A/N: Okay, this took me ages to put up; I know. I've just been insanely busy with the holidays coming up. Decorating the house, Christmas parties, buying gifts and worst of all; finals. Plus, once I did find the time to write it, I had the biggest attack of writer's block ever. I just sat at the computer for more than 2 hours staring at a blank screen.
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Dany pushed her gift into Lily's hands. She was proud of it and her wrapping wasn't that bad this year. She especially liked the yellow bow she charmed on at the last minute. Yellow was Christmassy… right?
"Promise to at least try to wait until Christmas to open it?" She asked her and Lily nearly fell over from the weight of the package.
Lily laughed once she got steady footing. "I swear."
Heidi placed her present on top of Dany's. "See you soon Lily. Happy Christmas." And then she and Dany took off down the road to Hogsmeade Station.
Dany looked back at Lily and noticed that her smile had already drooped. Please, please let Lily have a good Christmas.
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"Hey James," Sirius called, plopping onto the couch in the Head's dorm. "So I hear that Ms. Evans will be staying for the holidays as well."
James cracked a smile. "Is that so?"
"C'mon, don't play it cool. Everything's perfect, she's single, you're single, you love her, and she says she loves you… When are you going to catch her under the mistletoe?"
"As thrilled as I am about that, I really don't want to scare her off, Pads." James admitted.
"Should I start teaching you the language of girls, my friend?"
James laughed. "I think I can handle this on my own, thanks."
"Have fun with that." Sirius snorted.
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Lily was sitting cross-legged on the couch in the common room, humming the tune to Carol of the Bells. She was, at the moment, offering suggestions to a nervous house elf that she had persuaded to talk to her.
"Perhaps add another red bauble up by the star."
The elf twitched and nodded. He snapped his fingers and red baubles appeared at the top.
She pondered the new look of the Christmas tree. "Put a blue one in that section by the fireplace, there are too many gold ones there."
The elf replaced all of the gold baubles around the tree with blue ones and almost fainted from nerves.
"Binky, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you or anything!" Lily unintentionally raised her voice and the house elf squealed and disappeared. A group of 2nd years by the window snickered and she swore under her breath.
So she took matters into her own hands and began decorating the tree with her own summoned ornaments and started attaching them.
"Feeling the Christmas spirit Evans?" Sirius Black whispered behind the couch and caused her to send a plastic snowflake falling to the ground and shatter on the floor.
"Black!" Lily shouted.
Sirius quirked an eyebrow. "Evans?" The 2nd years laughed at her again.
"How may I help you?" She asked through clenched teeth.
"Ah, I just wanted to pop in for a visit. But I'm afraid I must take my shower. Unless, of course, you like my ripe manly smell?"
"Ugh. Sod off, Black."
"As you wish Ms. Evans." And he walked off.
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Lucy looked at the clock beside her bed and groaned. Had she really slept in until 3:00? She stretched and looked about the room. She noticed that it was not only empty, but peculiarly clean…
It took her a good five minutes before she remembered that it was Christmas break and she had decided to stay at school rather than- she shuddered- go home for the holidays. The last thing she wanted to do was ring in the New Year with a shouting match between her and her step dad.
She dressed warmly, layering sweaters on top of each other and pulling on a pair of thick corduroys. She quickly ran a brush through her hair and applied a dab of lipstick before she deemed herself presentable and left the dorm.
She walked along a familiar corridor until she saw Sirius Black wandering a hallway as well, directly in front of her and going the same direction. She walked silently behind him and caught a whiff of berry shampoo.
"Sirius!" She called and watched with glee as he whipped around and a broad smile spread across his face.
"Hey Lucy. I didn't know you where staying for the holidays."
"Well, I, er. I didn't really feel up to facing the parents quite yet."
Sirius smiled, a warm, understanding smile. Then he looked up and laughed.
"What is it?" She demanded, thinking that he might be making fun of her.
Sirius pointed up, and there above them, was a sprig of mistletoe.
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Dear Heidi,
I just wanted to tell you that I got your letter, and yes, that mark on your left cheek is definitely a beauty mark and not a mole, no matter how many times your sister may say otherwise. I hope you get the gift I sent you. I really have no idea how much weight Hades can carry, but we'll soon find out, won't we? I can't wait to see you again. That night by the Black Lake was one I don't think I'll ever forget.
Happy Christmas,
Remus
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"Ms. Lily! Ms. Lily!" A little 1st year was running towards Lily, clutching a big owl to her chest.
"Yes Avril?" She asked her.
"Jeff's been acting weird. He won't eat and bit me once when I tried to stroke his feathers! I don't know who I should tell!" Avril cried.
"Hmm. Why don't you take him to Professor Grubbly-Plank, she'll fix him right up for you." She smiled at the girl as she ran off down the hall without another word.
She turned and almost ran into the bulk that was Professor Slughorn's large belly. "Hullo Professor!" She offered brightly, with a smile that could have made a Barbie jealous.
"Lily m'dear. I noticed you didn't show up to my Christmas party this year! 'Tis a bitter shame because there were some friends of mine I wanted you to meet!"
"Really? I'm sorry sir, I must have never gotten an invitation." Oh those darn invitations. She must have gotten at least 6!
He gave a forgiving smile. "It's all right. I'm sure you can come to mine next year as an invited guest." Yeah right.
"We must have tea some time Professor!" Lily smiled that painful smile again. "But right now, I must run, for I have some Head duties to finish!"
Slughorn smiled proudly again. "Of course! And I just may take you up on that offer sometime!" She smiled and walked away, breathing a sigh of relief. Curse Slughorn and his favoritism!
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On Christmas Eve, Dany found herself unable to sleep. She woke up and paced around the room a few times before she sat down at her old desk and looked around the room.
It hadn't changed much. It still held the same posters and pink walls she had had when she was 11. There was a teddy bear named Carl sitting on a shelf above her bed. It was missing patches of fur and had only one eye.
She got up and retrieved the old bear from where he sat and looked out the window. It was beginning to snow.
I could catch cold! I could be sick on Christmas! She bit her lip, and even though she tried to, she couldn't think of a better reason as to why she shouldn't go outside. She grabbed her coat and ran out the door.
She opened her mouth and let the snowflakes fall onto her tongue.
"And so I'm offering this simple phrase…" She whispered to herself as she spun in circles like a little girl. "To kids from one to ninety-two. Although it's been said, many times many ways, merry Christmas… to you."
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On Christmas morning, Lily leapt out of bed and observed her stack of presents. It was smaller without the amount of packages her parents used to provide, but it was still a pretty good size.
She pulled Dany's gigantic box from the bottom of the pile and sat it on her lap. She pulled off the colossal yellow ribbon and began to tear off the messy wrapping paper. She read the note first.
Lily,
Time to make you smoking. Merry Christmas and all that.
Dany
When she opened the present, she found a big, black container inside. The container was filled to the brim with an outrageous assortment of make-up. Black lipstick and some perfume that smelled like barbecue sauce where the first things she pulled out. She cracked up, realizing that this was a gag-gift. Heidi gave her a new romance novel that made her laugh even more. Deadly Devotion: The Sequel to Luminous Lust.
She sucked on a giant candy cane that her Brea had sent her as she walked down the steps. She suddenly felt a wave of loneliness and looked out the window. For once, it was raining rather than snowing and she had an urge to run out in the storm.
Once she reached the doors that led outside, she took one long look behind her before rushing out of the castle and onto the grounds.
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James was sitting on a rock by the lake meditating when the mild snow switched to a pounding rain. His glasses were soon fogged up and he ran to the shelter beneath a tree to clear them.
Once he sat down by the trunk and wiped his lenses he cursed at himself. Wasn't there some rule about taking shelter underneath a tree during a storm? But there was no lightning, no thunder, just the gentle platter of the rain onto the surface of the lake.
He was surprised to find that it was completely dry below the many branches, even without the leaves. So he leaned his head against the maple and shook out his hair.
"James?" A soft voice sounded through the downpour. He turned his head and saw Lily standing in the rain, just beyond the clearing the tree provided.
"Lily?" He asked back. Lily shivered and stepped beneath the branches and sat down next to James. She wasn't looking at him, and he noticed a slight blush spread up her cheeks.
"Wh-what are you doing out here?" She was still facing the lake and not him.
"I could ask the same of you." James argued. She blushed again.
"I- er. Guess you're right. Happy Christmas, by the way."
"Lily, we need to talk." That got her to look at him, even if she did move her eyes away a second later.
"Yeah we do." She wrapped her arms around herself and looked around. "Should we start with the beginning of the year?"
"That early?" He was just thinking of back to around December 3rd.
She nodded into her knees. "Yeah. That's when it all started, on the train."
"Oh, okay." He sat there, puzzled. "Did it begin when I was made Head Boy?"
"Er, sort of." She blushed again, her face becoming a red to rival her hair. "More or less when you stepped onto the platform."
"Oh." What did he do wrong then?
"Once you arrived and I saw Nova running to greet you, I didn't understand the feeling I felt then." He just looked at her.
"And then, I dunno, I realized that it was jealousy and that I missed having you around." She gulped. "And then Heidi and Dany and I convinced Sirius-"
"He told me about that part." James looked at the ground.
"Oh right." Lily's face was so red, it looked as if it would never return to its normal color. "I suppose he probably would…"
James raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to continue. When she didn't he spoke.
"Lily, after what happened last year at that party, Sirius, Peter and Remus all tried to help me get over you. But, I never did. At least, not completely." Lily finally looked at him, and he caught her eyes. "I meant what I said when I told you I love you."
"James, I-I meant it too." Her voice shook with emotion. "At least, I know that it's more than just a crush. It's more than just attraction. My heart aches when I think of you. I stutter when I talk to you, because I'm afraid of saying something wrong. Is this what love is?"
James felt himself moving closer to her, and taking her hand in his, and whispering, "It is."
And then he kissed her and she kissed back. And it was heaven. A heaven better than anything he ever could have imagined. He felt all his stress, all his anguish melt away at her touch and when they pulled apart, the weather had calmed and they made their way back to the castle through the drizzle, hand in hand.
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And so it ends. Thanks everyone for reading my first fanfic. And to everyone that's been with me through the whole thing, through the cliché and the mediocre. Your positive comments were what kept me going.
-Balloon Baboon.
P.S. I might keep writing. I might make a sequel. I might write another fanfic. It all depends on if I can spare the time. Or if I even feel the urge to write. So you just might hear about me again. Might