A/N Funny thing here--I have A bell in my hair! I got it in a gift bag from people in my church...
Petunia was rather *too * nice last chapter...Vernon was a bad influence on her, we'll say. Hee hee--funny, Vernon is my Grandpa's name...Petunia won't be so nice this chapter! :-)
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Mr. Grinch
James Vs. Christmas. Will James Potter Finally Get In the Christmas Spirit?
By
Sierra Sitruc
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town
Epilogue
Christmas Day
After having, what must have been the worst birthday in history, James Potter had disappeared.
Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, said James Potter's best friends, had opened presents with him--and then he'd gone off mumbling something about 'Good Plan and Lily". When they'd informed the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, about his disappearance, he'd chuckled, given them candy canes and told them not to worry--before sending them on their way.
Remus and Sirius stared at the Marauder's Map for about an hour, before giving up and drinking up their storage of Butter Beer. If James wanted to act like an idiot and get himself killed on Christmas for good, so be it--they weren't going to save him.
Mile and miles away, in the Evans home--things were chaotic, Donald Saberhagen, turned out to be the clumsiest postman in history. Upon arriving, he'd been desperate to make a good impression on Lily and had ended up... Spilling eggnog all over her within the first five minutes.
Lily reassured him that it was fine, but he hadn't listened, and had tried to help clean her up and had thus made the situation worse by smashing his elbow into a pie.
Lily and Petunia had shared a look that said clearly 'This man is a nutcase'.
Things calmed down around lunch time, they ate roast beef, and Lily showed her mother the five golden rings she'd received a few days prior as she explained the story of the mysterious gift giver, while leaving out the few magical parts of the story for Petunia and Donald's sakes.
"Five golden rings...Whoever it is who sent you those, must be loaded!" Petunia said, a hint of jealousy in her tone.
"I bet it's that James fellow." Greta said with a smile.
"No--he wouldn't..." Lily paused for a moment, thinking about it. If James had been the one sending her those gifts... It made sense to some magnitude, but there was still doubt. James had just happened to feel like going outside bright and early, that day she was trapped on the lake--and he always had his wand when she needed to be rescued. Plus! He knew all those spells with the birds..."He could have though." Lily finished.
"When's Vernon showing up, Petunia?" Greta asked, changing the subject.
"Around five, he had to eat lunch with his family--his sister wouldn't let him get away." Petunia said with a tinge of nervousness in her voice.
"Oh, I can't wait to meet the bloke--another man around the house will be nice." Donald said, looking around at all four women that sat at the table. Greta, Petunia, Grandma Ruthy, and Lily--They were all sitting in the same order they always sat at with Christmas--with one minor difference. Greta sat to the right of the head of the table, Petunia on the left and Lily beside her, and Grandma Ruthy beside Greta--but this time, Donald took the head of the table, instead of their father.
It made Lily uncomfortable--Like Donald was taking the place of her father, and he was, in the literal sense; but she decided it was good for them. It showed that they were moving on past the grief of losing their wonderful father.
"Did you like your present, Lily?" Donald asked Lily, breaking her from her thoughts. "I hadn't known what to get you--because I'd never met you before, but your Mum helped me pick it out."
"Yes, it was lovely. Thank you Donald." Lily said, giving him her best smile. He relaxed drastically, relieved that she had like the diamond necklace...Who WOULDN'T like a diamond necklace, that's what Lily was wondering.
"I couldn't believe Aunt Rachel gave us what she did though." Petunia whispered to her younger sister.
"I know...She's still giving us those weird gifts." Lily said.
"Yes--but didn't it get a little too weird?" Petunia asked, as Lily snorted with laughter, recalling the look on Petunia's face as she opened her present.
"I think she was just poking fun at us-- real coconut tops--complete with hula skirts. She must have just been kidding us" Lily muttered to her sister.
"We should be in Hawaii; it must be nice this time of year." Petunia said.
"Actually, I wouldn't know." Came an excited voice from behind them--and Lily and Petunia whirled around to see their Aunt Rachel standing there, in a Hawaiian shirt, and bright orange shorts.
"Aunt Rachel!" The two girls cried, jumping up to hug their Aunt. Aunt Rachel had fiery red hair, like her brother and green eyes--she looked almost exactly like Lily in that aspect. They looked more like mother and daughter then Greta and Lily did.
"What are you doing here?" Lily asked, giving her own mother a look.
"Well, Greta wanted me to come down and meet her fiancé--so here I am!" Rachel said, laughing and taking a seat beside Lily.
"It's so good to see you! What have you been up to Rachel?" Greta asked her best friend.
"Oh, the usual--I've taken to--taking pictures, which brought me to Hawaii." Rachel said.
"Do you have any pictures with you?" Lily asked.
"I'll show you later." Rachel told her, and then added in a whisper, "When the muggle isn't around." Lily nodded, Aunt Rachel was the only other person in her family with magical blood--Lily's parents should have figured out Lily was going to be a witch, when she grew up looking just like her Aunt, and acting like her Aunt in some ways too...
They talked for awhile about what Rachel had done in Hawaii, and then retired to the living room to talk some more.
Around five O'clock, Vernon Dursley showed up, and Petunia's mood changed severely. She became this snooty person only concerned for Vernon's welfare.
"Oh Vernon! Are you alright? It's so cold out! Do you want some hot chocolate?" Petunia cooed to her boyfriend.
"No, no--I'm fine." He said, as he took a seat on her couch near the fire place.
As Greta and Donald got to know Vernon, Aunt Rachel talked to Petunia--leaving Lily to herself...She found her thoughts wandering to James. She was curious to know how his Christmas was going. He was probably having the time of his life with Sirius and Remus at Hogwarts.
"Lily? Why don't you and Petunia go try on those gifts I brought you?" Aunt Rachel asked with an impish grin on her face.
"What?!" Petunia and Lily screeched at the same time.
"In front of Vernon, Aunt Rachel?" Petunia whimpered.
"Yes--There's nothing to be ashamed about. You two are beautiful, there's nothing to be worried about." Aunt Rachel said with an evil smile.
"Yeah there is...Like my dignity." Lily muttered, as she and Petunia picked up the hula skirts and coconut bras.
(A/N I have a friend who got a coconut top as a gag from one of her friends who went to Hawaii with her band class. It was hilarious!)
They went to their rooms to change, and Lily set it down on her bed and locked the door, happy to have her own room now more then ever.
Lily stared at what the Hawaiians culture had brought into her house. She could no believe she was going to put on the most revealing thing she'd ever worn besides a swim suit. Well, whether Aunt Rachel likes it or not, I'm wearing shorts underneath this...and I'm changing out of this before someone important sees me, Lily thought, agitated.
"This is so degrading." Lily whined, sounding a lot like Petunia in the process.
~*~
Moments later, Lily appeared outside her door--she was trying to cover herself up as much as possible, she saw Petunia doing the same thing across from her--and laughed herself silly.
They looked like idiots.
"Let's get this over with Lily, I want to just--be humiliated, and be done with it. Never speak of this again--to anyone. I'm making you all take this to your graves!" Petunia hissed, and Lily nodded in strong agreement. No one needed to know about this awful excuse for humor.
Together, the two embarrassed sisters went down the stairs to the living room, where the family was waiting expectantly--for the show to start.
Lily could feel her cheeks heating up in mortification already.
Once in the living room, Petunia immediately sat by her boyfriend--who looked like he was infuriated by what Aunt Rachel had made his girlfriend do. "I can't believe she made you do that." Lily heard Vernon whisper to Petunia, all the while trying to look down Petunia's coconuts.
"I think you two look adorable." Aunt Rachel declared, as Lily hung her head in shame as she tried to hide inside the cushions of the couch.
"Can I change now?" Lily carped.
"No--I want a picture." Aunt Rachel said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She reached inside her purse, and Lily and Petunia exchanged looks of horror.
"Rachel--do you really think that's necessary? I'm sure we'll all remember this." Greta tried to save her girls' pride.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous Greta!" Aunt Rachel said, as she pulled Lily up and began instructing her on where to stand--and then Petunia as well. "Pose for the camera now--act like your doing the hula! It's Christmas in Hawaii!"
Suddenly, all heads turned to the fire place--which was making a roaring sound and turning green. "Floo?" Lily whispered in shock...She'd used floo powder once to visit Olivia, but who else would be using it? Olivia didn't know she was home. Dumbledore maybe?
There was a loud crash as a red clothed figure stumbled into the room through the fire, with a small velvet bag in hand. Lily took in the white beard and the Santa Claus outfit--but it just didn't fit together.
"Santa?" Donald asked, jumping back in shock--running into the Christmas tree at the same time, knocking Donald out--for the good of the people.
"Oops." Came Santa's voice. His eyes turned to Lily, and she saw the look of confusion as he took in Lily and Petunia's outfits. "I hope this is the right house." He muttered.
"Sir, I don't know what your doing here but--." Vernon started to say, but Santa interrupted.
"This is the Evans' home, correct?" Santa Claus asked, and Lily couldn't help but think she knew that voice--it was hard to tell though, because it was muffled by the beard.
"Yes it is--what do you need?" Aunt Rachel asked suspiciously, though a glint of amusement was in her eye.
"I'm looking for a one--Lily Evans." Santa Claus said, "I need to deliver some presents to her."
"James?" Lily asked cautiously, her mouth gaping.
"No--Santa Claus." Santa said slowly, a joyful light in his deep brown eyes.
"James Potter, what are you doing in my house?" Lily asked, her hands on her hips--forgetting that she was wearing a grass skirt and coconut top.
Santa Claus sighed before getting down on his knees in front of Lily and reaching into his bag. "I need to give you some things." He said with a determined look. "On the first day of Christmas--your true love gave to you...A partridge in a pear tree." Santa whispered as he pulled out a statue of a tree with a partridge sitting in it. It was an ornament.
"So it was Santa who sent her the gifts." Greta whispered to herself. Vernon and Petunia stared at Santa and Lily with looks of outrage, but neither had enough courage to do anything about it. Aunt Rachel looked beside herself with delight.
"On the second day of Christmas--your true love gave to you--two turtle doves." Santa pulled out two turtle doves.
Lily sunk to her knees, and faced Santa eye to eye. She looked through his glasses, and saw the sincerity in his eyes.
"It was you who sent me those gifts. James--you idiot!" Lily cried, hitting him on the shoulder.
"Hey! What was that for?!" James yelped, the mood ruined by now.
"You--you--Oh, I'm going to have to forgive you." Lily muttered, as she pounced on him, throwing her arms wildly around him while placing a sloppy kiss on his lips. "This beard is going to have to go." Lily said, pulling off the elastic beard, "Beards never fool me James." Lily mumbled, as she kissed him thoroughly this time.
Lily couldn't believe that James had done something so sweet and endearing for her, all that money and time he'd spent on her—she had to forgive the idiot. He may say some stupid things, but he cared for her. It also meant he liked snogging her too…
"Lils, you didn't let me finish." James protested into her mouth--both oblivious to Aunt Rachel rounding everyone up out of the room. Greta seemed reluctant to leave her fifteen year old daughter alone with that boy--but there was enough romance in her to let it go--just this once.
"I thought I was only good to have around when we're snogging." Lily said with a bit of bitterness in her tone.
"No…Lily, I didn't mean any of those things I said." James said, looking into her eyes.
"Finish then." Lily ordered, sitting up on top of him.
"Well--there's a lot of ornaments in there--but...Um..." James looked hesitant for a moment. James struggled to remember what else he'd had planned, "Damn those coconuts are distracting!" James sighed in frustration, and Lily turned about fifty colors as she tried to cover herself up. "Oh! What the heck!" James gave up, and kissed her again.
Lily liked the way James kissed her; he kissed her--like he loved her. Maybe he did, she wasn't sure, but she knew that as long as she had his kisses she'd always feel loved. They were the kind of kisses that made her feel safe and at home. Like his kisses, were the only thing she needed to live.
"I love you James." Lily sighed into his mouth, it took her about two seconds to realize she'd just set it out loud.
"You do?" James squeaked, his arms tightened around her.
"Yes." Lily said, her voice less confident then normal.
"Good, because I love you too." James said, kissing her again.
They didn't need silly words to assure one another that they were together; they could tell by one another's kisses, that there was no one else for them.
"Santa though James?" Lily asked him, smiling at her idiot.
"I knew, that if I came in looking like an idiot in a big red suit, you wouldn't be able to kill me." James said thoughtfully.
Lily giggled, and continued what they'd been doing. James is too good a kisser to kill, Lily thought amusedly to herself.
"I've got a question." James breathed, as they came up for air.
"Hmm?"
"What in the devil are you wearing, woman!?" James asked, he'd been quite flabbergasted when he'd entered (just like Santa) through the fire place, to see her wearing such a revealing outfit...Not that he'd minded.
"A present." Lily said, grinning impishly.
"From WHO?!"
"My Aunt." Lily answered.
"You have one crazy Aunt." James said, and pulled her to him once more.
A thought occurred to Lily, and she abruptly stopped kissing him, "James?"
"Huh?" James asked dazedly.
"What do you think about Valentine's Day?" Lily asked him, James bit his lip before answering truthfully.
"It's a load of Hogwash. Made up just to make poor guys like me spend tons of money on their girlfriends and make idiots of them selves while they write horrible poetry."
"So...You hate Valentine's Day too?" Lily confirmed.
"Yeah..." James said weakly, wondering where this was leading.
"That's fantastic! Because now I can make you like that holiday as well! And if it ends up like this did..." Lily said suggestively.
"You know Lily, if that's the case, I hate every holiday!" James declared good naturedly as he kissed his unannounced girlfriend.
"Then I have my work cut out for me, but since it's you--it'll be pleasurable." Lily said, giving him a kiss back.
"I'm up for it then. Tomorrow's Boxing Day you know."
Happy Christmas!
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A/N, I didn't really like the ending...But, I couldn't think of what else to do! Oh well--they're together and we know who sent the gifts!
I'm kind of glad it's over...It was hard work. Now I'll work on the rest of my stories...
REVIEW! At the end of my stories, I never get a lot of reviews...People always get lazy at the end of the story, and that's when I want the most reviews! Let's go for 500! Please? AS my Christmas/Birthday present?
*~Sierra~*