan, as Head Girl. She didn’t mind in the least; she even stated, in a subtle way, that she wished she could have such an excuse… I felt sorry for her, she would have to have an entire week of feeding and keeping up with that… that… that lump and some of his family. I knew I shouldn’t have left her to fend for herself, but I couldn’t help it. I just wanted a few weeks of rest… Not pandemonium- which was exactly what I was sure to get if I’d gone home.

I opened the old book in my lap and sighed again. Not exactly my ideal way to spend my Christmas Eve, but I’d asked for it. I knew deep down that I should forgive Kina, it wasn’t her fault she liked the ‘naughty type‘ as she called it… But I couldn’t apologize yet… I was too stubborn for that. And I wasn’t entirely sure I’d done anything wrong.

As I started to read, I bit my lip. Normally, I could read any book for hours- never faltering in my attention… But just then, I couldn’t remember a single thing I’d read.

I groaned and slammed the cover of the book shut impatiently, intending to go up to my four-poster and sleep, no matter how early it was. As I stood up, I glanced out the nearest window. It was already dark and I could see bright stars twinkling in the distance, with a few snowflakes fluttering past the glass.… Changing my mind in mid-step, I turned and skipped toward the portrait hole, leaving my book on a table as I passed.

The corridors were dark and silent… I’d always loved spending time with friends and family at Christmas, so being alone on Christmas Eve was a new thing to me; I figured that if I was going to be by myself, I was going to spend the evening doing something I loved… Like talking a walk in the snow.

I had just reached the entrance hall, going down the steps two at a time, when I realized how quiet the place was. I’d never seen it so… empty. With a sigh, I wrapped my arms about myself and stopped to look around the room.

I tip-toed over to the Great Hall, where everything looked like it always did… minus the hundreds of talkative students that usually filled its walls. The sky was a bluish-black, with white snow swirling around in airy pufffs.

With a tremble of anticipation of being the first out in the beautiful snow, I whirled around to finish my trek to the grounds.

And ran into something solid.

“Merlin! I have got to stop doing that!” I muttered, regaining my balance. I looked up to apologize to whoever- or whatever- I’d run into this time. It was James Potter. “Oh- erm- sorry. It’s become a habit, now.” I grinned, suddenly feeling much better.

He grinned, lop-sidedly… My heart felt very fluttery… In a rather suspicious way.

**

James:

“Don’t tell me that Lily Evans, Head Girl of Hogwarts, model student, perfect grades, popular, studious-” Her look silenced me. “Is going out of bounds after hours?” I finished meekly.

“Does it look like that?” she shrugged her way around me. I caught up with her easily. “And I don’t have perfect grades, I’m not popular or studious, and I’m hardly what one might call a model stude-”

“Lily, you are. You‘re all of those things.” I said softly, not knowing why I felt the need to whisper. “And you’re beautiful… Funny… Smart…” Timidly, I took her hand, forcing her to look back at me. “Hey, listen to me.”

“I don’t want to hear all the things that I’m not, okay?” she sounded slightly hysterical. I couldn’t decide if it was because she knew I liked her… Or if it was that she liked me, too, and didn’t know what to do about it.

I stared at her for a moment before licking my lips nervously… Trying to work up the courage to ask her… I knew what her gift would be, I just didn’t know how to go about giving it to her. “Look, I know what you must think of me. Everyone thinks they know me… When, really, there aren’t that many people that do. I’m not as arrogant, or egotistical, or… or…”

“No,” Her voice sounded unnaturally high. “James, I-”

“I do seem to remember a conversation that we had a few days ago… You know, concerning snow… and all that. So, I was wondering if maybe you might want to go for a walk with me?” I asked hopefully. “Because I like you, Lily, I really do, and I want you to give me a chance… I want you to see past all the bad things I’ve done, because I have done good things before, too.” I bit my lip and staired at the marble staircase. “Though Hogwarts rarely sees it.” I tried to give a laugh, but it sounded… fake and hollow. Merlin, was it ever.

But she just stared at me in silence. I was about to force a smile and walk away, like I’d done in the past, every other time I’d been rejected, but somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to do it… So I stared at the staircase and shoved my hands in my pockets.

I saw a sudden movement in front of me and looked up slowly. Lily had taken a step closer to me. I felt my heart aching when I saw the quiver her bottom lip gave. I opened my mouth to say something, but my voice faltered when she put her warm hand to my cheek. “James…” she whispered. I could only stare.

“I’ve always thought it was… a joke. A famous prank by the Marauders… I never dreamed that you… that you really…” She smiled nervously. “I like you, too. I have for a long time, but I-”

My heart jumped up into my throat as I felt myself being drawn closer to her. I can’t remember if I did it intentionally, or if she pulled my closer… All I remember is the way her lips felt on mine… It was heaven…

And the most perfect Christmas gift I could imagine.